White Apricot's Green Grab Bag Review

White Apricot, a site known for their eco and socially conscious fashion, beauty, and lifestyle finds; recently introduced us to their new web-site, Green Grab Bag. For just $15 a month (shipping is FREE!), they'll send you travel size products of the best natural, organic and vegan skin and hair care, make up, fragrance, and much more!

For the month of October, we received a bevvy of cool samples. We weren't disappointed with them in the least.

Here's a sampling of some of the products that we received:

KESU by TSI-LA - this is a beautiful fragrance that can be used by a man or woman. I usually don't like warm and woodsy scents, but this one managed to capture my attention. It has notes of warm amber and precious rare woods, which are combined with smokey incense to give it a seductive and mysterious base. It's also layered with narcotic jasmine petals, davana, exotic spices, and fresh lime.

Vapour Beauty's Aura Multi-Use Blush in Spark - I was pleasantly surprised to get a full size product (a $28 value), because I love their products! However, I never tried out their blush until now. I like it much better than the blush that I was using, because this one looks more natural.

Holly Beth's Eye Cream - We have worked with this company in the past, but never reviewed any of their products before. I can't vouch on the effectiveness since I haven't used this eye cream for long, but I really like that it doesn't sting or burn like most eye creams do. It's a bit oily. Therefore, a little bit goes a long way if you want to avoid the oiliness.

Collective Wellbeing Corrective Cleanser in Oatmeal/Raspberry- I never heard of this company prior to this, but this is a really good cleanser! It provides soothing relief for irritable skin. My skin is very sensitive and breaks out easily. I've realized that not cleansers are good for my skin. Therefore, I have to be very careful about what I use on my face. So, it's a relief to find good products like this!

Scrubz Body Scrub in Citrus Burst - I'm shamelessly addicted to using body scrubs. Not all scrubs are the same, though. I have used really good ones, and I have used ones that weren't so good. Luckily, this one is really good! I received a good-sized sample of this product. I'm tempted to buy another once I run out. Not only it pampers my skin to perfection, but it also has a really beautiful fragrance. While the citrus is detectible, it smells more floral, which I really love!

The product(s) in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.

Aftershock

In tune with the latest trends on international catwalks, Aftershock celebrates the season by focusing on its strengths - quality and fabulous style. Tailoring is key for winter; the mood is all about ladylike elegance and easy-style glamour . The woman incorporates key pieces as part of their lifestyle. With the same free spirit, they mix the feminine classics and add a touch of glamour from the Autumn/Winter 11 Collection.

The New Perception

This season, Aftershock re-invents the classics. This collection means business, updating the mainstay pieces found in every modern working woman's wardrobe.

Nostalgia for the 1950s reigns supreme with the influence of TV's Mad Men series. Full skirts and fitted bodices emphasize this hour-glass figured collection. A true homage to femininity as it complements all figures and sizes. Tweed jacket and skirt options are updated with a twist and can be paired with fine jersey tops. City smart looks include neat fitted suits, pencil skirts, mini skirts, sleek trousers and fine knitwear.

Colours range from blues to blacks embellished with an Oriental themed influence.

Retro Chic

A nod to the 1970s formality from day to evening with a contemporary edge of no nonsense clean lines. Emphasis is on cut to evoke a sleek styling whilst maintaining a feminine attitude. Colours range from neutrals to black working with camel as the key colour. Heavily embellished styles with burnished metallic trims take the day pieces into evening. Add a satin sash around the waistband for instant glamour or opt for gorgeous sequin trousers to style with knits. Sequin skirts are styled with New Perception tweeds with faux-fur accessories.

Winter Scarlet

Red as the red rose, Winter Scarlet heats up Autumn/Winter 11 with the most striking and influential colour of the season. This true glamour story takes no prisoners as this striking colour takes its form in various styles and fabrication for a high end glamour collection. . The range features both mini and maxi dress options. Red ruffle detailed dresses are flirty and fun with frills falling from the hem and shoulder for a ravishing party look. Pair it with red satin high heels for a perfect finishing touch.

