Mail of the Week (September 26 - 30)


Candace Skye Jungle Blue swimsuit: How kind is it of the gorgeous Candace to send me this amazing bikini? A leopard print swimsuit was definitely missing in my collection and I couldn't have asked for something better! I know we're almost in October already but stay tuned for my review.


Passion Savon soap samples: I've always been more of a shower gels girl but since I tried some LUSH soaps, I must say I changed my mind and now I like to alternate between the two. That's why, when I was given the opportunity to try some of these handmade soaps that don't contain palm oil, preservatives, petrochemical or harsh detergents, I had to accept. Passion Savon soaps are also cruelty-free and vegetarians.

I was sent a selection of samples to try:
  • Oatmeal Cream & Banana
  • Mandarin Yogurt
  • Goat's Milk, Honey, Lavender & Cedar
  • Cranberry & Rhubarb
  • Chestnut & Chocolate Torte



Pai Skincare products: I was very kindly offered to try some Pai Skincare products to help with my eczema and you know how I'm constantly complaining about this skin condition? Eczema products are usually filled with chemicals and other nasty things and steroids thin the skin, so I'm always on the lookout for natural alternatuves. I was sent these two products:
  • Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream
  • Rosehip & BioRegenerate fruit & seed oil


$10 Sears gift card from MyPoints: I'm a member of MyPoints since May 2010 and I was finally able to redeem my hard earned 1650 points for this gift card, yey! Now I'm left with only 35 points...


$5 off coupon on any Cetaphil Cleanser or Moisturizer from WebSaver.ca: I finally bought Cetaphil RESTORADERM Eczema Moisturizing Lotion some times ago after hearing Karen rave so much about it, but I'm not sure I really like it. It doesn't seem to do much for my eczema even if I use it every time I wash my hands, and that is disappointing because $20 is pretty steep for some drugstore hand lotion when you're on a tight student budget.

I found this coupon offer some times ago and I completed forgot about it until now. I'm not sure I'm ready to give to give this lotion another try, but I figured out it couldn't be wrong to have a backup, just in case. This is until I started wondering if Galderma were conducting tets on animsl... and this is what I found:
"As such we, as any other Canadian pharmaceutical company, are obligated by Canadian law to test our products on animals to show they are safe for human use."

...Seriously? Wow. Now that's totally lame. This coupon is going in the trash right away.


♫ Champagne Showers - LMFAO ft. Natalia Kills

Game of the Week: #3 Alabama v. #12 Florida

There are a ton of great games this week. We're actually going to preview the #8 Nebraska v. #7 Wisconsin game tomorrow. But don't forget about #11 Virginia Tech v. #13 Clemson and #14 Texas A&M v. #18 Arkansas in their SEC preview battle.

But this battle of SEC powerhouses is the showdown of the week. Florida is actually surprising me a little bit this year. We all knew they would be good, but they've honestly been better than I expected in the post-Urban Meyer era. But that doesn't mean a damn thing when Alabama comes rolling into town. You know The Swamp is going to be rocking for this prime time kick-off.

We also know the cheerleaders are going to be prime. This is a heavyweight battle on the sidelines, as well. No telling which team really has the upper-hand when it comes to cheerleaders. I'll let you be the judge of that.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE






FLORIDA GATORS


TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TRESemmé. All opinions are 100% mine.

You may remember my review of TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo for oily/straight to normal hair that I wrote a while back ago, when dry shampoo was still a relatively new concept. Back then, I thought it was an OK product but nothing more, as it tended to let me down a lot so I experienced with other dry shampoos, and I eventually forgot about this one.

Because I like to switch things up every once in a while, I recently decided to give it another try, and I was amazed at how great it worked! When I tweeted my success, it has been brought to my attention that TRESemmé recently came up with a complete line of dry shampoos that helps revive your style’s beautiful look and feel if you skip a shampoo:

  • Strengthening Dry Shampoo : The formula, with B12 vitamins and keratin, helps strengthen hair and leaves it full of healthy body.
  • Volumizing Dry Shampoo : The formula, with mineral clay and citrus, removes oil while injecting hair salon-gorgeous volume.
  • Smoothing Dry Shampoo: The formula, with Vitamin H & Silk Proteins, refreshes your straight style by removing excess oil, impurities and odor to nsure your smooth look lasts.
  • Moisturizing Waterless Foam Shampoo: The formula, with Witch Hazel, Citrus and Aloe Vera, refreshes your hair by removing excess oil, impurities and odor while moisturizing hair.

