BeautyGram Giveaway: One week left!

Happy Friday Lovelies! Just wanted to post up something quickly. The BeautyGram giveaway ends one week from today. That's only 7 more days to enter and get extra entries! Enter Here! Good luck :)

Have a relaxing weekend, Lovelies!

Ipsy/MyGlam in Canada!: Nov 2012

I immediately signed up for Ipsy as soon as I heard they were shipping to Canada. Good things come to those who wait :)

Ipsy, formerly MyGlam, is a monthly beauty subscription. It costs $10 plus and extra $4.95 for shipping to Canada. So in all, about $15 a month. I had always been in envy of our neighbours to the south because they had this service. Lots of brands I know and love, lots of good sized cute samples. And now I have my very own!
This month's theme is Party Perfect. Let's take a look:

Pretty awesome in my eyes :) From the top left going clockwise.

1) Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Millionaire: This is a full size glitter polish with flecks of gold and green. I have it currently on my ring finger over a copper polish and it looks fab!

2) the Balm Meet Matt(e) eyeshadow in Matt Batali: This was a great little eyeshadow sample. The whole packaging is just so adorable and definitely a luxury feel.

3) Salty Cosmetics Loose Mineral Eyeshadow in Glama-ZOID: This loos like a perfect shimmer highlighter.

4) Eclos firming creme: I've never heard of this brand before but I'm willing to give it a try.

5) Starlet Cosmetics Intense Eyeliner in Black: full size and not complaining!

6) benefit they're Real! mascara: Two in one month, hehe. I will be giving this one to my sister.

So this bag was a hit and I'm definitely staying on for the next month. Can't wait to see what December brings!
Have you tried Ipsy yet? Thinking about it? 

WFMOTP: TopBox Nov. 2012

Hello Lovelies! Just wanted to do a quick post and share my 2nd ever TopBox with you!

From Left to right:
1) China Glaze nail Lacquer in I'm Not Lion: Full size= yay! Already got this one in my Fall Luxe Box= no! lol Oh well, it will make a nice gift :)

2) Pari Beauty Lip Paint in Red: I do love me some lip glosses and I've been trying more reds lately and being bold. I like this sample, and it definitely looks like it will get a lot of uses* cough cough* naked princess from Glymm *cough, cough*

3) Benefit: They're Real! Mascara: Waiting for this to come to my door. Glad its here and excited to try it!

4) Roberto Cavelli perfume sample: I was actually a little confused because my TopBox card says I was supposed to receive a sample of Lovestruck by Vera Wang. I'm not a huge perfume person but I will email them about this.

So not a bad TopBox at all. I'm pretty happy with it :) Looking forward to my next one! 

Saturday Mystery Box Theatre: Who needs a hug?!

Happy Saturday, Lovelies! Now the subject of this mystery is tres girly, just a warning.

PMS. Those 3 letters alone are just three consonants of the English alphabet. But for some reason, put together, they strike fear into the male heart and conjure images of crying and stress, and yes even, pain :( Now I'm not gonna go into all the biology and chemistry involved. I'll just get to the point. Lovelies, it sucks. Its different from woman to woman. For me, it sucks being pulled in all directions, feeling sad for no apparent reason, getting mad at everyone for no real logic reason. I don't really experience cramps or pains. I have the occasional ache.
So what is one to do? Tea? A warm bath? Chocolate?
Well, I found a subscription that will send you some solace in the form of all three, just in time for that time!
Lovelies, I give you the 28-Day Hug:

The 28 day hug was created to give ladies a little comfort during their periods.     Once I saw the website, I immediately signed up! It costs $3.99 + shipping. In which case, Canadians are charged $8. Not too bad. And I'll show you why:

Left to right:
1) Three packets of Yogi tea in Women's Moon Cycle: This is an herbal tea and perfectly comforting.
2) Spa Shower Tablet: You just take a shower and put the tablet somewhere where it won't get hit directly with water. As it dissolves, it releases it scent into the shower steam. I've tried similar products before so I'm sure I'll like this!
3)Chocolove Bar in Raspberries in Dark Chocolate: this was soo yummy!
(yes I ate the whole thing) 

Seeing the contents of my hug made me feel good. Its kinda like a treat every month to yourself in your time of the month. So my verdict is, give it a try if you'd like a little treat every month. At least with this sub, you won't get piles of samples! hehe ;)

BeautyGram for a Lovely! (Giveaway, Canada Only!)

Hello Lovelies. I want to share with you a new service I think you will enjoy. As you can I tell I love getting packages in the mail. It is also more important to give then to receive. I have found a box service that does both!

Introducing the BeautyGram!

