Camino Simply Dark Hot Chocolate Review

SocialNature recently sent me a tin of Camino Simply Dark Hot Chocolate to try out.  I've done reviews on Camino products a few times in the past but for those of you who aren't in the know, Camino sells organic, fair-trade chocolate products and is owned by La Siembra, a Canada-based co-op. I personally love Camino products and I was very excited to try this hot chocolate.

Camino Simply Dark Hot Chocolate is Certified Kosher, Vegan friendly, and gluten-free. It's made with no milk ingredients (but may contain traces of milk). Being milk protein intolerant, it's awesome to have a hot chocolate mix I can actually use.

I love this hot chocolate! It's rich and has a nice dark chocolate flavour without being too bitter. I don't think the kids would like it because it isn't the most kid-friendly flavour (read: overly sweet) but I like it because of that fact. I would definitely recommend this product :).

For more information on Camino products, visit www.lasiembra.com/camino

Sawmill Creek Autumn Blush Review

BzzAgent recently gave me the opportunity to try out a Sawmill Creek wine of my choice. Sawmill Creek offers 12 varieties of wine available at liquor and wine stores across Canada. Being fall, I chose their Autumn Blush variety to try out.

Sawmill Creek's Autumn Blush is a rosé. It has a rich raspberry flavour that makes it a good wine to transition from summer to fall. I'm not much for sweet wines and this isn't overbearingly sweet. This would pair well with spicy foods or turkey.

For more information on Sawmill Creek Wines, visit www.sawmillcreekwines.com

Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme Review

BzzAgent recently sent me products to try from Pantene's new Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme Collection. This collection is designed to work with every hair type and promises to provide 10 fixes to your hair:

1. Repair for Rough Hair 
2. Strength Against Damage 
3. Silky Softness 
4. Brilliant Shine 
5. Smoothing
6. Moisture 
7. Frizz Control 
8. Heat Protection 
9. Manageability 
10. Tamed Flyaways

Here are the products I received:

I received:

• Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme Shampoo
• Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme Conditioner
• Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 Beauty Balm for Hair

I've only ever had good things to say about Pantene in the past and and today is no exception. This is a really good collection of products. My hair was really damaged prior to using and through using the Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme products it's feeling much softer and silkier. Plus the products smell nice! My favourite product of the 3 would be the Beauty Balm for Hair. It spreads nicely throughout my hair and doesn't leave it greasy or oily. I even use it in the kids' hair after swimming lessons!

I would definitely recommend these products if you're looking for a solid shampoo system that won't break the bank. For more info on the Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme Collection visit www.pantene.com and visit SmartSource for a printable $2 coupon.

Original Tangle Teezer Review

We recently had the opportunity to review the Tangle Teezer brush courtesy of NailPolishCanada.com. The Tangle Teezer is a revolutionary brush that bends and flexes with tangles, not just pulling through, resulting in a painless hair brushing. This was the perfect brush for me to try on Aislinn as she HATES having her hair brushed (since it always seems to be tangled). Let's take a look at the brush first:

Made in the UK! I'm an anglophile so that makes me happy :). It's shaped ergonomically, like a bean. The original Tangle Teezer comes in a variety of colours: black, pink, purple & pink, orange & yellow, and blue & pink (our choice). Here is what the brush part looks like:

The Tangle Teezer works so good, Aislinn loves it when I brush her hair with this brush. The bristles are very flexible but effective. It's fairly compact too so it's great to throw in your purse or pack for travelling.

The Original Tangle Teezer is available for $14.99 on the Nail Polish Canada site. For more information about the Tangle Teezer and other products, visit www.tangleteezer.com

GOSH Cosmetics Review

Today we're reviewing selected items from GOSH Cosmetics, courtesy of ChickAdvisor. GOSH is a beauty products company based in Denmark. GOSH products are sold primarily in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart. I'd never tried GOSH cosmetic products before so I was super excited to try them out.

Let's take a look at the products I received:

I received:

• GOSH Forever Eye Shadow Stick in Plum
• GOSH Prime 'n Set Powder
• GOSH Lip Lacquer in Funky Lips
• GOSH Crazy Volume Mascara

I LOVED all of the products. My favourites would be the Forever Eye Shadow Stick and the Prime 'n Set Powder. The Forever Eye Shadow Stick glided on so smoothly and stayed put - plus I loved the colour! The Prime 'n Set Powder is really cool. You apply in under and/or over makeup to help it stay. I personally used in on top with a face primer underneath my makeup, and I fould that it was great at absorbing shine without drying out my skin.

