11.23.2008

Fab Find! Boutique of the Week

We are all looking for great websites to shop at these days- they often have more to choose from than our B&M stores, and they often have a lot more products that are handmade or they are independently owned; supporting the emerging designer and getting away from the dreaded chain store is a real treat.

What I love about Boutique of the Week is that they feature what I covet. Small online stores that provide everything from jewelry to handbags to bath & body, and so much more. They scour the internet to find the very best spots to shop and feature their faves weekly.

Another cool thing, every Thursday, they post the "bulletin board" which showcases sales, special events, and specials from various websites.

The sisters who run the show also welcome your leads- if you're a designer or shop owner, shoot them an email about your site. Maybe you'll be featured! And, if you're a customer of some fabulous place, let them know! Maybe your favorite designer or shop will land the awesome Boutique of the Week spot!

Check out their directory, here.
Check out the blog, here.
Checkout the current featured boutique, here.

You can thank me later for letting you know about this amazing website. ;)

11.10.2008

Country Meadow Ltd.

More bath & body goodness for you to check out that is safe for the environment and animal friendly! Country Meadow offers so many goodies, you will have a blast checking out their website and their products!

From candles to lotions to body scrubs, and everything in between, you are definitely going to find something at Country Meadow to indulge in!

I had to pick more than two products to show you, there is just too much that I like at this bath & body shop!


This Busara Jute Gift Bag is one of my favorites. I love the way it looks, so organic, simple, and beautiful. With 'an exotic blend with notes of black pepper, elemi, nutmeg, juniper berries, ginger, clary sage, sandalwood, ylang ylang and cypress' this gift bag would be more than suitable for your favorite guy or girl, and if you have one of those "secret santa" things going on where you work, it would be perfect! These busara jute gift bags start at just $26.70!


I love sugar scrubs, they are just about my favorite shower thing there is. I love exfoliation and moisturizing, and sugar scrubs always have both! These little 3.5 ounce sugar scrub packets come in a variety of scents, including almond mocha, gingerbread, brown sugar & cinnamon, pineapple, orchard bloom, and more. They are a great size if you just want to try them out, or if you're looking for a cute little stocking stuffer, these are just $6.75. You can also get big tubs of scrub at Country Meadow!


Gift baskets are always nice. They are good for everyone, and they have such a wide variety of stuff, the recipient is bound to feel like a kid in a candy store. What I really like about the gift baskets at Country Meadow is that they are custom. You choose what you want them to be! And, they are packaged beautifully. Above is a custom Christmas basket, but there is so much more, too- you have to check them out!

Country Meadow has been kind enough to offer IndependentLuxe readers 20% off, plus a free gift from Country Meadow with the code Meeker08. The coupon is valid through 12.25.08!

11.05.2008

Lindsay's Candle & Stuff

The holidays are coming up faster than you can say "Merry Christmas!"
It's time to start shopping.

I'm one of those people that likes to give others something they wouldn't necessarily buy themselves (but they want it). Like, my mom, for instance: she loves bath & body stuff, but she buys that generic junk that is far from being special or decadent.

In comes Lindsay's Candles & Stuff where you can buy beautifully scented candles, and indulgent bath and body products for you and yours.

I picked a couple of my current faves for you!



The ultimate gift basket. Filled with scented candles & soaps, and I even spy some lip balm in there which will defintely come in handy for the long, cold & dry winter ahead. A steal for handmade goodness at $35.

And, what about the little ones? Check the Monster Spray out!



Have a little one or two afraid of the monsters under the bed or the boogeyman in the closet? This will take care of it! Scented with lavender to calm and soothe, arm your tykes with this and they'll feel safe as can be and sleep like babies! Just $10 for 4 ounces. This will keep those scary creatures away for a long time!

And, mega-bonus! IndependentLuxe readers are getting hooked up by Lindsay's Candles & Stuff- you get 20% off with the code holiday. Just enter it when you checkout and get your deal!

Enjoy!

10.14.2008

5.07.2008

Sale Alert!

Well, I'm a little slow- as you can see, I sometimes have some trouble keeping up with this blog. You know, owning a business, running that, I have a puppy, I try to have a social life... to make a long story longer, I sometimes forget to check my IL email, and then I post about sales a little late.

But, who cares? The sale at Accessory Bug Ends tomorrow, so there is plenty of time to get your shop on.

All you have to do is enter the code mom08 during checking to receive 20% off. As the name suggests, they have a ton of accessories that I'm sure you'll love and know that you can afford.

Bath & Body Review: Ciao Bella



I didn't really know where to begin with the products I received in the mail from Ciao Bella because they were both so fabulous.



So, I decided the easiest route was to review what I tried out first, first.

The day I received the package from Ciao Bella, I opened it immediately. My body was in dire need of some exfoliation, I needed to take a shower, and this was the perfect time for me to try out their beautiful Yuzu Grapefruit Sugar Scrub.


Looks good enough to eat doesn't it? But, I don't recommend it, of course!

I grabbed the jar, opened it, and was hit with an amazing burst of citrus that had a beautiful softness to it. Not overpowering, not underwhelming, but just right. Invigorating and relaxing!

I found the scrub absolutely delightful. The sugar was coarse enough to do its job, but gentle enough to leave my sensitive skin happy.

On their website, they state, "Our scrub is rich in olive oil, shea, soy and Vitamin E, it removes dead skin cells while the oils penetrate and moisturize the skin for a beautiful glow." They are right on. My skin was soft, smooth, and perfectly moisturized. It didn't feel greasy at all. My skin reminded me of velvet and that was a thrilling reaction.

