Styling with heat can be really hard on your hair. I was in the market for something that would protect my hair from heat damage. I came across a store called Misikko and was impressed with the abundance of hair styling products they offered. I asked if they would be willing to let me try a product or two, and they sent me the Hana Shine Shield and CHI Silk Infusion to try. They were also ever-so-kind to let me offer these same two products to a lucky reader in a giveaway! Read on to find out more!!

ABOUT MISIKKO
Misikko is located outside of Philadelphia and emerged from a desire to easily shop and compare the best professional styling tools and beauty products available on the market. For five years, they have been committed to seeking out the newest innovations in the hair and beauty industry. Misikko pride themselves on their selection, taking the time to ensure their high-quality products deliver on their promises. Their goal is to help their customers learn about the tools of the trade so that they can find the right salon tools and products at the right prices. Whether you’re looking for a CHI hair straightener or the best blow dryer, Misikko is sure to have what you need.

ABOUT HANA SHINE SHIELD
Hana Shine Shield is a thermal serum that protects and strengthens hair regardless of whether you use it with a flat iron, hair dryer, or alone as a leave-in conditioner. It is boasted as lightweight and never greasy and is the latest product in a line committed to safe, effective heat styling. Hana Shine Shield is designed to protect and restore both hair and scalp from both environmental and styling stress. It features the natural magic of Jojoba oil, utilizing it’s superb qualities of deep moisturization, fast absorption into hair follicles and scalp, and unparalleled shimmer and shine. Jojoba is also known to naturally dissolve soil, removing build-up left from other styling products to leave hair clean and supple. Jojoba excels at thickening ketatin layers to bring out hair’s natural color overtones, highlights, and brilliance. It has been proven that periodic use over time advances the quality of your hair and the health of your scalp.

ABOUT CHI SILK INFUSION
CHI Silk Infusion is specially formulated for thermal styling and hair repair. It contains no alcohol, and so can be used as a leave in reconstructing treatment. CHI Silk Infusion is enriched with pure natural silk, wheat and soy proteins that will leave your hair with head-turning, lustrous shine. CHI Silk Infusion protects the hair against environmental factors and leaves hair soft and manageable with no product build up.

MY EXPERIENCE
I first tried the Hana Shine Shield with my hair while straightening it. I was really impressed with how light-weight the formula truly was. After straightening my hair, my hair was truly luxuriously shiny without a hint of greasiness.

I decided to do something a little different when trying out CHI Silk Infusion. I decided to curl my hair using the product beforehand. Again, the product left my hair absolutely gorgeous and full of shine. This formula was also very light-weight and didn’t leave my hair feeling or looking greasy.

Both products worked extraordinarily well. If I had to choose a favorite between the two, I would choose CHI Silk Infusion because of it’s scent. While Hana Shine Shield smelled really good, the scent of CHI Silk Infusion really reminded me of Curve For Men, a scent I absolutely love. I would highly recommend both of these products to anyone that wants to protect their hair from heat and environmental factors, or would just like a fabulous and effective leave-in treatment.

BUY IT!

Get the gorgeous hair you deserve by protecting it with Hana Shine Shield & CHI Silk Infusion! Visit Misikko at http://www.misikko.com Right now you can even get free shipping on orders over $50, so stock up!

WIN IT!

One very lucky reader is going to get both the Hana Shine Shield and the CHI Silk Infusion I got to try! Enter today!!

Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to http://www.misikko.com and have a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment on this post letting me know why your hair could use these products for some extra TLC!

You must complete the first and mandatory entry in order for the extra entries to count!

A winner will be randomly drawn among the valid entries using Random.org. Comments will be moderated.

Winner’s entries will be verified. I do not discriminate against previous winners. The more you enter, the greater the chance to WIN!

**Extra Entries

As always, I have lots of ways for you to earn extra entries. If you would like, you can do each of the following things to earn more entries into this contest. If you have already done it, it still counts. Please leave a comment for each additional entry you complete. Some items are worth more than one entry and are indicated as such. Please leave the same number of comments that the entry is worth. You can just copy & paste the entry and number them if you’d like.

2. Subscribe to Misikko’s email Newsletter by going here: http://www.misikko.com/newsletter-signup.html Leave me two comments on this post letting me know you have done so. Worth two extra entries

3.  Blog about the giveaway on your blog. Leave me the url of where I can find the blog post when you leave the comment letting me know you have done so. Leave ten comments for this. Worth ten extra entries

4. Add Misikko (@misikko) as a friend in your Twitter community and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

5. “Like” Misikko on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

6. Interact with Misikko’s Facebook – Comment on a post or picture, or write on their wall.  DO NOT just write “extra entry for ___ blog’s giveaway” or “XYZ Blog sent me!” I WILL check & if you don’t comply with this, these entries will be deleted & WILL NOT count!! Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

7. Tweet this giveaway and leave me two comments including your twitter username or the actual url of the twitter status update letting me know you’ve done so. Please copy & paste the following tweet to your twitter: RT: Win Hana Shine Shield & CHI Silk Infusion To Protect Your Hair From Heat & Environment! http://bit.ly/b04hXC @misikko @codisweepstakes Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

Want more entries? Regular entries apply, so click here to see additional ways to earn even more entries to try to win this contest!

