Moonalisa September 2012 Sale - Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection

I decided to see what all the hype is about and tried out Moonalisa with her Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection Sale in September 2012.  I made a single order and was an international.  I placed my order on September 17th.  It was shipped on November 9th and received December 3rd.  It was a long time to wait for goodies to come but opening the package and smelling all the items was well worth it!  Here is my order:

Qty Item Options Price 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010209 Option: S'mores and Hot Cocoa $5.95 USD 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010207 Option: Marzipan Corn Cake $5.95 USD 1 Sleepy Hallow Collection Scrub / Bath Cream Parfaits - 9.5 oz Item # 22974775 Option: Pumpkin Batter * Old classic~ $12.95 USD 1 Spray-In Detangler - 4 oz Item # 23010837 Option: Pumpkin Batter $7.95 USD 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010213 Option: Pumpkin Batter $5.95 USD

I also got extras of Blood Orange Cotton Candy bath brew and Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel cream.  Along with a ball with confetti in it and a Fortune Telling Fish and the usual Moona cards.  The package was filled with tissue paper with stamps on all the items.  It was like a creative birthday gift that smelled like heaven.

Scent Reviews - Extras:

Blood Orange Cotton Candy:
My Take: Smells like an orange creme sickle!! 

Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel 
My Take: Smells like Apple Oatmeal, you can smell an apple juice note to it, sweet and apley but can also detect the oatmeal.  I ordered this in various items in my December order before I smelled this extra.

My Scent Reviews:

Marzipan Corn Cake: sweet creamy corn sugar which is a really rich and sweet creamy scent, and blends beautifully with these oils. Don't let the word corn scare you:)

My Take: It smells like a lightly spiced cream cake, definitely no corn scent to it. Very sweet and creamy! It is great in the body power and reacts well with the heat of my body during the day.  I smell sweet and creamy with a hint of spice.

S'mores & Hot Cocoa Cream: Scrumptious classic crust & ooey, gooey treat , accompanied with a piping hot side of Hot cocoa, sure to satisfy!

My Take:  Just like a night in front of the camp fire with s'mores and hot chocolate.  It is definitely a sweet chocolate scent.  There is a hint of marshmallow but I mostly smell ooey gooey chocolate.  It smells heavenly.

Pumpkin Batter
My Take:  Smells exactly like my Spiced Pumpkin Pie with a hint of batter.  The detangler makes my hair smells so good.  It is the perfect Christmas scent!  Who wouldn't want to smell like pumpkin pie.

Product Reviews:

The scented hair detangler lasts all day unless you put anther product on top of it.  I usually use it to start and then spritz it again when my hair is all done.  It definitely helps with tangles and keeps the fly always to a minimum.  I love it so much that I ordered another one during the December sale.  You don't need much even with long wavy hair.  I use it everyday and not much is missing from the bottle.  The oil is the perfect amount to not make my hair greasy with use.  Most oil products make my scalp oily and dirty looking.  This product even holds style as many don't on my hair after being applied.

The body powders are great.  I have been using them after I shower in the evening and put it on my decolletage area.  All 3 smell so good.  The powder is finely milled and easy to apply.  They help if I sweat any during the night.  Plus they make my bed smell delicious if I roll over any on my pillow.  I used to included puffs for a few days but found that a nice fluffy brush works better.  The powder doesn't stick to the brush as it does the puff.  As I have 3 of these I don't know if I would order more anytime soon but they are cute.  I might repurchase them during her Autumn sale next year if she has them.

I am definitely in love with Moona products.  Many of her scents have elements to them that I can't wear such as Musk and Amber but she always has foody scents that I love to try.  I can't wait to get my next order!

Black Friday Musings - Sales and Such

Black Friday has come and gone.  In Canada, Black Friday turns into a 4 day sale in stores and turns into a 5 day cyber sale on Monday. Canadian Retailers a couple of years back decided to have their own Black Friday sales to keep Canadians north of the border.  It has been a big hit plus in Canada the doors and sales can start Thursday night at 8pm or earlier for Black Friday sales.

Some websites for handmade items start their BF sales the week before BF, so on Monday, November 19th.  That way they can get the orders in and then send them out the last week of November.  I love handmade soaps, body scrubs and fragrances.  They don't have preservatives or sulfates in them.  Due to my severe sensitive skin these days any sulfates causes me to break out in a rash.  I snagged a Black Friday sale from ScentSations out of the Cayman Islands.  The owner of the Etsy store was having a sale already but added free shipping with orders over $25.  I was able to get twice as much since shipping to Canada is about half the cost through her site.

I also made a purchase from Yves Rocher with a $20 off $60 purchase and free shipping.  I needed a couple more stocking stuffers and some face wash.  I received my order within 3 days as they have expedited shipping.

