Softlips Cubes & Giveaway!!!

I'm doing another Giveaway on my blog - YEAH!  This one is from the wonderful people over at Softlips Canada.  You may remember I had a really popular giveaway w/ them a couple of mths ago and they've been nice enough to set up another one with me!

Softlips Canada is launching their new 5-in-1 Lip Balm Cubes and I got to try out the Vanilla Bean and Berry Bliss cubes myself and I gotta say I'm definitely a fan!  Small, sleek cube design, easy twist off lid and very moisturizing on the lips!  I have some other lips balms that I have to go over my lips several times before I feel like there is any product on them but these just glide right on and leave my lips smooth and hydrated.

I personally like to keep one in my purse and one near my bed b/c I think it's always important to moisturize your lips before bed.  I find for myself at least that's one of the biggest things that prevent me from getting dry, chapped lips b/c we tend to dry out our lips a lot while we sleep if we sleep w/ our mouths open...plus if you sleep w/ the air conditioner on in these Summer mths that can be super drying to your lips too!

They are also totally affordable at $4.99 a piece and available Walmart, Rexall, Lawtons and Shoppers Drug Mart...so pretty much everywhere lol!

Btw if you're curious what the 5-in-1 stands for:

Hydrates - forumlated w/ Shea Butter to restore moisture
Replenishes - with antioxidant Vitamins A, C & E
Smoothes - rich emollients leave lips silky and soft
Protects - long lasting moisture to protect against dryness
Adds Shine - for a perfect radiant finish

So now on to the GIVEAWAY!!!  What exactly is in the prize pack you ask?

1 WINNER

1 Softlips CUBE lip moisturizer Berry Bliss

1 Softlips CUBE lip moisturizer Vanilla Bean

1 Clutch Purse with Zipper Chain Wristlet

1 Purse Mirror

Open To CANADA ONLY (sorry everywhere else) 

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Good Luck!

GIVEAWAY!!! FREE 60 min Facial at Saul's Beauty Shop - $100 Value

I'm hosting another giveaway and let me tell you I'm SO EXCITED about this one!  Why you ask? Well it's a really awesome prize!  I'm giving away 1 60 min facial at Saul's Beauty Shop in Toronto - Value $100.  Contest open to anyone in Toronto or GTA (if you're willing to come to Toronto for the facial) - open to Men & Women - Saul's is a gender neutral joint and they actually really really want the boys out there to start taking better care of their skin ;)

Never heard of Saul's?  Well that's probably b/c it's pretty new but can I just say it's also pretty awesome!  I personally had the pleasure of getting my own facial at Saul's last week and it was probably one of the best facials I've had..no lie!  The spot itself is located right on Dundas West near Bellwoods Ave.  It also has a totally different vibe than most spas too...almost like you're stepping into someone's cute apt...not sterile or all white...that's b/c owner Eliss wanted to create a warm and friendly environment that would appeal to both men and women...reg. spa goers as well as newbies.

Eliss has been in the aesthetics biz for years and funny enough I've actually had the pleasure of receiving her services before once or twice at Aroma Wellness Clinic.  Eliss even recognized me when I came in for my facial which was surprising b/c I'm sure she saw A LOT of ppl at Aroma so kinda nice that she remembered me even though we only met once or twice before.

What makes her place different from a lot of other spas out there is as I mentioned she's really trying to make an inviting gender neutral, unpretentious environment and in fact not only does she carry a wide range of shave products for the boys out there but she also has a conditioning mask for facial hair during the male facials...facial hair and the skin underneath it need love to you know ;)

She also only carries products that are SLS and petrochemical free...she even writes up about it here on her site.

Also...and this is probably the biggest one compared to most places I've received facials from before.  Her facials are booked in time increments instead of the type of facial.  Basically when you go in you speak to Eliss about your concerns, sensitivities and the things you want most out of a facial ie. mask, extractions, peels etc. and from there she customizes your facial based on your skin type, needs, concerns and the time increment you've paid for.

So why did I enjoy my facial so much you might be asking.  Well to start off I just really liked the vibe...I actually always liked Eliss the once or twice I had her at Aroma so I knew I was off to a good start there.  Unlike most spas she doesn't play typical waterfall or meditating music but instead it's more of an old school classic slow r&b & jazz sort of thing.  Plus using the Aromatherapy Associates spa line she customizes the masks based on what she thinks you need...maybe a bit extra oatmeal or guava etc.  I had the Rose face mask.  And this was probably the best part...during the facial a lot of times the esthetician will leave the room during the steam or mask but Eliss actually gave a hand massage, shoulder massage and finally a scalp massage all during the facial...definitely aided in my relaxation!

Eliss also offers waxing services and spray tans...I'm actually going back next week for a spray tan to get my healthy "Summer glow" on ;)  I'll be sure to tell you guys about that too!

