Review: Mia Mariu Mineral Makeup

What woman doesn’t like to try out new cosmetics? I LOVE it. It is one of my favorite hobbies! I was super psyched when I got a chance to review some products from Mia Mariu. Mia Mariu sells the most amazing mineral makeup and skincare.

The Perfecting Finish Mineral Foundation is a truly an amazing foundation. I was sent the Miel color, which is a lighter medium color. The texture is so silky smooth that I don’t even feel like I’m wearing makeup! The trick to this foundation is the ingredients; natural minerals, green tea, lecithin, and vitamins A and E.

I used a sponge to apply this, and it absorbed instantly. My skin immediately fell in love. It is SO moisturizing, yet didn’t gleam or shine. It blended into my skin SO well that it just looked like I had naturally perfect skin. It covered up the dark circles under my eyes, the uneven textures, and a tiny blemish I had on the left side of my jaw.

It is is oil-free, yet hydrating which I love. I don’t have to worry about my skin looking shiny in the sunlight, pictures, or high temperatures. My skin looked and felt flawless ALL day. It didn’t sweat off, fade off, and I never had to reapply it!

Mia Mariu has an amazing feature on their website that makes it easy to find your perfect tone, so you aren’t struggling on guessing colors. We’ve all had those mistakes. When we go makeup shopping and end up getting something that is too light or too dark for our skin.

Either we end up mixing it with another foundation we have, a moisturizer, or not using the makeup at all. That’s why I love this feature. It helps to find the perfect tone, so that your natural skin tone is highlighted and made beautiful!

BUY IT: You can buy the Mia Mariu The Perfecting Finish Mineral Foundation for only $25.

Luminous Lip Gloss in Romance was also sent. This is the lightest color in the collection. It’s a light sparkly pink, but when I put it on it looks clear and sparkly.

I love the radiant glow of this gloss. It is very creamy, feels almost like applying a luscious icing. It is very rich, but also very soft. It stays on for awhile, without me having to reapply it time and time again.

I love the luminous sparkles that twinkle in the light when I move. It makes me feel like a true beauty queen for just a little bit. Sparks seem to fly from my eyes when I put this on. Makes me feel like I have somewhere important to be, even if I don’t!

shimmery, glittering, and beaming are words that come to mind when I think of this gloss. It adds luster to my makeup collection. It’s better than looking dull and not shining at all. Contains Vitamin A, E, & C!

It feels so hydrating and nourishing. Other lip glosses seem to feel slick. I can’t seem to keep them on for more than 20 minutes at the most because it’s like they evaporate into the air. This feels like a creamy, thick lipstick instead of those thin, runny lip glosses we are all used to!

Here are the other colors. I would love to try all 3!

Buy It: You can buy the Luminous Lip Gloss  in the 4 colors shown, for $13 each.

 

They also sent the Hydrating Stick Gloss in Seduccion. I don’t usually wear a lot of lipstick because they tend to make my lips feel dried out. I really enjoy wearing this one though, because the formula is extra hydrating, so my lips NEVER feel dried out.

It seriously just feels like I’ve got on a tinted lip gloss or chapstick! The best part was it didn’t clump up and dry out after a little while. It includes Vitamins A, C and E that nourishes, as well as minerals and anti-oxidants to preserve and protect.

I love the lively, vibrant coloring of the lipstick. It really brings out my complexion and is really flattering. The color is dazzling, eye catching, and lustrous. It really brought out the red coloring I put in my hair not that long ago! They really complimented each other perfectly!

The texture is creamy, feathery, and very smooth! I really loved how it just glides on without a problem. With any other lipstick, it’s like I have to force it. Not with this one, it truly stays silky smooth and vivid for hours!

I didn’t have to keep checking to make sure it wasn’t smeared, running, or wiped off. This is the first lipstick (even within the “hydrating” lipsticks) that I didn’t have to put lipgloss on right after applying the lipstick.

They have some other shades that I am DYING to try!

BUY IT: You can buy the Hydrating Stick Gloss in 9 different shades for $15

 

I am always testing out new colors, shades, and dimensions of eye shadow, eye liner, and eye shimmers. Sometimes I end up messing up and end up with eye shadow somewhere it isn’t mean to be (like on my cheek). The mineral eye shadow is the hardest to keep where it’s supposed to be.

Without a great eye makeup remover, it would take me forever to clean up and remove all the eye shadow. Even with wipes or a washcloth- my skin ends up red and irritated looking because of the constant rubbing.