It seems that all stores and websites were having sales that were really good.  It is hard to pick which ones to buy from.  I always pick the ones with the best prices, products, good CS and quick shipping.  If I know that 1 website will ship out within 1-2 days and has the same price as another website that ships in 4 -5 days I will purchase from the first one.  Canada Post at this time of year is slower than usual and you want to be sure that you get your stuff in the mail in time to wrap it.

One thing I don't understand is spending half the night out in the cold, standing in line so you can rush into let's say Walmart and snag some toy for 70% off.  If you watch on youtube or the news there was so nasty fights over toys.  Isn't your time worth more than $20 or even $ 100?  I would rather spend that time and aggravation in the comfort of my own home and purchase items on those companies' websites.  I wanted to purchase a new HDTV for my parents so instead of going to The Brick for 6am I purchased the same tv online at 8:40pm for the same price.  I still would of had to wait to pick it up BUT I didn't have to get up early and deal with grouchy sales people and customers.

I don't find getting in line all night and rushing in with mobs of people worth it any amount of money.  Black Friday sales aren't the only ones of the season.  People get trampled on, others get violent and get arrested if the stores have the proper security, many get pick pocketed.

Did you participate in Black Friday?  Tell us your experiences.

Happy Thanksgiving! Holiday Time!

I just wanted to wish all my American friends Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn and the start of winter is a wonderful time of year.  Cooling down of temps and wonderful smells in the home.  Cozy clothes, warm fires and Holidays with family.  I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it. The leaves changing, falling and Halloween is the start of it all.  We always have a big wind storm that within a week of the leaves changing colours so we don't get much time to enjoy the colours.

The middle to end of November is when I start to get out my Christmas stuff.  I start to melt my bakery and Christmas scented tarts.  Cranberries are a must as is cinnamon and clove scents.  The tree goes up this weekend and so does the lights and window decorations.  I can't wait!

Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday.  People get crazy when it comes to sales.

Ponds Cold Cream is the Best for Facial Skin

Do you ever wonder why some ladies have beautiful skin while you spend $$$ to get yours like theirs?  There is a reason why Ponds Cold cream is still around from our grandmother's days.  It is a tried and true skin care do-it-all!

I have spent a lot of money to figure out how to deal with my oily skin that has cystic acne.  I have tried Clinique, Bioderma, Biotherm, Clarins, Yves Rocher, Avene, Oil of Olay and so on.  Only to be left with oily skin that breaks out all too often.  Purchasing a makeup remover, cleanser, toner, night time moisturizer, daytime moisturizer becomes very expensive even with drugstore brands.  I have many half used creams, cleansers and even toners that broke my skin out or made it oilier.  I would use it for a month and have to give up.  The cystic acne flare-ups were very painful.

Earlier this year I found a bonus 2 pack of Ponds Cold Cream with the green lid on sale and decided I should give it a try, what's the worst it could do?  Give me oily skin?  I had read great things about it and how it can transform your skin.

So at night before I got in the shower I would apply a layer to my whole face and leave it on for 5 - 10 minutes.  I would use a wet crocheted wash cloth and wipe the cold cream off.  I would then rinse the cloth out and use it as an exfoliate and wipe my face with it wet a few more times.  Not only would the cold cream remove all the makeup but the dead skin cells as well.  No more flaky skin in places.  The mineral oil would leave a beautiful moisturizer layer on my skin where I didn't need moisturizer anymore. 

My skin has since cleared up and I don't get oilies.  I don't need rice paper at 10 in the morning either.  My skin isn't tight or flaky due to a moisture imbalance.  I tested this theory of the cold cream fixing my skin in 1 product when I ran out of my second jar and didn't have time to get any for a week or two.  My skin went back to oily, flaky and breaking out.

I highly recommend that you give Ponds Cold Cream a try for a month and see if you are a believer.

What are you waiting for in the mail? Christmas Orders

I have started to order Christmas gifts online.  Usually I order in October due to shipping delays closer to the end of November and early December  The internet has better deals than Canadian stores do.  I am currently waiting on various different orders.  Mostly for my my mom and friends and even a few for items for me.  We are all beauty junkies and its fun to get different things for them that aren't available in Canada.

On Tophatter I won:

Beautiful 6 in 1 Steampunk Glass Pendants Necklace.  My mom will just love these.

Gorgeous Vintage Style Cameo Cuff Bracelet:  

100 European Style Beads.  I have various Euro bracelets I have been making to give away as giftst.

Mystery Hoodoo Grab Bags Lot.  The auction was for 2 out of the 3 in the picture. 

BMGM Oshun Spirit Mystery Box.  My previous mystery box from this seller had the gorgeous salts in it along with bangles, red salt and delicious teas.

I have an order I put in from Sumer ScentSations on Etsy that includes gorgeous bars of lavender soap, solid perfumes and lotions.  These are for the ladies at work.  I know that box of goodies will smell wonderful.

