Adore Me is a new trendy lingerie club that offers a personalized shopping experience. The process is simple: Start by taking a quick style quiz where, through a series of multiple choice questions, your particular style preferences are determined. The Adore Me stylists use the results of your style quiz to hand-pick a selection of lingerie, including bra and panty sets, babydolls, slips, and hosiery, all of which compliment your unique style. Every month, your showroom will be updated with a selection of new lingerie to choose from.

I have been a member of Adore Me for a little over a month now–long enough to see two showrooms that had been put together for me based on the results of my style quiz. I was happy with my first showroom; it contained a few pieces of lingerie that I really liked, as well as a few other pieces I didn’t really care for, but I still saw style characteristics in these items that I typically like, and knew why they had been chosen to take up a space in my showroom. Upon seeing my second showroom, I am fairly certain that Adore Me is getting better with each passing month (they have only been up and running since November, after all!) My second showroom was amazing, with only two bra and panty sets out of ten that didn’t make my jaw drop.

What I like about Adore Me, as opposed to some other monthly subscription programs I’ve seen, is that they do not operate on a “grab bag” sort of premise. With some services, you pay a fixed price per month and receive one, a few, or even a whole box of goodies that have been selected for you. While it’s true that this is the closest one can get to Christmas coming once every month without any of the usual stress that accompanies the holidays, I have always been a little weary of any service that expects me to pay for something without telling me what that something is first. Why hand over money for something that you aren’t picking out yourself and maybe you won’t even like? Adore Me is different. While there is one fixed price for every piece of lingerie on their site–$39.95–you can choose to purchase your favorite pieces of lingerie from your showroom each month or not. If you don’t see something you like during a particular month, or if money is tight, you are never obligated to purchase a thing. Additionally, there is free shipping with every order from Adore Me, and free returns if your lingerie doesn’t fit you in all the right places or if the piece of lingerie you selected looked better in the picture on their website than it does on you. Don’t you hate it when that happens?

We will have a few lingerie reviews from Adore Me in the coming months, which I am really excited about. In the meantime, check out their website, sign up for a free Adore Me membership, and get started with your own personal lingerie showroom.

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The holiday season alone makes up between 25-40% of total annual retail sales, so the most wonderful time of the year can be a particularly joyous time for some retailers, while others can be left struggling.

Check out the following infographic to see which big-name retailers came out as winners after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and also information on the industries that typically benefit most during the holidays.

Click image to enlarge in new window

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I recently spent an afternoon with my 6-year-old stepdaughter, Rylie, just the two of us. She is very girly, loves all things pink and purple, and the funkier the item, the better. As soon as I saw Picasso Hair Feathers, I had a feeling that when she saw them she would really get into them, and I was right.

I received the Sweetheart 5-pack from Picasso Hair Feathers, which features an array of pink and purple hues. Each feather is 14 inches in length, guaranteed kink-free, and can be cut and styled any way you like.

Picasso Hair Feathers are unlike most other feather extensions on the market, as they are cruelty-free and made of synthetic materials instead of rooster feathers. I didn’t know this until I did some research on the subject, but the hair feather market contributes to the brutality and slaughter of thousands of roosters. The fact that Picasso Hair Feathers is committed to making a quality product without sacrificing the well-being of animals is all the more reason to support them if you are looking to add some fun flair to your locks.

Application of Picasso Hair Feathers is relatively simple–once you know what you’re doing. I have a particularly confident attitude when it comes to instructions in the sense that I don’t always read them. At the end of each feather is a threading loop and micro-ring already attached and because of that, I thought I would be able to just wing it. Subsequently, my first attempt at getting a feather into Rylie’s hair was a complete failure.

Luckily, a short and very helpful video was made by the woman behind Picasso Hair Feathers showing just how easy hair feather application can be when you know what to do with the threading loop and micro-ring.

The most important thing to remember when applying, in my experience, is to have enough hair gathered that your hair feather has something to hold on to and will stay in place, and not so much hair that you can’t get it through the micro-ring. As soon as I figured that out, the feather went right in.

Picasso Hair Feathers are a super fun way to explore a new, unique look again and again. While each feather lasts for 4 to 6 weeks and can be washed and styled, even with a blow dryer and flatiron, right along with your hair, they can be removed at any time. To do this, just squeeze the sides of the micro-ring on the top of the feather until it opens up and slide it out of your hair. You can even save it for future use if it’s still in good condition.

