Friday, December 4, 2015

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation

I got the opportunity to try Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation.



Overall, I am quite happy with the product.

Here are some things I liked & disliked:

+ goes on smoothly
+ blends perfectly
+ looks natural
+ offers great coverage (even covers dark circles under my eyes!)
+ it REALLY lasts all day - no need for touch ups during the day
+ nice finish, no need to apply powder on top

- the bottle was not sealed so there was no confirmation that nobody tampered with it
- I wish it was a little bit more natural...I would think artificial wax and some other ingredients should have some more natural options? but I do understand it would impact the price
- it was a little harder to take off than my previous foundation

All in all, it is a foundation that I would buy again. So, the result is four out of five stars from me :)

#gotitfree #covergirl #bzzagent #embraceyourface

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Canada Post

Apologies for yet another rant re: #CanadaPost. I ordered a couple of items (full price) with 2-day shipping. Should have been simple, right? Well, not so much after all...

Normally items from #Amazon go in the parcel slot of our community mailbox. Well this time apparently they tried to deliver to my door and unfortunately I was not home.

We have a "main" post office and two outlets in town...for some reason all the parcels for the entire town are handled by one of the outlets. I followed the directions on the delivery notice and went to pick my parcel up at the outlet, only to be told they are a couple of days behind in sorting and there is no way they can find my parcel today.  
A couple of days is an awful lot considering we are more than three weeks away from #Christmas!

This is the second time this happened to me. Last time I went to the outlet three times before I got my parcel. I get that they are overloaded at this particular location but if it is the case, two things: 
1. The notice should not say to pick up the day after the unsuccessful attempt. Dragging a 10 month old to wait in a lineup to no avail, needless to say I was not very impressed - I should add I did not take it out on the person at the counter, but clearly I am annoyed enough to blog about it!
2. There is a pretty simple solution to this. A lot of people in Alberta are out of work. Taking a couple (or a few!) of casual employees to help with the backlash of Christmas parcels would give those people some income and people coming to pick their parcels up would not have to come several times.

Asked the post office employee a few questions and apparently it is up to the discretion of the delivery person whether they leave the parcel in the parcel slot of the community mailbox or not. Not exactly an ideal situation is it. It already happened to me that when I tracked a parcel online it said it was delivered, while the mail person never even made it to our neighbourhood that day - they came the day after! How is anyone allowed to tag a parcel as delivered when it is not the case?

Anyways, this time I am focusing on the 2 day delay in being able to pick my parcel up at the post office.

Well, I will try again tomorrow and hope for the best. I need the contents by Friday afternoon for a trip with the baby..so I'll be pretty upset if I don't get my stuff before I go.

#CanadaPost #failure #delivery #customerservice

Monday, November 30, 2015

LOUISE MAELYS Retro Stainless Steel 8pcs Manicure Pedicure Set with Zipper PU Leather Case

Great manicure/pedicure kit.

The leather case is nice and sturdy with a good quality zipper so I have no doubts it will last a while. It's about a size of a larger wallet so it would fit in a purse.
Inside the leather case are 7 tools including a tweezer, cuticle trimmer, scissors, nail clipper, nail file, cuticle fork, ear pick, and a cuticle pusher. All the tools are stainless steel with brand name on the handle.
The scissors and the clippers are nicely sharp. I've had several clippers that did not work on my hubby's thick toenails but these work! I also like that the clippers are bigger than most you see out there. All the tools are good size, easy to hold. I've had tweezers that were way too small to use and I have small hands, so pretty happy with the size of the ones in this kit.
All in all, five stars out of five. The only recommendation I might have is to label the tools as not everyone will know which tool is a cuticle pusher and which one is an ear pick.