 

Uniquely formulated to absorb excess oil and remove odor, the full line of TRESemmé Dry Shampoos rejuvenates hair without a drop of water. With a renewing burst of citrus extracts infused into every products, it leaves hair with a clean, fresh scent.

Here are some tips to get the best results from TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo:

  • Shake vigorously before use and in between spray bursts
  • Lift sections of dry hair and spray lightly at the roots
  • Spray in short bursts, holding 8 - 12 inches from head (don't spray like hairspray, all over and continuously)
  • Leave in for 1 - 2 minutes
  • Use fingertips or a brush to distribute product evenly

*If clogging occurs, remove nozzle and rinse under warm, then reattach



Beauty YouTuber Kayleigh from Forever Yours Beauty has teamed up with TRESemmé and created a tutorial to teach people how to use TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo properly. She is also giving away a $500 gift card to Target to a lucky winner - check out her video and enter to win!

Visit Sponsor's Site

Georgia Tech Dancers

Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday. Not sure what happened there. To make up for it, I have some Georgia Tech dancers in tight gold pants. Seems like a pretty decent way to say "I'm sorry!"

As an aside, I'd really like to know more about the Asian dancer if anybody knows anything.




Tag: The A-Z of Me



I don't feel comfortable talking a lot about my personal life here even though I know a lot of you ladies appreciate when a blogger does it, but I don't know, I guess I just don't want to be boring? That's why I thought it would be fun to do this little tag, I hope you will find it at least a little interesting!

Age:
22 already... I feel so old... I don't want to grow up!

Bed size 
Double and I would love a queen someday because the boyfriend and I barely fit in it together!

Chore you hate
I hate all chores, I'm sooooo lazy!

Dogs
 They are the love of my life! They are seriously a man's best friend, I always say that if you have not loved a dog, a part of your heart has never opened. I missed my beloved golden retriever Balou who passed away last summer ):

RIP my baby ♥

Essential start of your day
That's an easy one... COFFEE!

Favourite colour
Yellow, such an happy color (:


Gold or silver
I'm not sure, I think it really depends on the kind of object. Gold seems to look tacky more easily though in my opinion, but I do know that it looks better on my skintone.

Height
5' 5''

Instruments I play
I used to play the guitare a little some years ago but I stopped simply because of a lack of motivation. I seem to have this problem a lot in my life...

Job Title
... blogger? LOL I wish! I have a temporary part-time job at a Halloween store and I'm studying translation in University full time.


Kids
EEEKK!

Live
Montreal, QC, Canada

Mum's name
Sylvie

Nickname
Gab (how original, isn't it?)

Pet peeve
People who are rude for no reason, people who are always glued to their $(&*/%;@¢ phone, people who can't drive... I could go on and on, I don't call myself a misanthrope for nothing! 

Quote from a movie
"Hakuna matata!", - The Lion King


Right or left handed
Right handed.

Siblings
Two younger brothers -_-

Me, drunk? Nooooo...

Time you wake up
When I don't have to wake up for school I like to wake up really late (:

Underwear
Lace, sheer, leopard print...


Vegetables you dislike
I'm not sure I really dislike a vegetable.

What makes you run late
I'm never late, but if I am, it's because of things out of my control like traffic, a late bus, subway or train, etc.

X-rays you've had done
My teeth at the dentist.

Yummy food you make
I hate to cook except for desserts (:



Zoo animal
Tigers! Is there something more beautiful than tigers? But don't go to the zoo, they are awful!

Pictures that are not mine are from weheartit

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Products From Abundance Naturally

Suppliers of product lines for babies, children, teens and adults, Abundance Naturally prides itself on selling only products that they themselves have tried, tested and use on themselves and their families. Free of harsh chemicals and other man made ingredients, this young company also hopes to educate consumers about the benefits of using natural products and the need to be conscious of what they’re putting into and onto their bodies.

Like lots of you ladies, I make efforts to use natural and organic products as much as I can, but here in Canada, such products are not easy to find, and they are often overpriced. That's why I was excited when I was kindly given the opportunity to try some Thursday Plantation products from Abundance Naturally. I kept hearing about the wonders of Tea Tree products but I've never had the chance to try some for myself until recently.



Tea Tree Blemish Stick Gel is an invisible treatment stick for skin blemishes. It has been formulated using a special blend of Tea Tree and Spearmint Oil to help control skin breakouts. 
Tea Tree Oil is known to target the bacteria that causes pimples and dry them out. 
It has an easy-to-use sponge-tip applicator which eliminates the need to touch the infected site with the finger tips. It comes in a convenient pocket size pack. 
No need to use chemicals like benzoyl peroxide again to clear up zits!