Giveaway

We really love Picasso Hair Feathers, so I am really excited to also have the opportunity to give some away! One Woman Tribune reader will win a Picasso Hair Feathers 5-pack of their choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a Picasso Hair Feathers 5-pack for review. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

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Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year. A term coined by Shop.org in 2005, this shopping event has grown exponentially over the last few years and in 2010, raked in $1.03 billion for online retailers.

The following infographic is full of interesting statistics and insight on Cyber Monday; from what people are taking advantage of the online deals available to what types of promotions have had the most success with consumers.

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There are incredibly few professional, or even semi-professional career paths you can go down where you will never find yourself in need of a stylish, dependable business suit. I thought for quite a while that I had fallen into a field where I would never even need to consider buying a business suit, but blogging in my pajamas led to receiving opportunities to attend events where pajamas are, in every situation, frowned upon. But it isn’t just the dirty looks or the abundance of fuel I would undoubtedly provide others for their blogs in wearing hot pink fuzzy pajama bottoms and over-sized t-shirts to a gathering, it’s the simple fact that whether you’re representing a company you work for or yourself and the brand you have created, you want to look put-together while still being comfortable enough to be yourself, and be taken seriously by those you interact with. Express can help you achieve just that.

The variety of women’s suits that are available at Express makes it easy to find a fitting and flattering look for a myriad of occasions. What I love most about them is that there are enough differences in the cuts and styles that they aren’t just carbon copies of every other women’s business suit I have seen before and because of that, they are extremely versatile. Also, depending on the type and print of blouse underneath a jacket and the accessories you choose to pair with your favorite suit, you can go from your staunchly corporate office job and then out for drinks afterwards with a few very minor tweaks.

Business suits aren’t just for the corporate-employed; even if you’re unemployed and looking to land a new job, a good business suit that makes you look and feel amazing about yourself will help you put your best foot forward during a job interview. First impressions really do matter and it’s even more important to make sure you’re making a fabulous one when your dream job may be within your reach.

Express wants to help put you in an amazing new business suit, so from now until the end of October enter the Express sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 suiting makeover. They have business suit styles for women as well as for men and you can enter every day to earn additional entries.

What type of occasion or event would you wear your new suit, work, a business event, job interview? Tell us in the comments!

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Regardless of what your daily routine is like, if you are lucky enough to have fallen into a routine that works for you anyway, you know very well that life is hectic. If you’re a new mom or are juggling kids, carpools and sports practices, or if you work full-time, or are living the dorm life, the thought of stealing away a few precious moments to yourself can seem downright laughable.

It’s so easy to lose ourselves almost completely while tending to things that need our attention throughout the day. We’ve all been there, and we’ve all looked just as exhausted doing it. Just with running this website, working the odd freelance gig here and there, and maintaining my apartment while ensuring that it is in livable condition, I have frequently been in the position where I needed to leave the house within the next few minutes and suddenly realize I hadn’t even showered that day. Attractive, right?

I’m sure I would have looked at least a little more put together if I could quickly whip my hair into shape without having to actually take an entire shower. I’m a big fan of those shortcuts where you look presentable to the outside world but you know the minimal amount of effort that went into it; kind of like shaving your legs to the knee to accommodate a longer skirt.

TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo is made for the hectic, overwhelming, ‘Oh my goodness I need to be somewhere and didn’t shower’ kind of days. It is a quick and easy way to revitalize your hair without having to use even one drop of water, a concept that is beyond amazing to me.

Not surprisingly, this shampoo has a reputation for being one of the top hair products for school which makes total sense; washing your hair every day is not always a possibility when you’re sharing a bathroom with an entire floor and suddenly all you have time for is books, classes, libraries, and papers.

Using the TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo is pretty straightforward. How easy it is to use in-practice I do not know, but we’ll have a review up within the next few days all about that. In the meantime, here’s the deal:

• Shake the shampoo vigorously before use as well as in between sprays
• Lift sections of your hair to lightly spray the roots
• Spray in short bursts, holding 8-12 inches from head
• Leave the shampoo in for 1-2 minutes
• Use your fingertips or a brush to distribute the product evenly
• It’s important to remember that this isn’t hair spray, so you shouldn’t spray it onto your head like you would with hair spray.

TRESemmé has an entire line of dry shampoo catering to all types of hair. Their strengthening shampoo contains B12 vitamins and keratin, which strengthens hair and leaves it full of healthy body; volumizing shampoo made with mineral clay and citrus and removes oil, smoothing shampoo made with vitamin H and silk proteins and moisturizing foam shampoo made with witch hazel, citrus and aloe vera to refresh your hair while moisturizing it.

