Bachata Dance Mastery System - Learn to Dance Bachata (3 DVD Set) Review + Giveaway

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.
Image source: Tomoson.com and blurb source: Amazon.com.

Here is my last DanceCrazy.com review for at least a couple of weeks - I'll be reviewing Salsa as one of my first reviews next year, woohoo! Oooohhh.. and I just realized, this will be my last review of the year. Wow, where has the year gone? Anyway, today I am reviewing a 3 disc Bachata set. I had never heard of Bachata until I saw this review, so you can read more about it on Wikipedia.

 Blurb: 

Bachata Dance! Your complete Bachata Dance Step-By-Step System for becoming a great social bachatero (dancer). You get over 5 hours of Bachata Dancing instruction, packed onto 3 DVDs (each indvididual DVD can be found separately on Amazon.com)! Save Money with this series!This series has 3 jam packed DVDs that take you from beginning through advanced bachata dancing.
This is a bestselling Bachata Video package... SalsaCrazy Presents The Complete Bachata Mastery System: All 3 Levels, on three separate DVDs, in our Step by Step Bachata Dance Mastery program. You'll never be lost as we professionally build your Bachata Dancing from the very first steps, slowly and methodically all the way to an Advanced level. This is a complete system, and we don't leave anything out!
Sensual and Romantic, this course covers everything you need to know, and gives you the benefit of countless private lessons, all on three massive DVDs. Featuring multiple camera angles, picture in picture, and music to practice each and every pattern too, these in depth instructional videos provide an excellent starting point as well as a fun and progressive system that allows you to grow as a dancer, step by step!
In Volume 1 for Beginners, we'll guide you through the very basic bachata dance steps, giving you a sturdy and comprehensive foundation to build from. We'll take you, step by step, through all the beginner patterns and techniques, and we'll leave nothing out! No experience necessary! 2 left feet? No Problem! We'll get you out and dancing in no time. You'll learn everything you need in order to become a great Bachata dancer!
In Volume 2, The Intermediate Guide To Bachata Dancing takes up where beginners volume 1 left off, and will add a ton of new dance steps, etiquette, connection, and unique style to your bachata dancing. You will absolutely love learning the new moves and patterns of "club style" bachata.
In Volume 3, the advanced Bacahta DVD, This DVD takes up where intermediate bachata volume 2 left off, bringing you lots of new challenging and unique bachata dance steps in the "club style" fashion.
This is the real thing, and you're gonna love it! Nothing is left out. Sensual and Romantic...This is hours worth of bachata dancing instruction, and countless private lessons, all in one massive DVD. Additional features include Multiple Camera Angles, Picture in Picture, Music to Practice to for every bachata dance step, and detailed tips you can't find anywhere else. 

Review:

I thought I would like this set because I'm familiar enough with Salsa from my Zumba workouts, and since Bachata seems like it might be similar I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed. I immediately found this set to be fun as I just listed to the introduction music - the music alone is fun and up beat and perfect for dancing to. If you're familiar at all with some of the other DanceCrazy.com DVDs, the instructions on these discs are a bit different. In general, the instructions for both follower and leader are given at once. With the more advanced footwork they do break down the individual roles so that is helpful.

The Beginner's Volume 1 DVD I found to be pretty easy and intuitive. Some of it was similar enough to Zumba that I did not have any problems with it, and I found Bachata gives a great workout to your core with real emphasis on hip action.

Once again there is emphasis on etiquette with this dance, and just like Waltz, I couldn't help but find it amusing.


The Intermediate Volume 2 disc instructs the user on 8 new patterns and draws attention to the importance of the connection between partners. So much so that Alison, one of the instructors, demonstrates this by dancing with her eyes shut. It was pretty cool to watch how in control and synchronized she and her leader were. There were familiar patterns on this disc, such as the Cuddle, which makes it easier to learn if you're already familiar with other dance styles and patterns.

There is also heavy emphasis on building a connection to your partner with this dance and that is reinforced on the Advanced Volume 3 disc.  This disc introduces 7 new patterns and also includes a dos and don'ts section. There is more handwork which looks pretty fancy, multiple spins and they introduce swivels.

This dance is very sensual and looks like a lot of fun when danced with a partner. Dancing alone, it was still fun and fairly easy to pick up. I will mention however, there are a lot of dips, twists and turns on the last 2 discs. So if you're prone to dizziness, this might not be the dance for you. The Beginner's disc alone would be fine if you are interested in learning some Bachata.

This set is listed at $97 on Amazon, but is on sale for $37.

Giveaway:
Winner will be selected on January 2, 2015. Shipment date is set for January 3, 2015.    


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Christmas (and Easter?) nails with polish from Banggood.com review

I received these items in exchange for an honest review.

A couple of weeks ago I received a big nail mail package from Banggood.com and I was going to break these down into a couple of posts but you know what? With Christmas Eve being tomorrow I thought I'd go ahead and just do one big blog post for today. So today I will have 5, yes 5, polishes to show you! Here are the polishes I will be sharing with you today.

First up is a water based peel off nail polish. This polish is an absolutely gorgeous shade of yellow - this from the person who used to hate yellow. I really love this color but it is streaky even after 2 coats.

This polish wasn't too terrible to peel off but it wasn't very nice to my nail, even with applying a coat of base coat underneath. I think I might want to apply 2 coats of base coat next time just to be certain. This polish doesn't smell too terrible unlike some of the others I received. However, the bottle is pretty tiny. It's definitely in the "mini" category. This polish dried very very quickly which made it very nice to work with. This is $2.66.

I paired this with the two glitters I received. First up is the baby doll shaped polish bottle. I'll admit it - I requested this polish for review simply because I like the bottle. I like weird bottles and hey, the polish I received is different than any other polishes I own so it works out ;)

This polish is pretty thick and the glitters all sink but the thing about this polish is it smells so awful. It has that made in China smell you can't seem to avoid sometimes. I do like the glitters in this one but it was kind of tricky to work with just because it is so thick. This is $2.22 for a 7 mL bottle. Here's a closeup on the glitter.

Next up is the glitter nail art polish, which I used twice so you'll see it again here in a minute.

This polish is pretty thinly glittered which works pretty well for simply dusting manicures but if you want thicker coverage you might want to do two layers. This is what I did for this manicure, with only one layer on the accent nail. This one is somewhat stinky, but it is easy and fun to use. This one is only $1.72 for a 5 mL bottle.

Well, that's me in a nut shell - doing Easter looking nails at Christmas time :P Now for my Christmas nails!

