Bullying.org is a collaborative project that has three goals;

1. to help people understand that they are NOT ALONE in being bullied,
2. to help people understand that being bullied is NOT THEIR FAULT, and
3. to help people understand that there are many POSITIVE alternatives to dealing with bullying.

Every year, the fashion industry announces the color of the year. For 2012, it is Tangerine Tango, which was announced in November last year. This year’s color is hard to not notice; as it is quite bold compared to the colors of the previous years, Honeysuckle for 2011 and Turquoise for 2010. To be precise, Tangerine Tango is Pantone color 17-1463.

It is reddish orange, which is very vibrant, and bursting with energy.

The beauty industry also embraced this year’s color with new products that are a bit daring and non-conventional. Surprisingly, as bold as it appears, Tangerine Tango is quite feminine in an exotic way. Hues of electrifying orange, corals, and red-oranges are must-haves for summer 2012. From nail lacquers, to lip glosses to cheek stains, orange is can be glamorous if worn correctly.

Here are some beauty products that will enliven your complexions and give you that extra dose of Tangerine Tango energy.

Benefit Cha Cha Tint $29

This cheek and lip stain is promoted as sheer mango in color, but in reality, it appears orange in the bottle and looks very good on the cheeks. The rich pop of orange color is very wearable and non-intimidating. It is actually universal and good for any skin tones. It is on the warm side, gives you a bit of a natural outdoor-girl look.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Tipsy Coral $25

Tarte’s award winning blushers are long-wearing and chemical-free. The shade Tipsy Coral, is a great orange blusher, that is a good alternative of your regular bronzer. The shade is not too strong, especially for women with warm skin tones.  Although, it may not provide bronzing effects, this shade will give you a warm perk-me-up glow that will surely win compliments from fashionistas and even strangers. Visit the nearest Tarte counter or Sephora, and try this product. You will not regret it.

 Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Orange Pareo $28

This is a Limited Edition product from Dior’s 2012 Croisette Collection. This electrifying orange, with shimmering hues of tangerine will definitely make a statement. There are three reasons to love it. First, the shade is very warm with golden shimmers. Second, the shade is sheer with light pigmentation. Third, it looks very silky and natural when applied on the lips. Nothing close to neon orange, in fact it is very subtle and fresh. The Orange Pareo gloss contains micro-pearls that reflects light and provides a very dazzling, very demure finish. Dior is an expert with lip glosses. Available for a limited time only.

Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Croisette Edition in Aurora $60

 This is a Limited Edition product from Dior’s 2012 Croisette Collection. The colors in this palette depict the warm sunset hues of the French Riviera, which is the inspiration of the Croisette Collection. The palette consists of 5 shades: sunset gold, metallic chocolate brown, highlighting pink, natural beige and electric copper orange. The shades would positively work with warm skin tones, especially the copper orange would look dazzling if paired with the gold. This palette is also wearable for cooler skin tones, since neutral shades of beige, brown and pink are included. Another great must-have from Dior this summer. Available for a limited time only.

Chanel Le Vernis in Holiday $25

This is a Limited Edition nail lacquer from Chanel’s 2012 summer collection. The Holiday, is a bright coral, that is on a reddish-orange side. Very appropriate for the summer, and would look glamorous on the toes, even if you’re wearing plain sandals. The shade is simple elegant, although, it can be dupable, the texture and quality of Chanel’s Le Vernis is very hard to pass up. Holiday is out for a limited time only.

Hope you’ll be energized and uplifted with these product suggestions. Tangerine Tango is the color of the year and what a happy color!

This exact article appeared on my NY Examiner page on May 4, 2012.

We celebrate Mother’s Day at the peak of spring, when New York City is blooming with flowers.  Spring is the season of all things beautiful, colorful and alive. Most women love flowers, and the best gift we can give to our beloved mothers are things that can make them look and feel beautiful.

Here are some flower-inspired beauty gift ideas for your mom:

The Bouquet of a Thousand Flowers from the L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Collection ($68)

The Pivoine Flora Collection just came out in time, to celebrate the beauty of peonies this spring. The peony, also known as pivoine in France, is one of the sweetest smelling flowers you can ever imagine. The gift set called The Bouquet of a Thousand Flowers contains five (5) peony-filled beauty essentials that would make mom’s bathing experience luxurious and sweet.

- Pivoine Flora Eau de Toilette2.5 fl. oz
- Pivoine Flora Shower Gel fl. oz
- Pivoine Flora Beauty Milk 2.5 fl. oz
- Pivoine Flora Hand Cream 1 oz
- Bonne Mère Milk Soap 4.4 oz

The set is packaged in a special peony gift box, with a Mother's Day card included. You can purchase at any L’Occitane boutiques and online.