If you have used dry shampoo, tell us, how well did it work for you?

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I am so completely and utterly in love with this sweater. It looks unbelievably cozy and I especially love the really wide arms.

The ruffle neck on this dark orange shirt does a ton to make a simple pair of jeans and a cardigan look way more put-together and polished. I don’t normally wear anything with ruffles of any sort, but I could try to make an exception with something like this.

Everything about this outfit is awesome. The green, blue and orange color scheme just epitomizes fall for me and I’m a big fan of simple ballet flats. Not to mention, how comfortable does that scarf look?

I pinned this image purely for the sweater. Nothing else about this outfit appeals to me in the least–I think that purse is hideous and I wouldn’t wear those boots, but the sweater just grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go.

This seems like more of a transitional outfit from summer into fall given the colors in the jewelry and clutch as well as the fact that there’s only a tank top under that sweater and no arm coverings. Nevertheless, I like it a lot.

While I obviously really like all of the fall outfits I posted so far, this is my absolute favorite of them all. The orange trench coat, the super comfy-looking sweater, the awesome handbag, and we cannot forget those shoes. It’s just all complete perfection.

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Its original state of being was very straight; so straight that I got a perm during a ‘I wish I had curly hair’ phase (don’t we all wish we had the exact opposite type of hair we do have at some point?) and two days later, it was completely straight again. But after having 14 inches of my hair chopped off when I was a freshman in high school, it mysteriously got wavy and proceeded to stay that way ever since. Thankfully, it is nothing a flatiron can’t fix. I much prefer it short, but I grow it to the middle of my back (or longer) every few years and have done this since that first time I had so many inches cut off because at the time of hearing about my plans for a drastic hair change, my dad introduced me to Locks of Love and I instantly wanted to help them with their mission of helping children who needed something that I was so willing and ready to get rid of without a second thought.

Because of the fact that I donate my hair every few years coupled with the fact that honestly, I can be pretty lazy with my hair, I have always kept the products I use to a minimum. That’s why it’s really important that I choose my hair care products wisely.

There are as many shampoos and conditioners in existence as there are types of hair, and I used to think that I had tried the vast majority of them. That is, until I discovered the existence of s factor shampoo.

S-Factor shampoos are formulated using high quality, safe ingredients and are said to completely transform hair from its usual, every day and probably quite boring state into super shiny, strengthened, luscious silky smooth locks. There are blends made specifically for colored-treated hair, as well as for hair that is frizzy, flat or dull. I immediately looked for some reviews of S-Factor shampoos as soon as I was made aware of them and from what I’ve found, if you’re looking for a shampoo that can work wonders to bring out your hair’s unique potential, S-Factor shampoos seem to be more than capable of doing the job.

Photo by Helga Weber

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We’ve all been there. We look in the mirror one day and realize that not one, not two, but multiple wrinkles have popped up seemingly overnight! Fortunately, there are a few proactive things that you can do to prevent premature wrinkles first of all and to minimize any fine lines that have already made their appearance.

Wear sunblock often. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times… But what really matters is the type of sunblock that you are wearing to protect your skin from sun damage and premature wrinkles. It’s best to wear a sunblock that protects against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, which are responsible for aging and burning.

You only need to wear a sunblock of SPF 50 at the maximum since the FDA recently banned sunscreen manufacturers from labeling any SPF higher than 50. The reason? There is no scientific evidence that a higher SPF of 50+ provides better sun protection.

Use the right kind of cleanser. Not just any cleanser will do! It’s important to use a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type. If you have dry skin and are using a cleanser made for oily skin, it will only dehydrate your skin even further. And when your skin is lacking in moisture, it will become fragile, thin, and prone to wrinkles.

Stimulate circulation. A gentle facial massage not only feels wonderful but will stimulate circulation to increase the blood flow to your complexion. This will help flush harmful toxins from the surface of your skin and deliver essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your skin radiant, healthy, and strong.

Wear mineral makeup. If you already have a few wrinkles that you’re not too excited about, you can conceal them by wearing powdered mineral makeup instead of liquid foundation. You may have noticed by now that liquid foundation only sits in the creases of your skin to make wrinkles appear even deeper.

But mineral makeup is made from milled minerals from the earth that lightly dust your skin to allow your complexion to breathe. Mineral makeup foundation looks much more natural and is better for the health of your skin to boot.

