A London Blue Topaz Is A Dazzling Gemstone

All Photos: Macy's

A London Blue Topaz has become one of the top selling gemstones in the jewelry business. That's because, it's a lovely, saturated deep blue stone, as durable as an emerald (rating an 8 on the Moh Scale of Hardness), yet not as pricey as other precious stones like diamonds, rubies, emerlds or sapphires.

In fact blue gemstones with good hardness and brilliance are rare in nature, which drives the price up. However topaz, a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine, is plentiful. Natural topaz is usually colorless (also called "white") or brown. A London Blue Topaz is created by treating a white topaz with radiation. The radiation changes the color centers in the crystal, affecting the way it absorbes light, and thus producing the deep blue color. A blue topaz can come in a range of shades from light to medium to dark, referenced in the industry as: "Sky Blue," "Swiss Blue" and "London Blue," with the latter being the most saturated and valuable.

Sooo what makes a London Blue Topaz so popular are 4 attributes: it’s brilliance, hardness, color and price.

The lovely blue stone caught my eye after I found myself brownsing at some very dark and pricey sapphires recently. That's when it hit me how gorgeous the London Blue Topaz pieces were in the neighboring showcases. Consider this: A top quality London Blue Topaz is much more affordable than a mid quality sapphire.

Moreover, it's a lasting precious stone in a dazzling shade of coveted blue. Beauty and durability for less, not only a feast for the eyes, but music to a Savvy Shoppers ears!🎶🔷👂

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Philosophy Fragrance: The Pure Graces

To be honest fragrance is a beauty item I rarely buy. Skin care and makeup are more my scope. Perfume and eau de toilette, not so much. To me, it's an extra step to mess with ... and jeez don't I do enough already? I mean as a shower obsessed American, daily I lather up with SheaMoisture soap, shampoo and conditioner; use coconut oil, underarm deodorant, baby power; and apply makeup. As needed, I slather on skin serums, lotions and creams. How many more smells do I need? I'd like to leave my house!

That said, I do like the clean, fresh, subtle scents found in Philosophy's Pure and Amazing Grace eau de toilettes. I sometimes try them on at Ulta, or Sephora. Frangrances that smell good to others are personal preferences, and Philosophy has many scents. I like one of their clean, crisp sprays called, Pure Grace, as well as, the floral scent, Amazing Grace Ballet Rose.

Ulta, the beauty retailer, makes Philosophy's Grace scents more affordable with coupons and rewards, so it's a tempting place to browse and experiment. In deciding on a favorite, spray the samples on, then wait about 20 minutes to see how they will react with your unique body chemistry. 

For me, buying a fragrance is a once in a blue moon splurge. How about you? Do you wear fragrance daily? Many women must as there's such a proliferation of scents on the market, and companies spend millions of dollars on advertizing. What is your favorite scent?


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Tanzanite At Tiffany's

Photo: TazaniteJewelryDesign

Some people like to breakfast at Tiffany's. (Know the waiting list is long.) Recently I had a ball perusing Tiffany's fine jewelry collection, my research for THE SAVVY SHOPPER. The first floor of Tiffany's is set up with showcases of one beautiful, flawless stone set in gold after another. Under the glass and lights, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other fine gems are ultra translucent in all their glory. I like to tell a sales associate that he is selling the stones, I wish I could buy instead of the ring I'm wearing!😍 Unlike some high-end retailers, Tiffany employees are very kind to laugh when I say it. They are well aware that many of us who walk in their door are only lookers. And yet, I often see some high-rollers! Hello serious buyers, pleased to meet you too!🙂

Let's talk about a jewel, which Tiffany & Co. named after the country where it was discovered: Tanzanite, a blue and violet stone, consisting of the mineral zoisite. Unlike my favorite, sapphires💙(which usually require greater heat treatment for clarity), tanzanites tend to be more "eye clean," and, they shine more!

Just like diamonds, tanzanites are valued according to the four "c"s: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The most desirable color is a vivid violet-blue, which is what I saw at Tiffany's. Nothing but!

Photo: Macy's

The gemstone was discovered in 1967 by Manuel de Souza, a part-time gold miner, in the hills of Northern Tanzania, and thus far, it is the only place on earth where the rock is found. The government in Tanzania has taken steps to stop the smuggling of tanzanites out of the mining area of the country. A wall completely surrounding the mines was built by the country's army. With regulations in place, the price of tanzanites per carat which now is lower than diamonds and sapphires is expected to climb in the future.

