Ipsy Bag is coming to Canada ~ News

Great news - Check it out here

Another beauty box/bag is coming across the boarder

Ipsy (prev Glam Bag) is here 

For $10 a month, they are starting in November

They are promoting 5 products and two of them is full size - I think it is just the month of November.

Are you signing up?

Glymm Box October 2012 ~ Unboxing

Another decent box from Glymm
A few more brand names I have never heard of.
They also brought back the product card.  I didn't mind reading the products online but getting on paper is much easier.

Lash Card
Full Size box of 10 @ $6.99, Sample size 2 @ $1.40

Femme Couture: Lightening Lash Mascara
Full Size = Sample Size 11.3g @ $14.00

Cyberderm: H2O Hydration
Full Size 50ml @ $60, estimated sample 3 ml @ $3.60

Cyberderm: Every Morning Sun Whip SPF 25
Full Size 50ml @ $39, estimated sample 3 ml @ $2.34

Miss Jessie's: Baby Buttercreme
Full Size 59ml (2oz) @ $9, 237 ml (8oz) @ $32, 473 ml (16oz) @ $58
Sample Size 59ml (2oz) @ $9

Bonus:
Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil
To introduce Glymm Mama

The value of my box is $30+

The Bottom Line
Product received - 3/5
The surprise - 3/5
Favourite product received -  Baby Buttercreme
Overall reaction - It's not a bad box.  I love to try this new lash card but I wish they didnt give more mascara. *sigh* I am excited to see what people will have in their Glymm Mama box.  My baby will soon be a toddler so it is too late for me.

Do you like this month's box?

Zevia Carbonated Beverage ~ Review & Giveaway

Let me introduce you a drink called Zevia
Zevia is a drink that has no sodium, calories, and caffeine, and is also gluten free.
Each 355ml can contains 60mg of vitamin C and steva extract

What is Steva?
According to Zevia, it is a plant that is found in Paraguary.
It is a natural sweetener that sweetens more than regular sugar by 250-350 times with no calories and no effect on blood glucose levels.

There are fifteen flavours
Cola, Lemon Lime Twist, Orange Soda, Ginger Root Beer, Black Cherry, Ginger Ale, Cream Soda, Grapefruit Citrus, Dr Zevia, Caffeine Free Cola, Grape Soda, All natural Mountain, Cherry Cola, Strawberry Cola, Lime Cola

Zevia recommends that people between 4-13 years of age should only consume up to 2-3 cans per day and adults up to 5 cans per day.

What I really like about this drink is that it has no calories.  I'd rather make my calories count.  I rather eat it not drink it...
Zevia tastes like carbonated water with a hint of flavour.  It is not a sweet drink so it taste like diet diet cream soda or root beer.  My favourite one is the grape.  My brother tried the Lemon Lime Twist and he said that it taste like water with a slice of lemon.  Don't forget to visit Zevia website to print some coupons if you are thinking of purchasing some.

Do you want to try one yourself?
Zevia would like to offer a free 6 pack coupon giveaway. Open to Canada and US resident.

This contest will run from October 30th to November 13th, 2012 (midnight EST).  *Note: you have to complete the "tasks" of your choosing in order to win the prize*

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*This product was sent to me by the company for review purposes only.  All opinion and comments are my own.

More little samples ~ Free

1. L'Occitane - Shea Butter Hand Creme
Another sample from L'Occitane mailing list.  I've signed up for their VIP mailing list and once in awhile I receive free samples.

2. G Fuel - Energy drink powder (offer now over)

3 This was a Facebook offer (now over)

4. Clarins: Vital Light Day, Night, and Serum.
Picked this up from Shoppers Drug Mart with a coupon (now over)

History of Candy ~ Random Facts

Who is getting ready for Halloween?

What are you giving out this halloween?  Chips, lollipops, chocolate, or candies????
Today I was reading the Toronto Star, "Candy through the ages" and I found a few things interesting.
This is just a little recap of the article from the Toronto Star, "Candy through the ages", Saturday Oct 27, 2012 newspaper.

1880s
The candy corn was born.  Oct 30th is National Candy Corn Day.

1890s
Tootsie Roll. During the Korean War, "tootsie roll" was code name for 60mm mortar ammunition. But there was a mistake and someone actually shipped out Tootsie Rolls instead of ammunition.  Ha!

1910s
Life Savers - known as the "summer candy".

1920s
Fruit gelatin was invented - giving birth to gummy bears.
In Austria, the Pez was launched.
Dubble Bubble was created around this era too.

