Seeing Red
Red may not be the new black (black is the new black once again), but it’s definitely having a moment. Slinky sheaths and strapless ball gowns make for great eye candy in bright lipstick red. And accessories are always a good way to go for those who think less is more when it comes to the eye-popping color.
Check out the image above for some of our favorite ways to see red.
Right on Target
Flummoxed by all those cosmetics out there? Enter Target’s Beauty Concierge. The trained beauty expert, who wears a signature black apron, will help shoppers navigate the beauty aisles by answering questions, providing samples and honing in on the right products.
Unlike many traditional department stores where salesclerks push a single brand, the Target beauty concierge is brand agnostic. The personalized service will be available at Target stores in Silver Spring, Gaithersburg and Rockville, among others in the area. You don’t have to make an appointment, but hours vary at each store.
And there’s another reason to duck into Target this fall: The 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection debuts on Sept. 15. This limited-edition line by the well-known New York designer ranges in price from $19.99 to $299.99 for men’s and women’s apparel and $19.99 to $59.99 for men’s and women’s accessories (shoes, bags, travel items).
11160 Veirs Mill Road, Silver Spring; 5700 Bou Ave., Rockville; 25 Grand Corner Ave., Gaithersburg; www.target.com
Soften ’Em Up
By day she works for a medical device and pharmaceutical company. But in her spare time, Gaithersburg resident Erica Marie Wigley is trying to spread the word about her Plush Skin SoHo Chic Body Oil Elixir.
The skin-softening oil is already being sold ($28 for 8 ounces) at several area Whole Foods stores and in coming months will be available at others in the area as well as at stores in New York and London.
What’s so special about the product? For one thing, it doesn’t leave skin sticky like so many other moisturizers and oils. The elixir is absorbed quickly and it smells good. It’s made from seven high-grade oils, including argan, shea, rosewood and lavender. It also has a great back story.
Wigley’s Peruvian grandmother dabbled in homemade beauty products for the family. Then “my dad made artisan soaps when I was growing up as a hobby, and my mom, who is Jamaican, experimented with hair oils,” says Wigley, who used the family know-how to come up with the environmentally friendly body oil in 2010.
Her mother, sisters and cousins are all involved in the business, so it’s very much a family affair.
Available at Whole Foods, 11355 Woodglen Drive, Rockville; Whole Foods, 316 Kentlands Blvd., Gaithersburg; and at www.plushskin.com.
Peel Good
Short on time? Bluemercury has developed the m-61 Power Glow Peel, a one-minute, one-step peel aimed at leaving your skin radiant.
Marla Malcolm Beck, co-founder and CEO of the D.C.-based cosmetics chain with stores on Bethesda Lane and at Wildwood Plaza, believes that exfoliating at least three times a week helps reduce the appearance of lines and improves and evens out skin tone.
The glycolic and salicylic acid peel is paraben-free and includes chamomile and lavender. Presoaked towelettes make application easy. The price is $28 for a box of 10 towelettes or $58 for a box of 30.
Comfort + Style
It’s the age-old quandary: Do you buy shoes that feel good or that look good?
Now you don’t have to choose. Former chemical engineer Anyi Lu has created an eponymous line of shoes that are stylish and comfortable. Using the principles of Old World Italian shoemakers (the shoes are made in Italy), ANYI LU shoes mold to the foot while maintaining their shape. They’re also flexible, cushioned and lightweight.
Ranging from wedges and sandals to pumps and boots, they’re sold at the Nordstrom in Westfield Montgomery mall as well as at www.shopnordstrom.com, www.bloomingdales.com and www.neimanmarcus.com.
The inspiration for Lu’s fall/winter collection is utilitarian chic, which means heels are chunky, colors range from earthy browns and tans to oxblood and black, and there are nods to current trends (think buckles, straps and equestrian details). Lu’s shoes start at $345.
Openings
After months of construction, H&M, the trendy-but-cheap Swedish clothing chain, has finally opened at Chevy Chase Pavilion. The three-level store sells men’s, women’s and children’s clothes and accessories.
Also in Chevy Chase, Potomac Pilates has opened above the Whole Foods store at The Shops at Wisconsin Place (5406 Wisconsin Ave.). The Potomac-based gym offers Pilates and barre classes.
And the Pittsburgh-based Gals On and Off the Green, which sells resort wear, sportswear and golf attire, was scheduled to open in late summer behind Clyde’s Restaurant at 5449 Wisconsin Ave.
Cynthia Hacinli lives in Chevy Chase and has written for GQ, The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler. Send Shop Talk ideas to editorial@moco360.media.