This giveaway begins Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 10 PM CST and will end on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 10PM CST. Winner will have 48 hours to acknowledge their win or another random winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped directly to chosen winner. Only residents of U.S. and Canada are eligible to win. Misikko giveaway winners are limited to one prize per household per calendar year.

Disclosure : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. http://cmp.ly/2/cqswiz All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the fact that the product was free of charge to me for review. For more information on this, please see my Review and Disclosure policy.

A big thanks to Misikko for this review opportunity & giveaway!

Good Luck!!

I remember seeing the movie Hairspray when I was young. There is a scene that a girl uses an IRONING BOARD and a CLOTHING IRON to straighten her hair! It is amazing how much straightening your hair has come over the years.

The straightening iron I had been using for the last few years had taken it’s toll on my hair, and I knew it was time for a new one. It wasn’t exactly an expensive flat iron when I bought it, and the lack of quality really came out. Lately any time I used it, I could literally hear my hair sizzling and smell it burning! Yikes!!

Looking around online at flat irons, I learned just how far the world of straightening your hair has come. Now there are tourmaline, ceramic, ionic, and titanium flat irons. After doing some research, I decided that I most wanted a tourmaline flat iron since they heat up fast and create high-shine, super straight styles that will last a good length of time. My old flat iron only had the ability to straighten hair; it could not create curls or waves, so that was another feature I knew I’d like to have.

I was very excited to get the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Flat Iron as it is known to be one of the best tourmaline straighteners. It offers a wide range of heat settings and doesn’t burn my hair. My hair is left feeling and looking silky and shiny and the results last significantly longer than my previous flat iron. I absolutely love playing around with this flat iron creating straight, wavy, and even curly styles.

Your hair is something that you wear everyday. What you do to it and how well you treat it has a big impact. I feel that it is definitely worth the investment of getting a good, high-quality flat iron to maintain beautiful, healthy hair.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. Compensation has been received for the links in this posts. All opinions and experiences are my own.

#110 Sunshyn Vanderheiden
Comment:
My biggest problem with my skin is that it gets really dry in some areas.

Congratulations!

I am sending you an email right after this is posted. Please reply within 48 hours or I will have to redraw for another winner.

Thank you to JUARA for sponsoring this review / giveaway!

Thanks to all that entered! Come back for more great prizes and contests coming soon!

You may remember a previous review and giveaway I posted for Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil. I was so impressed with the quality and delicious flavor that Tropical Traditions offered that I contacted them again to see about trying another one of their products. Tropical Traditions agreed to let me try their Organic Raw Honey and give away a jar to one of you lucky readers! Read on to find out more!!

ABOUT TROPICAL TRADITIONS
Tropical Traditions was founded by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy, who returned to the Philippines with their three children in 1998. At this time, the coconut industry was depressed because of negative U.S. campaigns against tropical oils during the 1980’s-90’s. When Mr. Shilhavy first read about all the wonderful benefits of coconut oil, he asked his wife Marianita if there was a more natural way to extract coconut oil from coconuts to avoid buying the refined oils available in the Philippine markets. Marianita grew up on a coconut plantation and knew there was an older method the older generation used to extract oil by grating the fresh coconut, extracting the coconut milk, and then letting the oil stand in a container for around 24 hours. After that, the coconut oil naturally separates from the water and produces a crystal clear oil that retains the full scent of coconuts. Tropical Traditions is famous for their coconut oil and still uses this method to this day. Today, Tropical Traditions has made many healthy and organic products available to the world. They maintain a strong commitment to family farming and organic standards and are also against genetically modified foods. Tropical Traditions seek to restore traditional ways of producing healthy food and products.

ABOUT TROPICAL TRADITIONS ORGANIC RAW HONEY
Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer and comes from the frontier areas of Canada. It is the exclusive source of premium organic honey in the U.S.  Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey is only warmed enough to flow at the same temperatures the honey would see inside the bee hive. It has not been subjected to the heat of processing. Tropical Traditions only select premium honey that is pure, smooth, and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. The honey contains live yeast and enzymes as well as pollen because it has not been processed or filtered–merely screened. Truly raw honeys like Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey do not deteriorate  with age. Instead, like fine wines, they continue to age and develop into more complex tastes. In order for Tropical Tradition’s Organic Raw Honey to be certified as organic, the beehives are placed in isolated areas miles from the dense population, industry, traffic congestion, landfills, and the farm fields treated with chemicals. The honey itself is has been put through a rigorous set of standards and conditions applied by the USDA and Canadian Organic Certification and adhered to by both the producer aka the beekeeper and the packager.