I guess I was lucky to have a blemish this month to be able to properly test this product! I rarely get pimples so I don't really need such product, but I'm happy to report that it really works super fast! As soon as I saw the blemish, I reached for this product and I was surprised to see that two days after, the pimple was all dried out and almost gone.

I'm not sure how I feel regarding the packaging. Sure the sponge-tip applicator eliminate the need to touch the infected area with afinger, but once you have applied the product to the pimple, you put the applicator back in the tube... which is not really hygienical, is it? I would personally feel the need to disinfect the applicator after each application.


Tea Tree Liquid Filled Cotton Tips $7.49 for 12 x 0.18mL

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Liquid Filled Cotton Tips with Aloe Vera are for fast, clean and convenient skin hygiene. 
A first aid kit essential, the natural antiseptic Tea Tree Liquid Filled Cotton Tips with Aloe Vera offer soothing and convenient wound care. 
Simply bend the coloured band on one side of the cotton tip until it snaps, then watch the blend of Tea Tree Oil and Aloe Vera flow down to the opposite end of the Cotton Tip saturating it with a natural antiseptic without the sting.

This is great to keep in your handbag or school bag as it's a convenient size and it's fast and easy to use. I actually prefer to use these cotton tips instead of my thrusty hand sanitizer, which tends to sting my dry hands covered in eczema.


Ideal for: chapped dry lips 
Key benefits:
  • Contains 100% pure Tea Tree Oil
  • Contains 100% naturally derived ingredients
  • New easy to apply tube
  • Keeps lips soft and supple 
Free from synthetic parabens, propylene glycol, lauryl sulphates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic colours, synthetic preservatives and animal derived ingredients.

I have to say, this is one of the best lip balm I have ever used - and I don't say this lightly! I'm always complaining about my eczema but it's really a pain, especially on the face. I get random patches of dry and itchy skin on my forehead, temples, around on my mouth and yes, on my lips. Because of that, I'm constantly struggling with dry, cracked and chapped lips and no lipbalms can heal them.

This lipbalm seems different though. Instead of temporarily relieve dryness, it seems to have healing properties. I like how it lasts quite some times on my lips instead of soaking right in - that way, I don't feel the need to re-apply every five minute. When it is absorbed into the lips, I can feel them being softer and revitalized.

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This lipbalm comes in a handy squeezable tube and it looks more like a gloss than your typical waxy lipbalm - it glides easily and it leaves a nice glossy sheen on the lips.

I must admit I hate the smell and taste but hey, that's a small price to pay for the wonders of this product!


Thursday Plantation Certified Organic Face Wash is a natural soap-free foaming cleanser. Assists in preventing acne and pimples by gently cleansing the skin to remove a build up of excessive oils. Contains 100% pure Tea Tree Oil and chamomile to soothe the skin. Soap free to avoid excessive drying of the skin and pH balanced to minimize stress to the skin.

This cleanser is a dream to use! I don't think I have ever used a foam face wash before, and I must say I'm impressed by this one. I'm always careful with what I use to wash my face to prevent eczema flare-ups, but this cleanser didn't leave my face feeling tight, dry or irritated at all.


You only need one pump to get a smooth and rich foam that deeply but gently cleans your skin thanks to Tea Tree and chamomile. I prefer my products to be in a pump because it's less messy then a tube.


Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Hand & Body Lotion is now made 100% Naturally Derived and 70% Certified Organic ingredients. A soothing lotion and ideal for everyday use, for after sun, or shaving and to help relieve dry, sensitive skin. Contains moisturizing Macadamia Oil and toning Witch Hazel Extract and purifying Tea Tree Oil. 
Ideal as an after-sun soothing moisturizer, calming relief after shaving and waxing, as a daily moisturizer for dry skin and sensitive skin and itchy, irritated skin.

I had high hopes for this lotion because I've been struggling with patches of eczema all over my body (on my hands, arms, elbows, legs, behind the knees and on my back), but I'm sad to report that it didn't help at all. In fact, instead lof soothing my skin, it seemed to have made it even more irritated and itchy! Maybe I had an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients?

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The texture is too light for my liking but it's not runny and it's absorbed in the skin really fast, which is always a plus.

Be sure to have a look at the wide variety of products available at Abundance Naturally and also "like" them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for consideration to review. I was not paid for this review,  I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Guest Post: Anti-Aging - 5 Tips To “Cover Up” Your Hands

This post was written by Jesse Ortiz, who is a writer for Dr. Samir Bute and www.Alluskincare.com. Jesse writes on topics that include anti-aging, natural skincare products, and general skincare. Follow him on Twitter @OrtizJesse


Modern women have become experts at “covering up” their age. Some women never leave the house without an oversized hat; others wear sunglasses—even when it’s raining. Some women get collagen injections in their checks, lips, and eye lids; others hide behind facial creams, masks, and chemical peels.

