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7 Great Gift Ideas for Dad + Win Taun Skincare for Him!

We’re keeping it simple this year and sticking to the basics since men are complicated enough to shop for. And while ties didn’t make our list, that’s mainly because that’s the one thing my dad says every year “no more ties”. (Under other circumstances I’d approve.) 7 great gifts for men:

1. A solid moisturizer – most men neglect a basic moisturizer as part of their daily routine. Not only is it great for their overall complexion, but also anti-aging. Which is why we’re giving away 2 bottles of Taun, specifically formulated for him!

Taun Facial Repair Formula ($79/1.7oz) is a household favorite in my humble abode. All dad needs to know is it feels good and helps hydrate his skin (he’ll like it, it absorbs quickly into skin and feels very refreshing). Why we love it: It’s dermatologist-approved, and packed with anti-aging and moisturizing ingredients to help keep him looking young. The special blend of 13 ingredients, including retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin-C esters, peptides, jojoba oil, and apricot kernel oil, are designed to stimulate collagen production, neutralize free radicals (aka damage from the sun), even skin tone and color, and strengthen skin cell barrier.

WIN IT! We’re giving away 2 bottles of Taun 1 on this blog on 1 on twitter! 

TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post on why you’d like to win OR tell us what you plan on getting dad!

And/Or

Follow @TaunForMen on Twitter, and  tweet us your response using the hashtag#Win4Dad or tweet the following: Win @TaunForMen for Father’s Day! RT to enter. http://bit.ly/KsCErM #Win4Dad

One winner will be picked from the blog comments and the other from twitter. Entries will be accepted until June 15rd at 8pm EST. US residents only. All federal, state and local laws apply.

2. Cufflinks!

How fun are these Esc & Ctrl Keyboard Button Cufflinks ($9.99)?  Makes for a fun gift for techy dads…

 3. Boat Shoes!

Sperry’s Men’s 3 Eye Boat Shoe by Band of Outsiders ($175) – Sperry has teamed up with Band of Outsiders designer Scott Sternberg to merge their classic Authentic Original style with funky detailing in a variety of colors and materials to add a stylish twist on a classic boat shoe. For the more conservative dad, Sperry has a variety of more classic styles starting at $75.

4. Shaving products

Unless he’s a burly dude, dad shaves! So you can’t go wrong with a shaving kit or products (he’ll use it!). Murad has an extensive line of shave products starting with  Cleansing Shave ($28/6.75 FL. OZ.), a generous tube of antioxidant-rich cleansing formula that features Murad’s exclusive Beard Softening Complex® and Mushroom Enzyme exfoliants to uncover stubborn facial hairs and provide

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Alexander Skarsgard the be the face of ENCOUNTER Calvin Klein

It was announced today that hunky Swedish actor, Alexander Skarsgard, best known for his role as vampire Eric Northman on the HBO series True Blood will be the face of Calvin Klein’s latest men’s fragrance, ENCOUNTER Calvin Klein. The fragrance and campaign will break worldwide in September 2012. Alex will be featured in the campaign alongside model Lara Stone.

“The global launch of ENCOUNTER Calvin Klein introduces a new interpretation of the contemporary, confident man,” said Catherine Walsh, Senior Vice President, American Fragrances, Coty Prestige. “Alexander Skarsgård perfectly reflects the ENCOUNTER Calvin Klein attitude – modern, stylish and unapologetically masculine.”

Fitness Magazine Hosts Meet & Tweet #FitBlogNYC

Holding down the fort while I was away… Stylist/blogger, Tiffany Piñero, helped cover some of my events on my behalf and attended Fitness Magazine’s Blogger Meet & Tweet. Thank you Tiffany!

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While the Lovely Lara was making us all jealous in Europe, I had the pleasure of keeping her Pretty Connected connections in tact in NYC. #FitBlogNYC was a first Meet & Tweet event sponsored by Fitness Magazine introducing fitness, health and wellness bloggers to not only to each other but also to the many brands that fuel the industry. Alongside all the amazing swag being given away and the many new products being introduced, there was an all day agenda of eye opening topics including a pop up fitness session by Kiwi Fitness. It was a crazy sweat session with a workout they call Tabura which is a mix of African dancing and kick boxing, umm yes, out of control.

It was great visiting with the girls from Reebok, who gave us an awesome pair of Real Flex sneakers and socks that will rock your world. Really, the socks are my obsession, so comfortable and they wick away sweat like no other.

Meeting up with Oakley was fun they let us try out their new line of sunglasses which is a total fashion meets function moment of super stylish frames equipped with sport technology to keep them from slipping while running. Talk about a win/win.

