Shining Skin with Shebah!

So, in my quest for the perfect Vitamin C Serum, I have discovered 20% Vitamin C Serum from Shebah Naturals!

Product Description:

 - This high quality Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin C Serum reduces the appearance of formation & existing fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and sun spots while repairing skin and preventing future damage.

- Eight antioxidants help to nourish skin for a smooth & soft complexion.

- Designed to increase the production of collagen to rejuvenate & nourish firmer, healthier skin.

- Completely free from cruelty, stinging, alcohol, filler, parabens sulfate, mineral oil, lanolin, gulten & GMO.

What I Love about Shebah Naturals 20% Vitamin C Serum:

- This serum definitely lives up to its promises!

- Did not clog my pores, and my skin felt smoother & softer after just one application!

- My skin appeared healthier and more hydrated after 3 days of twice daily use!

- I love protecting my skin from free radicals, including pollution, which is important in the Bay Area.

- It works perfectly under makeup!

- I love knowing that this serum uses vegan ingredients!

- I feel good about Shebah Naturals' money back guarantee. 

Verdict: Yay!

You can find Shebah Naturals' 20% Vitamin C Serum on Amazon for $21.95 for 1 fl oz, which is a fair price for such a high quality Vitamin C Serum.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tomoson.com and made possible by G'ocean.  Products were provided in exchange for my time in assessing their quality and writing an honest review about them. All product information is gleaned from the manufacturer's product description.  All opinions are my own based on my experiences with the product.  All photos are my own. 

Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty Launch!

Have you heard about Ulta.com's 21 Days of Beauty?

Here are all the goodies you can score! 

click the pic for more information about today's deal!

I'm hoping to score Tarte's $10 Mascara on March 17th or BareMinerals $9 Mascara on March 28!  And if I'm super on top of my game, I'm hoping to get Lorac's Champagne Dreams for $15 on March 29th!  (Who knows, it might show up in a future giveaway!) 

Which days are you most excited for?

My Skin Loves the Sea Air with Oz Naturals!

I've emphasized the importance of incorporating toner into your beauty routine previously.  

In my search for great and affordable toners, I was very excited that Oz Naturals invited me to review their Ocean Mineral Tonic! 

Product Description:

- Specifically formulated to support a highly effective relationship with serums & moisturizers.

- Dermatologist Grade Skin Treatment: contains a naturally potent blend of glycolic acid, ocean minerals, vitamin C & amino acids.

- You can expect to see results within the first seven days of daily use!

- Anti Aging Toner is 100% natural, cruelty-free, vegan and free from alcohol, parabens & sulfates

- Carefully pH balanced, which makes it safe for all skin types!

What I Love about Oz Naturals Ocean Mineral Tonic:

- Noticeable improvement in the performance of tonics & serums I use daily!

- Skin feels refreshed, and extra clean without feeling tight & dry after use!

- Skin feels more moisturized and appears more vibrant after one week of twice daily use.

- Easy spray dispenser invites use as midday skin/ makeup refresher as well as toner.

- I love the value of this product & its price point! 

Oz Naturals' Ocean Mineral Tonic is available on Amazon for $17.49 for 4 fl oz!

Verdict: Yay!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Oz Naturals.  Products were provided in exchange for my time in assessing their quality and writing an honest review about them. All product information is gleaned from the manufacturer's product description.  All opinions are my own based on my experiences with the product.  All photos are my own. 

Guest Post ~ The Health Benefits of Massage!

I am very excited about today's guest contribution from Fix.com!  

I know that we all suffer from stress, muscle fatigue, and restless nights.  I know from my own few experiences with massage that it is an amazing way to address all three of these symptoms of living!

Now, I've heard of many different types of massage: Shiatsu, Swedish, Deep Tissue, etc.  I've even had a Hot Stone Massage! But doesn't mean I know what they are!  In fact, when I my Hot Stone Massage, all I really knew was that it was amazing!  I love this very informative chart since it will help me navigate how I approach my next massage!

Source: Fix.com

Beauty Joy Unboxing & Review!

I recently received a recommendation from a fellow subscription box addict on Facebook to try out Beauty Joy.  Well, I couldn't resist after all the wonderful things she had to say about her experience with them, so I had to try them for myself and share my verdict with you!