MY OPINION
I could hardly wait for my Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey to arrive! When it did, I was pleased once again with the packaging. I was too eager to try out the honey with other food products, so I got a spoon and tried a little right out of the jar. This honey seriously made me rethink my idea of how honey should taste. I had tasted many different types of honey in the past, but this honey was hands-down the absolute, very best I have ever tasted. I could literally taste the superior quality, and the sweetness was better than sugar! I will never be able to taste other honey without being disappointed again.

I was craving honey biscuits, so I decided to first try out my new Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey by making some honey biscuits from scratch. I got a recipe online, and got to work. The ending result was absolutely delicious!! These biscuits definitely satisfied my craving.

I would more than highly recommend Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey to any honey-lover out there. I have no doubt that you will be so impressed with it’s flavor and quality. I also think that, like me, you will not want any other honey after trying this product!

BUY IT!

Can’t wait to taste the best honey you will ever taste? Realize the taste that you cannot even imagine by visiting http://www.tropicaltraditions.com and ordering some Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey today! Get some great honey-inspired recipes at http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com & searching for “honey”.
Tropical Traditions also runs weekly specials on their Weekly Sales Blog, so be sure to check those out!

WIN IT!

One very lucky reader is going to get their very own jar of Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey! Enter today!!

Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to http://www.tropicaltraditions.com and have a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment on this post letting me know what you’d make with Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey!

You must complete the first and mandatory entry in order for the extra entries to count!

A winner will be randomly drawn among the valid entries using Random.org. Comments will be moderated.

Winner’s entries will be verified. I do not discriminate against previous winners. The more you enter, the greater the chance to WIN!

**Extra Entries

As always, I have lots of ways for you to earn extra entries. If you would like, you can do each of the following things to earn more entries into this contest. If you have already done it, it still counts. Please leave a comment for each additional entry you complete. Some items are worth more than one entry and are indicated as such. Please leave the same number of comments that the entry is worth. You can just copy & paste the entry and number them if you’d like.

2. Subscribe to Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter by going here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm Leave me two comments on this post letting me know you have done so. Worth two extra entries

3. Check out Tropical Traditions Free Coconut Recipe website here: http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.htm Come back to this blog post and leave two comments telling me which recipe sounded the most delicious to you. Worth two extra entries

4. Add Tropical Traditions (@troptraditions) as a friend in your Twitter community and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

5. Add Tropical Traditions as a friend in your Facebook community and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

6. Tweet this giveaway and leave me two comments including your twitter username or the actual url of the twitter status update letting me know you’ve done so. Please copy & paste the following tweet to your twitter: PLS RT: Win Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey & See How Honey Should Really Taste! http://bit.ly/94Dlts @troptraditions @codisweepstakes Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

Want more entries? Regular entries apply, so click here to see additional ways to earn even more entries to try to win this contest!

This giveaway begins Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 1 AM CST and will end on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 1 AM CST. Winner will have 48 hours to acknowledge their win or another random winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped directly to chosen winner. Only residents of U.S. are eligible to win.

Disclosure : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. http://cmp.ly/2/cqswiz All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the fact that the product was free of charge to me for review. For more information on this, please see my Review and Disclosure policy.

A big thanks to Tropical Traditions for this review opportunity & giveaway!

Good Luck!!

The winner is:

#103 R Hicks
Comment:
LIKED FURminator Inc. ON FACEBOOK NO.1

Congratulations!

I am sending you an email right after this is posted. Please reply within 48 hours or I will have to redraw for another winner.

Thank you to FURminator for sponsoring this review / giveaway!

Thanks to all that entered! Come back for more great prizes and contests coming soon!

If you’ve been keeping up with me at all, you know that I am pregnant with my second child. I am not particularly a girl that adores all that goes along with being pregnant. To be honest, when I am not pregnant, I wear a lot of tight, form-fitting clothing. After I start showing during pregnancy, I literally cannot wear any of my “regular” clothes. Growing bigger and trying to squeeze into clothes that no longer fit can be a pretty harsh blow on my self-esteem. I was on the look-out for some fashionable and cute maternity clothing that would make me feel comfortable and attractive at the same time. While searching online, I found a great store called Kiki’s Fashions that I cannot wait to tell all you mommies-to-be all about!

ABOUT KIKI’S FASHION
Kiki’s Fashions brings their customers up-to-date, cute, and trendy maternity clothes at incredibly low prices. They know that so many of today’s maternity fashions are boxy, out-dated, boring, and expensive, so they pride themselves in offering a wide selection of unique maternity styles at prices mostly under $20. Kiki’s Fashions even offers an huge selection of maternity clothing priced at under $10! They are able to offer prices at 15%-30%  less than many of their competitors by selling exclusively online, which allows them to maintain very low operating costs. Kiki’s Fashions add to their maternity clearance selection weekly and change their inventory often, ensuring that their customers always have access to today’s hottest fashions and trends. If you see something you love, make sure to act on it quickly–their styles change often and that outfit you adore might not be in stock for long! Kiki’s Fashions offers expecting mothers trendy maternity skinny jeans, modern tank tops, cute maternity dresses, and more. All of their maternity clothing is stylish and offered at a price that every pregnant woman can afford. There are always deep discounts on maternity clothes that savvy moms-to-be can discover. Kiki’s Fashions prioritize on style and selection. Pregnant mommies everywhere can find fresh and new maternity styles at prices that are difficult to find anywhere else. Shopping at Kiki’s Fashions is an excellent choice to find that exact maternity outfit you need.

