Genius App: Upinion

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With so many apps out there – it is hard to decipher what is useful and/or beneficial. My new favorite is Upinion. A free market research App that asks you simple questions throughout your day and in return THEY PAY YOU! Thats right…

Everytime you answer a question you bank 10 cents. When your “Wallet” gets to $10.00 – Upinion will transfer to the account of your choice and you can start all over again!

Upinion is reinventing market research by using mobile technology to deliver answers in real time.

For companies, information needs to be instant and practical enabling businesses to make quick and accurate decisions. Traditional market research is time consuming, expensive and complicated.

Upinion makes the entire process incredibly easy and efficient.   Download the app free HERE.

Unrequited Love: Tassel Jewelry

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A more playful take on statement jewelry has been popping up in the form of swingy tassel earrings, bracelets and necklaces. The global-inspired look is available in a multitude of colors, lengths and styles. From colorful bracelets and shoulder-grazing danglers to simple rope pendants, finding a piece of tassel jewelry to fit your style and budget is a cinch. Here are a few favorites.

1. Isabel Marant: Asphalt Cowboy Necklace: $342.00

2. Max & Chloe: Ali NY Silver Traveler Tassel Earrings: $60.00

3. Lucy Folk: Jasmine Flower Braided Bracelets: $72.00

4. Max & Chloe: Ali NY Gold City Tassel Belcher Bracelet: $70.00

5. J.Crew: Double-Tassel Necklace: $62.00

Gift Guide: Holiday Palettes

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For a beauty junkie, there are few things prettier than a palette, and the holiday season creates some of the most charming examples. This year’s crop are as lovely as can be, with ornamentation and colors to match every taste. Give as a gift or keep for yourself, they do only come but once a year. Here are a few favorites:

Lancome ~ 2012 Holiday Color Collection: Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palette: $49.00

Dior ~ Grand Bal Lip and Eye Palette: $85.00

Laura Mercier ~ Color-To-Go Portable Palette for Eyes, Cheeks & Lips: $48.00

Aerin ~ Holiday Color Palette: $70.00

Pixi ~ Early Bird Kit: $34.00

e.l.f. ~ Studio Endless Eyes Pro Eyeshadow Palette: $10.00

Trench Time: Club Monaco Harper Trench

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There are a few wardrobe staples that every girl should splurge on and a trench coat is one of them. Synonymous with Fall, a trench coat is a classic coat that can be worn again and again, season after season, year after year.

Each season, the classic silhouette is updated to suit upcoming trends; cropped, long, textured, printed, metallic. I am a big believer of – if it ain’t broke… The classic design has been around since World War I and is still going strong.

Two qualities of my perfect trench coat are classic in design and beautifully tailored. My current favorite is the Harper Trench by Club Monaco. It features the classic double-breasted style with button closure and belted sleeve hem. The fit is strong but feminine and very flattering.

A trench coat is a versatile fashion piece that can be worn with both light and heavy layers. Rain or shine the trench coat is a classic and chic must-have.

Amateur’s View: T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer

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You have seen your hair stylist use it, you have seen it in magazines and backstage at fashion shows. The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer is a professional-grade appliance built for speed and heat. But is it worth the purchase?

When shopping for a hair dryer, do you ever wonder what these words mean: ions, ionic, ceramic, infrared heat, tourmaline?

An ionic hair dryer gives off what is referred to as negative ions. (traditional hair dryers emit positive ions) Negative ions are substantially better at breaking down the moisture in the hair and making hair smoother by closing the hair’s cuticle-layer and sealing in the hair’s moisture. This is the reason they dry hair more quickly and efficiently than traditional dryers.

Different brands have different ways to create this ionic charge. Some dryers have an ionic spray coating inside of the dryer’s barrel, and others use ion generators. The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer relies on the highest quality, tourmaline, a gem that occurs in nature, to generate the negative ionic charge and emit infrared heat. When tourmaline crystals are warmed they become positively charged at one end and negatively charged at the other.

The Amateur’s Opinion: The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer is exactly that – professional. Yes, it drys your hair in seconds with super-natural speed and noticeably creates less frizz. At 13oz it is comfortably light and ergonomically efficient. If I were a professional, blow-drying a number of clients a-day, this is the necessary tool. As I am not, the main caveat is the inability to use this hair dryer and all of it’s capability. I cannot use on the highest heat setting, for fear of igniting flames and am scared to place on a section of hair for too long because it would be nice to keep my hair. In my novice opinion, it is an expensive hair dryer that I will leave for the talented professionals.

Overnight Sensation: SACHAJUAN Over Night Hair Repair

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SACHAJUAN is a hair salon in Stockholm started by Sacha Mitic and Juan Rosenlind. Established as a premium brand in the Scandinavian market, the SACHAJUAN brand is now available all over the world.

SACHAJUAN Over Night Hair Repair is a luxurious treatment designed to repair hair as you sleep. Great for all hair types, this product promises to turn straw into gold, overnight.

This award winning intensive conditioner has the highest concentration of sea algae and mineral extracts, which SACHAJUAN call “Ocean Silk technology.” It is with this super formula that their overnight hair treatment fortifies hair, building elasticity & shine.

The ultra caring formula infuses moisture and restores essential minerals into your hair leaving it with a healthy shine. I like the option of using this item as a leave-in, rinse-out or styling product. It is a water-based gel that does not leave hair greasy or transfer to your pillowcase and it smells lovely and fresh, like newly laundered linens. This product is costly at $60.00, however I have noticed a difference in my hairs’ texture and shine, almost immediately.