Review of Sugar Bar Salon in Rittenhouse Square

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Sugar Bar Salon which is located in the heart of Rittenhouse Square on 214 S 20th Street for their facial. The services which Sugar Bar Salon offers is Sugaring, Facials, Eyelashes and Brows.

Sugar Bar Salon is known for their sugaring which is a hair removal technique, however unlike waxing, it does not adhere to any live skin cells. Instead, the sugar binds to the hair being removed while lifting dead skin cells which is less painful and results in less irritation. The sugar itself is just made up of three simple ingredients: sugar, water and lemon.

The space itself is warm and inviting. While I waited I was offered a beverage and I went with a glass of bubbly which was absolutely perfect on a hot spring day.

Once they were ready for me, I was brought back to a private room and I changed into a soft towel wrap so that I wouldn’t get any product on my clothing (kind of reminded me of getting a massage). My esthetician came in and instantly made me feel at ease, especially since this was my first ever facial.

My esthetician started the process by doing a consult and asked me of my skin type and what my problem areas were. She then cleaned my skin and then applied a warm towel. The services I received during my facial were dermaplaning, extractions, gua sha and a refining mask. She went through each step throughly and I liked that she explained everything. My skin after the facial felt smoother than it had been in years and my skin looked SO fresh!

I highly recommend Sugar Bar Salon and can’t wait for my next visit! If you are a student or healthcare worker you can get a 10% discount at Sugar Bar Salon.

Tips for Flying With a Baby

Baby Sleep N Play Outfit: Target (3 pack for $12.99!)

Baby Veer took his first flight at around 5 months in May 2021 to Arizona to visit family. Leading up to the flight we did alot of googling and reading through the airline website on what we could and could not bring for a baby. For all you parents out there having major anxiety on traveling with a little one, below are some tips on flying with a baby. It doesn’t have to be a scary process and with the right tools this can be a seamless process if you are prepared. We were really surprised at how well he did and can’t wait to plan our next vacation!

Book a Direct Flight

Where ever possible try to book a direct flight or a flight with a longer layover. Landing puts pressure on babies ears and causes pain, so less time having to take off/land (thus avoiding any tantrums) is worth it in my book!

Book a Spacious Seat

If you are able to do so, upgrade your seat to business or first class especially if your child is under 2 years old and are doing a lap seat so that you both will have more room. You can always use miles or points to upgrade!

TSA Precheck

We have had TSA Precheck for years now and I highly recommend having this especially if you are traveling with a baby. What makes it easy is that all items go through the X-Ray machine and you do not need to take anything out of your bag and do not need to take off your shoes. My husband put all our belongings (including our car seat and stroller base) onto the X-Ray machine while I took myself/baby through security. Veer is mostly on formula so we were able to bring a box of formula and a water bottle through security. Our diaper bag did get flagged because of the formula powder and large bottle of liquid so just know that TSA will look through your diaper bag if you plan on bringing formula, water, breastmilk., etc.

Gate Check

Why carry your baby around the airport when you can just stroll them around? We gate checked our UppaBaby car seat and UppaBaby stroller base and found this so helpful. Leading up to our flight we honestly did not know what to expect. American Airlines website says any strollers over 20 lbs cannot be gatechecked and for those of you who have the UppaBaby stroller know that the base itself weights 20 lbs so I wasn’t sure if we could bring this through the airport or not. We ended up bringing our stroller base with the car seat and did not have any issues. I do recommend buying a car seat cover (cheaper option) for the car seat and stroller cover because trust me, they will it get scratched up.

Another alternative way is to buy a travel stroller. There are so many out on the market but some of our favorite ones are: BabyZen YoYo and Doona (car seat and stroller in one!). We didnt feel like buying a stroller just for flying so we took our UppaBaby stroller.

Visit Restroom Before Flying

Right before we boarded we did a diaper change. Depending on how long the flight is you should be prepared to change a diaper in the small airplane bathroom (there is a tray that comes down in the bathroom for changing a baby). Make sure you bring wipes to wipe down the area in the bathroom, diapers, baby wipes and a changing pad.

Organize Your Diaper Bag

I always said to myself that I would never carry a backpack and here we are (lol). This is the diaper bag we use and I have found it so helpful to have my hands free - especially while traveling. In the diaper bag I have two large ziplock bags. One is for diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. The second ziplock has a extra set of clothes, bibs, burp cloths. I also kept a 9 oz bottle and water bottle on the side of the bag and a box of formula inside the bag. This diaper bag also comes with a changing pad which I have used multiple times. I also have a blanket in the backpack since it can get quite chilly on the plane. We kept the diaper bag easily accessible under the seat infront of us.

Pre Board

If possible, pre-board the flight. I always find it helpful for my husband to board infront of me so that he can wipe down the seats and put away our luggage. My husband had also already broken down the stroller base and car seat was in it’s bag ready to be gate checked. Another tip is to baby wear (using a baby carrier or wrap) instead of carrying them onboard.

Bassinet

Some flights (mostly international) have a bassinet you can request. I believe you can call the airline ahead of time to request this. Our first flight with the little one was domestic and there were no bassinets available.

Feeding

Feed your baby on take off and landing (nurse or give baby a bottle!). Encouraging swallowing really helps with their ears and I felt it kept Veer distracted.

Keep Baby Entertained

Bring your babies favorite toys and give it to them one by one. We love this and this - he hasn’t gotten bored of them yet!

Everyone was super nice to us and I would definitely travel with baby again!!