MY EXPERIENCE
Kiki’s Fashions has an amazing selection of maternity clothes that fit my personality and lifestyle, so I contacted them to see if they would be interested in letting me review an item from their clothing line. They agreed to let me review an item from their vast selection of maternity clothing. I wanted something that would be practical, versatile, fashionable, and comfortable. It was an extremely hard choice (they had so much that I loved!), but I finally decided on their Cream Long Sleeve Maternity Shirt/Tunic in a size large. I am normally quite a small girl, but their website indicated that their sizes often run smaller than indicated, plus I anticipate on getting quite a bit bigger, so I opted for a large size. I was also aware that the majority of my pregnancy will take place in the cold winter months, so I wanted something that would be able to keep me warm. The first thing that struck me when my shirt arrived was the incredibly soft, snugly material. There was no doubt that this shirt would be a pleasure to wear and feel against my skin.  The item has very well-made and appears to be of high-quality materials. I was glad that I had chosen a large size because the fit was only slightly too big, perfect to grow into! I love this shirt. I felt confident and felt like I looked great wearing it. I absolutely love that I can pair it with so many other items of clothing. This shirt will most likely be my maternity clothing staple–it is absolutely wonderful! After washing and drying it, it did not shrink up or lose any quality. It seems to be very durable, and I can imagine I’ll probably wear it as an over-sized long sleeve shirt well after my pregnancy! I highly recommend Kiki’s Fashions to any expecting mother!!

BUY IT!
Kiki’s Fashions would like to welcome bloggers and friends of bloggers by offering you 20% off everything in their store for helping them grow. Visit Kiki’s Fashions online at http://www.kikisfashions.com & just use the promotional code blogfriends at checkout. This coupon code is not valid with any other code. Hope you find what you are looking for!

I was given samples of the products reviewed; I was not compensated in any way for this review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by anyone or anything else.

In addition to running a review and sweepstakes blog, I love to enter sweepstakes in my spare time. I am often asked if I sell the items that I win “sweeping”, and that answer is no. I only enter sweepstakes for items that my family needs or wants. Recently, I was lucky enough to win a $25 Gift Certificate to My Baby Clothes Boutique. After browsing their many fashion-forward items available on their website, I finally decided to treat my one year old to his very own fedora. Judah, my son, sees his daddy wearing hats (especially fedoras) often. As a result, he loves hats and is completely comfortable sporting one on his own head.

When I placed my order, the wonderful people at My Baby Clothes Boutique noticed my blog in my email signature and asked if I would like to host a review and giveaway for them. I loved the selection of baby items available in their boutique and knew my readers would as well, so I agreed. Now you can win your very own $25 Gift Certificate to My Baby Clothes Boutique! Read on to find out more!!

ABOUT MY BABY CLOTHES BOUTIQUE
MyBabyClothesBoutique.com knows that there is nothing more precious than babies and strive to bring you the cutest, most comfortable, high-quality clothes and accessories available for the child in your life. My Baby Clothes Boutique scours the web to offer a wide variety of trendy designer baby clothes all at a Guaranteed Lowest Price! As a matter of fact, if you are looking for something in particular that they do not provide, you can simply let them know and they will add it to their selection. My Baby Clothes Boutique has lots of choices for accessories like baby hats, headbands, gifts, formal clothing, costumes, and so much more featured on their adorable baby models.  Their customer service team is always available to handle any questions or concerns you may have. You can simply email or call them to ask questions or to place orders.

MY EXPERIENCE
Choosing my sweepstakes prize was a difficult task–My Baby Clothes Boutique had so many items I felt that would be adorable on my son or child-to-be! As mentioned before, I finally settled on their brown fedora, and when it arrived, I eagerly tore into my package. I was very pleased with the high quality of the fedora. I could tell that it would hold up through my son’s handling. When I showed my son his new hat, his face lit up and a big smile spread across his face. He absolutely loves sporting his new hat around town or even just around the house. He looks so cute wearing his new hat and loves being just like his daddy! Also, I was also very impressed with My Baby Clothes Boutique’s customer service. I had an issue with shipping, and it was straightened out right away and my package arrived promptly. I highly recommend My Baby Clothes Boutique to anyone with a child or a baby on the way or even just a special little one in their life. The selection of clothing and accessories is fabulous and I look forward to shopping with them again.

Buy It!

Show off just how adorable your baby is with the fashionable clothes offered at My Baby Clothes Boutique! You can order directly from their website, located at http://www.mybabyclothesboutique.com

Win it!

Now you can dress your fashion-forward baby in the stylish offerings of My Baby Clothes Boutique with your very own $25 Gift Certificate! There’s so much to choose from; I’m sure you’ll have a hard but fun time deciding what to get!  Enter today!!

Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to http://www.mybabyclothesboutique.com and take a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment on this post letting me know what you would get if you won the $25 Gift Certificate.

You must complete the first and mandatory entry in order for the extra entries to count!

A winner will be randomly drawn among the valid entries using Random.org. Comments will be moderated.

Winner’s entries will be verified. I do not discriminate against previous winners. The more you enter, the greater the chance to WIN!

**Extra Entries

As always, I have lots of ways for you to earn extra entries. If you would like, you can do each of the following things to earn more entries into this contest. If you have already done it, it still counts. Please leave a comment for each additional entry you complete. Some items are worth more than one entry and are indicated as such. Please leave the same number of comments that the entry is worth. You can just copy & paste the entry and number them if you’d like.

2. Become a fan of My Baby Clothes Boutique on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

3. Tweet this giveaway and leave me two comments including your twitter username or the actual url of the twitter status update letting me know you’ve done so. Please copy & paste the following tweet to your twitter: Pls RT: Win A $25 Gift Certificate To My Baby Clothes Boutique & Show Off Just How Cute Your Baby Is! http://bit.ly/az3bsi @codisweepstakes Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

Want more entries? Regular entries apply, so click here to see additional ways to earn even more entries to try to win this contest!

This giveaway begins Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 5 PM CST and will end on Friday, September 17th, 2010 at 5 PM CST. Winner will have 48 hours to acknowledge their win or another random winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped directly to chosen winner. Only residents of U.S. are eligible to win.

Disclosure : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. http://cmp.ly/2/cqswiz All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the fact that the product was free of charge to me for review. For more information on this, please see my Review and Disclosure policy.

A big thanks to My Baby Clothes Boutique for this review opportunity & giveaway!

Good Luck!!



Contest Closed.

The winner is: Sunshyn Vanderheiden!

Congratulations!
Teenagers are known for their skin woes, but it seems the older I get (I’m 27), the more more troublesome my skin becomes. I was on the look-out for skincare products that would be gentle on my sensitive skin. I wanted the ingredients to be natural and not ridden with chemicals, especially now that I am pregnant.

What I found was a skincare line called JUARA. The first thing that that caught by eye about JUARA skincare products was that their products contain no artificial colorants, sulfates, or phthalates, and is paraben-free. JUARA is advertised as effective, safe, and gentle. JUARA is also 100% vegetarian and does not participate in animal testing. I contacted JUARA to see if they would be interested in letting me review a few of their products and host a giveaway. Lucky for everyone, they agreed! Read on to find out more!!

ABOUT JUARA

Four young friends sought out to create a simple skincare line that had roots in ancient history, yet still had the the qualities of safe and effective in the modern world. They all were determined to combine science from their western up-bring along with their Asian ancestory, and to bring out the best of both. The results are a results-driven Indonesian skincare line called JUARA reminiscent of the ancient spa experience that deliver sensual and elegant treatments of the highest quality. JUARA uses high concentrations of powerful and pure active botanical native to Indonesia such as rice, turmeric, tamarind, healing teas, candlenut oil, and red sandlewood used by ancient royalty. The company sets an example by being a cruelty-free brand listed on PETA’s Companies That Don’t Test On Animals list and thus influences the standards in the cosmetics industry for the better. JUARA skincare focuses on maintaining skin wellness and health while feeling luxuriously elegant to the touch.

JUARA’S FOUNDERS

Metta Murdaya
As a native Indonesian, Matta Murdaya grew up in a place where plants have been the foundation of medicine and beauty rituals for hundreds of years and it is believed that the best way to maintain health is through regular maintenance and prevention using natural ingredients. She wanted to combine western modern science with her heritage’s ancient healing and fascinating beauty secrets. She obtained a design and business background from UC Berkeley and New York University.

Yoshiko Roth
Yoshiko Roth is of Japanese and German origin, and her fascination with skincare began in childhood when she discovered her chemist father’s dictionary of dermatological diseases. She went on to work in marketing in the skincare industry and since has obtained her MBA through New York University’s Stern School of Business. She was instrumental in the US expansion of France’s #1 dermo-cosmetic brand, Eau Thermale Avene and the building of a new skincare category.

Jill Sung
Jill Sung grew up in Texas and believes what you do now affects what you do or get later and that the key to good skin is through lots of sleep, good food, and good mental health. She realized how difficult it was to differentiate between what good for your skin and what was not with the abundance of products available on the market. She now works in product development, connecting the empirically-used ingredients that Indonesian skincare has to offer with science learned from her medical and health-care training at Harvard and New York University.

Tami Chuang
Tami Chuang considers herself to be a skeptical shopper not taken by fads. She didn’t want skincare that required her to lug around half a dozen bottles and jars to take care of her skin. She believes that skincare should be no-nonsense and must be efficient and practical while being made of elegant formulations that allow her to pamper herself. She studied molecular biology at UC Berkley and now enjoys traveling to exotic locales, trekking through the woods, and developing JUARA internationally.

To learn more about JUARA, check out this video!

