My Briar Rose

Yesterday I was excited to open the mailbox and find a package from Intelligent Beauty containing my Raw Minerals 7 Piece Discovery Kit. The kit included: two mineral foundations one in Light 1 (picture on the left) and the other in Light 3 (on the right), Mineral Glow Bronzer, Active Veil SPF 18, Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, and a Retractable Brush. They send you two different shades of foundation so that you can choose which best matches your skin or so you can combine the two so you can make the shade that does match. I already knew upon looking at the two shades that I was the Light 1 but I tried the Light 3 today just to see what it looked like. The light 3 is very orange on me because I am so pale I am for sure the Light 1, so my sister benefits because she has a bit darker skin tone than me and the Light 3 matches her perfectly. The foundation looks great on though. It goes on smooth and a little goes a long way for sure you only need a tiny dab or else you overdo it. I fi...

I am sooo sorry this review took so long to make it here! Awhile ago I was asked if I would like to review some products from Skin Free which is a company that uses 100% natural and non-toxic ingredients in their products. I did a review on the soap awhile ago when I had first received the package so now its time to finish reviewing the rest of the things I received and have been using for the past little while. I love that these products have no harmful or harsh chemicals in them since I think I have figured out that is what is breaking me out to begin with! Since I have started using natural remedies or natural products I have noticed my skin looks clearer and more healthy and I haven't had much problems with acne since except for the occasional few pimples due to hormones. First is the Skin Free Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin. I love this product! It smells sort of like menthol which I love with a hint of vanilla and it goes on really nice. It is kind of messy but I don...

This lip gloss has won the best beauty award in 2007, but I honestly can't see why. I like the colours available and its nice when you first apply it. It goes on super smooth and nice. It also doesn't glob or end up in the corner of your mouth. I also love the shine and sparkle of it too. The only problem I have is that it doesn't last very long. I have to keep reapplying every half hour because its completely gone from my lips. I don't lick my lips or eat or anything like that and it just seems to disappear, which is disappointing because I love everything about it except it has no staying power. This is the first lip gloss that I have ever went through this fast! It's actually quite sad. I think it retails for about $8 and I doubt I would spend that much money on it. I will just try to compare the colour I have to another brand to try.

I started using this a few weeks ago when I ran out of other face washes to use. I'm not really sure about this stuff at the moment. It has its ups and downs. I am thinking at this point more downs than ups but am finishing off the rest of the bottle since it was just a sample sized bottle or one of those gift with purchase trial sizes. I find it really really runny, well that was expected since it said it was cleansing milk but I really don't like that its so runny and milky in consistency . It makes it really hard to apply on your face without making a mess or wasting a lot of it down the sink. This stuff also burns! At least it did to my skin it started out as a nice tingle then started burning after a few seconds as I was applying more to the rest of my face. I couldn't wash it off quick enough. Not sure if I am allergic to something in it or if thats what it does to everyone, or if I just have really sensitive skin, but I didn't like that feeling. The only positive...

I have been using this mascara now for quite awhile after my whole episode with the Maybelline brand. I like this mascara way better then the Maybelline mascara. At least this stuff comes off with a bit of soap and water and no rubbing required so no sore eyes. It also doesn't smudge or run or anything which is great for the really warm weather we are currently getting. I especially love that its so easy to take off at the end of the day so that I don't end up with sore eyes again like with the Maybelline horror story I talked about earlier this year. The only complaint I really have is that the wand is really awkward to use at first. Now I am used to it so it isn't as difficult but I still find it harder to use compared to others I have used in the past. The wand is pretty big so I have to go a bit slower to avoid getting mascara on places other than my eyelashes, and I find it hard to do the left eye mainly because I am right handed and the wand is awkwardly shaped. Also...

Like I mentioned awhile ago I puchased the perfect 10 hair colour with bonus pantene expressions shampoo. I dyed my hair last Sunday and it turned out amazing perfect colour everything. BUT now its a week later and there is barely any colour left in my hair. :( I don't really know if its just because I washed my hair too soon after dying it or if its because of the red colour, or maybe my hair just isn't taking hair dye, all I know is that my hair is now a light orange/brown colour and almost back to where I started a week ago. Also every time I wash my hair dye comes out on the hair towel, its been like this all week. It is most likely washing out not fading out so I have no idea why that is happening especially a week later. This is really depressing because I loved the colour sooo much and it didn't even last a week. Plus I have been using the colour treated pantene red expression stuff as well so the colour should be keeping. I think it might just be my hair because w...

