I received a bottle of Valentia True Glow Eye Cream at a discounted price in exchange for an honest product review. All opinions are my own. This post includes affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you decide to purchase this product.
My friends and family have teased me since I was in my late teens because I am off and on obsessed about skin care [and in my late teens/early 20’s scared to death of getting wrinkles]. I have since calmed down with the obsession but I do feel having a skin care routine is important. If you take care of your skin, you will be so happy with the results for years (and even decades if we are being honest) to come.
I have to be honest, I haven’t been taking great care of my skin lately and for 2016 I plan on really stepping up my game. I want to have smooth, soft skin for as long as I can – great skin care will help with that.
For me, one issue I have had is dark circles and tiny wrinkles under my eyes from late nights (in the past it was insomnia, now it is blogging and working on business ideas.) [Side note: I am trying to do better on the sleeping thing as well.]
Well I recently came across Valentia True Glow Eye Cream and I think that this may be one of my favorite products at the moment. I really noticed a different in the firmness of the skin under my eyes and I do see a slight change in the pigment under them as well.
Valentia True Glow Eye Cream is specially formulated for your the skin under your eyes, however you can also use it on other parts of your face. I have not used it on other parts of my face, however, I think if it may work on your neck as far as skin tightening goes.
I really liked that just one pump gave enough product for both eyes. I always use my pinky finger to apply anything under my eyes. Just put a little product on the tip of your finger, make a few dots and dab until it is absorbed in.
My first time using it I could instantly feel it working on firming up they under eye area. Even though it comes out as almost a mustard color it absorbed into my skin and didn’t leave any strange color.
As I mentioned above – I noticed a slight lightening of the dark circles under my eyes and I think if I am consistent it will be even better in a month or so. This really makes me happy because it is one of the reasons I don’t like to take pictures – you can see the shadows!
So far I am really enjoying Valentia True Glow Eye Cream and I would recommend it to anyone that has issues with the skin under their eyes. I will make sure to let y’all know the final results once I finish up this bottle.
Do you have any issues or concerns about the skin under your eyes? Have you tried Valentia True Glow Eye Cream? What are your thoughts on this product?
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
It really is amazing how long American Idol has been on television. I am almost in disbelief that this season will be its last. I keep thinking that at the finale they are going to announce that they are actually going to go just… one… more… season. But I have a feeling they really are going to close the curtains and say goodbye. Knowing that this is the end got me thinking to what my favorite American Idol performances were.
For the first 5+ years I would tune in to see my “favorites” every week and vote for them in hopes that they would make it to the next round. I even had a couple of people that I knew through friends and family that went to auditions here in Hawaii (you can see one of the video’s below.) So here are my favorite American Idol Performances (in no particular order.)
Fantasia Barrino – I Believe
This was one of my all time favorite American Idol performances because it was so full of emotion. I felt like I was in church listening to someone’s testimony. It was so touching and powerful. Even through those tears she proved why she deserved that winning spot. *drops mic*
Sing it Tasia:
Kris Allen – Heartless
I loved Kris and after he did this performance, it really sealed the deal for me. He went from trailing behind and being boosted straight into the winner’s circle. His rendition of this Kanye hit was unexpected but done so well.
Check Kris out:
Adam Lambert – Tracks of My Tears
Why Adam didn’t win… ok… not gonna go there. But this version… really people. Adam is a PERFORMER and I was so happy that he did not go overboard with this. [Side note:I don’t see it as overboard, but ya know… American Idol]. There was just enough tenderness in it and I know others enjoyed seeing this side of him. It was a beautiful performance.
