A Housewarming Gift for the Perfectly Imperfect

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Racked NY Associate Editor Nicola Fumo: I bought this off-kilter vase as a housewarming gift for my mom, who is rehabbing a 1927 bungalow all by herself. The balanced asymmetry and splattered paint are like a metaphor for her project: the beauty is in the messy details and the things that come out a little askew. Plus, this vase is super low maintenance, requiring just a single stem to give it life (my mom is much more likely to be found digging around the garden than arranging bouquets). There are only 50 of these and I already bought one, so you might want to jump on this as a holiday gift for the perfectly imperfect lady in your life.

Sarah Firshein, editor of Racked's sister site Curbed National: You name it, I've bought it: anti-frizz gels, creams, sprays, mousses, tonics, mists, and foams. I've made my naturally coarse, wavy locks suffer through Bio Ionic and Coppola Keratin alike. Last year, I resolved never to chemically straighten my hair again, resigning myself to dual hair personalities: strands that I can blow-dry during cool, dry weather and pull back from late spring through September.

So when my stylist at the Whittemore House Salon raved about the new Purely Perfect Cleansing Creme Shampoo after testing it out on her own hair, I was skeptical but game to experiment. Mark my words: This will become the next cult obsession for frizzy-haired girls. 

The product—shampoo and conditioner in one, meant to be used whenever you wash your hair—doesn't sud up, like, at all. But once you get past the feeling of massaging hand cream into your scalp, you realize the results are totally worth it: shiny, frizz-free, easy-to-dry, and voluminous locks left with their healthy oils intact. Bonus points for the lovely, lasting fragrance of aloe and rose, and for the $40 price tag; after all, salon keratin treatments are way more expensive. 

Racked LA editor Natalie Alcala: I know what you're thinking. Why would I shop at Victoria's Secret for anything that covers my skin? An oft-overlooked fact about the lingerie giant and producer of racy runway shows is that they have an abundant selection of non-sexy clothing. Really!

While searching for the perfect holiday food baby sweater (i.e. something loose that lets you sit back, relax and grub), I discovered this multifunctional style and was immediately sold. It's incredibly soft thanks to a cotton, viscose and cashmere fabric blend, and the cowlneck and drapey silhouette allow you to wear it multiple ways. It also has pockets and comes in a range of neutral hues. Best. Sweater. Ever. 
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