ABOUT THE PRODUCTS

Rice Facial Cleanser

Rich in amino acids and proteins naturally found in rice, JUARA’s Rice Facial Cleanser is a softening rinse-off cleanser. It combines gentle yet effective cleansing agents, which remove make-up and skin-dulling debris, with the conditioning benefits of rice starch to evoke tradition Indonesian rice water rinse rituals. Rice starch is known for it’s soothing and softening properties, and helps prevent moisture-loss by enhancing the skin’s protective barrier. The results are skin so soft that you won’t want to stop touching it.

Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask

The Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask is a unique treatment mask brightens complexion, evens out skin tone, detoxifies, and strengthen skin in one single application. It protects skin from daily stress and environmental toxins leave our skin damaged, tired, dull, and vulnerable to an accelerated aging process. Turmeric is known as one of the most powerful antioxidants in Indonesian medicine and has been used for centuries as a remedy for various skin and health ailments.

Sweet Black Tea & Facial Moisturizer

JUARA’s Sweet Black Tea & Rice Facial Moisturizer combines nourishing rice bran oil and a patented, clinically proven form of fermented sweet black tea called Kombucha. This drink that Hollywood has been buzzing about is proven to significantly soften the skin and enhance skin radiance. Rice bran oil hydrates the skin as it is high in fatty acids and natural Vitamin E. It has been shown that regular use reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

My Favorite JUARA Product: Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask!

MY TAKE ON JUARA
I was ever so lucky to get to try out the three products mentioned above and the results and my experience were fantastic. I will start out with the Rice Facial Cleanser: The scent of this cleanser is extraordinary, unlike anything I’ve smelled before. I am in love with the fragrance; it is sweet and clean. The Rice Facial Cleanser really does feel luxurious to the touch; it’s application is so gentle on my skin. The formula is easy to rinse off and does an amazing job of cleansing my skin while leaving it incredibly soft afterward. If I think my skin may need a little boost, I use the Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask afterward. The mask itself is creamy and not greasy. I find the scent to be clean. I absolutely LOVE that this mask appears almost invisible on my skin. I always feel absolutely ridiculous putting a mask on my face that is some blatant bright color. The Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask applies almost like extra creamy foundation on me. If I need a quick skin touch-up, I can literally apply a little of this mask and no one around me even notices. I have noticed a very slight tingling sensation when I have the Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask on my face, but it isn’t unpleasant and I think it just means it’s working!  The results of the Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask are tremendous. After using the mask, my skin clears up and is very noticeably more radiant than before. The Sweet Black Tea & Rice Facial Moisturizer is magnificent as well. It has a very similar scent to the Rice Facial Cleanser that I love. This is great because the scent lingers and it leaves my skin smelling so nice and sweet. The formula isn’t greasy at all and a little goes a long way! I believe using the combination of these three products has greatly improved skin. My skin appears healthier now that it has for many years. I have considerably less break outs and my skin tone is more even than before. Every time I use JUARA, I feel like I have just visited the spa. I highly recommend JUARA to anyone wanting simple, effective, but luxurious skincare.

Buy It!

Ready to have beautiful, spa-quality skin? Head over to http://www.juaraskincare.com and get the fix your skin needs. JUARA has even offered a special 15% OFF discount code for my readers: Use the code Goldiloc15 at checkout to redeem.

Win it!

I am so envious that one of you lucky readers is going to get their very own JUARA’s Glow On The Go Travel Kit! This kit includes everything I got to try plus JUARA’s Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner and Candlenut Hand and Body Balm. Seriously, I envy you. Enter today!!

Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WDZSNBX and complete JUARA’s survey. Come back here and leave me a comment on this post letting me know that you have done this.

You must complete the first and mandatory entry in order for the extra entries to count!

A winner will be randomly drawn among the valid entries using Random.org. Comments will be moderated.

Winner’s entries will be verified. I do not discriminate against previous winners. The more you enter, the greater the chance to WIN!

**Extra Entries

As always, I have lots of ways for you to earn extra entries. If you would like, you can do each of the following things to earn more entries into this contest. If you have already done it, it still counts. Please leave a comment for each additional entry you complete. Some items are worth more than one entry and are indicated as such. Please leave the same number of comments that the entry is worth. You can just copy & paste the entry and number them if you’d like.

2. Add JUARA (@juaraskincare) as a friend in your Twitter community and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

3. Become a fan of JUARA on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

4. Tweet this giveaway and leave me two comments including your twitter username or the actual url of the twitter status update letting me know you’ve done so. Please copy & paste the following tweet to your twitter: PLS RT: Win A JUARA Skincare Glow On The Go Travel Kit!  http://bit.ly/ckoTUa @codisweepstakes @juaraskincare Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

5. Tell me your biggest skin woe. Leave one comment for this. Worth one extra entry

Want more entries? Regular entries apply, so click here to see additional ways to earn even more entries to try to win this contest!