My Unboxing Thoughts:

The Goodies in my Beauty Joy Box:

Amount Paid: $15.00

Value of Box: $62.75

I'm really impressed with the value in this box!  The lip gloss and necklace are quite wonderful.  I'm swimming in cleansers right now; this one smells wonderful, but it'll probably go in my giveaway drawer.  The hand santizer is always nice, but that one left me a bit underwhelmed.  Overall, though, I'm quite pleased with this box!

Verdict: I'm Happy, so Yay!

Happy with Haven Arc's Serum!

I am quite impressed with the benefits of Vitamin C Serums in general, as I've talked about before.

Havens Arc is a small company who offers a natural and organic skin care line to enhance the look and confidence of their customers.  One of their more popular products is their Vitamin C Serum.

Product Description:

- Contains high quality ingredients such as Organic Rosehip Oil, Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil, Green Tea Extract, and Botanical Hyaluronic Acid.

- Contains 20% concentration of Vitamin C

- Ingredients offer excellent anti-aging properties to enhance the health and appearance of skin!

What I Love about Haven Arc's Vitamin C Serum:

- Good quality Vitamin C Serum.  I like that it contains 20% Vitamin C as well as ingredients that are deeply moisturizing

- It does not have an overly strong scent of Vitamin C (no fermented oranges smell, here!)

 - It performs well.  My skin tone appeared healthier and more even after one week of twice daily use

- Dark Colored Bottle with Dropper prolongs product's shelf life, and make dispensing easy

You can find Haven Arc's Vitamin C Serum on Amazon for $17.99 for 1 fl oz, which is an average price for similar products.

Verdict: Meh, but Happy!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tomoson.com and made possible by Haven's Arc.  Products were provided in exchange for my time in assessing their quality and writing an honest review about them. All product information is gleaned from the manufacturer's product description.  All opinions are my own based on my experiences with the product.  All photos are my own. 

Laughing Scholar's Jammin' Jamberry ONLINE Party!

I'm really, really, really excited friends!  You know that I love my Jamberry Nail Wraps!  Well, I am co-hosting my first Jamberry Party with Fantastic Friend & Rockin' Jamberry Consultant, Frances!

We'll be running games so that you can earn points for all sorts of fun nail designs throughout the next week!  

Stop by and request to join

Suzanne's Jammin' Jamberry Nail ONLINE Party!

to get in on all of the fun, games, & goodies!

Jamberry is killin' it representing Pantone's Color of the Year: Marsala!
Look at these totally cute designs!

Who's ready for spring already?  Still fighting snow & cold?  At least you can remember the signs of spring on your fingertips!!

What are you waiting for?  Come join the party!

Wanting to buy some wraps, but not feeling up for a party?

You can buy Nail Wraps Here!

#TodaysReasonToSmile ~ My Sweet Puppy Dog!

So, I've had a pretty crappy day today.  I woke up fine, and then when I stood up from working on my computer to get ready to walk the dog, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Nothing felt right.

The world seemed like it had shifted a bit to the left.

And my head didn't feel totally connected to the rest of me.

All day today I've had to wait out the vertigo and dizziness.

Finally admitting defeat, I sent out email apologies for my absences at meetings today, piled up some pillows, crawled into bed, and rested propped up against the mountain of squishiness.   And you know who snuggled with me for the next four hours while I slept it off?  My sweet Barley-Dog.

So, today's reason to smile is dedicated to a pup who definitely ought to rank in the top 100 of the sweetest dogs in the world.

Enjoy the precious pictures!

 Barley keeping me company while I write my comps.

 Barley cuddling with his favorite person - the hubby.

 Barley expresses how much he missed his favorite person one afternoon by crawling into his lap and promptly melting.

 Barley waits patiently for morning walk time.

Barley very sweetly asks to for morning walks when I oversleep one morning.

Today's Reason to Smile: Barley-Dog!

also known as Nurse Dog, BatDog, Cuddle-Buddy, Bathroom Mat Crumpler, and Enemy of the Skateboard

Bulu Box Unboxing & Review!