Photo: Effy Jewelry

Tiffany & Co. takes great care to buy their stones from ethnically minded sources where business is carried out in a humane way, which is to be greatly admired. 

Tanzanite measures a 6.5 - 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. (Diamonds are a 10 while pearls rate a 4.) So as with all fine jewelry, caution must be taken not to scratch this brilliant stone.

 

Photo: Effy for Macy's

On my fun day at Tiffany's, I found tanzanites to be as stunning as sapphires, yet glitters like diamonds. The upscale store is also a safe place to gaze at them because all are priced well above my budget. Still, it's eye-opening to behold top-quality jewelry. Thank you, Tiffany & Co., I had a lovely time trying on your beautiful twinkling tanzanites!

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A Honey Of A Cake

Photo: King Arthur flour

Today I'm making a Honey Cake, which traditionally is served without frosting. But, what is a cake sans frosting? A loaf of bread ... unfinished, right? So I will include a recipe for a buttermilk frosting. A Honey Cake is delicious dressed, or naked. You decide how you wish to eat it.

Honey Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced almonds

1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup honey

4 large eggs

3/4 cup butter at room temperature

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and pull out 2 large mixing bowls and 2 cake pans (either 8'' or 9'' cake pans will do).

1) In one bowl shift together the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sliced almonds.

2) In the 2nd bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the honey, eggs and butter.

3) Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

4) Next whisk in the butter and vanilla extract.

5) Line the almonds on the bottom of the greased cake pans, then pour the batter over the almonds in the pans.

6) Bake at 325 degrees F for 50 minutes, or until done in the center.

Buttermilk Frosting

Ingredients:

About 1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 - 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1) Mix all the ingredients together. I keep adding the powdered sugar until I get a thick yet spreadable frosting consistency. If needed, add few drops of buttermilk at a time to arrive at the right creaminess.

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Optional Frosting flavors: (1) Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest for a citrus flavored icing. (2) Or 1 teaspoon of instant coffee for a mocha icing, if you like.

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2) Spread the buttermilk frosting on top and sides of the cake.

Without a doubt, a Honey Cake is a treat, but with some good ingredients: almonds (protein), whole wheat (a whole grain) and eggs (protein, vitamin E). Enjoy a slice!

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BH Cosmetics Makeup Brush Set

Good makeup brushes are a beauty essential. Quality ones can be costly, but they are vital tools in applying makeup evenly and flawlessly.

BH Cosmetics offers a fabulous mid priced 11-piece set worth considering. The set is a pretty rose gold metal material. Sold by various retailers, I first spotted the set at Urban Outfitters for $23. Sometimes a single brush costs more!

The 11 piece set includes:

1) Powder brush
2) Flat buffer brush
3) Foundation brush
4) Pointed crease brush
5) Blending brush
6) Angled blending brush
7) Round smudge brush
8) Flat concealer brush
9) Oval shadow brush
10) Brow/liner brush
11) Lip brush

The synthetic bristles feel soft-to-the-touch and can be dipped into liquids, creams or powder. They blend makeup without shedding. A cute matching rose gold vinyl case is included.

This is a good basic brush set. You can apply a full face by multi-tasking the brushes. Makeup mavens will know what is missing. It does not contain a blush brush, highlighter brush or contour brush. Yet at this affordable price, you could buy the additions you need for your individual beauty routine.

Less glossy, but the same quality bristles at a lower price (about $13), the 10-piece BH Cosmetics Sculpt and Blend Brush Set is a great deal too. The set includes all the basics, i.e. the main brushes used by many women who favor an Ivory Girl, natural look.

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Who To Buy From ... On A Budget

If I decide not to pay an arm and a leg for a thing, but desire one that performs, here is my numero uno shopping rule:

Only buy goods from retailers whose expertise is in the area of the goods being sold.

Examples include: 

• Buy hair products, such as blow dryers and flat irons from companies like Conair or Revlon, who specialize in hair products. Conair or Revlon will offer a superb hair dryer for about $25 if you don't wish to fork over $100+ for a Chi brand; because that's what Conair and Revlon do, make hair gadgets. They are in the business and know what they're doing! And because they are established in the hair industry, they have a reputation to uphold.

• Buy your mattress from Beautyrest for $800 when you don't wish to pay $2,000+ for a much more expensive Sterns and Foster mattress. Beautyrest (established in 1931) makes an excellent mattress despite its lower ticket price.

