The countdown is on! We’re just a few days away from New York Fashion Week. Be sure to follow me on twitter and instagram @prettyconnected since it’s going to be crazy! And I’m not sure how quickly I’ll be able to get posts up but I’ll be backstage and at the shows sharing photos in real time.
Here are some of my must haves to get me through the week:
Electronics:
myCharge Hub 6000 ($99.99) – There are a lot of portable phone charger on the market, but this is the first I’ve seen with a flip-out wall plug that lets you recharge it on any outlet. It also has up to 27 hours or talk time and ports for the iPhone5, iPhone 4s, Smartphones and tablets so you can share with all of your fashion friends and be the hit of NYFW.
Lenovo Yoga 10 HD+ Tablet ($299) – I’m an apple girl, so I have many generations of iPads but to be frank I only use them when I’m traveling or as a jukebox around the house with a bluetooth speaker. However, it’s clear from all the commercials and features I’m seeing in Androids it’s in now way competitive. Lenova was nice enough to lend me their Yoga 10 HD+ tablet all summer and while it took me a while to get used to an Android it was so worth making the transition. For starters I can do a dual screen – so I can surf the internet on one half of the screen and have my twitter or email open on the other side. It’s also very light weight and comes with a built in kick stand making it compact and easy to use while holding or mounting on a desk. The battery is long lasting and I like that different people can login to different accounts on it so if my boyfriend wants to use his email and skype account set up separate from mine so it doesn’t get mixed into mine (and there’s no need to keep logging in and out of different accounts. It’s light-weight and super compact, making it easy to carry around. If I had it to keep, I would definitely invest in a bluetooth keyboard since it would make blogging a piece of cake while on the road.
Olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lens ($69.99) – Lets be honest, you used to have to carry an SLR to be taken seriously at fashion week, but now with social media, it’s all about who can take the best picture on their smartphone and upload it to instagram the quickest. The Olliclip lens is super light weight and includes a Fisheye, Wide-Angle and a 10x and 15x Macro lense all in one! Just clip to your iPhone and you’re ready to go.
Glam Screen by Jonathan Chabon iPhone Super HD Mirror Screen Protector -($24.99) – If it’s good enough for the Kardashians… who you know are selfie obsessed, then I’m giving the HD Mirror/Screen Protector a whirl this fashion week. Adhere to your iPhone for better quality picture when you turn the lens on yourself. I’m not a big selfie user but I do use my phone as a mirror for touch-ups so this should come in handy.
They also have a hands free “Selfie Ring” ($19.99) which I may put in my bag, not for selfies but for an extra hand in holding my phone (you have your phone, your champagne flute, your SLR Camera… there just aren’t enough hands for everything!). They also sent these cute Designer Home Buttons ($4.99) that are lips! My iPhone could do with being glammed up a bit, it is fashion week after all.
The Nameplate:
Jane Basch Block Bar Nameplate necklace – @prettyconnected monogram necklace from Jane Basch – In all my years of fashion week, I don’t think anyone has ever come up to me and said, “are you Lara?”, it’s always, “are you Pretty Connected?.” So now I’m taking the guess work out and wearing my @prettyconnected necklace all fashion week long. (I also love the lips necklace they sent me — photoed above)
Power up!
I take on 5-7 shows/events a day and that’s way too much! Early mornings, late nights, can run you down so I’m always fully stocked with Emergen-c packs, which are 1000mg of vitamin C which you add to water (I get Super Orange flavored) to help boost your immune system. I also carry a few Kind Bars, since there aren’t that many quick grab food options around Lincoln Center and these help get me through the day when I don’t have time to eat or am in between meals. All Kind Bars contain no GMOs, are gluten free, contain 6g of protein and are a good source of fiber. (My two favorite flavors are the Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants and Fruit & Nut Delight)
Beauty Must-Haves:
NARS Velvet Lip Liners in Play Dorado (coral, red-orange) and Costa Smeralda (bright fuchsia pink) – These just launched and I’m obsessed! Liners help lock in your lip color (especially those pesky lipsticks that tend to bleed) and since I wear a lot of bright pinks, reds and oranges any mishap is very obvious. These liners create a very controlled thin line (normally liners are thicker and create a thicker line similar to eyeshadow pencils), offering a very smooth, sharp finish for defined lips. They also are longwear so they stay put all day!
