Photo: Getty

The thing I look forward to at the salon is not the actual cut or the fact that all I have to do for approximately 45 minutes is sit, drink green tea, and watch pieces of my hair pile up on the floor. What I really enjoy most about the whole routine is the scalp massage that I get when someone else is washing my hair. I don't shampoo for two days prior to a cut so that I can spend more time with my head in the sink, inhaling the sweet scent of salon products.

When I heard via TechCrunch.com that Panasonic recently debuted a new and improved version of their hair-washing robot—complete with 24 fingers, wetting, shampooing, conditioning and drying functions—I had only one question: "Where do I sign up?" The robot allows you to store your head shape and preferred washing method so that you can repeat your customized experience the next time (all without the chit-chat or leaving a tip). While this miracle of modern science isn't available to the public yet, I can't wait to meet this beauty-bot, not talk about the state of my love life or own up to the fact that I purposely haven't washed my hair in days, and focus solely on its 24 robotic fingers at work.

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Photo: Courtesy of Chan Luu

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

If the friendship bracelet-making skills you once learned at summer camp are a little rusty, give the pals in your life this sophisticated, handmade (by someone else!) version dotted with glass crystals instead. Created by designer Chan Luu, the colors represent the Think Pink, Live Green initiative—which teaches women and girls how to reduce their lifestyle and environmental risk factors for breast cancer.

$20, ChanLuu.com; 50 percent of each sale goes to BreastCancer.org

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Photo: Courtesy of Danielle Nicole

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

The Danielle Nicole Jelly Shopper Tote—made of water resistant PVC and accessorized with leather accents—holds and protects all your essentials, and then some. Best of all, this durable material won't sag or lose its shape under the weight of your iPad, extra pair of flats and five-pound wallet.


$68, Danielle-Nicole.com; 20 percent of proceeds goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation

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Photo: Courtesy of Carved Solutions

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

Etched with the famous ribbon, this vegetable-based, triple-milled soap will look good in any powder room or sitting on the edge of your tub. Plus, the unique Satsuma scent (a citrus fruit from Japan known for its healing properties) will invigorate your senses every time you wash up.


$30 for 3, CarvedSolutions.com; 50 percent of each sale will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation

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Courtesy of Suite NYC

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

Bid on one of these four Fritz Hansen Swan Chairs (or 15 others) customized by interior designers, architects, and fashion icons—all part of The Pink Swan Project. There's something to suit every taste: from the flashy (one chair is covered in Swarovski crystals) to the minimal (like Oprah-favorite Nate Berkus' version covered in a classic white wool boucle and accessorized with sleek leather). The online auction runs through the end of October—keep an eye out to secure a one-of-a-kind creation and conversation piece for your living room or home office.

80 percent of each sale will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Photo: Nails Inc.

I am convinced that creating nail art requires the dexterity of a jeweler and the patience of a saint—neither of which I have. My recent attempts at copying the designs I've seen splashed on celebrities fingers have resulted in ten tiny splatter paintings...and not in an artistic, Jackson Pollock way. So when I came across a polish that effortlessly creates a sophisticated ripple effect (seen at left), I was thrilled. Iron powder in the formula gravitates towards a magnet (conveniently built into the bottle's top). You apply two coats of color to your nails, the second thicker than the first. While each nail is still wet, hover the cap above it to create a pattern. No tiny brushes, no messy stencils—just the beauty of science.

Nails Inc. Magnetic Attraction Polish, $16


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Photo: DecalDream

The weekend is within reach...let these little splurges make getting there more fun.
 
Laptop Decal Sticker, $7. We love that a scene from one of our favorite children's books—The Giving Tree—comes to life when you power on.

Aqua Stop Grace Rain Boots, $48. Splash through puddles in style with these lace-up black wellies that are anything but basic.
 
Chu Shu Shoe Liners, $16 for a 3-pack. These ultra-thin liners, infused with antimicrobial silver-based technology, fight odor and absorb moisture so that your flats won't smell when you go without socks.