1940s
There was no candy production during the war but afterwards came the Jolly Rancher

1950s
The red-hot candies and The Lucky Elephant Pink Candy Popcorn

1960s
Tic Tac and the Blow Pops

1970s
Gobstopper was created but didn't last long because a little girl got burned by biting into it after left in the sun.
My favourite, the Jelly Belly!!!!

1980s
Nerds and Sour Patch Kids

1990s
Worms, ants, crickets that are trapped in clear hard candy.  OK, who has eaten these?

2000s
Remember Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, and Doublemint gum.  These were given to soldiers during WWII.  Discontinued when the war has ended.  Then 57 years later they re-launched the products.

Have you eaten any of these?

Kraft's First Taste ~ Review

I received this in the mail the other day.
It feels really odd to spend $30 on paper.  I will feel much better once I use them.
It is strange to have expiry dates on these coupons since I paid for them.
I will add up my purchases to see if it was all worth it in the end.
I think I have to purchase them all at Metro or Sobey's to get my money's worth....Ha!
I know my daughter would really like the cheese strings.

Suncoat Girl: Head to Toe Kit ~ Review

Do you have a little girl/cousin/niece/granddaughter who loves to put on nail polish?
When my daughter was younger, she wouldn't let me trim her nails unless I promised to put on nail polish on her.  Yup, she is that type of girl.
When I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, naturally her answer was "A Princess".
I discovered Suncoat Girl when I was at the National Women Show.

Who is Suncoat Girl?
A Canadian company that sells non-toxic water based nail polish for girls over 3 years old.
These nail polishes are created without all those hard chemicals so it is safe for those little princesses.

Suncoat Girl has an array of pretty girly colours and some of them are considered vegan free!

Suncoat Girl recently launched "beauty from head to toe...naturally" kit that includes:

• 2 nail polishes
• lip shimmer
• loose mineral eye shadow
• one pair toe separators

My little girl was so excited when she saw this kit and wanted to open it right away.
However, I kindly told her she had to wait until I have taken some pictures of the product.
She was very understanding.
Her favourite was the lip shimmer that she even took it to school to show it to her friends.
The nail polish was so easy to remove because after her bath, it just peels right off.
You don't need any nail polish remover.

Go check them out.  I think this will make a great birthday or Christmas present for your little angels

Made in Canada

.

Available online

Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics: Spank Me ~ #Review

Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics was very kind to let me try one of their nail polish called Spank Me
A nice bright orange to brighten up my spirit during long cold winter nights.

Who is Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics?
Two works - Nail Polish
If you love nail polish, don't miss out trying one or two for yourself.
They are high quality products and promotes long staying power.
Their products are environmentally safe and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutly phthalate (3 free).
Furthermore, they are not tested on animals

You can tell this is a great quality product since it only needs two coats.
Even without the top coat it would last up to 4 days.
It has a nice glossy finished.
I did found it didn't dry fast enough to my liking but I am the impatient one since I am the type who wishes the polish dries once it contacts to my nail...Ha!

They have a pretty arrange of colours like the Man Eater, Cougar, and Cheap Whore.
According to the website they have a total of 49 colours, might be more if you purchase them at a Cheeky Event like the National Women Show.
Go check them out.  You will be in awe in the names and colours of the nail polish.

C$15

Available online

This product was given to me by the company for test purposes only.  All the opinions are my own.

Almond Fresh - Yum ~ Review

If you have been reading my earlier post, you know how much I love Almond Fresh.  Almost every week, I would purchase one and finish it off myself within days.  That is how much I love it.
You can read my earlier posts here and here.
Almond Fresh has five flavours - Original, Unsweetened, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coconut.
As you can see I am in love with the Vanilla flavour.
I have yet to find the coconut flavour.  It is one of the hardest flavour to find.  I usually purchase my stash at Walmart and No Frills but I heard the coconut might be at Metro.

Almond Fresh has great nurtional benefits - low in calories; low in fat; excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E.

Almond milk is a great substitute for those who are lactose intolerance.  I can put it in my coffee, tea, or make a milkshake or smoothie with it.  I have used it to make my french toast and pancakes and it tastes so good. Almond Fresh also comes in tetra pak sizes so I could easy take it with me on the go or pack them up in my daughter's lunch bag.

Almond Fresh has announced a new flavour in spirit of Christmas - Noel Nog
Would you purchase some for this holiday season?  Would you get a case of them?

Earth's Own is a Canadian company and we all love to support them - Ra, Ra, Ra!

If you sign up for their newsletter and like them on Facebook, once in awhile they will release good value coupon for your next purchase.