You can purchase yours here

#manicure #pedicure #beauty #tools #stainlesssteel #amazon
#LOUISEMAELYS




*I received a sample product to test and evaluate. No compensation was provided for a positive review.*

Friday, November 27, 2015

OOSilk 100% Mulberry Charmeuse Silk Pillowcase with Hidden Zipper 19MM 400 Thread Count Hypoallergenic for Face Cotton Underside,white (Standard)

This pillow case is seriously pure luxury to touch. It has two different sides, one is mulberry silk and the other is cotton. Both sides are incredibly soft and nice to touch. They feel so nice to my skin! There is a hidden zipper on the side of the pillow case so no more pillow tags sticking out of the case!




After a few nights sleeping on the silk side I can say it's so incredibly gentle on my hair - I had no idea a pillow case can make such a difference! And it feels so nice on my overly sensitive skin. The case comes with a little baggie with samples of fabric with other colors and a cocoon to prove it is silk; and the box is from recycled materials. Very nice touch to already high quality product. I was pretty skeptical that a pillow case could make a difference in the quality of my sleep but to my surprise it does. Love, love, love this pillow case.

Five stars out of five from me, if I could give more stars I would!

You can purchase yours here.


#Oosilk #pillow #pillowcase #silk #cotton #luxury #pureluxury #amazon


 *I have received this product for free or at a discount in exchange for an unbiased review. No compensation was provided for a review and I wrote the review based on my personal experience.*

Huggies Little Movers

I was fortunate enough to be chosen by @Influenster for their new Huggies campaign #IChooseHuggies. My baby is almost 10 months now and we have had our challenges with diapers so I was pretty happy we get to try Huggies Little Movers for free.

@Influenster sent a package of 12 diapers in a nice box.




These diapers have some great features to them:

DryTouch® Liner

Contoured Shape

Double Grip Strips

Leak Lock® System


All of these together should keep the baby dry and comfortable for up to 12 hours!

As far as we can tell, these diapers fit nicely and allow her to explore! She is always busy crawling, playing, standing up, and just enjoying life. So it's important leaks don`t get in the way! And so far, Little Movers help with that big time! 

One thing I`ll say though is take the recommended weight ranges for the different sizes as a rough estimate, not an accurate one. My baby should technically fit in #3 comfortably but she leaked through. Even though she is a few pounds below the weight range for #4, those fit nicely and knock on wood no leaks so far!

Here she is on the go!



#IChooseHuggies #Huggies #LittleMovers #Influenster

Thank you Influenster! 



XANADU 24K Gold Vitamin C Serum Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin E Rose Serum Night Day Moisturizer and Foundation Primer by ISA Professional

I have been fortunate to be chosen to participate in #ISAProfessional promotion for Gold Vitamin C Serum Makeup Primer. 



The bottle comes in a beautiful little box which is wrapped in see-through foil so you know it has not been tampered with. Once you take the foil off and open the box, you see the sparkles :)




You can really see the little gold particles floating in the serum. It's super cool! The bottle has a pump so you don't need to stick your fingers into the package which keeps the product safe. The serum is super light and goes on smoothly without leaving a greasy feeling. My skin felt tighter after just a few days of use and I like to believe my wrinkles are less visible now too! I live in an extremely dry climate so every so often I felt the need to use the moisturizer on top of this serum but not with every use like most serums that I have tried so far. I love that the botanical ingredients are organic.

All in all five stars out of five from me :)

Purchase yours here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the manufacturer:

Formulated with a combination of Botanical Ingredients, High Tech science, and 24K Real Gold. This serum will moisturize, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, even skin tone, repair sun damage, and give you a golden youthful glow.

From Nature
* 24K Gold.
* Vitamin C - pH balanced and highly absorbable. Brightens skin, combats wrinkles and dark spots.
* Vitamin E moisturizes and heals.
* Rose Extract soothes the skin and gives the Xanadu serum a delightful natural scent.
* P-anisic from the spice anise.

Supporting what's already in your skin
* Hyaluronic Acid captures and holds up to 1000 times its volume in moisture to your skin.
* Collagen to support your skin's own collagen.
* Creatine supplies energy to your cells.
* Beta-Glucan boosts the immune system.

