On InStyle.com, the website of InStyle magazine (one of my faves!) there is a section dedicated to what you need to travel like a star. As a resident of coach class, this is a concept I only wish to be familiar with. Unless of course, traveling like a star means struggling to shove my L. L. Bean Boat and Tote underneath the seat in front of me after several admonishments from a flight attendant, or traveling like a star somehow involves my husband and I pooling the reserves our pockets to purchase the giant cookie they sell on American Airlines flights. Then, I am clearly a star.

Ahem.

So what does it take to travel like a star? And can you and I of more meager means attain some semblance of it? YES WE CAN! With InStyle’s list as my guide, let me take you through the steps necessary to travel in a slightly higher level of comfort when you are lacking that start budget that defines InStyle’s picks.

While amassing a collection of Louis Vuitton luggage is on my life goals list (SHUT UP! It also includes World Peace!), I am uh, so not there yet. So what is a stylish traveler to do in lieu of Louis? Why not try Pottery Barn’s new Rider Luggage Collection?

The stylish herringbone pattern is classic, and also optimal to hide the inevitable stains and scratches your luggage will pick up en route to your destination. The roller bag is carry-on size, as is the footed duffel. Also available is a hanging travel kit for storing toiletries. The hanging travel kit is $59.00, the duffel $99.00 and the roller bag is $129.00. All can be monogrammed and are available at PotteryBarn.com.

Spurred by a bright pink and black monogrammed luggage tag given to me by my mother-in-law, I’ve recently developed a fondness for collecting wacky luggage tags. I love these vintage style tags from Fred Flare:

At $12, they also make a great stocking stuffer.

Of course, ultra-chic airport style would not be a complete look without a fabulous passport cover. I love this toile oilcloth cover from Flight 001:

The pattern is timeless, and the oilcloth insures that this cover will remain functional for just as long as it will be stylish. The cover is $16.00 and available in red, brown and blue.

Moving on to what to put inside your suitcase, let’s start with a jewelry roll. I love this brocade roll from Wrapables, which I believe is best described as Just So Pretty:

Inside, you’ll find two zipper pockets, one large open pocket and a center strip for your rings. It is available in a variety of colors, though I’m totally partial to the green.

Resolving how to pack toiletries is an ongoing process of trial and error for yours truly. On the one hand, I want all of my beauty stuff with me at all times. On the other hand, OMG SO MUCH STUFF. Luckily, many beauty retailers are recognizing that when we travel, some of us maintain our high product standards.

I love this Tried and Blue Travel Set from Bliss, which contains packing friendly portions of a variety of skincare products.

Included are face wash, body wash and lotion, shampoo and conditioner, and body soap all neatly contained in an airport friendly pouch. Available for $20.00 at Blissworld.com.

For those of you, like me, who simply must bring along certain products that are not available in travel size, or who wish not to purchase travel sizes, there are always refillable containers. In the past, I have not been impressed with the refillable containers I have purchased in various drug and grocery stores. They’re leaky, they break, they just don’t function properly. Luckily for us, Bobbi Brown has gotten into the travel market.

Bobbi Brown’s empties are guaranteed to be of higher quality than your average refillable, and at $10.00, they hardly qualify as a splurge. Included in the set are one 3ml jar, two 7 ml jars, one 30 ml bottle, one 15 ml bottle, plastic funnel, plastic spatula, and 10 self-adhesive labels. What I love about this collection are the small jars, which you can use for eye cream and face cream and other similar products you just can’t get in travel size.

Another travel essential for me is a set of travel sized make-up brushes. I own this compact set from Sephora:

I have to say, these brushes are of surprisingly high quality and make a great substitute for your larger brushes.

What are your travel essentials? Any fantastic finds you’d like to share?

Slynnro is the author of Slynnro, a personal blog chronicling travel escapades, fashion and skincare obsessions, and various amusing anecdotes about marriage. She also reviews skin care products and much more at her review blog, What is in my…..