I need another mascara like I need a hole in my head, but the Crazy Volume Mascara is a solid mascara. The brush looks like a catapiller and does add a lot of volume. The Lip Lacquer is more of a lip gloss with a lacquer smell (not good). It is moisturizing though and applies smoothly. I wasn't crazy about the colour but it's surprisingly flattering on.

I'm really impressed with the quality of GOSH's cosmetics products, and they are priced very reasonably. For more information on GOSH products, visit www.goshcosmetics.com

Vitafusion MultiVites Review

The good people at Chick Advisor sent me a bottle of Vitafusion MultiVites to review. MultiVites are adult gummy multivitamins. I wasn't into gummy vitamins for the longest time because I felt like it was a tease to have just one gummy :P.

MultiVites are adult daily multivitamins.They are made with all natural colours and flavours and contain 200% of the daily required Vitamin D3 (which helps maintain strong bones!). MultiVites are also a good source of Vitamins B6 and B12, Folic Acid, and Pantothenic Acid. Plus they taste great! I found they were a good addition to my daily vitamin ritual. I found the gummy aspect convenient, since I could just chew it and didn't require a glass of water.

Vitafusion MultiVites are a great alternative to your traditional multivitamin. More information on Vitafusion products, visit www.gummyvites.com/vitafusion

To join the Chick Advisor Product Review Club, visit www.chickadvisor.com/productreviewclub

Topbox August 2014 Review

Sorry, this is another belated review, but I am back to school so I won't be posting as often. That said, I really wanted to post about my great August Topbox!

For those who don't know, Topbox is a monthly beauty subscription box. For $12/month (free shipping!), you receive 4 deluxe beauty samples. Here is what I received for August:

I received:

• Barefoot Venus Macadamia Oil Hand Cream in Hunny Mango (www.barefootvenus.com)
• Belvada Nail Polish Remover Pads in Watermelon (www.belvada.com)
• Matrix Oil Wonders Colour Caring Oil in Egyptian Hibiscus (www.matrixcanada.ca)
• LAQA & Co. Lip Lube in Bees Knees (www.laqaandco.com)

I really loved all of this month's products. The Barefoor Venus lotion smells sooo good. I have it beside my computer for when I need a pick-me-up. It leaves my skin feeling really soft too. The nail polish pads also smell really nice. It's nice to use nail polish remover that doesn't smell like it's killing brain cells. It's also really effective, if a little oily. I LOVE the LAQA & Co. Lip Lube. It feels minty fresh and tingly and the colour works well with my summer tan. I just wish I'd gotten it at the beginning of summer! Lastly, the Matrix Oil Wonders Colour Caring Oil is a really nice hair treatment. I'm a big fan of Matrix hair products and this oil leaves my hair feeling really soft and healthy.

I'm almost always really pleased with my monthly Topboxes and I would have to say that it is one of my favourite subscription services.

For more information on Topbox or to join the waiting list ot subscribe visit www.topbox.ca

New Giveaway - Autographed Makeup by One Direction Kit!

Makeup by One Direction is now available at Macy's and Markwin's is celebrating by giving away 1 autographed Looks Collection kit to one lucky fan!

Makeup by One Direction comes in 3 Looks Collection kits:

• Midnight Memories - for the rocker chick
• Take Me Home - for the girl-next-door
• Up All Night - for the flirty girly-girl

See my previous post for more detailed information on each kit.

Aislinn and I tested out the Midnight Memories kit a few weeks ago and had a blast! Now it's your turn to win a kit - autographed by the band!

For more information on the Makeup by One Direction kits, visit http://bit.ly/1DMakeupLooksCollection or check out the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/makeupbyonedirection

Contest sponsored by Markwin's and BrandBacker.

Little Life Box Review August 2014

It's Little Life Box day! One of my favourite delivery days of the month. For those of you who aren't in the know, Little Life Box is a monthly subscription box service that delivers healthy snacks and eco-friendly beauty products to your door for $19.99/mth + shipping.

Here is my box for this month:

I received:

• GoGo Quinoa Crunchies in Original (www.gogoquinoa.com)
• Body Flex Super Greens sample (www.innotechnutrition.com)
• GoGo Quinoa Granissimo Basmati & Wild Quinoa Pilaf (www.gogoquinoa.com)
• DoMatcha Ceremonial Matcha On the Go Travel Pack (www.domatcha.com)
• Truebar by Bakery on Main in Fruit and Nut (www.bakeryonmain.com)
• Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70 in Chocolate (www.manitobaharvest.com)
• Palmetto Derma Collagen Boosting Serum (www.palmettoderma.com)
• Zorah Biocosmetics Kaila Gel Cleanser (www.zorahbiocosmetics.com)
• Artisana Organic Raw Walnut Butter (www.artisanafoods.com)
• Home Free Mini Vanilla Cookies (www.homefreetreats.com)
• Tyrell's Hand Cooked English Crisps in Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar (www.tyrellscrisps.co.uk)

I received a lot of the items I normally like to receive - snacks for the kids, drink powder for on the go, skin care items. I would say the item I was most excited to receive was the DoMatcha Ceremonial Matcha On the Go, just because I'm on a matcha latte kick first thing in the morning. The kids weren't super wowed by the GoGo Quinoa Crunchies. It says you can use it them as a snack or cereal, and I gave them to the kids as cereal. The kids found them too hard though so I think they're better left as a snack.