Everyone who attended was given a gorgeous Sonia Kashuk gym bag full of amazingness. The bag itself was great, but also loaded with products that I completely fell in love with like the Fiber One Brownie bars! {quite possibly my new favorite thing}, Blow Pro dry shampoo {a god send!}, Schick Hydro Silk razor, a must have for summer — keeps you smooth for so much longer, and Vichy skin firming lotion are a few of the great products that have me transitioning into my sweet summer style effortlessly. Fitness Magazine put together an amazing event that had the twittersphere going wild, connecting our followers with brands and connecting us with what’s next. This day was so fun and such a success. I look forward to the next one!

Living Proof Expands Restore Collection + Launches Restore the Love 14 Day Challenge

In December we posted about the launch of Living Proof’s new Restore collection consisting of a shampoo, conditioner, and mask treatment. Now the innovative hair brand is expanding the collection with the launch of 3 new products: Restore Targeted Repair Cream (designed to add shine and prevent split ends), Revitalizing Spray (which consists of pro-vitamins to strengthen hair and protect against heat and UV damage for up to 24 hours) and Recovery Regimen (which is a weekly anti-damage ampoule treatment, formulated to repair frequently colored, chemically processed and overly stressed hair). Additionally, they have launched the Discovery Set, which is a 3-peice set that includes a 2-week supply of their Restore Shampoo (2oz), Conditioner (2oz) and Mask Treatment (1oz).

{Mix and match the products to find your perfect combination}

What I like most about the Restore collection is it’s designed to repair dry and damaged hair and serve more like a hair diet to revert hair back to it’s “virgin hair” state. Once your hair is restored, you can move on to one of their other haircare lines, or mix and match as I like to do. Originally when

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QVC: The Sephora of TV (and online)

Me with Poppy King (aka The Lipstick Queen)

Having lived in major cities my whole life, I never much subscribed to home shopping networks like QVC — which I associated with stay-at-home moms and consumers that didn’t have immediate access to stores at every corner. Living in a place where there is a Sephora on every other block, TV is the last place I look to make a beauty purchase (although they do sell online as well).

However, after attending a recent QVC event, I could not have been more wrong — given the amount of beauty brands out on the market it’s a challenge to pick which product is worth the investment; QVC offers consumers that educational component and the opportunity to learn about the products beyond just staring at the packaging straight from the expert behind the brand.

I was shocked by the amount of prestige brands they are currently showcasing — Perricone MD, Bliss, Algenist, Clarisonic, Fresh, Tarte, Lipstick Queen, Make Up For Ever, Go Smile, Josie Maran, Mally, Laura Geller (to name a few) as well as retailers like Space.NK, and Sephora are now partnering with them as well!

Talking vitamin C with Dr. Perricone!

And they certainly got my attention. Walking the isles of the QVC event, I got to meet Dr. Perricone and hear first hand why I need to drop everything and try his Vitamin C Ester 15 (QVC Item #A221548) — which has a high 15% concentration of vitamin C  fused a with fatty acid derived from palm oil that’s going to brighten my skin and give me a glowing complexion. And then there was Poppy King (THE LIPSTICK QUEEN!!!) — who I’ve been obsessed with for some time now. Her lipsticks are so luxurious and rich and offer this perfect combination of hydration and pigment without being messy or flimsy. She’s launched the Lipstick Queen Liptopolis Lipstick Collection ($48/QVC Item #A226460) which has this super cute packaging that includes 3 lipstick shades, Central Park (peach), Soho (red) and Upper East (nude hue). What can I say… I’m so Soho — I haven’t stopped wearing this shade since I got the set. I met Josie Maran, Ken Paves, Laura Geller… and hearing first hand from these experts what makes their products so great and the best way to use them adds such a value and educational component that I’m a total QVC convert. Plus you can expect a medley of specials and exclusives from these brands only available on QVC.

{Ken Paves gives Cheryl of The Fashionista Stories his signature Hairdo extensions — looks so natural!}

{Sarah Potempo demoed her “The Wrap-Up” ($24/QVC Item #A323424) on a model, instantly giving her the perfect bun in seconds!}

{Fresh co-founder Lev Glazman introduced us to their hand blended (in a monastery) ancient remedy to the fountain of youth, Elixir Ancien + Face Treatment Oil ($50/QVC Item #A226364), which is being offered exclusively in a .5 ounce size on QVC}

{Former super model Josie Maran has more then one reason to be glowing — we suspect it’s part baby-bump, part her latest Argan Illuminating Body Butter ($30/ QVC Item #A224383) which combines her lightweight, hydrating body butter that’s infused with her signature ingredient, argan oil and a delicate luminzers that offers a subtle shimmer for that perfect summer glow.

For the complete list of beauty offerings, visit QVC.com

 

PC Mother’s Day Gift Guide (+ Win Phebo Soap Bar Trio!)

