Best Gift Ever

Oh Diamonds, the quickest way to a woman’s heart! The beautiful sparkle of a diamond necklace just seems to warm just about anyone's heart. I’m no different so when I was contacted by Anjolee a high-end jewelry manufacturer offering beautiful customizable pieces to fit anyone's taste, I was more than excited. Anjolee has been in business for more than 30 years and they have a high rating on the Better Business Bureau website, which is a must when purchasing anything online. They carry beautifully crafted bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. So it is basically a one stop shop for the jewelry obsessed.



I have always been a huge fan of dainty necklaces so I didn't hesitate to chose the Surrounded by Sparkle Diamond Pendant:





I customized this necklace and instead of diamonds had the necklace crafted with a silver chain, high quality .26 carat CZ’s and an Emerald center stone.





I was really excited when I was allowed to change the center stone to an Emerald instead of a diamond. Being that my name is Emerald I always thought it would be really special and sweet to have a nice dainty Emerald necklace. Like my mom said “an Emerald for Emerald”. So trust me when I tell you that I am completely satisfied with my new jewelry addition. You can customize any diamond pendant necklace on the website, which I think is really wonderful also.





I have never owned anything so sophisticated and nice. Actually when my necklace first arrived I was a bit terrified to wear it out in public for fear I would lose it. But thankfully the chain is very sturdy and is safe even in the hands of someone as accident prone as I am. I would recommend Anjolee to anyone looking to purchase a gift for someone special in your life. The customer service is great in my opinion and they were eager to answer any questions I had regarding my order. In the future I plan on purchasing a necklace for my mom and sisters just to show them how much I appreciate them!



(This is not a sponsored post. I was gifted this necklace for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% my own.)

Gourmet Body Pastries

Melanie the owner of Body Pastries contacted me recently about doing a review of her new natural body care products. Melanie began researching natural alternatives after learning that her friend at the young age of 30 had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She had always lived a healthy lifestyle but came to realize that most of the products she used were not healthy for her body. So she made it her goal to develop a line that would refrain from using unhealthy chemicals. Thus Gourmet Body Pastries was born.

I received a cute care package with four body care products and a exfoliating loufa. The packaging was almost to cute for words and I appreciated the fact that the box can be reused after you have finished your products. I plan to use my box to store more Gourmet Body Pastries! Here is a quick run down of the products I received and my initial reaction.

 

Chocolate Caramel Fantasy Whipped Shea Butter

Ingredients: Contains a wonderful blend of chocolate, caramel, vanilla and coconut fragrance oils infused in a blend of shea butter, coconut oil, vitamin e oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, aloe vera gel and vegetable glycerin.

Straight from site: “If you are a chocolate lover… You will LOVE this! This body cream was inspired by a sinful loose leaf black tea that I absolutely love.”

Price: 4oz $12 or 8oz $22

Thoughts:

I have to be honest I couldn’t take the smell of this body butter as it immediately gave me a headache. I don’t say this to deter you, it definitely smells like chocolate but seeing that I have an allergy to that particular delicacy I just couldn’t use this. My sister however loved this scent so I passed this on to her. Check back here in a week for her review of this product.

Key Lime Mousse Sugar Body Scrub

Ingredients: Contains sugar, castor oil, olive oil, essential oil and fresh lime zest.

Straight from the site: You will love feeding your skin with this hydrating treat .This sugar body scrub not only smells delightful but helps remove dead skin cells.

Price: 4oz $14 8oz $25

Thoughts:

This was my personal favorite from the bunch. The smell took me back to childhood and made me remember those yummy lime popsicles my grandmother would bring home from Snipes. For those of you who don’t know, that is a grocery store from my old hometown, Sylvester, GA. Anyway, back to the review. This body scrub has just the right amount of oil to sugar ratio and leaves your skin soft and smooth. I’m almost out of this one and you better believe I will be making another order!

Lemon Soufflé Sugar Body Scrub

Ingredients: Contains sugar, castor oil, olive oil, essential oil and fresh lemon zest.

Straight from the site: This citrus scrub leaves your skin with a sun kissed glow.It can be used on the face as well as the body. BodyScrubs should be used once per week after bathing before getting out the shower.