So here's how to ENTER!  Please allow a few moments for the widget to open.  Open to Men & Women.  Toronto or GTA area ONLY!

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HUGE Holiday Giveaway - Whitening Lightning Holiday Bundle

'Tis the season to give to those you LOVE and guess what I REALLY LOVE my readers!  So much so that I've partnered up w/ Whitening Lightning again to give you guys the chance at another AMAZING Giveaway just in time for the holidays!

I've used and loved Whitening Lightning products in the past and I've done a few giveaways w/ them too...and they've always been super generous w/ my readers but this giveaway is really awesome!

PLUS they've also given me a new discount code to share w/ my readers...hey if you don't win the giveaway...or you just can't wait to have this awesome kit you can still get this amazing bundle for $89.00 (HUGE SAVINGS) by using the coupon code SnowMan or if you're looking to purchase some of their other cool products you can always use my discount code JESSICA70 to get 70% off your purchase!!

So what exactly am I giving away you ask?

I'm giving away 1 Whitening Lightning Holiday Bundle (basically the first pic on the blog) to 1 lucky reader in the US or Canada!

Whitening Lightning Bundle includes:

Get the Dial a Smile Teeth Whitening Kit, your choice of 2 pens (Any Pens) and 2 Lip Glosses (Any Colour). VALUE $499

The home kit contains 3 complete professional whitening treatments

• Whiten your teeth at home
• Takes only 20 minutes
• Painless
• 4-7 shades whiter per treatment on average
• Great for smokers, wine, and coffee lovers
• Great for teens that just got their braces off

The Super booster pen will whiten your teeth while you sleep with a Whitening Lightning Teeth Whitening Pen

• up to 7-10 shades in 14 days
• Works while you sleep
• No unpleasant taste
• Just paint it on 
• No sensitivity unpleasant taste
• No Mess

The Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Gloss  Contains collagen peptides - increase lip volume Reduces Lip Wrinkles Doubles as a lip treatment Feels smooth and light on lips - never sticky Will not feather or bleed How AWESOME is all that! So how do you ENTER...it's SO Easy & Simple AND I've given a ton of options to choose from!  Do 1 or do them ALL! Please allow a few seconds for the Rafflecopter Widget to load...it's sometimes slow!  a Rafflecopter giveaway Happy Holidays and Good Luck!

Younique 3D Fiber Lashes & Giveaway

As you all know I'm always on the lookout for new and awesome lash products to make my lashes fuller and longer!  Now as much as I love a pair of false lashes lets be real they aren't always practical for everyone for day to day wear.  That's why when I was asked to review Younique's 3D Fiber Lash (follow the link to get your own 3D Fiber Lash) I was super excited!

The 3D lash system is a two step process involving Transplanting Gel and Natural Fibers that promises to make lashes appear 300% thicker and fuller but still maintaining a real and natural look.  It's water resistant but still easily washes off w/ your fav makeup cleanser and warm water.

The whole process does take a few extra minutes compared to your reg. lash routine but I promise the results are worth it and it's an easy alternative for all the ppl out there that can't figure out how to apply false lashes on themselves (b/c lets be real it's not easy).

I've used another similar fiber building product in the past on my lashes but the fibers in the product I used before were white and I really like that these fibers are black therefore matching my natural lashes and making them easier to cover w/ the transplanting gel.  Plus the fibers are 100% natural and are made of green tea.  The gel has collagen in it for additional volume and shine on the lashes.

I've attached a step by step pic guide so you can really see the full results of the product and how awesome it is!

PLUS I'm giving away 1 Younique 3D Fiber Lash system to one luck winner!  This contest will be open to anyone in the USA or Canada!  Look below for the Rafflecopter Widget to ENTER!

Okay so here are my natural lashes - no mascara/no curl...they are long but thin and very straight...much like my natural hair lol

This is them after I curled them and put 1 coat of mascara on...at least now we can sort of see them lol!

Now this is them after applying 1 coat of the Transplanting Gel and 1 coat of the Natural Fibers...Big Improvement!

 And here they are after 2 coats of Transplanting Gel and 2 coats of the Natural Fibers...False Lash Territory!

They hit my brows they are so long now!

Now who doesn't want to win and try out this product for themselves!  Please have patience sometimes the Rafflecopter Widget takes a few moments to load.

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Softlips Giveaway Winner!

CONGRATS!

Amber Andrews

You won the Softlips Prize Pack Giveaway!

Thanks for all that entered this was a super successful giveaway w/ over 500 entries!  Can't wait to bring more exciting giveaways your way in the future!

Softlips Lip Moisturizing Giveaway!

 It's a Monday...and what better way to start of the week than to have a GIVEAWAY!!! Softlips Canada has been nice enough to sponsor an AWESOME giveaway for my readers! YEAH!