I also have an order from Moonalisa from September I think that was mailed out last week.  Includes body powders and hair mists and a delicious scrub.  Another order that will smell awesome when it arrives.  

Most of these orders should be here this week.  I hope to wrap alot of gifts this weekend and get them done before we put the tree up Sunday.

What do you have coming in the mail?  

Hurricane Sandy in Toronto

As Hurricane Sandy makes landfall in New Jersey/New York, all of the East coast is being hit with terrorizing winds and heavy rains.  In Toronto we are preparing for a mega storm.  Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 100 / km today, tonight and tomorrow as the storms passes through the GTA.

Have your emergency kit prepared and up-to-date, warm clothes, a fully charged phone and being prepared for power outages.

My Use It Up List for September 2012 with Product Reviews

For the month of September, I plan to keep a log of what products I use up and include reviews after finishing each item.

The Body Shop Pumpkin Nectarine HFO
Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Body Wash with NutrimuesMoisture - Sample
Ponds Cold cream with the green lid - Full size (6 oz)
Jaqua Passion Fruit Cocktail Hydrating Shower Syrup (8 oz)
Nivea Smooth Sensation Lotion sample
Lasting Scent Candles Tart in Voodoo Doll
BBW Simply Divine Cherry Pie HFO
Jaqua Pink Champagne Shower Syrup (4oz)
BBW Pumpkin Pie Scrub
Trapp Rain Candle
C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Cream - Sample

Reviews:


TBS Pumpkin Nectarine HFO is a nice refreshing Fall and even as a Winter scent.  It has a good balance between the pumpkin and nectarine scents.  I would use it during Spring as it is a refreshing fragrance.  I would purchase this HFO again.

Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Body Wash with Nutrimmoisture is an ok product.  It smells refreshing but with the lotion included in the body wash it doesn't lather at all.  I prefer my soap and body washes to lather. My skin was somewhat softer when I got out of the shower.  The last thing I do in the shower is wash my body.  I prefer to put lotion on after I dry off.  I don't see myself using this product int he future.  If you don't care if a body wash lathers and you need moisture for dry skin then this product would be great for you.

Ponds Cold Cream with the green lid is a fantastic product!  When I purchased this one I also got a bonus of a second container of it.  This stuff is awesome.  I have oily skin and wondered if using an oil base cleanser would help stay hydrated and be less oily.  It worked!  My skin looks plump and hydrated and I have very little oily days.

Jaqua Passion Fruit Cocktail Hydrating Shower Syrup smells so good.  I would definitely purchase this scent again!  It is a thick body wash that lathers well and is moisturizing.  My dry skin soaks up the moisturizers that are in this body wash.  The scent alone is worth the price you pay for a bottle of this pure heaven in a bottle.  It has a true passion fruit scent.

Nivea Smooth Sensation Lotion sample feels nice on the skin.  I would consider purchasing this lotion in the future.  It is absorbed quickly into the skin.  It has a gentle scent and nice texture.  I wish the sample was more than a few ml in a packet.  It would of been better to give it a better try in a small tube or container.  I keep a list of lotions that I like for after I use up my stash of lotions and creams.  I have severe dry skin, esp on my hands, elbows and legs.  When applied to my hands at bedtime I instantly felt them softer and moisturized.  When I woke up in the morning my hands were still soft and moisturized.  This is a huge deal to me.  I want to be able to feel the softness the next morning.

Lasting Scent Candles Tart in Voodoo is a good sized tart in a circular dixie cup with a lid.  Sometimes the lids come off or the fragrance oil leaks out of the tart.  LSC tarts are very strong in scent and have an awesome throw.  You need less than a quarter of a tart in a tart warmer to scent a small room like a bathroom.  As this was my first LSC tart I was impressed by the throw and strength of scent.  However, I did not like this spicy kind of scent.  I have other LSC tarts and look forward to melting them.

BBW Simply Divine Cherry Pie HFO is awesome!  I am not big on cherry scents but this scent is simply divine.  It smells exactly like cheery pie.  You can smell the pie crust scent in this HFO.  The lingering note is the baked cherry.  It smells tart and sweetened by the pie crust scent.  I wish I was able to buy this HFO still but BBW hasn't carried this scent in years.  I got it at the bi-annual sale five years ago.  I didn't think I would like it so I only purchased one bottle. It did not give me a headache.  When I purchased this HFO I also purchased HFO in Pumpkin Pie Paradise, I got 5 or 6 of them as the body products in this scent was awesome but unfortunately the Pumpkin Pie Paradise HFO gives me an awful headache.  I now wish I had purchased 1 of those and 5 or 6 in the Simply Divine Cherry Pie scent.

Jaqua Pink Champagne Shower Syrup (4oz)

BBW Pumpkin Pie Scrub

Trapp Rain Candle

C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Cream - Sample smells absolutely delicious.  I love citrus scents and this cream fits that bill.  It is thick and luxurious.   

