Growing up in the mountain region of Northeast India, designer Alka Tolani had the opportunity to travel extensively through the rural areas and was exposed to the rich culture and heritage of those exotic places. Through her travels, Tolani grew a deep love for design and the fashions of different cultures. Using global cultures as inspiration, Tolani has created a clothing and accessory line which diffuses native design elements with the elegance of contemporary day-to-day wear. Full of eye-catching prints, bohemian aesthetic, intricate detailing, and vibrant blends of color, Tolani captures a variety of styles while maintaining its essence, the combination of modernity and tradition. Due to the beautiful designs and luxe quality, Tolani has gained popularity in Hollywood and has become the favorite accessory to celebrities. You just might feel like a star when you are wearing these hand-crafted, quality billowy silk tunics, breezy dresses and colorful scarves.
In a world where luxury seems to be going away, Neiman Marcus is one of the few companies that still does luxury right – especially with brands like Tolani. Blending together great sales and high-end fashion, shopping at Neiman Marcus, even if it is just online, is an experience. You’ll have access to some of the highest end designers and with Tolani, there is nowhere else you’ll want to shop. Even better, you’ll find something for everyone – from a teenager to your mom to a newborn baby. They have one of the widest selections on the internet for Tolani and other well-known names. Of course, you can also expect some surprises.
Most importantly, Neiman Marcus sometimes gets exclusives from Tolani where you can’t find the item anywhere but either in a Neiman Marcus or online. You have to be quick, however.
SHOP NOW TOLANI at NEIMAN MARCUS
The Hottest Deals for Tolani
Yes, that's right, we searched all over the web and found the hottest deals for Tolani
When the buzz about the uses and benefits of coconut oil first started up, lots of people just assumed it was either hype, or a bunch of nonsense from the “all-natural” advocates out there. Well, as it turns out, it’s neither. You can use it for everything from healthy cooking, to flavoring smoothies and coffee, to cleaning and conditioning wood! Coconut oil and what it can do really is remarkable. And in terms of its beauty uses? The possibilities are almost endless!
What to look for when buying coconut oil?
Once you decide to give this little miracle oil a try, you might be overwhelmed with your choices. To insure you’re using the best product for your skin, look for unrefined organic coconut oil. And also, you will want to get a large container of it, trust us. Not only will you be able to find more uses for it every day, but you’ll find that a little goes a long way.
So what are some of the ways coconut oil can be incorporated into your beauty routine?
- Body lotion – This one is probably the first use you’d suspect for using coconut oil as a beauty implement. Why not just use a regular store-bought lotion? Many, if not most, of them are petroleum or water-based. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is all natural and can moisturize your skin more effectively without any additives.
- Shaving cream – Constantly suffer from those tiny red bumps after shaving? Skin too sensitive to use with many shaving creams and lotions? Try coconut oil! Use it as you would any other shaving product. Wet the area, smooth on the oil, and shave. Your skin will be unbelievably soft and supple afterwards.
- Face mask – Coconut oil is naturally antiseptic, with many antifungal and antibacterial properties. It’s also antioxidant rich, which works wonders for your skin. There loads of great face mask recipes online, all using coconut oil as the base. You are sure to find one or more that will address your skin concerns and skin type beautifully!
- Makeup remover – Many makeup removers use oils to breakdown the heavy-duty mascaras, shadows, and liners we use these days…but not all the oils they use are good for your skin. Coconut oil, though, being all natural, will remove all your eye makeup completely while not aggravating your skin. Simply apply a bit to a cotton pad, remove your eye makeup, and rinse the area clean of any remaining oil. Remove the rest of your makeup as usual.
- Makeup brush cleaner – You know that you risk a serious bacteria build-up by not cleaning your makeup brushes at least once a month. The good news is that by combining a little antibacterial soap with a little coconut oil, you can not only get your brushes clean and free from bacteria, but for those brushes made from natural hair, the oils will help to condition the bristles.
The first false lashes actually hit the silver screen in 1916, when legendary movie director, D.W. Griffith, gave a wig maker the directive to create lashes so long they would touch a starlet’s cheeks when she fluttered them or looked down. Human hair was carefully weaved through gauze and then stuck to the lid with a type of cosmetics gum.