Rumour has it that Shoppers Drug Mart has a Physician's Formula Eyeshadow Shimmers with Bonus Mascara on for 10.49 (save 40%). If you are like me and still have the $3 off coupons for Physicians Formula then you can snag it for 7.49 which is a very great bargain for this brand. I plan on going Saturday to see if they have it at our Shoppers and plan to pick up one (or two) depending on what is available.

On the weekend at Walmart I found kits of Perfect 10 hair colour with bonus Pantene Expressions shampoo so I picked one up because I was on the hunt for a hair dye similar to what they did my hair when I was in Toronto for the photoshoot. The price was posted at 13.59 which is the price of just the box of hair dye. So I was thinking it was a great bargain since you were getting the shampoo (value 7.49) free. When I got to the check outs in scanned in at $10!!! So I got the shampoo free AND saved 3.59 on the hair colour! Even better deal! I went back on Monday and grabbed a couple more of the Light Auburn Perfect 10 and bonus Red Expressions shampoo because I love this colour on me! They do have select shades though so you are kind of out of luck if you don't use either Light Auburn, Dark blonde (I think it was dark blonde but I might be wrong), Light Brown or Med Brown. Also there are coupons out there for $3 off Nice and Easy as well if they will let you use them on the bonus pack...

Ok so I received this as well as a few other products from this company awhile ago but so far have only used the soap, since I am still testing out the other acne products for a little bit. I have been using this soap since I received it on the third and it doesn't even look like I have really used it at all. It seems to last a long time because right now it looks basically brand new. At first I wasn't sure if I should try the soap because I thought it might be too moisturizing for me since its supposed to clear up eczema so I was going to pass it on to my mom who has very dry skin to use. I decided to give it a try anyway and if it wasn't for me then I was going to pass it on to someone here that could use it. I actually really like this soap. I was kind of afraid to use it when I got it because its supposed to be extra moisturizing and my skin does not need the extra moisture! I have such oily skin usually that I can't use anything that even has the word moisture in i...

Ok so my last post on this was the 9 th so its time for another update I believe. So far so good with the acne. My whole face is actually pretty clear. I would say about 98% of my face is clear with no acne. My chin area still has a bit and I do have one on my forehead but it sure beats the full out forehead and chin acne that I used to have! Plus this time of the month is the worst usually for acne so I am glad that I haven't had the full breakout that I normally get around that time of the month. Though I do think that is the contributing factor in the bit of acne I have right now because my face was almost 100% clear the last time I updated. I have stopped using the hydrating lotion though because I found it made my skin too oily and I found I had to powder more often and blot my forehead a lot. So I stopped using it and probably won't unless I find the other treatments are starting to dry my skin out then I will start. I also rarely use the spot treatment since I haven...

Just wanted to let everyone know that if you have an avon rep in your area to get a book and check it out. They are offering a try me special price on all their mineral makeup. The eyeliner, eyeshadow and lipstick are going for $3.99 regular $6.99 and I think the mineral foundation is going for $6.99 not sure the regular price, but still an awesome deal. Regular price isn't even that bad of a deal considering what I paid for all of my mineral makeup that I currently own. I am trying to not buy any but I'm not sure how long the will power will last because I really want a certain shade of the eyeshadow and I want the blue mineral eyeliner.

I was supposed to be posting weekly updates but I realize its been more like two! I have been so busy with work and trying to get my laptop and wireless up and running in the short amount of spare time I do have now that I just haven't had time till now. The laptop still isn't functional I had to exchange the first because the touch pad mouse didn't work and now this one I have to wait till we get a wireless company to come out and see how much it will cost to get both computers set up with wireless. Ok so on to the review...I have been using all four steps of the Clear Remedy system for close to two weeks now and I must say that I have noticed an improvement in my skin! I didn't see results in three days like they claim, but my skin was pretty bad so I really wasn't expecting a fast fix anyway. After about a week I started noticing the difference. My existing pimples have started to dry up and disappear and I haven't seen any new breakouts form since I have s...

