Product Review

dōTERRA® Veráge First Impression

7.14.2015

Everyone always talks about essentials oils and their benefits. I will be honest, I haven't jumped on the oil boat - even though sometimes I really feel like I need to. But there was a gentleman at Alt offering to try a new skin care line by dōTERRA® and so I jumped on board because lately my skin has been a little fickle and it is making me angry. If the skin care line can help as much as everyone says the oils can - then I am on board.

dōTERRA® Essential Skin Care is a family of skin care products designed to maximize the natural power of essential oils in helping to keep your skin feeling and looking young, healthy, and gorgeous. In addition to a careful selection of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils added in generous proportion to each product, The Essential Skin Care line includes cutting-edge technologies that complement essential oils in targeting the visible signs of both cellular and mechanical aging. And today I am talking about first impressions of Veráge.



The very first impression when I got the package was, "this is a small box for all the items". I was impressed with how they fit all four products into a small box rather than take up space with plastic and paperwork. And the look of the product itself sold me. I love pretty things, and this product's color scheme and bottles hit the mark. Gold accents with a perfect ombre feel to the line. If you are a fan of pretty products and that can sell you on an item alone, then I can promise you will be all over this one. Now let's talk product.

Cleanser. The cleanser is the white tube. To start it all off it has a very light and fresh smell that I love. It really reflects the naturalness of the product. I didn't have to use a ton of cleanser - which I loved because sometimes I feel like you have to pump out a bunch to get your whole face washed. It foams right up and as you massage onto your face you can feel it lifting the dirt, oils, and makeup from your skin. I especially love that I can feel the clean deep into my skin through this cleanser. It isn't a surface level cleanser. DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Apply a small amount - even as small as a pea sized amount -to damp face wash upward circular motion. Thoroughly rinse with water and towel dry. Use morning and night; follow with Veráge Toner.

Toner. The toner is the tall dark teal bottle. The toner is for refining and tightening. It is the perfect after cleanser step because it locks up those freshly cleansed pores. It also preps your skin for a fresher complexion. My favorite part is how the toner feels hydrating and refreshing because I have used a lot of toners that make my skin feel dry and tight. With this toner I feel hydrated and like my skin is glowing. DIRECTIONS FOR USE: After using the cleanser spritz your face with the toner - I do 4 spritz on my face. One "X" motion and one "T" motion. Next up is the Veráge Moisturizer.

Immortelle Hydrating Serum. The serum is the lime green bottle. This stuff is basically a miracle and a dream in a bottle. I don't know how else to describe it besides that. Too good to be true, right? Nope. The serum is an L22 - which doesn't sound as awesome as it is. L22 is “a patented blend of botanically-sourced lipids developed specifically to deliver the skin-lipid profile of a healthy 22-year-old.” Sayyyy what?! I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22. And I am all about it. Feels great on the skin and this little bottle is leading the cosmetic industry. It feels soft on my skin and my face is happy to have it. DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Apply to clean face in an upward motion. Best to use morning and night. Follow with Veráge Moisturizer.

Moisturizer. The moisturizer is the shorter mint bottle. This is the last step that will keep your skin on it's A game all day. This moisturizer has all the tools to brighten and even your complexion, And I am already seeing small changes. The best part about it is the lightness of the moisturizer. It is not greasy at all and doesn't feel heavy as I apple. There are a lot of moisturizers our there that weigh down the face, but this one will not do that. It absorbs into the face quickly and leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth. It DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Apply to clean face in an upward circular motion. Keep applying in that same circular motion until completely absorbed. Use both morning and night.

The entire Veráge line is meant to nourish skin, reduce lines of aging, and smooth complexion. I just started using the line this over the weekend so I don't have any results yet - but check back next month and I will have some before and afters to share with you! I can promise you this though, this is a skinecare product that will keep me coming back. I can already feel my fave became more even and refreshed. Make sure to check back over the next month to hear my progress.

Best Hair Straighteners

7.18.2013

Remember a long, long time ago when I posted this on Instagram?
If you don't follow me on Insta you won't remember. But you should be following me.  
Well. The caption was, "Look what just came in the mail! Watch for a review in the next couple week!" A couple weeks turned into a couple months... with moving, the draft, and me being sick and too lazy to get ready I just didn't do my hair. So here I am now for a review. Missiko has a ton of different hair products. Dryers, curling irons, straighteners... you name it. They got it. They even have some awesome beauty products. But today I am here to talk to you about the Hana Salon Hair Straightener. It is the best hair straightener I have ever used. But I will get to that in a second.

