Review: Tatcha Skin Care.

I was sent 5 items from Tatcha Skincare; one step camellia cleansing oil, radiant deep brightening serum, supple moisture rich silk cream, and beauty blotting papers.

Tatcha’s mission is to share with US the secret that has been held for over 200 years- the secret to the beautifully flawless porcelain skin that all Japanese women have.

The one step camellia cleansing oil

I love this cleansing oil. At first I wasn’t so sure that a cleansing oil would be right for my naturally oily skin. BUT this has a natural oil from the Camellia flower. The reason it wasn’t over the top oily is because it is one of the top oils that are quickly absorbed by human skin.

It comes is a pearly white bottle with a dropper style top that makes it easy to get JUST the right amount.The bottle designed to be simple yet elegant.

This Tatcha One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil is more herbal than not. It is a thickish yellow liquid.

On my forearm is Geri G Foundation, CoverGirl brow & eye makers midnight black, Revlon Colour Rush Duo Eye Shadow & Dalton Cosmetics Lash Fix

It doesn’t take scrubbing and scrubbing to get the makeup off. My skin isn’t red or irritated from harsh cleansers or rough washcloths. All I have to do is rub the Cleansing oil directly on the makeup and gently wipe it off with a washcloth and it’s gone. My skin is left silky smooth and completely rehydrated.

The Camellia Oil in this cleansing oil has high levels of omega fatty acids, polyphenols and vitamin E which is very healthy for skin. The bottle is simple yet ornately made. The essential fatty acids help to promote healthy skin and prevent skin problems such as acne.

Acne is caused when skin overproduces keratin and sebum. They end up blocking skin pores and causing infections. Essential Fatty Acids destroy the fatty deposits that block the pores and cause acne, and eventually end up healing skin that was afflicted by the pores and acne.

I love the smell of this. It has a botanical, flowery, herbal scent that is relaxing and yet invigorating at the same time. This wasn’t just staying on TOP of my skin leading to breakouts. This was actually nourishing and hydrating without feeling too MUCH. This only takes about 2-3 pumps to completely polishes my skin and removes all sign of makeup (even mascara).

Who it's for:
All skin types. Non-irritating. Non-sensitizing. Dermatologist tested.

BUY IT: You can buy the Camellia Cleansing Oil for $48

 

Radiant Deep Brightening Serum

Tatcha’s Deep Brightening Serum is made with Rice Extract, Silk Protein, Green Tea leaf extract, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, and tons of other natural extracts to give the skin moisture and to brighten those dark spots.

Rice extract gives both short and long term moisturizing to all layers of the skin. It also boosts collagen to give the skin extra suppleness and firmness. My skin has been beautifully hydrated and satiny smooth since I began using this.

It is a lightweight lotion type of serum, so it seeps into the skin very quickly. My skin felt very refreshed after I used this. Revitalizing AND stimulating? Yes, please!

I didn’t really have any dark spots to begin with, so I can’t really say if my skin has benefited from the lightening aspects of this brightening serum. But my complexion did have a healthy glow after a week of use, that wasn’t there before.

BUY IT: You can buy the Deep Brightening Serum for $150 from the website

 

Supple Moisture Rich Silk Cream

 

Luxurious yet weightless feeling gel-cream of liquid silk, squalane, royal jelly + HADASEI-3 Bioactive Complex.

This is an amazing cream is long lasting and very beneficial to keeping young looking skin. Although it is an extremely great moisturizing it isn’t smothering to my rather oily skin. I can put this on at night and wake up with radiant, non-oily skin.

It doesn’t have any heavy oils in it, is the reason it doesn’t OVERDO the whole moisture thing. It is lightweight and feels more like a gel then a moisturizer. It seeps into my skin very quickly, so I can put this on right before bed and not have to worry that my pillow is going to get ruined.

The texture is delicate and satiny feeling. My skin is nothing but soft and luminous after I put this on!

BUY IT: You can buy the Supple Moisture Rich Silk Cream for $150

Petal Fresh Original Aburatorigami Papers

Removes excess oil and sweat without disturbing makeup or stealing moisture from the skin. A powder and primer alternative that improves the wear of makeup.