I did two different manicures and I decided to use the make your own stamping decals following this tutorial. I had never done this before, but I think I've come to the conclusion that it is way too much work for me when I could get similar results just by stamping. Still, it was fun to try out. I used the Born Pretty Store 1 stamping plate, which I just happened to buy for free and I was so happy I got it in time to use for Christmas this year. This is a great stamping plate :)

So first I'm going to show you the neon glow in the dark polish. I absolutely love this color and this polish comes in 24 different colors so you have some good options if you don't like this particular color.

This polish is very thin but it dries very quickly so it is very easy to layer. I used 2 layers. Best of all, check out the glow on this baby!

This polish is $1.96 and I'm not sure about the amount. I want to say it's almost a mini and a half. Definitely not full size bottle but not quite a mini either, I would say.

Lastly is another glow in the dark polish and yes I picked out this one for the funky bottle as well and yes I did dare to use crackles on my tips. I think it looked pretty cool. I did a gradient with the nail stamping, so that's why there's a few colors there which look like they don't belong there. Oops, I should have thought to clean that up a bit. Ah well.

This polish is mildly stinky, transparent, but it applies nicely. This one is great for doing a french manicure or I suppose you could layer it or maybe even use it as a topper. This one didn't dry quite as fast as some of the others but even so it still dried pretty quickly.

Now this one photographed pretty oddly under the black light - I think because of the top coat, it kept wanting to photograph pure white. In actuality it is a bright neon yellow green with a bit of graininess. It looks really quite cool!

It actually did glow better than this, I just wanted to show you the best picture I had of it glowing true to color (or at least ignoring the bright whitish blue glow in the photo.) This polish is $1.66 for 8mL and it comes in 6 different colors.


I've been wearing these last 2 manicures for the past 2 days and other than the crackle, I haven't noticed any chipping so these polishes seem to hold up pretty well. Most manicures last me only a few hours before I have chipping (yes, even Zoya only lasts me a short time) so I'm pretty impressed with the quality.

I still have a set of 3 more polishes to show you, but I will wait for after Christmas for that :)

My thanks to Banggood.com for providing me with these samples. I do want to mention that they sell a ton of other nail art supplies, and shipping is free! I believe they ship worldwide as well. Additionally, they have a coupon codes they asked me to pass on to my readers.

12% off Women Shoes&Bags — Code: WBS215(ends Dec. 31st)
10% off Christmas Decorations — Code: 85b399(ends Dec. 25th)
10% off Christmas Garden Decor — Code: 10xmas(ends Dec. 25th)
Women’s Clothing $10 off on orders over $80 of Shoes — Code: BGW105(ends Dec. 31st)
Jewelry 12% off women jewelry and men jewelry — Code: 1c33be(ends Dec. 31st)
10% off DIY Jewelry Craft — Code: c15b5c(ends Dec. 31st)
Men’s Clothing 10% off Men’s New Arrival — Code: BGM208(ends Dec. 31st)
25% off Men’s Clothing Clearance — Code: BGM210(ends Feb. 27th 2015)
Beauty&Health 5% off beauty & health — Code: 9cf077(ends Dec. 30th)
5% off Nail Art — Code: 191F83(ends Dec. 31st)
women’s clothing: 15% off Women’s Clothing  —AWdeal(ends Dec. 31st)
$5 on orders over $50 — Code: MC1120(ends Dec. 30th)

Ballroom Dancing Mastery System (7 DVD Set) Review + Giveaway

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.
Image and blurb sources: Amazon.com.

Today I have the DanceCrazy Ballroom Dance Mastery System DVDs for review, along with a giveaway! This set is listed at $197 on Amazon, on sale for $39.75 which is an awesome deal. If you've ever wanted to learn to dance, you don't want to miss out on this chance to win this set!

 Blurb:
Ballroom Dancing Is hot! We see it on "Dancing with the Star"s, we see it on "So You Think you Can Dance". It's everywhere! Ballroom Dance is fun, and it s incredibly social. Spanning Ballrooms around the world, dance clubs, wedding songs, and nightlife, Ballroom Dance is everywhere.
This 7 DVD set, progressively and step by step, takes you into the beginner's world of Ballroom Dance, in all the major social ballroom dances.
Ballroom Dancing DVD Set Covers Swing Dance and it's major patterns, Waltz Dance, Rumba Dance, and Foxtrot over 7 DVDs that take you from your very first steps.
Here are the four types of dance dvds: 

Swing Dancing and swing dance dvds can be difficult. Swing dancing is one of the single most prolific styles of dance, you'll find it everywhere. Get ready to swing dance with DanceCrazy's extensive introduction to Swing Dancing, a 2 DVD Series! This is the first of two DVDs, and covers the fundamentals of the dance, extensive swing dance lessons, as well as a few beginner patterns.
Two left feet? No rhythm? No Problem! This swing dancing DVD series is for you. You'll be showing off some amazing Swing Dance steps in no time at all. "There's no other DVD series that is this in depth, this step by step, or this fun..." Swing has earned its reputation as one of the most versatile and energizing forms of popular music and continues to attract new converts to its catchy tunes and syncopated beats.
Two progressive Waltz Dance DVDs. Learn to Dance the Waltz! This DVD teaches the very basics of how to dance the waltz. We include a complete breakdown and detailed instruction for men and women, including dancing to the music, and essential tips for success on the dance floor. Waltz your way to grace, style, and confidence with the help of two friendly and accomplished instructors. You'll learn the essential components of this beautiful dance, such as Rise and Fall, Sway, and Footwork, as well as exploring steps that will showcase your dancing and help you gain the poise to shine on the dance floor! Explore the gorgeous movements that made Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance icons and then incorporate that fluidity into your own steps. You learn everything from the Box Step to the Twinkle and more, all while having a great time!
Learn to Dance Rumba. Beginners 2 Volume Set. DanceCrazy.com presents the second of two beginning rumba dance DVDs in your complete step by-step-guide to dancing the beautiful Rumba! This DVD walks you through an amazingly fun array of beginner Rumba dance steps that are sure to light a fire on the dance floor. From the very basics, our professional Rumba instructors guide you through every step of the way.
Learning the Rumba has never been as easy and exciting. This spicy and sensual dance combines luscious rhythms, memorable melodies, and gorgeous patterns to create the ultimate, intimate expression of Latin romance. With the resurgence of Latin music and dancing, Rumba dancing
And Finally, Foxtrot! Want to embody the essence of Frank Sinatra's fantastic music combined with Fred and Ginger's grace and style? The Foxtrot Dance will make it happen for you! Foxtrot epitomizes elegance, class, and big band sophistication. Popularized at the beginning of the 20th century by vaudeville performers, Fox's Trot was quickly adopted by ballrooms across the nation and transformed into the dance we know as Foxtrot today. Foxtrot not only showcases grace and flair, but also combines it with the swingin' sounds of some of our best loved jazz musicians.
The Ballroom Dancing Mastery Set has it all! The system puts all these dance together. There s nothing else like it. 