Overall, another great Little Life Box! There are a lot of brands that I have received items from in previous boxes, but I don't mind because I really like their products. :)

For more information or to subscribe, visit www.littlelifebox.com

Makeup by One Direction Review

It's time! We were finally able to try out the new makeup collection by One Direction! Aislinn was SO excited when the box arrived last week. Thanks to Markwins and BrandBacker for sending this our way to try out!

It came in a cool collector's tin:

We received the Midnight Memories collection. See the previous Makeup by One Direction post for info on the other collections. Here is what it looks like inside:

The left side shows different looks you can do with the makeup. The right side (obviously) contains the MAKEUP! Here is what we received:

• 4+1 Eyeshadow Palette - colours are (clockwise from top left) Little White Lies, Don't Forget Where You Belong, Half a Heart, Strong, and Midnight Memories

• Liquilights Glow Gloss in Through the Dark (it glows under UV light!)

• Lipstick in Best Song Ever

• Mascara in Little Black Dress

• Nail Varnish in Right Now

• Eye and Body Crayon in Better Than Words

The kit also included a bonus stencil kit. 

I'm really happy with the kit we received. I would say the Midnight Memories one is my favourite of the 3 available. The eye shadow colours are pretty and versatile. I did find that the colours wore off fairly quick, but that's good for tweens and teens (whom this is aimed towards). This can be remedied by using an eye shadow primer. My favourite item would have to be the lip gloss. The colour just pops and is really long lasting. Here I am trying out a look with the makeup here:

Makeup by One Direction is already available at Macy's in the US and will be available at other US department stores as of August 25. Canada and International launch dates are TBD (as always).

Overall, this is just a really cool kit that girls are going to go crazy for. I know Aislinn's will be jealous come September when she tells them about her kit. Speaking of, here is Aislinn's video makeup review:

For more info on Makeup by OneDirection, visit www.facebook.com/makeupbyonedirection

Liebster Award

Jessica at the great review blog Ramyun Pie nominated me for the Liebster Award! The Liebster Award is a way for bloggers to help promote new and upcoming blogs and increase readership. Thanks so much for nominating me Jessica! :)

RULES:

1. Post eleven facts about yourself.
2. Answer the eleven questions provided by the person who nominated you and then create an eleven-question set for the next group of nominees.
3. Choose eleven people to nominate and link them in the post.
4. Let your nominees know they've been tagged - and no tag-backs!
5. Nominate blogs under 200 followers.

11 Facts About Me

1. I have 2 kids - Aislinn (7 1/2) and Hudson (6)
2. I'm a Medieval and Renaissance Studies student at Brock University with plans to add a 2nd major in French Studies.
3. My favourite musician is Matthew Good.
4. I love Photoshop and have trained to be a graphic designer (I've actually been published in Practical Photoshop magazine).
5. I was named after author Taylor Caldwell.
6. My favourite video game is Fable II.
7. I am addicted to Coronation Street.
8. I prefer tea to coffee and have around 20 varieties in my house right now.
9. I'm really into researching my family ancestry.
10. I just got a new puppy, a pug-zu named Rainey. She joins our beagle Annie and 2 cats, Olive and Sage.
11. I love knitting and also cross-stitch and sew.

Jessica's Questions

1. What is your holy grail makeup/skincare item and why?
• Right now it would be anything Clinique, as it's my favourite brand and I'm a poor student.
2. Do you play any instruments?
• I can play a little guitar and piano...terribly.
3. What is your favourite place in the world and why?
• Muskoka. We used to go cottaging or camping up there every summer when I was growing up. Now my FIL lives up in Bracebridge so we can go up whenever we want. :)
4. What is your favourite scent?
• Freshly cut grass. My favourite perfume is Gap Grass (they need to bring it back).
5. When did you start blogging?
• I've been blogging on and off since 2004, but AwesPosBlog has been around since January 2014.
6. What is your favourite type of food?
• Anything Asian. Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, you name it.
7. What would your ideal vacation be?
• I really really want to visit England and do some family and historical research. And take the Eurostar over to Paris.
8. What is your staple fashion accessory?
• In Fall/Winter I love big soft pashminas/scarves.
9. What is your favourite brand of makeup/skincare?
• As mentioned previously, I love Clinique. My other favourites are Rimmel, Almay, Benefit, and Physician's Formula.
10. Where are you from?
• I am from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
11. What is your favourite book?
• That's like asking a mother to pick her favourite child! I will tell you the last good book I read, which was The King's Grave by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones.