Let's start with the packaging. Missiko spares no detail. They are all about the aesthetics of the packaging. My box was purple themed and was full of all sorts of fun. The package alone would make you happy, even if the product didn't rock. But let me tell you something... the product totally rocks!

I put my hair into a bun riiiiiight after my shower. Then straight to bed. Then I sort of fixed my bun for work - just to make it a little more presentable. When I got home from work I let my hair down. And here we are at before. Lots of kinks and waves. And very flat.

So I went to work on my hair. I turned the straightener to about 350 and let it heat up for about ten minutes. I straightened my hair in three different layers - my hair is thin so it worked perfect. The top layer got volume as I straightened it away from my scalp. All in all - it took me about 10 minutes to go from the before to after.
The product works so fast and well. You can see on the close up it got the kinks out, but my hair is a little dry, which is why it isn't model shiny. The product kept my hair straighter longer as well. Usually I will get a new kink in my hair after ten minutes up in a pony tail. I threw my hair in a bun for about two hours that evening - and after I could just brush out the kink. Some other products that I love over at Missiko are Enzo Milano Clipless Curling, Model in a Bottle, Moroccan Oil, and Hana Shineshield. 

Want more Missiko reviews? Check out these blogs:

[CLOSED] Datevitation || Product Review & Giveaway

1.25.2013

I hate being left out. I really do. And for a long time I was. Because everyone I know was doing a product review and a giveaway for Datevitation. BUT NOT ANYMORE!
Because TODAY I am doing a product review and a giveaway as well. I am on the Datevitation bandwagon. And I could not be more excited about it. Mostly because I don't feel the need to enter every single giveaway for the coupon book anymore... my own is on the way! "Say goodbye to pre-packaged love coupon books! We are the first and only totally custom coupon book service with the tools for you to create a truly one-of-a-kind gift for your special someone. Our library contains hundreds of date ideas from simple gestures of love (e.g., stargazing or cuddling) to adventurous and exotic ideas for memorable dates (e.g., skydiving or scuba-diving). You get to pick the dates that best compliment your relationship." First up, pros ans cons of my ordering experience.
Cons:
  • There were not any real cons... the whole experience was simple enough. Although.. I had a hard time figuring out which dates to put in because there are so many options. But that isn't really a con at all, that is a good thing, right?
  • The one thing that is a bummer is a traditional book only comes with 5 coupons. Small number, but pages after that are only $1 each.
Pros:
  • There are a ton of options to pick from. Have in mind before hand what you want your book to entail. Mine is full of a lot of pampering.
  • The illustrations are super cute.
  • Ordering is simple. Pick the coupons you like. Put them in order. Pick a cover. Write a message. Pay and you are done!
  • You can change the message for the illustration or use the generic one. Easy to customize.
  • It is an economical gift. Books normally start at just $20. But as a special treat for my followers, I have a promo code worth $10! Just enter ‘SKINNYS’ at check out for half off your book.
  • They ship quick. But, if you want this for Valentine's Day you MUST order by February 3rd. That is the order cut-off day for a holiday shipment guarantee.
Sadly I just ordered my book and I don't have it yet. So I am sharing photos from Datevitation so you can get a better idea of the product and what you could be winning. If you are really interested and want to know other blogs that are hosting a giveaway right now too, let me know! And I will send you their way. I entered every single giveaway I could until I joined the host a giveaway bandwagon. How could I not!? These things are cute and super easy for a customized gift!

 


I cannot WAIT to get my book. I want to tell you what is all in it and everything. But that will have to wait until after Valentine's Day. Because I might already be ruining part of Adam's present by showing you this... hopefully baseball is keeping him so busy he misses this post. FINGERS CROSSED! And fingers crossed to you that you will win the prize!

Love,
Deidre

PS. The winner to the 63String giveaway is Mikyla Arrington! Email me in the next 24 hours or a new winner is picked!