Leopard & Lace

Italian glamour goes wild this season with the mixing of animal prints and the eloquence of lace trimmings. The silhouette is body conscious and emulates the style of Sophia Lauren, famous for her curves as well as her acting career. Colours stay true to the natural animal skins working back with the contrast of the black lace. Romantic lace trims are also applied to luxury maxi dress styles. Style with chunky costume jewellery to make a statement this season.

Disclosure: We were compensated for this advertorial feature.

Boogs Bracelets Giveaway

Prize: 4 winners will receive a Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet from Boogs Bracelets. Each winner will receive one of the following bracelets:

• black beads and pink Swarovski crystals
• pink beads and pink Swarovski crystals
• grey beads and pink Swarovski crystals
• brown beads and pink Swarovski crystals

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Entry Limit: Daily (this excludes bonus entries, except for tweets)

Note: You can list bonus entries separately or all in one entry - your choice!

Susan Goldstein, the founder of Boogs Bracelets, was inspired to launch her web-site when cancer hit closer to home in 2009. Boogs is a nickname her grandfather gave to her mother, Maureen, when she was a little girl. Since she started this journey because of her mother, it was only fitting that she named the business after her.

When Susan's mother was fifteen, she had thyroid cancer, which was wrapped around one of her vocal cords. Because of the cancer, she endured surgery, many months of treatment, and the loss of one of her vocal cords. She went on to live cancer free for over 50 years. In June of 2009, her mother, was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Susan started making bracelets at this time since she wanted to make something that would honor and support her mother during her illness.

In September of 2009, after her mother died, she decided to make and sell cancer awareness bracelets, with colors that represent the top 8 cancers that women are at risk of developing. A portion from the sale of each bracelet has been and continues to be donated to cancer charities.

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The giveaway will conclude October 31st.

Note: The winner will be randomly chosen through Random.org.

Winner must respond within 72 hours of notification.

Iron Fist Clothing Review

The idea started in San Diego, California in 2001 amongst two friends from South Africa, Mike and Travis. With a long history in skateboarding, surfing, art, music and street culture the guys wanted to create clothing they couldn't find anywhere else. They wanted to return to the energy and brand attitude of the rebellious years, when skateboarders lived on the streets and mohicans would get you kicked out of Disneyland.

Born out of simplicity and Iron Fist's first retail outlet, the trunk of Travis' car the brand was well received by a then starving youth culture who were bored of traditional action sports and streetwear brands. No market strategy and no big budget, Iron Fist started selling by itself on product and artwork alone.

Iron Fist is by no means an ordinary clothing brand; its artwork and styling have set it apart from many of its streetwear counterparts. They started making clothes because they felt like it. Iron Fist is impulsive, raw and unapologetic. Within their clothing you will find outbursts of obnoxious color mixed with raw and dirty tattoo inspired street art. Refusing to be pigeonholed into a skate, punk, hip hop or tattoo genre, Iron Fist has grown from strength to strength purely because of its diversity and constantly innovative approach to each season.

You don't have to be a dominatrix and crack the whip to wear the Ladies Mean Steak Zip Leggings ($35), but you can most definitely show your daring side! These leggings craft a svelte and sleek silhouette. Plus, they're utterly comfortable! The side zippers add bit of an edge. Pair these with their out of this world heels and you'll be the talk of the town!

The Ladies Wolfbeater Platform Pumps ($45) are one of my top favorite heels. These Wolfman-esque peep-toe pumps feature a horrifically beautiful and artistic design; a soft black velvet insole, red velvet heels, and a black bow on the back to give it a sophisticated touch. I like that they're different from everything else out there. If you don't mind standing out amongst the crowd, these shoes are for you! They're surprisingly comfortable and a definite conversation piece. Pair it with the Ladies Mean Steak Zip Leggings ($35) for an even edgier look.

I will definitely be purchasing shoes from this company in the future. I have my eyes on the Limited Edition Moonshine Zombie Stomper (Glow in the Dark) ($45), Number of the Beast Platform ($45), and Zombie Stomper Platform ($45).