Nominations:

1. As Cute As a Bug's Ear
2. Bargnhtress
3. Life With No Naps
4. Eliorah
5. Frugal Maggie
6. Beautiful, Free and Wonderful
7. Krizia in Happyland
8. Mama Hearts Polish
9. Batting a Lash
10. Polished Perfect
11. A Polished Prance

My Questions:

1. Where are you from?
2. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead), who would you meet?
3. What is you favourite 20th century decade for fashion?
4. Who is your favourite musician?
5. What is your favourite TV show?
6. If you could bring 3 things to a desert island, what would you bring?
7. What is your favourite makeup item?
8. What's your favourite childhood memory?
9. What's your favourite time-wasting website?
10. Do you have pets?
11. And finally, what's a blog you would recommend (# of followers doesn't matter)?

Good luck everyone! :)

Miracle 10 Cleanser II Review

Last month I won one of Miracle10 skin care collection's cleansers from a contest hosted by Girl Meets Box. Miracle10 is a skin care line from The Plastic Surgery Clinic Inc., one of the top plastic surgery clinics in North America. The Miracle10 line was developed to combat aging skin, fine lines, and acne.

I received Miracle10's Cleanser II. According to the Miracle10 website, it is "an active foaming, non-drying, antioxidant rich, pH-correct cleanser with exfoliating properties, designed to remove make-up and deeply cleanse the pores, removing oil and skin debris."

This may just be my new favourite cleanser. It gently foams when applied but afterward my skin feels throughly cleansed, as if I'd just used a face scrub. My skin felt tighter and was more glowing afterwards as well. I really want to try out the other skin care products in the Miracle10 line. The line includes creams, masks, serums, and toners.

The Miracle10 Cleanser II is $39 for a 120 ml bottle. For more information and to purchase, visit the Miracle10 website at www.miracle10.com

Makeup by One Direction Giveaway!

Another giveaway! What-the-what?! It's true! One Direction are releasing a new makeup collection in collaboration with Markwin's and one lucky blog reader will have the chance to win one of the following makeup sets:

Midnight Memories Kit

 

Includes:

• "Through the Dark" Liquilights Glow Gloss (gloss that glows under UV light)
• 4+1 Eyeshadow Palette including:
• "Little White Lies" (palest warm grey)
• "Don't Forget Where You Belong" (soft pink shimmer)
• "Half a Heart" (metal grey)
• "Strong" (charcoal black matte shimmer)
• "Midnight Memories" (silver glitter creme)
• "Best Song Ever" (crimson red creme lipstick)
• "Little Black Dress" volumizing mascara
• "Right Now" (liquified metallic steel nail varnish)
• "Better Than Words" (blackest black eye and body crayon)
• 5 piece decorator stencil set

Take Me Home Kit

Includes:

• "Kiss You" Liquilights Glow Gloss (gloss that glows under UV light)
• 4+1 Eyeshadow Palette including:
• "Back for You" (velvet creme)
• "Change My Mind" (peachy shimmer)
• "C'mon C'mon" (soft taupe)
• "Little Things" (smoky brown)
• "Take Me Home" (golden glitter creme)
• "Last First Kiss" (nude pink shimmer lipstick)
• "Little Black Dress" volumizing mascara
• "Live While We're Young" (multi-dimensional gold glitter nail varnish)
• "I Wish" (warm chocolate brown eye and body crayon)
• 5 piece decorator stencil set

Up All Night Kit

Includes:

• "Taken" Liquilights glow gloss (gloss that glows under UV light)
• 4+1 Eye Palette including:
• "More Than This" (soft blushing pink)
• "Gotta Be You" (silvered taupe shimmer)
• "Save You Tonight" (shimmering turquoise blue)
• "Another You" (royal blue shimmer)
• "Up All Night" (sapphire glitter creme)
• "I Should Have Kissed You" (bubblegum pink creme lipstick)
• "Little Black Dress" volumizing mascara
• "Na Na Na" (aqua blue metallic chrome nail varnish)
• "Stand Up" (dark denim eye and body crayon)
• 5 piece decorator stencil set

These sets are available for sale in the US starting August 11 and international release dates will be announced soon. I will be doing a review soon of the makeup sets with the help of my assistant/1D superfan Aislinn, so stay tuned. :)

In the meantime, enter now for your chance to win one of these awesome makeup kits, and for more info on Makeup by One Direction, visit www.facebook.com/makeupbyonedirection.