Ok so I was suckered into buying this stuff a few months ago when it was out because it was a limited edition product and wouldn't be around for long. Plus I loved the smell but I love most of the scents that they have at The Body Shop. I usually wouldn't spend $25 on something for myself especially not when its just a jar of body butter. I guess I must have been in a spending mood, and besides it was bought with Christmas money so free to me. I have to say its well worth the money I spent! I love the smell of it which is what really got me to seriously consider buying it, even though I had a ton of similar products at home. The smell doesn't fade at all and it lasts all day until you shower it off. Not like a few other body butters I have bought that lost their smell a few hours after applying. It goes on really nice and doesn't leave any after greasy feel at all. Also a little goes a long way especially since I don't have dry skin. Instead its the opposite very ve...

I was at work yesterday morning again in the post office when yet another big box showed up for me! The products that were in the box were also packaged really well but with packing peanuts. At first I had no idea what I was getting because in my giant mess of things that is life at the moment I had totally forgotten about another product to test and review on the blog! I couldn't wait to tear into the box. It was a pretty big box for the three things in it but at least they were very well protected which I would rather have then leaking broken products even if it means going to the post office to pick up parcels (though now I don't have to since I work there!). Ok so a little about the products that I received . These products are by Skin Free . They are an American based company but are expanding into Canada with the help of distributors. Which is great because that was my first question when I replied to their email was that I was in Canada and did they ship here. They sel...

What beauty products could you not live without? If you were told tomorrow that you could only keep three items from your beauty stash what would you choose to keep? This is just a random post just because I'm curious what other people would choose as their must have items. Plus I am looking for brands or products to look at for myself since I need to clean out my makeup bags big time. I am pretty sure I have makeup in there from when I was 13 or 14! I found an electric blue hooker looking eyeshadow about a month ago that I had forgotten about, so I used it just to see what it looked like and I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought it! It was badly blue and bright not at all subtle. Better yet what the heck was my mom thinking when she actually allowed me to buy it when I was 13 haha. I honestly have no idea what three I would really want to keep because I would want to keep all of it, I am such a makeup addict! I guess I would need my maybelline mineral concealer because ...

The next batch of P&G samples are available to order again! Go here to request your samples, but hurry samples will go fast! They have I think 8 products being offered this time around. There is a pantene shampoo for coloured hair, pantene shampoo for damaged hair, deoderant, tampons, pads, razor and I can't remember what else but I was offered 6 of the 8 products offered!

This mascara retails for around $18.99 but if you go here you can score 3 $5 off coupons to use on your next purchase of the new pulse perfection mascara!

Well I just recently got a job at the local post office well part time post office, other part doing a makeup/skincare line, but am in training so full time at the post office for now. Imagine my surprise when I see a fairly large box with my name on it! I was excited but had to wait till I started putting packages into the system before I could see who it was from. Right away I knew it was my Clear Remedy products to test when I saw that it came from Intelligant Beauty. I have to say that when I got home and could open it I was so surprised to see that it was actually packaged really really well so that it wouldn't get damaged! It's a good thing they used a larger box and packed it full of what I call grass haha (no it wasn't actually grass but I made a huge mess with it ripping into the package), the one whole side of the box was all squished in acordian style. Lovely, thank you postal services. Everything in the box was fine though because of all the extra precautions t...

I recieved my awesome package last Monday from Too Faced from the Gwen Stephani Blog Contest I won. I so love the packaging of everything they sent me and the colours look amazing. I can't wait to try it all out. Everything seems so luxurious and it is cause it is pretty pricey stuff compared to what I usually pay. I am hoping it doesn't disappoint because the packaging = love. I just had to share the amazingly awesome slogan they have to let people know they don't test on animals. "We test on celebrities not animals" Any product that uses that has to be worthy of my business! Maybe no one else will see why I like that so much haha I just find it amusing.

The other day I received an email from Intelligent Beauty. They asked me if I was interested in testing out a 60 day supply of Clear Remedy Acne Treatment and writing a review. Of course I agreed! I have been struggling with acne for the last two years (ever since I turned 18). Almost everything I have tried has failed to impress me so far. The only exception being tea tree oil which I currently use and it helps a bit but I still get acne outbreaks more than I would like. When I receive the product I will be doing weekly updates on my skin and if its improving and any other details that need to be noted, and maybe if I am brave enough perhaps a before and after picture?! So first some basics about the Clear Remedy Line: Clear Remedy attacks and fights acne at the source and is clinically proven to heal existing blemishes and to help prevent future breakouts. Clear Remedy is effective as result of a 3-step system, which delivers a propriety combination of 13 functional ingred...