The Ladies Sing Away Bow Back Top ($30) features a beautiful and unique illustration of a girl singing to butterflies. The fabric is soft, thin, and form-fitting. The icing on the cake is the back of the top. It has a semi-open back
and features a black bow with a skull charm.

Ladies Digi Skull Boot $80

Ladies Madam Butterfly S/S Tee $30

Ladies Limited Edition Moonshine Zombie Stomper (Glow in the Dark) $45

Ladies Ave Maria LS Woven $40

Ladies Samhain Wedge $40

Ladies Zombie Chomper Handbag $40

Ladies Cabo Wabo Skinny Pants $45

Ladies Muerte Punk Princess Platform $45

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ironfistclothng

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=707956218

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ironfistclothing

The product in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.

The Originator of Fashion

The Face Behind the Name:

Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel. "Coco" came from her days as a cabaret performer. Her extraordinary influence on fashion was such that she was the only person in the couturier field to be named on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century.

Timeless Classic Fragrance:

Chanel No. 5 ($105 - $175 at Sephora) is the first perfume launched by Parisian couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Chanel wanted to epitomize the boyish, modern flapper that would speak to the liberated spirit of the 1920s. She gave it a mysterious flair by giving it to the most notable women. Then, Chanel would dutifully claim that she didn't have anymore, which increased the demand for it.

In the picture above, Marilyn Monroe is splashing herself with Chanel No. 5. The image has become famous for the Chanel advertisement, and become one of the most popular Chanel advertisements.

The Story Behind the Logo:

The interlocking C's don't only stand for Coco Chanel, but they were also the initials of her name and her longtime boyfriend's name, Capel. His death in a car accident, in late 1919, was the single most devastating event in Chanel's life.

The Frenemy:

Misia Sert (born Maria Zofia Olga Zenajda Godebska; 30 March 1872 – 1950) was a patron and friend of numerous artists, for whom she regularly posed. While she was friends with Chanel, she didn't care too much for fashion. That wasn't her thing. Her thing was competing against Chanel when it came to lovers. Needless to say, their friendship was very confusing and complicated.

Books Worth Reading:

• Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life by Lisa Chaney
• Intimate Chanel by Isabelle Fiemeyer and Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie
• Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War by Hal Vaughan
• Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie
• Chanel and Her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux
• The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman by Karen Karbo
• Chanel: The Vocabulary of Style by Jérôme Gautier

Movies Worth Watching:

Coco Before Chanel

Audrey Tautou (Amélie) shines in this intriguing portrait of the early life of Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, the orphan who would build a fashion empire and be known universally by her nickname, Coco.

She journeys from a mundane seamstress job to boisterous cabarets to the opulent French countryside, possessing little more than her unwavering determination, unique style and visionary talent.

Coco Chanel

Academy Award winning actress Shirley MacLaine stars as Coco Chanel in this critically acclaimed film that charts the rise of one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. From her humble childhood and early days as a young dressmaker's assistant, to her passionate love affair with a dashing Englishman and ultimate success as a pioneering fashion icon, Coco Chanel is the story of a glamorous woman who was hard to love and harder to ignore. Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominated, Coco Chanel is a must-see film for every lover of fashion and romance.

Clair Vintage Inspired Review and Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a No Muffin Top Skirt from Clair Vintage Inspired.



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Each Clair Vintage Inspired dress, skirt, and top is an opportunity to be feminine, flattering, and fashionable, without loading up on compressing undergarments.

Designer Alyson Clair's pieces are made for womanly bodies - from curvy to skinny - with an emphasis on fit. The wearable, easy-to-love frocks range from frothy, silky dresses to the knits she's obsessed with to figure-flattering wiggle skirts. Every piece looks fantastic season after season, and showcases her eye for design, as well as her sense of humor (who else would call it the "No Muffin-Top"skirt?).

Every item of Clair Vintage Inspired clothing is proudly made in Portland, Oregon, and has been since 2007. Their Vintage Inspired mission is to be the favorite piece in someone's closet,and her loyal following of fashion-obsessed fans has proven that she's making pretty clothes not just accessible, but fun and functional.