Grub Tour || Cranky Chuckie's

1.23.2013

Adam and I decided to try a new restaurant last weekend. We had a groupon for Cranky Chuckie's in Provo, UT. It was a place neither of us had heard about... but we have been in the mood to try new eating places lately. Cranky Chuckie's is located above Ruby Thai over by condo row and J Dawgs. At first when we pulled up I said to Adam, "How the heck are we supposed to get up there?!" I couldn't see a stairwell.. maybe because I was looking on the wrong side. Adam pointed and said, "Probably that door..." And sure enough, right in the middle of the building was a door with a sign that said Dave's Cranky Chuckie's. I just smiled and said, "Oh... yeah... that C should have given it away." Anyway... up the stairs we go. As soon as you get to the top of the stairs you take a right and enter... What the heck? Am I in Seattle now?! I love it. The atmosphere is really laid back, the walls are all painted a dark blue, there is some Red Hot Chili Peppers (at least when we first walked in) playing, a small stage (for an open mic night someday), and overall it seems like a best kept secret. The whole atmosphere makes me feel like I just walked into some little hipster secret in Seattle. So great. I wont lie, at first it was a little awkward because there isn't a hostess directly when you walk in. you have to walk in a few steps towards the bar to find someone to seat you. The night we went was fairly busy and so the waitress was running around a bunch. Either way. We got seated (if you go on a weekend make a reservation!) right away.

Well. First things first. I love the simplicity of the black table cloths. But even more. I love the glasses. They were so tall. And so fun. I drink a lot of water, so it was nice to not be needing a refill every three seconds. The menu is pretty simple, but each item has it's own unique twist. Adam and I didn't take much time to decide what we wanted. Neither of us were super hungry, so we can't smaller items. But one thing is for sure. I will be trying the meatloaf next time I go!

I had the Open Faced Turkey Sandwich. It was much better than I expected. Imagine this. Sourdough bread, turkey, a sort of pesto-like sauce, cheese, tomato, and lettuce. Sounds good, right? Well. Then top that with a farm fresh fried egg. It was one of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted. And it filled me up perfectly. The fries were great too. I am not a big ketchup person. It is fry sauce or nothing. But I could eat these fries without any sauce, which I appreciate in a french fry.

Adam had the sausage and mashed potatoes. Here is his review, "The mashed potatoes with sausage at Cranky Chuckies was completely different than what I expected. It turned out to be delicious. When we were seated, a couple next to us was eating the mashed potatoes and sausage. I had already looked at the menu but when I saw what they were eating, I decided to choose what they were eating. The mashed potatoes had pineapple in it, which caught me off guard at first, but turned out to be a nice addition. The serving size was large enough to where I couldn't finish it. I will return to Chunky Chuckies and I will get the mashed potatoes and sausage."

So there you have it people. If you want to try new twists on great food and feel like you are in Seattle at some trendy restaurant with tall glasses. Head to Cranky Chuckie's.

Love,
The Skinnys

[CLOSED] 63 Strings || Giveaway

1.18.2013

I am going to say something creepy, but it isn't that creepy... because we all do it. So the other day my friend that I haven't seen in years popped up on my newsfeed. And I thought to myself, "I haven't seen her for awhile... what is she up to?" So I went and face-stalked her. For probably longer than I should admit. But that is okay. Because I am completely caught up on her life after looking through all her photos and having a little witty banter back and forth on a wall post. Either way... while I was browsing I found out that she now has a very cute Etsy shop. And today she is here to share it with you... and by share I mean a discount and a giveaway!
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Hello! Brynn and Elle here! We're the owners of a little etsy shop called Sixty Three Strings. We are crafters at heart and share a love of vintage, handmade, and pretty things. Our shop is a collection of our favorite vintage finds, upcycled pieces, handmade accessories, and personal artwork. A little eclectic perhaps, but so are we!
We'd love to offer all Love, The Skinnys readers 15% off at our shop. Check us out here and enter code Skinnys for a sweet little discount. Happy shopping!

xo, brynn & elle
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See. Cute, right? So there is the discount. Now here is the giveaway. The winner gets to pick one of the following three items from their shop!
If I could win. I already know what I would pick. And so I will probably just buy it because I love it. But what would you pick? Happy shopping and happy giveaway entering! I hope you love Sixty Three Strings as much as me!

Love,
Deidre


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