The Modern Girls Guide To Hostess Gifts ~ 14 Great Hostess Gifts For The Holidays

It's that time of the year again - the endless swirl of chic soirées, holiday parties, cocktail parties, dinner parties and events that make up the holiday season.

Your hostess has taken the time to plan, put together and now be the ringmaster of the evening (or whatever time the event is happening). Your job is to be the perfect guest, and to show up with an appropriate hostess gift.

What should you not take? 
Don't show up with flowers - she already has her decor for the event planned, and when you are at the door with a bouquet she now has to stop what she was doing and go find a vase, deal with the flowers and find a place for them. 
Flowers make a lovely thank you gift after the event.

Don't show up with wine. (unless asked to) Your hostess has probably planned wine pairings to go with the foods she is serving. A bottle of wine can be awkward too - are you expecting her to serve it at the event or save it for later? It can be easily lost or confused, so opt for something that at least looks like it has been well thought out.

Make sure your gift is wrapped and has a hand written card attached as she may not open it until the next day and will probably forget who gave it.

Here are 15 great hostess gift ideas for this holiday season:

Diptyque Candles

Whether you are gifting a single candle or a set of minis,  a Diptyque Candle is always a win. The fragrances are glorious, and the quality is exceptional. Diptyque is synonymous with chic, classic and luxe. For the holiday season try the Diptyque candle in Feu De Bois for a woodsy, wintery scent.

Macarons

A little touch of Paris goes a long way. Decadent, glamorous and delicious, macarons are lovely to receive. Order online from Laduree

Bath Soaps

Sets of bath soaps or bath gels are always welcomed.

Where possible try to match the fragrance to the girl. If she is a floral girl a woodsy scent might not thrill her. If she is sleek and modern, get her something sleek and modern. If you aren't sure try Aqua di Parma, their products are always chic and luxe.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything lavender - it smells like grandma.

A Coffee Table Book

Find a statement piece that matches her interests. A fashionista may love the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

A girl who loves home decor may enjoy Ellen De Generes' Home

A Leather Notebook

In a world that has gone impossibly digital it is still lovely to write notes by hand in a beautiful leather notebook.

A Bottle Stopper.

Lovely wine bottle stoppers make a great gift. I found this Michael Aram Botanical Leaf Stopper 
at Nordstrom

A Picture Frame.

If you don't know her taste get something simple.

A Reed Diffuser From Jo Malone

A Jo Malone Diffuser is a super chic looking gift, and her fragrances are so beautiful - you will win every time.

Coasters

I found these Ben's Garden coasters at Nordstrom

An Interesting Or Exotic Tray.

She can use it to serve food, as a decor accent, to store her perfumes on - the list is endless but the gift is both lovely and original. I love this Rosanna Golden Alphabet Tray

A Throw 

Especially during the winter months a throw blanket is fabulous to curl up with, and they make wonderful gifts. Check out these Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic Throws

A Tin Of Holiday Flavored Tea

Holiday flavored teas in interesting packaging make great gifts. Teavana has tea gift sets, and their White Chocolate Peppermint tea tastes like the holidays.

Drawer Fragrances

Everyone loves fragrances for their closets and drawers. These Diptyque Scented Ovals can freshen up any space, and make your clothes smell fresh and lovely.

A Himilayan Salt BBQ Plank.

Completely random, but what a great gift! I found this one on uncommon goods.com

5 Tips To Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

Are you suffering after a robust Thanksgiving weekend?
I actually was incredibly well behaved this year, but with an endless stream of parties and events coming up, as well as some travel, I need a game plan to keep healthy this holiday season.
(And to be able to still fit into my clothes by the end of the holidays...)

While clicking away on one of my favorite websites, The Zoe Report, I found this 5 step guide to staying healthy this holiday season. 

5 Tips To Keep You Healthy This Holiday Seasonby Laura Eggerston

It’s that time of year again—holiday cheer fills the air, tasty treats seem to be at every turn, booze flows freely and before you know it, your jeans no longer fit. Allude the over indulgence and stay healthy during the most delicious (and difficult) season with our simple and practical tips. You’ll be able to indulge when necessary while still staying on the right track, we promise. Ahead, 5 tips for not completely losing yourself to the season.

Hunger is the fast track to overindulgence. Keep it at bay with a power-packed start to the day.

It's easy to get dehydrated from free-flowing booze and sodium-laden snacks. But did you know your body can incorrectly interpret that thirst as hunger? Drink a glass of water every hour.

Encourage outdoor group activities or help around the house to avoid a sedentary weekend, which only serves to sap energy levels. Try working out in the morning to set the tone for the day.

Encourage outdoor group activities or help around the house to avoid a sedentary weekend, which only serves to sap energy levels. Try working out in the morning to set the tone for the day.

If you've waited all year for your mom's pecan pie, savor a piece. Everything in moderation.