Exfoliate regularly. Just as bad as wrinkles are brown spots of hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage. Exfoliating 2 to 3 times per week will remove dark, dead patches of skin and stimulate new, healthy cell growth. For sensitive skin, use a natural fruit enzyme scrub; for oily skin, use a more aggressive exfoliant like salicylic or glycolic acid.

Bethany Ramos is an expert health writer who is passionate about nutrition and fitness. Please visit her HGH website for more information on how to naturally improve your health.

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For the second consecutive year, Nine West has released a mini collection under their Runway Relief Program which aims to combine the forces of the fashion and modeling industries in order to raise funds to aid in breast cancer awareness and prevention.

Three items make up the collection–a military-inspired boot containing a Runway Relief dog tag, a rockin’ black tank top and an amazing, road warrior-inspired messenger bag–with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s charitable organization.

All of the items in the mini collection are available for pre-order now. The tank and military-inspired boot will ship on August 9 and the messenger bag will ship on September 6 just in time for fall collections.

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DKNY announced late last week that they would be collaborating with Eric Daman, costume designer of the hit TV series Gossip Girl to create a collection of legwear for the brand. The collection will include eight styles and will hit stores in August.

When speaking about legwear, Daman said:

I feel like I grew up with legwear in the ’70s and ’80s, and it’s great to see legwear being part of a woman’s ensemble, a defining piece of women’s ready-to-wear. … Hosiery is quite sexy. What we try to do in Gossip Girl is lots of texture. It makes the characters come alive. [Legwear] gives a character like Blair life when she’s wearing a pencil skirt with distressed rib tights. It gives her look something special.

Daman’s collection for DKNY will include full-length tights as well as over-the-knee tights featuring texture, polka dots, jackquards, sheer stripes, florals and fishnets. Amazingly, the price range isn’t too bad; you can expect to pay between $15 and $24 per pair.

Photo by HEYNIEK

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Take a look at some of our favorite picks from the sale, or head on over to their site to see them all.

Vernal Tieback Dress A Tracy Reese original, exclusive to BHLDN $290 $150	Flouncy Peep-Toes By Schutz $190 $100	Tournesol Necklace Handmade in Belgium $355 $175
Twice-the-Knot Sandals A BHLDN exclusive $225 $100	Silver Granny Knot By Benedicte Mouret $200 $100	With A Kiss Shift By Lauren Moffatt $395 $175
Camellia Hatpin Handmade in Belgium $88 $50	Castle Hill Shift An Anna Sui original, exclusive to BHLDN $390 $175	Something Pink Slides A BHLDN exclusive $310 $150

Remember, because these are sale items, all sales are final. The sale ends Friday 10 a.m. ET.

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The newly-released Tarte for True Blood Limited Edition Palette is packed with 17 delightfully vampy eyeshadow colors, a full-size emphasEYES Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara, and a deluxe Lifted Natural Eye Primer.

This limited edition palette is available for Sephora Beauty Insiders and the cosmetics included are formulated without parabens, synthetic fragrances, or phthalates.

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I should probably state that you will most likely only fall in love with this dress in a realistic sense if you have the body for an incredibly fitted dress made of jersey. I do not, but I sure do love looking at this dress anyway. Adorned with wavy ruffles along the shoulder and front and back of the dress that hang off to the side, it is a really great piece for the occasional outdoor summer party or anywhere else you’ll be going this season where you want to dress to impress.

The Margarita dress is so obviously inspired by the waves and color of the ocean, so it’s only natural that Pally decide to give 20% of the proceeds of this dress throughout the month of June to the Surfrider Foundation.

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit, grassroots organization that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. They are committed to preserving beach access, preventing beach loss, protecting special places and eliminating ocean water pollution.

The foundation was founded in 1984 by a group of visionary surfers in Malibu, California and has grown to maintain more than 60,000 members and 100 chapters worldwide.

The price tag of the Rachel Pally Margarita dress is $229 and if you have to justify the price, know that a portion of your sale will go to directly benefit our world’s beaches and making them healthy, clean and fun for everyone.

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With the release of a very symbolic tee featuring a distressed print that still manages to radiate the message of the dawn of a new day, the ‘Rise’ tee will help in aiding the communities and areas affected with all profits from sales going directly to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.

The tee seems to be selling quickly, now only available in sizes extra small, small and large. It is made of 100% cotton in Canada and sells for $38.

When you buy the ‘Rise’ tee, your contribution to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund will provide emergency needs including shelters, meals and snacks, as well as physical and mental health services.

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Developing into a tween can be a pretty difficult and uncomfortable time for any kid. Throw monumentally embarrassing into the mix and you’ll have my own tween years described in just a few words.