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and while flowers and a thoughtful card are always a safe bet (and take mom out to dinner while you’re at it), here are some other PC Mom picks. Most of these are our classic favorites, with the exception of a new brand to this site, Phebo!

WIN IT! Brazilian luxury perfumery brand, Phebo is debuting in the US at Macy’s nationwide for only a few months! Available until the end of July, we’re giving away the Phebo Soap Bar Trio Set ($24 value) in your choice of fragrance. Set includes: 2 Phebo bar soaps and 1 liquid soap in your choice of fragrance: Naturelle, Amazonian, Lavanda, Manha, Oriente, Primavera, Rose or Tropical. To view the complete assortment on flavors visit macys.com

TO ENTER: leave a comment on why you’d like to win!

Extra entries if you…

**Follow us on Twitter, @PrettyConnected and tweet to us why you’d like to win using the hashtag #MDay

**“Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/PrettyConnected and leave us a comment referencing this giveaway.

{PC Mother’s Day Gift Guide}

1. WIN IT (details above)! Phebo Soap Bar Trio ($24) – While this set comes in a several fragrances, I’m partial to the Flores de Primareva. Not only does it make you’re bathroom pretty in pink, it’s refreshing floral change to your conventional clean-scented hand soaps. Phebo is 100% vegetal based, using a wide range of essential oils, botanicals, herbs, spices and fruit oils in all of their products.

2. Tocca Candle (10.6oz/$38) – Cleopatra is a classic Tocca scent (it’s a light/clean aroma that blends cucumber and grapefruit), that I’m a fan of, however you really can’t go wrong with any of their candles (especially since they have recently expanded the line with so many more choices). They burn for roughly 60 hours.

3. Philosophy I think You’re Wonderful Pure Grace set ($32) – I’m not sure what’s better, the packaging or Philosophy’s cult favorite products, Pure Grace. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone that didn’t like Grace’s beautifully clean scent. The gift set includes Pure Grace Foaming Bath and Shower cream (8 oz.) and Pure Grace Perfumed Body Lotion (8 oz.). No need to wrap… the packaging says it all.

4. Royal & Langnickel 12-piece Silk Pro Set ($120)- Synthetic brushes have come a long way in the past 5years that there’s no reason animal hair needs to be involved to have a high-end, quality brush. There is every brush you could ever want in this set and they are all so soft, durable and animal-friendly. Quality brushes are

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OpenSky Launches Beauty + PC Interviews Dr. Brandt!

Yesterday, I had an event-full day of meeting some major industry experts at the Opensky beauty launch party.

Meet the OpenSky curators!

Some of you may be familiar with Opensky — they are a shopping site that pairs industry experts in food, style, healthy living, kids and home to curate some of their favorite products and make them available to you. Fresh to the website is now BEAUTY! To name a few… Dr. Neal Schultz, MD, Pati Dubroff, Chandler Burr, Sue Devitt, Alicia Silverstone and Dr. Brandt are all curators for this new category and the product range for beauty spans over Hair, Makeup, Body, Fragrance, Skincare and Wellness.

I had some one-on-one time with Dr. Brandt (yes the Dr. Brandt!!) to talk yoga, summer must-haves, SPF and how to fight back against sun damage! Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8mW8zRfT8I&feature=youtu.be

For more on OpenSky, visit opensky.com

 

Harry Josh shares how to achieve the perfect blowout (at home)

Do you struggle with trying to create a salon-caliber blowout at home? If so, John Frieda‘s International Creative Consultant, Harry Josh has some advice — beginning with taking your time. “A perfect blowout can last for days,” says Harry. “Taking the time to do it correcting may be an extra ten minutes, but you’ll have gorgeous hair at least 24 hours. It’s not worth rushing it!”

Step One: Prep Your Hair
Take a good look at your hair type and identify its weakness: Frizz? Damage from heat styling? Lack of volume? When you get out of the shower, apply a pre-blowout product which targets that weakness. If you have frizzy hair, apply Frizz-Ease (Original Formula Hair Serum or the new Sheer Solution Lightweight Frizz Control, if you have fine hair) to soaking wet hair to combat frizz. If your hair is damaged and

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Inside NYC’s Salon Ruggeri, Evo products (and my Best of Boston Hair Salon Pick)

When evaluating a salon there are basic principles we judge on (whether we’re conscious of it or not); the first being the most obvious of how great our hair looks. The rest comes down to the experience; how pleasant the staff is, was their a wait despite having an appointment, how was the atmosphere… Rarely does a salon exceed on all fronts the way Salon Ruggeri did.