Please… let Adam entertain you:
William Hung – She Bangs
So… I remember the exact moment that I was watching this episode. I was sitting in the nail shop getting a pedicure after work. The nail shop wasn’t too busy but there were enough customers and nail technicians there that it felt like we were having a viewing party. When William Hung was being interviewed all I could think to myself was… this… should… be… interesting. I just knew regardless of how great (or horrible) his voice was about to be – Simon was going to grill him. Boy was I right. When William started singing and “banging” around everyone in the nail shop literally stopped what they were doing and stared – I am guessing saying to themselves “is he for real?” – and at the end nearly all of us starting laughing so hard. And along came Simon with his sassy response. I was laughing because it was funny but also because that man was passionate about what he was doing – I thought it was adorable. When Simon chimed in I felt bad, but I still giggled a little. His audition is probably one of my favorite American Idol moments.
Watch William Hung perform Rick Martin’s ‘She Bangs’:
Candice Glover – Lovesong
I really love(this)song [see what I did there?] Unfortunately, so many people have attempted to sing it and failed… miserably. Until Candice gave it life again. Her smooth and jazzy rendition really put me in the feels and I simply do not understand how she is not FAMOUS after that performance. I mean… come on… Mariah Carey went on stage and tossed glitter at her!! Randy Jackson said it was “one of the greatest performance’s in the HISTORY” of American Idol. Come on people. I think I voted for her the most out of any American Idol contestant.
Check Ms. Candice out:
Jessica Sanchez – And I Am Telling You
This young woman had such a big voice coming out of that petite body. Keep in mind she was just 16 years old. She was singing like a grown ass woman. *ahem* It is like she swallowed a soul singer and they are trying to escape her.
Jessica tells you that you’re gonna love her:
Jessica Sanchez – Dance With My Father
If you don’t get the feels hearing her sing this… something is wrong with you. Seriously. I could just write a whole post about Jessica Sanchez on American Idol… maybe I will… ok… no I won’t. But really… she just has a natural talent.
Hearing her sing is really inspirational and you hear her speak – she has some wisdom in her even as a teenager. After I finish this post I need to look up what she has been up to lately. She deserves the best.
Grab some tissues and get in your feelings:
Anoop Desai – Thank You
This was totally unexpected and I laugh every time I hear Simon talking about Anoop’s clothes and totally dismissing his vocal ability. Simon had to find something to say so he didn’t have to immediately admit that he liked what he heard. I liked some of Anoops other performances and really love some of the music he put out but his audition was really great in my opinion. Also… I cannot confirm/deny that I may have had a little crush on him.
Anoop Dawg:
Isaac
Let me say this… I know Isaac… he is a family friend. As far as the person in that audition… I only sorta know him. Ha! I have heard Isaac sing in person – and he is way better than what he sounds like in the audition. Even in the audition he wasn’t as horrible as some people are but that is besides the point. I just found it hilarious that he went out and tried to bring back some “fans” – that actually seems like something he would do – American Idol or not. I loved that he stood up for himself to the very end and didn’t care what anyone else thought.
Isaac’s confidence is what makes his audition one of my favorite American Idol performances:
Bonus: Local Girl, Paula Fuga
I put Paula in here because she is from Hawaii… and… because she has a lovely, soulful voice. Even though she didn’t make it past this audition on American Idol, she did end up with people that appreciated her vocal ability.
Here is Paula’s audition:
Here is Paula Fuga performing ‘Country Road’ with Jack Johnson:
Lastly, Paula Fuga at TEDxMaui speaking about being homeless in Hawaii as a child and reaching her dreams:
After reading about my favorite American Idol performances, what are YOUR favorite American Idol performances?
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
The great folks at Matcha Organics offered me this product for a discounted price in exchange for a review. All opinions stated here are my own. For more information please visit my disclosure page.
If you don’t know, I really, really, REALLY love green tea. For awhile I have been wanting to try Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder because I heard so many great things about it. I have read articles about how it helps with energy, metabolism and memory/focus. Since I am starting 2016 trying to live a healthier lifestyle, this was the perfect time to try it out.
You can use Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder for lattes, smoothies, shakes and baking.
The package suggests using 1/2 to 1 tsp per day. I would suggest starting with 1/2 tsp and working your way up. If you are not used to a strong or bitter tea flavor start at the lower end and/or add a sweetener.