Dev's Favourite Giveaways Blog is giving one lucky person the chance to win a Mixology Eye liner kit in Bronze & Iris and an eyeliner brush. To enter visit the blog here and get your entries in for a chance to win!

I recently got to try these free as part of a promotion they held, if someone gave you a pin code you could enter it and get up to 6 free razors for you and your friends. I am glad that I did get to try these razors free because they are expensive plus I don't think they are that great. The are very convenient though as the razor is all you need. No shaving cream or gel and virtually no mess. I like the built in moisturizing soap I guess you would call it that is around the razor. They are great if you are in a hurry and just need to quickly go over your legs before getting dressed. I don't really recommend them though for normal shaving since if your hair is anything longer then stubble it tends to be hit or miss and I find I have to go over my legs again with my other disposable razor that I use for under my arms. The Schick razor is also bulky and awkward to use on anything other then your legs so you will need a seperate razor for other areas. The soap also wears down unev...

The Forever and Always Blog is giving one lucky person the chance to win a Easy Eye Color Mineral Makeup Kit of their choice! Go here to enter this awesome giveaway.

Mommy Goggles is giving 3 lucky people the chance to win A mini version of the Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover along with a mini Eye Quad (four great shades of Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color). Go here to enter the contest!

The mom of 2 Boys, Wife of 1 blog is giving 5 readers the chance to win a proactiv 3 step system! All you have to do to enter is answer three easy questions. Go here to enter the giveaway

I finally opened up this mascara yesterday after having it for a few months...I kept it sealed in the packaging though so it kept. It was a buy one get one free deal so my mom bought one and gave me the free one. I usually never wear mascara because I used to only wear glasses and when I would wear mascara my eyelashes would hit my glasses and it was annoying. I finally have contacts though and now wear them when I go out so I can start wearing mascara! I really don't know the price of the mascara since I didn't buy it but I think it is somewhere around $3 a tube, which is a great price. The site says its contact wearer safe so perfect for me and it is hypoallergenic. I'm unsure about this mascara right now. I have mixed feelings about it. Some qualities of it I like and some I hate. My first impressions are that it goes on well, it doesn't clump at all and I didn't have to comb through my lashes a ton of times to get it to look nice. It also didn't feel like I ...

I bought this about a month ago when it was on sale at walmart for $18. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on a hair straightener since the one I did own cost $10 and it was a Revlon travel sized straightener which worked ok but it didn't have any different heat settings and took 10minutes to heat up which was frustrating, plus since it didn't have any heat settings sometimes it would get so hot I would get steam burn from it! I bought the Conair brand because it was the cheapest option even with the regular price (about $22) and I knew I was only going to use it occasionally since I am just too lazy to straighten all my hair (I have a lot of hair and it takes FOREVER). Also the Conair straightener has only 3/4 inch plates vs my Revlon one which was 2 inches and hard to get close to my hair line. Also it was hard to handle sometimes since it didn't even have a handle you had to hold onto the parts close to the plates, hence how I always ended up with steam burn! I us...

From now until Friday the Sweet Savings blog is giving away a Burt's Bee's Lip Balm to the first ten people who leave a comment to the post! go here to enter! Looks like there is one spot left open for today and then tomorrow starts out fresh again so get there early and enter! She accepts Canadian as well as U.S entries!

I tried the drying mask out a few nights ago because I had some bad acne I desperately wanted to clear up before starting theatre shows so I started using the drying mask the same night I recieved the products to test. Let me tell you this mask smells soooooooo bad its horrible. The smell makes me nausous so I just dabbed it on the acne that I wanted to dry up. I doubt I could have stood the smell of the sulfur for 20 minutes on my entire face. It made it smell less strong that way but it still smelled pretty bad. With that aside, the mask works amazingly well. It dried up all the acne and it actually was almost completely healed the next day. It was all dry and flaked away. I have never had anything work that fast before. It also made my skin soft not rough and flaky but nice. I really wish it didn't smell as bad or I would actually purchase it but the smell is just such a huge turn off its so bad you can almost taste it, yet it works so amazingly well that I am torn. It's to...

