Event: Tsi-la Perfume Amnesty Giveaway + 20% discount

One of the toughest things I had to do this year was to say good-bye to the perfumes I've collected over the years.

For as long as I can remember, I've always loved the idea of having a variety of colorful and beautifully shapes bottles filled with my favorite scents lined up across my vanity. 
Oh yeah, A girlie-girl's dream...
I truly enjoyed them all. 
And since sense memory can be a powerful thing - letting go of those pretty little scented things were a toughie for me.

But, if I were to minimize the amount of toxic overload in my body, why should I continue to use products that are potentially dangerous?

So I went on an all out mission to find non-toxic perfumes that I could include in my girlie arsenal. I must admit, the prospect of trying out something new always appealed to me. Searching for my new signature scent was like being in a treasure hunt for me.I was having fun!

Luckily, there are TONS of perfumes without synthetics out in the market - which made it easy for me to transition from my old perfumes to new exciting ones. 

So, I proceeded to move on with my research and stumbled upon 
Tsi-La.
Not familiar with this company? Check out my review here

Tsi-la is not traditional perfume. Tsi-La is a multi-functional, natural fragrances packed with living and active ingredients

to arouse your senses.
Living Flower compounds that harness the raw properties and essences of plants.
Nutrient-rich organic extracts that are high in minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.

To prove to you just how much better than perfume Tsi-La is, they came up with Perfume Amnesty - a campaign they've created to go natural and join the green revolution.

And as a part of their campaign, they are giving away one full-sized product to a very lucky winner! 

(Contest open to US residents only. I tried.)

But don't be discouraged!

 All of my readers (Yup, You!) ANYWHERE in the world are eligible for a 20% discount towards the purchase of their products.

(See? Not all is lost.)

So come and join the Tsi-La Revolution giveaway

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

Here's how you can win:

* You must be a follower of my blog
*You must participate via Rafflecopter below. This will help me keep track of your entries

*If you are under 18, please follow Terms and Conditions below

Giveaway OPEN to US residents ONLY

contest ends 5/12 @ 12:01 EST

G O O D  L U C K! :) xox

• for international orders, please call(215)750-9996 to purchase products(20% discount code applies to sample kits as well)
• CODE:GREEN2012 (applies to domestic and international orders)

Events: IMATS NY 2012

Hello lovelies! :)


Finally! I bring you my adventures from New York city's IMATS which happened last month. First off, I had every intention of attending both days, but since it was my mom's first trip to New York (YAY!)  I figured, I'll compromise and attend the Sunday event as opposed to attending both Saturday and Sunday. 


That way, I'll have more girlie adventure time with mom. And boy, did we have an adventure!


In the meantime, here's my take on IMATS "Man, I love this city" NY. haha!
 Enjoy! :)

It was a gorgeous day for some makeup learnin' ;)

No less than 10 minutes of arriving at the pier, I met sweet Martiya Johnson who is also a makeup artist based in New Mexico.
Great to meet you Martiya! :) 

Koren of EnkoreMakeup in his element, doing what he does best.
I just enjoy listening to him break down makeup ingredients. He has a knack for breaking down the different type of pigments in cosmetics, to creating your own mixing mediums,
cream eyeshadows, etc.
 He just recently broke down a "how-to" video on how to create your own water-based airbrush foundation using mineral powders. 
GENIUS!
Now, I really have to take an airbrush class.  Koren and Elessa, I'll be all-over your workshops.
I need to take your airbrush class! :)

A beautiful, iridescent indigo smokey eye

"Take me to your leader!"

The amazing Roshar who was kind and sweet and funny. At one point he mentioned that he should begin to include eyebrows on the model's face. He thought the industry might think that he may not know how to create them. haha! Love him!

Roshar and I

Roshar: hhmmm, whatever  happened to my Hakuhodo S105 round powder brush...
Me: I hid it under my big, poofy, curly hair. heehee!

Jordan Liberty of Give Good Face.
His beauty breakdowns are quick, effective and to the point.
Check out his videos on Youtube and you'll see what I mean.

Makeup artist Kabuki introduced to the audience.

Kabuki about to start his masterpiece for the day. I'm lovin' his Liza shirt ! :)

Yup! Another "no eye-brow" look.
 Wait...is she the same model Roshar  used?

At one point, he had her laying down to apply this bejeweled type of  tulle material that was sturdy enough to hold
the different colored crystals and yet flexible enough to manipulate the shape of this netted cloth onto her face. 
Amazing! 

..and the final result!