Here are two recipes that I have used so far:
Hot Matcha Green Tea
– 1 cup hot water
– 1/2 tsp Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder
– honey or agave syrup (optional)
Iced Matcha Green Tea Lemonade
– 1/4 cup hot water
– 1/2 Tsp Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder
– 3 tablespoons lemon juice
– honey, agave syrup or your favorite sweetener (optional)
Directions: Mix hot water and Organic Matcha Green Tea Extract Powder until powder is dissolved. Mix cold water and lemon juice. Take both mixtures and pour over ice. You can always add more lemon juice and a sweetener.
My first time making a beverage, I noticed a boost in energy nearly right away. I felt a little peppy but without the jittery feeling. It was the perfect energy boost for the busy day that I had. After I use up this packet of powder I may just have to order more of it.
Since we are on break from school, I can’t give a full opinion about the memory and focus aspect, however, I did notice I felt a bit more clear-headed. Green tea often does that to me, so I sort of expected that from my experience with this product.
Do you use Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder? What are your favorite recipes?
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
In replace of Flashback Friday’s (where I normally do a round-up of some of my favorite things from the week) I decided to do a review of the past year as we bring in 2016.
January
+ Celebrated the new year with family and friends in Georgia. It was a nice start to the new year especially since the end of 2014 was a bit rough for me.
+ Began planning the re-launch of this website.
February
+ Started getting serious about making personal, professional and blogging goals.
+ Introduced Flashback Friday’s to the blog. This was extremely fun to do and I wish I had stuck with it throughout the year but a lot of personal things were going on during the middle of the year so this got put on the back burner for awhile.
March
+ I was Job Hunting Like A Boss
+ Started doing the tasks required to meet my blogging goals.
+ Participated in NaBloPoMo for the first time. The topic for the month was “News.” Take a look at my NaBloPoMo Posts. I also cross-posted one of my posts on BlogHer. You can check that out here: Twitter As A News Source
April
+ All of my job hunting paid off – interviews and job offers started rolling in and I eventually was able to get a job. I started working part time and I really enjoyed this change in my life.
+ Not only did I start working again, I also started selling AVON again.
May
+ This was a great month – I was able to see a handful of important people in my life graduate from college. Always great to celebrate others accomplishments with them.
June
+ This summer was humid and HOT. Probably the hottest summer I have ever remembered experiencing in Hawaii. It was ridiculous. I was having a lot of health problems and did end up having a small procedure done because of it. Recovery was super quick but I kept having different health issues and getting sick. The humidity and vog did not help at all. I was having sinus issues and horrible headaches but as the weather slowly cooled down I started feeling better.
July
+ My birthday month! I had a really great birthday dinner with my family – nothing too fancy. I did attend a couple of events with family and/or friends and that was really nice as well. Had a great time at the water park – perfect for cooling off during the hot summer heat.
August
+ After a loooooooooong break from working on my Bachelor’s Degree I finally went back to school! It took awhile to adjust to being a student – I forgot how much time it takes to read, study and do homework. I slowly but surely was able to get on track. The best thing I did as a student was making sure that I put everything on my calendar and scheduled time for studying/homework during the week.
September
+ Another change I made was my hair. I decided to try Thermal Straightening again as the hot and humid months really made my curly hair misbehave and I was just ready for a change.
October
+ As rough as this year was on me spiritually and mentally I suppose it was a year of changes. In October I started working out again – even got back into the gym! Started with 1-2 times a week and worked my way up to 3+ depending on the week.
+ After a hiatus from blogging I decided to start working towards my blogging goals again because I missed blogging so much but with school I had to figure out how to fit it back into my schedule. Once I did, things got better and I started working with the drafts that had been sitting there waiting for me.
November
+ I ended up with a cold that turned into Bronchitis. What a great way to start the month!
+ Thanksgiving was really great and I enjoyed the time I spent with my family.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
This post is sponsored by Scentbird perfume subscription and I received a commission in exchange for collaborating with them. All opinions expressed are my own. If you would like more information please refer to my disclosure policy.