I distinctly remember several highly embarrassing moments from my tween years and the only way I can think of describing that time in my life is by saying my brain and my body were not working together in harmony; in fact, they weren’t even close to meeting along the same wavelength. My brain was still a blissfully ignorant kid that didn’t have to worry about anything in the realm of cosmetic appearance. It was very content in running out the door every morning throughout the summer after throwing on whatever clothes happened to be laying around my room without a second glance in the mirror. My body, however, had warped into its own wildly out of control life form without letting my brain in on what was going on.

One summer afternoon while carelessly running around in my bathing suit and jumping in and out of the local pool, my father’s girlfriend, who had taken a very active role in raising me and my younger sister throughout my tween years, mentioned the word bikini line. That is the pivotal moment when my brain had a complete and utter freakout session of monumental proportions. It could no longer deny what my body was up to and it was officially time to soak up any and all advice my father’s girlfriend, as well as my grandmother and aunt, were willing to dole out.

The same very well goes for tweens when it comes to the topic of body odor. You smell it, every adult, and perhaps even their friends, are cued right in to the rampant hormones running throughout their bodies, but they may still be blissfully ignorant. Their kid brain is still very much running the show.

Unilever, the makers behind Degree, Degree Men, Dove and Suave deodorant products, has just recently released a pretty awesome resource for parents of tweens to help parents navigate conversations about even the stinkiest of tween issues. Don’t Fret the Sweat contains expert advice, tips and personal anecdotes from a variety of different moms, educators and physicians, including Rosalind Wiseman, an internationally recognized expert on children, teens and parenting, and “New York Times” bestselling author of the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes”, which was the basis for the movie “Mean Girls”.

You will also find answers to frequently asked questions regarding tweens and their body odor, like what to do when your child is using deodorant but it doesn’t seem quite strong enough. Perhaps one of the best resources Don’t Fret the Sweat has to offer is their product matchmaker which will help you and your tween choose the perfect deodorant that will work with them to keep them comfortable, dry and smelling fresh and clean throughout the day.

“Like” Don’t Fret the Sweat on Facebook to gain access to all of this information and more. Also be sure to check out the videos below that feature several moms just like you sharing their stories and tips with Rosalind Wiseman on how to help their tweens through this body-morphing time in their lives with ease.

Disclosure: This post was written as part of a blog posting campaign with the One2One Network.

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It’s hard to put a price on beauty–one that’s affordable, I mean. The problem with budget beauty buys is that many of them come with promises they can’t keep. They often contain potentially harmful chemicals like the following:

• Petrochemicals, like butyl alcohol, which can clog pores.
• Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, which are environmental toxins and can cause allergic reactions in some users.
• PEGs and PGs, which are ecotoxins as well as potential allergens, and are often contaminated with more harmful chemicals like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.
• Parabens, which are known to cause endocrine disruption especially in infants and unborn children in pregnant mothers.
• Synthetic dyes and fragrances, which often cause dermatitis and other mild allergic reactions.

Many “natural” products, however, are often greenwashed and contain these very same chemicals. Unless we want to spend gobs of money on expensive, organic products, we seem to be at an impasse.

That’s where honey steps in.

Legendary heart breaker Cleopatra used to take baths in milk and honey to preserve her youth and beauty. We can take cues from her and use honey and other ingredients to create our own cheap, eco-friendly spa experience.

Why honey?

1. Honey contains antioxidants to promote new cell growth and keep skin youthful. This helps with scarring from old blemishes as well as slowing the aging process.

2. Honey is humectant, meaning it traps moisture. This makes it great for dry skin as well as oily and problem skin. Many acne products over-dry skin which causes our pores to produce more sebum, making our face fertile for blemishes.

3. Honey is antibacterial, especially darker varieties like Manuka (which is made by bees who harvest the same bush from which we get tea tree oil). It cleans your skin while keeping it moist to promote healing, which is why the Greeks, Romans, and other ancient cultures used it to treat wounds.

Many beauty companies add honey to their practically toxic products and label them as “natural.” Why pay money for someone to add chemicals to something that’s already a beauty benefit?

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Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is an eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free skincare and body product option for people with dry skin or for those with skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne, among others. Not only are Skin MD Natural products amazingly hydrating and capable of actual results when it comes to clearing up problem skin, you can feel great about supporting them knowing that they are also dedicated to helping the environment in the ways they are able to do so; like manufacturing their products in the United States using 100% solar power.