There is one area, however, that is much harder to cover up: it’s your hands.

You can’t wear gloves in the summer and there’s no sunglasses made for your hands. And what’s worst, bulging veins and a plethora of sun spots can make you look much older than you really are.

The following are 5 tips to stop your hands from giving away your secret. Let us know in the comments section if there are any other tips we missed.

Tip 1: Keep your nails short

Shorter nails soften the appearance of the knuckle joints and veins: both of which become more pronounced as your skin loses thickness through the aging process. Shorter nails also bring less attention to your hands, putting the attention more so on your face or other aesthetics.


Tip 2: Dress up your hands with polish

In a recent study featured on prevention.com, people thought women were younger when their hands were adorned with nail polish. Whether it’s green, yellow, blue, your purple –nail polish will make your hands look up to 10 years younger.

Tip 3: Moisturize even when your hands are moist

As we age, your skin produces less lubricating oil and loses its ability to hold on to moisture. Applying lotion throughout the day will dramatically increase your skin’s general level of hydration, helping your skin to seal in more moisture. And if you can use a natural skincare cream, the better it is for your skin.


Tip 4: Wear Jewelry

Like an oversized hat or large sunglasses, jewelry can hide your hands from other people. Just be careful about how much jewelry you wear, least it bring extra attention to your hands.

Tip 5: Don’t talk with your hands

If you can avoid it, try not to talk with your hands. Waving your hands around in the air calls attention to them, and that’s exactly what we don’t want. Try to use inflection in your voice to tell the story; don’t animate it with your hands.

I hope you found this post useful and learned something! Interested in being a guest blogger? Please let me know!

Pictures are from weheartit

Texas A&M Dancer Talia

I've got a buddy over at Kooch Nation, and homeboy is a big Texas A&M fan. So I decided we needed a new Texas A&M dance team post to celebrate the new friendship. I'm sure we will be doing some good work together in the future, so go check him out.

But before you head over there, check out Talia. She's actually a co-captain for the Aggies Dance Team this year. That's not too shabby!













Great Baylor Cheerleader Picture

Had to change the picture because somebody doesn't like to have his pictures seen. Whatever. This chick is hotter anyway.

KIM Professional Makeup Brushes

KIM Brushes is the long anticipated professional make-up offering from the storied fine art brushmaker Rekab. 
For the last one hundred years, professional artists have relied on Rekab to produce brushes using the highest quality materials and an un-paralleled attention to detail. Continuing with this tradition and in conjunction with some of the top make-up schools in Italy, Rekab is proud to announce the KIM line - a line of make-up brushes for professionals.

I have never heard of KIM Brushes before but when I was given the opportunity to try some of their brushes, I jumped at the chance. You can never have to many makeup brushes, can you?


A large round brush designed specifically for application of wet make-up. The white synthetic and soft hair combination allows for maximum color and liquid retention.

Comparison with Sigma F50

I use stipple brushes mostly to apply liquid or cream foundation or blush, and I find this one does a great job. The hair could have been a little more dense though, but it is really soft. The main difference with Sigma F50 is that the one from KIM is more oval than round, but I guess this will be easily corrected after a few washes,


A flat angular brush, perfect for precise lines and detailed work. Emphasizing lining and shaping of the eyes and the eyebrows.

Comparison with EcoTools Angled Eyeliner Brush and Sigma F65

Compared with EcoTools Angled Eyeliner Brush and Sigma F65, KIM E131 is the softest angled brush I have. I use it to apply eyeshadow or liner to my lower lash line, but I find it's not stiff enough to use on my brows. Because it is so soft but still relatively dense, it works great to smudge eyeshadow or eyeliner along the lashline.


A flat, tipped brush, for precise lining of the lip contour and for perfect application of lip cream and gloss.
Honestly, this is the first lip brush I have ever used and unless you are a makeup artist, I don't think it's a must have. The bristles are not as stiff as what I was expecting - in fact, they are really soft - and I find that because of that, the brush is not the most precise. Also, the L311 doesn't pick up a lot of product, but then again, maybe it's due to my lack of experience with such brush. I guess it works fine, even though I rarely reach for it.

Be sure to have a look at KIM Professional Makeup website to get a FREE makeup bag from BAGGU with $50 purchase, and also follow them on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook.

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for consideration to review. I was not paid for this review,  I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.