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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Fulcrum Gallery Art Review

What does artwork have to do with looking good or feeling good?  A person’s surroundings have an impact on emotions, productivity, and creativity. Art can set moods, evoke emotions, inspire, and motivate.  Feeling good and being happy are essential to looking good. To quote Christian Dior, “Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness.”
Monet Garden III by Bob Pettes

Clutter, noise, and chaos all can contribute to stress. By contrast, creating an environment that is simple and relaxing can help take stress away.  Stress not only weigh’s heavily on relationships, health, and emotions, but stress can show itself in your appearance. Your face can display creases, other signs of premature aging, and a poor complexion. Your hair can even suffer from stress, with thinning and possible hair loss.

It feels good to create an environment to decrease stress and that helps create a happy atmosphere. Artwork can help to create the preferred environment. Choosing appropriate artwork for your home can really help to create a comforting environment.

Last year I painted my living room, and since then I have been lax about putting any pictures back on the wall. I ordered an art print from The Fulcrum Gallery, who (in the interest of disclosure) offered me a free piece of art in return for my review.  The Fulcrum Gallery has a huge selection of art prints and posters to suit many tastes and purposes. All of their "Fine-art" prints are printed on archival acid free paper, using either the lithographic or serigraphic process.
picture on my wall Monet Garden III by Bob Pettes

The hardest part of making a selection was finding a picture my husband and I agreed on. I really like the serene landscapes that appear in Impressionist Art. After a lengthy discussion with my family, I chose a beautiful piece called "Monet Garden III" by Bob Pettes. This 19 x 15 print features a pond laden with lily pads and a bridge, in the style of Claude Monet. It has a beautiful yellowish-orange sky that compliments my butter-yellow wall.  I ordered it with an attractive frame.  The frame is lightweight, and turned out to not be as heavy as I thought it would be.
Corner Frame View of Monet Garden III from Fulcrum Gallery
A close-up view of the frame. 

I’ve found The Fulcrum Gallery to have great service. On their website, they even say “if you need help picking out a frame, feel free to call us!” The price of artwork can run quite high. I compared Fulcrum Gallery’s prices to other online stores with similar art prints, and they are reasonably priced. Plus Fulcrum Gallery has frequent sales.

My order arrived well packed and in a timely manner.  It even came with a hanger, so there was no need for me to go out to buy a picture hanger. I like the picture that hangs on my wall. It is peaceful and lends an air of sophistication to the room.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Day By Day Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum Review


During the day I try to avoid anything that will add oil to my skin, especially in the hotter summer weather. So products that hydrate and moisturize my skin without oiliness are awesome. At night I use creams or beauty oils for their anti aging benefits. As I've gotten older, I've really grown to value products that have ingredients with  anti-aging properties. So, when I had the opportunity to apply for a hyaluronic acid serum promotion with Tomoson , I jumped at the chance. I’m grateful to have been able to try Day By Day Beauty’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum because this great serum is a wonderful addition to my beauty routine.

About Day By Day Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This great serum from Day by Day Beauty contains hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. It moisturizes skin and is said to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is also supposed to increase collagen production. Its ingredients are 98% natural and 72% organic, and it doesn’t contain any alcohol or parabens.  It is also cruelty-free. It is made in the USA and is FDA approved.

bottle of day by day beauty hyaluronic acid serumThe bottle comes with a pump, that despenses a generous amount - plenty to apply to the face, neck and décolletage. The hyaluronic acid comes out with a gel-like consistency which is easy to apply.

What Do I Think?

I’ve been using it for about a month, and so far am pleased with the results. My skin feels good and smooth, with a nice glow. The light gel feels refreshing after I put it on. I do like how it feels on my skin. My skin feels tighter and firmer. My complexion has really benefitted. It keeps my skin feeling hydrated without any heavy, oily feeling.

There has been a slight reduction in the appearance of fine lines. I suspect that results appear over time and are dependent on consistent use.

I experienced great customer service form Day by Day. They’ve sent follow up emails with instructions for using the product and after I’d had the product a couple of weeks to make sure I was enjoying the product.  I even got a card enclosed with information to download a complimentary e-book with information about vitamin C serum and hyaluronic acid serum usage, instructions, information about acne, and healthy skin habits to achieve beautiful skin.

The serum is available on amazon.com. It comes with the “Pamela’s Promise” guarantee: try it risk-free because “Results or your money back.”
Find out more by watching this video from Day by Day Beauty:



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.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

UNi Argan Oil Review


I’ve tried many oils for skincare and hair care, and I think I like argan oil the best, with coconut oil coming in second. I like argan oil because it is light and absorbs quickly. Heavy oils feel greasy and give skin and hair an oil slick. There’s nothing worse than having clean hair and trying hair oil that only makes you go around with the appearance of having not washed your hair for over a week. 
bottle of UNi Argan Oil

Organic Argan Oil

Through Tomoson, I was given UNi Argan Oil to try and review.

UNi Argan Oil is 100% pure organic argan oil, which is cold pressed and never roasted. It is USDA and ECOCERT certified, confirming its high purity and authenticity.

I like products that are organic because I can feel assured there are no added ingredients that could have potentially negative effects. I like to avoid phthalates, parabens, and other undesirable or irritating ingredients.
UNi Argan Oil dropper

Uses for Argan Oil

Argan oil is a jack-of-all trades when it comes to beauty uses. Use it to hydrate dry, damaged hair and tame fizziness. Use it to moisturize skin and cuticles.  Argan oil has a wealth of essential fatty acids, like Omega 3, 6, and 9, and is full of antioxidants, including vitamin E to nourish skin, hair and nails. It is gentle enough for those with sensitive skin.

I’ve tried this oil for just about everything: all over body moisturizing, softening my feet, on my hair, o my face for nighttime moisturizing, and on my nails and cuticles. If you’ve never used argan oil, start with a tiny bit and then add more as needed.  I only tried a couple of drops and it was enough to tame my frizzy, split-ends and give my hair healthy shine. 

About Uni

Uni Argan Oil has no detectable odor, at least that I could tell. It comes with a great dropper that helps you get the right amount.

Each bottle comes with the manufacture date on the bottle and has a shelf-life of 36 months. UNi Argan Oil is available from amazon.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.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Adovia Eye Cream Review

They say eyes are a window to the soul. If that’s true, what would my eyes say? Tired? Weary? Dark, puffy eyes aren’t necessarily good attributes. Adovia Mineral Skin Care’s answer to get rid of puffy eyes is Dead Sea minerals.
Adovia Mineral Eye Gel, Adovia Eye Cream

Adovia eye cream is unique because it infuses Dead Sea minerals with antioxidants and vitamins into a gel made for the delicate eye area. This luxurious gel is specially designed to reduce puffiness and dark circles, as well as decrease the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes. It contains Dead Sea salt and minerals with vitamin C and vitamin A retinol.

When used in the morning it refreshes eyes and helps them look ready for the day. At night it keeps skin hydrated, and its ingredients nourish skin.

It is moisturizing and decreases fine lines and is pretty efficient at reducing puffiness. I have quite a lot of purple under-eye discoloration, and I did get some improvement for the darkness. This light gel absorbs quickly and doesn’t feel greasy. It also seems to have no scent.

Although it priced higher than I would normally pay for a small jar of skin care product, a little goes a long way. You only need to dab a tiny dot on your eye area. So the jar does last a while. I’ve been using it for about a month, and I haven’t even used up half of the jar. Adovia eye cream is sold in multiple online stores, including amazon.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.