Why send just flowers or chocolates? Flowers eventually wilt and I'll eat all the chocolate......Why not send some beauty pampering in a box? Why not a little lip gloss, some organic soap, or luxurious hand creme? All these can be found in a BeautyGram. A BeautyGram is a beautifully curated and packaged gift to send to your best friend, girlfriend, sister, mom, any lovely lady really. It is a Calgary based business, started by Jenn, a beauty enthusiast and aesthetician. The BeautyGram is a beauty experience in a box. I also wanted to show some support for a new Canadian Business, so please check them out!

They have different BeautyGrams but I will show you the one I love the most: the Signature BeautyGram.

(image from Beautygram.com)

This particular BeautyGram contains (left to right): BeautyGram Chocolates, Lucia Soy Candle, Cake's Milk Made Velveteen Hand Creme, Smith's Mocha Rose Lip Balm, Principessa Beauty Pretty Piede Foot Balm, and a personal size package of Revolution Tea. I'd love to get this in the mall! The price of this pretty little Package is $43. It also ships free in Canada! To check out other BeautyGrams, click here. Didn't see one you liked? That's ok. You can build your own BeautyGram! Aside from Smith's and Cake Beauty, they also carry other brands, such as Butter London, that you can add to your own custom BeautyGram. How cool?! And this makes a great present even for yourself ;)

You can check out the different products here.

Now, my favourite part. One of my Lovelies is going to get their very own BeautyGram! Woo-hoo! I won't give away what's in it as its gonna be a surprise!

This is my first rafflecopter giveaway. This contest is for CANADIAN residents only! You also have to be a follower of my blog! I will also be checking each entry. Any invalid entries will be disqualified no questions asked. In the event that the winner is not a Canadian Resident, another winner will be chosen. Good Luck, Lovelies! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Making the Cut.......Not So Much

Happy Saturday, Lovelies! Time to do a lot of this:

Acting like a kitty! Haha. Relaxing and taking it easy is what I'm trying to say.

I wanted to take this post to talk about a few subs that, well, I decided to axe. Also, my bank account came crying to me. So I got to ease up a little.
 So here we go! (I have different James Bond Theme songs playing in the background! so imagine how dramatic this feels, lol)

#1: Lip Factory inc.

The idea intrigued me. For every month at $22USD, they send you a beauty kit tailored specifically for you. They do this via a quiz. The beauty consists of samples to create one look in which they send you, complete with instructions and pictures. What's also cool is that they also have a YouTube channel in which they have tutorial videos. Sounds cool, right? Here's my October kit:

Not a bad looking box right? I received lip gloss samples, eyeshadow samples. I did receive a full sized eye liner and a kabuki brush. This box just didn't wow me for $22. I know this is one of their first boxes and they may get better in the future. So I will put this on the backburner for now. You can check them out here.

#2: gfreely

gfreely is a box that arrives monthly to your door containing gluten-free snacks and food products. The service is $19 + $5.95 for shipping. I was intrigued. I also had a coupon to receive half off my first box so I thought I'd give it a try. This was their October box. It arrived fairly quickly.

I did actually end up eating most of these treats and they were delicious. I don't have a problem eating gluten. So really, this wasn't essential to me. It got cut. You can check them out here.

#3: PumpUps

I'm not really sure what I was thinking when I signed up for this. Its a nutritional supplement box. It's for the gym/marathon crowd. I do neither of those things but for $10 I was curious. The price has since gone up to $20 on their website. And the box does look like it will contain more items.

 I actually did cancel before my first pack came in. The pack came in a regular bubble mailer. And it was a bunch of one time use samples. I got protein mix drinks and some supplement capsules. Interesting, but again, not something I would need on a monthly basis. But of course, Exercise would do some good :)

#4: Pairings Box from the Turntable Kitchen

Pairings Box

Now this box sounds intriguing, but I immediately was disenchanted when I got mine. The deal: for $27USD, they send you a box with a vinyl record, a code to download a playlist on their website, a whole bunch of new recipes to try, a hard to find ingredient, and a few extras. I thought it might be something new to try. I really enjoyed the playlist. I don't have a record player, soooo......? The ingredient I got was a packet of capers in sea salt. I did get new recipes and a lot of them look tasty to try. The extras: I got two chocolate squares and a recipe to make hot cocoa. I was kinda hoping for something more, like maybe another ingredient. The idea is very cool, but not everyone I guess. Axe.

Breaking up is hard enough. Lovelies, have you let any subs go? 

Tickled Pink: Think Pink Winners!