I feel very fortunate to not only have had the opportunity to try out Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion, but to also be able to give away one 4oz bottle of this lotion to one lucky Woman Tribune reader.

And that lucky winner is Amy!

Congratulations!

Disclosure: I received a 4oz. bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion as well as sample packets of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF 15 lotion in order to write a review and host this giveaway.

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I am very familiar with skincare woes; unfortunately so, and in no time at all, they can take over your skin patch by dry, brittle, flaky, calloused and/or discolored, tender and painful patch. How your skin looks and feels has a tremendous impact on your entire sense of being and it seems as if for every season of the year, my skin has another surprise lurking on its surface, waiting to surprise me on the coldest day of winter with eczema outbreaks and on the hottest day of summer with spontaneous acne breakouts. Throw in some time of increased stress and my skin will be inflamed and uncomfortable from my hands to my back and stomach.

For a little over a month now, I have been using Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. I have had the opportunity to use this lotion on my face, hands and body during a small bout of eczema during the last phase of winter, as well as on a small rash that appeared on my upper back and hands during a very stressful two weeks. Not only did Skin MD Natural hydrate these parts of my body, but I noticed that it healed them much faster than just riding it out or applying creams several times a day that just don’t work. Specifically on the stress-induced rash I broke out with, I found that Skin MD Natural just made it being there a whole lot more comfortable until it faded away. This lotion cooled the rash off, I could actually feel that area of my skin becoming more and more hydrated with every application and it went away in about two weeks, which may not seem like a short amount of time, but when it comes to stress-induced rashes or eczema that runs in my family (mostly amongst the men in my family and then me–I really don’t know what I did to make it into that club, but I would have been okay with not fitting in in that respect!) they have been known to last months regardless of any cream, medication or lotion used to treat it.

What you will immediately notice about Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion as soon as you apply it is that there is no baby powder or “old lady” scent to it. It has the lightest scent I have ever smelled in a lotion and it kind of smells like aloe, which makes sense since aloe vera is one of the ingredients contained in Skin MD Natural. You can see the list of safe, healthy and effective ingredients used in Skin MD Natural lotions here.

There is one thing about Skin MD Natural that I wasn’t a big fan of. While it is not greasy and it rubs in evenly, it is a little sticky at first. It isn’t a major disappointment, but it is there, however briefly. The first few times I used this lotion on my hands, I found myself clenching and unclenching my fists and really noticing the stickiness factor to it. Luckily, it does fade away over a short period of time.

In addition to the 4oz. bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion, I also received a few small sample packets of their Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF15 for face and body. This particular lotion has skyrocketed to the top of my list of favorite face lotions and moisturizers. It is amazing. A few days after using it one time, my skin looked better and my face had this pretty awesome healthy glow to it. Also, for some reason, the lotion with the SPF 15 in it is not sticky like the regular Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is.

Skin MD Natural and Skin MD Natural + SPF 15 are manufactured in the United States using 100% solar power and they are completely free of animal products and animal testing.

You can find a store near you that sells Skin MD Natural products or purchase online through their website.

Giveaway

Skin MD Natural has given us the opportunity to give one 4oz. bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion to one lucky Woman Tribune reader.

Required Entry

Leave a comment on this post telling us why you would like to win a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion.

Extra Entries

Leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

• Follow @SkinMDNatural on Twitter
• “Like” Skin MD Natural on Facebook
• Subscribe to Woman Tribune
• Follow @WomanTribune on Twitter
• “Like” Woman Tribune on Facebook
• Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post and details about Skin MD Natural. (This entry is worth five entries, so leave five separate comments with the link to your blog post.)
• Tweet about this giveaway. Feel free to use the following tweet or write your own. (This can be done once a day, leave a link to your tweet in your comment.)
  

  Win a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion from @Skinmdnatural and @WomanTribune http://ow.ly/4BHgZ ends 4/23

This giveaway ends Saturday, April 23rd at 11:59 p.m. ET. This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents over the age of 18 at the time of entry. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by email; they then have 48 hours (2 days) to respond to that email or another winner will be chosen.

Full Contest Disclaimer

Disclosure: I received a 4oz. bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion as well as sample packets of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF 15 lotion in order to write this review, as well as the opportunity to host this giveaway.

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Free Shipping on All Orders at Roots!
A major brand in Canada, Roots is reaching out to their U.S. customer base by offering free shipping on all orders until April 26th, 2011. Roots makes and distributes high-quality leather goods, including jackets, handbags, luggage and accessories, but is also branching into other “lifestyle” products by partnering with other outdoor-focused, eco-conscious companies and designers.