Post sponsored by BrandBacker.

July 2014 Topbox Review

This evening's review is on the July Topbox. For those of you who don't know, Topbox is a monthly beauty subscription box. For $12/month (free shipping!), you receive 4 deluxe beauty samples (heads up though, there is a waiting list to subscribe). Let's see this month's box:

I received:

• CND Vinylux Weekly Nail Polish in Wildfire (www.cnd.com)
• CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat (www.cnd.com)
• StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles (www.strivectin.com)
• theBalm Cosmetics INSTAIN Long-Wearing Powder Staining Blush in Swiss Dot (www.thebalm.com)

I was not super impressed to see red nail polish because I HAVE SO MUCH. That said, I really like CND's Vinylux nail system. When the polish is used with the top coat, it is supposed to last up to a week without chipping. It applied nice and thin but with good colour coverage and a nice gloss. It did actually last a week with minimal chipping (I expected some, I worked in the house and garden during the week).

The StriVectin-SD came in a good sized tube for an eye concentrate sample, which was great. The cream applies nicely, but it's too early to see results yet. The blush from theBalm was okay. It was long lasting, but the colour was too dark and concentrated for me. :/

Overall, this month's Topbox was meh. It didn't blow me away, it just felt like same old. Hopefully next month's Topbox will hold more interesting things!

For more info about Topbox, visit www.topbox.ca

Dove Go Sleeveless Anti-Perspirant Review

I had the chance recently to try out Dove's Go Sleeveless antiperspirant courtesy of Chick Advisor's Product Review Club. I'm a big fan of Dove products, especially their gentleness on skin, so I was very excited to receive this product.

The type of Go Sleeveless antiperspirant I received was Beauty Finish, which has a light powder scent. Go Sleeveless promises to give you softer armpits within 3 days. I was dubious of this claim, but it's actually true! My skin was much softer and less susceptible to razor rash. I also found the wetness and odour protection lasted all day, which is quite the feat considering the hot summer we've had!

This is definitely a product I would buy again. I love it's "gentle strength" and the varieties it comes in (Shea Butter,  Soothing Chamomile, Original, Unscented). Another great thing - right now Dove has a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any Dove antiperspirant! Get yours here (while supplies last).

The Great Nail Polish Giveaway!

The great people at NailPolishCanada.com are hosting a fabulous nail polish giveaway! Bloggers from across the internet are each picking shades to be given away from over 10 different brands - up to 200 nail polishes are available to be won!

AwesPosBlog is participating in the giveaway and the shade we've chosen is Belugaria by Essie.

Photo credit: thebeautyexperience.annabelle.ch

I've been eyeing this shade at work. It looks so interesting with the sparkles in the black polish and its interesting texture. Here is it swatched:

Photo credit: Beautezine.com

I've never seen another nail polish like it and I love it's uniqueness. It's definitely on my nail polish wish list! Anyways, on to the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Almay Cosmetics Review

Almay was kind enough to send me a selection of their products to try recently. I've loved Almay for a long time. My favourite item is their i-color eye shadow kit. The great thing about Almay products is that they're made for sensitive skin, meaning they are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.

I was able to try some cool items I have never tried before. Let's take a look:

Here are the products (l-r):

• Almay smart shade powder blush in Pink
• Almay color + care liquid lip balm in Lilac Love
• Almay smart shade skintone matching makeup in Light
• Almay smart shade CC luminous primer 
• Almay shadow softies by intense i-color eyeshadow in Petal
• Almay smart shade CC concealer + brightener in Light Pale

The smart shade products are really great because they are formulated to match your skin tone. The smart shade skin tone matching makeup contains Almay's new tonemimic™ shade-sensing bead technology that helps the foundation transform into your skintone. The smart shade powder blush has a 3-colour combination that creates a natural-looking flush on your skin. The smart shade CC luminous primer is WONDERFUL. It's like using Photoshop on your face! It covers skin imperfections and evens skintone. A perfect compliment to these smart shade products is the smart shade CC corrector + brightener. The concealer works to hide blemishes while the brightener brightens dark spots and discolouration.