Lorac Pro Palette 1 & 2 – I said it on Instagram and I’ll say it again, the original Lorac Pro Palette is the palette I use the most out of my entire arsenal of eye shadows so I’m including it. The original is filled with 8 matte and 8 metallic great everyday (to every night) staple shades that range from neutral to brown earth tone metallics (and black). The new Pro Palette 2 is similar in that it also has 8 shimmer, and 8 matte shades only it mixes in a few more colors and is less of a gradation from shade to shade like we see in the original. Both can be used wet or dry and has a velvety smooth texture that easily blends. Both palettes also come with Lorac’s Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.
Roloxin Lift Revitalizing Facial Treatment ($110/pack 10)- These are a little pricey for regular use, so I save them for big occasions or when my skin needs is dull or sleep deprived and needs a quick reboot. (Think facial in a packet.) You activate the formula by massaging the sachet in your hands for 20 seconds, then cleanse and lightly dampen your skin and apply the formula to your face for 7-10 minute or until it dries. Then rinse it off and apply your moisturizer or continue with your regular beauty routine — your skin will feel instantly more even, with your wrinkles filled in and your skin will be glowing!
Dove Advanced Care anti-perspirant deodorant – Fashion Week is basically a sporting event. You’re running from show to show and it’s hot out so you need a deodorant that won’t quit on you — and with 48 Hour odor and wetness protection, you’ll feel that much more secure.
Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes – I like to imagine I come every day and do my nightly skincare regimen but just in case I like to keep face wipes by my bed and some products just incase I’m too restless to make it to the bathroom. These cleanse, remove makeup, and nourish skin and are soothing and refreshing with every swipe.
Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo – if you’re lucky enough to get a blow out or do your hair during fashion week, you want it to last! This dry shampoo soaks up the oils, helping to refresh strands without being sticky or adding any crazy texture. It smells divine with a light scent of white grapefruit and mint and contains no parabens or dyes.
Eye do!
Having three eye products may sound a bit excessive, but not for me. Especially during fashion week. When I get exhausted or don’t get an adequate amount of zzz’s my eyes are the first to show it.
To help I use Dr Dennis Gross new Ferulic + Retinol Eye Cream (which launches this month) in the evenings. I’m a big fan of the entire Ferulic + Retinal collection and the new eye cream is the greatest thing to ever happen to my eye area. Packed with Ferlic Acid (which protects against sun damage), Retinol (which helps fade lines and wrinkles), and a million other things that help sooth and strengthen the eye area. It’s rich and my skin just soaks it up so my eyes look more awake.
In the AM I then use Anew Clinical Absolute Even Dark Circle Correction, that’s formulated with sheer optics to instantly brighten and illuminate the eyes and Shadow Erase Complex Technology to smooth uneven texture and to help improve dark circles over time.
Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels – these I use when I haven’t slept at all or I need to de-puff and have my eye are in top form (basically I only use them for special occasions, TV appearances/shoots and the last 4 days of fashion week when my tired eyes are in full effect. (Basically, they’re my quick fix.) You just peel the gels (they are cool and refreshing) and apply under your eye for 10 minutes and then peel them off to reveal perfectly quenched and rested eyes.
La Praire Anti-Aging Eye and Lip Perfection a Porter – You have my morning and night cream, my quick fix and now the product that’s always in my makeup case. This dual eye and lip compact instantly refreshes both areas. For the eyes it can be used below or on top of makeup to instantly plump and revitalize the area. And the same can be said for the lip formula. It’s like nothing I’ve ever owned and never want to be without it!
Feet Savers!
Fashion Week is a time when I abuse my feet like no other! Long hours in heels make it hard to walk by the end of the first week — and I get an ungodly amount of blisters. But not this fashion week! My two savors are Still Standing, which is a foot spray that helps cool and sooth your feet so they don’t swell and you can wear those heels just that much longer; and the other is Sole Goddess Blister Protection which I put on the backs and sides of my feet to prevent blisters.