Review:
 
 So unfortunately I'm going to have to do just a partial review today and add in the rest later - basically, I was given plenty of time to do the review but inadequate time to post the giveaway and since I have to post the review before the giveaway... yeah. I've reviewed all of the DVDs except for the Rumba series so I will add those in later. I'm currently dealing with some overexercising and possibly adrenal fatigue so I hope you can see why I'm not rushing to complete those two DVDs!

I did review 2 of these DVDs already - the Waltz Volume 1 and Swing Volume 1. I have giveaways for those individual DVDs as well.

2 things: My box broke, so unfortunately the plastic box this comes in apparently isn't that sturdy. I don't really care that much but it is something to consider. Also, I find it a bit odd they have a different couple on the cover. It would make more sense to me to have a photo of the instructors.

Foxtrot I really enjoyed, and so far I think it's my favorite of the the DanceCrazy DVDs. I wish they would have had a second volume for it as well. It really was a lot of fun. If you enjoy Swing, I think you'd like Foxtrot as well. You do need quite a bit of room to dance. Sway and the Promenade were my favorite steps. Promenade is just a bit trickier than it looks.  Watching this DVD I'm glad I was practising without a partner because I have a feeling I would be all left feet and stepping all over his feet! There are some dips in this dance, and doing those on your own really makes for an awesome abs workout. I do want to mention that some of the DVD felt out of order in comparison to their other videos because they had tips in the middle of the patterns as opposed to at the end of the DVD.

Side note, I found the Foxtrot DVD most interesting as a T-tapper because I could really see how T-tapp builds upon some dance methods. Pretty cool!

Both the Waltz and Swing Volume 2 discs include an extra menu which shares the tips, types of dance, etiquette, social vs. competition, etc. so that is a really nice feature. I definitely enjoyed Waltz volume 2 more than I did volume 1. The open break I found to be most fun. On the Swing volume 2, again there are quite a few dips and these were much harder to do just practising by myself so I found if I held on to a chair that worked really well. I had to laugh while watching this DVD because I cannot imagine trying to dance some of these moves while wearing high heels, especially not the spins!

Rumba I found to be fun, similar enough to other dance methods it was pretty easy to catch on to and therefore pretty intuitive. With patterns such as the box step appearing once again, learning was quick and easy. I did find some of the beginners patterns to be more challenging than some of the more advanced patterns, at least at first. Rumba Rocks and Cross Body Lead were a bit tricky at first, it definitely took me a few tries to get the hang of Cross Body Lead.  Volume 1 discusses social versus competitive Rumba and Volume 2 has this in the extra section in addition to information about the Cuban motion, footwork and tips. This disc has 5 new patterns, most of which I found to be incredibly easy and simple yet fun. Crossover breaks was the only 1 of the 5 to give me some hangups, otherwise I got the hang of these patterns just by watching them dance in the initial introduction to each pattern. Rumba is fantastic if you want to exercise your hips and abs, and I only have one complaint in regards to this set. At different times the instructors use different names for the patterns which could be very confusing when you're first learning these steps.

This is a really great set, and you get quite a variety of dance methods so it's fun for everyone. The nice thing about these is you can either do an entire disc or two at once (pausing for breaks of course!) or you can just learn one pattern here and there at your own pace. Quite a few of the patterns crossover between the different styles (such as Box Step) which makes learning the steps even easier.

Giveaway:

Winner will be selected on December 31, 2014. Shipment date is set for January 1, 2015. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Waltz Dance, Volume 1 - Beginning Waltz Dance by DanceCrazy Review + Giveaway

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.
Image source Tomoson.com. Blurb source Amazon.com.

Today I have another dance DVD and giveaway for you thanks to DanceCrazy.com. The DVD I'm reviewing this time is Beginner's Waltz Volume 1.

 Blurb:

Product Description

Learn to Dance the Waltz! This DVD teaches the very basics of how to dance the waltz. We include a complete breakdown and detailed instruction for men and women, including dancing to the music, and essential tips for success on the dance floor. Waltz your way to grace, style, and confidence with the help of two friendly and accomplished instructors. You'll learn the essential components of this beautiful dance, such as Rise and Fall, Sway, and Footwork, as well as exploring steps that will showcase your dancing and help you gain the poise to shine on the dance floor! Explore the gorgeous movements that made Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance icons and then incorporate that fluidity into your own steps. You learn everything from the Box Step to the Twinkle and more, all while having a great time! Alison and Eldon will expertly guide you through a wide variety of patterns, while supplying you with plenty of helpful tips and suggestions along the way. You'll be ready to Waltz at your next event with assurance and elegance. We'll see you on the dance floor... 

About DancyCrazy.com

DanceCrazy.com is one of the world's premier dancing websites. Founded in 1996, as SalsaCrazy.com, DanceCrazy was born of a passion to dance, and a desire to show others how fantastic dancing can be. As our first instructor told us, "It will change your life". Give dancing a try, and you'll find a vibrant world of fantastic people, exciting nightlife, and perhaps a side of yourself you've always wanted to free. We've created these high quality DVDs to showcase how easy and fun dancing can be, and to prove that you (yes, YOU), can do it too! With exciting music, a rich history, and unbeatable, intoxicating, rhythms, you will learn to dance. We guarantee it! 

Review:
Before I begin my review, let me introduce you to my dance partner! My boyfriend doesn't like to dance (I know, what's wrong with him?) so for the purpose of trying out these DVDs, I have found a somewhat suitable replacement.

My teddy bear :) Hey, don't knock it.. it works!
(... and I refrained from being silly and adding a Care Bear mark to his belly in this picture :P)

Before watching and dancing along to this video, I had absolutely no experience with waltz aside from what I've seen in movies. I knew there was a strong element of etiquette and properness to this dance but I was still surprised to find a large chunk of the DVD focused around proper waltz etiquette. I found this portion of the DVD incredibly amusing. If my readers haven't noticed by now, I am not one to follow along with the normal rules of society. Reviewing this DVD has definitely reminded me I am too much of a rebel to be dancing the waltz in high society any time soon.

Regardless, I did enjoy the DVD. I found waltz more difficult and challenging than other dances which is probably just what I need. There is a lot more to think about with all of the rising and swaying. The heel to toe movements adds some difficulty to this dance which I hadn't expected, and I found it gave a pretty good workout on my weak ankles. I also found it very interesting to learn about the different kinds of waltz.

This DVD is similar to their other DVDs, so some of the things I mentioned in my Swing review apply here as well, as far as the chapter selection goes.