Price: 4oz $14 8oz $25

Thoughts:

Love Love Love this! The smell oh my gosh I wish this picture could be scratch and sniff. You guys this smell is so yummy and immediately lifts your mood. Just think of a lemon pound cake and you pretty much have the smell of this body scrub. This one also left my skin nice and soft and will also be a permanent fixture in my bathroom.

Rainbow Sherbet Hair Moisturizing Cream

Ingredients: Mango butter, Shea butter, Jamaican black castor oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, vegetable glycerin, aloe Vera Gel and fragrance oil

Straight from the site: This yummy blend of Shea butter and carrier oils melt in your hands as you apply it to your hair. This moisturizer is best used on wet or dry hair to soften, protect and add shine.

Price: 4oz $12.80

Thoughts: This is great because it quickly goes from a solid to liquid state when rubbed between your hands. Gives hair a nice shine and has a tasty scent. I know the bottle says hair moisturizer but I have also used this on my face and body and it feels wonderful. I can’t wait to try the other hair moisturizers on Gourmet Body Pastries.

If you would like to purchase your own Gourmet body treat please click here. Also make sure you follow Melanie via Twitter and Facebook so that you can stay up to date with the newest products and sales. Speaking of sales the save 20% on any whipped hair custard. And if you spend $50 or more you will receive a free 2oz container of whipped Shea body butter cream.

Thank you so much Melanie for this experience! You have a loyal customer here and my sisters love you also!

Onsen Skincare Review

Onsen believes that our skin has the natural ability to restore, protect and renew itself to a vibrant, healthy and radiant glow. They are committed to offering fully active products for skin care that work with your skin to remove any barriers to the natural ability of skin to renew itself. I recently had the chance to review a few of their products and I must tell you that I am more than pleased with everything I received. I personally sampled the Ocean Fresh body lotion and the White core whitening mask. My sister Shannon sampled the Crystal Clear Scrub and Shea Power Body Butter. Please read on to find out our views on each product.

First up the Crystal Clear Scrub in Sweet Macadamia. Shannon shares with us her thoughts on this lovely product:

Price: $39.95

Ingredients:Sea Salt Crytals, Blend of Fine Oils, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Simondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Vitis Vinefera (Grape) Seed Oil, F.A.C.T.™ (Vitamin C-Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipropylene Glycol, Thalassine-Hydrolyzed Lola Implexa, Extract) Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) Vanilla Planfolia Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria)Flower Extract, Fragrance Oil Blend

Shannons Review:

“I had an awesome opportunity to try Onsen Secrets’ Crystal Clear Scrub and the Shea-Power Body Butter, both in Sweet Macadamia. I must say that I am very, very impressed with the way these products made my skin look and feel. The Crystal Clear Scrub gently exfoliated the rough areas of my skin and as I washed away the salt crystals the Macadamia, Jojoba and Vitamin E oils left my skin soft and silky. I was pleased to see that there was no need for additional lotions or moisturizers after using this body scrub.”

Shea Power Body Butter

Price: $39.95

Ingredients: Micro Water Complex™ (proprietary complex of calcium carbonate ore, tourmaline ceramics, coral fossil, binchotan- charcoal, maifanshi- stone, dechlorine ceramics, aomori hiba-tree in an aqueous solution), Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate,Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), F.A.C.T.™ (Vitamin C -Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipropylene Glycol, Thalassine-Hydrolyzed Lola Implexa Extract), Sea Salt, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate. Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Fragrance.

Shannon’s Review:

“The Shea-Power Body Butter is just what my skin has been craving for a long time-moisture, moisture and more moisture. I have very, very dry skin and this body butter left my skin well hydrated without being oily or greasy. The consistency is very lightweight as the packaging describes and I found that just a little bit goes a long way.

After just a few uses of these products I have noticed a big difference in my skin. The fragrance that each product has leaves you smelling wonderful for hours and the fragrance isn’t overpowering at all. I would definitely recommend these products to anyone who suffers from very dry skin. I promise that you’ll be very pleased with the results that these products will give you.”