Daisy Eau So Fresh gift set by Marc Jacobs ($75)

The success of Marc Jacobs’ Daisy perfume contributed to the creation of Daisy Eau So Fresh, which is a whimsical version of the original Daisy. Although, it is part of the Daisy-themed series,  this perfume doesn’t smell anything like Daisy. The scent of Daisy Eau So Fresh is fruity and less serious, with notes of natural raspberry, grapefruit, pear, violet, wild Rose, apple blossom, musks, cedarwood, and  plum. This perfume will remind you of sunny fields and worry-free sunny days. Great for spring and also for summer. The packaging is so lovely with 6 daisy flowers attached to the cap. This would definitely bring happiness to your mom’s mood and add glamour to your mom’s vanity table.

The gift set includes: Eau de Toilette Spray 2.5 oz and Radiant Body Lotion 5.1 oz.  Available at Sephora and ULTA.

Dior 5 Couleur Garden Edition eyeshadow palette ($59)

The palette Garden Roses Harmony #841 consists of 5 flower inspired hues of soft pinks, parma violet, silver and purple. This is a Collector’s edition from Dior’s 2012 Garden Party Spring Collection. The colors are on the shimmery and sheer side that delivers the freshest iridescent finish. This rose-embossed palette is very elegant and the ultra-feminine color combinations can work well for spring and summer.

Available for a limited time at Sephora. 

MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Power ($20)

The name Fleur Power literally means Flower Power. This is a soft bright pinkish coral blush in satin finish, that is very wearable and very pretty for any skin tone. The blush powder is highly pigmented and matte, which applies smoothly with a face brush. The color is quite light for coral, and appears pinkish on the skin than in the pan. This type of pink would work for darker complexions, as well as fair skin tones. A universal product that will enhance the cheeks and add a youthful glow. Your mom would love it.

Crabtree & Evelyn Dusting Powder ($22)

Introduce your mom or wife to dusting powders. In the olden days, dusting powder is an after-bath ritual for many people. Not only it freshens the skin, it also softens the skin and absorbs sweat that causes unpleasant odor.  Crabtree & Evelyn offers 4 flowerful scents of dusting powders; each provides talc-free formulas and softening ingredients such as mica and boron for that ultimate refreshing experience.

Available in Lavender, Rosewater, Iris and Lily scents at Crabtree & Evelyn stores and online.

Mother’s Day is celebrated in the US on May 13th. Something sweet, something small and something creative is okay. Remember, it’s the thought that counts. Any mother would love a child’s present, regardless of the price tag.

An allegorical novel, The Alchemist follows a young Andalusian shepherd named Santiago in his journey to Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there.

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”  

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”  

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” You’ve got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense. “

Press release:


“On vacation, you can wear all the colorful and casual clothing that you like, but you must always be elegant,” said Christian Dior. Inspired by the art de vivre of the French Riviera, the Dior Croisette Collection combines the peace of the French countryside with the splendour of Saint Tropez.

These locations have always been a prolific source of inspiration for Christian Dior. From Dior’s first swimsuit collections and seaside fashion creations in the Fifties to the current Cruise Collections, the French Riviera also embodies the brand’s most daring, fresh and colorful lines today.

Between the shimmering turquoise of the Mediterranean Sea and the sparkling gold of the sand, through soft coral and bikini pink, the Croisette reveals all its elegance and optimism in sunny and aquatic-inspired shades. The skin is warmed up and illuminated in a natural glow effect, while the eyes are dressed up with luminescent sunny shades or fresh azure blues. The lips are colorful and subtly sparkling while the nails complete the look with coral and blue shades inspired by the most glamorous emblems of the French Riviera.  

  Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Croisette Edition $60  

Dior 1 Couleur Eye Gloss $28– NEW!!!

Seashell, Tan (gold), Azur and Sunset (peach with gold shimmers)

Tan and Sunset are Sephora exclusives.

Dior Addict Lip Balm $30

#003 Crystal Coral – coral with gold shimmers (2nd) - Sephora only

Dior Addict Lipsticks $30

#414 Casual Gold – brownish nude (1st)

#544 Jet Set – sunset orange with fire (2nd)

#354 Palace – subtle pink (3rd)

Dior Ultra Gloss $28

#542 Orange Pareo – shimmery electrifying orange (2nd)
#464 Pink Croisette – shimmery hot neon pink (3rd)
#432 Brown Panama – shimmery golden brown (4th)

    Dior Show Waterproof Liner $29 -     #258 Turquoise

Dior Nude Tan Nude Glow Sun Powder – available in 6 shades

Dior Enhancing Healthy Glow Powder in Aurora Sunlight and Zenith Sunset

Dior Vernis $23

#231 Bikini – hot coral with creamy finish
#401 St. Tropez – aqua turquoise with a hint of green

Available starting April 2012 at Dior.com, Sephora and international.