I managed to score a $10/3 month subscription for Bulu Box back in January.  You know how much I love trying out these subscription boxes on a good deal and sharing my thoughts with you!  So, here we go!

About Bulu Box:

Bulu Box is the first health, nutrition and weight loss discovery box designed to help you feel your best. Each month, you’ll get a custom box filled with a new mix of 4 to 5 premium samples from top brands to try. Every sample is sufficient enough to decide if the product is right for you. Of course, shipping is always free and you can cancel anytime. Share your thoughts about each product in our sample surveys and you can earn 50+ Rewards Points (that's $5!) each month! Use your points to purchase your new favorites in full size atBuluBox.com! Here you’ll also get expert tips, tricks and a supportive community of Bulugans just like you! Join the discovery and find a healthier you!

February Bulu Box Unboxing:

Here's the Box:

All the Goodies:

Overall Thoughts:

I think this is a great purchase for $10 for 3 months! I'm really excited about trying out some new products, raking up some points, and buying something before my 3 month subscription is over.  That said, for the $10/ month, I don't think it would really be my thing.  I'm just not that into health food . . . 

Now, $10/month is still a great value for these products. 

I love that we can earn points for every review we write as well as for friend referrals.  The downside is that points expire 90 days after you earn them, so unlike Birchbox, there's no storing them up all up year and then going crazy in the store.  

I was impressed with the four coupon codes plus heart health insert that came in my box this month, though!

Finally, I'm relatively happy with their questionnaire that helps match sample products with your specific box.  I like that I got a nice array of things that might actually interest me.  I didn't get any weight loss magic pills/powder stuff, which I specifically said I did not want.

Verdict: Yay!

Want to try Bulu Box for yourself?  I'd love it if you used my referral link!

#TodaysReasonToSmile

Today's reason to smile comes at the very end of my day.  

Hubby knows my anxiety has been high lately with new job, comps, and other changes.  The past week he's been doing a great job of checking in about my anxiety level, what I can do to help reduce it, and what he can do to make it easier for me to accomplish those things.  

Because my depression usually raises its ugly head as a result of my anxiety spiraling out of control, I really appreciate him helping me to be aware of how high or low it is at the beginning and end of the day.  

Tonight while we were out walking the dog, he checked in with me as usual.  He supported my decision to get ready for sleep when we got upstairs and even offered to make me decaffeinated tea to help me settle down for the night.  

Its really nice feeling sleepy before 2AM! 

So, today's reason to smile is having a supportive partner who will make me tea!

Today is International Women's Day ~ My Thoughts + How to Plug In!

Beauty is more than skin deep, and an issue that impacts us all as human beings.  We long to be seen as the beautiful creations we are.  We ought to be treating one another in ways that celebrate each human being's unique beauty.  This world is filled with beautiful people who treat others and are treated by others in truly ugly ways, which is why we need days like International Women's Day.

My contribution to the conversation is a short piece on feminism, which I hope you will read.  Additionally, I encourage you to take part of International Women's Day today, March 8th via links at the bottom of the post!  

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

As a self-proclaimed feminist, I embrace today and the message about the importance of gender equality.  I do not understand feminism to be something that is anti-men/ anti-male.  Rather, for me, feminism is the desire to see the end of oppression within human relationships.

I understand patriarchal ways in which society functions to be equally detrimental for women and men.  As a brief example, demands upon men to be the "bread-winners" holds them to standards that are, by and large, completely unreasonable in today's economy.  The expectation that men always go to work can stifle the desires of those fathers who want to be stay-at-home-dads!  

The fact that women across the board are paid less than their male counterparts is inherently problematic.  Especially in our US society where one of the ways in which a human being's worth is determined is by the size of their paycheck, our economy declares that women are less valuable than men.  This is one of many variables that create situations in which women are marginalized in our capitalist economy.  Pair the reality of women with the reality of persons of color and we end up with a situation in which those who are the most vulnerable in our society are women of color.  Even within women's struggle for equality, our struggle is not equal.  It is imperative that women continue to lift one another up, even across political, socio-economic and racial boundaries.  It is only together that we can continue the dialogue.  Action requires communication.  Both require mutual understanding and a willingness to work together toward a mutual goal.  I hope that today is a day in which the complexities of the struggle for equality are lifted to the surface just as the need for equality itself is highlighted across the world.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

I've included lots of logos and links to various ways to connect with today's celebration!  May today be beautiful for you!