The instructions are clear, and I feel fairly easy for beginners to follow along. If you're not very coordinated as I am, you may have to skip back a few times to review instructions a few times until you get the hang of it. (I did!)

Giveaway:

Winner will be selected on December 31, 2014. Shipment date is set for January 1, 2015.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

My e-book recommendations

I have nothing to disclose.
Blurb sources from Amazon.com and Goodreads.com, image sources google search.

I've been reading A LOT lately, so I'm back with more recommendations before this post gets too long :) Most of today's shares remind me of other works - Hunger Games, Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Fallen... but I still really enjoyed them regardless. Admittedly, I enjoyed the free ones more than the 99 cents ones, so I most definitely recommend those if you enjoy paranormal romance (which seems to be my favorite genre for the moment.)

Free

Guardians: The Girl (The Guardians Series, Book 1) by Lola StVil 

  
After his death, Marcus found the love of his life...

Unfortunately it's not his sexy, telekinetic angel girlfriend --- it's Emmy Baxter... a human.

Between torture, demon attacks, and midterms, Marcus and Emily must fight their feelings for a devastating prophecy has predicted:

"Should Angel and Human unite, humanity will perish."

The Devil's Artwork (Faders #1 Science fiction Romance) (Faders Trilogy) by C.M. Owens

In world where death isn't the worst consequence...
After her father's fade, Arena Clash's heart was hardened. She turned bitter, and she became too strong for her own good. Kaceton Brice just happens to be the right amount of fire to melt her glacial exterior. But with the threat of a fade always lurking, love is a dangerous journey to embark on.
They find themselves in the middle of an ages-old conflict, and the thing Arena hates the most becomes her best ally.
Warning: Descriptive Sex

Seduced by Innocence: A Paranormal Shifter Romance by Karpov Kinrade

All my life I've been told that I will kill my first love. That the dark power I harbor within myself will destroy him.


Just like it's destroyed others.


Witches take an oath to do no harm, but I broke that oath even as a child, and so I hide within the invisible walls of my strange coven, keeping everyone at a distance.


Until I meet Derek.


His magnetism draws me in even as I know I should run. But I can't run, because I need him to teach me how to defend myself and others, so I don't fall victim to the shifters out to terrorize my coven.


He can't know my secret, and I can't give in to the other need that's growing between us, the one that heats me from within whenever we're together.


But flesh is weaker than intention, and neither of us can fight the fates. If only we'd known the truth before taking that first bite of forbidden fruit.


Now it's too late.

Awakened (Vampire Awakenings, Book 1) by Brenda K Davies

 
Traumatized by her past, and struggling to move on from it, Sera has spent the past three years of college hiding herself from the world and content to stay that way. A chance encounter with Liam shatters her sheltered world, leaving her stunned and shaken by the strange feelings and emotions he arises in her, feelings she never thought she would experience and that frighten her in their intensity. Harboring a dark and deadly secret of his own, Liam knows that he should stay away from Sera; that he will only bring her more hurt, but he is irresistibly drawn to her and unable to deny himself the pleasure that only she can bring to him. But when their pasts collide with their present, and Liam’s true nature is revealed, will their love for each other be enough, or will they be torn apart forever?

Mature readers 18+

The Faerie Guardian (Creepy Hollow Book 1) by Rachel Morgan

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day's work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone--she's about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she's broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.
The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he's discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot--and it'll take all her training to get out of it alive.

.99 cents

Rosamond's Heart (The Black Mountain Saga Book 1) by Cate Dean

(formerly When Walls Can Talk)

Book 1 of an exciting YA fantasy series.

A missing prince. A haunted castle. A dangerous man bent on ruling the kingdom - whatever the cost.

When Rosamond convinces her friend Dan to explore a haunted castle, she expects them to find only a ghost or two. Instead they discover the missing prince, and stumble into the middle of a violent, desperate bid for the throne.

In order to save the injured Prince Jaren, and the boy she has loved since they first met, Rosamond must reach beyond her own violent past to find her courage.

And by choosing the path of courage, she may end up losing her heart.

*Includes a preview of Danel of Black Mountain, Book 2 of The Black Mountain Saga, now available.


Danel of Black Mountain (The Black Mountain Saga Book II)by Cate Dean

After the painful introduction to his skills as a healer, Dan is at the academy on Black Mountain, honing those skills for his future role as Prince Jaren's court healer. He expects to learn more about himself, and what he is capable of.

He doesn't expect to be caught up in a murder plot that threatens the lives of everyone at the academy, or discover a long-held secret that will change who he is forever.

With the help of friends, both human and not, Dan will hunt for the killer.

Will he find the culprit in time?

Or will an enemy from his past destroy everything he holds dear?

Swing Dance, Volume 1 - Beginning Swing Dance by DanceCrazy Review + Giveaway

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.
Image source, Tomoson.com. Blurb source Amazon.com.

Today I have the first in a series of dance DVDs to review for you. I'm extremely excited and happy to share these with you. About a month ago I was thinking I wanted to learn some actual dance techniques instead of just doing my typical free form dance, and then I saw Dance Crazy was looking for bloggers. So while I know this is a bit off topic for my blog, I do try to blog about beauty in general sometimes and dancing is a great way to keep in shape, stay healthy and therefore maintaining your natural beauty :)

So, first up... let's get busy with some Swing!

 Blurb:
Swing Dancing - One of the single most prolific styles of dance, you'll find it everywhere. Get ready to swing dance with DanceCrazy's extensive introduction to Swing Dancing, a 2 DVD Series! This is the first of two DVDs, and covers the fundamentals of the dance, as well as a few beginner patterns.
If you can't help tapping your feet to the amazing rhythms you hear in Swing music (think Count Basie, Duke Ellington, or Ella Fitzgerald) then this step by step dance instructional DVD is for you! Designed from the ground up as a true beginner's dance instructional video, this DVD (The first of a 2 DVD Series available on amazon.com) guarantees that no experience is required. Two left feet? No rhythm? No Problem! This swing dancing DVD series is for you.You'll be showing off some amazing Swing Dance steps in no time at all. "There's no other DVD series that is this in depth, this step by step, or this fun..."
Swing has earned its reputation as one of the most versatile and energizing forms of popular music and continues to attract new converts to its catchy tunes and syncopated beats.
This completely full, two hour dance instruction video take you from your very first steps in swing dance, and teaches a solid foundation from which to become an amazing swing dancer. Your experienced Swing dancing instructors take the time to break each pattern down thoroughly, providing you with essential information on technique, style, and connection.
Not only are your dance teachers, Eldon and Alison clear and accurate, but they also making learning to Swing fun and exciting! It's time to learn a great skill, have a fantastic time, and dazzle your friends. Once you begin, you won't be able to stop dancing Swing! You'll learn how to Swing Dance with ease and style... An absolute must have for anyone interested in Swing Dancing. Note: This is part of of a two part swing dancing instructional series, find part two also available on amazon.com. DanceCrazy and SalsaCrazy also have a whole line of instructional dance DVDs and videos available on amazon.