Find more stories like this on The Zoe Report

All images via The Zoe Report

The 6 Best Red Lipsticks For The Holidays

A red lip is the perfect accessory for the holidays!

It's bright, it's fun and with one quick swipe can turn your look from boring to bold.

photo by Kelly Cappelli
Makeup by Corinna Cooke

A well defined brow paired with a kick-ass red lip is classic. 
It's also a quick and easy look to pull off. 
A red lip makes such a statement on it's own that you can scale back the rest of your makeup, keeping the eye and cheek simple and letting the lip do all the work for you.

My favorite red lip look for the holiday season is a rich, matte lip paired with glowing, luminous skin. 
Check out 6 of my favorite matte reds for the holidays:

The 6  Best Red Lips For The Holidays

Tatcha Kyoto Red is a geisha inspired red that is universally flattering - it looks great on everyone. And it packs a serious punch.

It's a matte lip with a silk finish.

Tatcha Kyoto Red

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope Matte Lipstick in Black Tie.

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Black Tie

This gorgeous, lightweight matte lipstick

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford believes the lip is the focus of the face and has the power to define your whole look. No wonder his lipsticks are so luscious!

Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio

Nars Pure Matte Lips are super pigmented and very long wearing, which is ideal when you are going bold - you don't want to be wearing a lipstick formula that requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep.

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

Ruby Woo is a timeless, iconic red lipstick that will never go out of fashion. 

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Red Carpet Red

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red

One of my all time favorite red lipsticks, Red Carpet Red hasn't been around very long, but will become another of the iconic red lips. It's wonderful.

How To Survive The Holidays ~ The Art Of Being A Great Conversationalist

The holidays can be a wonderful opportunity to connect or re-connect with family and friends, those who mean the most to you.

Sitting around a big table with your favorite people, sharing great food and wine can be one of the most wonderful experiences in the world.
It can also be a complete nightmare.
Maybe you are a guest at someone else's family event, maybe you are in an environment where you only know one or two others. Or maybe you have a mother in law from hell. 
The best way to navigate your way through this, or any other event, and come out smelling like roses, is to become a great conversationalist.

What to do:

Be expressive.

People who communicate in an animated and lively way are generally liked or received more than people who are considered moody or hard to read.

Make Eye Contact.

These days everyone seems to have their eyes cast downwards to their smartphones / tablets / other screens. If you pay attention to an average day of interaction with others you will be amazed at how many people you talk to who either don't make eye contact with you, or who look away multiple times while you are speaking to them. 
When someone makes eye contact and maintains it during a conversation, it is completely intoxicating. Those are the people who make the biggest impact on you, and who you remember.
And it is one of the traits of a great conversationalist.

Be A Great Listener.

People love to talk, especially about themselves. 
You will be perceived as a better conversationalist if you do more attentive listening than actual talking!

Don't Talk About Yourself.

Well, not all the time anyway. 
Having to sit through never ending conversations where someone is just talking about themselves is plain nauseating. Spice up the chatter with interesting things you have done, but don't spend all your time ME-ing.

Learn About The Interests of Others.

Do a little research on the people you will be with, find out what they are interested in, and learn a little bit about those things. Enough to ask a few leading questions about subjects the person or people in question feel passionate about.
The art of great conversation is not to talk at people, but to draw them into a conversation where they feel their input is desired, appreciated, enjoyed and respected.
Even if you will just be with your own family or people you know really well - use the opportunity to practice and become a better conversationalist.

Find Common Ground.

People instinctively like someone they have things in common with.
A great conversationalist seeks out the common ground they can find with others, and in doing so opens conversations that everyone enjoys participating in.

My friends at Proflowers.com created this info-graphic about the Science of Dinner Table Conversation

Please include attribution to ProFlowers.com with this graphic.

Another great way to start a conversation is to bring a fabulous bouquet of flowers to the dinner (or in this case Thanksgiving).
Check out the gorgeous bouquets available at ProFlowers.com

And if you are the poor girl with the evil mother in law? Take a deep breath, square your shoulders, keep your chin parallel to the floor, and know you are not alone! You win by maintaining grace and dignity. Don't let the old bag get under your skin ;))

5 Essential Beauty Items For Winter ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week #35

My friends over at Glossier.com recently asked me about my essential beauty products for winter.
Like me, the girls at Glossier prefer to see a really gorgeous complexion rather than a face masked in makeup. 
So with winter's cold winds, ice and snow, the drying effects of central heating and the general havoc the season wrecks on your skin, here are my essential items for winter beauty.

image source Glossier.com

 

Oil Cleanser

Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil

Oil cleansers are amazing. They dissolve makeup, clean your skin and leave it with a silky soft finish. They are incredibly soothing to sensitive or irritated skin, luscious on dry skin, and even fabulous for oily skin, because oil lifts away oil.