Onsen Whitecore Corrective Mask

Price: $249.95

Ingredients: MIcro Water Complex™ (proprietary complex of Calcium Carbonate Ore, Tourmaline Ceramics, Coral Fossil, Binchotan-Charcoal, Maifanshi-Stone, Dechlorine Ceramics, Aomori Hiba-Tree in an aqueous solution), Glycerin, Propanediol. Isopropyl Palmitate, Kaolin, Bentonite, Cetyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Alpha Arbutin, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Kojic Acid, Ascorbic Acid(Vitamin C), Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis(Aloe Vera)Leaf Juice, Xanthan Gum, Simmondsia Chinensis(Jojoba)Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate(Vitamin A), Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Kojic Dipalmitate, Morus Alba (Mulberry) Extract, Arotostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Extraxt, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Primula Veris (Cowslip)Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris (Lady's Mantle) Extract, veronica Officinalis Extract, Melissa Officinalis Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterol, Phospholipids, Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Fragrance

My Review:

I had the privilege of reviewing this corrective mask and I have to say I love it. This mask is suppose to minimize sun damage-including age spots, freckles and pigment irregularities. The box says for maximum results use the mask for 9 weeks. This is my face prior to using the mask:

Above is a picture of my dad and I. As you can see I have a lot of acne scarring and bruises on my face. I have tried everything imaginable to remove these spots but nothing seemed to help. However, after using Onsen corrective mask for the past six weeks, I have been very pleased with the results.



As you can see from the bravely unedited photograph, my skin has made a nice improvement from the use of the Whitecore corrective mask. The smell is pleasant and the texture is very smooth and gentle on on my very sensitive skin. I am happy to say that I did not experience any harsh side effects. Even after weeks of using this product I still have the entire bottle left. Definitely a worth purchase.

I also had the chance to review the Onsen ocean fresh body lotion ($17.95) and I’m in love! The scent reminds me of New Smyrna Beach, if you have ever visited this beach then you know what this lotion smells like. I love it and would recommend it to others. I applied the lotion immediately after bathing and my skin remained moisturized the entire night. I forgot to take a separate photo of the lotion but for those who are interested, the lotion is white in color and quickly absorbs into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the above items from Onsen use the code BEAUTY20 to receive 20% off your order. Also be sure to stay in touch with all the news by linking up with Onsen on Twitter and Facebook.

Seriously Delicious Treats

Ok so if you don’t know already I’m a certified sugar addict! You can read about my past loves here and here. Today’s obsession is brought to you by Seriously Baked, a gourmet online bakery, specializing in gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan baked goodness including, cakes, pies, cookies, and more. Today we will be discussing the 'best darn brownies' ever baked and a apple and gruyere cheese tart.



First up and everyone’s favorite, the S’more brownie! Thank you so much to the kind people over at Seriously Baked for sending over this surprise treat. While I couldn’t enjoy it due to my chocolate allergy, I was more than pleased to see the smiles on my sisters faces.



My sister Shannon said this brownie was like ‘a piece of heaven’ in her mouth! Now if that is not good I don’t know what is! Let me tell you guys, this brownie literally called out to me and for a split second I almost contemplated suffering through an allergic reaction just so I could experience the goodness. But, better judgment ( and my sisters evil eye) made me think twice. Instead I held out for the sugar-free apple and Gruyere cheese tart.



The idea of this tart seemed oh so delicious and the presentation was without a doubt amazing but I believe that in transit this sexy piece of goodness suffered the horror of the Florida heat. We heated the tart per the instructions on the package but the crust still came out a bit wonky. Now I in no way fault Seriously Baked for this, living in Florida I should have chosen another treat to sample. But hey we live and learn right?!



I will say however that those apples were yummy! I did like any sane person and nibbled on most of the apples on the tart. I may beg my sister to give this tart a try here at home at a later date. All in all everything was up to par and before I forget, everything came packaged safely as shown below.



The bubble wrap on top contained ice packs but they were already melted by the time they reached my home. Again, not the fault of the company. When I order things from Amazon I experience the same issue due to the extreme heat in my area. It also didn't help that the packaged arrived while we were out, so the sun had ample amount of time to rain on my sugary sweet parade.