Review: Before watching this DVD, I was pretty much only aware of Swing from what I've seen on TV and in movies. Of course, those are never reliable sources and so what I'm used to seeing is the more showy version of Swing. This DVD covers the practical Swing so you can get started dancing for real life situations right away. This is very very basic. I found the Basic Steps very easy to do, and very intuitive. These were easy for me since I've been doing Zumba for years. Even with my little experience with dance I do have, I found some of these moves to be quite challenging! Fortunately, I like how the instructions are broken down: they show you the move first, then go over the leader's role, the follower's, give some tips and finally show the move along with music. I'm definitely going to have to practice a lot more to work my way up to dancing along with music. So while this is a good DVD for beginners, it can be quite challenging as well and does take some practice. The instructions are given in multiple camera angles which can be helpful, but also gets a little bit redundant after awhile.

This DVD is fun, and the music set along with it I felt was perfect. The only thing I didn't like was I wish it were chaptered a bit differently. They do have it nicely chaptered by individual pattern, and each pattern is then broke down into the different parts (leader's role, followers, so on.) That could be useful if you were only focusing on one pattern at a time, for instance. For me, I think it would be helpful if they had the entire DVD sectioned into follower's role, leader's role, and tips sections that way you don't have to skip around so much once you've watched it a few times all the way through.

The list price for this DVD is $39.95 but it is currently on sale on Amazon.com for $14.95!

Today though, Dance Crazy is giving 1 lucky reader the chance to win this DVD.

Giveaway:

Winner will be selected on December 30, 2014. Shipment date is set for December 31.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Patented Contoured Sleep Mask Review

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review.

Sleep is so very vital for our health, and as a long time insomniac I know how difficult it can be to function without enough of it. Today I'm reviewing a product which will help with that!

(Ironically, I've been awake since about 4 AM, probably because I forgot to put this on last night! Oops :P)

 (image source: Tomoson.com)

Blurb: 
Product
Our patented Sleep Mask is specially designed with deeply molded cups that curve away from eyes and eyelashes for rub-free comfort. This mask blocks out light and visual stimuli, while contouring to your face and eyelids for comfortable and uninterrupted sleep! Enjoy a night of deep, luxurious sleep. Sweet dreams!

SLEEP DEEPLY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. Pull out this incredibly lightweight, comfortable sleep mask anywhere - in a bed, on a flight, on a long car ride, while camping - and enjoy uninterrupted, deep, restful sleep.

SLEEP LONGER IN COMPLETE DARKNESS. Exposure to light during sleep interferes with your sleep cycle, preventing you from the long and deep night's rest you need to function at your best. Our patented Sleep Mask mask completely blocks out all light and visual stimuli so you can nap or sleep soundly anywhere. Sleeping with this mask is like having your own personal mobile black-out curtains.

WAKE UP FEELING AND LOOKING REFRESHED. Using advanced ergonomics, this sleep mask uniquely contours to your face and eyelids for maximum sleeping comfort. Look and feel well-rested, refreshed, and energetic.

BLINK FREELY. Our Sleep mask is specially designed with deeply molded cups that curve away from eyes and eyelashes for rub-free comfort. The mask will keep your eyes shielded from light without smudging eye make-up or compressing your face, eyelids, and eyelashes while you sleep.

SLEEPING BLISS. New and advanced, this lightweight, contoured mask is the best sleep mask on the market and will leave you more rested than ever before. With the Deep Rest Sleep Mask, you can find your sleeping bliss every night (especially helpful while traveling, camping, and napping or if your partner or watches TV in bed).

Review:

I was excited to try out this sleep mask because I know sleep masks are often recommended for those with insomnia but also headache sufferers. I'm surprised I hadn't tried one of these up until now, actually.  I'm typically the insomniac who can get to sleep just fine, but come about 4 or 5 AM, I am often wide awake - hours before I should be. Almost the entire month of November I was averaging 5 - 6 hours of sleep which apparently is typically enough for me as long as I have a few days of 8 or 9 hours of sleep mixed in there. Last month, I didn't. It took awhile before I started feeling the effects of not getting enough sleep - fogging thinking, low energy instead of the increased energy I had been feeling.

Then I got this mask for review. Almost immediately I noticed the quality of my sleep had improved - I wasn't waking up ten times during the night. Most nights I was sleeping through the night without waking up at all or maybe only once or twice. Eventually, I started sleeping longer as well - 7, 8, 9 hours. For me that almost seems to be too much sleep, but my body definitely needed it and appreciated the extra hours of rest. I should have thought to take some pictures before hand, but I do believe the dark circles under my eyes have faded (hurray!)

(image source: Tomoson.com)

As described, this mask is very light weight - lighter than I expected. With my headache disorder, I typically hate having anything touch my head at all but I didn't find that a problem with this. I did have to keep the mask a little bit looser to achieve my level of comfort but otherwise no problem. I have a tendency to rid myself of excessive clothing while I'm sleeping (namely socks) so most mornings I did wake up and this was no longer on my head, but regardless I still slept better.

This mask does a very good job of blocking out light, although it doesn't fit to my face perfectly. There is a bit of a gap around my nose area which lets in some light but not really enough to be bothersome. I wish I would have thought to buy this when I was trying to sleep on night shift the past few years. It definitely would have come in handy then.

Buy it:
On sale now for $11.95 on Amazon.com (Retail value is $21.95)

For more information, check out: 
http://www.nidragoods.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Bo-Po Nail Polish Review + Giveaway

I was provided with this product in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.

Today I have a fun product review for you, which would make for a great stocking stuffer :)

Blurb:
Bo-Po stands for Brush On - Peel Off. It's the cool new stylish nail polish for kids that makes a quick and easy, mess-free fashion statement in seconds. Bo-Po, (MSRP $3.99/each; various multi-packs up to $25), is recommended for ages 3 and up and comes in 10 vibrant colors and tinting shades for the most marvelous manicures and posh pedicures.
Bo-Po spreads on finger and toe nails just like regular nail polish, but unlike traditional polishes, Bo-Po does not contain any of the harmful chemicals or odors, and there isn't any need for harsh Acetone based remover because it simply peels off.
Bo-Po was developed as the alternative to make a child's manicure and pedicure fashion practice safe and fun. Bo-Po dries to the touch in less than 60 seconds and it can be peeled off to start over again. Each Bo-Po polish comes in a unique spill-proof bottle, which eliminates the risk of stains to clothes, floors or furniture as a result of accidental tipping. Amazingly, the bottles will not spill even if turned completely upside down. 