It's the perfect time too!  As Fall/Winter approaches and temperatures drop I personally notice not only in myself but in my clients too a huge increase in dry, chapped lips.  Those colder temperatures and dry air are awful for our poor sensitive lips.  Thankfully Softlips is looking after us w/ their lip moisturizers available in a whole range of flavours!

Their newest one is Watermelon which couldn't be more perfect for me b/c besides Coconut (which they also have) Watermelon is my absolute favourite flavour for lip products or body products in general...it's also my fav flavour for Jelly Belly Jellybeans ;)

I've been using these lips moisturizers for the past few days and they are great.  Not greasy or sticking but still moisturizing...they only smell nice they don't actually taste like watermelon which is good b/c I know w/ some flavoured glosses the prob is you end up licking your lips all the time which in turn dries them out more. They also have SPF 20 which even though it's getting colder it's still important to product your lips against harmful UV rays...esp. important if you're doing outdoor snow sports like skiing or snowboarding where the sun actually reflects off the snow...and if you do any sort of Winter sports you know how much they dry out your lips!  They are also infused w/ Vitamin E and they are Cruelty and Gluten Free - YEAH!

If Watermelon isn't your think no worries they have a HUGE variety of flavours...definitely something for everyone!  And beyond the lip moisturizers which go on smooth and colour free they also have glosses and tinted lip moisturizers for those wanting a little more pizazz!

So now onto the GIVEAWAY!  This is an AWESOME prize pack w/ SO MUCH STUFF!  Literally it's like a lifetime supply of lip moisturizers!

One Lucky Reader will get ALL OF THIS! OPEN TO CANADIANS ONLY!

• 1 Watermelon Double
• 1 Cool Cherry Double
• 1 French Vanilla Double
• 1 Coconut Cream Double
• 1 Ravishing Raspberry Double
• 1 Strawberry Sherbet Double
• 1 Honeydew Melon Double
• 1 Organic Pomegranate
• 1 Organic Acai Berry
• 1 Organic Peppermint
• 1 Cosmetic Case
• 1 Purse Mirror

So EASY to Enter and you can ENTER EVERYDAY by Tweeting about the Giveaway for more chances to WIN!  FYI sometimes the Rafflecopter Widget takes a few seconds to load so please be patient.

OPEN TO CANADIANS ONLY!

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VEET Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered my Veet Get Your Skin Ready For Summer Giveaway!  It was another huge success!

We Have A WINNER!

Drumroll Please....

Andrew Pham - Congratulations!  You're the Winner of the Veet Giveaway!  I'll email you soon to find out your mailing address and all the details! (First Winner wasn't Canadian...gotta read the rules ;) )

Thanks again to all that tried!

VEET - Get You Skin Ready For Summer GIVEAWAY!

I haven't done a Giveaway in awhile so when the ppl at VEET reached out to me to do a new Giveaway I thought of course I'd LOVE to give my fans and readers some free swag ;)

Although, you wouldn't know it by the weather we've had lately Summer is on it's way (I hope) and that means pulling out the bikinis, short skirts and short...and time to take care of any unwanted body hair that we may have been using this past Winter to keep us warm lol!

So here's the deets - this Giveaway is open to CANADIANS only...sorry my friends from far away...and 1 lucky person will get all this AWESOME stuff mailed to them from the lovely ppl at Veet!

·         VEET Precision Wax and Care (for the face): $16.99

·         VEET Underarm Hair Removal Kit: $8.49

·         VEET Easy-Wax Electrical Roll on Kit (for legs and arms): $29.99

·         VEET Easy-Wax Electrical Roll on Kit refills for arms and legs: $27.98

·         VEET Hydro'Restor Hair Removal Cream (for arms and legs): $16.99

Total value: $100.44

That's enough hair removal products to keep you and your friends hair free-care free ALL Summer long!

I actually had the chance to try a couple of their new products a couple of weeks ago and I can say they are good!

First I tried the Veet Precision Wax & Care (for the face) - Great for eyebrows, chin, lip, side burns...anywhere there's unwanted hair.  The easy to use tube allows for a precise amount of wax exactly where you need it and it comes w/ a precision spatula to make sure you don't get the wax anywhere you don't want.  Plus I really liked that the fabric strips are reusable and it came w/ an aftercare cream which is great b/c the face area can be a little sensitive when it comes to waxing.

Next up was the Veet Underarm Hair Removal Kit.  I personally feel like I have to shave under my arms EVERY day so when a product says it lasts longer than shaving I'm up for trying it out.  You only have to leave the cream on for 5 mins (although I'll be honest I always have to leave it on a

little longer) and don't worry you can put your arms down during those 5 mins...don't have to hold them over your head ;)  Plus the kit comes w/ a spatula to remove the cream and hair and a finishing cream.

So what are you waiting for ENTER NOW!