From High Tech science
* Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (Matrixyl-3000) is a peptide that specifically stimulates collagen synthesis and skin repair.
* Epidermal Growth Factor stimulates new cell growth.
The Perfect serum for your face, made from the best botanical extracts and leading-edge technology.

Important Safety Notice: For topical use only. Not for use on mucous membranes. Do not ingest. Do not apply in, on, or around eye area. Irritation may result. If you do accidentally get some product in your eye, rinse with cool water.

Ingredients
24K Gold, Deionized water, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Collagen, Rose Extract, Hyaluronic acid, Creatine, Beta-Glucan, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (Matrixyl-3000), Epidermal Growth Factor, P-anisic.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


#ISAProfessional #Tomoson #Review #skincare #luxury #gold #serum #Xanadu #primer #vitaminC #organic #botanical


**I have received this product for free for the purpose of testing and evaluation. No compensation was provided and my opinions come from my personal experience with the product.**

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Huggies Little Movers

I was fortunate enough to be chosen by @Influenster for their new Huggies campaign #IChooseHuggies. My baby is almost 10 months now and we have had our challenges with diapers so I was pretty happy we get to try Huggies Little Movers for free.

@Influenster sent a package of 12 diapers in a nice box.



And, they made sure to send the right size! Yay!

These diapers have some great features to them:

DryTouch® Liner

Contoured Shape

Double Grip Strips

Leak Lock® System


All of these together should keep the baby dry and comfortable for up to 12 hours!

So far I my baby tried one of these diapers and so far so good! Will be updating on the go! :)



Baby Bopp Changing Station Black: Foldable Changing Pad – Portable Diaper Travel Kit – Diaper Bag Alternative for Moms and Dads on the go

This is what I have been looking for for a while! I am so sick of dragging a big diaper bag with me and looking for this and that in the bag - I can never find what I need! So having something easy to use that would comfortably hold what I need while making the items easy to find was my mission!

This changing station has it all - a changing pad, and a "bag" with couple of zip up compartments. It folds nicely and I can either just throw it to the bottom of my stroller or in my purse bag or backpack.
+ good size
+ durable material
+ easy to clean
+ two zip up pockets for diapers, wipes, cream
+ the zip up pockets can be removed from the pad




 I love, love, love this product. I feel very fortunate to have received it for free in exchange for an unbiased review. I have been looking for something like this for a few months now and everything I saw was either too small, or too bulky, or not of very good quality. This product is perfect and I will be recommending it to other Moms.

 You can purchase yours here.

#babybopp #changingstation #diaperchange #diaper #diaperbag #alternative #travelkit

Monday, November 23, 2015

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set (Song of Ice and Fire series)

Great read. I could not put the book down some nights! 

Complex and detailed characters, great descriptions of environments. You find yourself hating a character to actually start liking them half a book later. The story is full of action and there is some romance too. Each chapter is focusing on a different character and ultimately all the stories eventually intertwine. 
Each chapter leaves you longing for knowing what's next for each of the characters. The books are slightly different from the HBO series so don't be surprised if certain characters end up having a different fate from what you've seen. 

Won't say more as I don't want to spoil the fun for other readers ;) 


 Get your 5-book set here :)

#gameofthrones #winteriscoming #greatread #book #songoficeandfire #georgerrmartin

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Amazon...

So, it is a distant memory to be in the top 1,400 voters on Amazon. My rating dropped to #31,030 after a few more downvotes. I am never making it to top 1,000...Oh well. Not much I can do...but it sure is super frustrating! Especially when it looks like everyone who posted a review for a specific product got a downvote - I bet all the downvotes are from the same person!