Review: 
I was hoping to get a chance to try these out with my 7 year old niece, but no such luck, only because I haven't seen her since Thanksgiving and of course that was too hectic.

These polishes are easy to use, they really do dry quickly - within a matter of minutes, and yes - the bottles really do seem to be spill proof. (Boy I was cringing while testing them out but with luck, no spills!) 

As the blurb mentions, these come in 10 colors, most of which are your basic bright colors which are pretty nice for kids. I received 3 colors - Cloudy Day, Emerald and OMG! Unfortunately I think I got a bad batch of OMG! because it was a bit lumpy and didn't dry as quickly as the others. The other two I had no problems with whatsoever.

I suggest using a basecoat under these. I tried them without and the result wasn't very pretty when I went to remove the polish. It does remove OK with water. I only used one coat so it didn't peel off nicely as the advertising suggests but I didn't have to use any kind of polish remover, either. Perfect for kids.

What's more? These polishes are perfect for anyone who likes to do their nails frequently :D The first two pictures are of my test manicure, just playing around with the colors with no clear manicure in mind. Since I knew I was going to be taking it off that day with water, I had no worries about being perfect or anything.. I just randomly applied the polish for fun.

I did a couple more manicures just for fun... and since my boyfriend's sister recently mentioned what a pain glitter nail polish is to remove, I felt this was a good time to point out how perfect this polish is for use with hard to remove glitter polish!

Here is Cloudy Day paired with Lynnderella Snow Angel and Shany nail art 09 on the accent. I should have used 2 coats of Cloudy Day, but I only used 1 so it looks a little thin in some places. This is such a nice color for Winter, so I'm glad they paired it with the red and green in this set.

I have to say I am a big fan of this green. The entire set is perfect for this time of year, but the green is a very gorgeous green shimmer which I just love. Here I have paired it with Pop Culture Cosmetics Candy Cane Lane with Shany nail art 07.

Bo-Po is currently available on their Web site, or if you go to Amazon.com they have a nice 8 piece set available for $19.17.

Bo-Po has provided me with an exclusive special code for my readers! When you shop on their Web site, at the shopping checkout just type in code bo-pofun25 for an additional 25% off! Shipping is free on orders over $19.99.
 

Social:
http://bo-po.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BoPoNailPolish

https://twitter.com/BO_POFun

http://www.pinterest.com/bopofun/

Giveaway:

Open to USA only, colors will be selected at random by Worx Toys.

1 winner will be selected on December 26 and the product will ship on December 29. So sorry, this will not arrive in time for Christmas.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

50 Things to Know About Make-Up and Fashion: Tips from a Makeup Artist Review

I was provided with the product in exchange for an honest review.

 Blurb:
Have you ever put a makeup that doesn’t suit you?
Have you ever thought that which fashion trend will make you look presentable and which will make you look disastrous?
Have you ever tried a makeup and fashion trend that seems odd but when you have tried it, you look gorgeous?

50 Things to Know about Make-Up and Fashion: Tips from a Makeup Artist by Mehreen Khan offers some interesting tips and helpful data through which you can get a gorgeous as well as trendy look.
Most books on makeup and fashion tell you about what should you wear and try but they will never aware you with the things that you must try and how you must try, so that they look trendy on you.

Although there's nothing wrong with that, there are some other things that you should know in order to accomplish your goal.

Based on knowledge from some of the biggest experts of the fashion an makeup industry

In these pages you'll discover tips and tricks that you can do in order for you to accomplish your goal to have a trendy and glamorous look by wearing an something that looks great on you.

This book will help you avoid all the disastrous makeup and fashion trends and will also let you know that how to wear the makeup to make it look appealing.

By the time you finish this book, you will know some to the fashion and makeup tips which have been jotted down by some of the famous fashion designers and makeup artists.  

Review:
I hate giving bad reviews, I really do. However, I simply cannot recommend this book. Before I get into the nit and grit of why, here are a few simple reasons:

The "tips" make up about 27% of this book. The rest is all promotional material to try to get you to buy more of these books.

The grammar and English are absolutely horrible.

Many of the tips flat out contradict each other.

There are a few helpful tips but they have no real information about actual application, making the tips pretty much useless.

I had expected a lot out of this book. The blurb sounded good, and as someone who has struggled with getting her eye make-up correct for years, I had high hopes. As an aspiring author, I find this book incredibly insulting. Writing is incredibly difficult work when done correctly. This book reads as if someone just Googled fashion tips, hunted down a few tips from blogs and slapped them all together.

Half of the "tips" are entirely a matter of personal preference or a matter of what society says is currently acceptable.

What gets me the most about this book is there is a lot of damaging information within. With quotes like "She must wear a perfect makeup and should follow the latest fashion trends to look trendy" I knew this book was going to be a waste of time as soon as I started reading it. It is this kind of thinking which has manipulated the mindset of so many women and men and done so much damage. Why I have a problem with this quote in particular:

There is no such thing as perfect. Trying to achieve a level of perfection is a form of insanity in itself. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to do your best and look your best. The issue I take is when people start saying you have to look and act perfect - an impossibility.

So much of fashion and makeup is just a personal preference. If you start looking at the fashion industry and seeing what is trendy, it can be very damaging. Unless you look at it objectively, it can be really self harming. For instance: what if the current fashion trend was to wear all black? Few people can actually get away with wearing all black, contrary to the misconception that says black makes all women look thinner. Don't believe me? Take someone who is full of energy, a ray of sunshine.. the life of the party. Dress them in black and see how they do. Odds are, I bet they're automatically going to be more depressed and less energetic, and therefore look awful. I can say this with all certainty because I myself am the opposite. If I wear anything other than black (or other dark colors) odds are, I'm going to feel miserable and therefore I won't look my best.

If there is one truth I know about the fashion industry it is just that: an industry. The whole point of it is to try to make money. The only way they can do that is by changing what's new and trendy constantly.

Healthy and beautiful women do not compare themselves to others. They don't follow what everyone else is doing, they stay true to themselves. In doing so, their natural beauty comes across and in turn they so often are the ones to create the trends instead of following them. My advice: don't read this book, stay true to yourself and if you need hints or suggestions or even some inspiration, then you might want to see what other women do. Just make sure to be true to yourself and not stick to some idea of beauty because some "expert" decided that's what beauty looks like. What the fashion industry decides is beauty today is going to change in about 5 minutes, anyway.

(The very last tip in this book? be unique. I am now bashing my head against the wall.)

I will end this with a quote, one of my favorites from Cindy Crawford no less:

I wish I looked like Cindy Crawford.

