Pregnant Pause

With my baby's due date around the corner (!), the doctor has advised me to "pack my bags." In addition to the (hopefully) mood-boosting nursing gowns and adorable baby Ralph Lauren kimono set (thanks, Aunty Cindy!), here's what I'm taking with me.

1. Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate
Throughout my entire pregnancy, I've massaged this deeply aromatic oil—chock-full of nourishing ingredients such as jojoba and chamomile—all over my growing belly to prevent stretchmarks. Not only has it worked, but the soothing scent has become an immediate stress-reducer.

2. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Experienced moms have suggested bringing loads of lip balm (to quell all the dryness from screaming during contractions, perhaps?). This elegant formula gets the job done while making me feel a little special during what will be, let's face it, a decidedly unglamorous moment.

3. L'Occitane Lavender Hand Cream A skin-quenching cream infused with real Provencal lavender to instantly take me away to a happy place—this summer's babymoon to the south of France.

4. Mason Pearson Travel Brush This tiny, plastic piece of luxury will help smooth my hair in time for post-delivery photo opps.

5. Altoids Kitchy tin, effective mouth freshener. Enough said.

On the Clock

Dear Readers, I'm wrapping up three deadlines this week for VanityFair.com, Nylon, and Self, so apologies for the shortage of posts. Promise to be back next week with more info from La Prairie and also my latest lavender-scented obsessions. xxR

Don't Copy This Look

In the age of Rachel Zoe Inc., it's rare to see a celebrity red carpet misstep, but at last night's Emmy awards, Blake Lively suffered a major spill. Taking a cue from NYFW's sumo-inspired hair (see Thakoon and Marc Jacobs ) the Gossip Girl star wore a slicked back, super-long braided pony. Unfortunately, the real life translation was more WWF than glam geisha. Though we'll give Lively extra credit for braving a hot-off-the-runway trend, she should have stuck to her signature So-Cal waves and let the daring dress steal the show, no?

Good-bye, Prescriptives...

Before Benefit High Beam, there was Prescriptives Magic Illuminating Liquid Powder (at right). As a Trish Goff-obsessed sixteen-year old first experimenting with makeup, I was addicted to the silky formula's instantly cooling sensation, swooshing it excessively over my cheeks in an effort to mimic my favorite model's dewy CK glow. Sadly, last week, WWD reported that the 30 year-old brand (which belongs under the Estée Lauder umbrella) will be stopping production by January 31, 2010. "We believe that this decision will allow The Estée Lauder Companies to redirect and more sharply focus our resources to key strategic imperatives where we see the highest growth potential for our Company," said the official release. Tear. Stock up on your favorites while supplies last online now.

Eau La La!

No matter that supermodel Kate Moss has been Britain's reigning English rose for, oh, two decades. The wide-eyed beauty was still asked to cross the chunnel to represent Frenchie powerhouse YSL's latest juice, Parisienne, available now. That's because, according to the company, the addictive rose- and sandalwood-soaked spray is meant to capture "the essence of a woman who is not from Paris, but Paris adopts her." To illustrate this borrowed sense of joie de vivre, Miss Moss appears in a racy ad that's far too risqué to air on American TV. Click here to view for yourself (But disclaimer: Turn down the volume if you're sharing cubicle space, s'il vous plait).

Prints Charming

Those who know me are quite familiar with my obsession with paislies (the gorgeous swirling patterns adorn everything from my rugs to my stationery, at right). This fall, I'm dreaming of a shimmering blush palette embossed with Indian-inspired pink paisley designs (are you listening, Peter Philips?), but until one materializes, I'm satisfying my craving with Paul & Joe's latest makeup collection, which includes a soft berry lipstick (at left) packaged in a paper tube reminiscent of my favorite print.

Eau, Please!

Perfumeurs have long championed the idea of "fragrance wardrobing," in which clients forgo a singular scent in favor of several to suit different moods and occasions. While traditionalists may turn up their noses, so to speak, at the concept, major designers have cashed in, ushering in collections of fragrances that may be worn alone or layered together. This month, D&G introduces its first multiple-piece library of unisex scents, which the company claims "capture the very essence of five eternal dramatis personae"—in Dolce, that's provocative (1 Le Bateleur); irrepressible (3 L’Impératrice); sensual (6 L’Amoureux); daring (10 La Roue de la Fortune); and hypnotizing (18 La Lune). As a personification of each juice, the house has invited nineties icons such as Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, and Naomi Campbell to front the TV and print ad campaigns, out now. For your own bottle—or five—visit D&G boutiques.

Check out my latest article for Vanity Fair.com!

My fabulous Vanity Fair editor sent me to St. Tropez this summer to cover the very exclusive La Reserve spa. Lucky me! Read all about it here. Thanks!

Model Behavior

Twice a year, they zip across the globe in photogenic droves to debut the latest in frothy couture, dagger heels, and soon-to-be mimicked makeup. So where do the world's most-wanted models (think Coco Rocha and Chanel Iman) go to eat, party, and unwind off-duty? Find out on modelinia.com. The new website devoted to all things model offers a virtual backstage pass into the haute lives of fashion's favorite faces. Natalia's spa of choice in Moscow? Sanduny, "which purifies your body and soul," she says. And Eugenia's preferred Madrid hotel? The nineteenth century Santo Mauro, which she swears is "very private, enchanting, and luxurious, with a pretty garden.” Bookmark this link immediately for more insider tips on beauty, fashion, travel and fitness straight from the it girls who know best.

Mother's Touch

In need of a baby shower present for your favorite mama-to-be? Why not skip the Petit Bateau onsie and Trumpette socks (adorable, but believe me, she'll receive plenty) and gift her a Pre- and Post-Natal massage at the Peninsula Hotel instead. At eight months pregnant, I recently had an opportunity to visit the soothing Asian-inspired space overlooking Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and storied Central Park, where my lovely technician Margarita gently massaged me into oblivion using a decadent but perfectly baby-safe combination of Espa Nourishing Body Oil (infused with calming calendula) and pink clay mud. Included in the 90-minute escape was a luxurious and deeply relaxing scalp rub that made me completely forget my enormous belly and drift swiftly into a happy place. Now, if only I could teach my husband some of these moves for D-day.

Fashion Fix

Fashion know-it-alls are well aware of the intense competitive streak needed to land a Mackage coat (at left) each fall. Thankfully, this season, New Yorkers have a chance of acquiring one their own—minus the cat claws. For the month of September, the company's exquisitely tailored designs will appear in a limited-run, pop-up boutique in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. If you're in the market for a sleek wool, leather, puffer, or trench coat, it's worth your while to stop in; every purchase at this location earns you a chance to win a free coat or blowout at the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon.

Mackage, 829 Washington Street, 212.255.3807, 11 a.m – 7 p.m Monday thru Saturday, 12 pm - 6 pm Sunday

Vitamin Vodka

With everything from cookies to water bottles now being infused with good-for-skin vitamins, is it any wonder that alcohol is next? California-based vodka company Lotus has started lacing its signature poison with essential daily supplements like B3, L-Arginine, and ginseng extract, to name a few. Hey, anything to make happy hour a little less guilty. Available in New York this month. Cheers!