I don’t know when I started, but several years ago when I traveled I decided make it a point to buy local items.  I actually want to buy something that I usually can’t find at home, & whatever I bought would be like souvenirs to me.  Whether they be clothes, jewelry, makeup, or other beauty related products.  And I’ve gotten lots of lovely things throughout the years!  I have a lovely seashell necklace that I bought when my husband & I went to the Bahamas.  I bought a lovely red engraved bracelet when I was in China.  I could go on & on. With the advent of globalization, quite often it makes it harder to buy something local.  While in Boston, I came across H&M, Victoria’s Secret, The Body Shop, Urban Outfitters, TJMaxx & Marshalls.

We live in New York, & I have no problem with these stores on a regular basis, but we have these brands at home!  So why am I shopping at the same stores when I travel around the US?  And if you shop online, many of these brands are just a few clicks away from being shipped to your door! When I used to live in Europe, I would complain about the lack of uniformity throughout the different countries.  How some stores are in certain countries but not in others.  In the U.S., I feel like we have the exact OPPOSITE problem.  There’s TOO much uniformity and there is a lack of mom & pop stores, and local merchants.  I feel like there should be more things that are indigenous to each area, in the U.S.  I refuse to believe in the death of mom & pop stores & that the world is being taken over by corporations.  And to that, I will always pick up something from local designers, artisans, whatever they may be.  Here, I’ll show you what I found in Boston.

Products made by Dionis, hand creams, lotions & moisturizers Goat milk lotion…?  Never heard of the stuff before.  This isn’t actually made in Massachusetts, but made in Pennsylvania.  And they have lovely scents, like Citrus, White Jasmine, Blue Ridge wildflower, and many more.  I thought it was a big strange for I had never tried goat milk anything before.  But honestly when I tried it, it was just like any other lotion, except that it absorbed faster than all the others.  And it’s quite affordable, the large bottle lotions were $10, and the tube of hand cream was only $7.  There was one scent that I quite liked, called Love.  I quickly snatched up 2 for myself!  If you’re looking to try, they do sell some on Amazon.com, or go to their website at: http://www.dionisgmskincare.com.  And for those of you with little ones, they also have lotions & soaps for babies.  =) Dionis products on Amazon: 

Skin Health, and their skin care products I came across this small skin care product store on Newbury St, Boston.  For those of you who don’t know, Newbury St in Boston is like Madison Ave in New York.  It’s actually a dermatologists’ office that happens to make their own skin care products, catering to their patients who have skin damage, or cancer patients.  I don’t know about you, but I adore this idea!  Especially if you’re a type of person who needs something advanced for your skincare problems.  I’ve mentioned this before, but we wear the same skin our whole lives; and we should take care of it.  Skin Health centers was actually rated Boston’s best for the past 3 years!  BUT if you do want to buy some of their products, I will have to tell you they are pricey.  i.e. Their least expensive serum was $58 and others were over $100.  If you have a serious skin problem, you can contact them, & buy something off their website.  Here you can check them out at: http://www.skinhealthcenters.com

Jewelry: 

Kathleen Nowak Tucci: 

I found this in a boutique also on Newbury St.  This stood out to me more than almost anything else in the store.  Jewelry..  made of rubber??  I thought that some of these pieces were avant grade & really cool.  And everything is made pretty much from rubber & wire.  I loved this bracelet that I tried on.  These are pieces made and sold by a designer named Kathleen Nowak Tucci, where she makes all of these pieces by hand herself.  Think they’re cool?  Would you like to have a piece?  Be careful for they are a bit pricey.  This bracelet that I tried on was $88.  And the necklace below was $275.  I mean generally I tend to be very girly, but I do love pieces also that are cutting edge as well.  Interested?  Her website is: http://www.kathleennowaktucci.com, but to buy her pieces you have to go to: http://www.artfulhome.com/artist/Kathleen-Nowak-Tucci/8289

Real Flower Jewelry

Real Flower Jewelry Boston

Oh my gosh I love this!  I found this stand inside a shopping area called Quincy Market, in Boston.  I was speaking to the salesperson and he told me that his cousin actually makes each one by hand!  They’re real flowers, then dipped in resin to preserve the shape & color of the flowers.  They’re so delicate, each one felt like glass!  The wonderful thing about them is that each piece is one of a kind & unique.  (For every flower is unique).  Unfortunately, they don’t sell online.  (But I did try to convince him!) If you would like, they do have a Facebook page that you can contact them, if there are pieces that you would like to buy.  Write on their wall & petition them to have a website!  Otherwise, if you are ever in the Boston area, try & find them at Quincy Market!   Their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/REAL-Flower-Jewelry-Boston/512779082068193?sk=timeline

This was the necklace that I bought.  And they’re not that expensive!  This one I bought was about $25. I hope you enjoyed this post & inspired you to pick up one of these items!