The shadow softies by intense i-color eyeshadow is a really soft, light feeling cream shadow. The colour I received, Petal, is a bit too light for me, but it makes a nice accent colour. The last product, color + care liquid lip balm is a product I've been dying to try since I spotted it at work. This lip balm moisturizes while leaving a lush shine. I loved the Lilac Love shade sent to me but I really want to try Apple a Day!

Here is my look with the products. The side on the left is without makeup, and the side on the right is after using all of the Almay products (I don't have a great camera so it's hard to get a lot of detail):

It's a subtle, natural look, but I really like how the makeup hid my skin flaws (I'm dealing with some breakouts right now).

Almay products are great products for a great price and I genuinely really like them. For more info on Almay products, visit Almay.com

Less Than Great Moments in Technology

This has not been a great month for technology here at AwesPosBlog. In addition to having a memory card full of blog photos wiped (see previous post), the main laptop used for blog posts crashed, meaning new photos taken to replace the lost ones were now also lost. Sigh.

Fear not though! The computer issues are resolved finally! Gear up for new posts soon and thank you for your patience.

Also coming soon? A giveaway. Stay tuned ;)

Perfect Summer Activity - KidsBowlFree.com

Looking for something to do with the kids this summer? Bowling is great! Not only is it great exercise, but it's indoors, and indoors often = air-conditioning!

KidsBowlFree.com offers kids 2 free games of bowling a day all summer long at your local bowling alley. All you pay for is the shoe rental. You can even add on a family pass for $24.95 USD - this allows up to 4 adults to play with the kids all summer long! There are participating bowling alleys all across Canada and the US. We are lucky enough to have one right around the corner from us in St. Catharines, Fairview Lanes (www.fairviewlanes.ca)

We took our first family trip to Fairview yesterday. I used to play there all the time when I was in high school. Mike had previously bowled in youth leagues when he was a kid in Toronto. Hudson had never bowled before, but Aislinn had gone once on a trip for school last year.

The visit only cost us $8 for shoe rentals. We chose a 5-pin lane with bumpers, but we had our option of 10-pin as well, and no bumpers. We figured we made the best choice for beginner bowlers.

Here is Mike showing Aislinn how to bowl:

SO GLAD we went with the bumpers because it would have been a disappointing game for the kids otherwise. This way they could focus on learning how to throw and other basics of the game.

The kids got the hang of it quickly, especially Hudson, as evidenced by the scores:

All I can say in my defence is that it's been a long time since I've played? I do much prefer 10-pin, so we'll probably try that with the kids next time.

One great thing that came out of this was that it was an opportunity to teach the kids about being a good sport and a bad sport. Hudson was bragging and rubbing it in Aislinn's face that he was winning, the first game, then pouting when he didn't do as well the second game. We all had a good sit down to talk about why it was important to win graciously, and just to enjoy the game and not worry about scores. We all had a much better time after that.

The kids had a blast overall, and I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to bowl all summer long.

For more information on the Kids Bowl Free program, visit www.kidsbowlfree.com

Luxe Box Summer 2014 Review

I know! It's been a long time since I've last posted! Sadly, my camera card with ALL of the images for the future blog posts became corrupted and I lost them ALL. I had already opened and used many of the items so I couldn't take new pictures. I was really discouraged and it was hard to get in the mood for blogging. But I'm back! And I'm reviewing my very first Luxe Box!

Luxe Box is a quarterly subscription box from Loose Button. For $26/season (less if you purchase a 6-month or yearly subscription) you receive 6-7 trial size beauty items. Here is the fancy box it came in:

And here are the goodies that came inside:

I received:

• Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate (www.lancome.ca)
• Fekkai PrX Reparatives Shampoo and Conditioner (www.fekkai.com)
• Marni Perfume (www.marni.com)
• Teeez Chain of Stones Nail Lacquer in Pretty in Pyrite (www.teeez.eu)
• L'Occitane 20% Shea Hand Cream (www.loccitane.com)
• Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner (www.eyeko.com)
• Loose Button tweezers 
• 4 samples of Crest 3D White Whitestrips and Toothpaste + coupons (not pictured)

The box I received seemed to be different from a lot of other people's, but I'm very happy with it. I was most excited to receive the L'Occitane hand cream because I LOVE their hand cream. It is soo nice. I also was excited to try the Fekkai hair products because I have heard good things about Fekkai products, and I was not disappointed. My hair is feeling much stronger after using this shampoo and conditioner. 

I have been wanting a nice liquid eyeliner for some time, and I really like this Eyeko one. It stays on well and is easy to apply (for someone why has a steady hand - not me!). I loved the Teeez nail polish. The colour is really nice and something I can wear year round. The only product I didn't care for was the Marni perfume, it was not my scent AT ALL, so I passed it along.