I sent a note to Amazon that may be they should just keep the "yes" button to the "was this review helpful" question - if it was, a reader can click yes, if not, no voting needed. That would sure eliminate being sabotaged...unfortunately I don't think that will happen. I sent a link of a couple of products that had a downvote on every single review...Amazon responded they are working on a solution to stop this, but no other details or even a timeline was mentioned, so I am not holding my breath :(

 #downvotes #downvotessuck #sabotage #notfair #amazon #amazonreviews #amazonvotes #reviews

Friday, November 13, 2015

Tombs of Lust: Women's Adventure (Contemporary Fiction) - by Doris Silverman

Without giving out any spoilers, I'll say this book is visual and gets your attention. It is easy to picture all the characters. It is a story of a forbidden love between two people from very different cultures. Even in 21st century there are challenges in certain parts of the world if a woman falls for a man from another culture (and vice versa) if the other culture is not accepted where he/she lives. Living in the Western world it might be hard for a lot of people to even imagine yet this is how people live in other parts of the world....so you can see there is a bit of a political context in the book along with the main story. Even though the book is a fiction book, I bet there is a large number of women out there who can identify themselves with the book....

#promotion #TombsofLust #reading

You can purchase a copy here.

*I have been provided a pdf version of the book in exchange for a review. I am not a literature critic. I love to read and all expressed opinions in the review are my own.

[New Release]VicTsing® Selfie Stick Self-portrait Monopod with built-in Bluetooth Remote Shutter With Adjustable Phone Holder for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung, Android Smartphones

I have never used a selfie stick before and oh my, it's a lot of fun! This stick is sturdy yet lightweight and easy to use. The handle is rubbery so it won't slip from your hand. The other end is adjustable to the size of your phone. It even fits a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 very nicely! There is also a little wedge provided for fitting those extra small phones so that they don't slip out. The handle has a shutter button - you just need to sync your phone bluetooth to the selfie stick which is quick and easy to do (or, if your phone has a timer you can use that, obviously). The stick charges via a USB cable that comes with the stick. 





 I was a little puzzled by the instructions as step 4 is missing but it's easy to figure it out.



 Five stars out of five.

You can purchase yours here.

#selfie #selfiestick #victsing

**I have received a sample unit for the purpose of testing and evaluation.**

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor -Doctor tested & endorsed; Accurate Blood Pressure Readings, Detects Irregular Pulse & Heart Rates, High & Low BP. Memory Function, Easy & accurate: Home and Travel use

This is a pretty cool and easy to use blood pressure monitor. I wish I had it when I was pregnant and had to monitor my blood pressure several times a day!

+ very easy to use
+ big display, easy to press buttons
+ includes a carrying case (hard case)
+ one size fits all
+ strong velco to keep the cuff around your wrist
+ great instructions manual
+ cuff inflates while taking measurement and automatically deflates when done
+ very lightweight
+ 2 year warranty

- batteries not included in the package
- if you have tiny wrists it might be a little more difficult to adjust to ensure correct reading




All in all, five stars out of five from me! Great product, no wonder it is one of the favourites in Europe!

You can purchase yours here.

#BloodPressureMonitor

**I have received this product for free or with a discount in exchange for an unbiased review. Positive review was not required and no compensation was provided for such.**


















Monday, November 9, 2015

ISA Profesional 1 Step Victorya Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron Hair Straightener 1 #ISAProfessional

This is an awesome flat iron. I have had a couple of flat irons already, one was pretty useless and the other one did a decent job but nothing similar to what I get when a stylist does my hair. So when I got the opportunity to try this professional flat iron for free in exchange for an unbiased review, I was all over it. 





My hair is super fine, unevenly wavy and sometimes a bit frizzy as the area I live in is extremely dry. So unless I use a straightener, all I can really do is to pull it back into a ponytail and that gets boring quickly. Having a flat iron that works helps me with my everyday routine for sure. 
The tourmaline ceramic on this iron heats up quickly and protects the hair while straightening it. The temperature adjust according to what your hair needs without damaging it. I love that I only go through each strand once and the job is done! 
Strongly recommend to anyone who is looking for a great straightener. 

