**Bikini Body Routine from Tone it Up**

Hey beach babes, Tone it Up just released the first workout in the Bikini Series challenge, you can check it out below!

I can't wait to workout with Karena & Katrina!  Are you going to be getting your workout in today?  Did you sign up yet?  If not here is the link!  Bikini body here we come! 

Sample Society Save 20% with code CAND843039

Sample Society is another one of my favorite subscription boxes.  They always have great samples of luxury products, sometimes they even include full sizes!  It's just another great opportunity to try some expensive make-up & skin care items.  You can use this code, CAND843039 to save 20% off your first order!

Birchbox Limited Edition: In Full Bloom-Just in time for Mother's Day

This Limited Edition:In Full Bloom Box is a incredible Mother's Day gift idea!  This box is filled to the brim with $120.00 of products for just $58.00 or you can use these coupon codes LETSGO20 or WELCOMEOFFER20 at check out, to get an additional 20% of your order which brings the cost down to only $46.40!!  Order by May 4th for Mother's Day delivery.

While your at it make sure you sign up for the Birchbox Monthly Subscription for just $10.00 per month to get a box of full & sample sizes of the latest products.  It's a great way to try before you buy or enjoy a full size product that you wouldn't normally buy for yourself.  Make sure you use the coupon codes LETSGO20 or WELCOMEOFFER20 when signing up for that as well!

Are you going to grab the In Full Bloom Box or try the Birchbox Monthly Subscription out, or maybe both?

Reminder **Allure Beauty Box now on Sale Tuesday May, 6th @ 12:01 EST**

In case you have not already heard the Allure Beauty Box website went down today so here is their message to all us box fans:

"To all of our Allure Beauty Box fans:

Our site went down when the sale was to go live at 12:01 pm today – we’re so sorry for the inconvenience. To make this fair game we’re going to reset the sale for next Tuesday, May 6 at the same time, 12:01PM EST.

Thank you!"

Make sure you reset your new reminder for May 6, @ 12:01 EST!!!

Just a reminder that the Allure Beauty Box-Summer Must Haves goes on sale today at 12:01pm EST for $44.95!  There is over $350.00 in products so it's a fantastic value!  Again, this box sells out in minutes so make sure you set a reminder so you don't miss out!  Are you going to try to get one for yourself?  Don't forget Mother's Day is coming up quick and it would also make a fantastic Mother's Day gift!!  

Tone It Up BIKINI SERIES is here!

Today is the first day of the Bikini Series!  If you still haven't signed up it's not too late!  The goal is to complete 20-30 minutes of cardio each day and you can choose from their free on-line work out videos, here or you can choose your own.  Not only do they provide the free workouts for you they also compiled a cool playlist to get you motivated and you can check that out here.  Wait, that's not all...they also provide you with fantastic recipes that you can find here.  They really did think of everything to help you succeed so your only excuse is YOU!  Get signed up & get moving!!

**Must Have Monday's** Supercritical Chia Oil

My pick for this weeks "Must Have Monday's" is Supercritical Chia Oil by One Love Organics.  I have to admit I am a little obsessed with Chia seeds.  I eat them and drink them so for me it's obvious that putting Chia seed oil on my face would be the next best thing, don't you think?  I already love and rave about my Joise Maran Argan Oil so I am dying to try the Supercritical Chia Oil!  I have searched the net and the reviews are pretty fantastic, the price seems to be the only bad thing people can say.  I will agree that it's definitely a little pricey but my love for Chia seeds might just supersede the cost on this one which is why I had to pick it for "Must Have Monday's".  Are you going to try Supercritical Chia Oil or maybe you are one of the lucky ones that already has?  I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment below!  Happy Monday...

100% Pure Pineapple Enzyme Facial Peel Mask-Review

So, I am finally getting around to doing the review for the 100% Pure Pineapple Enzyme Facial Peel Mask!   I have been using this mask for the past couple of weeks and I have to say I love the way my skin looks & feels after each use.  According to the description listed here the enzymes smooth away dullness and make the complexion more healthy, glowing and vibrant and I have to say that I think it does exactly what it's supposed to do.  The 100% Pure Pineapple Enzyme Facial Peel Mask comes in a powder form that can be mixed with water, yogurt, tea or fruit juice.  I have only used it with water so far but I really want to try it with lemon juice but we have been out of it and I keep forgetting to pick some up!  I mix about 2 tablespoons mask powder with 1 tablespoon of water, apply to face with brush, let dry, then rinse off to reveal smooth, soft, glowing skin!  Are you planning on trying the Pineapple Enzyme Facial Peel Mask?  Leave me a comment or question below!

