The Haute Nurse's Cure to Dry Legs

Dry, cracked, burning.  These are the words that one may use to describe a desert, however these are the same words I would use to describe my shins during the cold winter months.  My legs were so itchy and uncomfortable, they would bleed after all the scratching!  I tried every intensive moisturizer out there.  No cream product from the drug stores or from my local Bath and Body Works would give me lasting results over two hours.  It took me all season, but I finally found the cure to my dry winter legs!  This is your step by step guide to get your legs soft and smooth.

STEP 1:  Exfoliate your legs in the shower on a non-shaving day (remember, salt stings open microcuts left by your razor) with an oil-packed salt scrub.  I recommend using Sabon Body Scrub $30.  Use your hands to gently apply the scrub in circular motions to remove dead skin cells.  Next, leave the scrub on your legs for a few minutes to allow your thirsty skin to absorb the oil.  After, rinse throughly.

STEP 2:  Apply baby oil to legs.  For easier and less messy application, I fill an old Bath and Body Works Body Spray bottle with baby oil.  Gently rub in and give 10 minutes for your skin to absorb.  Your favorit brand of oil will do such as Johnson and Johnson, but I use the generic drug store kind to save a little bit of cash.   

STEP 3: After your skin has absorbed the baby oil, use a heavy body butter to seal in the moisture.  I particularly find The Body Shop Body Butter $18 for  does a superior job due to it's high quality ingredients without those funky chemicals compared to other popular brads like Olay and Bath and Body Works.  You can also use Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment from $8 to $15 depending on size or petroleum jelly. 

Try out the cure and let me know if it worked for you!

...This is all I have to say :-)

Make sure to get your Ugg Boot Vaccine!

So funny!  Gotta watch this guys!

The Fireside Martini-New Drink Recipe!

This is the time of year to drink and be merry. While playing around with the ingredients in my liquor cabinet, I created a new drink I'd like to call "The Fireside Martini.  The essence of the drink is warm, smooth, sweet, and inviting... just like a crackling fireplace on a cold December night!  My friends agree it is indeed worth recreating and wanted to share it with you!

The Fireside Martini

Ingredients:

-Frangelico Hazelnut Liquor

-Vanilla Flavored Vodka of your choice

-Heering Cherry Liqueur

-Maraschino Cherries (Garnish)

Preparation:

Take equal parts Frangelico, Vanilla Vodka, and Heering and pour into a shaker with ice.  Shake until mixed and pou into a martini glass.  Garnish with a couple of cherries.  For additional sweetness, add a teaspoon of maraschino cherry juice.

Enjoy!

How To Become a Shopping Jedi Master: Seven Discount-Scoring Tips Every Shrewd Shopper Must Know

At this point, I am far beyond a black belt. Here is how I use the Force and sometimes Schwartz to get what I want at a good price:

1. ASK FOR A DISCOUNT!- This is the most important tip I could give anyone. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten a discount just because I asked for it. One time I asked for a discount at Anne Taylor Loft and their occupational discount was only for teachers, but the sales girl gave it to me anyway when I told her I was a nurse. If they can't give you an occupation discount, ask if they have any coupons. Many times they will have coupons behind the register that they will use IF you ask about it.

2. NEGOTIATE-When you are going into higher end stores, may of the sales associates who work there are on some type of commission incentive. If you are going to make a decent size purchase (think around $200 and above), bargain with them. Make sure you give them an incentive to give you a little off the top ("I'll buy two pairs of shoes if you can give me a discount instead of one").

2. MAKE A FRIEND-Buddy up to the managers at your favorite stores. They have the most power to give you a discount so establish a shopping relationship with them, especially if you frequent the store. You can do the same with a great sales and get good results. They want you to come back so they are all about getting a report down.

3. PAY CASH- Whenever possible, pay with cash. It's easier for the sales associate to give you a discount that way.

4. SIGN UP FOR THE ANNOYING WEEKLY E-MAILS- Many of them include insider sales or special coupons. Don't want to clog up your inbox? Make a separate e-mail address just for weekly e-mail blasts from your favorite stores. Also, tons of stores are going paperless and you can sign up for text message coupon codes.