You can purchase yours here

#ISAprofessional #hair #flatiron #beauty 


*This is an honest review based on my personal experience. While the product has been provided for free or at a low cost, a positive review was not required and no compensation for a positive review was provided. I would not recommend a product I have not tried or did not like. 

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Lalechka: An Amazing Holocaust Survivor Rescue Story (World War 2 Book 1)

*NO SPOILERS*

I am an avid reader and since my grandparents have lived through WW2, I have always been interested in the subject. I have read countless WW2 related books so when I had a chance to add another one to the list, I could not pass on it!

Without giving out any spoilers, I'll say the book is based in 1942 Poland, and covers the situation of a young Jewish family that is desperately trying to save their baby daughter from the horrors of concentration camps with the help of some true friends. The book covers decades of this baby girl's life, showing all the implications the Holocaust brought. Being a Mom, wife, daughter, and a friend; I feel grateful I have never been in such sitaution as the characters of this book were and I hope I never will.

You can purchase your copy here.

#promotion #Lalechka #book #WW2

**I have received a PDF version of the book for free in exchange for an unbiased review**

Sunday, November 1, 2015

I*Light Organic Advanced Brightening & Line Smoothing Eye Treatment, 0.15oz

This is a second product from Sweetsations Therapy/Argania LLC that I had the opportunity to use. And again, I was impressed.

This eye serum works! I have some lines around my eyes and being a new Mom, I tend to get dark circles around my eyes when I have a sleepless night. I have seen results of using this cream after just a couple of days.

The applicator makes it super easy to get an even layer of the serum in the eye area; and the floral scent is very subtle - I normally have a hard time with scents but this one does not bother me.




I also love that this product is a result of great values - it is organic, with natural ingredients and it's in recyclable container. You just can't go wrong!

You can purchase yours here.

#ilight #ArganiaLLC

**I received this product complimentary in exchange for inspection and an honest and unbiased review.**

Friday, October 30, 2015

Emma Winston Jewelry

Hello readers, there is a new great jewelry store available!

If you are on the market for new beautiful earrings, please check out www.emmawinston.com!

From Emma's page (About Us section):


New York-based designer Emma Winston founded her collection with a commitment to creating designer jewelry at affordable prices while remaining focused on quality and craftsmanship. With a passion for ear décor and inspired by the Hudson River, she created a collection of jewelry designed to make an elegant and stylish statement by balancing nature with glamour. She aims to capture the eye of modern women with her unique, contemporary pieces that suit any occasion, day or night. Her pieces have a chic, sexy and feminine feel. They are designed using architectural, geometric and classic forms, striking an elegant balance between trendy and timeless design.
With her distinctive style, Emma believes that one extraordinary accessory can make an outfit. Her jewelry is designed to be mixed, matched and layered to suit each person’s individual style.
The collection is sold exclusively online at www.emmawinston.com
I have browsed the site, and my oh my, everything looks so beautiful!!! I will be making a list for Santa I think! :) While I have not experienced the floating earrings myself yet, everything I read online makes me want to get them as soon as I have saved up some monies!

And here are some great news:

To get you started, Emma Winston is offering you a 15% discount on her amazing floating earrings!





#emmawinstonjewelry #emmawinston #beautiful #earrings #floatingearrings #jewelry

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Halloween deal on a great headset

Looking for a good deal? This awesome headset could be an awesome treat for you or your loved one!  :)

Get it here




#headset #halloween #deal #trickortreat #halloweendiscount

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Bluetooth Headphone, VicTsing® Dew Bluetooth 4.0 Headset Wireless Sweatproof Headphones with High-fidelity Stereo Sound for Sports, Gym Exercise

Good headset.

+ Battery lasts quite long
+ Great color
+ Crystal clear audio
+ Easy to pair with bluetooth devices (smartphone, laptop)
+ Controls easy to use

- A little too big for my ears (but I have challenges with most earphones of this type so don't let this discourage you from buying))





Four stars out of five. 