We’ve certainly come a long way since then! Falsies are more popular than ever, put to daily use in the routines of many makeup mavens. But, thanks to the huge number of lash brands, styles, and types on the market, finding the best lashes can be challenging, even for the most practiced among us. If you manage to get your selection right, not only will the lashes look fabulous, but they should hold up through multiple wears (with the proper care). So, just to make your work easier, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the most popular brands in every price range.
Ardell – Ardell false eyelashes are readily available online and in most drugstores. The company began in 1971 and has grown to one of… if not the… biggest false eyelash brand in the world.
- Types of lashes: Natural, Glamour, Accent, Individuals (some semi-permanent styles), and Rhinestone (more exotic and daring styles, colors, accented with small rhinestones ).
- Real or synthetic? According to the Ardell site, “The majority of Ardell strip lashes are made from 100% sterilized human hair. Some strip lashes may be made with synthetic fiber similar to human hair due to intricacy of particular style and addition of rhinestones.”
- Lash glue or special directions? Some lashes may have a small vial of false eyelash glue Online they offer both clear (Lashgrip Strip Adhesive) and black glue (Lashtite Adhesive). While Ardell does offer Lashfree Remover, no special eyelash glue remover is necessary.
- Price point: $3 – $6
- Overall selection: Huge. Literally. You could wear a different lash almost every day of the year.
- Overall reviews: By far, some of the best false eyelashes you can find in a low price-point. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive everywhere we looked online. Some consumers complained that when buying the lashes online, the product they received did not match the picture. Other complaints dealt with application… but in our opinion, that’s really operator error, not a problem with the lashes themselves.
Eylure – Eylure lashes, also, are readily available both online and in your local drugstore. Founded by David and Eric Aylott, Eylure has been a trailblazer in false lashes since the 1940s. In the beginning, their products were mainly used on stage and screen, by the 1960s, the Eylure lashes hit the mainstream.
- Types of lashes: Natural, Lengthening, Texture, Volume, Definition, Exaggerate, Dramatic, Party, and Brown lashes.
- Real or synthetic? After a long, frustrating search online, we’ve decided that unless the product specifies “100% human hair,” that they are most likely a good quality synthetic.
- Lash glue or special directions? Some packages my include a small vial of eyelash glue, but they also have eyelash adhesive made especially for their strip lashes (Lashfix), clear and black eyelash glue (Superfix)… but any eyelash glue should work. Eylure also offers “Lift Off” eyelash remover, though any oil-free makeup remover should work as well.
- Price point: $4 – $10
- Overall selection: Aside from a massive range of styles, colors, textures, and effects, Eylure offers some “celebrity” styles, from such notables as Katy Perry and British favorites Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, and Nicola Roberts.
- Overall reviews: The majority of reviews we found online were very positive, however, there were some consumers who found mistakes with packaging (two visibly different lashes in the same package), and some had trouble maneuvering the thicker more voluminous lash varieties (complaints that the lashes were too stiff and would not bend).
Revlon –While Revlon the company began in 1930, marketing their unique nail polish and lipstick, the Revlon false eyelashes are a more recent addition to both the brand and to the contenders of the best false eyelashes battle.
- Types of lashes: Revlon Runway, Revlon Fantasy Lengths, Revlon Beyond Natural, Individual, and Volumizing.
- Real or synthetic? All of the lashes appear to be synthetic-only.
- Lash glue or special directions? Most packages come with a small vial of their Precision Lash Adhesive, some are glue-on, and some are “self-adhesive” (the adhesive strips already in place on the band of the lashes is water-resistant and latex-free). You can also buy the Precision Lash Adhesive separately.
- Price point: $4 – $6
- Overall selection: Not a lot to choose from here. Since they can be found in some drugstores, they might work in a pinch if you couldn’t find Ardell or Eylure. We are hopeful that they will offer more selection as time goes on and/or demand rises.
- Overall reviews: Again, since they are relatively new to the false eyelash market, there aren’t that many reviews to compare… but the ones we did find were very positive.