I have to say I really enjoyed this box. There was a good variety of products and they were all high quality. I can't wait for the Fall 2014 box!

To subscribe to Luxe Box, visit www.loosebutton.com/luxebox

May 2014 Topbox Review

It's that time of the month again...Topbox time! I'm still playing catch-up, so again, forgive the lateness of this post. Now on to this month's Topbox!

Here's what I received:

• Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion SPF 15 (www.elizabetharden.ca)
• Kinetics Nail Colour in Splatter It! (www.kineticsnails.com)
• Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Lashes in So Black! (www.lancome.ca)
• Benefit Posiebalm Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm (www.benefitcosmetics.com)
• 10-day supply of Lancôme foundation (received empty jar with coupon to redeem at The Bay)

It was another really great month! First off, my favourite product has to be the Kinetics nail colour. I'd never heard of Kinetics, but I was dying to try a splatter nail polish after seeing Maybelline and Revlon's versions at work. Here's a swatch of Splatter It!:

2 coats of Splatter It! on 2 coats of Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish in Sunny Days

I think it looks awesome, and I've already had friends request to borrow it. I definitely want to check out more of Kinetic's other nail polishes.

I wasn't super excited to receive the Lancôme mascara just because I feel like I've received a lot of mascaras recently. That said, it IS a good mascara and I do love Lancôme products. The Elizabeth Arden lotion I was excited to try out because it's for combination skin, which I have. It's lightweight, not too greasy, and a little goes a long way.

I LOVE Benefit so I was VERY excited to try out the Posiebalm lip balm. It's super moisturizing and has a nice light pink tint. I almost cried when I accidentally ruined it in the washing machine a week later. :(

This was another great box from Topbox. I wonder what next month has in store?

For more information on Topbox, visit topbox.ca

Little Life Box May 2014 Review

This is a bit of a late post, but as you can see from the lack of activity lately, life's been busy and I haven't been on much. I did receive a Little Life Box this month (well, actually 2 with the Mother's Day box), so let's check it out:

I received:

• Camino Organic Fine Chocolates Box (www.lasiembra.com/camino)
• Deep River Snacks Gluten-Free Kettle Chips in Original Salted (www.deepriversnacks.com)
• Go-Go Quinoa Puffed Cereal Choco-Puffs (www.gogoquinoa.com)
• EFFFI Gold Exclusive Skin Emulsion (www.efffi-e.ca)
• Ener-C Vitamin Drink Sachets (www.tryenerc.com)
• Mighty Leaf Organic Tea in Spring Jasmine, Breakfast, and African Nectar (www.mightyleaf.ca)
• Natura Cappucino Soy Drink + coupons (www.nutrisoya.com)
• OneCoffee Organic K-Cups in Sumatran (www.myworldinacup.com)
• Sow Good Face And Body Polish (www.sowgoodbeauty.com)
• Maison Orphée Unrefined Toasted Sesame Oil (www.maisonorphee.com)
• Brad King's Ultimate Calorie Burn (www.transforminghealthinc.com)
• Ecoideas Chlorophyll in Mint (www.ecoideas.ca)

One thing I will mention is that I received the same box for Mother's Day as I did for the regular box, differences being a different flavour of the Deep River Chips and a note in the MD box (ranty note: when the MD boxes were ordered [I ordered one for my mom and Mike ordered one for me] you had the option to have a personalized note written on a card inside the box. My mom received the personalized note; I received a generic "Happy Mother's Day". Mike was not impressed). Other than taking the specialness away of having a MD box, it worked out having both boxes the same because they were so good. You have no idea how happy I was to have a second crack at that box of Camino chocolates (which, btw, were beautiful and delicious).

There were a few repeat brands: Camino obviously, but THEY'RE SO GOOD they can be in ANY BOX ANY TIME; OneCoffee k-cups (which I have a sneaking suspicion they're trying to clear out); Mighty Leaf Tea (different flavours this time); Ener-C, which I love for work anyways; Sow-Good, different product though.

One weird item I received both times - Brad King's Ultimate Calorie Burn. Now, I'm wary of all weight loss pills, since, well, c'mon. There's no magic pill. I also find it kind of insulting to include this in a MOTHER"S DAY box! It's like, "I love you Mom...but lose some weight." I dunno, it's supposed to give you energy, so maybe I'll use it when I'm back in class in September?

Otherwise, everything else I received was so good. Standouts (other than the Camino): the Maison Orphée sesame oil (I feel really luxe cooking with it), and the Natura Soy Milk, which tasted awesome, and I've bought a few times since trying it.