The fashion industry is an illusion. Break out of the illusion and you're on your way to being healthy, happier and more beautiful.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

More e-book recommendations

I have nothing to disclose.
Blurb sources from Amazon.com, image sources google search.

Today I'm back with some more e-book recommendations for you. I've read a bunch of excellent e-books this month and even found some new favorite authors.

Free

Breathless (Blue Fire Saga Book 1) by Scott Prussing

Weston College freshman Leesa Nyland has been fascinated by vampires since she was three years old. That's when her mom started acting weird, insisting sunlight hurt her skin because she'd been bitten by a one-fanged vampire.
But fascinated doesn't mean Leesa believes. Any more than she believes in blue fire, people who live for centuries, and kisses that can kill. But when her beloved older brother suddenly disappears, she is forced to consider all these and more. She also has to figure out what to do about her mysterious new boyfriend. She knows Rave likes her a lot--so why won't he kiss her?
As Leesa draws closer to finding her brother, she faces some gut-wrenching decisions. Should she risk her mom's life trying to "cure" her? Should she continue seeing Rave, after he reveals his dangerous secret? And most terrifying of all, should she make the ultimate sacrifice-give up her humanity-to save her brother?

 I'm hoping to get & read the rest of this series after Christmas. Breathless was very good and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series (as soon as I have some money to do so!) I believe I read this in about a day - I didn't want to put it down. This is a very different and interesting take on vampires.

Fearless (King Series Book 1) by Tawdra Kandle

Tasmyn Vaughn didn't expect much when her dad's job moved them to a small town in Florida; it was just another new school. But King is a town founded by magic and steeped in mystery, and soon Tasmyn's ability to hear others' thoughts is the least of her worries.
There's Ms. Lacusta, the science teacher who just might be teaching more than chemistry, and then there's Nell Massler, the ultimate mean girl whose extracurricular activities include blood rituals. And she wants Tasmyn's blood next.
Entangled in a web of first love, quirky and secretive townsfolk, magic and blood spells, she discovers the town's secrets aren't just bizarre, they're deadly.

Evangeline (A Dark Faerie Tale #.5) by Alexia Purdy

Evangeline is a short story prequel to Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale Series #1)

The Land of Faerie is calling.
There are places unknown, magic lures you in
And love spands lifetimes.
Don't resist. It's in the blood...

I also recommend Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy which is also free. I plan to get more of this series after Christmas as well (hopefully!)

A dark twist on faeries. For Shade, a chance meeting with a powerful Teleen Faery warrior who wields electrical currents and blue fires along his skin, has her joining him on a treacherous mission for the good Seelie Faerie Court across the land of Faerie. Magic and malice abound and nothing is what it really seems to be.

The evil Unseelie Queen and her treacherous allies are around every corner as Shade makes her way across the breathtaking landscapes of the world of Faerie, which exists alongside the mundane human world. Shade discovers her own uncharted magic and meets some of the most powerful warriors in Faerie while battling evil dryads, conniving Teleen guards and challenges on her life with every step in a world where nothing can be taken for granted.

Blood's Fury (Deadly Beauties #1) by C.M. Owens

The deadliest things in life are often the most beautiful... until they strike.

Alyssa Coldwell decides to put her destiny as an immortal witch to the side, so she can take the chance to live like a normal girl amongst regular humans before she too is part of the fey world. She wants a break from magic and all the dangerous drama that comes with it, but life doesn't always let you do as you please.

Magic is supposed to be simple - you're either light or dark. But Alyssa is brutally awakened when she learns that life isn't always so simple. There are gray areas, and there is more to being light than simply saying you are.

But magic isn't her only problem, humans have problems as well. When she meets Kane Ice, she finds herself in a situation she's never been before. She's been sheltered by her overly protective mother, so being with a guy hasn't ever been an easy task. Kane makes it impossible not to try... while she can. Though she knows she'll have to leave him once her body turns immortal, she can't help but fall for him.

What's the problem with a witch loving a human? So, so many things. Her world is too dangerous, and her attempt to take a break from it fails miserably when her mother is taken captive. With danger always around her, she knows Kane will never be safe. But it's too hard to let him go.

Kane's not so fragile though, and he refuses to lose the only girl he's ever really cared for. Secrets are a part of Alyssa's life, but she's not the only one with a locked vault full of unspoken truths. When the secrets come out, Alyssa loses all her faith, her will, and her hope. 

Daughter Of Aphrodite (Daughter Trilogy #1) also by C.M. Owens

 Oh my Goddess! Just when Adisia Titan gives up on men, she finds Devin Cole. He's sexy, rich, and... persistent. Against her better judgment, she falls for him harder than she ever thought she could. But, Devin's secretive eyes and cryptic conversations leave her worried a stinging heartbreak is inevitable. Devin's secrets come to light, leaving her completely shocked and horrified. But not as horrified as she is when she learns her own secrets. Adisia never believed in the world of supernatural until it came crashing down at her feet. Now she's stuck in between the two realms, both promising to leave her destroyed.
Devin refuses to lose her, and to keep her safe, he'll sacrifice everything. With death's breath on their back, they're forced to face a force they're not ready to contend with. Too many fates lie in their hands, and too many are ready to tear them down. Their love may just be the key to saving the world from the fate the dark hands are trying to deal.

Treasured Secrets (Coveted Saga #1) also by C.M. Owens

 Her blood paints her a target, whereas his marks him the enemy, but together they could be the key to changing it all…

Aria Weislen fought hard to stay in her rainforest home deep in the heart of South America, but she was forced to go back to the states to join the rest of her family. Grayford, Massachusetts is almost the polar opposite of her sweet jungle escape, but it does have one thing her old home never offered… Tallis Verdan. The sight of him leaves her unbalanced and almost incoherent.
Stolen glances and accidental grazes leave her with a fever almost every time. But his mixed signals get her high one second before leaving her to plummet the very next. In a world full of secrets, looks can be deceiving. Even her own reflection has been hiding the truth of what’s to come.
It doesn’t take long to realize why Tallis sends her on such highs and lows. His blood, his ties, and his secrets rival hers. And when the reality Aria has known shatters to make way for the fantasy she never believed, it all spirals out of control.

It’s her they want, but he’ll stand in the way…

*YA Paranormal Romance
*Not suitable for anyone under the age of 15

I'm completely hooked on C.M. Owens's work. I've already gotten more of her free e-books so I'll be reading those as well and I'm sure you'll be seeing more of her books up for recommendation next time. I hope to get the rest of the books in these series very soon as well. Also head the above warning ;)

InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask Review & more

I received these items in exchange for an honest review.

I think I'm going to have to declare this spa week on my blog. Between my candle review the other day, today's post and a few more yet to come, it feels like a spa in my home. This might be nature's way of telling me to relax, I think?

