Hello Loyal Fans!

I am still alive!!
I just wanted to thank those of you who continue to follow my blog even though I have not had a new post in months. As soon as I am done schooling in December I plan on starting my blog up again. I'm so sorry that I haven't had the time to keep blogging! I have a bunch of new products I want to review for you so STAY TUNED! 

La Senza Bra Deal... on now!

Are you like me and love undergarments? Well, One of my secret passions is lingerie and I have to share this amazing deal with you guys because, hey, who doesn't like a deal?

So, for the last two years, every time I signed up for a new prestige card (which gives you 10% off your purchases for a full year) I also received a coupon book. So, after many years, I have racked up a ton of coupons. So, if you are like me, it is time to use them because they expire in April 2012. And NOW is the perfect time to do it!

Currently, La Senza is having an awesome deal on: All Sexy Bras (including strapless bras which are my favourite):Buy 1 get 1 Free! I also ended up using a coupon which gave me $10 bux off so in total I got a pretty amazing deal. 2 Strapless bras which are usually around $40 with taxes for just under $50! Fantastic!

So, if you have any coupons for La Senza laying around, now is a good time to use them! Plus, buy 1 get 1 free, on its own, is a pretty rockin' sale.

I hope you enjoyed this post, I hope talk to at you soon :)
<3
Mar

Have you ever been to a personal trainer?

So here in Canada they have these awesome coupon places called Groupon and Couvon. Well, about a month ago I purchased one which cost me $75 for 3 personal training sessions with Kristie Byer at Chikara Kickboxing and Total Fitness.

Well I have to say, it was an awesome experience and I definitely suggest doing it! If you live in Victoria, I would absolutely recommend Kristie to anyone. In fact, my mother, who has battled with her weight issues for more than half of her life, is going to start working with her! I am so excited about that!

What I liked about having a personal trainer:
- She was very encouraging
- She really listened to what I wanted to work on and taught me a bunch of moves  I could do at home with minimal equipment
- She made a 1-2 month fitness plan for me on our last day so that I can go home and work at it and, if I want, I can come back and she can re-do the fitness plan for me to work on my own
- She didn't pressure me to keep coming to the training sessions after I had finished my 3rd lesson
- Time went by so fast with the fun regimes she made for me!

So, if you've been thinking about doing personal training I would totally suggest it. If I were to do it again I would probably go once a month for a whole year. That way, she could see how I was doing and help me with new work out ideas so that I wouldn't get bored and would be more likely to go to the gym on my own.

What about you? Do you have any experience working with a Personal Trainer?

Hello Everyone!

Hello there friends!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I AM still around and that I WILL get back at reviewing things soon. I have been so busy finishing up with school that I'm not sure how long it will be until I am back and running in full force. However, I will make sure to add some reviews here and there to keep you interested!

Thank you so much to those of you who have continued to follow my blog!
<3 you all,
Mary

Clinique Foaming Cleanser Review

Purchase: Approximately $23 @ Sephora

I received this product as a sample from one of the Clinique bonuses. I used it every night for a month with my Clarisonic Brush and I was not happy with the results. Immediately after I cleaned my face with it my face felt squeaky clean, that's good right? Not exactly- within two weeks my acne had flared up-big time. In fact, I had my worse acne break out in a long time when using this product so I have now transferred it to my shower to use sparingly when needed.

I really thought this product was great because I really felt like my skin was clean after I used it but it did not help with my acne so it is definitely not for me. What did you think of htis product?

Joico Daily Care Leave-In Detangler Review

Purchase: $9.99 @ Winners

This is my second go-to detangler. Originally, I thought that Bumble and Bumble's Tonic Spray was irritating my scalp (but it terns out I just have psoriasis) so I bought this in hopes it would help me detangle my long hair before brushing, and it works! However, this is not a miracle worker and I don't know if I'd spend full-regular-price on this product but I LOVE winners for great discounts such as this! It definitely helps to detangle my hair, I just used it after having my hair dyed (which makes my hair super sticky and thick and knotty) and it helped the brush go straight through. Another tip, is to ALWAYS brush your hair BEFORE you wash it so that it is less tangly after. As you may know, brushing your hair when wet can damage your delicate strands so be careful! I do recommend this product but I would definitely suggest trying to get it at a discounted price!

Lavera Faces Cleansing Gel

This product was on clearance at my work so I decided to scoop it up and try it. The best part about it? It is gentle and uses organic products. However, I did not find that this was a miracle worker. At first, I used it with my Clarisonic at night time but felt that it was not battling my acne well enough. Therefore, I decided to switch it to my morning routine to wash off the creams I put on for last night.
I'm not sure how much this costs at full price but if it were more than $8 it would not be worth it for me. I definitely will not buy this product again because I really didn't see any major differences in my skin. 