This giveaway begins Monday, August 9th, 2010 at 11 PM CST and will end on Friday, August 30th, 2010 at 11 PM CST. Winner will have 48 hours to acknowledge their win or another random winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped directly to chosen winner. Only residents of U.S. are eligible to win.

Disclosure : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. http://cmp.ly/2/cqswiz All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the fact that the product was free of charge to me for review. For more information on this, please see my Review and Disclosure policy.

A big thanks to JUARA for this review opportunity & giveaway!

Good Luck!!



Contest Closed.

The winner is: R Hicks!

Congratulations!

As I have mentioned before, I am the owner of three crazy but lovable dogs. I also have a one year old son and another child on the way. Sometimes I think I am absolutely crazy for having my dogs. The main reason why is because of all the fur the dogs shed and the pain it is to keep my floors fur-free.

The FURminator offers a solution to this dilemma. Instead of waiting for fur to accumulate on my floors and carpets, the FURminator removes a significant portion directly from the source–my dogs. The FURminator is a comb that is used on felines and canines alike to remove excess fur that would otherwise end up all over your house. The comb has the ability to get the “undergrowth” fur that a lot of combs don’t have the ability to grab and it usually remains caught underneath the outer layer. Since using the comb on my beloved dogs, the amount of fur that acclimates wound my house has very significantly decreased. I am no longer having to unclog my vacuum from all of the fur.

FURminator Inc.

FURminator Inc. was founded by husband and wife team, Angie and David Porter. Professional Groomer Angie tried for years to find the best tool to combat shedding. After over a decade of using every available tool on the market, both she and her husband worked together to develop a tool that was efficient and wouldn’t cut the pet’s coat. The FURminator was created, along with a complete line of deShedding products such as shampoos and supplements to promote a healthy coat and skin and help to reduce shedding. The FURminator now has multiple patents and additional patents pending. Also new, you can now buy the FURminator and the deShedding products directly from the FURminator website!

About The FURminator

The FURminator deShedding tools address the number one complaint of pet owners–SHEDDING! It utilizes patented technologies to reach deep beneath the topcoat to remove the undercoat and loose hair, reducing shedding up to 90%. The tool is safe to be used everyday, but with most breeds, using the tool once or twice a week for 10-20 minutes each session is all that is necessary. The tool itself is lab tested and made of premium quality materials. It features a patented fine toothed, stainless steel edge that doesn’t cut or damage the coat of your pet. It is easy to use on both long and short hair pets and has been tested on a variety of breeds–from Bernards to Jack Russells, from cats to rabbit, to even horses! The FURminator helps bring out your pet’s natural oils, promoting healthier skin and a shiny coat. The tool can be used to prevent hairballs in cats. It has also been proven to reduce the amount of airborne elements in a household which cause allergic reactions. Grooming sessions are made easier with a convenient push button to remove fur from the deShedding edge. The FURminator deShedding tool is NOT used to remove mats or tangles. It is recommended to brush your pet’s fur beforehand or take your pet to a certified pet groomer for professional treatment. It is also important to physically inspect your pet to identify any cuts, sores, bruises, etc. so that the areas may be avoided. With proper use and care, the deShedding edge does not require sharpening or replacement for the lifetime of your pet.

My Experience

The people at FURminator let me choose what size tool I needed for my household from the deLuxe Collection, and I chose the medium 2.65″ deShedding tool as it was the most universal option and is used in houses with pets both large and small. I have two fifty-pound dogs and a twenty-pound dog. The tool I reviewed is recommended for medium to large size dogs. It features the same deShedding edge as the Classic FURminator, only with a new innovative grip handle and an enhanced design for easier use.

Of all three of my dogs, Paisley sheds the most and so I decided to use her for my example for my review. I was horrified to notice clumps of hair falling off of her this summer. She is a mutt, and her ancestors must have been breeds with lots of fur to shed. After bathing Paisley and letting her dry completely, I began with inspecting her for any abrasions or skin conditions, and  I combed her coat with a regular doggie brush to make sure she did not have any snags or mats. I was worried she wouldn’t like the FURminator tool and I’d have to fight her in order to brush her, but she actually enjoyed the experience! The whole time I was brushing her she laid down and relaxed. I could not believe the amount of fur that came off of her. Frankly, I was a little disgusted–it filled an entire grocery bag! However, better there than on my floor and furniture, right? The tool was incredibly super easy to use; the button that releases the hair from the comb is priceless.

I have used the FURminator on all three of my dogs multiple times now and have seen amazing results. I can already see a difference in the health of my dog’s coats. Also, not having to clean up fur anywhere near as much is AWESOME! I would absolutely recommend the FURminator to anyone with a shedding pet problem.

Buy It!

Are you tired of having to unclog your vacuum, too? You can now buy the affordable, effective FURminator tool directly from their website, http://www.furminator.com.

Win it!

One very lucky person will win their own FURminator deShedding tool just like I received! The winner also gets to choose what size tool they need for their household. Enter today!!

Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to http://www.furminator.com and have a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment on this post and tell me why you would benefit from using a FURminator deShedding tool!

