July, 2015 - sparkleshinylove

Roxymandy July 14, 2015

Graphic Tee’s and Tanks with Something to Say

I may not actually have More Issues Than Vogue like my t-shirt says (I guess it depends on who you speak to about me), but I like how fun this t-shirt is.

The slogan trend on graphic tanks and tees is picking up everywhere, and while some of the sayings can be a little cheesy, many are cute and clever.

I paired my own tee with a pretty dressed-down ensemble, but I have seen some great shirts paired with tulle skirts and heels.

Here is my roundup of my favourite graphic tee’s and tanks below!

A Fashion Love Affair Oui Tee

Forever 21 I’m Original Tee

AEO Shoes Graphic T-Shirt

Sincerely Celfie Tee

Old Navy blah blah blah Tank

Glitter Guide Life is Short Weat Sequins

Roxymandy July 13, 2015

Review of NIVEA Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Serum Pearls

Over the last year I have really started taking care of my skin. When I was younger I tanned without sunscreen, went to bed without makeup on, and rarely exfoliated. All of that has stated to catch up with me, so I have been doing some damage control!

A new product I have tried that is showing me some pretty amazing results is NIVEAQ10plus Anti-Wrinkle Serum Pearls. When I was younger I used to think it was cute to have those wrinkles around my eyes when I would smile big and bright! Now I can feel those lines deepening, so I thought I would try a product that could improve the look of my wrinkles.

NIVEA Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Serum Pearls promises to transform the look of skin with freshly activated pearls. What does this mean? There are small pearls in the bottle and as you squeeze them through the nozzle, they disappear into a smooth consistency so they can be applied to your face. You are literally breaking these pearls just before they are applied, and they are enriched with creatine, hyaluronic acid, and the highest concentration of energy coenzyme Q10 within the NIVEA Q10plus range. These cute little pearls are supposed to give you a more refined and younger-looking complexion. Doesn’t that sound great? A younger and more refined look sounds good to me!

So what did I think of it? First of all, I thought it was pretty neat that these pearls were freshly broken before being applied to my face. Freshly activating the product’s ingredients before each use seemed provide an opportunity for a greater impact of what this cream could do! The smell of the cream was lovely, and it felt very soothing when applied to my skin. I had no skin irritation at all, and even just applying it to my skin improved the look of my complexion immediately.

I applied the product each morning before my moisturizer, and my make up. Both seemed to glide over top of this serum. It felt like I had a primer on because my skin felt so smooth, but really I was fighting the look of wrinkles!

NIVEA Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Serum Pearls contain revolutionary pearl technology and ingredients similar to those found naturally in the skin. By working in harmony with your skin, NIVEA Q10plus Pearls reduce the visible signs of aging.

Is it working? Well I am still using it daily, which means I am impressed with my results so far. It has visibly improved the look of my skin, and I love the way it feels! I seriously don’t have time for wrinkles, so this product has joined my beauty bag arsenal!

NIVEA Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Serum Pearls are available at all major drug, grocery and mass merchandise stores across Canada and it retails for approximately $19.99.

For more information, visit the NIVEA website here, and visit them on Facebook here, or check out the hashtag #q10pearls on social media to see more results and product information.

This post was created in collaboration with NIVEA; all opinions shared are my own, individual results may vary.

Roxymandy July 9, 2015

Grand Opening of Never Grow Up Toronto

This past weekend I attended the grand opening of Never Grow Up – a hip children’s clothing store located at 1725 Bayview Avenue in Toronto. This is the second location for Never Grow Up – you can also find them in Oakville!

There were sweet treats, and lots of great clothing options for boys and girls aged newborn to 10 years old.

They carry designers like Andy and Evan, Blune, Chic Mammas, Electrik Kidz, Hucklebones, Lazy Pants, Knot, and one of my personal favourites, Ollie Jones!

There are too many to list – lots of different brands, and nothing like you would find at the mall. I love shopping in kids boutiques like this one because there are some really hip and fresh styles.

There was everything from sequins and tutu’s for girls, to rough and tumble alligator sweatshirts for boys.

It’s a kid-friendly space with lots of room to maneuver a stroller inside, and the space itself is playful and pretty.

