TJ Maxx Is My New BFF

You all know that I heart Sephora. I’m also a fan of department stores and specialty boutiques. But my new favorite places to shop for beauty products are retail chains like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. To me, there’s something so satisfying about rooting through shelves of crap and spotting the perfect product – as if it was put there especially for me to find.

This weekend, I went to TJ Maxx – and was amazed at what I found: GapBody body lotion for $5.99; a gift set of three Jaqua Shower Syrups for $9.99; and Lucky Chick Mandarin White Orchid Sugar Body Scrub for $4.99. I’ve also spied products from Peter Thomas Roth, Juice Beauty, Davies Gate, and N.V. Perricone on shelves at TJ Maxx. And you’d be amazed at the fragrance selection…not too long ago, my Mom bought a 1.7 ounce bottle of Hanae Mori Butterfly Eau de Parfum for $29.99 (retail value $85)!

Spoiled Pretty Tip: On your next trip to TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and similar retail chains – be on the lookout for products from CST (Commonwealth Soap and Toiletries) and Asquith & Somerset. These bath and body products are high-quality at a low price (most items are under $8). Right now, I’m loving CST’s Tangerine Vanilla Sugar Scrub…it gently polishes my skin, and smells just like an orange creamsicle!

TJ Maxx Is My New BFF

You all know that I heart Sephora. I’m also a fan of department stores and specialty boutiques. But my new favorite places to shop for beauty products are retail chains like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. To me, there’s something so satisfying about rooting through shelves of crap and spotting the perfect product – as if it was put there especially for me to find.

This weekend, I went to TJ Maxx – and was amazed at what I found: GapBody body lotion for $5.99; a gift set of three Jaqua Shower Syrups for $9.99; and Lucky Chick Mandarin White Orchid Sugar Body Scrub for $4.99. I’ve also spied products from Peter Thomas Roth, Juice Beauty, Davies Gate, and N.V. Perricone on shelves at TJ Maxx. And you’d be amazed at the fragrance selection…not too long ago, my Mom bought a 1.7 ounce bottle of Hanae Mori Butterfly Eau de Parfum for $29.99 (retail value $85)!

Spoiled Pretty Tip: On your next trip to TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and similar retail chains – be on the lookout for products from CST (Commonwealth Soap and Toiletries) and Asquith & Somerset. These bath and body products are high-quality at a low price (most items are under $8). Right now, I’m loving CST’s Tangerine Vanilla Sugar Scrub…it gently polishes my skin, and smells just like an orange creamsicle!

Mariah Has Another Hit, And Wins Two New Fans

This past Labor Day weekend, my mom and I went to the mall in search of new perfume. Currently, I have L'Instant de Guerlain, Hanae Mori Butterfly, Vera Wang Princess, and Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot on heavy rotation…and I was looking for something lighter. My mom, already bored with the Calvin Klein Euphoria my Dad bought her for her birthday, was also looking for something different.

Unfortunately, neither of us found a new signature scent. But we did manage to find a fragrance that we both agreed on.

When I sprayed M by Mariah Carey (a collaboration between the singer and Elizbeth Arden) on the tester strip, I didn’t expect much. My Mom didn’t even want to smell it, explaining that she “doesn’t care for Mariah.”

We both assumed the scent would be somewhat strong and garish – like its namesake. But to our surprise, M was light and creamy, inviting and refined.

Perfumers Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong describe the inspiration for the fragrance:

“By combining two very contrasted notes, an exotic Tahitian Tiare flower with a deliciously warm marshmallow, we wanted to express Mariah's utmost femininity and undeniable sensuality in one strong statement. We then incorporated other facets, such as a Moroccan Incense Amber accord, to bring an element of mystery that lingers on skin. This harmonious balance of Mariah's favorite scents and memories is at the heart of this creation."

M by Mariah Carey is available in stores and online.

Mariah Has Another Hit, And Wins Two New Fans

This past Labor Day weekend, my mom and I went to the mall in search of new perfume. Currently, I have L'Instant de Guerlain, Hanae Mori Butterfly, Vera Wang Princess, and Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot on heavy rotation…and I was looking for something lighter. My mom, already bored with the Calvin Klein Euphoria my Dad bought her for her birthday, was also looking for something different.

Unfortunately, neither of us found a new signature scent. But we did manage to find a fragrance that we both agreed on.

When I sprayed M by Mariah Carey (a collaboration between the singer and Elizbeth Arden) on the tester strip, I didn’t expect much. My Mom didn’t even want to smell it, explaining that she “doesn’t care for Mariah.”

We both assumed the scent would be somewhat strong and garish – like its namesake. But to our surprise, M was light and creamy, inviting and refined.

Perfumers Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong describe the inspiration for the fragrance:

“By combining two very contrasted notes, an exotic Tahitian Tiare flower with a deliciously warm marshmallow, we wanted to express Mariah's utmost femininity and undeniable sensuality in one strong statement. We then incorporated other facets, such as a Moroccan Incense Amber accord, to bring an element of mystery that lingers on skin. This harmonious balance of Mariah's favorite scents and memories is at the heart of this creation."

M by Mariah Carey is available in stores and online.