friday favorites.

here are my favorites for this week:

• sonya dakar stuff. whilst in the bliss after the much-needed facial and massage i had last week, i turned over like the pansy i am and bought product. every seasoned consumer knows the golden rule: thou shalt not buy product whilst in the bliss after a much-needed facial and massage. however, i am a product whore and i am weak. that said, i'm also incredibly giddy over this new (to me) line. my aesthetician recommended the omega-3 repair complex because my skin is so dry. never knew that. i always thought i had oily skin. this is an oil, but it feels fine. it's not goopy or anything and it smells like spa. because of my "congested" (is that a euphemism for "do you even wash your face?"), she also recommended the triple-action scrub. not sure what's so triple action about it, but it feels like i'm doing something. and hey! i got carded twice over the weekend, so maybe it's working! i also like this line because my aesthetician said that they are free of animal-derived ingredients. i have to check with the company directly, but i'm optimistic. repair complex, $35; scrub, $45.

• alternative medicine magazine. i picked up this mag because it had an article on cancer-fighting supplements (my sister-in-law's mother has breast cancer) and subscribed the next day. i found the articles informative, the layout clean and though there are a lot of ads, the editorial made it worth it. in fact, i found out that my favorite "natural" toothpaste (tom's of maine) has some nasty ingredients (like sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh chemical foaming agent), so i'm switching. i think i'm going to try one by weleda. i'll keep you posted. newsstand, $4.95; subscription, $19.95 for 10 issues.

• hanro nightgown. is it me or is everything grabbing you in the most recent garnet hill catalog (except the tucked-in t-shirts)? i once had a nightgown that my better half forced me to throw away because it was just too shabby. i loved that gown. it was soft, billowy, comfortable. probably not the sexiest thing in the world, but i adored it anyway. i was thrilled to see this one, which makes me reminiscent for days of old. i wonder if it's as soft as my old one? should i find out for $126?

• turquoise creative papers. i want to wrap up this site and eat it like a tofu burrito. how beautiful is it? i need to froggy and lilly note cards. today. right this minute! unfortunately, i can't find them online and i don't know their price.

• a party skirt. i am usually not one for skirts because i've always detested the shape of my legs, despite the protests of a] my mother since i was about 14 and b] my better half since i met him. but! i've been walking a lot and i feel a bit more confident, so when i saw this skirt, i had to try it on. it's so fun and feminine, i felt like a million bucks and had to get it. luckily, it was on sale in-store! regular price, $295.

photo/art credits: sonya dakar; alternative medicine magazine; garnet hill; turquoise creative; nordstrom.