Today I have not 1 but 3 products from InstaNatural to review for you. I was approved to review their Dead Sea Mud Mask and they were awesome enough to send me 2 additional products. How cool of them is that?

Dead Sea Mud Mask

Blurb: Dead Sea Mud Mask is an all-natural detoxifier and purifier that comes from the renowned and sacred Dead Sea. More than a million visitors each year flock to this extraordinary body of water in the Mediterranean, which contains many minerals beneficial to the skin, such as magnesium, sodium, bromine, potassium and calcium. Once applied, this mud mask treatment starts working to absorb excess oil, dirt and toxins from the skin. It is great to expunge acne, pimples and blackheads. It also helps to restore an even skin tone for a smoother complexion. When used as a body treatment, the mud mask can soothe and relieve muscles aches and pains. Whether used on the face or the body, our Dead Sea Mud Mask is a superb in-home spa treatment that will reveal more vibrant, refined, healthier skin. (source: Tomoson.com)

Review: Just as the name implies, this mask is made from real mud. It also contains organic ingredients: shea butter, sunflower oil, and aloe vera juice to name a few. There are zero ingredients in this product which I cannot read and that I love. It is made in the US, and not tested on animals. The scent is pleasant, nothing I can quite place but it's definitely not an overpowering or bothersome smell.

This comes in a 16 ounce container and you're only supposed to use it once a week so this will last me a very long time. That's definitely always a good thing!

Here is how this looks.

Yes, it looks like mud (probably because it is, haha.) This was my first experience using a mask made from actual mud. It was pretty fun, though a bit strange to say the least. The first time I used this I left it on for the full 15 minutes which apparently was too long for my skin because it dried out my skin. The second time I used it for only 10 minutes and that seemed to be the right amount of time. My skin does feel noticeably softer. Unlike other masks I've used in the past, this does dry quickly.

This mask retails at $50 (I know, yikes!) but is currently on sale on Amazon for $25.95.

Aragan Oil Hair Mask

Blurb:
You Are Just 15 Minutes Away From Soft, Shiny, Brilliant Hair...

Growing up, our hair is soft and shiny and oh so effortless. However, years of blow drying, styling, and dyeing different colors can wreak havoc on your poor hair and scalp. Treat yourself and your hair to InstaNatural's Argan Oil Hair Mask and feel the difference!
The Product
Open the jar to reveal a creamy aromatic blend specially designed to transform dry, damaged hair into luscious locks. Massage the deep conditioner onto your clean, damp strands of hair and let it soak in for just 5 to 15 minutes. During this time, our treatment is working hard to penetrate your follicles to deliver ultimate hydration, as well as key nutrients such as Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, and Shea Butter that rejuvenate your hair.
The Results
After applying the Argan Oil Hair Mask, you will be left with healthier hair - guaranteed. The blend of moisturizing ingredients found in our formula helps to repair damaged hair and creates softer, shinier, more voluminous hair that is easier to manage. Not only does this treatment repair existing damage, but also it strengthens hair to protect it against future damage from heat and styling.
Manufacturer Guarantee InstaNatural backs their products with a Lifetime Money Back Guarantee, no matter where you buy our product. If you're not satisfied, simply contact us and get a full refund.
Order Now to treat yourself to healthy, beautiful strands with this nourishing conditioner. Your hair will thank you for it. (source: Amazon.com)

Review: 
Once again I left this on for a little bit too long the first time (15+ minutes) and I think I overconditioned my hair by accident. The next time I left it on for 10 minutes as well and I was rewarded with soft hair. I wasn't completely blown away with this hair mask, but it does smell nice and as I said, my hair is definitely softer. I want to say this has a citrus smell but it's a scent I can't quite place.

The jar is 8 fluid ounces and since I have very long hair I had to use about a fourth of the container to fully mask my hair. This mask does have a ton of natural ingredients as mentioned in the blurb, and while I love that, it also has a ton of chemical ingredients. Regardless, it does seem to have helped heal my scalp which is no longer dry and itchy.

This mask can be used once or twice a week or even daily as a standard conditioner. That is a nice option but that sure would get expensive. This mask retails at $49.95 but is on sale on Amazon for $17.95.

Emu Oil

Blurb:
Indications
InstaNatural Emu Oil can be used on all skin types. It is recommended for aging, dry, itchy, red, inflamed, sunburned skin. Our product has benefits from head to toe. It provides ultimate hair-care and reduces marks. It can also be used to soothe and calm minor inflammation on skin. For best results, use two times a day. Can be used more often, if needed.

Ingredients
100% Pure Emu Oil

Directions
FOR FACE: Pour 1-2 drops of InstaNatural Emu oil on your palm, rub the palms together to spread the oil and apply on the face. Emu oil is quick absorbing oil as it easily penetrates the skin. If you feel oily after application, you might have taken greater quantity than needed. Reduce the quantity the next time. FOR HAIR/SCALP: Pour 1-2 drops of oil on your palm, rub the palms together and apply the oil on scalp and hair moving from root to the tip. Greater quantity may be needed for long hair. For deep nourishment, apply a few more drops, leave overnight and wash off the next morning. FOR MARKS: Pour 1-2 drops on fingertips and gently massage on the affected area such as acne scars, dark spots, sunburn, stretch marks, burns, injuries etc.

Review: I saved my favorite product of the bunch for last. This oil has truly been a lifesaver for me. I was asked to review it and my first thought was Emu Oil, what do you do with that? So of course I looked it up and three words caught my attention: mild pain relief. I've been using this oil for almost 2 weeks now to treat my tension headaches and I am absolutely ecstatic with the result. This oil literally works better than Tylenol. I just rub in a little bit of the oil on my forehead and neck and within half an hour to a hour I'm in less pain. As a chronic pain sufferer, this has been a miracle fix.

I've also used this oil to relieve dry skin, and it does seem to work well for that. I have been using this on my face mostly and it hasn't dried out my skin at all. I haven't tried this for the other uses yet, but I'm feeling positive. I have used this as a cuticle oil and my cuticles are definitely softer.

I like this oil because there is exactly one ingredient and you cannot beat that. It is a bit greasy if you get too much by accident. It comes in a 4 fluid ounce pump bottle which doesn't sound like a lot but you only have to use a small amount at a time.

I do want to mention my cat Winslow was oddly attracted by the scent and he tried licking the bottle on more than one occasion. This is supposed to be used for external use only and I have no idea if it is harmful to cats or not (if he did lick the bottle, he was fine so no worries.) I just feel this is worth noting for cat owners.

The Emu Oil retails for $39.99 but is on sale on Amazon for $21.95 and in my opinion it is worth every penny.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.