From now until June 30th the Cinnamon Kitten Blog is holding an awesome spring giveaway with tons of awesome prizes! All you have to do is email your beauty saving tips! From the Blog: " How to enter: - Email your money-saving beauty tips to me at cinnamonkitten@gmail.com - Include your money-saving tips in your message - Include your full name and the country where you live in your message" head on over to the blog now or email her your tips to be entered to win

Today in the mail I recieved a ton of samples to test out from the Mario Badescu acne skin care line. I was sent: Botanical Facial Gel Special Cleansing Lotion C Ceramide Eye Gel Aloe Moisturizer SPF 15 Drying Mask Healing and Soothing Mask Drying Cream First impression are positive, I am really hoping this helps clear up my acne before I start doing my performances or at least helps a little since I know its too much to ask since shows start tomorrow. I think the drying mask really really really stinks! I'm not sure if I could stand the smell of it for 20min on my face. So my plan of attack for that is to just dab it on all the acne spots I have and see if that works. Everything else smells ok not too overpowering so hopefully they will work on my skin and not create more problems. I also lik ethat they made up a whole product application guide for me tailored to my skin needs. Though I'm not sure I want to use 9 different products on my skin at once. I am thinking of using on...

I received a coupon for a free bottle of the new dove body wash when it was first coming out. I picked up the energizing lemongrass and grapefruit scent since it was the only one that smelled appealing to me. I did enjoy this product it went on nice and lathered well. The scent was subtle and not overpowering and I found that it left my skin feeling clean and soft. There were some scrubbing beads in the body wash that I could have done without though, since most seemed to stick in my body puff anyway and those took forever to try and clean out. Also I found that the label on the outside of the body flaked after getting wet and I ended up covered in the label after picking it up and it seemed to stick to my hands. It is pretty pricey for a small bottle so I doubt I would purchase it again without either a really good coupon or a really good sale. Pros Scent was subtle and not overpowering lathered well left my skin feeling clean and soft Cons could have done without the beads since most...

They are giving one lucky person the chance to pick out two eyeshadows and a lip gloss in their choice of colours! So head on over to the Feisty, Frugal, and Fabulous Blog to get your entry in!

The Beautiful 2 God Blog is giving a lucky person the chance to win a Mineral Basics Starter kit! So head on over to the blog here and enter for you chance to win.

Like the previous post stated I got the sample sized packet of the Pore Unclogging Scrub to try out as well. I quite like this product too because it is gentle on your skin, and it left my skin really soft and smooth and free of oil for a long time after washing my face. The beads in the scrub aren't too harsh and weren't sharp like some other scrubs that I have used. The scrub is a little harsh though if you use it daily. I noticed after awhile my skin was starting to get dry scaley patches where I had acne clearing up. I guess you could say this stuff works too well! It works great if you use it a few times a week but I really wouldn't recommend it for daily use since it left my very very very oily skin dried out, which I have never had happen before ever! It costs about the same as the cleanser so it is a bit pricey compared to other brands but worth it, especially since you will have the scrub even longer if you can only use it a couple times a week. Pros left my skin s...

I got a sample sized packet of the Biore Ice Cleanser as well as the Pore Unclogging Scrub awhile ago in the mail when they had a promotion to sign up for a free sample, I believe it was when they first came out with these. I hadn't tried it till a few days ago because I am always nervous to try new products in case they break me out badly or something. I know I should probably do a test area first but I usually just use it and see what happens. I can honestly say that I really like the Ice Cleanser, it makes my skin really soft without leaving it greasy. You can feel the "ice" of the product too it tingles a little not uncomfortable burning tingle like some products do, but you can feel the coolness of it with the gentle tingle that makes it feel like its working. It also keeps my face smooth and clean feeling for most of the day which is nice since I have really oily skin that normally is oily almost immediately after I finish washing my face. It is a little pricey whe...

Win a Mini Tote in your choice of color! go here to enter!

One winner will receive a Erno Laszlo Special Set (a $90 value) from Erno Laszlo. head on over to the blog and enter for your chance to win!

Three lucky readers will win the following prize: Wella Color Preserve Smoothing Conditioner $14.00 Wella Color Preserve Smoothing Shampoo $13.00 Wella Color Preserve Seal and Shine Drops $14.00 Wella Color Preserve Deep Treatment $16.00 head on over to the blog here for your chance to win!