Today we celebrate the role of women in our international communities while reminding ourselves and the rest of the world of the need for equality!

#MakeItHappen

#PaintItPurple

PLUS, Tune in for an Amazing Presentation by Emma Watson as part of Celebrating International Womene's Day for a HeForShe and Gender Equality Conversation Live on Facebook!

I hope that you've found a way to plug in, participate, and be inspired to #MakeItHappen; we all need to work toward a greater awareness of gender equality!

Calm Skin with L'Occitane Shea Butter Comforting Creme

I knew before I even opened my Refresh VoxBox that I loved L'Occitane, because of my experience with their L'OcciBox I got for Christmas! So, when I saw the deluxe sample of L'Occitane's Shea Butter Light Comforting Creme in my VoxBox, I was really excited about trying out their skin care line!

Product Description:

The Light Shea Butter Comforting Cream, with its fine and non-greasy texture, is formulated with 5% shea butter to answer the essential needs of normal to combination skin, including sensitive skin types. Lastingly moisturized (48h)**, skin is supple and soft. As protected against external aggressions, skin stays comfortable all day long.

In Burkina Faso, women produce shea butter by hand. While one might expect this technique to weaken and damage the skin, in reality it leaves it incredibly soft. L'OCCITANE discovered that the shea butter produced in Burkina Faso using traditional methods is particularly rich in omega 6 and karitene. These molecules have exceptional properties and help to moisturize, nourish and give extra protection to the skin every day. 

**Effectiveness test on 12 volunteers

What I Love about L'Occitane's 5% Shea Butter Comforting Creme:

- Light & creamy!

- Highly Moisturizing without feeling super greasy!

- Smells wonderful!

- A little bit goes a long way!

- Beautiful packaging

- LOVE the size of this deluxe sample!

I had a total blast at the L'Occitane Free Mini-Facial Event through Influenster! Natalia at the Emeryville, CA location was extremely helpful! Isn't my skin glowing after my mini-facial?  I even scored my free gift with purchase!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Influenster and made possible by L'Occitane.  Products were provided in exchange for my time in assessing their quality and writing an honest review about them. All product information is gleaned from the manufacturer's product description.  All opinions are my own based on my experiences with the product.  All photos are my own. 

Falling in Love with Roses!

Earlier this week, I shared with you about the importance of using a facial toner, and what to look for depending on your skin needs.

I am personally loving this Rose Water Toner that InstaNatural sent me to review.  When my skin is happy, it behaves as the normal skin type.  (When its unhappy, its more like the miserable skin type.)

I'm really impressed with the quality and performance of InstaNatural's Moroccan Rose Water Ultimate Facial Toner.

Product Description:

-  100% Pure and Natural rose water made from 100% Rosa Damascena petals.

- Rose Water acts as a toner to naturally balance skin's pH, which makes it soft, smooth and radiant.

- Soothes and calms skin irritations while cleansing and hydrating the skin naturally.

- Suitable for all skin types: normal, oily, dry & sensitive.

- Wonderful for prepping skin for serums and moisturizers.

- Multiple Uses: facial toner, makeup remover, relaxing addition to a bath, hair treatment for soft & smooth hair, as well as aromatherapy.

- No chemicals, preservatives, fragrance, and never tested on animals.

What I Love about InstaNatural's Moroccan Rose Water Ultimate Facial Toner:

- This toner lives up to its description!

- My skin feels wonderfully smooth and refreshed after each use.

- Serums and moisturizers are more effective after I've used this serum.

- My skin feels cleaner after use, and the cotton ball proves it!

- The toner smells wonderful!

- A little bit goes a very long way, so this toner will last for a while.

- I love the single, simple ingredient of this toner!

- This toner is very fairly priced at $13.97/ 4 fl oz.

Verdict: Yay!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tomoson.com and made possible by InstaNatural.  Products were provided in exchange for my time in assessing their quality and writing an honest review about them. All product information is gleaned from the manufacturer's product description.  All opinions are my own based on my experiences with the product.  All photos are my own.