5. BECOME A PREFERRED CUSTOMER- Ask about preferred customer programs and how you can become apart of it. Usually you can get better deals and bonuses then other customers that are on the regular e-mail list. The best program I have found is Sephora's Beauty Insider and VIB program. Visit Sephora's website for more details at Sephora.com (like you didn't already know ;-))

6. SIGN UP FOR THE STORE'S CREDIT CARD- OK, This one comes with a big big warning. We all know that stores offer a pretty healthy discount when you open up a card with them. ONLY do this if you promise me you will fulfill all of the conditions below:

A. You are making a HUGE purchase (like how I did with Macy's when I bought furniture).

B. You have good credit.

C. Plan to pay off that sucker in full right when you get home. If you take a look at the paperwork they give you, you'll find that these store cards have ridiculous APR's well into the 20's and above!

D. The store continues to offer good discounts and incentives after your initial purchase.

7. CHECK OUT YOUR WORK PLACE DISCOUNTS- Many big hospitals and big private sector company's offer discounts on various things out in the community as apart of its employee benefits package. Common discounts are on gyms, tickets, and cell phone packages. Give HR a ring to find out more.

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Haute Retail Discounts for Nurses and Students

The biggest shopping season is upon us. Just in case you needed to get a little something for yourself this season, below is a list of retailers that offer occupational discounts for nurses and students. Make sure you take your license, hospital ID, or student ID card as proof. Most discounts range around 15%.

For Nurses:

1. New York And Company Clothing

2. T-Mobile and other cellphone carriers (make sure to call and ask!)

3. Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels

4. Geico Insurance

For Students or those who still have their student ID ;-):

1. Club Monaco

2. Steve Madden

3. J. Crew

4. Regal Theaters (participating locations)

5. Target

6. Museums-Many are pay-what-you-wish!

7. Apple Computers

8. Subway Restaurants (participating locations)

9. Dell Computers

10. Urban Outfitters

11. Amtrak Trains

12. Sam's Club

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Know a Place with a great discount? Leave some love in the comments section!

Product I Can't Live Without: Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Lip Balm

With the transitioning of seasons to colder, drier weather comes my annual search for the perfect lip balm. My pucker always gets painfully parched this time of year, eventually leading to my lower lip to split. Yowch. So far, this little beauty is the leader. Dior Addict Lip Glow has quickly made it's way into my heart and essential makeup kit. Shall I say it was love at first swipe?

Sephora lists a description of this product as "A color-awakening lip balm with SPF 10. Dior Addict Lip responds to the color chemistry of your lips to create the shade that is uniquely yours. Smooth it on to moisturize, add sun protection, and enhance your natural lip color."

Well, after reading that I just had to try it! I am delighted to report that Dior Addict Lip Glow is exceptionally hydrating and lives up to its product summery... and more. There were several fantastic things not mentioned by Sephora I was pleasantly surprised to discover including the deliciously fresh minty smell/taste and glossy finish. Additionally, the velvety, none-tacky texture lasts for hours before reapplication is necessary. Finally! One that doesn't evaporate after two seconds!

Here are some pictures below of pictures of the lip balm in action on my pout:

1. Before

2. Right after I initially put on the lip balm. Goes on clear and then...

3. A few minutes after the balm has been on my lips. Notice the flattering berry color that has fully developed on my lips. The deep folds in my lips have also started to soften.

Did I mention the absolutely posh packaging? Pulling out that iconic Dior tube feels like a little bit of everyday luxury, offering a nice mental pick-me-up through out the day. All this plus the exceptional quality of this product helps abate the sticker shock sting of $28 per unit. ...Oye...

For a more economic alternative, my close second is Blistex's Silk and Shine for around $3. It too does a great job of living up to its name. Silk and Shine has many similar features to Dior's Addict Lip Glow such as a nice velvety feel on the lips, highly moisturizing, pleasant smell/taste, and satiny finish. Though, Silk and Shine does not last as long or have the color enhancing element.

I have come to think of Dior Addict Lip Glow not simply as a chap stick, but as a cosmetic. Compared to other balms, it wakes up my face even if I have no other makeup on. As a nurse, this will certainly be my go-to item when I have to roll out of bed at 5:45 in the morning and this is the only thing I can muster the strength to apply.

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