Under Armour Charged Cotton Storm Hoody, $60. This sweatshirt is worth the extra cash. Not only will the extra-soft material will keep you warm during an early morning jog, but it repels water if you get caught in the rain.

Photo: Getty

A lot of us think that our mothers are absolute nuts. I recently received confirmation of this when mine called and asked me to write an apology letter to the vet...from the voice of our family cat who bit the doctor during his routine check-up. And after watching an interview last week between Anderson Cooper and his mother posted on his website, I realized that celebrities also must wonder if their mothers are entirely normal. Cooper's mom happens to be revered designer, writer, actress, and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, who created the first designer jeans and whose list of gentleman callers includes Errol Flynn, Marlon Brando, and Howard Hughes. Famous or not, however, Vanderbilt is still a proud mother—so proud in fact, that she keeps a life size cardboard cutout of Cooper in her apartment (because, she told her son, "I see you so rarely—you never call me") and has documented his entire television career on hundreds of VHS tapes. She also asked him to proofread her book—which provided explicit and detailed accounts of her sex life and many affairs. (Not exactly the type of information anyone wants to know about their mother.) But erotic stories and cardboard cutouts aside, Vanderbilt, like many moms, has words of wisdom that inspire and make navigating this crazy world a little bit easier. Here's what we learned as we listened in on the conversation between mother and son:

"You will laugh again. You will love again. It takes a long, long, long, long time. And you're never going to get over it. But never give up." Vanderbilt's advice to a mother and daughter in the audience who recently lost their son/brother to suicide. She tried to talk her own son (Cooper's older brother, Carter) off the ledge of their balcony before he fell to his death.  While Vanderbilt says that closure is "a TV word," she has never given up hope or allowed tragedy to harden her spirit. She still believes, at 87, that her next great love is right around the corner.

"Follow your bliss." While Cooper was looking for more specific direction after he graduated from college—perhaps a lecture on what career path to follow—Vanderbilt shared with him only three words.

"We are not put on this earth to see through one another, we are put on this earth to see one another through." Simple but true.

To find out who Vanderbilt's fantasy daughter is and how Cooper has made a career out of fibbing to his mother watch the show.

What's the best advice you've ever received from your mom? Share your life lessons.

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Photo: Thinkstock

This past Friday officially marked the beginning of fall—meaning I spent this weekend replacing my sundresses with sweaters, and strappy sandals with boots. But as I started to unpack and jam the bulky coats and heavy knits back into my  closet and drawers, I found that the clothes and shoes I wore to death last year no longer had that sparkle. Instead of heeding to the siren call of the buffalo-checked coat I've had my eye on, I decided to let my financially responsible self take the reigns (for once), over my desire to shop. Here are three ways to give your staple pieces a fashion face lift—and save your bank account in the process:

1. Brighten up your go-to jacket with new buttons. Replace boring plastic ones with military-inspired metal versions or colorful, statement-making enamel styles. Hit your local craft store or check out the different shapes and sizes available at any price point on MJTrim.com.

2. Make that short cocktail dress office-friendly. Layer a longer skirt over top and instantly gain a new blouse. Add a waist-cinching belt to complete the look and create the illusion of a tinier waist.

3. Invest in shoe clips instead of splurging on new a pair of heels or flats. We like the vintage styles available on AbsolutelyAudrey.com. They'll make your favorite shoes feel fresh in a snap.

Would you try these ideas? Have any wardrobe refreshing advice of your own?

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Photo: Courtesy of Chanel

If you think blue on your nails is a tricky color to pull off, you're right. But this trio of denim-inspired polishes from Chanel is surprisingly wearable (and flattering, and fun). The medium shade in the collection (far right), Blue Boy, is my current go-to for short nails. The gray undertones make it sophisticated, but the color is still bold enough to make a statement.

Les Jeans de Chanel Nail Colour, $25 each



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