Pumpkin Pleasers

 It's that time of the year when pumpkin is everywhere! From pumpkin lattes to cheesecake and donuts and bagels- the edible choices abound! The world of beauty and skin care is no exception to the influence of the orange gourd. On top of it's seasonal appeal, the plant is a rich in antioxidants, amino acids and Vitamins A & E.

Check out these seasonal choices-

For anyone looking for smoother, younger, more radiant skin this Peter Thomas Roth mask will will exfoliate, peel and polish your skin with alpha hydroxy acid and pumpkin enzyme. $42

Another 3-in-1 product,  Philosophy's Pumpkin Icing is a shampoo, body gel and bubble bath to get you in the holiday spirit. It's gentle enough for everyday, $20

Eminence's Pumpkin Latte mask is a soothing puree of pumpkin, avocado oil and pineapple pulp that will soften and nourish. $52

Vered's Organic Botanical's Eye Treatment Oil rolls on to help diminish fine lines, dark circles and puffiness with a blend of pumpkin oils, marshmallow root extract and vanilla bean. $78

 

Along with the cooler fall weather comes chapped lips. Burt's Bees has always made great lip balms and this one is guaranteed to get you in the pumpkin mood without going without investing too much $3.

This rich Pumpkin Body Butter from the Sephora Collection is hydrating for dry skin. It gets 4 stars and has a subtle yet delicious scent. $6

This resurfacing and exfoliating mask from Bliss is packed with essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help stimulate your skin's renewal process for refined texture and glowy skin. $15

Here's another pumpkin product for your hair and the best buy on the list! This 100% Pumpkin Seed Oil from Shea Moisture promises to add moisture to your dry, dehydrated hairWith added Vitamins A,E and F, you can use it on dry skin in the shower also. $5

This best-selling cleanser and make-up remover from One Love Organics includes pumpkin oil as a key ingredient. It includes Vitamin E to protect against environmental stressors. $42

Even though it's not orange, this Kypris Moonlight Catalyst Refine & Renew Fa, herbal alternative to retinoids and if used nightly, promises a morning glow. A few drops go a long way. $98

It's fun to mix up your routine both for your skincare and to get in the holiday spirit!

 

October is Breast Cancer Month

 The good news is breast cancer mortality has declined 40% since 1989 due to increased awareness, early detection and treatment methods. The bad new is about 270,000 women and men in the US and over 2 million women and men around the world are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.  An estimated 600,000 people around the world died from breast cancer last year. We need to continue to help fund research, education and direct help to those facing breast cancer. Donating to Susan G Komen for the Cure is an effective way to help fight this cancer as they lead the way in this fight. Participating in races and walks and events is another way to support this cause. And a number of retailers, companies and more give you the opportunity to shop for a cure. 

Here's some of my favorites-

Join our Fight 17 oz. Copper Vacuum Insulated Bottle - Rose Gold

Stay hydrated with this stylish rose gold bottle that will keep both hot and cold beverages at your desired temperature for hours. 100% of ShopKomen proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen's mission to prevent and cure breast cancer.  Every dollar you spend helps save a life.

Price: $25.00

Sale Price: $20.00

60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Chardonnay  $25

IT STARTS WITH AWARENESS

These Special Edition Pink 14K cans commemorate the fight against breast cancer. By purchasing these cans, you’re helping to spread that awareness and kickstart the conversations necessary to understanding more. Check out our organic wines for your health

                                            www.scoutandcellar.com/melissarosen

100% of the proceeds from the purchase of the next four products will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation through 10/31. Purchase them through Gilt.com and get a $10 Gilt certificate, too.

Patrick Ta Monochrome Moment Precision Lip Crayon in She's Strong

One-hundred percent of proceeds from purchases of Patrick Ta's Monochrome Moment Precision Lip Crayon in She's Strong will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation throughout the month of October. The aptly named She's Strong shade is a neutral almond that can be worn either alone (shout-out to its precision tip) or before lipstick application to prevent color from fading and feathering.

$26 (Shop Now)

Baby Foot Foot Peel Limited-Edition Pink Ribbon Box

Baby Foot is the original foot peel and the limited-edition Pink Ribbon Box is an excellent place to start if you've never experienced the brand's callus-smoothing effects. Throughout October, Baby Foot is donating $1 for every Pink Ribbon Box sold through the brand's site to the American Cancer Society.

$25 (Shop Now)

Vera Bradley Cotton Face Masks in Felicity Paisley and Felicity Paisley Pink

Get ready to add to your ever-growing collection of face coverings, because Vera Bradley is releasing a limited-edition set of Cotton Face Masks in Felicity Paisley and Felicity Paisley Pink prints. From now through the end of the year, 100 percent of mask proceeds will be donated to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. It's a given we'll be wearing masks for the foreseeable future, so we might as well look cute while staying safe and healthy

$25 for the set (Shop Now)

Lulu Dharma Dusty Pink Napa Vegan Leather Tote

During the month of October, Lulu Dharma is donating 30 percent of proceeds of select pink handbags to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, which "drives collaborative, cutting-edge research with nontraditional partners" and aims to improve the lives of impacted people through empowering education and advocacy. 

One of the handbags happens to be one of Oprah's Favorite Things, the Dusty Pink Napa Vegan Leather Tote (pictured above).