These papers come with 30 in each pack. OH my did I fall in love with these. I use these after I’ve put my makeup on. All you have to do is pat your skin with the paper and it soaks up all the extra oils and grime in your skin.

As someone who has oily skin- I have been packing these in my purse to dab on my face throughout the day. My skin and my makeup always looks and feels absolutely fresh and lively. No more waiting to get home and find out my makeup is half gone because of the oils that have formed under my makeup!

BUY IT: You can buy a 30 pack of the Petal Fresh Original Aburatorigami Papers for $12.

 

About Tatcha:

For over 300 years, Japan’s geisha have been held in awe for their enduring wisdom and breathtakingly beautiful, porcelain skin.

Perfected through centuries of timeless rituals, it was widely believed these beauty secrets had been passed down from one generation of geisha to the next by word of mouth alone.

That is, until TATCHA rediscovered their coveted daily regimes in a 200-year-old manuscript, written in the twilight of Japan’s Edo Period.

Traveling back to the City of 2000 Temples (Kyoto), TATCHA has worked with teams of scientists, scholars and geisha themselves to decipher the rituals and ingredients from this text.  What we uncovered is the very foundation of Eastern skincare and beauty.

TATCHA’s formulas pay homage to the icon of Eastern beauty and our own storied heritage

Connect with Tatcha on Twitter, Facebook, and

their blog!

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

 

How Make Yourself Cozy During the Winter Time

For many of us fall time is still here, but for others in different parts of the United States where it snows, it seems like winter has come already! Snow has definitely reached me in Utah and I’ve been snowed in for three days at my home due to one factor – me not wanting to unbury one foot of snow that’s on top of my car! All of this snow definitely means a long winter and I’m already cold and yearning for spring time. I’ve been thinking of ways to keep myself warm during the winter time, and I just don’t mean huddling by the fire! I think making subtle changes to my home and investing in the right clothing will brighten my mood and keep me warm. I hope it does the same for you!

Stylish Furniture for Entertaining – My family and I often have company over during the holidays and its always nice having plenty of room in the dining room area for guests and not to mention for food. By having a large dining room there’s plenty of space for company and yummy food that makes up a delicious Thanksgiving and Christmas feast. Plus, that’s why having stylish and functional dining table and chairs is important during the holidays. Having the right amount of dining room space will be perfect for your guests and it will look inviting during the winter. I get excited thinking about having company over and look forward to creating a cozy atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home.

Warm Clothing on Cold Winter Days – Winter clothing is definitely important when you have cold temps that chill you to the bone. My personal favorites are jeans, leggings, sweaters, and long sleeve tops. Of course I also enjoy pairing a winter dress with leggings and putting on a pair of boots to top it all off during special occasions or if I just want to feel extra pretty! Winter clothing is all about layering and feeling stylish simultaneously. Warning: if you try to sacrifice warmth for style you definitely will suffer – it’s cold out there!

Simple Touches Like Hot Cocoa and Movies – Of course I wouldn’t stay sane without a warm winter bath, hot cocoa, hot cider, and watching my favorite films. I definitely rely on my Netflix throughout winter and I also find myself running to Redbox quite often as well. When you’re surrounded by snow and can’t stay warm a great movie and warm liquids such as soup is what I turn to. It certainly is a calming element to look forward to during the winter time and is a must-do activity throughout the winter months.

Sierra is a freelance writing and blogger at her blog Ocean Dreams. She stays cozy during the winter time through great company, hot cocoa and warm clothes!

Review: Dream Essentials Snooz Silky Soft Eye Mask

Do you have trouble sleeping through the night? Do you work at night and sleep during the day? Have kids that nap and you try and catch a nap too?

Do you travel a lot and have to sleep wherever you catch some zzz’s? Such as airports, airplanes, or strange hotels? I have an awesome black out mask to tell you about!

Dream Essentials sent me their Snooz Silky Eye Mask. This eye mask is small, so it can easily fit in the front pocket of your purse, travel bag, or pocket of your jacket. This way you have it on hand when you need it.