Available at your most local supermarkets across Canada

Days that I love my Mail box ~ Free

Sorry, I am a bit behind to show you what I received in the mail...

1. Costco - sampler pack (no longer available)

2. Garnier body lotion sample plus a freebie coupon
Garnier Facebook page - no longer available

3. Consonant Hydrextreme
This was available on their Facebook page. (no longer available)

Did you receive anything in the mail?

Pure Shea Butter ~ #Review

What is Shea Butter?
According to Wikipedia - it is the fat content that is extracted from a nut grown from a shea tree.  It is one of the essential ingredients in many beauty products.  I have always wanted to try what 100% Pure Shea Butter feels like.

In the past, I have done a bit of research on youtube but watching it and actually touching it is so different.
The only time I have seen Pure Shea Butter for sale is either from L'Occitane for $45 (too expensive) or wholesale for $30-$40 for a huge brick (too much).
Then I saw this at my local Rexall clearance section for under $4 (Reg $14.99) - Score!
It is crumbly and it is a bit hard to scope out.
It has a faint nutty smell in case you are wondering.
What is neat about it is it melts with your body heat...neat eh
It is a bit greasy at first and then it will eventually absorbs onto your skin.
No wonder most product will only have no more than 80%.

There are so many youtube videos demonstrates how many products I could make using b natural Shea Butter.  Maybe one of these days I would purchase a brick at wholesale and make a few of natural beauty products.

Nivea: Body Milk ~ #Review

It has been my first time in years since I used Nivea hand cream products.
When I think of Nivea, I think back in the '80s when my mom use to use them.
Did you know they have been around since 1911?
I had no clue.
I purchased the Nivea Extra Nourishing Body Milk body lotion during one of those Shoppers Redemption days and I even used a $3 off coupon.
It contains almond oil and it is for dry or very dry skin.
The cream is a little more liquidity than other body cream.
It smells like unscented cream and absorbs pretty quickly but leaves a feeling of of a mild coating of oil on my hand.
It hydrates my hands but I doubt everyone would like how the almond oil feels their hands after applying some of this cream.
Overall, I do like this product and I usually use it during the evenings.
This product is available in all drug store.
I also have seen more $3 coupons floating around.

sale C$6.99

October 2012 Topbox ~ Unboxing

Endocare (Made in Spain)
Ampoules - serum to rejuvenate the skin
Full Size 7 x 1mL vials @ $59, Sample Size 2 vials @ $16.86
Tensage Radiance Contour - correct & brighten the eye contour area
Full Size 15mL @ $72.50, Sample Size 3mL @ $14.50
Formulated by European scientists.  In case you are wondering it is made from Cryptomphalsus Aspersa species...I feel like I am on an episode of Fear Factor.  Ha!  I will giving the vials to my mom but I think I might try the eye cream.

MaskerAide
Hydrating Facial Sheet Masks (Made in Korea)
Full Size = Sample Size 23g @ $4.99
I think there are many beauty bloggers had tried this before.  It has no parabens added, sulfate free, mineral oil free, artificial fragrance free, Benzophenone Free, no added pigments, Vegan Friendly, Eco Friendly, 100% Biodegradable Mask, and Recyclable Packet...the Holy Grail of facial mask?

Stila
Eyeshadow Palette - In the Light
Full Size 14g @ $50, Sample Size $0
The sample is very cute.  I like that I could try different colour eyeshadow.  Wish I had a bit more of it...

Stila
Prime Pot - extends eyeshadow wear - Taffy
Full Size .14oz @ $26, Sample Size .07oz @ $13
Very excited to try this.  Beside the Stila lip gloss I bought for myself, I had never tried other items by Stila.

The value of my box is $49+


The Bottom Line
Product received - 3/5
The surprise - 3/5
Favourite product received -  Stila Prime Pot
Overall reaction - It's not a bad box.  So far it has been 2 for 2.  At least one item in the box will be makeup.  Excited to try Stila & MaskerAide.  Not sure how I feel about Endocare...

Do you like this month's box?

Samples and more Samples ~ Free

Another great surprise in my mail box

1. L'Occitane Precious Serum Sample

2. P&G Samplier Pack - Try before you buy
Already used the Bounty Paper towel, Dawn soap, and Febreeze air freshener
No longer available.

3. Downy - Un Stopable
Might still be available on their Facebook page.

Sephora Give Me Some Lip ~ Unboxing

Yup, I headed over the States a few weeks ago to do a little shopping.
Of course I had to stop by Sephora.
I saw this little cute lip set that I had needed to get.
It had most of the brands I wanted to try.

