Essie 3-Way Glaze

I got this product as a freebie when I purchased Essie's Milky Way from an eBay seller. Essie's 3-Way Glaze is described as being "a base coat, topcoat and nail hardener all in one. 3-Way Glaze can be worn as a base coat to naturally harden and effectively protect nail polish. Leaves nails with a high gloss finish".

Normally I don't use a base coat on my nails, but when I received this product I decided to try it under my Revlon Top Speed in Espresso (which I find always stains my nails and no matter how much nail polish remover I use I can never get it all off). I started out with a single coat of 3 Way Glaze, let it dry and then applied the polish over it. After letting the polish dry I used 3-Way Glaze as the top coat.

I  have to say that my nails have never looked shinier. While wearing this I didn't experience any chips in my polish (however I never really get chips even after wearing the same color for a week or two) and when I removed my polish, every trace of the Revlon Top Speed polish was gone! I can't really comment on the nail hardener claim as my nails are fake. I also find that the formula is a lot thinner that my Seche Vite and Essie Good To Go so it doesn't seem to get goopy (I've had this bottle for nearly 6 months now and it's consistency hasn't changed one bit).

The only downside I found with this product is that it takes forever to dry. I did try it a few times and each time I could still get marks in my top coat even hours after applying it. I tend to like to do my nails before I go to bed and every time I tried this I woke up with fabric marks on my nails, even after letting my nails dry for hours. I did 2 coats of top coat on top of my thoroughly dried Revlon polish and let the first top coat "dry" for nearly half an hour before adding the second coat, but to no avail.

I would recommend this product if you have tons of time to let it dry. If not, try Essie's Good To Go Top Coat.

Buddy's Glow Ball

Rocky loves his toys and balls are a big hit with him. It doesn't matter if it's a tennis ball, racquet ball, baseball... He loves them all. Baxter on the other hand couldn't be bothered to even sniff one.

I bought Rocky a Buddy's Glow Ball years ago (before we added Baxter to our family) and then the product was pulled from the market. I have seen it since it was discontinued, however not very recently. 

Buddy's Glow Ball is a durable rubber ball that glows in the dark.

In the years that Rocky has had one he has yet to even put a dent in it. If given the choice between this and a tennis ball he will always choose the Buddy's Glow Ball. I have even caught him letting the ball roll under the bed, something that he doesn't do with other toys. He will wait for a few minutes after it has gone under the bed and will then dive in to get it. I think he does this just because it glows!

It seems that Buddy's Glow Ball has been discontinued by Sargent's Pet Product's Inc. (Sargent's bought over Sun Toys  - the makers of Buddy's Glow Ball) and they have replaced it with two products called Zoink! and Powzer, both of which I have heard are not nearly as durable at Buddy's Glow Ball.

Note: Amazon seems to still have stock of Buddy Glow Ball and they also have stock of "Fetch & Glow Balls" (Large and Small) which are made by American Dog Toys and claim to be the same as Buddy's Glow Ball.

Essie's Good To Go Rapid Dry Top Coat

About a month ago I ran out of my Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and I hate not having that extra sheen on my nails that a top coat provides. I was dreading driving to my Sally Beauty Supply (the parking lot there is a death trap!) so I decided to stop by Shoppers Drug Mart.

After browsing the polish isle for a good 25 minutes and having a deep conversation with my favourite beauty consultant, Priya, I made my way home with this little darling, Essie's Good To Go Rapid Dry Top Coat ($9 CDN - on sale).

At first I was a little skeptical; could anything match my Seche Vite? Essie promised me that this top coat would "set nail color in seconds", but then again don't they all promise that?

After a few coats of Essie Ballet Slippers (which I find never really dries properly on my nails) I cracked out my new top coat. The smell was pretty much the same as Seche Vite, not much difference there. Although my Ballet Slippers coat was not completely dry, I applied a single, semi-thick layer on top of my newly polished nails and waited about a minute. I've learned to always give ample drying time after smudging countless manicures at the nail salon!

After the agonizing minute was up my top coat was completely dry! I could tell that the Ballet Slippers coat was still somewhat wet underneath but the top coat provided a nice protective layer (although somewhat plastic-y). It was pretty hard to scratch the top coat, unless you really gouged into it and you could also dent it and it would spring back to its original smooth form. I have a bad habit of painting my nails before I go to bed and then I wake up with lines in my polish, but with this top coat I was available to avoid that altogether! The sheen was also pretty comparable to Seche Vite

I did find that after a few weeks it did get a little gloopy in the bottle so I thinned it out with a little nail polish remover (Quo Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover). The remover was blue and made the top coat milky in the bottle with a hint of blue, but it dried just as clear and as fast as it did when it was new.