If you are like me – you have a collection of perfumes and scented body sprays. I tend to always purchase the same scents over and over, however, I also want to be able to try other fragrances as well. Sometimes I want to step out of my comfort zone and try a new fragrance but do not want to commit to purchasing a full bottle of it. When I heard about Scentbird, I just had to try it out.
Scentbird is a monthly subscription for perfume lovers. Scentbird perfume subscription gives you access to 400 designer brands that you can try every month for just $14.95. For the monthly subscription price you receive a 30-day supply of the perfume you choose.
If you’re not sure about picking a perfume, Scentbird makes that easy for you. They use a Truscent™ perfume algorithm that will reveal the scents that are perfect for you. When you first sign up it asks about scents you currently enjoy and goes through a huge database of what they call “scent profiles” to find suggestions for you. From the suggestions, you can pick the one that you would like to receive for the month and they will ship it to you.
These are the fragrance suggestions that Scentbird gave me based on my preferences. I decided to try the first one listed Givenchy Very Irresistible Sensual which is described as “A seductive blend of a bouquet of various roses, star anise, patchouli, and vanilla. The creamy scent is housed in a beautiful purple bottle.”
You can choose one of the suggestions or you can also pick something else that you think you would enjoy. If you know for sure which ones you are interested in you can build your queue (which can also be re-arranged if you change your mind about which fragrance you want to receive.) They also offer gift sets and subscriptions for men as well.
If you’re worried about not liking a particular fragrance – don’t you worry your pretty little self – Scentbirds allows you to try new fragrances every month without committing to a full bottle. Or if you’re like me, sometimes you are in a certain “scent mood” for awhile and it changes – with a different scent every month you get to try out different scents without having to splurge on a full size bottle. A girl has got to have options!
Thousands of women love Scentbird because it gives access to the best fragrances without breaking the bank. $14.95 a month is such a great deal for the opportunity to try out a new fragrance. They also offer you the opportunity to get a month for free by purchasing a month for a friend. Isn’t that great?
I hope that you found the Scentbird perfume subscription as exciting as I did. I am so excited to go and fill up my queue of new fragrances. I know some friends and family members that are going to love hearing about this as well.
Added bonus: They are currently running a great offer. If you give a free month to your friend, you get a free month when they subscribe. Click here for more information.
Check out Scentbird today and let me know what your favorite scent suggestion is. Are you into oriental, woody, fresh or floral notes? Let me know in the comments.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
I have a problem. I like to read blogs. A LOT. And I have so many different interests that I always end up in the most random places finding the best posts. Some are entertaining. Others are serious. Some are educational. No matter what – I always find something that I enjoy.
Since the semester is over and I have more time (sorta) I thought I would share some of my favorite posts from the blogs I have been reading lately. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did.
10 things every basic bitch wants for Christmas
First I saw the title of this and a I giggled a little. I knew it was going to be a great post. It did not disappoint me one bit. I never really thought of myself as a Basic Bitch, but after reading that list (and wanting nearly everything on it) I may have to accept that I am one.
9 Ways to Put Your Blog on Autopilot So You Can Enjoy the Holidays
These are some great ideas (that I wish I had implemented at the beginning of November.) I do some of the things on this list already, however, this was a great reminder. Trust me. Your blog will wait for you to return and if you follow some of these suggestions you can take some time off and come back ready to go.
4 Ways to Maximize Your Day Off
Sometimes on our day off we just want to relax and not do a damn thing. We are exhausted from different aspects of our life and want to lay around, watch Netflix and take naps all day. I’m guilty of that myself sometimes. But these are some great ways to take advantage of your day off and get some sh*t done! Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.
Did you know if you follow me on Twitter you can see even more of my favorite blog posts?
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you decide to purchase something featured here. This commission will be invested back into hertaintedlips.com as well as help me buy a cheap bottle of wine or some Starbucks. For more information please read our disclosure page.
for lattes, smoothies, shakes and baking.