You can purchase yours here

#VicTsing #bluetooth #headphones #amazon #amazoncanada #sweatproofheadphones

*No compensation was provided for a review. Item obtained for free for testing and evaluation purposes. Positive review is never guaranteed.*

VicTsing® Bluetooth 4.0 Headset Headphone Earphone Earbuds Earpieces handsfree with Stereo Clear Voice compatible for iPhone 6 Plus 5S 5 4S, Galaxy Note 4 3 2 S6 S5 S4 S3 and other devices with Bluetooth service for businessman, driver

Good hands free set.

The main earpiece has a rechargeable battery and all the electronics. The ear piece comes with an ear hook attachment that makes it easy to wear if you have challenges with sticking anything into your ear; and it has a pick up/hang up button and volume control, both are super easy to use. The sound is clear and the microphone on the set works quite well too; and pairing the device up with my phone was easy. There was no user manual with my device but I have a similar one already so I just took the same steps to pair it up. The device pairs with up to two devices at once.

+ easy to use
+ pretty discrete look
+ easy to pair
+ long battery life
+ can pair two devices

- specs say 66 feet wireless range in open space, that is likely true if the area is very quiet, in noisy setting it range is definitely smaller



All in all, five stars out of five.

You can purchase yours here

#VicTsing #handsfree #bluetooth #headset #amazon

**I have received this product for free or discounted in exchange for an unbiased review. No compensation has been provided for a positive review and positive review is never guaranteed.**

Seriously, not cool

Ugh. I am starting to think someone is targeting me on Amazon. Getting downvotes on most new reviews, that just makes no sense.

#downvotes #sabotage #getalife #amazon #amazoncanada

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Sumpri Premium Sphere and Cube Ice Molds [2 Pack] - Deluxe Silicone Ice Trays - Large and Stylish 6 X 2 Inch Ice Spheres and 6 X 2 Inch Gient Slow Melting Ice Cubes for Luxury Drinks - Enjoy Tastier Ice Cold Beverages

What a fun kitchen gadget. Ice mold that makes perfect and big ice balls - and ice mold that makes big beautiful cubes!

Both of these molds are made of food grade silicone which is BPA free.

For the first attempt, I used both for water. Both were super easy to use - I thought the sphere mold would be a little intimidating but it's not!








I love that I can make six ice balls at once, most other trays I have seen only make four. And both the sphere and cube molds are big enough to add a fruit or spice in them. So you can make beautifully looking ice balls or ice cubes very easily.  I have to admit the cube mold is perfect size for freezing pureed baby food so that is how I have been using it lately. It gives my little one a perfect portion :)

Five out of five stars from me!

You can purchase yours here.

#Sumpri #icemolds #sphere #iceballs #icecubes

**I have received this product for free or at a discount for testing purposes in exchange for an unbiased review. No compensation for a positive review was provided. **

Memory Foam Pillow by ExceptionalSheets, 61 x 38 cm, Low Loft, White

I have been on the hunt for the perfect pillow for quite some time. I grew up using down pillows and those are hard to come by and those that I found just never felt the same as my childhood pillows. When I got the opportunity to sleep on a Memory Foam pillow I figured why not give it a try.

Well...I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this pillow. It just feels right. Once you lay your head down on it you never want to get up. It feels like a hug for your head and neck. It's neither too soft nor too hard, it just feels perfect, it gives the right amount of support. Pure luxury!

This pillow absolutely exceeded my expectations. And I love that the company includes a little card of the company history with your pillow thanking you for purchasing the pillow - the thank you note and signature are handwritten! What a great personal touch.

I can't wait to save up enough $$ to get one for my hubby.





Get yours here.

#amazoncanada #exceptionalsheets #eluxuryco #pillow #memoryfoam #sleep

**I have received this item with a discount for the purpose of unbiased review. This is the best product I have ever reviewed.**