This is definitely a product I would buy again.

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Lindt Excellence Dark Chilli Chocolate

This is my little guilty indulgence during the week. I have always been a dark chocolate lover and the ever so slight kick of chilli in this chocolate bar is the perfect combination. 

As unlikely as this combination seems, they really do work quite well together. The chilli does not overwhelm the chocolate, but instead compliments it. You really don't taste chilli in this bar but you do notice the heat it provides, which isn't overwhelmingly spicey. 

To fully enjoy this bar I let each piece melt in my mouth. The dark chocolate is heavenly and the heat of the chili is the perfect finish. I usually don't taste the chilli in the chocolate but when I'm done there is a little bit of heat in the back of my throat.

This bar is great with a cup of tea or coffee or with a nice glass of red wine.

Some studies claim that chilli will increase your metabolism, so what better to pair it with than chocolate!

Dreamstar Bedding Ltd. Paradise Soft Touch Mattress

During the summer I was looking for a new bed considering my old bed was bought over 10 years ago when we first moved into our house. Although through the years I had managed to carve a comfortable groove into the basic mattress, it just wasn't providing the support I needed anymore. I tried many of the popular mattress brands but couldn't find anything that really made me comfortable until I came across the Dreamstar Paradise Soft Touch mattress.

This mattress is a eurotop that has 3" of super soft density convoluted foam covered in a soft teddy bear fabric on top of a firm continuous coil mattress with edge guard. The mattress itself is quite firm but the foam topper adds an extra level of softness. I tend to sleep in the same spot night after night and this mattress has yet to sag or dip.

The only thing I don't like about this mattress is that when put on a frame it is quite high. I'm only 5'2" and always have to make a little hop to get into bed but it does put me closer to my ceiling fan which manages to keep me cooler at night.

So if you're in the market for a new mattress you may want to give the Dreamstar products a try. I know not everyone will like the same mattress but their products are well made and priced pretty well.

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Foundation Powder

To make this simple: I LOVE THIS FOUNDATION!

I used to use bareMinerals foundation religiously but didn't like that it would eventually settle into the small creases in my face. On a trip to visit my relatives in New Jersey (my family went, I stayed at home), I asked my mom to bring back another bareMinerals foundation from Ulta (this was way before bareMinerals was sold in Canada). While she was at Ulta she came across the Pur Minerals pressed foundation and brought back two compacts along with the bareMinerals foundation that I so desperately wanted.

I was a little skeptical at first because I usually hate any shake up in my makeup routine but reluctantly decided to try it. From the first try I have loved this foundation. I generally like more coverage with my foundations and this one covers fantastically even with a light coat. It leaves my skin looking smooth and also provides a slight bit of shimmer which makes my complexion glow. It also covers any imperfections and redness in my face.

 

I have heard that some people find this product a little too cakey, but if applied with a fluffy powder brush there shouldn't be a problem.

This is definately a product I would buy again and have! I always have a little sympathy for the unopened bareMinerals foundation that I have, but I can't imagine using anything but Pur Minerals!

Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

I'm sure by now everyone has seen the Frank's RedHot commercials with the adorable grandmother. I had seen the commercials for a while now and thought:  Hot sauce is hot sauce, how good could it be?

When my aunt and uncle came to visit from New Jersey they brought me a bottle to try (my uncle in particular likes to bring me new foods and products that he's tried). I wasn't overly excited and let this sit in our kitchen for a few weeks after their visit ended.

One day I was having pizza and decided that it needed hot sauce (I generally put hot sauce or mayo on nearly everything). Unfortunately we were out of everything except this one, so reluctantly I added a few drops to my pizza. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! This hot sauce is not super hot but does have a pleasant, almost buffalo wing flavour. It's also not overly vinegary like I find a lot of hot sauces are. It is amazing on pizzas, burgers and soups. I have yet to find something that I don't like putting this hot sauce on. I have finished my first bottle and am working on my second, but I'm still not sick of this stuff! It definitely beats the pants off of any Tabasco sauce I've ever tried.

I guess now I can actually say:

Toyshoppe's Plubber Dog Toy for Petsmart

In my home I have two dogs with two very different opinions on squeaky toys.