The Rafflecopter Widget to Enter takes a few seconds to load sometimes - Please be patient!  Thanks :)

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Clarisonic Spa Package Giveaway for CANADIANS!

For years now one of the biggest things in skincare has been the revolutionary Clarisonic brush.  Pretty much every teen, girl, woman etc. has at least heard about the fancy skincare brush that removes dirt and impurities 6x better than washing w/ your hands plus helps w/ the signs of aging and helps kick oil and dirt to the curb.

Well Clarisonic has finally launched it's own website in Canada...not quite sure what took them so long ;) and to celebrate they are having an Awesome Giveaway just for CANADIANS!  Yeah..this is exciting since so many giveaways are just for our neighbours in the US.

One lucky Winner will win a Revolutionary Spa Experience for YOU and 3 of your Friends!  A Value of $2000!

I don't actually know what this "spa experience" includes but who cares, it's a giveaway and who doesn't want a spa experience for them and their friend!

Follow the link here to ENTER!

Whitening Lightning Giveaway Winner!

Happy Valentine's Day and Thank you to EVERYONE that played along on my latest Giveaway...it was a huge success!

Now on to the Winner!

Congratulations Jennifer Jette!  You've won the Whitening Lightning Prize Pack!  I'll contact you soon to get your info!

For those of you that didn't win you can still use my 70% off code if you want to try the Whitening Lightning Products yourself -Just Type Jessica70.

Whitening Lightning Valentine's Giveaway!

I haven't done a GIVEAWAY in a LONG time on this blog so when I was recently contacted by the ppl at Whitening Lightning to do a Valentine's Day Giveaway I jumped at the opportunity!  Especially given the AWESOME prize pack I'm giving away to ONE lucky winner!

You may remember before I've written a couple of blog posts about their amazing teeth whitening pens and lip gloss!  I even gave a discount code to get 70% off your order w/ Whitening Lightning - and GUESS WHAT - It's still valid so even if you don't win or don't want to wait feel free to use the code JESSICA70 and save 70% off your order!

So yea back to the giveaway!  Who doesn't want white teeth...and what better way to get them w/ the prize pack I'm giving away here!

What's included you ask....

The Dial A Smile Kit & Pen Combo - Value $478

Our combo kit is great! You get the Dial a Smile home whitening kit and the Super booster whitening pen.

The home kit contains 3 complete professional whitening treatments

• Whihten your teeth at home
• Takes only 20 minutes
• Painless
• An outstanding value- Don't pay $1500 for 3 whitening treatments from a dentist
• 4-7 shades whiter per treatment on average
• Great for smokers, wine, and coffee lovers
• Great for teens that just got their braces off

The Super booster pen will whiten your teeth while you sleep with a Whitening Lightning Teeth Whitening Pen

up to 7-10 shades in 14 days Works while you sleep No unpleasant taste Just paint it on AND Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Gloss - Value $38

No sensitivity unpleasant taste No mess Throw your strips and trays away

Open To USA & Canadian Residents! Just a side note - sometimes w/ slower Internet connections it takes a minute for the raffle copter widget to load for entry...give time or try refreshing :)

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GIVEAWAY - SEA BUCKTHORN SUPPLEMENTS!

Hey Everyone!

I haven't done a Giveaway in a REALLY long time so I think it's about time I do a new one!  I've been sent some AMAZING Health & Wellness Sea Buckthorn Products from the VERY nice people at Seabuck Wonders and they've been generous enough to give me some to giveaway to my wonderful and faithful readers here!

I know a lot of you are now going "What the Hell is Sea Buckthorn and why is it good for me?"...so I'm going to tell you lol.  Sea Buckthorn Berries are one of the newest "super fruits" to catch the attention of Dr. Oz.  He has even coined it "The New Miracle Berry".  Apparently it doesn't taste so great to eat but it's the oil that has all the beneficial properties in it.

Here's a little background info on Sea Buckthorns:

The seabuckthorns (Hippophae L.) are deciduous shrubs in the genusHippophae, family Elaeagnaceae. It is also referred to as "sea buckthorn", seabuckthorn, sandthorn, seaberry, "sacred fruit", or " liquid gold" when referring to its oil and juice).

It is by far the most widespread of the species in the genus, with a range extending from the Atlantic coasts of Europe right across to northwestern China. The English name of seabuckthorn may have to do with the fact that in Western Europe, it is largely confined to sea coasts where salt spray off the sea prevents other larger plants from out-competing it, but in central Asia it is more widespread in dry semi-desert sites where other plants cannot survive the dry conditions. In central Europe and Asia it also occurs as a subalpine shrub above tree line mountains, and other sunny areas such as river banks. They are tolerant of salt in the air and soil, but demand full sunlight for good growth and do not tolerate shady conditions near larger trees. They typically occur in dry, sandy areas and can thrive in such hard oil as arsenic sands where few other plants can even survive.