How to get the BEST and CHEAPEST Shave

How to get the best shave for the cheapest amount of money. After many many years of shaving my legs I have finally come up with the best shave for my busk. I have dry skin and if I shave too often my legs get itchy and scaly. It's hard to fight this problem when you want to wear shorts everyday in the summer. I am very light skinned and have dark leg hair. So I show a shadow after 12 hours.

What I have found that works for an awesome and long lasting cheap shave is:

1.  Exfoliate with a good scrub infused with moisturizing oils and ground up apricot seed - I was given a tub of Orgins' scrub as a gift and been using it up (it's not cheap) but I will return to my regular homemade salt or sugar scrub.

2.  Use a 3 blade razor - I only purchase Schick Xtreme 3 for Women Sensitive. It has 3 blades, so enough for a close shave but not so many to irritate the skin.  The razor has a strip with Aloe, Vitamin E and Shea Butter to give you a comfortable shave. I buy the all pink Schick Xtreme3 razor in the plastic bag with pink writing that are cheaper. They are the same razor but without the plush handle. You get more razors for less.

3.  I quit using shaving cream - Instead I use a moisturizing hair conditioner. I have been buying Tresseme for $3.99 for a huge bottle. I put a layer on my leg and let it sit for 30 - 60 seconds for it to condition my hair and skin then I start to shave.

4.  After I shave I pat dry and apply a layer of Degree Body Responsive Deodorant in Fresh Oxygen - The deodorant keeps the skin from drying, becoming itchy and moisturizes.

I have found this to be the best shave that doesn't irritate my skin.

How to Build a Chicken Coop

Have you ever wondered how to build a chicken coop?  My friend moved up to the country and it came with chickens and a few other farm animals.  The chicken coop was almost falling down after so many terrible storms the area recently had experienced.  My friend had never built a chicken coop and wanted to build one that would withstand the storms in her area.  While browsing the internet for helpful ideas we came across this great book:  Building a Chicken Coop  This book even tells you how to keep your chickens happy and their home in perfect shape.  There is yearly maintenance necessary that new owners to chickens might not know about.  Many different coop styles are includes in the book for all sizes.


My friend purchased this book and she has a well made chicken coop and lots of other chicken oriented information.  Her chickens are safe from storms and warm in the winter.  She knows how to take care of them properly.  This book includes all the information needed.

You can have a chicken run attached to the coop or just leave the door open and let them roam your yard.  A warm coop and open area to rn around keep the chickens happy and egg laying.

Forest Apprentices Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory and Golden Salves Order Review

I made a purchase from Forest Apprentices, From the Forest they also are called, a couple of weeks ago. TAT was fast and I got my items from the US to Canada in about 10 days. That is a record for Canada Post these days. My husband has problems with his back and the doctor told him it was arthritis. I did a quick search and found this fabulous store and made a purchase of 1 each of the Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve and Golden Salve. My entire order came to $14.20 including shipping to Canada.

Product Info and Reviews:

Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve

Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve 1oz plastic jar $ 5.00

(Populus balsamifera & Capsicum sp.). For topical use on arthritic and stiff joints. Do not use on broken skin. Due to the Cayenne used in the salve, this product burns when it comes into contact with mucus membranes. Due to it's capsaicin, Cayenne help to relieve the pain of arthritis and other forms of joint inflammation when gently massaged onto the affected area. Cottonwood reduces pain and eases inflammations due to rheumatism and arthritis.

Review:

After rubbing this salve on my husband's entire back the first night he was able to sleep more than 3 hours all night. Closer to 4 hours. Usually he only sleep off and on for three hours and ends up getting up because he is in so much pain. After three nights of rubbing it into his entire back he is able to sleep closer to 5-6 hours. This is a huge change for him. I will continue to purchase this salve for him. It is a good price and arrives quickly.

Golden Salve 1oz plastic jar $ 5.50

Golden Salve

(Curcuma longa & Abies balsamea). This golden colored salve is excellent for reducing scarring, preventing infection in open sores and as a follow-up after using an escharotic product. This product has a tropical ingredient, Tumeric (Curcuma longa).

Review:

I was bit a few times in the garage by a spider and the bites became itchy. That night after my shower I rubbed this Golden Salve on the 5 different bites. They instantly became non itchy. The bites are healing quickly and it has now been four days and they are still not itchy after only two application of this salve. My one issue with this salve is that it turns your skin yellow for a week and that is with daily washing in the shower. It works but it makes you yellow.

Shop Review:

I will be purchasing from this shop again. I know that the Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve will get used up as they only come in 1oz jars. I will see if the shop owner will make a larger batch for me. She has other great items that I want to try.

I have found that this store sells on various sites, including the big auction site.