Famous Footwear Offers Free Shipping Plus 15% Off!
Wow, this is a sweet deal. Using the “RAIN” coupon code you can get your next shoe purchased for 15% off AND have it shipped directly to your home for free. You’ll have to pay for shipping on return items so be sure you’re getting the right size. One way around this is to return an order that was purchased online to your closest Famous Footwear store. Their return policy terms can be found here.

Kodak Gallery Prints Shipped Free
Use the coupon code 40SHIP to get free shipping on orders of $40 or more from Kodak Gallery, where you can upload and share photos, as well as order high quality prints in all sizes.

Other Free Shipping Deals:
Gaiam (yoga and green living products) is giving customers free shipping on orders of $75 or more when they click on the link from this page to activate a free shipping offer. Also jot down “FREESHIP75″ in case you are asked for the code at checkout. In the market for some alpaca wool clothing? Peruvian Connection has some stunning apparel and accessories with a distinctly South-American feel, and FreeShipping.org has an exclusive coupon (11FSORG) that gives you free shipping until April 25th, 2011. Hurry and you might be in time to cash in on a free shipping offer from Land’s End. It includes free shipping on all orders with NO minimum purchase and expires on April 14th, 2011. The code is “RAINN“.

Other Money Saving Links of the Week:

• Six Ways to Save Life an Extreme Couponer: Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch shares some of her extreme couponing tips that don’t involve dumpster diving or other “extreme” measures.
• More Saving Ideas for Seniors: The Buffalo News website goes beyond the typical “senior discounts” in this article about saving money when you’re on the far side of 50.
• Mom Spends Only Discount Gift Cards for One Month: Ashley Grimaldo has a plan to put one of her kids through college with ten year’s worth of savings using discount gift cards, according to this ABC News report from Houston.

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Spend Your Blockbuster Cards TODAY!
Blockbuster Video is giving consumers until April 6th to spend the remaining money left on their Blockbuster gift cards. You can spend the money at a local Blockbuster store, or shop on Blockbuster.com. Learn more in this article from the Augusta Chronicle blog, as well as this post on EclectEcon.net.

Getting The Most Money for Your Used Car
This one comes from our own Frugal Living Blog, and includes several tips that can mean the difference of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars in the sale price by doing your homework and getting all of your records together. Read the article to learn some other ways to get more cash when selling a used car.

Buy Gift Cards
It is worth continuing with the concept reported in The Seattle Times recently that “Gift cards are the new coupon”. Sites like Gift Card Granny allow you to buy gift cards for less than their value, which comes in very handy when shopping for items that you have to purchase anyway, such as groceries or gas. You can get even more savings if you regularly go out by purchasing discounted gift cards to restaurants, or for entertainment purposes like movies. Frugal mom and coupon blogging expert Ashley Grimaldo did exactly this for an entire month. Her savings? $206.29. You can read all about it here, and there is a good write-up on Bundle about How to Play the Gift Card Game as well.

Shipping Deals of the Week!
Last but not least, ShopSmart has it right when they proclaim: Free shipping is the new little black dress. Everyone has one and can’t live without it! We’ve been giving merchants more incentives to offer free shipping for years, and our hope is that the norm will be free shipping on all purchases with no minimum order–like what is being offered by L.L. Bean. However, for most stores you’ll still need to reach a certain order value, or have a coupon code to qualify. Here are some deals you can take advantage of this week: Nordstrom is offering free shipping on your entire order with any shoe purchase until April 14th with the coupon code SHOES. You can get your order shipped free from JCPenney if the value is $69 or more with the code SHIP69. While not “free” Kohls is offering .99 cent shipping on all purchases until April 10th.

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No More Rack is an awesome deal site with a fantastic concept we’ve seen hit big again and again. Every day, they feature eight completely new deals on things like clothing, handbags, kitchen appliances, children’s toys and more. I first heard of this website just a few weeks ago and have been checking out their deals each and every single day since.

Yesterday at 8 a.m. No More Rack unveiled their latest–and biggest–opportunity yet; Makeup Madness, an incredible makeup giveaway including products from mega brands like Sephora, Lancome, MAC and others.

To score some free makeup for yourself, Sign up for a No More Rack account. It is completely free to join, plus you will also get a free $10 credit that can be used towards any purchase on No More Rack in the future. After you sign up for your account, refer your friends by simply going to your profile.