Mask, small glass bowl & brush

Add mask powder to bowl

 Mix with water 1 tbsp. water (I added a little more powder/water so it would show up on my face better)

Apply to face and let dry, if you want to keep it on a little longer simply mist face with water!

**Shoe Sale $10 & Under** Ends 4/25 @ 5pm PDT

Little Black Bag is having a $10 & Under shoe sale!  Amazing, name-brand shoes at great prices, does it get any better?  Sizes are limited but the selection is excellent, sale ends Friday, 04/25 @ 5pm PDT so check it out before they are all gone!!

bareMinerals 12 hour Beauty Rush, April 25th @ 9am PT

If you have never experienced a Beauty Rush then April 25 @ 9am PT would be a great time to change that!  bareMinerals has these great sales every once in awhile and by great I really mean fantastic.  You can score a great haul for a fraction of the usual cost.  Plus, while your shopping the Beauty Rush you also need to check out their selection of Last Chance items where you can find some other really great deals!  Are you going to experience the Beauty Rush?

Clarisonic Brush Head 2 pack for $11.99 on Groupon!

Check out this great deal on Groupon for a 2 pack Replacement Brush Heads for just $11.99!  I usually buy mine on Sephora for $27.00 each.  Groupon has had this deal awhile ago too and I totally took advantage of it so make sure you don't miss out on this one if you own a Clarisonic!

**Thursday Thoughts**

It's time for Thursday Thoughts!
The quote "If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got." is my favorite, all-time quote.  Basically, don't keep doing the same thing expecting different results; I think it qualifies as a definition for the word "crazy" too.  Instead of staying in the rut that you are in change what your doing or how your are handling the situation, take a different approach than you normally would.  What do you have to lose?  Whatever the situation, be inspired to make a change!

Tone it Up! Get Bikini Ready!!!

Bikini Time!!  Are you ready to get serious about getting into shape?  These are two of my FAVORITE gals that I work out with in the comfort of my own home!  Karina & Katrina are the faces & fantastic bodies behind Tone It Up, they are the kind of girls that can get you excited about working out (I mean, look at those bodies, who doesn't want to look like that?), not only are they motivational & inspiring they are also the kind of girls that you can picture yourself going out with, grabbing a cocktail (low-cal, of course) and having a fantastic time!

Check out their new Bikini Series, here!  They also have a fantastic nutrition plan that you should sign up for, here!  And don't forget to subscribe to their You Tube channel, here so you can take advantage of all their amazing on-line workouts.  I have done the majority of the workouts & they are fierce!!  This one below is a favorite of mine...

They also sell some amazing products, I am a HUGE fan of their Organic Perfect Protein Powder.  I could go on & on, I really love these ladies and I know you will too!

Do you have furbabies?

I wanted to share 2 of our 4 furbabies with all of you.  Meet Karely & Kosmo!  This pic was taken last year while we were camping.  For some reason Karley does not like to sit on the ground so she uses her brother Kosmo as her personal sofa.  She does it at home all the time too, it's just too funny that he actually lets her do it!  Just too cute not to share!  Hope you enjoy...

Happy Earth Day! **Free Full Size Eye Cream Today Only**

We all know & love Origins and I don't know about you but this makes me love them even more!  To celebrate Earth Day Origins is offering a FREE Full Size Plantscription Eye Cream ($40 Value) + FREE Shipping + they will plant a tree in honor of Earth Day, just use code EARTHDAY at checkout. How fantastic is that?  Hurry, the offer is only good through today!  ***Save even more when you shop through your Ebates account and get 4% cash back!!***

Allure Beauty Box On Sale 04/29/14!!

Mark your calendars for 12:01pm EST on 04/29/14 Allure Beauty Box-Summer Must Haves is going on sale for $44.95.  There will be over $350.00 in products so it's a fantastic value!  This box usually sells out in minutes so make sure you set a reminder so you don't miss out!  Also, check out the website at Allure Beauty Box-Summer Must Haves for a complete list of all the products that will be included and their value.  Are you going to try and snag a box?

Must Have Monday's **New Series**

THE NUDE MATTES EYESHADOW PALETTE

Welcome to my new series "Must Have Monday's"!  Every Monday I will share my latest "Must Have", it could be anything from makeup to fashion, or anything else that I feel like I can't live without at the moment.

