My 10 Favorite Things

My 10 Favorite Things

Over the years, I’ve been asked a lot what products I use, clothes I wear, services I recommend, among other things. I definitely have my preferences, and it gives me pleasure to share them.

Of course, not everyone will love the same things I do, and different lifestyles lend themselves to different needs. But I feel passionately about some of these picks – and it would be fun to be able to introduce them for the first time to some of you as well!

So here goes!

1) My Lole Nina Bag – Everyone who really knows me knows how much I carry with me. I live far from the center of NYC and have to pack everything with me for the whole day. All of this means I need to find the perfect bag! The Nina bag has SOO many pockets, attachments, and little pouches. I feel like I can organize everything and find them easily. And the bag is lightweight, too. So I can carry my whole life around without breaking my back :)

2) My Icy 2 Lole Vest – This is a piece of clothing I have used religiously through all seasons. It has especially saved me during these cold winter days when layering has become essential. The Icy 2 is lightweight, warm, and so cute (like many of their clothes). Although the Icy 2 model is not available this season, check out the Penelope (shown here), which is also a great vest for helping you transition through changing temperatures. I suggest checking out all of Lole’s stuff online – and look out for a brick and mortar store opening soon in NYC!!

3) Kinara Reparative Nutrient Serum – I was introduced to this product pretty recently by a beauty editor insider. I noticed immediately how smooth it made my skin feel, but the coolest part was how many friends told me my skin looked great. They even told me I look rested (which happened to be completely wrong! Ha!). I think this Kinara product will become one of my beauty staples.

4) Juice Press Sin-a-Buns – I am honestly a healthy eater and huge lover of foods like kale, spinach, chia, acai, and avocado among so many others. But I also suffer from a sweet tooth and always look for ways to satisfy my craving while staying healthy. Sin-a-Buns from Juice Press are not a substitute for kale by any means, but they have become a new obsession of mine. Made from dates, buckwheat, flaxseed, coconut, and Irish moss (among a few other things), they taste almost like real cinnamon buns, they keep me satisfied, and they’re surprisingly low-calorie. Yup, totally hooked!

5) Post-Workout Cream/Mio’s Workout Wonder – I just learned about Mio’s skin fitness line during the Sweaty Saturday events in New York City last month. Brooke, the lovely Mio rep, slathered Workout Wonder on my legs before teaching a Sweaty Saturday class, and she told me my legs would feel better post-workout. She was right! This product contains healing and inflammation-fighting ingredients like arnica, magnesium, and horse chestnut… And it smells good, too!

6) Hair Color with Michaela Murray – I was first introduced to Michaela during the days when I worked for Tracy Anderson. She colored hair for many of the trainers, and I was amazed at how beautiful and natural my hair looked after her expert balayage highlighting and intuitive color choices. Michaela works at the Plaza Hotel, but she also opened a salon in West Springfield, MA called, Wicked Salon. Check her out there – or book her when she comes to New York every once in a while. (Just leave a slot open for me!!)

7) Consignment Shop/In My Travels – I had to be careful how much I spent on clothing when I was a musical theater performer for so many years in NYC. You can imagine how excited I felt when I discovered this gem of a consignment shop in Chatham on Cape Cod, In My Travels. Janice Kurlychek, the owner, has somehow connected with some of the most well-dressed women around, and she literally provided (and continues to provide) me with my favorite wardrobe pieces to this day. I held parties with my friends in her store, and we would regularly walk out with gorgeous pieces by Prada, Armani, Betsey Johnson, Free People, and Theory at fractions of the original price. Please look her up the next time you head to Chatham, MA. And tell her I sent you!

8) Networking and Business Matchmaking Guru: Allegra Cohen – I first got to know Allegra through my business manager, Deborah, and I immediately noticed how dynamic, sharp, and warm she was. I have since become close friends with Allegra, but I can’t do a list like this without talking about how great she is at promoting and connecting businesses and professionals– and also raising money. She is the person to contact if you want to grow your business and connect with the folks who will help you realize your goals!

9) Priori CoffeeBerry Perfecting Foundation – I have not used this product for very long but I’m already a convert! Diana Seo of B Spa Bar introduced me to the Priori brand, and I’ve been excited about using Priori products ever since. The foundation is particularly great for me because it covers what I need to cover without any clumping or caking. And it contains anti-aging properties that improve my skin while I’m running around (and sweating!) all day.

10) Bite Lipstick – So…I was walking down Prince Street in Soho last month and happened upon the Bite Beauty Lip Lab. My dream come true! I love lipstick, but I always have trouble finding the shade that works best for me. Enter this cute little gem of a store in which a makeup artist helps you blend the perfect shade for you using their custom all-natural ingredients. You can choose how matte or glossy the texture is, and you can also choose the scent of your lipstick and the shape of the container it’s in! I walked out with a shade I wear almost every day. Score!

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Please contact me if you have questions about any of these items – and feel free to share some of your favorites as well.  After all, that’s how I learned about many of these favorites in the first place!

~Mahri