It includes:
Bite - Lip Shine in Vintage 2.72g
Fresh - Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment 2.2g
Hourglass - Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Child 3.5g
Laura Mercier - Lip Glace in Baby Doll 2.8g
Sephora - Glossy Gloss in Precious Pink 15ml
Tarte - LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip in Hope 3g

It retails for U$25 and C$30.
It that not a great deal?  You will receive a full size Tarte LipSurgence and it alone retails for U$24 or C$31 so everything else is a bonus.  What a bargain.  I was so happy when I purchased it.
I am not going to go on a rant of how much the price difference there is between the US & Cdn because it might go into a 20 page essay.

To date, I have tried the Tarte and Fresh.  I really like Fresh from the free birthday gift I received this year and don't mind receiving another one.  The Tarte has a texture of a thick lip pencil with a minty sensation.

In case you are wondering, I am going to give the Sephora lip gloss to my SIL but I am keeping everything else!

What do you think?  Will you be purchasing a box?
This looks like a limited edition so don't hesitate before it is too late.

La Roche-Posay: Mela-D Pigment Control Serum ~ Review

I won this serum from Beauty Crazed & La Roche-Posay back in September.*
This serum contains 3 important ingredients: Kojic Acid, LHA, and Glycolic Acid:

Kojic Acid - (2% concentrated) it helps to reduce dark spots and skin discolouration

Combine LHA (Lipo-Hydroxy-Acid) and Glycolic Acid to shed dark skin cells

Before I started using this product, the instructions advised me to do a sensitivity test inside my elbow.  There was no reaction, so I am good to go.

As per instructed, I could only use this product once a day, ideally at night.  It also warned that there might be a temporary tingle sensation when I put it on.

The packaging promotes that I will see results in 2 weeks...

Each night I put on the serum which absorbs very quickly and does not leave my skin oily.  Its perfect. Unfortunately I am not a fan of the eye drop method.  I wonder if the pump or tube packaing is more ideal.

Today marks my 3 weeks trial run - I can't really tell if my dark spots have faded or it evened out my skin tone.  However, I will continue to use it until I am finished with the bottle and hopefully I will notice a change.

This is product is available at Shoppers Drug Mart & Rexall (Pharma Plus) for $55 (30ml)

*Disclaimer: I receive no compensation on the products I received from the PR/Brands company.  All opinions are my own.*

October 2012 Julep ~ Unboxing

This will be my last Julep box.
Paying for $US20 is expensive in my books.
On top of that...you cant track the package once it across the boarder.
However, it is nice to receive a nice surprise in my mailbox however, it might be a nightmare if it does not arrive.
The best item in my box is the Quick Dry Polish Drops (as well as the candy corn.  My daughter ate most of it when she saw them.)
My daughter was beside me when I was putting the drops on and she said she like the smell - so do I!
Orange and Blue - what do you think?
I don't know if they work together but the crackling is very noticeable.

I spent the afternoon re-taking some photos for my blog that I lost a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, there are some I cant retake.  Lesson learned...

October Contest ~ Beauty Crazed

Enter Here if you want to enter into Beauty Crazed's October contest

Happy Thanksgiving

La Roche-Posay: 60 SPF ~ #Review

When my computer died, I lost all the photos I was going to use for my blog.
NO!
I usually gather them all up and have a photo shoot session.
Now, I have to start from scratch....this has taught me a lesson - upload them ASAP!

The other day, I was looking for a good sunscreen to put on my face.
I have oily skin so any sunscreen I had made my face a bit greasy.
My local Rexall's SA introduced me to La Roche-Posay's Anthelios
It is a Ultra Fluid Lotion which means it is very watery sunscreen like the spray sunscreen we use on kids.
I love it!  It absorbs quickly and it is does not make my skin greasy but it does not prevent my face getting oily :(

Product feature:
Fast absorbing
Matte Finish
Fragrance Free
Paraben Free
Water Resistance

I also received two mini samples of the Anthelios XL- it is more of a thicker sunscreen.

Available at Rexall (Pharma Plus) and Shoppers Drug Mart.

On sale 25% off C$19.50

Kellogg's Cinnabon ~ #Review

I was at my local (Cdn) Walmart and I couldn't believe my eyes.
Cinnamon bun in a box!
There are instructions to nuke it in the microwave but who has time?
I just pop them in my mouth :)
I have to watch myself or I would eat the whole box in one sitting.
One bar is 150 calories so I savour one a day.
Not only do these taste incredible, they were on sale for C$1.99 (Reg C$3.99).
I wonder if they will have more if I go back...