The fabric is silky soft, and has tons of inside layers so light can’t penetrate through. It has a nose piece that goes over the nose, so light can’t enter through the cracks (almost). This is where most light DOES get in with other masks.

It comes with a set of ear plugs so that you aren’t just blocking light but sound as well. It may be hard for a night shift worker to sleep during the day when your family is watching tv, making lunch, or doing everyday tasks during your sleep time.

It has 2 elastic bands instead of 1, so that it firmly grips your head and stays put. Most masks only have the one band which can make it hard for sleeping, especially for someone who tosses and turns. This one actually stays without any problems.

BUY IT: You can buy the Snooz Silky Soft Eye Mask for $3.95

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Jessica Renee

Review: Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year; Rallie McAllister MD, MPH & Jennifer Bright

It is natural for new moms to have tons of questions about their babies first year. I was going through being a first time mom by myself. I didn’t know anyone that was close to me that was going through parenting at the same time.

So I didn’t get to compare funny, cute stories or ask questions about first foods and such I went and bought tons of pregnancy books, but yet they weren’t standing up to all the questions I had.

My pregnancy was different than most normal pregnancies because my son was born WAY too early He ended up being born at 24 weeks (which is 3 1/2 months early. When he was born he was 1 lb 13 ounces and only 12 1/2 inches His eyes were still closed, I couldn’t hold him, and frankly I was scared to death.

So- trying to make it as normal as I could- I still poured over the books hoping that everything would be ok. Mostly they were just random and I couldn’t get any REAL help out of them.

That’s until I found The Mommy MD Guides. They have 3 different copies of the books They have the Pregnancy & Birth book, The Baby’s First Year, and the the Toddler Book.

This time around I got to review the Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year. I was freaked out more than once when Aidan finally got to come home directly a day after his due date (July 9th 2007). I ended up calling my pediatrician in the middle of the night, but what was happening was completely normal (his heart monitor was too big for his body and kept beeping like his heart had stopped). Since we can’t keep our doctors up at night asking a million questions, it’s always comforting to have something else to turn to.

This book isn’t just written by DOCTORS, but doctors who are also moms. 70 of them to be exact! That’s awesome. Everything we need right at our fingertips. This is hands down the best baby help book I’ve read. What to Expect doesn’t even touch the first chapter of this book.

This isn’t just a book filled with random tips for you to try. This is a book that digs deeper and actually offers stories and advice from the mom doctors. I love that they offer advice on baby’s first screening, breast feeding, bottle and nipple choices- newborns are all different, so they offer stories from their own newborns and the choices they made.

Every baby IS different, so as a mom you have to choose what is right for YOUR baby and your family. I’ve co-slept with both my kids, although pediatricians don’t think it’s such a great idea. Some of the moms in this book have co-slept with their babies- so it was nice to see that moms & doctors do the same.

This book leaves NOTHING out. Diaper rash, feeding solids for the first time, day care, playdates, dealing with your parents (AND in-laws), sickness, and poop. There is so much valuable information that THIS could be named the new baby manual.

I love that they tell it in a story mode. It’s like reading other mom’s life with their children for the first year. There are multiple sides to everything. Such as breast/bottle feeding, cloth/disposable diapering, co-sleeping or not. It is just a irreplaceable book that you don’t want to be without the first year.

Put down those other NON helpful books and pick this one up! The best thing about it that it’s under $14. So, even if YOU don’t have a newborn- this is the perfect gift to give a new mommy for Christmas or baby shower present! If there ever was a baby manual- this is it!

BUY IT: You can buy the Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year for only $13.45.

Connect with Mommy MD Guides on

Facebook, Twitter, and the Blog.

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Review: Travel in Style with Atlantic Luggage- Compass 2 21” Spinner

 

Holidays are very VERY near, which means travel. Most of us travel to be with our family and friends during the holiday season, whether it be by bus, train, or plane.

Spending a ton on luggage doesn’t necessarily mean you get more. What you need to look for is the quality of the luggage for the price. We’ve all heard or experienced having a bag rip, tear, or break just when we need it the most. BUT I’ve been testing out the Atlantic Luggage Compass 2 21” Spinner.

