photography: portrait courtesy of Brandi Gilliam, all others courtesy of retailers

1. RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, $38
“A must have highlighter for glowing skin without any greasiness or shine. Use it on face, lips and even along the shoulder blades.”

2. Ilia Beauty Lipstick Crayon in Call Me, $24
“Keeps lips hydrated and pretty in pink with this handy little no-fuss crayon. Simply turn the cap when it gets low.”

3. Alima Pure Satin Matte Mineral Foundation in Cool 6, $25
“This mineral foundation is so pure and light. It leaves my skin looking flawless without feeling heavy or weighed down.”

4. Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Black Volume Mascara, $29.95
“This new volume mascara brush does wonders for lashes making them look fuller, longer and healthier without any clumping, caking or raccoon eyes.”

5. Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Sun Touched, $54
“It comes in a fabulous metal compact and gives cheeks a lovely sun-touched coral color.”

My friend and Oklahoma-native Sarah James shared a great list of ways to provide assistance to victims of yesterday’s horrible tornado, and I thought I would be helpful to share here as well.

Per Sarah, here are some ways to help:

• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the disaster relief fund – this took me about 10 seconds to complete
• If you prefer to donate to the Red Cross online, click here.
• You can text FOOD to 32333 (the OK Food Bank) to give $10 to help with relief efforts via News 9
• The Salvation Army
• Feed The Children Disaster Relief
• Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief
• Disaster Relief of Oklahoma
• World Vision
• If you are looking for a family member, please visit Safe & Well.
• Google Crisis Map
• The Penn South Pet Clinic is collecting displaced animals.
• Annie’s Ruff House in Norman, OK is taking any dogs displaced by the tornadoes in Moore.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to add it in the comments section.

A look from Urban Zen's "Reflections" collection (photography courtesy of Urban Zen)

Number One is hosting a trunk show this weekend for Urban Zen. The clothing collection is a fashion-based philanthropic endeavor of Donna Karan’s. It’s made up of lifestyle pieces, soft separates, drapy dresses, cashmere, jackets, and scarves that Urban Zen calls “seasonless, ageless, and timeless.” I agree. You can live in this line. Everything’s soft and drapy, ruched into flattering silhouettes, and in an earthy palette, easy for mixing into any wardrobe. The latest collection, Reflections, is full of cowl necks, long dresses that can double as glamorous evening attire and loungewear, leather leggings, and rich, dark colors made edgy with thick cuffs. Shop the line this weekend and 10 percent of proceeds will benefit The Family Place and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation, which caters to a variety of organizations.

Where: Number One
When: Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6

photography courtesy of Hari Mari

I loved the concept of Dallas-based Hari Mari right away: the eco-friendly reprocessed rubber, foam, and biodegradable hemp make-up, the financial donation to children’s hospitals per pair sold, and the recycling incentive (bring your old pair back, get 15 percent off your new pair), but after trying on a pair, the deal was sealed. They’re truly the most comfortable sandals I’ve ever worn with the cushy footbed and thick, soft straps. One caviat: the white footbed gets dirty quickly. (To clean, Hari Mari recommends using a soapy towel or towel with Shout.) The new Scouts collection hitting stores next week, however, has an “earthen-tone” hemp foot bed with khaki colored soles which should alleviate some of the dark footprint problem. The straps come in campground-inspired hues such as bright yellow, sea green, pink, navy, red and nude for ladies and include army green, sky blue, and neon green for guys. Rolling onto shelves next week, find Hari Mari’s Scouts collection at Luke’s Locker, Original Octane, The Biz, and these other retailers.

photography by Josh Martin

I don’t make it to McKinney very often, and that’s a shame. Stores like Bloom and Another Time & Place live there, and I would love to visit them more often. And then there’s Fair & Square, featured in the latest issue of D Home.

Looks a little World Market-y, and the merchandise compares: bamboo picture frames, paper lanterns, earthy home decor items made of wood (stools, vases, tchotchkes, and baskets), rugs, bird houses, chimes, and jewelry. Silver bangles, dangling earrings, colorful beaded necklaces abound. The difference is the crafting of the goods. Everything here is fair trade and handmade. Get the scoop.

photography by Josh Martin

Just how I like to ride: in a huge stadium so no one can pay attention to me. (photography courtesy of Flywheel)

If you’ve been thinking about hitting up that new spin gym in the Shops at Highland Park, today’s the day to reserve a seat at Flywheel Sports. Take a trial class on Monday for a half-priced $16.82 ($15 plus a fee) and not only do you get to check out a potential new gym, all the proceeds from the class go straight to North Texas Food Bank. This class is a one-time offer for Monday, January 21 at 7 pm. Lots of seats are still available and waiting for your hiney to come grab a good workout. Buy your ticket here.

photography courtesy of vendors

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and retailers around the world are raising awareness with limited edition items, which send a portion of their proceeds to help find a cure for the disease. So shop with a conscience and pick up a little pink. Below are some of our favorite Breast Cancer Awareness products – all available from retailers in the Dallas area.

(clockwise from top)
Endearing “Go Girl” rings, $76-$210 by local designer Diane Malouf
Danielle earrings in rose, $60 at Kendra Scott
Pink Ribbon Gaiam yoga mat, $21.98 at Target
Bobbi Brown Pink Peony set with blush and brush, $45 at Macy’s and Nordstrom
Smashbox BCRF BE Legendary Lipstick, $19 at Ulta

Margaux Anbouba is a ShopTalk intern.

photography courtesy of Lily Med Spa

September is National Hunger Action Month, and Lily Med Spa is doing their part to raise awareness. Tonight, from 3 pm to 6 pm, the spa is offering champagne, wine, and hors d’oeuvres, as well as special prices on Botox, Juvederm, photo facials, MicroLaser peels, Jane Iredale makeup, and more. For every treatment purchased, Lily Med Spa will donate a meal to the North Texas Food Bank. While services must be purchased during the event to receive the special prices (and have a meal donated), they can be redeemed at a later date. Take advantages of these prices, which will let you feed your ego as well as someone in need.