You must complete the first and mandatory entry in order for the extra entries to count!

A winner will be randomly drawn among the valid entries using Random.org. Comments will be moderated.

**Extra Entries

As always, I have lots of ways for you to earn extra entries. If you would like, you can do each of the following things to earn more entries into this contest. If you have already done it, it still counts. Please leave a comment for each additional entry you complete. Some items are worth more than one entry and are indicated as such. Please leave the same number of comments that the entry is worth. You can just copy & paste the entry and number them if you’d like.

2. Add FURminator (@FURminator_Inc) as a friend in your Twitter community and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

3. Become a fan of FURminator on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you’ve done so. Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

4. Tweet this giveaway and leave me two comments including your twitter username or the actual url of the twitter status update letting me know you’ve done so. Please copy & paste the following tweet to your twitter: PLS RT: Love Your Pet, Hate The Shedding? Win a FURminator deShedding Tool!  http://bit.ly/9DRaGE @codisweepstakes @FURminator_Inc Leave two comments for this. Worth two extra entries

5. Join FURminator on Myspace and leave me a comment letting me know you have done so. Leave one comment for this. Worth one extra entry

6. Subscribe to FURminator on YouTube and leave me a comment letting me know you have done so. Leave one comment for this. Worth one extra entry

7. Become a Contact with FURminator on Flickr and leave me a comment letting me know you have done so. Leave one comment for this. Worth one extra entry

Want more entries? Regular entries apply, so click here to see additional ways to earn even more entries to try to win this contest!

This giveaway begins Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 10 PM CST and will end on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 10 AM CST. Winner will have 48 hours to acknowledge their win or another random winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped directly to chosen winner. Only residents of U.S. are eligible to win.

Disclosure : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. http://cmp.ly/2/cqswiz All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the fact that the product was free of charge to me for review. For more information on this, please see my Review and Disclosure policy.

A big thanks to FURminator for this review opportunity & giveaway!

Good Luck!!



I have really dark under eye circles. They are a pain to conceal. Plus, my skin is really fair and a lot of companies just don’t carry foundation as light as I am. Crystal, creator of The All Natural Face, came to my rescue! The All Natural Face carries 51 shades and growing of different foundation shades. If by chance you still can’t find your exact match, Crystal will mix and match and make you your very own customized foundation blend!

I had a lot of fun trying out all the different foundation samples I was provided. I noticed that the foundations did provide pretty great coverage. There were several that appeared complimentary over my skin tone. I really can’t say I have an exact favorite; some days I like to wear different shades of the foundation that compliment the other makeup I am wearing. I also found that you can create quite a flawless look by mixing and matching The All Natural Face’s selection of foundations.

The All Natural Face’s Vegan Cream Concealer Midas, an apricot/yellow tinted concealer stick, does a great job of hiding blueish under-eye circles and mild red tones on the face. It truly is a great pick-me-up! The All Natural Face’s Vegan Cream Foundation Concealer Stick is great as a follow-up to the Vegan Cream Concealer Midas for under-eye circles. It also conceals facial blemishes remarkably well; they just seem to disappear!  The Vegan Cream Foundation Concealer Stick is made with top-shelf age-defying Argan Oil as well as Jojoba Oil. It is perfect for those that prefer cream foundation, is non-greasy, and available in an incredible 51 shades!

I was super psyched to get to try out some of her eyeshadow primer products. My favorite was the Vegan Eye Shadow Primer. As the name implies, this product is applied before the application of eyeshadow. It really makes your eyeshadow POP and makes blending so much easier! If you’ve ever wished your eyeshadow looked more like it did in the container when you put it on, this product is for you! You can make your eyeshadow colors appear as bold as they do in the containers. You can also use the Vegan Eye Shadow Primer on your lips and it smells wonderful! The Vegan Oily Lid Eyeshadow Primer in Buff is wonderful if you like the appearance of a more matte look. It is made more for people who have oily lids, but you do not have to have oily lids to use it. You may use it for the Buff color itself. This product also helps to make eyeshadow color more bold and blending easier.  Both of these products really make your eyeshadow longer-lasting. Below, you can see how some of the All Natural Face’s eyeshadow colors appeared when applied with no base, over the Oily Lid Shadow Primer Buff, and over the Eyeshadow Primer:

I highly recommend The All Natural Face’s line of mineral cosmetics. Her eyeshadow colors are gorgeous; the makeup is of high quality and works very well. Her products are clearly made with a lot of love.

Get The Look!
What I Used:
-Eyeshadow Primer
-Medium Beige Warm Foundation
-Cherry Bomb Eyeshadow
-Pink Ice Storm Eyeshadow
-Vegan Cream Foundation Concealer Stick
-Vegan Cream Concealer Midas

Get The Look!
What I Used:
-Eyeshadow Primer
-Tan Warm Foundation
-Twilight Eyeshadow
-Vegan Cream Foundation Concealer Stick
-Vegan Cream Concealer Midas

I was given samples of the products reviewed; I was not compensated in any way for this review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by anyone or anything else.