More than 90 percent or about 1.5 million hectares of the world's sea buckthorn wild forest or plantations can be found in Tibet, China where the plant is utilized for soil and water conservation purposes, including prevention of oil erosion, sand drift and holding of precious water.

While you read about the wonderfully wide variety of health nutrients it provides to humans, please be aware that it also has a strong ability of fixing nitrogen by its roots, for use of other inhabitants of Mother earth.

What is the difference between sea buckthorn berry oil and the sea buckthorn seed oil?
As research on seabuckthorn intensifies, more and more nutrients and health factors will be found. So far more that 200 of them have been identified and the composition ratio is very similar to our human body with near 1:1 ratio between Omega 3 and Omega 6. It is also reported that seabuckthorn contains all known vitamins beside fatty acids, carotenoids, phospholipids, minerals, both micro and macro. These are distributed in its seed, fruits, leaves and flowers in different proportions and quantity.

Here is a summary comparison of the average ingredients between fruit oil and seed oil:

Ingredient	Percentage by weight		Activities
Vitamin E	Seed Oil	298-373 iu/100g	Antioxidant, etc
	Berry Oil	234-313 iu/100g
Vitamin A	Seed Oil	2755-4400 iu/100g	Vision, etc
	Berry Oil	2755-5511 iu/100g
Vitamin D	Seed Oil	2mg/100g	For calcium and phosphor absorption and storage, etc
	Berry Oil
Vitamins K	Seed Oil	150mg/100g	Anti-bleeding
	Berry Oil
Phospolipid	Seed Oil	0.5%	Maintaining metabolism
	Berry Oil
Carotenoid	Seed Oil	40-55mg/100g	Delay the aging process
	Berry Oil	155-244mg/100g
Β-sitosterol-β-D-glucosides	Seed Oil	31mg/100g	Peptic and duotenal ulcer, etc.
	Berry Oil
Palmitic Acid	Seed Oil	10%	Important fatty acid in both human & animals
	Berry Oil	25-30%
Palmitoleic Acid (Omega 7)	Seed Oil		Important ingredient for healthy skin and cell membrane
	Berry Oil	30-35%
Stearic Acid	Seed Oil	1%	Important fatty acid in both human & animals
	Berry Oil
Oleic Acid (Omega 9)	Seed Oil	20-25%	Unsaturated fatty acid important for both humans & animals
	Berry Oil	25-30%
Linoleic Acid (Omega 6)	Seed Oil	29-38%	Polyunsaturated fatty acid essential for both humans and animals,
	Berry Oil	5-6%
Linolenic Acid (Omega 3)	Seed Oil	25-30%	Polyunsaturated fatty acid important but often lacking in both humans and animals
	Berry Oil	2.8-4%

The great thing about this Giveaway is you get to try both the Berry and the Seed Oil...so you get ALL the Benefits of this Amazing Product!


Here's a little more interesting info for all the new Sea Buckthorn Berry Fans out there.. Sea Buckthorn Berries contain 6 times more Vitamin A than carrots, 10 times more Vitamin C than oranges, 6 times more B-Carotene than pumpkins, 5 times more SOD than ginseng and the highest concentration of Vitamin E among fruits!


Here's a little Background on Seabuck Wonders...the compnay behind these great supplements!

They are the ONLY Full Line of products made from USDA certified organic sea buckthorn berries.  They have been specializing in the super fruit for over 16 years!  They  have the highest quality and most potent sea buckthorn on the market containing at least 30-35% Omega-7 content.  The products are 100% pure, all natural Himalayan sea buckthorn oils...no fillers or powders like some other companies out there.  They are certified Kosher as well.

Another cool thing about the product is that you can take it internally or externally for great health, wellness and skin benefits!  Mix the oil into your fav lotions or creams or take the capsules!  Just an FYI though be careful if you're using the Berry Oil externally b/c of the high levels of carotenoids it will temporarily tint the skin orange - usually lasting 10-30 mins...it goes away or you can wash it off so you might want to use it at night.  The Seed Oil is lighter in colour and usually doesn't tint the skin but does lack the high Omega-7 found in the berry.

So here's EXACTLY what you'll get in the GIVEAWAY:

1 Full Size Bottle of Sea Buckthorn Oil Blend Omega-7 Complete
1 Full Size Bottle of Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil Capsules & 1 Full Size Bottle of Seed Oil Drops
1 Full Size Bottle of Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil Drops

Contest is Open Until Next Fri Aug 4/12! Open to USA & Canadian Residents!


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VEET GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Thank you to ALL that ENTERED for the VEET Giveaway Prize Pack!

The WINNER is #6 - FRAGILEHEART 

Contact me so I can pass your info onto the correct ppl and you can get your PRIZE!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Holiday Giveaway From VEET!