Margaux Anbouba is a ShopTalk Intern.

Gemma Ward photographed by Craig McDean for Vogue Paris August 2004 and Butter London's HRH polish

I dream of having lavender locks. I swoon when I see violet strands tied up on bows on Tumblr. I Pin and re-Pin purple hairdos thinking one day, I’ll get the guts to do it myself. Until then, temporary purple hair extensions could be the ticket at Daireds Salon & Spa Pangéa during their Women in Purple campaign.

Throughout the entire month of October, the Arlington salon is raising awareness (and money) to fight domestic violence with purple beauty services. Grab a purple extension or two for $15 a pop and a manicure ($35) or pedicure ($55) in Butter London’s shades of purple polish, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a local domestic violence resource center and women’s shelter.

Where: Daireds Salon & Spa Pangéa
When: October 1-31, 2012
To Book: 817-465-9797

Have you been Facebooked and mass emailed about North Texas Giving Day over the past week? I’m sure you have, and you’ve probably heard from us at D Magazine. We are working with the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to raise money to buy books for DISD ninth and tenth graders through The Big Read Dallas program. Our goal is to harness the generosity of D friends and families to purchase 18,500 books for a reading program that will be conducted in 2013. Simon & Schuster is giving us a huge discount on Fahrenheit 451, but we have to place our order this fall. Please (please, please) consider a donation. If you give $25 or more, the Communities Foundation of Texas will match a portion of that today only from 7 a.m. to midnight. If you have friends, co-workers, entire companies, or social friends who might want to give books to our DISD kids, send this around. Every $5 buys a book. Five bucks, folks. Let’s do this! Click here. IMPORTANT: in the notes section, write “The Big Read Dallas.”

A few pre-fall Kendra Scott gems

It’s been about seven months since Dallas girl Lauren Scruggs was first all over the news. (If you’re out of the loop: a horrific incident involving a spinning plane propeller left the beautiful girl without one hand and one eye.) Since then, it seems she’s hardly missed a beat, blogging, writing a book, being captured hitting the streets in workout gear, and tweeting such glowing positivity as “Life is fun.” We’re sure she battles tough moments on the side and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to help her continue to succeed with the Kendra Scott Gives Back event benefiting Lauren Scruggs. Both designer Kendra Scott and Lauren Scruggs and family will be in the store for this special night.

What: Champagne, cupcakes, and shopping. Plus, 10 percent of the evening’s proceeds go directly to Lauren’s medical expenses.
Where: Kendra Scott
When: Thursday, July 19 from 5 pm to 8 pm

Tama Tran, a veteran aesthetician with 10 years of experience at her mother’s Lily Day Spa, opened her med spa this past December. Now, she operates a combination of treatment-oriented spa therapies and medical procedures, like Botox, fillers, and laser technology. Plus, she’s partnered with The North Texas Food Bank. Every time she injects a client’s forehead with Botox, a donation is made that covers three meals. Vanity married with charity? We’ll take it over plain ol’ vanity.

Brown satin and ostrich feather evening bag by Anthony Luciano

Erin Ahlfinger, D Magazine intern and fearless reporter, tackled the Heroes and Handbags event Friday, May 4. Her review below:

The seventh annual Heroes and Handbags Luncheon was the place to be Friday morning to shop for a fantastic bag for a great cause. Five hundred of the most fashionable women in Dallas gathered at the Hilton Anatole for a silent auction and luncheon benefiting Heroes for Children, a local non-profit dedicated to providing assistance to families of children fighting cancer.

Retailers and private donors contributed hundreds of vintage and designer handbags in styles ranging from elegant evening bags to funky floral totes. Highlights included the custom “Bella” clutch designed by Elaine Turner exclusively for Heroes for Children, but it was a brown satin and ostrich feather Anthony Luciano evening bag that stole my heart, but in auctions, as in life, there’s always the one who got away.

Heroes for Children co-founders Larissa Linton (left) and Jenny Scott (right) with Executive Director Kristy Hensel

Designer Susie Straubmueller was on hand to chat with attendees about her ostrich handbag valued at $4,500. Thanks to aesthetician Renee Rouleau, not a single bag left empty. The skin care goddess was kind enough to attend and provide everyone with a jar of her signature Glow Enhancing Cream.

Modern technology took all the fuss out of the event by allowing attendees to place and update their bids in real-time via text message. This transformation of smartphones into auctioneers made for less time spent bidding, and more time spent mingling and sipping mimosas.

As the auction came to a close and lunch was served, Heroes for Children beneficiary Hagan Hoppess spoke genuinely about how her battle with a rare bone cancer and the impact Heroes for Children had on her family, evoking a standing ovation and bringing many to tears.

Since its inception in 2004, Heroes for Children has provided over $3.5 million in aid to families struggling with the everyday challenges of caring for a child with cancer. Founders Larisa Linton and Jenny Scott hoped to raise $300 thousand dollars from this year’s Heroes and Handbags auction. That goal was exceeded with the total ringing up at $323,000 and 275 bags sold. –Erin Ahlfinger