A panel of distinguished agents discussing the "do's and dont's" of agent/artist relationships.
from left to right: Palma Driscoll (Bryan Bantry Agency), Madeline Leonard (Clouier Remix),  Daniela Marin (Artists by Timothy Priano), Lee Sikorski (Kate Ryan Inc.) 
Moderated by Roshar. 

Ah yes, I will have you pretties one day...

OCC makeup. Vegan and cruelty-free

Bdellium tools. Soft, affordable, eco-friendly makeup brushes.
Yellow brushes? How fun are these! :)

Glitter Tattoo's on baby girl's arm

aww, pink dolphins. Too cute!

Overall, it was a good "chill out" day. I've been to an IMATS where I've attended both days, but this time around - it was different. Attending IMATS on a Saturday is much different than attending IMATS on a Sunday. Sundays are much less frantic and more of a "chill" atmosphere. There were hardly any lines - anywhere! And if there was one, it went along quickly. It was nice to catch up with old friends and make new friends without the feeling of being rushed.


The one thing that made the most impact for me this year were the panel of agents.Their insight and knowledge about the business side of being a makeup artist had me in all ears mode for the entire time they were up on stage. 


Here are a few "keepsakes" from the group that I've found to be useful.


Keep your agent "in the know" - To avoid double-booking the artist, it is the artist's responsibility to let his/her agent know of any "side jobs" the artist may have. One of the agents told a story of a makeup artist who did a photo shoot outside the country without letting their agent know about it. As a result, the agent booked the artist without knowing that the artist was unavailable that day. AY-YAY-YAY! Drama with a capital "D".
Not only did that look bad for the artist, but that also reflects on how inefficient and poorly managed the agency looked from the clients perspective. Yikes! Who wants to be in an icky-walking-on-eggshells feeling with the people you work with. No bueno.


Keep in mind to cater to your audience - When meeting a client who wants a "natural beauty" face please try your best to keep all experimental, futuristic, intergalactic, super-surreal makeup work either at the very end of your portfolio (or online - keep looks separated by different tabs) or if you have a book, remove them completely. It may distract the client from what they perceive as something you might be tempted to create on the day of the shoot. Showcase all your "natural looks" or beauty shots on the day of the meeting and show off your skills in this area. You'll have plenty of time to show off your off-the-charts-avant-garde creations for the next client that requires that look. Remember, there is a time and place for things. Let's not overwhelm the client with your genius just yet. ;) 


Keep your portfolio updated - Whether you keep our portfolio online or whether your portfolio is an actual book, always have your recent shots included.


Keep learning new/different ways to hone your craft -  Don't stay stuck in a certain way of doing things. Always challenge yourself, take classes, learn new techniques, know your business inside and out.


Keep your attitude in check - The one theme that kept re-iterating itself during the whole talk was... as a makeup artist, be decent. And always, BE NICE! No one, I repeat NO ONE wants to work with an arrogant, disrespectful, self-centered, so-and-so who has no sense of compassion and complains about everything. Another agent told of a story about an incredibly gifted makeup artist whose attitude was left to be desired. This makeup artist was an overbearing know-it-all, gossiped about other makeup artists (a HUGE faux-pas), talked badly about their clients (an even BIGGER faux-pas), and said other not so nice things in front of a client. Oh man..
Eventually, said makeup artist didn't get booked anymore because of the way said makeup artist conducted themselves in front of a client. In the end, the agency had to part ways with the makeup artist.
Finally, they ended with this food or thought.
"How to know if you're a successful makeup artist? If you're getting requested and re-booked for jobs."


Enough said.


So there you have it! My very first IMATS experience in NY. Share this post with anyone you know who might be interested in becoming a makeup artist. They just might find this helpful in some way. :)




Until next time, 


Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Events: NaturallyNancy's Springtime Giveaway

Ah yes, 




S p r i n g t i m e...

Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and young (and not-so-young *wink*) folks thoughts turn to flights of fancy and...

  G  I  V  E  A  W  A  Y  S

YAY!!

This awesome GIVEAWAY is brought to you by the fancy folks of....

And here's the best part, 


The incredibly generous and lovely Kristina Garliardi-Wilson (owner) is very kind enough to sponsor not only one or two products. 
Nah-ah, nope.


The very lucky winner will receive an entire basket full of POOFY ORGANICS goodness!

Woohoooo!!

PLUS...you get to select (via the drop down menu) any sweet scent you want.


WHAAAT?


YUP! That's how she rolls! haha!