Hey Everyone!  As you may remember a couple of mths ago I did a review on some awesome hair removal products sent to me by the lovely ppl at Veet!  Well now we've teamed up to give you an awesome giveaway just in time for the Holidays!...Personally I don't care what time of year it is I LOVE free stuff but there is something nice about getting extra free stuff around the holidays lol!

So let's get down to the details!  This one is SUPER exciting b/c I'm giving away $100 worth of product from Veet to 1 LUCKY reader - YES $100!  That's A LOT of product!  What exactly am I giving away you ask - well I'll tell you!

The $100 Giveaway Includes:


- Veet Ready-To-Use strips for Face (Great for short hair & 
   delicate areas)
- Veet Ready-To-Use strips for Face & Bikini
- Veet EasyGrip Ready-To-Use Wax Strips
- Veet Hydro'Restore Cream (Lasts Twice as long as Regular
   Shaving)
- Veet High Precision Facial Wax (Comes w/ instructions on     
   how to achieve the perfect brow)
- A Pink Stocking
- A Basket to hold the items

That's A LOT of product and w/ all that you should be able to stay hair and worry free for a LONG time!  Or you know what share the wealth and give your friends some of your winnings tis' the season after all ;)

So HOW do you ENTER you ask?

So upfront there is ONE rule - Sorry this one is ONLY OPEN TO CANADIANS (It's about the cost of shipping b/c there is so much stuff - The ppl at VEET are sending it not me).

Okay so here's how you ENTER!  DO 1 of the Following 3 options below...or do ALL 3 for more chances to win!


YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER IN MORE THAN ONE WAY BUT PLEASE DO SO IN DIFFERENT COMMENT BOXES FOR EACH ENTRY!


1. Tell me an embarrassing hair removal horror story (you know like you were on a date and realized you didn't shave your legs or something like that)

2. Go to Veet.ca and ENTER their $5000 Party Ready Shopping Spree (Yes that's right you can ENTER this contest by trying to WIN another Contest)

3. Tell me YOUR Favourite Veet Product

Please Leave Your Name & Email w/ Your Entry!

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!  CONTEST CLOSES DEC 6!

Sigma Brush Winner!

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay I know I was suppose to pick the Winner on Fri. but it's just been a crazy couple of days - Magazine Shoots, Weddings, B-Day Party, Album Cover Shoot...I'm a BUSY GIRL lately!

Anyway, did the draw through Random.org and the WINNER is...

MoonRae - Sharon Siqueiros


Thanks again to EVERYONE that entered!

Sharon I'll be sending you an email shortly and forwarding your info off to Sigma and they will get in touch w/ you about sending you the brushes!

Congrats!

Sigma Brush Review & Giveaway!

A few wks back the great people at Sigma contacted me about doing a little brush review and giveaway for them so of course I jumped at the opportunity b/c 1. I LOVE getting free stuff to try out and 2. I LOVE giving away free stuff to my readers lol!

The very generous ppl at Sigma sent me Travel Kit Naughty in Black.  Which is really a complete set of brushes and perfect for those weekend getaways or longer trips away when you're trying to pack light.  What's made this so exciting for me and I know this is going to sound crazy b/c I am a makeup artist and all was I was planning on keeping the brushes all for myself b/c I actually don't even have a set of makeup brushes I use just for me lol!

Yes, that's right I'm a makeup artist who doesn't even use brushes on myself most of the time...crazy I know.  Usually, for myself I just use my fingers, a sponge and a q-tip...yes I'm that ghetto lol!  For fancy nights I'll sometimes go into my professional brushes so I can do some eye makeup but it doesn't happy often lol.  Truth is I barely buy makeup for myself anymore too...it's like I'm a mother and my kit is my child - I give it everything I get and keep nothing for myself lol! Btw my kit is my child...if there was a fire you better believe that would be 1 of the 3 things I would be grabbing if I could only grab 3 things!

Anyway, back to the brushes.  First off one of the biggest things I LOVED about the set was it didn't have any crappy "filler" of "useless" brushes in it like you get so often w/ makeup brush sets - you know they'll give you a mascara spooly brush or an eye shadow brush w/ the sponge top that you'll never use.  This one has all the necessary brushes to do a complete face IMO.

Here's some details about the brushes in the kit straight from the website:

Pencil - E30 - Precise application of color on the crease, outer corner, and upper and lower lash line. Also ideal to smudge out pencil liner. Natural bristles.

Tapered Blending - E40 - Rounded and tapered top. Specially designed to apply and blend color on the crease. Natural bristles.

Eye Shading - E55 - Soft and dense with a rounded finish.  Can be used to apply pressed or loose eye shadows and pigments.  Ideal to build intense color on the eyelid. Natural bristles.

Large Powder - F30 - Very dense with a rounded top.  Ideal to apply powder products on the face and body. Natural bristles.