This carry-on comes in two colors- black and cranberry. I ended up getting the black one, and have definitely fallen in love with this amazing suitcase. It has everything I need, want, and more! It is so spacious and beautiful.

Do YOU know what to look for when it comes to great luggage? If not, Ms. Jess is here to help you out on that one! Here are the things you need to look for (no matter what it LOOKS like):

Durability & Weight:

You want to make sure that your luggage isn’t made of a cheap fabric that is going to split or tear up after using it just a few times. The reason I love the Compass Spinner is because it is made of high-sheen polyester.

This type of fabric renders a phenomenal resistance to normal wear and tear. It’s nice to have a bag that I know is going to combat the punishment that traveling can give bags.

I love that this bag isn’t only durable but it’s SO lightweight, even when it’s packed completely down with stuff. No matter where I’m going, I don’t want to be held down with heavy luggage that takes all my strength to pick up or pull behind me. This is the perfect weight for picking up, rolling, and storing.

Size & Compartments:

You don’t want to go too small when you’re choosing your luggage. You also need to make sure that is has plenty of extra compartments for your smaller items that you don’t want floating around in your main compartment.

I love that the main compartment has tons of room. As a woman, I love to pack several extra pairs of clothes (just in case). It also has buckles to keep everything in it’s place while I’m rolling this beauty behind me.

I love the detailed checked inside fabric in the pretty light blue. (Which has the matching zippers and storage places). The main compartment has 2 storage places to keep extras. The extra picture you see up top comes with a garment bag. This is to store an important business suit, or dress & shoes for the wedding. I love it.

The other storage place is right beside my clothes, which I use for bra’s, panties, and socks. You can put whatever you want in there- razors, brushes, extra makeup, wallets, ties or belts. It’s big enough for anything to fit without causing bulge.

Large zippered front pocket provides storage for 17” laptop with no problem. I even have room to tuck the cord in at the bottom. I am rarely seen without my laptop, so I was grateful that it could slide in and zip without it being too snug.

If you don’t feel like packing your laptop, this could be the pocket for your newspaper, magazines, presentation folder, or sweater. It’s a really deep pocket and I love it!

Second front pocket provides quick access to a wallet, passport, iPod^®, keys and airline tickets. I used it for quick access to my tablet and book so I don’t get bored while traveling. This is a very roomy front pocket.

 

Wheels:

For convenience rolling suitcases you first need to make sure your wheels aren’t going to fly off at the worst moment EVER. They need to be sturdy and actually rotate the way you need them to.

You also need to check to see if they have wheel guards. This protects the wheels when you’re actually in the middle of traveling, so they aren’t damaged or broken. These wheels not only have coverings, but they have skid guards as well.

It has larger wheels on the back than in the front. This makes those really fast twists and turns easy without the wheels getting stuck. It switches easily from being pulled beside me, to being pulled behind me. I never feel like it’s going to run over me (too close) or is too far behind me.

 

Zipper:

You want to make sure that the zippers on the bag are strong. You don’t want to end up with broken zippers or zippers that don’t end up touching all the way, leaving gaps.

If you tend to over-pack or you travel frequently, you know how much of a beating a zipper can eventually take. Having a suitcase with a messed up zipper can be worse than you think. If your zipper pull breaks off- it makes it hard to access your belongings quickly. You’ll have to manually push it to get it to zip.

That’s the reason I love that these zippers are very capable of handling the banging, bashing, and colliding with other suitcases or direct contact with trunks and storage spaces. They have a long zipper pull, so they are easy to grasp without my fingers slipping off.

The absolute (hands down) best thing about this zipper is that it comes with a lock. I am super paranoid about people stealing my stuff, so this was a giant plus for me. The main compartments zippers meet directly (with a loop on each side) and you just snap your lock into place.

Handle:

Telescoping handle, with stops at 38" and 41" retracts into protective handle bezel; Having the right size handles can mean everything! I love that this handle is so easy to adjust to the size I need/want it.