• Buy a Hoover vacuum cleaner (selling since the 1930s) when you can't afford a Miele (a used Miele vacuum is $700; new ones are $1,400+). In the year 1990, I bought a Hoover vacuum cleaner at Woolworth's (the famous, now defunct variety store) for $60, which is still running strong today. In furnishing my apartment, I had to buy so many things, I was happy to find my Hoover for less. It is a brand well known for making vacuums. I think I'm getting my money's worth!😍

• I never buy shoes from retailers whose primary business is not shoes. I trust Merrell and Sorel for proper arch and heel support over Calvin Klein or Kenneth Cole. In footwear, I need more than style! I get the best shoes for my feet cheaper than what these chic, yet unskilled high fashion designers charge. Shoes aren't either seller's main focus.

• If you don't have $400 - $700 to invest in a William-Sonoma blender, you can get a durable and powerful Oysterizer blender, a prime maker of blenders. About $24, it has 10+ speeds to do everything from mixing, blending and crushing ice. Mine lasts for decades. 

• If NARS or Charlotte Tilbury luxe cosmetics are too costly, you will find beautiful colors and uncompromising quality from the likes of Maybelline (began in 1915), L'Oreal (started in 1909) and Revlon (launched in 1932), all brands with 80+ years of beauty experience, yet sold at your local drugstore. You can bet your budget, they get it right!

When on a budget, I stick with the tried and true -- businesses who have made a certain thing forever.

Established industry pros don't operate like flushes in a pan. I notice they tend to offer stellar quality items at affordable price points. You can forgo a few bells and whistles without sacrificing overall product expertise. All the essentials that make the goods worth buying tend to be there. Every purchase need not be top of the line, but articles should serve their purpose and last. Expect a brand whose name is synonymous with a specific product to deliver. Quite often for less! When having to budget, you are rarely disappointed. 

Photo: 123RF

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Revive 4 in 1 Micro Needle Facial Roller

I have a curious mind. Blogging gives me an excuse to try new beauty products I might otherwise leave on a retailer's shelf. 

Combine my curiously with an interest in beauty (one of THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S 6 lifestyle topics), add T.J.Maxx for less to the mix; and I find myself the unabashed new owner of a Revive 4 in 1 Micro Needle Facial Roller.  

Yes, poking teeny-tiny microscopic holes in your face is a thing now! They are so small though, they are not considered harmful. Do I see eye rolling? 👀 Oh, don't pretend like me, you're not dying to know if these devices really work! Because ... your nose will grow longer!

Here's what you get in the box:

1) Large 1.5 mm roller (1200 pins) for use on legs, hips and body. (Probably I won't use this one.)

2) Medium 1.0 mm roller (720 pins) for use on cheeks, forehead and neck. (I'll began with this one. I can move it around the eye area too.)

3) Small 0.5 (300 pins) for use around eyes and on lips.

4) A plastic case to store the gadget (and use as a rubbing alcohol soak tub).

It is designed for an at home treatment to mimic a beauty spa procedure. Move the roller in all directions on the area of skin you wish to rejuvenate.

Using micro needle rollers on your face or body will slightly prick the skin. You do feel the sharp needles, but no pain. It is meant to stimulate new collagen growth for younger looking skin. As we age our production of collagen (like everything else) slows down. So the micro needles aim to reverse this unfortunate happening encouraging new collagen growth for softer, smoother skin. If I lose a wrinkle, I'll update my post to let you now.

Photo: Guyer Institute. Airbrushing  and photoshop help too!😅

Reviews by customers of micro needle facial rollers (across brands) are mainly positive. And, it has not been labeled junk science. Used gently and properly, it doesn't hurt to try it. Cost: $13.

Who knew I'd buy one when walking in the door? (By the time I exited the store, they had all flown off the shelf.) As you can see, I've been curious for some time. T.J. Maxx, you got me with this facial roller!  

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Picture This: On Vacation With Nothing To Wear

Let's play a game. You are a traveler ... but the airline has lost you bags and you have nothing to wear on your vacation. Where would you shop for clothes and what articles would you buy?

I'll go first: Whether the season is winter or summer, I'd hot-tail it over to Uniqlo, one of my favorite retailers for basics and casual wear. I know I'd find ... quality, style, and a few bells and whistles that won't break the bank. So it-being-the-summer here in the USA, here are several pieces I might buy:

1) The Uniqlo Bra Dress (top photo) - Frankly, I love the style and own 5 of the dresses already. Every year Uniqlo partners with a famous fashion house to design the new season's floral patterns. Yet, they always have the bra dress in stock at the store. The bra dresses range from knee length to midi. Some have sleeves, while others are sleeveless. I own the above Studio Sanderson For Uniqlo Bra Dress, which I bought this past June. Other floral patterns and colors exist from the collection too.