My loving 5 year old Bichon, Baxter, is very careful with his toys. He still has the first toy we bought him as a puppy (a plush squeaky ball) that, other than regular wear, is in immaculate condition. My 12 year old Yokie, Rocky, on the other hand is a 12 lb squeaky toy destroying powerhouse! I can't even begin to tell you how many toys I have in my house that used to squeak but have now been silenced forever by the tiny terror. Rocky can literally de-squeak a Good Cuz/Bad Cuz toy in a matter of seconds and squeaky plush toys look like casualties of war once Rocky is through with them, stuffing and body parts everywhere! It has gotten so bad that Baxter will hide his favorite toys so that Rocky can't destroy them!

Needless to say, I am always on the lookout for a good durable squeaky toy that will last for more than 5 minutes with my little monster.

Last year I was at my local Petsmart and noticed a heavy squeaky toy called a Plubber, made by Toyshoppe exclusively for Petsmart. This toy is exactly what it sounds like, durable rubber covered in plush fabric (Plush + Rubber = Plubber!). I decided to give it a try and bought the duck for Rocky and the cow for Baxter. Despite Rocky's hardest efforts, a year later the Plubbers are still going strong! The duck's bill (which is material and stuffing) is still attached but deviod of stuffing, however the squeakers are still intact and working in both toys! I was worried about the fabric peeling off of the rubber (as Rocky also has the ability to skin tennis balls in a flash) but thus far the Plubbers have remained intact. I should also mention that these toys require more effort from your dog to be able to squeak them, but it also makes them a lot less annoying than conventional squeaky toys.

There are 8 animal designs to choose from: Fox, Rabbit, Bear, Duck, Raccoon, Cow, Chicken and Pig. The Plubber toys also come in a bone shape with 4 different colors: Leopard print, Red, Blue and Pink. They range in price from $8.99 - $10.99 but are worth every penny.

So if you have or know anyone with a squeaky toy murdering dog please stop by Petsmart and give the Plubber toys a chance. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Pick up your own Plubber at Petsmart

Burger King's Bacon Poutine

Just the other day I was at Burger King and noticed that they have two new poutines, the Angry Poutine (which is topped similar to the Angry Whopper) and Poutine with Bacon.

For those that do not know what poutine is, it was developed in Quebec and consists of french fries topped with cheese curd and covered in brown gravy. Generally I love classic poutine and I also love bacon, so how could putting the two together not yield amazing results?

I ordered the Poutine with Bacon with my Angry Whopper combo (in place of the regular french fries). My poutine came loaded with cheese curd and tons of bacon. At first sight it looked delicious. The cheese curds were prefectly melted (still slightly chunky but warmed through) and the bacon was crispy. I took a fork full and prepared to delve into this wonderful looking concoction. The texture was good, but sadly my first bite was super salty. I thought that maybe I just dug into an area that had a lot of salt but every other bite that I took was sickeningly salty also. Now don't get me wrong, I like salty food but the salt in this was just overwhelming!

This is definately not something I would order again. I am planning to try the Angry Poutine on my next trip but I'm not holding out much hope.

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner

This is a product I bought a few years ago. Normally I stick to pencil or liquid eyeliner, but when I saw this gel eyeliner I just had to try it. I bought this product in Midnight Black.

At first, I loved this liner. The formula was creamy (although a little on the drier side) and the product applied easily with Smashbox's Cream Eyeliner Brush #9. I could easily wear this for 8 hours without it smudging, flaking or transferring onto my top lid. I was also impressed when I got caught in a freak downpour and came out with my eyeliner still perfectly intact. I was also very please with the way this liner stayed on my waterline.

When I first bought this product I thought that it would only last a short time, considering the small container size, however it lasted much longer. The only downside I have with this product was that after about 5-6 months the remaining product began to dry out to the point where the brush would just be scraping off flakes of product. I could remedy this by adding a little bit of water to the pot before applying the eyeliner, but it was just never the same after that.

I would try this product again, but I just wish it came in a much smaller size so I could use it all before it dried out.

RoC Minesol SPF 20 High Protection Lipbalm

I very rarely get sick, but just before I get a cold or the flu I always experience horribly chapped lips. This normally starts a day or two before I get sick and can last up to 2 weeks. I have never been able to find a lip balm that will help with the dry, chapped feeling until I came across RoC Minesol SPF 20 High Protection Lipbalm.

My mother has used RoC products for years and I always saw them in her bathroom but never tried them. One day I had run out of my normal lip balm (the free stuff that my dentist gives out, which is actually quite good!) and my lips we feeling chapped like I had a cold coming on. On my way out the door to go to work I grabbed this product off of her counter and put it in my bag for the day. Although it did not ward off my cold, my lips did not get chapped like they normally do.