Last week we here at Blissful Style gave you some great gift ideas to give and to put on your wish list in our Holiday Gift Guide! Today we’re offering one more - beautiful pearls of every kind from Pearls of Joy. They offer gorgeous pearls in all different colors from $35 and up, so there is something to fit every budget. I love this Lavendar pearl necklace:

And these gorgeous black Tahitian pearl and diamond earrings:

Pearls of Joy has been in business selling high-quality cultured pearls since 2000, and they offer free shipping on orders of $99 or more. And, they are so confident in the quality of their pearls that they offer a 90-day no hassle return policy. As an early Christmas present from Blissful Style to you, you have a chance to win this beautiful freshwater pearl set from Pearls of Joy!

All you have to do is visit Pearls of Joy’s website. Pick out your favorite item, then come back here and leave us a comment telling us what it is! You can earn extra entries if you tweet about this contest on Twitter or post about it on your blog (if you do this please let us know in the comments). We will draw the winner of the freshwater pearl set on Friday, November 21st.

Have fun entering! We can’t wait to hear what your favorite Pearls of Joy item is!

For the past few years, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with shoes. I’ve always loved shoes, and loved having many, many different pairs of cute ones! But five years ago when I was pregnant with my son, my arches fell, and my feet have never been the same. Now my feet are much flatter than they used to be and have some nerve damage on the top. So, I rarely ever wear cute shoes anymore. Which is sad because I am super-vain and love to be fabulously fashionable! Cute shoes are now reserved for church and the occasional social outing, and I always pay the price for wearing them. After a day or even just a few hours of wearing “normal” shoes, my feet, ankles, and knees ache at night. Pretty sad for a 30-something! Most of my days I spend walking around in Crocs or Lands End Trellos for comfort, not for fashion.

Then recently, I was shown the light. I was asked if I would review YOU by Crocs, the new high-fashion line from Crocs. That’s right, I said “high-fashion” and “Crocs” in the same sentence. I was totally intrigued and excited! The comfort of Crocs in a FASHIONABLE shoe? Hard to believe! Then I got these babies in the mail:

The Chocolate Lambswool Highball boot. I totally freaked out. How gorgeous are these? Suede outside, with that stylish leather belt around the ankle, and on the inside - pure, soft, lambswool heaven. When I got them out of the box, I was really surprised by how light they were. They weighed much less than any other pair of boots I’ve ever had. But would these three-inch-heeled beauties kill my feet? Of course I had to dive right in and find out! The first time I wore them, I wore them for four hours straight. Guess what? They got more comfortable as the night went on! When I was laying in bed that night, my feet did not hurt at all. Neither did my hips or ankles. I felt great! And trust me, those boots LOOKED as great as I felt! After a few more wearings, the results are the same. I am totally sold on YOU by Crocs as a brand that can offer comfort AND style - not to mention quality.

How do they do it? Croslite Technology. What is that? It’s the unique, lightweight material in all Crocs shoes. The shock-absorbing soles of their shoes take weight off of your feet, knees, and lower back. They’re also ergonomically certified and proven to reduce muscle fatigue.

And they are so freakin’ CUTE! Here are a couple of the other pairs I’m pining for:

Impossible Girl

Positano T-Strap

A lot of these great styles are on SALE now, so get thee to YOU by Crocs and getcha some fashionable comfort! You’ll soon have the best of both worlds!

In addition to obsessing over footwear, Jenny Rapson also spends her time blogging about her kids, her coupons, and her vanity over at Mommin’ It Up!

Life is busy for everyone, and as the holidays approach it is only going to get busier. It is so easy to forget about our appearance in the mad rush of life. Pre-kids, I always had a full face of makeup on (being in the beauty industry meant this was really a necessity). After two kids in less than two years, a full face of makeup has become a distant memory! However, taking just five minutes to put on some strategically applied makeup will make you look so much more polished and make you feel that little bit more confident and assured as you hurtle towards Christmas.