Clair Vintage Inspired clothing is sold in these fine boutique stores.

Alyson told me that her sizes run a little larger, and sometimes people go a size up or down based on if they want the skirt snug or not. Depending on the brand, I normally wear a size medium. Sometimes, I wear a large. Therefore, I received the No Muffin Top Pencil Skirt ($68) in a medium and the Mini Muffin Skirt ($64) in a small.

I wasn't sure how well the Mini Skirt would fit, considering the size. However, it fit surprisingly well! Both of the skirts that I received are very comfortable and flattering. Thanks to my 5 year old son's photography, you'll see that in the above picture that I'm donning the No Muffin Top Pencil Skirt. Alyson commented that new moms love how they are so comfy to wear in the first month after baby if they have to dress up. I agree!

The item(s) in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.



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The giveaway will conclude October 25th.

Note: The winner will be randomly chosen through Random.org.

Winner must respond within 72 hours of notification.

AMARA Review

Look fabulous and feel great about it with AMARA's eco-friendly sustainable gold bracelets, charms, earrings, necklaces and rings, which has been seen in OK Magazine, Martha Stewart, Cosmopolitan, and more!

Their goal is to create jewelry that is environmentally and socially responsible using methods that are aligned with the values we are all choosing to adopt in our personal lifestyles. The AMARA fine jewelry collection is 100% renewed which is created using a carefully crafted recycling process.

Their process is transparent, traceable and independently verified to ensure the origin of every grain of fine gold and silver used in production of their exclusive fine jewelry collection. Each piece of AMARA jewelry is built to endure for a lifetime utilizing specially patented precious metals with a memory that is harder and more durable than conventional 14kt gold and sterling silver.

AMARA is supported by more than 150 years of the finest craftsmanship and across multiple generations by Cookson Precious Metals which has played a prominent role in the art and engineering of fine jewelry worldwide. Their production is utilized by some of the world’s most respected brand names and couture designers and is currently sold in the finest boutiques throughout the world.

I received the Three Ring Drop Earrings ($300), which are earth friendly recycled 14 karat gold. These statement earrings are perfect for almost every occasion, and any time of the year! They feature three tubular rings that orbit around a dangling bead in a dizzying array precision movement, which creates a sense of ladylike edge, the kind of feeling I want when I step out. Their jewelry is fun and on-trend for any season.

The Multi Strand Bracelet with Heart ($140) is statement jewelry for instant glam. What a wonder gift for mother, sister, girlfriend or wife! This is a must-have for adding a little flare to ones style this season.

They offer 30 Day Returns and Free Ground Shipping on all orders!

The item(s) in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.

Elizabeth Anne Purse n' Boots Review

Just in time for Fall while the cooler weather is setting in, I recently had the opportunity to wear the Purse n' Boots by Elizabeth Anne ($249.97). They're known as the world's one and only "Purse For Your Feet". They've been featured on Global TV, Homemakers.com, Metro News, Calgary Fashion, Good News Weekly, CTV, CBC Radio, Virgin Radio, String Magazine, The Calgary Herald, and the Canadian National Press.

The Purse n' Boots are essential for every shoe aficionado on-the-go, because they feature hidden pockets inside. The left boot was specifically designed for your Blackberry, iPhone, or any other phone of that size. This pocket can also be used for your make-up if you don't prefer carrying your phone in your boot. The right boot features a built-in wallet that is ideal for your credit cards, folded cash, ID, and loose change. This is perfect for those occasions where you don't want to carry a purse (i.e. shopping, concerts, and traveling).

Not only the Purse n' Boots are practical, but they're also fashionable and comfortable! They're the perfect height for me (knee-length), and the soft leather design gives practically every outfit a classier look. Each boot is adorned with a white butterfly embellishment, which makes me love them even more since I adore butterflies!

You can like this company on Facebook and/or follow them via Twitter to keep up with the latest deets.

The item(s) in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.