I really loved these Ollie Jones leggings! I hate to always dress my son in jeans, so I often put him in boys leggings for comfort and style. How great are these patterns?

This new shop is going into my rotation when shopping for my friends children, and of course my own fashion forward toddler. I really loved how stylish some of the clothing was. It’s fun to get a few special pieces that not all of the other kids are going to be wearing on the playground.

For more information, visit Never Grow up on Facebook here!

Roxymandy July 8, 2015

My Visit to Sweetgrass Spa

This Sunday I indulged a little and visited sweetgrass spa in Toronto.

It’s a women’s only spa located in Toronto on Queen Street East, and it is part of Verity which is a private women’s club.

Verity is also connected to the Ivy boutique hotel, and George Restaurant.

The women’s club, hotel, restaurant and spa are all located in a restored 1850’s chocolate factory, so the building has a lot of character. Although Verity and the spa are for women only, accommodations and access to the restaurant are open to men.

The spa is in the lower level of the building, and it was very serine. The change rooms included lockers with fluffy towels, robes, slippers, and even a fresh tooth brush and tooth paste. There were showers in the same area, and a large vanity area for freshening up.

The lounge area was lit with chandeliers and candles, and had plenty of seating areas so you had the opportunity to relax on your own, or gossip with girlfriends in a group.

There were plenty of winding hallways leading to other treatment areas, and everything was so pretty!

They offer services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, body wraps, hair removal, and even eyelash extensions.

You can also enjoy their Hydrotherapies on site for free with any spa package, or service valued at $100 and over. You can also purchase a single Hydrotherapy visit for $50 and it includes access to the lockers, spa lounge, refreshment bar, Jacuzzi, infrared sauna and ozonated swimming pool.

The pool and Jacuzzi are in a completely separate area surrounded by lounge chairs, and the room is temperate controlled so it is nice and warm.

The manicure and pedicure area overlooks the pool, and that is where I had a manicure.

The nail products are by OPI, and I had a lovely relaxing manicure service. When I was done it was rather nice to lounge by the pool with no boys around!

It was a very relaxing visit, and I’m looking forward to heading back.

For more information on sweetgrass spa, visit them here!

Roxymandy July 7, 2015

Review of Vichy Ideal Body Serum-Milk

Oh I love a good lotion! I slather lotion on in the morning and at night, and especially after a long day outside or after a hot shower to replenish my skin. I go through a lot of lotion as well – it’s something I love to indulge in. I have a closet full of them actually! I have a little lotion department store in my linen closet. My husband is a little less enthusiastic about my “stash” of lotion taking up a whole shelf in the closet, but as usual he let’s it slide for the sake of my happiness.

Once I tried Vichy Ideal Body Serum-Milk, I pushed all of the other lotions out of the way and this has been my go-to for weeks. I am obsessed with it, and I am so sad to almost be out of it!

For Ideal Body Serum-Milk, Vichy used active ingredients traditionally used in face care for this formula to help women obtain fabulous skin quality on the body. Hyaluronic Acid and LHA were combined with 10 fundamental oils to provide firmer, smoother and more radiant skin.

First of all the smell is amazing! It’s quite a strong smell which was just fine with me, and I could smell roses and peaches in the scent. I think it’s one of the prettiest smelling scents in a lotion I have tried. It’s almost a peach coloured lotion, and it has a bit of a shimmer to it as well.

Is it a body milk, or a serum? Well, it’s both! The consistency was between the two categories, hence the name. It absorbs quickly into the skin, and feels very light and airy.

It is an amazing moisturizer. It promises to give firmer, smoother and more radiant skin. I found that my skin did look a bit more radiant (I’m sure the shimmer in the lotion helped with this!) and I absolutely felt like my skin was smoother. As for firmness, I would likely need to give it more than a few weeks to make that determination.

For best results you should apply it just after the shower when you have damp skin to lock in moisture.

For those with sensitive skin it is Paraben-free and hypoallergenic.

Will I buy this product again? Absolutely! I love it. It smells amazing, and does a great job of moisturizing my skin. It feels like a luxury just to apply it.

I have tried a few Vichy products recently, and this one again is a great one to add to my beauty arsenal!

For more information on Vichy Ideal Body Serum-milk, visit the Vichy website here!

Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.