$69 to $95 (Shop Now)

The Better Skin Co. For All Glow Primer/Beauty Oil

The Better Skin Co. For All Glow Primer/Beauty Oil is the hydrating pre-makeup step your skin needs. It's packed with vitamin E and sunflower seed oil to seal in moisture, as well as rosehip seed oil to create a smooth canvas for makeup (or just a glowy complexion sans makeup). This new launch only gets sweeter because, for the month of October, 100 percent of the proceeds from its sales will go to Hello Gorgeous, a nonprofit that provides complimentary, professional makeovers and cosmetic education to women fighting all types of cancer.

$28 (Shop Now)

Jiggy Boobs Puzzle

Rejoice, puzzle lovers! 20 percent of proceeds from Jiggy's Boobs puzzle will be donated to BCRF and "select other partners."  Like the other artisan-designed puzzles, this one comes in a reusable glass jar and includes a tube of puzzle glue and a straight-edge tool to spread the glue, so you can preserve and potentially frame your masterpiece. (Or you can keep things loose to redo whenever the mood strikes.)

$40 (Shop Now)

Each & Every Rose & Vanilla Deodorant

Each & Every is donating 100 percent of proceeds from its sweet-smelling, aluminum-free Rose & Vanilla Natural Deodorant (up to $5,000) to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which is a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for breast cancer early detection, education, and support services. 

$15 (Shop Now)

Stella & Dot Crush It Beauty Bag

Twenty percent of proceeds from the Stella & Dot Crush It Beauty Bag (and the Adjustable Stella Strap also pictured but sold separately) will go to Bright Pink. It's the perfect makeup bag with a lip-print and has five brush slots built into the bottom zippered compartment.

There are a ton of products across Stella & Dot brands (Ever, Keep, and Stella & Dot) that are giving back to Bright Pink throughout October, so check out the entire collection at the "Shop for a Cause" page.

$42 (Shop Now)

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to shop and support a variety of Breast Cancer organizations that fund everything from research to education and awareness, to medical assistance to those in need and post procedure care to survivors and their families.

I urge you to find a way to join the fight,

sources- Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Gilt.com, Allure magaazine

 

Covid 19 Reeks Havoc on Retail and Fashion

 The Covid 19 pandemic has been particularly tough on the fashion industry, with sales down across the board. Some, like J.Crew and Neiman Marcus, declared bankruptcy, or Chapter 11, which typically means they're hoping some financial restructuring or a new investor could ultimately help them stay in business if they're lucky.

True Religion, one of the first super trendy denim brands, filed for bankruptcy for the second time in three years on April 13. It hopes to explore a sale or restructuring. 

 Nordstrom Inc., which bought a majority stake in the luxury boutique Jeffrey in 2005, has decided to permanently close all Jeffrey locations, as well as 16 Nordstrom stores due to effects of the pandemic. 

After 30 years in business, Los Angeles-based denim label Lucky Brand filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection .

 Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy, following months of financial troubles exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. They are in the process "of identifying the right owner, or owners, to lead our iconic Brooks Brothers brand into the future."

 At the end of August, weeks after its parent company declared bankruptcy, Lord & Taylor announced it was going out of business.It was the first department store ever established in the U.S.

 Ascena Retail Group, which owns Ann Taylor, Loft and Lane Bryant and Justice has filed Chapter 11 but anticipates coming out a "stronger company" after the pandemic.

 Remaining optimistic they can weather the effects of Covid 19, Men's Warehouse and JoS A Bank still have filed Chapter 11. 

Stein Mart has filed for bankruptcy protection and plans to close most, if not all their stores.

Rent the Runway will not be re-opening it's retail stores and will return to a strictly online presence.

Century 21 was able to come back after 9/11, but announced this month it will be going out of business and will close 13 stores across the US. The effects of Covid and the lack of support from their insurers made it impossible for them to move forward.

NY Fashion Week was very pared down and very virtual 2 weeks ago. There were very few shows and no celebrities in the front rows. Most designers and brands went digital- livestreams, videos and lookbooks rather than traditional runway shows. Designers will continue to release their Spring 2021 collections through October virtually. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) launched RUNWAY360 earlier this month, a digital platform to support designers.

"In a year during which the American fashion industry is going through unprecedented challenges, the CFDA has developed this multimedia industry resource to support designers and further its mission of strengthening the impact of American fashion in the global economy."

Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff hosted live, outdoor shows, adapting to the new rules of social distancing. 60 other designers used the new RUNWAY360 platform to stream their shows. While some of the very big names opted not to show on the runway at all. The videos may have given designers a more personal way to express themselves and promote social causes.

You can create an account on the CFDA site to watch the videos from the different designers' streamed shows. https://cfda.com/programs/designers/nyfw or you can check out Vogue's report on Spring 2021 by clicking on the individual designers on the Fashion Week calendar-https://www.vogue.com/article/new-york-fashion-week-spring-2021-calendar. The takeaway for Spring 2021 clothes from the designers' videos is a trend for wearable, more comfortable, fun pieces found in vibrant colors, floral prints, volume, soft suiting and "cool" shapes.

Are you ready to get excited about shopping and getting dressed again?

Share your thoughts-