This lip balm goes on quite smooth and is not sticky or waxy in the slightest. I also love that it has an SPF in it for sun protection. The only major problem I have with this lip balm is that I tend to want to slather it on my lips which causes it to finish faster than it should.

So, if you're looking for a good lip balm, please give this one a try. It is a little pricey at around CAD$10, but is worth every penny.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub: Blemish and Blackhead Control

This is my all time favorite scrub! I have used this for years and can honestly say that if I were stuck on a deserted island this would be the one thing I would want to have with me (well besides an unlimited supply of food and perhaps my iPod).

Originally, I purchased this because I *really* enjoy exfoliating, but was finding that a lot of the products I tried were doing a less than stellar job. I stumbled across this at my local drugstore one day (literally tripped over the opened box that was in the middle of the store) and decided to try it because of the ground walnut shell. My first experience with this product was absolute heaven! Dead skin and blackheads were whisked away in seconds. My skin had never felt so clean and fresh. You can definitely feel the ground walnut shell doing it's job, it's not extremely harsh (at least to me - but if you have very sensitive skin you may want to avoid this product as it may be a little too much) and gets into every little nook and cranny. Aside from your face, this product is also great if you use it on your feet and hands!

Since my first experience with this scrub, it has been a staple in my bathroom. There are very few times when you will actually catch me without this in my morning routine. This is one product that I would recommend to everyone that loves to exfoliate. I never thought that I would find a great exfoliating scrub at the drug store and even more so not one from a common brand name.

I have found that a lot of people that complained about this scrub being way too harsh were also applying it to their face with a very heavy hand. The walnut shell has enough exfoliating power that there is no need to scrub heavily, treat it like you're putting lotion on a baby not wrestling an alligator!

*I  have also tried this product with the L'Oréal Paris' new Go 360° Clean Scrublet and have to say if you ever have the chance to try the two together then go for it!*

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Liner

My aunt and uncle from New Jersey came up for a visit a few months ago and just before their trip my aunt kept gushing about this great eye liner that she had found and how it had replaced all of her other liners. She told me that she would be bringing me one to try and imagine my surprise when she pulled out this baby!

I had tried this eyeliner years ago and found that, although I love the darkness of the black, the tiniest amour of moisture would make this liner run horribly. I ended up with black splotches on my eyelids and forget about using this near your waterline!

I decided that I would give this one more go, since I didn't want to hurt my aunt's feelings and I was also secretly hoping that they had improved on the formula. No such luck! I tried this multiple times and had the same result, it also seems like they had changed something (either the formula or applicator) because every time I tried to go over an area more than once the second coat seemed to wipe off the first and I would end up with a watered down, almost see through, grey line instead of a black line.

This is definitely not one eyeliner that I would recommend. The price is ok, but the quality is definitely not there.

iSkin Solo/Solo FX SE for iPhone 4/4S

After a few failed attemps at getting a decent durable iPhone 4 case from ebay, I wasn't really holding out much hope of finding something I really liked, until I came across this baby! The iSkin Solo FX SE for iPhone 4 is both stylish and durable.

I went through a few lesser quality iPhone cases and decided that I needed one of those heavy duty cases, but everything I found didn't appeal to me. Then I stumbled across the iSkin website and found this pretty little case. The Solo FX SE (and the Solo - same construction minus the pretty pattern) is described as "the ideal ways to keep your beloved iPhone 4/4S safe and looking good. Designed to be form-fitting, durable and functional, both bring bold looks and sassy personality to the already amazing iPhone 4."

After much deliberation, I decided to order the color "Cosmo" - a transluscent hot pink. For starters, my order was handled quickly, the case shipped the following day (I ordered late in the evening) and I received the package the day after that in perfect condition. Communication was great; I received a comfirmation email when my order was placed and another when my product shipped with the tracking number.

The case itself is pretty thick and sturdy, but not bulky in the slightest. I also like how it wraps around the front of the phone just enough to add a little punch of color (most of the cases I tried stopped almost flush with the screen). I have had other gel cases that lost their shape pretty quickly but months after receiving it my Solo case is still in perfect shape.

I've dropped my phone a few times since I have had the case and the case now has a few itty-bitty battle scars but nothing particularly noticable. The phone is still in perfect condition.

I would say that if you are looking for a case that is both stylish and durable, then you may want to look into the iSkin Solo or the Solo FX SE. I would definately recommend this case!

Visit iSkin.com to get your own!