I LOVE this Gentle Eye Makeup Remover because it feel more like an soothing oil than a runny liquid. It takes just a very small amount of this to get ALL the eyeshadow, liner, shimmer, and mascara off without irritating the skin around my eyes and making them red,

The trick to this is the ingredients. This contains cucumber extract which helps to reduce swelling around the eyes. It is also formulated with Vitamin E and other botanicals.

This leaves my skin perfectly clean from makeup. No harsh chemicals, no hard scrubbing, and absolutely NO redness. I didn’t wake up with mascara lines running down my face like with my usual face cleanser. No matter what I done to prevent it, it was still happening. That is, until switching over to this.

This is perfect for the sensitive area around the eyes, and perfect for every type of skin. A tiny bit goes further than twice the amount of my regular cleanser.

BUY IT: You can buy the Gentle Eye Makeup Remover  for $19.

Connect with Mia Mariu on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

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

Jessica Renee

Review: Verge Bubble Wand By One Styling Tools

Messy Up-do’s, braids, and waves are the new “IN” for hair styling. “The more messy the hair is, the better it is.” Verge by One Bubble Wand is a new styling tool from ONE. It creates beautifully imperfect curls and waves.

I was super excited to be given the chance to work with ONE. They have an amazing variety of tools; flat irons, blow dryers, curling irons! You name it and they have the best of the best!

I am still absolutely in AWE of how pretty the bubble wand is. I was sent a pink one, and it has a glitter finish. I could really see it sparkle when I pulled it out of the box. This isn’t something I’ve seen EVER in styling tools. I love it!

 

You can KIND of see the glitter in this one. As you can tell- this is a very unique product! It uses Nano Gold (NG) ceramic to guarantee an even heating throughout the barrel.

The older models of styling tools can be damaging to your hair, EXTREMELY damaging. What you used 5 years ago is outdated, so you definitely need to check into something that isn’t so harsh. When your hair becomes damaged from heat styling, it becomes brittle and lifeless. It can also cause extreme frizz and stubborn split ends.

To avoid the damage that outdates styling tools do to your hair,  definitely check into ONE Styling Products! All of their products are VERY helpful at maintaining the health of your hair. The Ceramic Technology lets the heat from the tool spread evenly throughout the hair. Older models don’t have this quality and tend to make certain parts of the hair hotter than others.

This bubble wand has the metal rest at the bottom that prevents it from slipping off the counter. This made it extremely easy for me to set it down on the counter while adjusting the strands of my hair.

Believe it or not, but I have a wand that DOESN’T have a rest on the bottom. SO it makes it REALLY hard to sit it down. When I do, I have to balance it on top of something that I know isn’t going to get so hot that it catches fire.

This rest makes it SAFE to sit on the counter, I don’t have to worry that it’s going to unexpectedly roll off on top of me or hit the floor.

I also love that this has a tiny little clip made for grabbing your hair. It also helps so that you aren’t  burning your fingers. That curling rod that I mentioned earlier? It didn’t have a clip and I ended up burning my hand wrapping my hair around the barrel.

I love that this clip DOES hold the hair VERY well. There weren’t pieces falling out or coming loose. It held my hair perfectly, so I ended up with nothing but perfect curls!

The iron gets hot VERY quickly, reaching the temperature of 410*. BUT the tip of the bubble wand doesn’t get hot. It DOES get warm, but I can still stick my fingers on the tip, so that I have control over the wand while doing my hair.

I love this because my curls can hold ALL day and the next day if I wanted. I love that with this 1 styling tool, I can get many different looks. I can get the spring loaded curls on the right just by holding the bubble wand close and wrap the strands tightly.

I can also run my hands through my hair a couple of times and get this amazing beachy love wave look. I LOVE this messy little look. It’s perfect to showcase my black lowlights!

BUY IT: You can buy the VERGE Bubble Wand for $120 and it’s available in pink and black.

About the Bubble Wand Curling Iron!

Verge is a bubble wand curling iron. This has a non-slip counter rest, so that when you put it on the counter, either waiting for it to get hot, or to choose another section of hair- it won't fall off the counter.

It instantly heats up to 410* F, but yet has a cool tip so that you can still hold it while curling your hair. MAJOR advantage. Even though it gets super hot, you don't have to worry about burning your fingertips on a hot curling iron. If you have a smartphone- it comes with a code on the front of the box so you can see HOW to use this.

If you don't have a smartphone, you can just visit their youtube channel to see the exact same thing! http://youtube.com/vergestyling

It has Ceramic NG heating. The next step in hair tool performance and hair health: provides constant, even heat for locking in styles and moisture, aids protection against heat damage. NG (Nano Gold) Detoxifies the hair leaving the hair healthy and more manageable.