I have started looking at this site more in depth lately since I have a bit of cash in my paypal account from surveys saved up that I don't know what to do with. As if I need more makeup but I have been looking at all of their mineral stuff and have been reading reviews trying to decide if the huge shipping cost is worth it since I am not sure you really save a lot of money because what you save on the makeup goes towards the 14.98 shipping for Canada. Plus if you buy over $20 worth of makeup you get dinged with extra shipping fees at the border as well as GST and PST. I do like the prices of the mineral makeup though since it is way cheaper then the maybelline stuff I recently bought. I was wondering if anyone that reads the blog here has tried elf makeup before and if its worth the shipping charges? I have been told some good stuff about the eyeliner (thanks sally) so I may go ahead in a week or two and place an order anyway and test it out and write a review here and compare it ...

I am trying to get in a regular routine where I post regular reviews of products which I could probably do till the end of time with everything I already own at home, so I am asking everyone that comes here what would you like to see in terms of products or brands being reviewed? Chances are I probably own something of that brand or type that I could do a review on. If I get some suggestions and have the products here at home and already use it I will write the reviews on those products first before randomly picking one out to write a review on, which is my current method I just pick the product that I seem to be using that day and am thinking about.

I picked this up at the drugstore for 2.99 last week because I needed it for a 50's dance. I had never used liquid eyeliner before because I thought it would be hard to do and I never liked the look of it for every day wear. What I liked about the N.Y.C brand is that the brush was super fine and pointy for more accurate application which may be why it never really took me that long to apply it. I also liked that you could apply less pressure to get a more subtle look or more pressure for a more dark dramatic look. I also like the tube it came in as well as the applicator because it was easy to handle and didn't make my hand cramp for the entire hour that I struggled to get both eyes to look the same. It is also very reasonably priced compared to the other liquid liners I looked at, especially when I didn't want to pay a bundle for something I doubt I will wear again after I am done with the 50's look for the muscial Grease that I am in. The product claimed to be long we...

Outnumbered 3 to 1 is giving away a pur minerals starter kit! go here to enter and read the review!

The Body Shop is offering a free skincare kit with a $30 value to anyone that purchases $35 or more between now and May 27th! You can choose from Aloe Best for sensitive skin $30 Value, Tea Tree Best for oily and blemish-prone skin $30 Value, Vitamin E Best for all skin types $30 Value. This offer is available in store or online! The Body Shop Online Fine Print of the offer: * Offer valid for a free, skincare starter kit with any $35 purchase (excluding gift cards) while supplies last. Purchase of LYB card not included in offer. All discounts will appear on final receipt when package arrives. One per customer. Offer valid on select starter kits only. Valid only at participating The Body Shop stores in Canada and at thebodyshop.ca. Valid May 11th - 27th at thebodyshop.ca and participating stores. I'm thinking of going and getting a few things just to get the tea tree oil starter kit! I have been wanting to try all of the tea tree oil products but that would be pretty pricey this wou...

I found this product about a month ago in Walmart for around $3.00 for a 200ml pump bottle. I am not sure if that was a sale price or the regular price but I picked it up to try any way since I love St. Ives products. This particular cleanser contains tea tree oil as the acne treatment ingredient vs. salicylic acid which is usually in the cleansers I use. I actually like this version of the cleanser much better then what I was currently using since it seems to be more effective. I like that its gentle enough to use daily but provides enough of the tea tree oil treatment to improve my skin without overly drying it out. It actually makes my skin really nice and soft to touch, plus it keeps my oily skin away for most of the day without the use of powder! That is one of the benefits I really like since I have really oily skin and most cleansers don't work as well, or they leave my skin feeling like wax and like I never washed my face at all. I have noticed a big improvement since switc...

Win it! Fusion of Color Cosmetics has offered to give away a $25 E-Gift Certificate to one lucky contestant! go here to enter this awesome contest!

Win a jar of Sekkisei Skincare Mask! Head on over to the Forever and Always blog and follow the instructions to be entered to win! Go here to enter the giveaway!

Win a Trial Pack of Lisa Hoffman's Skin Care Line! Go here to enter for your chance to win!

I first purchased this a few months ago only because it was on sale and because I had a $2 off coupon from the MNY guide otherwise I'm not sure I would have purchased it. Regular price is $9.99 for a 5.5ml tube which I think is a lot to first try something out especially when my skin reacts to a lot of makeup. I got the first tube for $6.99 plus tax which isn't bad but its more then I usually spend on one makeup item. I must say though it was well worth the money. The store had testers so I could test the shades first but I already pretty much knew what shade I would need. I had to buy the lightest shade they had which was the 0-1 Light colour. It matches my skin tone perfectly so you can't even tell when I use it which is great since it takes me forever to find a concealer that doesn't look fake on me. They have a huge selection of shades which is perfect because chances are you will be able to find the one that matches your skin. They also take into consideration warm...