Babor Day Cream

Purchase: $30 @ Eskincare Store

Description:
This light, calming day cream regulates the pH balance. Impurities are effectively combatted by the Day Cream's astringent effects while excessive dryness is prevented.

Benefits:
Ultra-light purifying day cream which regulates oil secretions and prevents the spread of bacteria. Can be used for oily, problem skin. Smoothes irritations and has an astringent effect. Contains natural active substances.

Review: I received a sample of this with my purchase from Eskincare Store and I really liked it! It smelt a bit like lavender but it made my skin feel really soft, especially the skin under my chin and on my neck. I was only able to squeeze two days use out of the sample so I have no idea how it would work on a long term basis but I would definitely recommend trying this product for yourself. I may even add it to my 'must buy' list as soon as I am done with my current moisturizers (yes, plural, I have like 3 different products to go through first!).

Have you ever heard of Eve Pearl's Salmon Concealer??

Marlena at MakeupGeek has been a firm believer in Eve Pearl's Salmon Concealer for a very long time. I have been wanting to try this out DESPERATELY because I have extremely dark purple bags under my eyes and I find them really difficult to conceal. So, it's just my luck and yours!
Right now, Eve Pearl is having an amazing sale where everything is 40-55% off! The shipping was almost the exact same amount as my discount, however, so I still payed the full price for the product which was a bit dissapointing. My funds have been pretty low lately so I didn't want to purchase a bunch of things (even though I was so tempted!). I can't WAIT to review this product! And now it is YOUR chance to try it out too for an amazing price! The concealers seemed to all be 40% off (at least the ones I looked at) so if you're like me and need some extra coverage under the eye area, now is the time to purchase!

Just remember to use the coupon code: BP52911 at the check out for your discount!
OFFER ENDS TUESDAY NIGHT! 

I'm so excited!! :)
.Mary.

Who doesn't love M.A.C.?

So I'm not sure if I've bragged to you yet but I finally got my MAC Pro card in the mail! Wahoo!!! I have been pretty good about not spending too much $$ there but I'm not sure how long I can hold out.

Now, for those of you who also love MAC, check out this amazing give away @Brittany Love's Website! She even lets you choose which lipstick and eye shadow you want to purchase, how fantastic! Thanks Brittany!

Philosophy Hawaiian Bath & Shower Gel

Hawaiian Review:

I just received this as a sample from Sephora and the little blue container smelt DELICIOUS! I was so excited to use it that I took it home and lathered up right away. However, I was sadly disappointed :( I was hoping my bathroom would erupt with the smell of a tropic get away, but instead, I barely smelt it. So, if you enjoy smelling like your soap then this is not recommended for you. But, if you don't like smelling like your cleanser then you might enjoy this product. 

MAC Acrylic Paints

Purchase: MAC Pro Members Only Online Purchase

Aren't these colours beautiful!? I just purchased these for face and body painting for this summer's festivals! I am so excited to use them/have my boyfriend use them on me! The colours turned out great, I find you can't really tell what the colour actually looks like on the website.

Pros: Long-wearing colour for up to 12 hours. After the colour sets (approximately 1-2 minutes) it does NOT smudge or rub off on ANYTHING!

Cons: Since it is Long-wearing, you have to have a really good makeup remover to get this stuff off. I also found it the hardest to get the pink off as it almost dies your skin, however, it did come off eventually. Also, the jars are fairly small and pricey so it is definitely something to think about before purchasing. Here you can see I compared the jars to a regular sized mac eye shadow. Also, my hands looked like rainbows after I finished potting these paints in to smaller containers so be careful not to spill!

I would definitely recommend these for body painting/face painting. But keep in mind that some products are not to be used in the eye or face area so make sure you read the little pamphlet it comes with!

Playing Catchup... and a Review for you: Murad Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew

I received this as a sample from Sephora so I had to try it out! I was only able to try it out twice so I don't have that detailed of a review for you. When I checked the actual price of this product it was quite expensive at Sephora so I'm not sure if I would really recommend this product. It did a good job of hydrating my skin and it didn't feel sticky or too heavy but I also didn't notice too much of a shine-free me. I think I will try this again in the future, but for now, I would not spend the big $$ on it.

Also, I finally sent Gaby's package off in the mail! Man, was it expensive! Now I know to do smaller give aways so that shipping doesn't cost so much haha, luckily I didn't have to send it across the boarder. I hope you enjoy it GABY! Make sure to check out her blog HERE too!

Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion

Purchase: Aprox $35 @ Sephora

I received this as a sample so I honestly can't give an 'educated' review but I'll tell you what I know.  My skin did not break out from using this in the evening and the next morning. I used it as a moisturizer and it absorbed nicely in to my skin; I would definitely try it again. However, I'm not sure if I would pay full price for this as I didn't see any miracles happen! 

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence (Sensitive Skin)

Purchase: $17 @ The Body Shop
What it is formulated to do: Soothe and protect the delicate skin around your eyes with a smooth, creamy gel that minimizes the signs of sensitivity.
Current Sales: Buy 1 Get 50% Off (must add 2 items to cart) , Buy 2 Get 1 (must add 3 items to cart) or Buy 3 Get 2 Free (must add 5 items to cart). Discount will be applied to the lowest-priced items.

I really like this product. I find it very moisturizing and 'gel' like. It absorbs in to my skin and doesn't feel thick so you don't have to continuously tap it on to the delicate eye area in order for it to absorb. However, it did not do much for my purple under eye circles but it did help with puffiness in the morning because it goes on nice and cool (gotta love aloe for this!). I would definitely recommend this product for it's moisturizing talents. Also, The Body Shop constantly has amazing deals on so make sure you don't pay full price for this product like me! I received 50% off my whole purchase so I bought myself a lot of fun stuff, so check this one out! Or buy 3 and get 2 free right now, online!

MAC 187SH Duo Fibre Brush

Purchase: $50.50 @ M.A.C. Cosmetics

The picture shown is the regular, long handled brush but I received the short handle version in a MAC brush set. I LOVE this brush! I have been using it for my foundation lately and it works wonders. I use it with a stippling motion, meaning, I put foundation on the back of my hand, lightly tap the brush in to the product and then continue tapping it all over my face. I do NOT swipe it back and forth/in circles etc. I only lightly tap it ALL over my face and it gives me GREAT coverage with very little product! Amazing! It even covers up the redness left by my acne scars, truly amazing! I love this brush and got it at such a good price in a brush kit so I would suggest waiting until you can get the short handle version for a lot less. I most definitely recommend this brush to EVERYONE! It is very easy to use and saves you $$ on product costs and you don't get a caky look that you might get from uneven product application and/or the use of concealer. 

Sorry that I have been so busy everyone!!

I know I am a few days late but I'd like to announce my April/May Contest Winner!!

And the winner is.... G A B Y!
I will be Emailing you shortly to get your mailing address info! Congratulations and thank you for checking out my blog and helping advertise my give away!
I promise I have more reviews in the works...  keep in touch everyone,
and thanks again for all the entries!

Vichy Normaderm Triple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating Lotion

So I took the 7-Day Challenge with Vichy's Triple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating Lotion and I was not impressed. The first thing I noticed about this product, is that it gobbs up as soon as I try to put on my face primer. Also, it made it difficult to apply my foundation smoothly as it sits on top of the skin and doesn't completely absorb.
I didn't notice any difference in my skin either. It didn't help clear up any of my existing acne and I blemishes still appeared while and after using his product.nTherefore, I have nothing really positive to say. I still prefer their mattifying moisturizer to any other though!

Clinique Acne Solutions clearing moisturizer (oil-free)

Purchase: $21.50 @ Sephora

So, I would love to tell you all about this product but I tried it twice and I had a terrible allergic reaction to it! The first time I put it on I felt like I had a few bumps on my chin (irritation), so, I decided to try it again but at night time so that I could tell in the morning. Bad idea! When I woke up in the morning my face was all red and puffy! Especially the side that had the most air; it had a scratchy red rash all over it and was a lot more puffed up then the other side. I was so disappointed as I was really hoping this stuff would work for me. So be warned! Make sure you try a sample of something before you purchase it!

Also, I wanted to say sorry to everyone for not posting more often. I am currently completing my 5 week practicum and have three weeks left then should have some more time! <3

The Body Shop's Vanilla Spice Body Polish

I received this product as a gift two Christmas ago and I finally finished it! As you may have guessed, I didn't use it all the time but it is still a nice product. At first I wasn't in love with the smell but I definitely grew to enjoy it and I could still smell hints of it hours after I showered which was great. This product has granulated nuts in it and it kind of reminded me of St Ive's Apricot Facial Scrub. When I say this, I mean that it almost felt a bit scratchy and I'm not sure how great it was for my skin. I liked to use this product on my arms where I sometimes get little tiny bumps so it did a good job at exfoliating them away.

One of the bummers about this product is that it only comes around at Christmas Time so you'll have to wait another year to try it.

I would recommend this product but it is not one of my favourite ones and I think I will try a new body scrub next.