Large Angled Contour - F40 - The angled shape makes this brush ideal to apply blush or contour shades. Natural bristles.

Foundation - F60 - Can be used to apply liquid or cream foundation.  It is also recommended to apply moisturizers and conceal large areas. Synthetic bristles.

Concealer - F70 - The founded, tapered, flat shape makes this brush ideal to conceal the under eye area. It is also recommended for a precise application in small areas. Synthetic bristles.

So I'll start my review w/ the first brush they mention.



Pencil - E30 - It's a good brush for applying dense colour to the outer corners or crease that you're then going to blend for the smokey eye.  It's also a good brush for blended out and strong liner that you want to soften.  I like the the brush is dense and firm but still pliable in action.

Tapered Blending - E40 - I'm really picky about my Tapered Blending brushes and for my personal style this is probably my least fav. brush in the set.  It's not that it's bad it's just I prefer the bristles in my blending brush to be a little bit more dense and not quite as fluffy.  This brush will work of course I just feel I personally have to do a little more work w/ it.  But again it all depends on your style...to some they might prefer a fluffier blending brush.

Eye Shading - E55 - Good all over eye shadow brush.  Good size for applying that first bit of product all over the eyes and the bristles are dense enough if you later want to build colour on the lid or wherever.

Large Powder - F30 - Being that it's a travel kit I guess I want be too harsh on what they are considering to be a Large Powder brush...IMO it's proper blush brush size and not really large enough to be classified as a large powder brush.  That being said yes it does get the job done and of course it can be used for all over Powder...just for my professional work I would never consider it a large powder brush...but it would make a great blush brush.

Large Angled Contour - F40 - Good size, soft feel, dense enough and great for applying highlight to the cheekbones or colour to the cheeks if you know how to manipulate a contour brush for blush application.

Foundation - F60 - What's funny is I almost NEVER use a foundation brush when applying my own personal foundation.  It's good.  It's got a good size and the bristles are firm yet pliable.  It blends out both liquid and cream products well.

Concealer - F70 - Again there is nothing wrong w/ this concealer brush and it does work I just personally prefer my concealer brushes to be a little bit smaller and more angled at the end of the bristles so I can get a more precise concealing application for areas like around the nose, under the eyes and those pesky little pimples.

Btw another BONUS w/ this collection is that they also sent me a FREE Duo Fiber - F50 - you know the Skunk Brush - great for blending in liquid or cream products for that airbrush finish w/out using airbrush.  Seriously, one of my fav. types of brushes in my makeup kit and I'm always pulling it out.  This one is okay but again and this is just a personal preference it's too fluffy and not dense enough for my likely.  I don't like when the bristles give way too much on the skin and I want them to remain a little bit firm when I put pressure on them.  I do feel this brush is good for blending out blush though.

So overall I was really impressed w/ this brush set and I'm really excited to finally have my own personal brushes to use on myself every day lol!  Sigma has really affordable brushes and overall for the price point they are great quality.  They are perfect for the artist that's starting out and needs to build their kit or the makeup enthusiast who just likes to play around w/ makeup for themselves.


So now on to the FUN part - the GIVEAWAY!  The great people at Sigma are going to GIVEAWAY a Travel Kit in Naughty Black to 1 LUCKY READER!  That's a $49 gift...plus I think you'll get the additional Duo Fibre brush as a bonus as well!

How to Enter you Ask!  Well there's a couple of ways.

1. You must first follow my blog!

After that there are a couple of ways to Enter just Please tell me which ONE you did and Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the WINNER.  You can do all the different ways to ENTER just let me know in separate comments each way you ENTERED so I can keep track of it all more easily. 

REPEAT FOR EVERY WAY YOU ENTER PLEASE POST A SEPARATE COMMENT!!!!

1. Like my Fan Page on Facebook
2. Follow me on Twitter
3. Like Sigma Brushes Fan Page on Facebook

BONUS ENTRY

1. ReTweet this Giveaway on Twitter

Open to Anyone in North America - Yes Canada & United States!

CONTEST CLOSES FRI SEPT 9 @ 6 PM!

GOOD LUCK!

BLO @ Bloor West Giveaway Winner!

First off Thank You to EVERYONE that entered my Blo @ Bloor West Blow Out Giveaway Draw courtesy of Ashley Readings and the wonderful ppl at BLO down on Bloor West!
So I have a WINNER to the contest....Drum Roll Please...

FARAH - Congratulations!

I have your email and I will be contacting you so you can collect your prize.  I can either mail the gift card out to you or if we're close by in Toronto I can always meet up w/ you...always happy to meet fellow bloggers anyway!

For those that care I used random-draw.com again to pick the Winner!  I wish you ALL could win seriously.  But I still totally suggest checking out Blo next time you have a special night planned and you want to look pretty b/c it's really affordable and it just makes you feel super special and hot...and who doesn't deserve that sometime!