If you’re looking for a flashy sign (or any type of sign), trendy music or a big scene, you’ve come to the wrong place. Salon Ruggeri is a whole other type of fabulous. If Eloise had an aunt that owned art galleries and invited you for afternoon tea at her apartment, this would likely be more aligned with what you would expect to walk into. The interior is exquisite — a mix of colorful furniture, with vibrant wall paper in one room and a perfectly crafted display of art in the other. Spanning over two, living-room size rooms (one for cutting/styling, and the other for hair color appointments), the salon houses only a few customers at a time to really hone in on that one-on-one experience. If you’re someone that values privacy, or a tranquil experience while getting your hair done, this is definitely the place for you.

When I was there, I had the room all to myself. Just me and my lovely stylist, Cassie of whom I liked instantly enough to take the lead on my hair style — I just asked for party-ready hair for a big night out. As a result I got the most gorgeous Brigitte Bardot-like, 60s bombshell blow-out. It was packed with volume and shine (without being sticky or crazy on the hairspray) and so undeniably glamorous. It lasted 3 days!

Cassie also introduced me to a new Australian-based product line (or rather new to the US), evo, of which she used in my hair. Since volume and a solution to wearing my hair naturally curly are my main hair concerns she recommended evo’s Liquid Rollers (if you like light creams that help reduce frizz and define your waves or curls, you need to try this) and Haze (a dry shampoo + volume powder that absorbs your oils while giving you a ‘Bump It’ effect). Haze had a hand in helping my blowout last so long…

Considering they specialize in everything – you  can’t go wrong, whether you’re settled for a complete makeover, fixing a botched job, or a standard blow-out. It’s no wonder Salon Ruggeri was named “2011 Pick for Hair Cut” in InStyles Annual Beauty Black Book issue.

Salon Ruggeri, 153 W. 18th Street 2nd floor, NYC

And funny story… for all of you Bostonians, if you’re looking for a fantastic salon with some edge, try Trephin. Set in a big loft, it has a very Williamsburg-chic vibe to it… Go see Brian Rand, he was awarded the The Best of Boston 2011: Women’s Haircut award, and needless to say I was turned onto him and the salon by my mom, (who after a lifetime in Boston and trying just about every salon has deemed it her favorite and is a loyalist). She took me over the holiday and not only did he do a great job on her hair, but guess what I see sitting on the shelf — evo products. Apparently, the salon just picked up the line (and was surprised that I was familiar with it as they are one of the first to pick it up in Boston). The perks of being a beauty blogger! And thus I have concluded that evo has great taste in hair salons and if I ever move out of the NYC/Boston area I’ll follow their distribution path to find my next great salon.

Trephin, 25 Temple Place, Boston

Are you an ACTIVE NATURAL? PC Partners with AVEENO to award $10K Grants

If you happened to pick up the new May issue of Elle Magazine, flip to page 130!!

Weeee! I'm in an AVEENO advertorial in ELLE!

Yup, that’s me! I’m thrilled to be partnering with AVEENO and so honored to serve as an an ambassador for their BE AN ACTIVE NATURAL campaign!

For AVEENO, being an ACTIVE NATURAL is at the core of the brand’s values and something they are committed to in both their products and as a lifestyle. As ingredients ACTIVE NATURALS care for your skin and hair to make a healthier and more beautiful difference. As people, ACTIVE NATURALS care for their communities to also make a real difference. For me, getting to partner with one of the most reputable skin care brands is exciting enough, but to do so for a campaign that’s focused around making a difference… I’m elated!

*Deep breathe* Aveeno called me a HERO

So, in celebration of my fellow ACTIVE NATURALS across the country, AVEENO is awarding eight grants in the amount of $10,000!!! To enter, visit AVEENO’s Facebook page and tell them what you’re doing to enrich, engage, and encourage a beautiful change in your community. Apply now at Facebook.com/Aveeno.

If you visit the “HEROES” tab on their Facebook page you can learn more about my fellow ambassadors and how we strive to be ACTIVE NATURALS. Or you can watch my video they posted below. I am so flattered to have been chosen by AVEENO and to be acknowledged as an ACTIVE NATURAL. It’s such a honor to have the opportunity to couple both of my passions and hopefully inspire some of you to make a difference as well as spread the word about this wonderful campaign.

{What makes me an ACTIVE NATURAL}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-1VtXb7cD4A

I’m lucky to have grown up with a philanthropic mother who always taught me the importance of volunteering and giving back. And in addition to using my website to promote brands, like AVEENO striving to make a difference, I mentor with the non-profit organization, STOKED, that serves to promote personal development, academic achievement, and healthy living to under-served youth through action sports (snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing) and community service programs.

If you’re an ACTIVE NATURAL or know someone who is, APPLY!

**Style moment (all about scarves): In the AVEENO ad I am wearing an Express scarf, in the picture where I’m holding the magazine, I’m in the Lolly Gauze Fringe Scarf and in the video I’m wearing a mark. scarf.

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