I recieved 10 coupons in the mail awhile ago for 10 free bottles of Herbal Essences new shampoo and conditioner line from Matchstick a word of mouth company that regularly has promotions like this for blog owners to test out and blog about the products. The coupons were to hand out to friends and family so that they could try the shampoo and conditioner. The product was already out in Canada by the time I received the free coupons so I had already purchased it as well as tested it out for a magazine company before the coupons arrived, so I handed out the coupons to friends and family and kept a couple for myself since I love the new line! My sister and I haven't purchased any other brand or type of shampoo or conditioner since getting the test from Elle we love it that much! This stuff is amazing! I have been using the Self-Targeting hydralicious line for the last few months and I have to say its probably the best thing to happen to my hair! My sister is also addicted to this sha...

'One of the most common ways women are exposed to dangerous chemicals is through their health and beauty products! Things like parabens, pthalates, and a host of other unnatural substances are added to a multitude of the products many of us use on a daily basis. It only makes sense, therefore, to start reading the ingredient labels on all the products we may be taking for granted, assuming they’re safe. Turn over some of your makeup containers next time you’re getting ready in the morning. What’s listed in the ingredients? If you can even read the teeny, tiny print, you may notice you don’t know what the vast majority of the items are in there. But take a look at a company like JASCO Organics , and you’ll find shorter, safe lists of natural ingredients." go here to enter to win a mineral makeup set that includes: foundation, a bronzer, and a blush, a $45 value!

This showed up in my email inbox today and I didn't want anyone to miss out on entering it! " Who? We will randomly pick 5 winners to receive all the products Gwen personally requested from TF's Founder Jerrod - Mood Swing Lip Gloss , Lash Injection mini , Lash Injection Pinpoint , Chocolate Soleil Bronzer , Girls Dig Pearls Lip Gloss , Lip of Luxury Lipstick , Insurance Policy . A $127 value!" go here to enter the contest!

You should wash all brushes that you use on a regular basis at least once a week if you use them less often then once a day you can go a couple weeks without washing them. I do mine about once a month depending on how often I actually use them since I don't do makeup that often. When washing your brushes you should use a mild shampoo (baby shampoo works best) then roll the brush in your hands till it lathers then rinse under luke warm water. Rinse well until the water runs clear (you will notice all the makeup tinting the water when you first start rinsing the brush). Reshape the bristles and lay the brush horizontal to dry (like on the counter) with the bristles hanging over the edge to dry. If you want to you can wipe the brushes off with baby wipes daily to prevent makeup build up then throughly wash them every month. Over washing can wear out your brushes faster and cause the glue to wear away causing the bristles to fall out. Don't use any product that contains alcohol/per...

Find a Straightner with temperature control settings. This way you can have it hotter if your hair is thick and difficult to straighten or cooler if you have fine thin hair that straightens easily. You don't need to spend too much on a straightner if you don't plan to use it all the time. Most cheaper end straightners have temperature control settings too. My new one was regular priced $22.99 and it has tons of different heat settings for different hair types and it works great. Most of the time you learn by trial and error which heat setting is perfect for your hair. I keep mine on around 4 or 5 not very high but my straightner gets really hot really fast and I usually only straighten my bangs a bit and leave the rest unless I wake up with that weird hair bulge (you know what I'm talking about). Use a protective cream on your hair. This will seal the hair and keep it from being too damaged by the heat of the straightner. I use a cream from Alberto that cost around $5 and i...

Quote from the page: "My goodness, I just glanced at my stats and noticed that post #600 just went live this morning - which puts this post at #601! I’d love to celebrate with you all, so I’m going to give away a Lavender Dream Stick, a Lavender Mint Lip Balm, and a 1-ounce bag of lavender buds from my online store The Giving Essence. That’s a $19.50 set." enter the dkmommy spot herbal giveaway

~SKIN~ Foundation - When to Use - when you want to even out your skin tone all over your face, use after moisturizing. How to Apply - liquid or stick; dot all over, spreak with fingers or use damp sponge to apply. Cream or compact; use damp sponge to stroke on. Concealer - When to Use - when you want to hide smaller imperfections How to Apply - can be used before, after or without foundation. Dot on and blend, using a tiny lip brush to dot on and blend allows better coverage and control. Powder - When to Use - to reduce facial shine, to set foundation and concealer to make them last longer. How to Apply - can be used without foundation. If in a compact, powder brushes are good;knock off extra powder before applying. If using a powder puff, must be patted onto the skin, not rubbed ~LIPS~ Liner - When to Use - to define edge of lips, to change apparant shape or size of the lips. How to Apply - can be used before or after lipstick, can colour in lips entirely for very long last...