To subscribe to Little Life Box, visit www.littlelifebox.com

imPress Press-On Manicure Review

I recently got the chance from Influenster to try the new imPress Press-On Manicure. The kits came as a total surprise in my mail one day (though 2 days later I received an email from Influenster saying I had been chosen to try out this product and that my box was being shipped :/). Anywho, here's what I received:

I don't generally do artificial nails, or even long nails for that matter, for several reasons. One, I am not functional with long nails AT ALL. And by long, I mean normal for everyone else. When my nails are like an inch long, I act like my nails are like this:

The second reason I don't use artificial nails is that I have small nail beds and usually artificial nails are too big for me. That said, the inPress nails are actually quite small fitting. I really wanted to try the lacy set too so I had high hopes for these.

These were super easy to apply - just peel the back off of each nail and press it on. The package also came with a variety of sizes which was helpful. The length was okay. Still longer than I'd like, though the thumb length was perfect. If all the nail lengths were like that I would've been very happy. The nails stayed on very well. I peeled them off after a day, but it took a lot of effort.

IF I were to buy artificial nails, I would buy these because I know they fit well. Maybe one day I won't be such a spazz with long nails :P

For more information on imPress, visit www.impressmanicure.com

Camino Ginger Dark Chocolate Bar Review

ethicalDeal recently sent me a Camino chocolate bar to review as part of their new ethicalSamples program. I'm a big fan of Camino chocolate. Their chocolate bars are certified fair-trade, organic, kosher, and gluten-free. Here's what I received:

Camino's Ginger Dark Chocolate bar contains 65% cacao. I love dark chocolate but I was a little bit apprehensive to try ginger and dark chocolate. I don't mind a little bit of ginger here and there in my food, but I'm not a big fan. That said, ginger and dark chocolate actually makes a really nice combination in this chocolate bar. It's similar to chili dark chocolate, which I like, but less spicy which works out better than me (I'm also not crazy about a lot of spice).

It's a really different kind of chocolate bar, and I would definitely buy it sometime. I might have to, because the rest of the family isn't getting any of this :P

For more on Camino products, visit www.tasteofcamino.com

Good Things in the Mail - May 12, 2014

Here are some good freebies that came in the mail last week:

• Garnier Damage Eraser shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask samples (from www.garnier.ca - OVER) - I was able to try these products in the Influenster Mystery Box  so I know they're good :)
• SaveaLoonie.com tote bag (from sending in a hot freebie tip)
• Bolt Tape sample (from www.bolt-tape.com - OVER) - I'm excited to try this on my wrist (I have carpal tunnel syndrome), and I've used KT Tape before which is similar so I feel like I'll have success with this

What good things did you get in the mail last week?

Clearance Steals at Chapters

I was at Chapters last week to do a return (accidentally bought a book I already had), and of course I had to go check out the clearance table (my favourite place in the store). I had checked out calligraphy and fountain pen kits the last time I was at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, QC  and REALLY wanted them. Well, I found BOTH kits at Chapters! For uber cheap!

Manuscript Calligraphy Set - reg. retail price $25, sale price $5

This set comes with looks great! It comes with two fountain pens as well as a selection of nibs and colour cartridges, practice pad, and guideline sheets.

Manuscript Quill Correspondence Set - reg. retail price $50, sale price $8

I'm SO excited to try out this set. It comes with a quill with 3 nibs, a bottle of ink, red and gold sealing wax, wax seal, and stationary.

I am extremely excited to try out this set and I'll have to share some of my work once I get started :)

For more information on Manuscript products, visit www.calligraphy.co.uk

 

Cesar Softies Medley Trio Dog Treats Review

Cesar Canada ran a giveaway on their Facebook page in March/April offering a free bag of their new Softies Dog Treats. To enter, you posted a photo of a "sweet small dog moment", so of course I entered Annie.

Seriously, who can resist this cuteness?!

Cesar Softies are treats especially created for small dogs. We received a bag of Softies in Medley Trio flavours - the three flavours are Porterhouse, Grilled Chicken, and Applewood Smoked Bacon (thus confirming that my animals eat better than me).

Annie is a bit too big for these treats (Beagles are such a weird size category, like smallish-medium? I have the worst time finding a dog sweater for her). That being the case, I gave her a few at a time to eat. She LOVED them! Really really loved them. Unfortunately, the cats did too. I left them on the microwave in the evening and when I got up the next morning, the package was in the living room, package shredded and treats gone. 

Olive, one of the treat-stealing fiends

Despite only having a brief time to try the treats, we were very impressed by them. They would be best for extra-small to small breeds (and maybe even cats!). 

For more information on Cesar Softies Dog Treats, visit www.cesar.com