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Use a Gift Card to Swipe Some Savings
The Seattle Times and Chicago Tribune ran this story recently about how “gift cards aren’t just for gifting anymore”. As MSN Money blogger Donna Freedman told the reporter, “Gift cards are the new coupon.”

112 Money Saving Tips from TIME
Maybe they were going for 110 when an intern came in with two more money-saving ideas? From why NOT to buy a home to having a wedding on $2,500 this uber-roundup has something for everyone.

Finding Ways to Combat Rising Grocery Prices
This post on the East Valley Tribune website explores what some families are doing to save a little dough when they buy their daily bread. The best part of the article is the sidebar, which lists ten ways we can all save a little more on our next trip to the grocery store.

Money-Saving Apps
These days it seems like iPhones and Androids pay for themselves with the money-savings apps alone. Here are three (including our very own Coupon Sherpa!) worth trying out. The Money Saving Queen website will be posting more money-saving apps each week so pay attention and you may find a few more ways to keep your money in your pocket.

Geek News on Combating Rising Wireless Prices
Frugal diva Andrea Woroch gives some advice to Geek News about how to save a little money on your cell phone bill by extending your family, paying as you go, using free apps, and using employer discounts.

The Coupon Code Roundup
Here are some of the deals that have captured our attention this week. First up, is an ongoing coupon for Uprinting.com that lets you save 10% on ALL Uprinting products like brochures, wall art, restaurant menus and business cards. Click here to learn more! Save $15 on orders over $75 when you shop at Champs Sports using the coupon code LKSOLOGY (Good until the end of April). Home Depot is giving 50% off power tools and accessories when you use the code PRE50 at checkout (Expires on April 6th). The Body Shop is courting students with a $5 off or 10% off coupon when they become members of the “Love Your Body Club“. See you next week!

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But perhaps even before your mind is swept up into obsessing over the perfect bridal gown, flower bouquets and table settings, the very beginning of your wedding planning thoughts focus on the engagement, naturally. That pivotal moment in your life when your significant other, and hopefully your future-spouse, pops that age-old question. A lot of women have a whole lot of different expectations of what they hope their engagement is like, much like the thoughts they have about what they hope their actual wedding ceremony and life in marriage bliss will be like and for most of those women, this includes the traditional diamond engagement ring.

The history of engagement rings is a truly fascinating one and originally, in the 1400′s, were exchanged between a man and a woman in the form of plain metal bands–gold for royalty, silver for nobility, bronze for the upper and middle (merchant) class and iron for peasants. Diamond engagement rings, while seen as a hat tip to tradition, were not implemented into our society until just a little over sixty years ago.

If one thing is for certain, it is that not having a diamond engagement ring can feel downright wrong and the tradition of diamond engagement rings, while more recent than most may think, is still going strong.

A lot of very careful and often time-consuming effort is put into searching for diamond rings. There is so much to take into consideration and since your future-fiance and spouse will be wearing this ring on her finger for the rest of her life, or for the rest of your marriage, adds to the extreme pressure one very often feels when going from jeweler to jeweler.

The internet can really come to the rescue in this situation. While finding the perfect engagement ring online is far more simpler than driving all over town looking for that perfect ring to be sitting, undiscovered, in a jewelry store you can only hope you find, keep in mind that you will not have the knowledge and expertise of a jeweler on-hand to answer your burning questions about each ring you’re interested in. So it’s important to know what you will need when choosing that perfect ring.

The most important, and what will be the driving force behind your purchase, is what is known as the “four c’s”, ideal carat, clarity, color and cut. So ensure that you are the most informed you can be on the subject, speak to a jeweler or few before you make a binding purchase just to get any additional questions you have answered by someone you can trust and don’t forget to thoroughly read through any disclaimers and return or exchange policies.

Photo by Jessica’s Style Hub

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Sometimes we would like nothing more than to step into a spa and be pampered throughout the afternoon. I know that in my super small town of less than 600 people I would like to have a full-service spa in the vicinity just so I could have the option of walking into their establishment and being swept into the back and put into a magnificent tub while someone applied seemingly magic chemicals to my face that would be washed away 20 minutes later, along with every worry and ounce of stress from my day. But even if there were such an establishment here, I know I wouldn’t walk through their doors as often as I would like because, dammit, those services are expensive!

So if you’re like me and find yourself often fantasizing about face scrubs and milk baths, here are 7 super easy beauty recipes you can effortlessly make at home, perhaps after a trip to the grocery store, that will eliminate your troubles, your worries and your stress–at least for the time being.

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