Wanna see a sample of what you're about to get? Clickety-click here


Just to give you and idea, I'm a big fan of their Curl It Curling and Braiding Butter, Dynamite Detangler Leave In Conditioner, Hand and Body Lotion in Orange Sweetness which I've written about from this review here 


        Can't wait to get this party started?

Here's how you can win!

* You must be a follower of my blog
*You must participate via Rafflecopter below. This will help me keep track of your entries

*If you are under 18, please follow Terms and Conditions below

                              OPEN to US and CANADIAN residents ONLY

contest ends 3/31 @ 12:01 EST


G O O D   L U C K!  :) xox

Product Review: Tsi-La Organics

TSI-LA organics have been one of the more popular organic perfumes out in the market for some time now, with a celebrity following such as multi-award winning artist, Florence Welch (Florence And The Machine), supermodel Bridget Hall, and Grammy award winning artist, Nelly Furtado.


This will be the third edition from my perfume series. If you missed the second, please click here

Taken directly from their site:

Classically trained aromatherapists, botanical formulators, and organic advocates Natalie Szapowalo and model Annie Morton founded Tsi~La Organics with the goal of offering pure and natural perfumes and skincare products that benefit your overall well-being. 

With 40 years of combined experience in the fashion and beauty industry, as well as extensive studies in natural health sciences and aromatherapy , Natalie and Annie created their "Green Luxury" Tsi~La product line as a healthy alternative to a predominately synthetic market.


I've decided to try these babies out by purchasing the sample kit which would include 8 organic perfume samples for $20.00 and additional samples (not included in the kit) for $3.00. While the front packaging showed lush greenery, I thought it had a vintage feel (it reminded me of the "Madmen" aesthetic. Love that show!) with nature prints reminiscent of the mid-50's early 60's decor.The paper is soft yet sturdy enough to hold five sample vials of organic perfumes. 


Check it out.

FLEUR SAUVAGE  = A floral- fruity scent tempered with a bit of warmth from the smooth, woody sandalwood and creamy vanilla. Dried down a mild jasmine aroma. 


KIZES = Tuberose and Elderberry gave off a scent to be enjoyed by both male and female. They've labeled this scent as a unisex perfume.


ILANG ILANG - Ilang-Ilang and Tuberose are both highly fragrant and exotic scent. But when combined with vanilla, this perfume gave off a very delicate scent.


FIORI D' ARANCIO =  Sweet and citrusy blend from the caramelized vanilla, and various citrus scents. 


KESU = that mix of amber and exotic spices lends itself a spicy oriental based scent. Another unisex perfume.


SAQUI = Gave off a light, spicy mix. Dries down as a citrusy, nutmeg scent.

MISAKI = So far, this is the only alcohol based perfume in this collection. It gave off a mild scent of lavender bergamon and green tea moss. Refreshing and light, but the scent faded very quickly.

My favorite MIX and MATCH:




FLEUR SAUVAGE + FIORI D' ARANCIO  - WOW! My favorite fragrance combination from this collection. These items are great as stand alone scents but when combined, POW! It smells of sugary, vanilla icing that dries down to a lovely citrusy, warm, floral scent. Delicious!


KESU + FLEUR SAUVAGE = A gorgeous blend of sweet and spicy. It's a combination of a spicy,  musky (reminds me of L'Occitane Ambre) combined with a floral warm scent. It's bold yet alluring scent perfect for day or night.


ILANG ILANG - like Fiori D' Arancio, this scent combines well with everything. It wears great alone and mixes with the other scents.


SAQUI + ILANG ILANG = Gave off mild, spicy, floral scent. I'd wear this for a day out window shopping or a fun day hanging out with the ladies.


I've chosen three favorites from this collection. They all had their own very distinctive smell but, I have to say that I'm a HUGE fan of both FLEUR SAUVAGE + FIORI D' ARANCIO to wear alone or in combination. Ilang-Ilang came in a very close third. 


I hope you've enjoyed this review. Stay tuned for more lush, organic, non-toxic, perfumes to be posted soon.


Until next time,

Product Review: Trillium Organics

Welcome to the second review of my perfume series. If you missed the first one, click here


I have to admit, I'm having so much fun surrounded by all these wonderful perfumes! Oh, the joys of being a girl ;)


Now let me introduce you to another amazing company dedicated to delivering clean, handcrafterd personal care to the world.