For those of you still salivating over those brownies, you are in luck. Seriously Baked was kind enough to offer my readers $5 off your first order of any cupcakes, use code SWEETSB1. Just in case you’re stumped on what sweet cupcakes to choose, check out a few of my favorites below!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes $37.20 (for 1 dozen)

Ginger Spice Cupcakes

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes w/ Raspberry Ganache

Zucchini and Carrot Cupcakes

Gnarly Whale Shop Review

Ashley over at Afterninetofive.net recently created GnarlyWhaleShop, a vegan friendly beauty, bath and body shop on Etsy. Being a fan of Ashley’s blog I didn’t hesitate making an order to her shop as soon as it went live October 1st. I ordered a set of three vegan lip balms for $9 and anxiously waited for my package to arrive. However, a week after making my order Ashley messaged me informing me that there may be a chance that my order would be affected by a mishap at the shop. 



After such a sweet letter how could I be upset! When my order arrived I contacted Ashley and let her know that my tubes were indeed affected by the mishap and she responded with this sweet email.



Sweet right! I chose to wait for the new set of tubes to arrive and when they did she contacted me via email again to check and make sure that I didn’t have any allergies so that she could make the new batch of lip balms. Within a week my new lip balms arrived at my door step and I was more than pleased by the packaging.

My package arrived with these cute thank you cards,a business card and an ingredient card. Every thing is vegan friendly and cruelty free.

The lip balms smell so refreshing and were very moisturizing to my dry and cracked lips. And for those like me who hate the greasy feeling that some lip balms can leave behind, have no fear this lip balm feels great.

I also received a free body scrub sample with my order as pictured below:

I have yet to use this body scrub but as soon as my Yu-be body scrub runs out I will definitely give this a try. Gnarly Whale does not use any harsh ingredients so it is safe for all skin types. Also when you order $10 or more you will receive a free sample (s&h not included). Also orders over $25 will receive a lip balm with their orders as well! How awesome is that! I am saving up for my next purchase next month and these are the items I’m currently loving from Gnarly Whale Shop.

$9.00

$9.00

Be sure to link up with Gnarly Whale Shop on Twitter and Facebook.

Have you visited GnarlyWhaleShop? If so what are your favorite items? You may see one in next years giveaway!

Perfect Manicure Kit- A-Viva Beauty

Yucky nails…bleh who needs em right! Now I will be the first to say that I don’t care for my nails the way I should. The idea of waking up every morning to paint my nails just really drives me nuts. So when A-Viva Beauty messaged me about reviewing their nail buffer I was a little hesitant. My mind immediately went ugh I have to do my nails. But, I was so wrong. The A-Viva Beauty buffing block was created to give your nails a dazzling shine without using nail polish! My sister, who is even more low maintenance than I am, kindly offered to volunteer her nails for this review.

Before and After:





As you can see my sisters nails on the left have been buffed and shined using the A-Viva Beauty nail buffer and cuticle oil. The nails on the right are all natural, split cuticles and all.

Step One: She started off by filing her nails into the desired shape. As seen below:



Next using the A-Viva Beauty nail buffer, Lisa buffed and shaped her nail bed until she achieved a nice polished look. Shown in the photograph below:



Last but not least, Lisa used the A-Viva Beauty cuticle oil to moisturized her dry and damaged cuticles. She also made sure to carry the oil all over her nails.



It took us a little while to figure out how to use this nifty pen but after a few pumps the oil began to flow easily through the tube. This was our favorite item in the package.

The final results! What do you think?

If you are just as low maintenance as my sister and I and would like to give these products a try. Check out Aviva Beauty online! Also if you are on the search for a mineral foundation, A-Viva Beauty also sells Itay Mineral foundation that I reviewed here!

Online Bakery- Gluten Free Cupcakes Delivered to Your Door

If you have been a reader of my blog for a bit now you probably remember this post I wrote a while back when my sisters and I took a trip to Krispy Kreme. If it wasn't obvious then that I have a major sweet tooth, this post will definitely prove it to you. I recently ran across this new company called Seriously Baked!