Connect with ONE Styling Tools on Facebook & 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: nuNAAT Deep Shampoo & Conditioner, Leave-in Reconstructor, & Intensive Hair Mask

Until last June I hadn’t dyed my hair in more than 4 years. I just left it as it was, same boring brunette/blonde mixture. It’s really weird because it’s lighter in the summer, darker in the winter..

(SEE how healthy it looked?)

This summer, I was really REALLY thinking about dying my hair a really dark brown or black. I ended up getting a free coupon, so I just went for it. Dark Brown with a mixture of a red.

Then I ended up getting some Jet black and putting low-lights in it. THEN I dyed it again a month later (BRIGHT RED). It ended up blending perfectly with the black to create a deep maroon/black color. I LOVE the color, but I could definitely feel my once silky soft locks turning not so silky!

I was excited when I got a chance to review the nuNAAT Brazilian Keratin Product line. They ended up sending me 4 items; the Deep Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner, Liquid Keratin Leave-in Reconstructor, & the Intensive Hair Mask.

This entire Keratin system was beyond brilliant. They all work together to repair cuticles of the hair, repair and reconstruct hair fibers, seal the hair cuticles, restore natural shine and softness, reduces volume and frizz, and to make hair more healthy. ALL of this without any formaldehyde and sodium-chloride!

This is recommended for people who have dyed hair, chemically processed hair, or just overly tired! It works for any and all hair types and is safe for every day use!

The first step is of course the shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo has a suitable lather to it. It is concocted with mild surfactants, keratin, and amino acids, which furnishes a deep cleansing without being rough on the hair.  The Conditioner includes keratin and amino acids, which function to decrease frizz and train unruly hair. They left my hair feeling soft, smooth, moisturized, and smelling great!

 

The second step is the Liquid Keratin Leave-in Reconstructor. This is a non-rinse formula. A considerable amount should be used all over the hair, make sure you rub it in for a minute or so. Blow dry as you normally would and then straighten with a  flat iron to seal the hair cuticles. This causes the keratin to access the hair fibers effortlessly.

The last step is the Intensive Hair Mask. It is rubbed in after your hair has been shampooed for an intensely deep hydration. Let it sit for 10 minutes & then rinse well.

My hair texture has vastly improved, it has definitely done a 180* here. The ends that were beginning to split, are beginning to heal. The brittleness, brokenness, and rough ends are no longer detectable! This is a huge relief to me. I take huge pride in my hair, always have! I didn’t mean to end up coloring it SO much, but I am glad that nuNAAT has helped me out for making those unthinkable choices.

My hair definitely has more shimmer, shine, and luster to it. It was beginning to look dull because it stayed frizzy and unmanageable because I’d been overdoing it. Now it looks like there isn’t a blow dryer, flat iron, and dye job been done on it! I am SO happy with the results. I’ve only been using this for a little over a month!

Although these products have helped my hair regaining it’s natural health, it doesn’t weigh my hair down. I was glad because my hair is naturally oily at the roots anyway. I did want the help, but I didn’t want my hair to look like it hadn’t been washed. Glad to report that it didn’t make my hair look oily in the least little bit! Thumbs up ALL the way around from this way!

Connect with nuNAAT on their website, twitter,

& facebook

nuNAAT is available at most Walgreens and Sallys (a store locator by zip code is available on nuNAAT's Facebook page.

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: Sleep Buddy Sleep System

I have to admit—until a few months ago, my 3 year old daughter had been co-sleeping with me since birth. Every single time I would put her in her baby bed/toddler bed she would  end up crying within the hour. Then 3 or 4 more times before the morning hit.

I was becoming exhausted and not getting much sleep at all. I’d end up being SO tired all day, and I have 2 kids under 5. I swear I felt like a slug. They would be extremely hyper, running around.. and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open after awhile.

SO you could imagine how amazing it felt when I got a chance to review the Sleep Buddy Sleep System. It is a major help with transitioning from mom’s bed or a baby bed into a big girl/big boy bed. It is a night light for your child to keep them from being scared.

It isn’t a regular night light though, because it has a timer. I can set it so that it turns on during Adisyn’s nap AND night time. The light turns off when it’s ok for your child to get out of their bed after naptime.

Keeping a sleeping schedule, that you maintain on a daily basis is the most helpful thing. To see more about how a schedule is beneficial you can read about it here.

The Sleep Buddy comes with a book that you can read to them. It tells them what the sleep buddy is and how it works! I thought that was pretty cool.