My five minute face:

1. Tinted moisturiser that includes sunblock – combining three steps in one really saves time. Right now I am using Clinique’s Moisture Sheer Tint in Beige.
2. Concealer under eyes as I have really dark circles if I don’t get enough sleep – I use NARS Concealer in Praline
3. Eye brow pencil and clear brow gel over the top. I use Besame Eye Brow Definer in Grey and Estee Lauder Brow Setting Gel. I find that if your brows look polished, then the rest of your face does as well. I also make sure that I get my brows professionally shaped at least every 6-8 weeks, and maintain in between myself.
4. A quick dusting of blush/bronzer. I am using Clinique’s Fresh Bloom All Over Color in Plum as it adds a fresh burst of colour and some subtle glimmer. I apply to the apples of my cheeks and then brush the brush over the rest of my cheekbones, forehead and bridge of my nose.
5. Eyeliner and mascara – these help to really open up my eyes and give me an awake look.
6. Lipstick – select a sheer lipstick as it is easy to swipe on in the car and it doesn’t have to be too precise, but it is longer lasting than a gloss. Yesterday I used Julie Hewett’s Film Noir , a sheer berry red.

These six steps takes less than five minutes, but you will look a million times better than if you had left the house with nothing at all.

What are your shortcut beauty tips? Why don’t you share them with me at the Blissfully Domestic Forums.

Sarah Vitsas used to be a beauty executive before becoming a SAHM to two under two! Now she writes about her journey towards being a Chic Mummy at her blog Chic Mummy.

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Mama Mio, founded by three mothers in London, is the company behind a great line of deluxe skincare for supermamas. I recently received a bottle of the Mama Mio O Mega Body Oil to review for Blissful Style, and I loved it.

I was recently talking to a friend about our mutual dislike of applying body lotion because it makes us feel sticky. I know I need to do it, but I just don’t like it. So when the O Mega arrived in the mail I was all “Gulp. I’m a reluctant moisturizer. Maybe I’m not the best reviewer for this product!”

Turns out I was the perfect person to review O Mega. In fact, I think Mama Mio must know me because it says right on the box that applying a body oil takes a bit of getting used to. I guess I’m not the only one who doesn’t find this necessary part of skincare super enjoyable.

For my first review for Blissful Style, I was determined to follow the directions exactly, so I applied several splashes of the wonderfully fragrant oil to my shower-dampened skin. It was a completely different feeling for me than applying lotion. I enjoyed it so much that I carefully covered myself from the neck down, including my feet.

I was prepared to at least feel a little slippery as the price of being so luxuriously moisturized, but I found that the oil absorbed very quickly, allowing me to get dressed right away. I felt none of the tackiness I usually experience with lotion, and my skin looked and felt dramatically better. I particularly love how light and fresh it smells. It’s Gravida – Mama Mio’s signature fresh citrus essential oil blend which they created especially to appeal to even the most sensitive noses.

Even if it didn’t work so well, O Mega had me at the packaging. Mama Mio’s logo is adorable and the box features lots of interesting info about the three mothers who created the line and the “magic mix” of Argan, Safflower and Jojoba oils, each carefully chosen for its concentration of Omega 3, 6, and 9.

According to the Mama Mio site, Argan is one of the rarest oils in the world and is used in traditional Morrocan medicine. It has a remarkable ability to nourish, moisturize and improve skin elasticity. So say goodbye to lizard legs.

Mama Mio has a large line of products to address nearly any skin dilemma, and they are safe to use while pregnant because they are free of all those “nasty” ingredients no one likes, or needs. No wonder they are a favorite of celebrity supermamas like Jessica Alba and Mariska Hargitay.

If this review sounds glowing, it’s only because now I am.

Laurin writes about her obsessive devotion to stylish white tees every Wednesday on her blog Laurin and Kelly Talk. Eavesdrop on Laurin and Kelly as they talk to each other about nearly everything else there too!