Their desserts look oh so yummy and I really couldn’t stop myself from staring at the computer screen trying to wish the desserts into my home. Thankfully for me, Seriously Baked ships out their freshly baked yummy treats to dessert deprived people all over the United States. Check out a few of their best sellers below!

Lemon Cake with Blueberry Compote- $36.00 *price reflects 8 mini cakes*

Decadent Fudge Bars – $11 *price reflects 1/2 dozen bars*

Double Chocolate Cupcakes – $37.20 *Price reflects a dozen cupcakes*

Don't these look delicious! My sister is an amazing baker but for the days she doesn't feel up to being chef Lisa these babies would be perfect. Want to know something even more amazing?! The majority of their desserts are available in either traditional, vegan, sugar-free, and gluten-free! So everybody wins! How awesome is that!

And as an exclusive for Sweet Tart readers receive $5 off your first order of any cupcakes when you use the coupon code SWEETSB1.

Go ahead treat yourself you deserve it!

Mia Mariu review and giveaway

This review has been sitting in my draft box for a week now just waiting to see the light. I've slacked up due to the increase in assignments.. this girl has to learn to say no. But enough about me I want to share a new product that I have been loving lately. The Mia Mariu foaming gel cleanser.  







Product Description: Begin your skin care treatment with this soft pampering cleanser. This silky formula will leave your skin soft, hydrated and refreshed without drying out your skin. With natural cleansing agents, tough dirt, makeup and impurities are gone. Sea Kelp and Aloe make this a fabulous super-gentle cleanser for all skin types. Refreshing Foaming Gel Cleanser is especially effective for sensitive skin including rosacea, maturing and even dry skin types. Suitable for all skin types, non-irritating, oil-free, sulfate-free. Use AM and PM. (4.0 fl. oz)



Price: $19



Thoughts: The Mia Mariu gel cleanser let my skin feeling soft and smelling really nice! The scent kind of reminds me of a nice beach vacation. Does that make sense? Well you will have to try it to see what I mean. My skin is very temperamental and tends to reject everything I try to use on it, but thankfully it seemed to love this cleanser. Maybe this is due to the fact that this is a gentle cleanser and not harsh like most cleansers on the market today. I would also like to add that I purposely forgot to apply moisturizer after using this cleanser and I can gladly say that my skin never felt dry or tight. A huge plus for a facial cleanser. Mia Mariu also sent me a shadow liner which you will see a review for in the coming weeks. But for those that would like to add Mia Mariu products to their stash, scroll down for a fun giveaway!





 

The lovely people at Mia Mariu would like to give one Sweet Tart reader a chance to win the following prizes:

One Hydrating Stick Gloss (your choice)

One loose mineral shadow liner (your choice)

One Refreshing Foam gel cleanser

$48 value!

US Only

Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Best Organic Body Butter

I have been meaning to upload this review for the past two months but my health put a stall on my blog and thus this review has been collecting dust in my blogger drafts. But, I have finally buckled down and I am more than excited to share with you the NBW organics body butter. When I was first contacted by the company about a possible review opportunity i was excited especially after seeing that they offered organic products. I was given the chance to pick any item on the site to review and after browsing I chose the Summertime Lime Body butter. 

215ml / 7.3fl.oz

Price: $19.50

Site Description:

"Stimulate and refresh a tired mind with essential oil of Lime. This is a wonderful butter to use at the start of the day. Lime oil is traditionally used to combat feelings of anxiety and depression. When used in massage it can soothe painful muscles."

Paraben &; Petroleum Free
Made with certified organic ingredients
Made with non_GMO ingredients

Ingredients:

Aqua/Water, Helianthus annuus (Certified Organic Sunflower) Seed oil, Emulsifying Wax NF (vegetable based), Cera Alba (unbleached beeswax), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glycerine (vegetable), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime Essential oil), Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (as preserve), Matricaria recutita (Chamomile) Flower Extract.

Verdict: 

The consistency of this body butter kind of reminds me of Crisco, in the sense that it is very thick and white in color. When I opened the bottle I was afraid that the consistency would feel disgusting on my skin or that it would be difficult for it to absorb but I am happy to say that I was wrong. This product absorbs surprisingly fast into the skin and leaves you feeling moisturized all day. Summertime Lime really smells like a key lime pie which my older sister loved, its definitely something that you will want to sniff repeatedly throughout the day. 