2) Cashmere Big Stole - I'd probably select this stole over a cardigan for its versatility. Could be used to drape over your shoulders, or to lay on your lap during chilly evenings, or on your flight home. Available in 12 colors including neutrals. Wow, so easy to fold and pack away too. Nonetheless, Uniqlo cardigans are also lovely and useful.

3) Uniqlo Bra Top - Love the bra tops as much as I do the bra dresses. In the summer, I wear them as tops with shorts. In the winter, I wear them as camisoles under my dresses. Great with leggings at the gym also.

4) Ultra Stretch Jeans - Full length or cropped and in several washes (light, medium or dark). Lightweight and soft too. Machine wash and dry to clean, it's a no brainer.

5) Packable Parka - Has a hood; pockets; and is water-repellent should it rain while you are on your trip. Like all the Uniqlo basics, these come in many colors. I often get navy or black to go with all my dresses and pants. However on vacation, perhaps I'd get wild and crazy with a color!

So how did I do? Where would you shop, and what would you buy?


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Himalayan Salt Lamps

Photo: Wide Open Pets

As mentioned in a previous post, I looked for an accent lamp to sit in a corner of my living room. Recently while surveying at T.J. Maxx, my new accent lamp found me! T.J. Maxx is one of my favorite stores for a hodge/podge of useful items, from handbags, shoes and my brief case, to a sharp chef knife, pots and pans and bathroom towels. In fact, T.J. Maxx is a sister company of Home Goods so you will often find the same household articles at both retailers. For sure, you get quality goods for less and who doesn't love the savings! It is the place to go for a wide selection of luggage too. And, beauty products. And, snacks. And for many savvy shoppers ... clothes.

What makes a visit to T.J. Maxx so much fun is you never know what you'll find. But if you need something and browse for a few weeks, it will always turn up. Their inventory is astonishing! Sometimes you don't know you need something until a bargain  catches your eye. 

My Himalayan Salt Lamp is mined and chipped by hand in Pakistan, making it the real deal!

According to various sources the lamp purifies indoor air, improves mood and reduces allergies and asthma. How do the salt crystal lamps work? When lit, they absorb moisture and emit negative ions. However, other studies claim, not in any measurable amounts.

While the science supports that a lit Himalayan Salt Lamp gives off negative ions which has proven to lift seasonal affective disorder (SAD and depression), it's doubtful that a 7 pound lamp will do much for my living room. I think it would take a much bigger lamp, like a 500 pound salt rock lamp to reap any moisture absorbing or negative ion benefits.

What's certain are the following: The lit lamp is very pretty to look at; ambient light is relaxing. The lamp has a small footprint, and it doesn't get hot to the touch so no need to worry about burning your place down. The light is quite bright too!

Like a lit candle, adding a Himalayan Salt Lamp to a room is cozy. $14 bucks well spent at T.J. Maxx!

I bought what I saw at the store. But look at the beautiful variety of salt lamps here.

Do you have a Himalayan Salt Lamp?


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The Signature Nail Polish of British Royals

Ballet Slippers

Queen Elizabeth II wears Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers. It is reported to be the only color the Queen will wear.

You never see members of the British royal family in wild or bold shades. It is customary for them to wear only demure nail hues. 

I, too, have an understated signature nail polish color. For years I have worn Nicka K in Seashell. It has a subtle incandescent glow that people often compliment. Another benefit: Unlike darker colors, chips aren't noticeable. I wonder if that's one of the reasons the royal family favors the calm colors also. I mean, nobody has time to do nails more than once a week. Not to mention, it's too repeatative!

Lately, I like natural, short nails sans nail polish as much as my signature polish. While I still wear nail polish sometimes, I worry about all the chemicals in the beauty products we use.

Allure

Meanwhile, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, has her own signature shade: Essie Nail Polish in Allure. 

Essie is a wallet-friendly drugstore brand. Customers say it's chip resistant. The polish is formulated to look subtle, feminine and classic, not flamboyant and flashy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Some people wear daring colors well. It just requires more maintenance.

Do you wear a signature nail color? Subtle or bold?

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