Tiered Colorblock Dress for Spring

Colorblock Dress: English Factory / Heels: JustFab (Similar)
Earrings: Ann Taylor / Purse: Chanel

One thing I love about spring and summer dresses are that you can have so much fun with them! This colorblock dress is perfect for the upcoming warm weather and just screams summer. This colorblock dress has a loose fit (wearing size small) so it’s perfect to bring out on vacation and also great for a post partum mama like me! There are many pretty options in solid colors, prints, and color block options and I’ve rounded my top picks for this season below.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Floral Dress: Misa / Heels: Sam Edelman
Baby Veer’s Outfit: Beetle & Thread

Mother’s Day is less than a week away so I wanted to pull together some Mother’s Day gift ideas at various pricepoints. Whether it be yourself, mother, grandmother or mother in law there is something for everyone below.

This Mother’s Day is going to be very special for me since it’s my first one as a mom. We have plans to go to brunch on Sunday at one of my favorite places in the city. While I am excited to celebrate on Sunday, this day can be a hard day for alot of people as well, just know that I’m thinking of you!

Wine Glass Set / Diffuser // Stemless WIne Glass // Mama Tote Bag
Apron // Pajama Set // Mama Earrings // Water Bottle
Nailpolish Set // Slippers // Body Lotion // Mask

Jewelry Pouch // Spa Gift Set // Venus ET Fleur // Wine Chiller
Mama Necklace // Kitchen Utensil Set // Candle // Soda Stream
DIaper Bag // Robe // Pajama Set // Mug & Warmer Set

La Mer Set // Ray Ban Sunglasses // Nespresso // Saint Laurent Purse
Chanel Perfume // Chloe Sandals // Bracelet // Michele Watch (on Sale!)
Barefoot Dreams Blanket // Dyson Hairdyer // Tory Burch Crossbody // Tote Bag

Sephora Spring Sale 2021 Makeup & Beauty

One of my favorite sales of the year from Sephora is here again! I literally wait for this sale (which happens twice a year) to stock up on my beauty favs and to try out new items!

The sale at Sephora started April 9 (for Rouge members) and runs through April 19. The reason this sale is so awesome is that department stores will never give you this much of a discount off of beauty products! So if you’ve been thinking of splurging on the Dyson Hairwrap or Chanel Perfume now is the time to buy those investment pieces. Depending on the tier you are in, you can get up to 20% off your purchase.

HOW TO SHOP THE SEPHORA SALE

First off, you need to be a member of the Beauty Insider program (you can sign up here).

The way the sale works it’s in a tiered format:

To receive 20% off Items:

·         Rouge members – Receive 20% off April 9 – April 19
Code: OMGSPRING

To receive 15% off Items:

·         VIB members – Receive 15% off April 13 – April 19
Code: OMGSPRING

To receive 10% off Items:

·         Beauty Insiders – Receive 10% off April 15 – April 19
Code: OMGSPRING

If you aren’t familiar with the tiers here is a run down on how it works. The top tier is VIB Rouge which is for those customers that spend $1,000 a year. The next tier is VIB for customers who spend $350 a year. The third tier is Beauty Insider which is for any customers in the program who spend less than $350 a year. 

WHAT TO BUY FROM THE SEPHORA SALE - TOP ITEMS I SWEAR BY!

1.  Dyson Airwrap - One of the most raved about hair products, the Dyson Airwrap works wonders! You can curl, wave, smooth and dry with the attachments. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is also a personal favorite. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer has made my life so much easier with its high-speed, powerful, brushless digital motor and intelligent heat control for shine. If you have any questions about this hair dryer please let me know in the comments or send me an email!

2.  Moisturizers - Nothing is more important than a great base! I like to keep my skin well hydrated and moisturized. Here are some of my favorite moisturizers: La Mer, Drunk Elephant and Belif.

3. Foundation - There are so many foundations out there but one that I have been wanting to try is the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna which is a soft-matte long-wear foundation that comes in 50 shades! My go-to foundation is the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation which is a long-wear foundation and lasts for up to 24 hours (you can read my review here).

4.  Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - I’ve been using a loose setting powder every time I do my makeup. It really helps to set my undereye makeup so it doesn’t crease and to contour the sides of my nose. I love that it also comes in a mini travel size which I bought as part of the sale so I use it on the go. I have tried other setting powders and I continuously come back to this one!

5. Lip Combo - To get my signature lip combo I use these three products. I first start off my lining my lips with the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Iconic Nude followed by filling in my lips with the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow N Arrow. Then once that’s dry I use the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath Gloss in Sheer Pink. This combo makes the most beautiful glossy neutral lip color.

6. Concealer - I use the Tarte Creaseless Undereye Concealer paired with the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder and it creates a flawless finish!

7. Eye Shadow - My favorite go to eye shadow palette is the In Bloom Clay Eyeshadow Palette by Tarte palette which has both matte and shimmery colors. It’s great for everyday use and also special occasion makeup if you want to add more shimmer. This palette does it both!

8. Face Tools - I have a Jade Roller and use it on my face with a serum. I also have my eye on this Gua Sha tool and have heard so many great things about it! The Gua Sha tool promotes the lifting and smoothing of the skin and it leaves the face lifted and looking radiant (sign me up please!).

9. Perfume - When does perfume EVER go on sale? Well during the Sephora sale they sure do! I have both the COCO Mademoiselle and the Chloé Eau de Parfum they are both amazing. I always make sure to stock up on perfumes during each sale and cologne for my husband as well. He swears by the Bleu De CHANEL and I personally think it smells soo good!

10. Hand & Body Wash - A few of my personal favorites I use everyday in the shower is the Nécessaire line. It’s a daily vitamin cleanser for your skin and for me I think it really leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized (especially for someone that usually has dry skin!). For hand soaps I always stock up on the Jo Malone hand and body wash which has such a nice clean scent!