The product description states that "Lime oil is traditionally used to combat feelings of anxiety and depression and sooth painful muscles. As mentioned in this post I am now being tested for Mitochondrial disease and this entire process over the past few years has left me with extreme anxiety and mild depression. Not only that my muscles often ache and leave me unable to sleep at night. After applying this body butter I did feel a mild sense of calm and relaxation and I am happy to say I was able to sleep the entire night. So if you are experiencing insomnia , anxiety, depression, or muscle pain, I would really recommend this product.



Take a few minutes to visit NBW on their site here and the social media sites below!

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Deco Nail Polish Rack

Howdy folks! Not to long ago I received an email from Nick about his new product, Deco nail polish racks.

These babies are like your standard salon nail polish racks but a lot funkier! Unlike the ones sold on Amazon, Nick’s creations come in a variety of colors and patterns. My personal favorite is the 90 bottle, nail polish rack in white!



This polish rack would hold my ever growing polish collection. But, I won’t lie the price for this baby is $100, which may be a little steep for penny pinchers like myself. But if you really want one, you could opt for the 60 bottle rack which is only $60. Either way you will be receiving a piece of quality hardware that will display your love for nail polish in a very fashionable way.

To purchase your own fashion forward nail polish rack click here. And just for fun comment below with a rough estimate of your nail polish collection. I’ll go first, I do believe I have about ……. 80 eeks I know! But, I just love collecting nail polish or what the heck, I just love collecting things in general!

New Design-Epic Thread

So, I don’t know if you all have noticed but Sweet Tart Beauty got an Epic makeover, like Literally! If you have been on my site for a bit, over the past few weeks you have probably seen me change the blog design multiple times. No I don’t have ADHD and no I don’t find fiddling with HTML and CSS fun. I just had a really difficult time finding a way to make my inspiration board come to life. I tried contacting multiple blog designers and each time they just couldn’t deliver exactly what I was searching for. This left me frustrated and I’m almost certain it left them frustrated also. I finally turned to Pinterest and made a blog inspiration board that showed exactly who I am and what I wanted my blog to convey. Below is one of the pictures from my board.

Source: piccsy.com via Danielle on Pinterest

After about two weeks and $60 later I had once again chosen the wrong layout and was filled with anger and frustration with my blog. I desperately wanted it to represent me and what I love but I just couldn’t find a way to make that come to fruition. Then while blog hopping I stumbled upon Epic Thread. Little did I know she would become my blog fairy god mother!













Epic Thread is owned by Jillian. She is a fashion, Diy, art, photography, and graphic design genius. After seeing her blog design I decided to shoot her an email to see who designed her blog because it was the exact feel I was looking for on Sweet Tart. She emailed me back in record time and informed me that she was the blog designer and that if I needed help she would be more than happy to offer her services. So of course I jumped right on that offer and about five emails later my new blog was born!



I have to give major props to Jillian because she looked at my inspiration board and the very first rough drafts she sent me I was in love and had a difficult time choosing one for my blog. If you are stuck in a rut like me, give Epic Thread a try. She is affordable AND she delivers what you want in record time! Thank you again Jillian and I am so happy with the new Sweet Tart Beauty!

Guest Post: TRIA Beauty, Hair Removal Tips

Good morning to all of my lovely readers! Today we have the pleasure of welcoming Charlotte from TRIA Beauty to the blog to share her tips on getting a silky smooth hair free body.

 

Foot Binding, Arsenic Wrinkle Reduction and Laser Hair Removal

 

From foot binding in China to medieval techniques aimed at reducing wrinkles using arsenic, the history of beauty treatments can be summed up with the timeworn cliché; no pain, no gain. Women still spend a large amount of their time on beauty treatments and preparing themselves to face the world. While many techniques have fallen out of fashion, one constant throughout history has been the removal of hair. Cultural norms vary surprisingly little when it comes to the location of hair on women and men. Both are allowed hair on the top, while men, typically are allowed to have it pretty much everywhere else, if they choose. To be fair to modern men, they also prefer the hairless look, clean shaven in all kinds of places. For women this is nothing new and there has, historically, been very little choice in the matter; unless you didn’t mind being driven out of the village and/or burnt as a witch.