It also comes with a reward system. At first Adisyn didn’t want to stay in the bed whether the light was on or not. She was getting up and sneaking around. The reward chart is what really made a difference to her. This is set up for weekly (which is how we used it) but you can set it up for daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. It’s totally up to you and how you feel your child will respond to it the best!

Each animal represents a day, so you can put a smiley face sticker on each animal (or let them) after EACH time that they successfully make it through a nap, night of sleeping in their own bed, or both!

With Adisyn, I felt since she was so young that I would let her stick a smiley on the animal after both a nap and a night of sleeping in her own bed. After the week, she could come with me to the store and pick out a toy, a book, or whatever.

I love that the website gives ideas on what to do (if you’re stuck), or just looking for more inventive ideas!

A few ideas to get you started!

For younger kids (immediate):

• Fun and exciting stickers
• Play a board game with Mom/Dad
• Outside game (kickball, tag, duck-duck-goose)
• A special yet simple craft activity that they don’t typically get to do (play dough, painting, popsicle stick picture frame, etc.)
• Artificial flowers to pick from (put them in a vase and eventually they will have a beautiful bouquet)
• Choose a book from a special book-bin that is filled with unfamiliar “new” library books to read with a parent in a special nook of his/her choosing
• Lolipop/candy from a jar to pick from
• Treasure chest – filled with inexpensive toys/goodies

For older kids (to earn over time):

• Matchbox car
• Trip to the dollar store/Goodwill
• Doll clothes
• Choose the menu for a night
• Pick a game/movie for family night
• Mom bakes something of his/her choice
• New art item
• 30 minutes of computer/video/tv time
• Go to a jumpy place
• Date with Mom/Dad
• Mom/Dad does your chores for a day
• Stay up ½ hour later for a night
• Pack of gum at grocery store
• Extra story at bedtime
• Backrub/scratch from parent
• Choose a fun family outing
• Playdate with a friend

About Sleep Buddy:

As a former teacher and mother of five, I have learned a very important lesson: IF THE KIDS DON’T SLEEP, NOBODY SLEEPS! From early on, I made it a priority to protect my children’s sleep and encourage healthy sleep habits. I did it for their benefit—but also so I could sleep!

Maybe you know the helpless feeling when a child stands bedside thinking the day starts at 2am. When our first child turned two, he refused to stay in his bed at naptime or nighttime. After many sleepless nights and failed attempts to change his behavior, my husband and I developed the SleepBuddy prototype.

Our son immediately “got” what the light meant and was comforted by the soft, bedside glow. With consistent use and positive reinforcement, we were able to instill good sleep habits in our son—our first step toward getting the sleep we all need.

To provide further motivation, I created a rewards chart. Our son loved choosing his rewards, and felt accomplishment and pride with every success. Our second child followed in his footsteps and soon learned the system. I felt that our third child needed her own fun introduction to SleepBuddy. So the book A Bedtime Surprise completed the SleepBuddy system. Our fourth child will soon be learning the system, and we know he will “get it” quickly.

It’s a dream come true to share SleepBuddy with you. I have spent many years developing and enhancing the SleepBuddy system, and it has worked wonders for us. We hope it helps you put sleep issues to bed and starts you on a journey towards peace of mind.

-Laura & the SleepBuddy Family

Connect with Sleep Buddy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

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: Luna B Tees- Kindergarten Rocks Shirt

My son Aidan started Kindergarten this year! I was so excited for him. At first, he didn’t like it. He was so used to being around me all day, that he did NOT want to stay at school. After the first week, he ended up liking it though.

I wanted to get him a shirt that was personalized to him, to show him how proud I was. I was looking through the Luna B Tee site, and was SO excited when I seen that they had a Kindergarten Rocks Tee.

These shirts are customized as you order. You can choose what color the letters and background are, if the name is all lowercase or capitalized first letter, and you even get to choose whether your shirt is long sleeve or short sleeve.

I ended up getting Aidan the long sleeve shirt with red/blue mixture, because that is his school colors. The first time he wore this to school was the day of his first Kindergarten field trip.

They ended up taking a trip to a small farm in a neighboring city. They got to ride a hayride, pick out a pumpkin, and see some farm animals. I loved that Aidan got to wear his personalized shirt that day!

I love that they have such vibrant, pretty graphics that are printed on 100% ring-spun cotton. It lets them celebrate themselves and their own personal style. It was important for me to get him his own personalized shirt because he learned to write his name this year!

This would be a PERFECT gift for your kids, nieces, nephews, or friends kids. They have tons of different styles with a variety of fonts, colors, and shirt colors! 