 Karen Ciesar is a social justice attorney, an entrepreneur and mother of three. Born out her dream of a better world where genetically Modified Organisms have been outlawed, and conventional petrochemical farming is remembered as an ignorant mistake, Trillium Organics continues to deliver products that are certified organic and safe enough to use for mama and baby.


I heard about Trillium Organics a few years back as I was on my quest to find better, non-toxic products. Even before my switch to healthier items, I've always enjoyed trying out new products, cosmetics, fragrances and the like. The fact that their products were safe and non-toxic was a bonus. So, I decided to try out their perfumes.


Trillium Organics has three categories in their perfume collection. I got three perfumes from the OGSoul (ROMANCE, PASSION, LOVE) collection and one from the OGMind (WORK) collection. Each 33fl oz. roll on bottle will cost you $17.98.

Not bad.

The packaging was attractive. Well... I really liked the colorful, shiny, reflective label. It appealed to me because I'm always distracted by shiny, twinkly, glittery things. (heehee!)There was a bit of a challenge to photograph because it attracted so much light that you couldn't see the writing.

So, after a bit of time spent maneuvering the camera to ensure that I positioned it just right, I was finally able to get into the right angles that lessened the light reflected on the bottles.

Success!

Here's more from the company:

Taken directly from their site:

Trillium Herbal Company was born as a maker of non-toxic solutions for cleansing, moisturizing and protecting  skin.  Trillium Organics later became one of the first companies to sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Compact and has worked to bring safe, innovative, Organic personal care to people world wide, ever since.

From a long line of artists, activists and entrepreneurs, Karen spent most of her time as an attorney advocating for women’s rights in the workplace. Today, bringing Organic personal care to women and their families has become her activism for the rights of people everywhere to care for themselves in a safe manner while supporting the earth for generations to come.

TRILLIUM ORGANICS

PASSION has a nice floral-oriental scent mix.
Ylang ylang, clove and vanilla blend and a heady, mysterious scent which reminded me of a mild version of
 Poison by Christian Dior.

As I mentioned in my other posts, I'm not really a fan of any rose-scented perfumes simply because I find it a bit overpowering. To smell like a bouquet of roses just wasn't my thing. But I also think that because it's so overpowering that I tend to dismiss it, not realizing that all the petrochemicals in conventional perfumes might have pushesd me away from it. But since using non-toxic perfumes, I've had a change of heart.
The rose here is blended so beautifully with the sandalwood and vanilla - which happens to be 2 of my favorite scents- that I don't mind wearing it all day.
LOVE emitted  a soft floral scent.

Out of the four fragrances, this was the least obvious of them all. The scent is so soft and delicate. 
 There was barely a hint of vanilla and ylang-ylang as I  practically had my nose up against my wrist. 
 Use a little ROMANCE to diffuse or neutralize the intensity of the other scents in this collection.

WORK had a fresh, green aroma with a delightful blend of lemon, bergamont and peppermint.
 This scent wakes you up and encourages to tacke the day with gusto!
WORK!

from left to right:
EMBRACE LOVE, ENTICE PASSION, INVITE ROMANCE
through inhalation,
absorption
and affirmation.
 Not that hard to be :)

Mix and Match

LOVE + PASSION = I am cuh-ray-zee for this combo! Subtle, yet mildly fragrant and deliciously mind-blowing. (Whaaat?)

 Savory and sweet at the same time. I kept raising my wrist to get a whiff of how well they complimented each other. haha! They were each effective as a stand alone product or combined with the other perfumes. This is definitely an evening scent to be worn out to dinner or a night to paint the town!

WORK + LOVE =  Gives off a fruity, slightly earthy scent.

  The lemon and begamont is tamed by the sweet yet subtle scent of vanilla and ylang ylang. 

A barely there scent perfect for school or the office.

LOVE + ROMANCE = Ahhh, yes. Some may argue that to keep this alive is the road to a successful relationship. 

Now back to the review. 

Together they gave off an attractive blend of sandalwood, vanilla and ylang-ylang. Dries down to a subtle vanilla. Very nice.

WORK + PASSION = ..will yield positive results! (Sorry - couldn't resist.) The combination gave off a delicious blend of spice, lime and vanilla. Dries down to a sweet, spicy scent. This scent evokes of a sunny day at the park or a day trip to the Catalina Islands for the weekend. YUM!

I've enjoyed them all, but if I had to choose a couple, I'd choose LOVE and PASSION. That spicy sweet combo is definitely my cup of tea.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this review as much as I did writing it.

 If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.

 I'd love to hear from you. :)

Until next time, 

Laugh, Love, Live Passionately