Lovelies, you should be proud of yourselves! All the Think Pink Activities you have been doing! Thank you for posting them, I enjoyed reading them. And I can tell, hope is very strong!
Just because October is over, doesn't mean thinking pink is over. Be aware all the time! Do those exams, get your mammograms, stay healthy! And yes I will throw in the no smoking/stop smoking blurb! It's no joke that smoking causes cancer, so just cut your chances of getting any kind of cancer by stopping or not starting at all!
Just because October is over, doesn't mean you stop giving to the cause. Aside from charities and groups that donate to cancer, there are also products that are around all year, and donate with each purchase. One good example is the Oasis juice company. You may see them in the grocery store in the juice aisle. They have pink lids and sometimes have a paper pink ribbon around the neck. A portion of each purchase gets donated to the breast cancer cause. And if you're a big juice drinker like me and my husband, we buy a lot of juice!
You can read about Oasis here. If you don't feel comfortable donating to a big charity, you can always, always donate to your local hospital or hospice house. Hospices are great companies which aid not only patients, but their families as they go through the difficult times of having cancer. Instead of favours, my husband and I donated to our local hospice house on behalf of our guests. It was a cause we felt very close to as we have had family members (RIP) who have stayed in hospices and used services. And it was much better then getting everyone Jordan Almonds.

And Lovelies, just one more rant I have and then I promise I will announce the winners. And also feel free to counter point me if you feel different. I once saw a preview for a documentary on Cancer and the subject came up of charities and corporations donating a portion of their sales to research and other related causes. This woman (no idea who or what her credentials were) exclaimed "If shopping could cure cancer, it would have been cured by now!" Well, I just about yelled some choice things at the tv at that moment. Now before I get to my point, yes I have heard of pink washing and it is horrible that there are people and groups who take advantage of others' generousity. As a consumer, yes you should ask and have a right to know where your donation is going, so you should do research or donate to causes locally. With that being said, yes a lot of products donate to breast cancer research and services. But there is no way that shopping would have cured cancer by now. No way! Lovelies, when I stated that I love science, I wasn't kidding. I am an analytical r&d scientist. I work for a generic pharmaceutical company. I have worked for a big pharam company as well. I know how much money it takes to get a drug to the public. And I know how hard it is to get a drug to the market. 
I know how much it costs to run a lab. Specifically the lab I work in. I know that there is well over half a million dollars of equipment we use on a daily basis. I know that all this equipment needs maintenance in order to run properly. I know the cost of chemicals we use in our testing and experiments. I see the discussion and planning that goes into a clinical trial. All these things are not cheap. And I know some of you think 'hey, we should just lower the cost of all this stuff!'. Understand that these are precise measurement instruments that provide important data. You can't buy one that was homemade. It needs to be from a company that knows what they are doing. And all the moving parts and engineering and complexity that these instruments are, you can't just let anyone go in and tug a few wires here or change a few screws there. I guess what I'm saying is, we get what we pay for, and instrumentation for labs is no different. All the chemicals and reagents we use all have to be certified. You can't just buy sodium hydroxide anywhere. it has to be certified pure. Why would you use some random chemicals?! You wouldn't be able to say with confidence that the data you've produced is believable or even real. Now imagine literally hundreds of labs like mine, operating all over the world. How much does it cost to run and supply all of them?
And lastly I want to touch on clinical trials. Normally if a drug, say for blood pressure or pain, makes it to the human clinical testing stage, it must be tested first on healthy college aged males before moving on to a group of people with the affliction, and then to a large massive group with the affliction. It's different for cancer drugs. First, cancer drugs are cytotoxic. They kill cells. Therefore, you cannot, under any circumstances, test them on healthy college aged males. So your clinical test group are candidates with cancer who have a chance that this treatment will be effective. Now I say candidates because, cancer is unique to each individual. It's not like a bacterial infection which can be treated with a regiment of standard antibiotics we have all heard of. Cancer varies with each case, and as such is individually diagnosed and prescribed treatment on a case-by-case basis. And with these clinical trials comes a heavy price. The pharmaceutical company developing the drug and running the clinical trial is responsible for the patients' healthcare in their trial for the rest of their lives. The company foots all the medical bills, because if anything happens to those patients during the trial, good and bad, must be recorded and studied and the patient must be taken care of. How much would that cost? Ask yourselves. Now times that number by one million and you'll probably get close.
In conclusion, I know shopping is not going to cure cancer. Cancer is complex. But researchers the world over are all working on a cure or a treatment, following leads, collecting plant samples, and doing experiments. 
I know one day, cancer will no longer be feared. But I will not tolerate any belittling of the costs. I know what they are. And I know that research is only one part of it. Care and support is any other huge part of donating to the cause. So please, comments like 'oh, shopping should have cured cancer 5 years ago!' shouldn't deter anyone from doing something like donating or giving their time. Like I said, research your charities first and then decide. 



Whewwww. Sorry Lovelies, got a little worked up. Please feel free to ask questions, counter, or even call me out on the subject. I'm happy to discuss.

And the winners are!....................................

Congratulations to Brenda Penton and Diana Valverde! You two Lovelies are the winners of the Think Pink Palettes from Coastal Scents. I will be emailing you shortly. I must hear from you in 48 hrs, otherwise, I will have to draw another winner. And to all Lovelies, thank you for participating and sharing your Tickled Pink stories! 

Stay Tickled Pink!