Dolly Wink – Launched by Japanese one-time teen model/pop star Tsubasa Masuwaka, Dolly Wink eyelashes were once only known to false lash insiders and fashion-conscious women of Europe and Asia. Thanks to the internet, though, Dolly Wink has gone world-wide, becoming a cult favorite as one of the best false eyelashes available.
- Types of lashes: With names like “Dolly Sweet,” “Sweet Girly,” “Natural Girly,” and “Sweet Cat,” Dolly Wink doesn’t really have types of lashes as much as they have different styles of one main type. There are approximately 20 different lashes, all either full strips or demi lashes, and all very natural looking, delicately spaced, layered, and of graduated lengths. They are strategically longer both horizontally and vertically, creating the appearance of longer, larger, doll-like eyes. Dolly Wink also sells natural-looking bottom lashes.
- Real or synthetic? While there are eyelash extensions branded as “Dolly Wink” available to salons, the eyelashes you can buy online (Amazon, Ebay, etc.) are made from synthetic hair.
- Lash glue or special directions? Thankfully, no special protocol here. Apply with regular eyelash glue, and remove either with lash remover or oil-free makeup remover.
- Price point: $17 – $30
- Overall selection: While what they do have is lovely, the overall selection is not broad in terms of either styles or types of lashes available.
- Overall reviews: We honestly could not find a blatantly negative review of the Dolly Wink products. Any slightly-lower-than-top-star ratings were mainly from consumers not practiced in false eyelash application.
And the winner is… For a wallet-friendly, readily-available, good-quality variety, our bet is with Ardell. We like that they use real hair in the majority of the lashes, and the price-point says that experimentation with different looks is definitely doable. Huge selection and availability also! They truly are the best false eyelashes for the buck!
A girl might think that the most important article of clothing she could wear is a fancy shirt, or a pricey pair of jeans, or even a killer pair of shoes. But a woman will tell you that the most important article of clothing in your wardrobe is unequivocally a really well-fitting bra. In fact, wearing the wrong bra can actually make you look fat! But worry no more…we’re here to explain how the wrong bra can be effecting you, and what you can do to fix it.
How does your bra make you look fat?
- Your boobs are hiding your waist – When your bra is ill-fitting or sagging, your boobs will sag. Since the smallest part of your torso is the area just below your chest and just above your bellybutton, how is anyone supposed to see it with your boobs hanging in the way?
- Your too–small bra is creating the appearance of extra fat rolls – A bra that is too small around the band will dig into your back. No matter how skinny you are, trust us, that too-small band will create fat rolls on either side of it. And if your cups are too small, your boobs will be pushed out above, below, and out the sides, again creating rolls of fat.
- Your bra is causing your clothes look too tight – You know how frustrating it is to try on a shirt, only to face the mirror and see gaps and gaping? You try on a larger size, only to face the mirror and now see the shirt looking sloppy on you. 9 times out of 10, it’s not the shirt…it’s the bra.
So how can you fix the bra conundrum?
- STOP…FIXATING…ON…SIZE – So what if you wore a perfect 34C in high school. Does the rest of you still look the same as you did in high school? So why would you think your bra size would still be a perfect 34C? The main reason why women wear the wrong bra size is because they have a stigma in their head about going up a size or two. Stop thinking in terms of a “bra size” and start thinking in terms of “a bra that fits, size-schmize”!
- Get properly sized – You might be thinking…”I can’t afford to get sized.” But guess what? You’re wrong. Many lingerie departments in department stores have trained their sales people to size bras properly. You can also get free sizing in some stores, like Victoria’s Secret. So be sure to ask to be sized when out bra shopping! It’s one of the most important factors in looking better in your clothes!
- Take a deep breath, and make the investment – Aside from the size-stigma, the second biggest reason why women cling to their life-long bra mistakes is that they don’t want to spend the money for a really good, really well-fitting bra. Stop thinking your bra is unimportant just because it’s unseen! Again, this is where you need to shift your priorities. Your bra needs to be on par with your outerwear, or with any other purchase in fact, clothing or not, in terms of you forking out money. A good bra fits and holds up better because it is a better made bra. It is an investment. One you will never regret!