Try Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil

Soothing Face Mist

Glossier Soothing Face Mist

After cleansing, or whenever your skin feels tight or dry try spritzing a little soothing face mist. You can even lightly spritz it over makeup that looks dehydrated to breathe some new life into it.

Face mists are wonderful to have with you when you travel and are a lovely pick me up for your skin.

Try Glossier's Soothing Face Mist, made with roses and aloe.

Eye Gels

Diaforce Gold and Diamond Hydrogels

When the skin around your eyes needs some extra lovin' try spending 10 to 15 minutes with a pair of eye gels. They soothe tired or dehydrated under-eyes, take away puffiness, diminish fine lines and wrinkles and make you look and feel revitalized.

Try Diaforce Gold and Diamond Hydrogels available online at Memebox.com

A Really Good Lip Balm

When the weather gets cold your lips get dried and chapped, which as best is unsightly and at worst is very painful, especially when they crack open. To stay ahead of lip chapping or to help it heal if its already happening your lips need a super sonic lip balm.

Try Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic. It contains bee propolis and argan oil and also works as a fabulous lipstick base.

Add In A Hair Oil

Bumble And Bumble Hairdressers Invisible Oil

Your hair is also in need of some extra help in the winter months. Like your skin it gets dry, add in hats and scarves creating extra frizz and your formerly smooth hair starts to look totally frazzled.

A lightweight hair oil helps it stay nourished, healthy and shiny.

Try Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil. You can find it online at SpaceNK

Great Gift Ideas For The Traveler In Your Life

Great Gift Ideas For The Traveler 

Do you have an intrepid traveler on your gift list? 

Regardless of whether your person travels for pleasure or travels for work, here are  great gift ideas

Eagle Creek Packing System

Eagle Creek Packing Cubes

Packing and staying organized on the road is so much easier with the Eagle Creek packing system! Mix and match the different sized cubes, and make sure you throw in the little one, which is perfect for power adapters, iPhone cords, chargers etc. The folders are fantastic for shirts and pants and dresses - anything you want to keep smooth and flat. Check the system out here
Available online at The Container Store

See the video below:

Matching Luggage Tag And Passport Cover

French Goatskin Leather Luggage Tag and Passport Cover from graphicimage.com

Travel stylishly with matching French Goatskin Leather luggage tags and passport cover.

I found this company on Instagram of all places. I am obsessed with their gorgeous travel products. I wish I could get my hands on a set before my next trip! Pictured above are the luggage tag and passport cover in hydrangea.

Find them at www.graphicimage.com in their With Love From Kat collection.

A Leather Travel Journal

A leather travel journal demands that you make a diary of your trip, and keeps your memories forever. 

I journal every trip I take and put photos, museum tickets, restaurant business cards and all kinds of momentos in there. I love looking back through them.

This one is also from GraphicImage.com

A Personal Photo Printer

The Prynt Photo Printer

Just like Polaroids from the good old days, the Prynt printer gives you instant photos. just insert your smartphone and print them out.

Check out the video here on Amazon

RFID Blocking Wallet

RFID Blocking Wallet

Protect credit cards from radio frequency I.D scanning with either a protective sleeve that fits inside a wallet, or an RFID blocking wallet.

These are not just for travel, but are also good to use in your hometown too. Available online at The Container Store

An External Power Pack

Charge up cellphones and iPads on the road with an external power pack. Great for use on airplanes and in airports or anywhere on the road that you can't find a power point to plug in to.
Check out this one (shown above) available at The Container Store

Kindle Paperwhite 

There's no need to drag heavy, luggage stealing books around anymore when you travel. The Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best e-readers around, small and lightweight, it can hold 1000 books and can go weeks I between charges.

All-New Kindle Paperwhite, 6" High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers

Available at Amazon.

Thick, Fluffy Socks

Unless you are flying first class, or on some routes business class, amenity pouches are now a thing of the past. As such, so are the complimentary fluffy socks. Airplane cabins get cold so warm socks are wonderful on a long haul flight.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Whether you are tuning out the sounds of snoring passengers, loud talkers, screaming babies or just the airplane buzz, noise cancelling headphones are a must on long flights.

Try the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 

Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones  -  Apple devices, Black - Wired

A Pashmina

Airplanes get cold, and airline blankets can be a little sketchy - who knows how clean they really are? A Pashmina is very lightweight but super warm. It packs down to nothing, so is great to travel with. It also doubles up as a scarf and you can wear it instead of a coat in cold weather. Win win win.

Just make sure you are buying real pashmina and not a nylon blend scarf.

Travel Sized Candles

Arriving late and tired to find your hotel room smells like industrial cleaner or the previous occupant's secret cigarettes is awful, and changing rooms isn't always an available option. Other times you just want to personalize your space, and mini scented candles can make all the difference in the world.
Try this limited edition Jo Malone Travel Candle Set available at Nordstrom