"Who? We will randomly pick 12 winners to receive a box of 5 or 6 products each." You have some great odds at winning with 12 winners each and some great brands are listed! Enter Here

I bought this product awhile ago but didn't use it till last week. I got it home and it was darker then my skin tone it looked more orange and fake looking so decided to keep it for stage makeup. There were no testers in the store but it was the lightest of the three choices and it looked light enough for my skin in the store so I bought it because it was inexpensive (about 2.99 for a 35ml tube on sale from 4.99). It is oil free as well as fragrance free which is another bonus since I have really sensitive acne prone skin. I used it for the first time last week as my foundation for a show I was in. I think it was a mistake to go ahead and use it on my entire face for the first time. The first night I was ok didn't really notice anything odd when I took my makeup off. I did wake up with a few pimples that weren't there before in places that I normally don't get acne, but didn't link it to the makeup as I usually get acne fairly often. I used it the second night for t...

Ingredients you will need: 1 cup almonds 2 tbs. yogurt 1 tsp. lemon juice Blend almonds in food processor until finely ground. Mix with yogurt and lemon. Cleanse face with mixture, gently massaging and paying close attention to oily zones. Rinse with warm water.

So, what makes you tick? Share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with us. Together, we can create a uniquely dynamic blueprint of the Canadian woman. Our six-section survey includes questions about your general health, your relationship with your doctor, alternative and traditional medicine, emotional health and sexual intimacy. (You can opt-out of the sex section if you’d prefer). It’s easy to participate and there are great prizes to be won for your efforts! And, no worries about revealing your identity -- confidentiality is guaranteed. Please answer each question by checking off the circle that best reflects your personal views and experiences. As a thank-you for sharing your thoughts with us, once you’ve completed the survey you’ll have a chance to enter our contest (There are great prizes to be won, including a trip for two to the Post Hotel & Spa in Lake Louise, Alberta). There are also gift baskets to be won! Take the Healthy Woman's Survey

Picking a suitable eye shadow depends on your eye color and skin color. The best is to choose contrasting colours for eye shadows since they make your eyes stand out more. Blue Eyes: Choose warm brown and peach shades these will make your eyes stand out. Brown is the contrast colour and will make the blue of your eyes stand out more. You should avoid blue eye shadow. A cool rose colored eye shadow will also compliment your eyes nicely. Gray Eyes Choose cool brown and cool purple shades as they tend to look the best with your eyes. Cool colors match gray eyes because of the cool tones in your eye colour. Green Eyes Choose warm orange-brown eye shadow shades as it will make your eyes stand out. Green eyes are earth tone eyes. Try using violet or purple colors as well as they also compliment your eye colour the best. Hazel Eyes Choose warm orange/brown shades of shadow as they will make your eyes stand out. Hazel like green are earth toned so violet and purple shades also compliment well....

4 teaspoons beeswax granules 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 tablespoons honey 4 drops rose essential oil Directions: Heat beeswax and olive oil in a small bowl over simmering water. Once beeswax is melted turn off heat and stir in honey and rose oil, then pour into a jar. Once it has begun to cool but is still slightly warm, stir until creamy.

Just found out that the makeup I used the other day for my show and broke me out badly has an ingredient in it that causes skin irritations... Good Guides

I found this guide years ago and now I can't remember where it was that I got it from but it has helped me figure out my face shape and what cuts will look best. The Scientific way to figure out your face shape: A. Measure your face across the top of your cheekbones. Write down the measurement on a piece of paper. B. Measure across your jaw line from the widest point to the widest point. Write down the measurement. C. Measure across your forehead at the widest point. Generally the widest point will be somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Write down the measurement. D. Measure from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin. OVAL faces will have length equal to one and a half times width. ROUND faces will be as wide as they are long. This may vary a little but generally the measurement is close. OBLONG faces are longer than they are wide. HEART faces are narrow at the jaw line and wide at cheekbones/and or forehead. SQUARE faces are about as wide...