So again congrats Farah on winning the Blow Out at Blo...ask for Ashley if she's working (as you know she does amazing work...and don't forget to tip her big ;) )

Super Sexy Hair Time - BLO Blow Dry Bar Giveaway!

Yesterday morning I got a text from my frequently mentioned friend/colleague Ashley Readings.  She was working at Blo @ Bloor West and it was a Monday (and voting day) so of course it was a bit slow.  For those of you not in the know Blo is a salon where you go to get amazing blow outs, updos and styles all really reasonably prices and relatively quick...no cuts no colour just styling!  This job btw has made Ashley an amazing hair person and I'm very envious of her insane skills!

Anyway, back to the text!  She wanted to know if I wanted to come down to the salon get my hair done and do a giveaway for my fellow bloggers!  Of course I JUMPED at this opportunity.  Funny thing - Ashley and I have been friends for a long while now and I've never visited her at Blo...I don't know why it was lots of fun and it had been SO LONG since I had any sort of professional do ANYTHING w/ my  hair (seriously if my clients knew my last haircut they call me a hypocrite for always preaching reg. trims...which I am I guess lol).  Plus I don't know about you guys but I've been feeling rather bluesy lately w/ all the rain...really affects my mood something fierce.  I think if I was richer I'd go get my hair done every day I was feeling down...it really helps lol!  Also I had dinner plans last night so I knew the hair wasn't going to go to waste ;)

So after I did my National Duty and cast my Vote I headed down to the salon to get pampered!  Ashley did her thing - washed my hair, dried it w/ a round brush, pinned it, teased the hell out of if and finally shook it and smoothed it all out to create some of the most glorious and voluminous hair my head has seen in a long time...possibly EVER! 

I should note that at no time did she use a curling iron..this was all done w/ a round brush and blow dryer!  I have insanely straight, long and silky hair...I need to put layers in it...ppl are shocked when I tell them I do not straighten or even dry my hair a lot of times and how straight it is (probably also why I can go so long between cuts w/ no split ends).  Ashley even was shocked w/ how shiny and slippery my hair was even when she tried to "dirty it up and give it grip" w/ various products lol.   So even to say that Ashley did an AMAZING job is an understatement lol.  I'm not going to lie when she first finished it was a bit Jersey Shore and I was a bit embarrassed to leave the salon in my hoodie and lulu lemons on the subway but of course after a couple of hrs it settled into just gorgeous soft voluminous curls.

FYI the picture above is after a couple of hrs in my apt.  Still gorgeous looking!  The picture below was at Blo just after my hair was finished.  Sorry not the best quality it was taken w/ Ashley's iPhone.

This picture is to remind you guys what my natural hair looks like - it has not been straightened in this picture and in fact this was a couple of mths ago in my old apt. and it's a bit longer now lol!

So now on to the GIVEAWAY!  This one is only open to TORONTO residents or surrounding area (as long as you don't mind travelling to Blo @ Bloor West).  I have a gift card for 1 FREE BLOW OUT at the Blo @ Bloor West location - it is ONLY good for that location fyi. 

How do you ENTER - I'm going to make it INSANELY simple...nothing fancy here.  Just leave a comment in my comment box w/ your name and email and we're all good!  Yes, that's it!  I want to make this as easy as possible for everyone! 

So come on and ENTER who doesn't want gorgeous hair for that special night on the town...or just b/c you're having a crappy day like I was!

GOOD LUCK!

Forgot to mention the contest will run until Tues May 10!  I'll announce the winner then!

Another Contest...Just In Time For Mother's Day!

Hey

So Apothica is running ANOTHER contest!  This one w/ a REALLY BIG prize!  How BIG you ask...well let's say $250 gift card kind of BIG!  Yeah that's a lot!  Just think of all the amazing things you could buy for yourself or better yet your Beautiful Mom for Mother's Day.

How do you enter you ask?

Just follow the link and in the comment section explain why your Beautiful Mom deserves a $250 gift card!  Pretty easy...I mean who doesn't have a million stories about why their mom is the best!  Hurry though cause the contest closes soon - May 5th!

And The Winner Is....

The WINNER of my FIRST GIVEAWAY & a $50 Gift Card from Apothica.com is...

slgkag

If you're curious how the winner was chosen I went to random-draw.com entered in all the entries and it randomly picks a winner :) 

I will be contacting the winner and forwarding your info on to Apothica and they will send you a Gift Card code that you can then use on their website or their sister websites - SkinBotanica.com and SkinCareRx.com

Congrats to slgkag and THANK YOU to EVERYONE that entered my FIRST GIVEAWAY!  Hopefully I will have many more for you guys in the future!

slgkag I'll be contacting you via email for your information so I can pass it on to Apothica.com so you can get your Gift Card Code so make sure to check your junk mail!