The after-scent is not quite a strong, but this is not at all a bad thing... the softness I was talking about earlier is stronger and you smell completely fresh.
I absolutely LOVE this scrub!

You can get a gigantic 8 ounce jar of this scrub (available in an array of scents), for just $24 at ciaobellabody.com. Totally worth it. Your skin will thank you!

Can you handle more? I have one more thing to review and I am just as excited about it! What is it, you ask?
Well, it is the Lychee-Apricot hand & body cream. It is divine. Luxurious. Definitely in the top three that I've reviewed on Independent Luxe since the beginning.


You can see it, but you can't feel it- this hand & body cream screams luxury! It is thick and the scent is to die for. Just $18 for 5 ounces of feeling like a queen at ciaobellabody.com


That is the lovely jar that you will receive! I got sample sizes. ;)

I don't even know what Lychee is, but I like it. I can smell the citrusiness of the Apricot, but there is an underlying earthy freshness that I'm assuming comes from the Lychee or the combination of the two. LOVE IT!

A lot of creams leave you feeling overly moisturized and take f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to absorb. This one does not. This one is a dream come true. When I put this stuff on I forget because it absorbs THAT quickly. But, when I touch my skin, I'm quickly reminded that I used the Lychee-Apricot cream from that amazing ciaobellabody.com.

My skin is as soft as a babies bum, and let me tell you, I have the worst dry skin ever when it comes to the winter/spring. My body just has this horrible time adjusting, but this stuff WORKS. And, it works for hours. You can't do better than that, my friends.

Go buy some stuff. Let
Ciao Bella know that you heard of them here. And, then, come thank me for introducing you to this
fabulous line of bath & body products.

And, another bonus for you: enter MOM during checkout to receive 15% off of your order.

4.21.2008

Jayda Online: eco-friendly stationery & gifts

We're all going greener these days.00

Thankfully, I was introduced to Jayda Online who offers eco-friendly invitations for weddings and baby showers, save the dates, and announcements that are elegant & brilliantly designed.

Below are a few of my favorites, that I know you'll appreciate.


The Blossom invitations are ethereal, feminine, and beautifully simple. Shown here in a beautiful blue- you have a slew of color options from yellow to pink to green to burgundy! The options are endless... click here to see them all and for pricing information.



I am really big fan of a save the date being a bookmark. It is reusable, and like all of the fine goods at Jayda Online, eco-friendly. And, of course, it's completely customizable. There are other bookmarks, as well, that are equally as lovely. You can also get magnets, which is a really cool idea.



The Foliage wedding invitations are my personal favorite. They are modern, yet classic. Simple, but striking. Click here for all the options and pricing info.

All of the stationery at jaydaonline.com uses 100% cotton paper, printed with soy-based inks making them very eco-friendly! Another thing I love is that Jayda Online offers this wonderful eco-friendly line without sacrificing the all important elegance many of you desire when seeking out invitations of many kinds.
They realize and appreciate the fact that going green doesn't mean you have to be earthy crunchy- you don't have to have flecks of this & that, seeds, flower petals or any of that (though it can be beautiful). You can have smooth surfaces, even color, and texture while taking steps to be enviromentally friendly.

Show your appreciation at jaydaonline.com, and if you order, tell them who sent you!

4.16.2008

TAX-IS-OVER sale at miSPA

Well, one of my favorite little bath & body boutiques is having a generous sale that I wanted you all to know about!

miSPA will give you 20% off now through April 21st! Just enter TAXisover during checkout to take advantage of this awesome offer! One thing, though, you must be a registered user at miSPA to use the discount!

And, bonus! the first 50 orders will receive a slew of coupons from Totally Indie to use at other handmade shops!

1.29.2008

P.O.S.H. Chicago

We all want something unique in our landing spot. We get bored with run of the mill, mass produced junk.

Thankfully, there is a little shop in Chicago that gets it.
Filled with an eclectic array of home accessories and gift items, but like they told me, "that just sounds so generic and doesn't adequately describe our merchandise."

They're right on with that, too. So, my best suggestion is to check out the P.O.S.H. Chicago website for yourself to see what they have to offer. For a sampling of a few cool things, look below- I think you'll be intrigued and find yourself spending a good amount of time on their website. If you're near their shop on State Street right of of Michigan Ave. in Chicago, go visit, you'll have a blast!



the
French line box of teas, $90 at
poshchicago.com

I love tea. And, I especially love good tea. Tea with a bit of history is quite cool as well... to quote from P.O.S.H:
Established in 1861, the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique - known in the United States as the French Line - became world-renowned as sailing some of the most luxuriously appointed oceanliners across the Atlantic. Reaching their glory during the 1920's, the ships were exclusively supplied with the world's finest teas by the Dammann Fréres Tea Purveyors of France.

Reissued by Dammann Fréres, the exquisite teas once enjoyed by the passengers onboard the prestigious French Line ships. A quartet of deliciously aromatic teas with a decidedly glamorous provenance.

Tea with history and taste.


French Absinthe spoons, just $18 at poshchicago.com

And, finally, my favorite thing. There is something alluring and dangerous about Absinthe that makes me want to try it some day- but not here in the U.S.A.! However, these reproduction spoons offer the same allure in their design and are made of stainless steel, so you'll never need to buy them again, unless someone steals them from you! And, they might, since they are so cool.