Razor Sharp Solutions

 

The traditional route to removing unwanted body hair has been largely focused on the razor. Creams, lotions, depilatories and wax have been more recent solutions and are certainly effective as temporary solutions. Waxing, although a little painful, can remove the need for frequent shaving and is certainly a cost effective solution. For the rich, famous or those with a sufficiently good credit history, laser hair removal treatments have also become an option. For many younger women, and some not so young, laser treatment offers a final solution, but until now it has been a costly option and one that requires regular appointments to complete a series of treatments before results are really visible.



Space Age Advances

 

Considering laser technology has been around for several decades in the space and medical industries, it seems a little frustrating to think that effective permanent hair removal has not been developed quite as rapidly as it could. Today, we are finally seeing a range of laser hair removal products that can be used at home and these are not only effective but also affordable. Unlike other forms of hair removal, laser treatment does offer a final solution. Although a course of treatments will be required – anything from a few weeks to several months – at the end of this process the problem hair will be gone for good.



Slow Processes

 

Hair grows in three cycles and each individual hair is in a different stage at any one time. This is the reason that it takes a series of (costly) sessions at a salon to effectively remove hair for good. For small areas the costs are relatively low and the number of treatments likewise, but to achieve the holy grail of hair removal – no more shaving – it can take several months and many hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. Laser hair removal, in addition to the obvious long term time savings, also gives you much more freedom. Your wardrobe can finally be your oyster, and the prospect of grabbing clothes and going becomes a reality.



Relaxing Settings

 

Home laser hair removal offers the exact same benefits of salon treatment but with some distinct advantages. The first is the cost; leading brands are available at less than $546, which is a relatively small amount in comparison to even some simple and short salon treatments. While some of us may enjoy the pampering of a salon treatment, hair removal is not the most glamorous of salon treats and it can be hard to fit the full series of appointments in to a busy schedule. Home treatment not only is cost effective but you can top up any problem areas indefinitely and all of this at home, in your own time, without the intervention of even the nicest salon assistant. A glass of wine, a favorite TV show and a hair-dryer sized laser system at the ready and you can finally sit back and relax.



Wow thank you Charlotte for this very in depth article on hair removal. How many of you ladies (hmm and gentlemen) prefer and easy and pain free hair removal process. I know I do, and after reading this article I may even consider researching more on laser treatments. If you enjoyed this article please let Charlotte know via Twitter. 





Ps: The winner for the Mujus.com giveaway is Jessica Caviness. I already messaged you! Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who entered, stay tuned for next months giveaway! 

Firmoo- Cheap Eyeglass Frames

 Okay, I know what you guys are thinking…Another eyeglass post? You would be correct! As I have mentioned before I’m a huge fan of collecting things and my glasses are no exception. Recently I was contacted by the fine folks at Firmoo.com, the leading online retailer for fashionable and affordable eyeglasses and sunglasses. They gave me the opportunity to browse their site and pick any pair of glasses of my choosing to review. So off I went and boy was I surprised at how difficult this task turned out to be. Firmoo carries a wide array of styles and I couldn’t figure out which one to choose. I suck at making decisions and often end up regretting my final decision but I am happy to say this time I made the right choice and I am happy with my glasses. I ended up choosing these babies:

These glasses screamed “pick me”! They have this really cool almost jewel like design on the handles and I just had to make them mine.





I have to thank Firmoo.com for shipping out my glasses in a safe and timely manner. I haven’t had a chance to rock these just yet because they came without medication in them but as soon as I figure out how to fix that issue, this will become my permanent pair of glasses. If you are in the market for a new pair of specs, give Firmoo.com a try. Their prices are affordable and you will have a huge selection of styles to choose from. After my glasses arrived my sisters quickly went on the site to find their perfect pair of glasses. Seems I’m starting a trend in this household! If you would like to learn more about Firmoo.com click here and while you’re tweeting about this awesome post, pop in on Firmoo on Twitter and Facebook and give them a shout out!!