This handle is good and comfortable. It feels rubber grip like so it’s easy to grab and go when you need to. Whether you’re short, tall, or just medium height- this can fit comfortably to your height without any issues!

EXTRA:

This also comes with a clip! This clip allows you to safely add another bag to this one for quick access. I love everything about this bag and it’s definitely going to get tons of use from me!

This would be the perfect gift for a family or friend that travels a lot!

BUY IT: You can buy this Atlantic Luggage Compass 2 21” Spinner in 2 color choices for only $99.99!

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Review: DefenderPad- Shield Yourself From Your Laptop Radiation

The DefenderPad™ is the most sophisticated laptop radiation and heat shield ever developed. The DefenderPad™ virtually eliminates Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR), Radio Frequency (RF) Radiation and Heat Radiation emitted by laptops as well tablets and other modern electronic devices.

 

My Thoughts*

I was astonished to find out about what the radiation from a laptop can do to your health. I have had a laptop for more than 5 years (different ones) and somehow never thought twice about it.

I mean- we’ve all heard about cell phones and microwaves being a danger from radiation exposure, but I never even thought about computers. I sit with my laptop directly on my lap when I watch television at night- YIPES.

As a blogger/writer, I spend excess amounts of time working from my laptop.  Having so much power at my fingertips is awesome, but not so much with the harmfulness! Knowing that the laptop AND all tablets are hazardous is worrisome. With the DefenderPad, they let you know what dangers exist and have made the perfect solution to protecting ourselves and our families.

There are more risks for men then there are women. The radiation can actually cause a male to drop their sperm count. This can lead to infertility in the end. For those of you who want babies in the future—you should definitely buy this for your hubby!

When I got this in the mail (which came

in lightening speed time), the first thing I noticed was how thin and portable it was. Not only does it protect me from laptop radiation, but it’s the perfect lap desk.

I was surprised at how well my 17” laptop fit on it. When I got the laptop there weren’t even any “cute” briefcase bags for it. So when I do find something that fits it- I get super excited. I could easily place the laptop on it without a problem.

My computer is my life these days. As much work as I have saved on my laptop, I couldn’t imagine not having one. I ‘m pretty sure I might have a magic meltdown if it broke. BUT all joking * I think* aside- these emissions are very much serious and real.

The effects of my love affair with technology and knowledge might have just been killing me if I hadn’t have heard about the defenderpad. This is something that is perfect for anyone that has a portable laptop or tablet. We hold them so close to our bodies that it WILL harm us.

I love mine! It’s so sleek that you can’t even tell that it protects. It’s like really cute SPF clothing. They are both serving two purposes right? RIGHT. It’s black, so it works for male and female.

BUY IT: You can Buy the Defenderpad for $89.99 or get a discount if you buy more than one!

Connect with Defenderpad Online on Facebook , Google+, Pinterest, Youtube, &  Twitter

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way.

Jessica Renee

Review & Giveaway- Down East Basics Girl Clothing

Every little girl loves to look pretty. My daughter is only 3, but she is already a little diva. She loves for me to dress her up and paint her nails. I was super excited to get to review something from the girl clothing section from Down East Basics.

They had tons of super cute items, so it was really hard for me to choose something for Adisyn. I knew she would look super cute in just about everything from the site, but I wanted to add something that she didn’t have a ton of. SO I ended up choosing the Cozy Cardi.

If you want something from the site, you have to be super quick about it. I was supposed to write this last week, but I’ve been dealing with 2 super sick kids so I got behind and the cardi isn’t even available now.

She looks super super cute it in. I love the color- Dark Orange with a lighter orange stripes. I LOVE  how adorable she is in it. It goes very well with everything. Whether it be some jeans and a t-shirt,  black slacks and a dress shirt, or a dress. It definitely adds some spice to a plain wardrobe.

Here are some of the other items I love that they have on their site now are:

I really really adore the new shipment of dresses and that really adorable jacket!

WIN IT: You can get a chance to win something from the girls section!

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, the products were sent for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are completely honest and not influenced in any way,

Jessica Renee