Don’t let the name fool you, they have WAY more than just customized clothing. So if your looking for the perfect gift for mom and dad, sisters, brothers, or even yourself. I love buying personalized items!

No matter who you’re looking for, you’ll find something they like in the personalized gift section! Iphone Covers, Pillow Cases, Water Bottles, Clipboards, Coffee Cups, and MORE! Or if you’re shopping for a baby, check out the Baby Gifts!

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.

Connect with Luna B Tees on Facebook &

Twitter

 

Jessica Renee

Review: Blurb Photo Books #BlurbGifts

Have you ever heard the expression “My kids think I’m the paparazzi”? I’m pretty sure mine do. Since the day they were both born, I try and capture every single moment that I can. I want them to be able to look back on their life and see it for themselves.

I use my digital camera or my Nokia Lumia to take pictures, so I don’t get to print them off as much as I would like to. I didn’t even realize it until Adam’s mom was asking me for a recent picture of Adisyn. Because I had the pictures on my computer, I didn’t realize that other’s didn’t have any.
That’s why when I got a chance to review the Blurb Photo book, I was extremely excited! These books are top quality and leave NO room for rips, tears, or mistakes!


Blurb made it SO easy to get the pictures I wanted to put in the pictures. I could choose to get them straight off my computer, off any Facebook album I had, or Instagram. So of course, I dedicated this book to 2012.

(Sorry about the blind spots, I had to take these pictures with my Smartphone)
It was extremely fast. I didn’t have to wait forever for the pictures to load. This was the amazing part. Because it was SO fast, it ended up being fun. I’ve tried to order mugs, blankets, and such from another online company that lets you take pictures from social media sites and they were loading SO slowly that I just ended up giving up on it.

That’s why I LOVE Blurb. They make it fun, and memorable. You get to look back on the pictures and place them however you like! I loved that I could change the color of the pages, and I could add or delete the comments that came from the Facebook pictures.

The book came super fast. I love that they gave so many paper options, and add a frame to the pictures if you want. I ended up getting the hard back book, but they have books starting at just $10.95. I am definitely thinking about ordering more for the family for Christmas gifts! The book just looks so professional!

Blurb is a creative publishing platform that allows anyone to create, share and sell a professional quality book. Make a portfolio of your client work, an archive of your blog, a cook book of your favorite recipes, a photo book of your family pictures or a quick book of your instagram photos – the possibilities are limitless. It’s easy and quick to do – with a variety of software options you could complete your dream book in next to no time.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blurb. The opinions and text are all mine.

Jessica Renee

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Review: Made From Earth Grapefruit Glycolic Wash

Made From Earth never lets me down. Out of all the products that I’ve had the privilege of testing, not ONE has made me cringe. They are made from natural, TRUE organic ingredients that will never harm you or your body!

This time around I got the chance to review the Grapefruit Glycolic Wash with multi-vitamins and amino complex. It comes in an easy to use flip top squeeze bottle. SO you aren’t getting too much, or too less. Makes it easy to get just the “right” amount.

This is an amazing skin cleanser & exfoliator. It is reinforced with thick jojoba beads, as you can see in the second picture. It is a natural exfoliant, stripping the oils right out leaving nothing but fresh clean skin! You can feel the Jojoba beads mixing with the skin, and it feels SO amazing and stimulating. Like a sugar scrub to the body!

It smells amazing. It has a light, citrus scent that isn’t overpowering at all. I love the way it lathers up, and the jojoba beads seem to burst upon impact with my skin! This is a deep penetrating cleanser that has balanced out the oils in my skin, leaving it fresh and rejuvenated!

The grapefruit (which I didn’t know) has a high antioxidant content that helps to not only reduce redness and irritation of the skin, but it also helps with acne because it kills bacteria! It also fights free radical damage, which is what causes the skin to prematurely show signs of aging!

All you do is wet your face and neck with warm water. Then you apply a small amount, massaging in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes. Can be used morning or night, and is designed to be used 2-3 per week!

Ingredients:

Organic Herbals, Organic Aloe Vera, Decyl Glucoside, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Glycolic Acid, Lavender Distillate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Coconut Extract), Cocamide MIPA, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Jojoba Beads, Organic Kojic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid, Organic Salix Alba (Salicylic Acid/Willow Bark), Olea Europaea (Olive Oil), Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Rose Hip Oil, Orange Peel Tincture, Oregano Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Grapefruit Seed, Organic Calendula, Organic Burdock, Organic Red Clover, Organic Rosemary, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol.

 

BUY IT: You can buy the Grapfruit Glycolic Acid for $29.99

Connect with Made From Earth on Facebook and Twitter

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