This Monday it's the new Nude Mattes Eyeshadow Palette from Paula's Choice.  We have all seen the really popular Urban Decay Naked Palette's which has twelve gorgeous shades but this new one from Paula's Choice is just as gorgeous but a little different in that they are almost all beautiful Matte shades with the exception of one soft shimmer shade just so you can add a little shine to any of the Matte colors when needed.  Even better is the fact that the Nude Mattes Eyeshadow Palette is also less expensive!  The Urban Decay Naked Palette will cost you $54 (based on the price on the Urban Decay website) while you can get the Nude Mattes Eyeshadow Palette for $40.  Unfortunately, $40 is still a little too pricey for me so as usual I will wait until Paula's Choice has some sort of sale or maybe a great coupon code will be offered in the not so distant future.  Until then, it will be added to my wish list!  Are you going to be adding it to yours too?

Happy Easter!! **Special Easter Deals**

I wanted to wish you all a very Happy Easter!  I hope you all get to spend this special day with loved ones and enjoy a day of celebration whether you are spending the day at church or keeping it simple at home hunting for eggs and eating too much or hopefully you are doing all of the above!

I thought I would share a few links to some on-line Easter deals just in case at the end of the day you find yourself needing a little retail therapy!  

Yves Rocher-Right now they have 3 different Easter promotions going on that expire 04/21/14. (get an additional 10% cash back when you shop through Ebates)

Khol's-2 deals that are good today only, 04/20/14. (get an additional 3% cash back when you shop through Ebates)

ShoeMall-30% $25 or more, use code EGG30, expires 04/20/14 or 20% off any order, use code HOPPING. (get an additional 7.5% cash back when you shop through Ebates)

Beauty Bridge-15% off any order, use code easter15 expires 04/21/14. (get an additional 7.5% cash back when you shop through Ebates)

Smells like vacation!!!

Monoi

Have you ever smelled something and you are immediately transported right back to your vacation and you can almost feel yourself laying on beach, soaking up the sun and sipping on a Piña Colada while the scents of tropical flowers and coconut oil surround you?  O.M.G.!!  This is the stuff!  Yves Rocher carries a full line of Monoi products and they literally smell like vacation!

I actually used to buy this stuff all the time and for some reason (I have no idea how?1?) I forgot all about it.  That is until recently while I was perusing the stores on Ebates (read more, here ) and saw Yves Rocher and since they were offering 10% cash back when you purchase through your Ebates account and they also had a great coupon code YVES10, 10% off, Free Gift and Free shipping on $35+ order. (Exp. 04/28/2014) so of course I just had to place and order.  Done and Done! 

Here is a list of what I ordered:

Lagoon Hair & Body Wash

Lagoon Moisturizing Perfumed Body Mist

Traditional Tiare Oil

Precious Dry Oil

**Be sure to sign up for an account with Ebates so you can get all the latest coupon codes & cash back deals on your favorite shopping sites!!**

Did You Know? Earndit & Free Stuff!

We all know the mental & health benefits for working out but did you know you could also earn free stuff too?  Earndit could be that extra bit of motivation you need to start getting into shape!  Sign up for Earndit so you can start earning points to spend on free stuff, great deals or you can even gift your points to one of their charities and they will make a donation on your behalf!

I have managed to accumulate 610 points so I just used 150 to get a free Bulu Box!  You do have to sign up for the subscription service & enter your credit card information but you can cancel anytime, otherwise it's $10 a month. Unfortunately, I didn't realize you needed 500 points to donate to one of the charities so as soon as I earn another 90 points that is exactly what I will be doing because paying it forward is always a good thing!

Check out this link, here to find out how it works and what you need to do to start earning your reward points & free stuff today!  I would love to know if you plan on signing up so leave me a comment below!

Did you know? Origins Free Sample! ***New Series***

Did you know that you can recycle ANY of your cosmetic empties at Origins and they give you a free sample in return?  I already love Origins, their philanthropy is unparalleled, they have amazing products and they give away free stuff for bringing them something that might otherwise end up as landfill waste!  Check out their website here to learn more about their philanthropy & their products. 

Thursday Thoughts **New Series**

Welcome to my new series "Thursday Thoughts"!  I am excited to announce that every Thursday I will share something to get you moving & thinking in the right direction!

For this Thursday I wanted to share a quote that I love from the beautyriot.com website...

"Excuses Don't Burn Calories"

How perfect it that?  I don't know about you but I am anxiously awaiting Summer and since it will be here before we know it I have been getting back in shape and right now beautyriot.com has "22 Quotes to Get You Off Your Butt and to the Gym".  Be sure to check out beautyriot.com for the other 21 quotes!

bareMinerals Matte Foundation-Review

bareMinerals Matte Foundation SPF 15

It seems like most of us use either liquid foundation or powder foundation, it's pretty rare that someone uses both on a regular basis.  I only use powder foundation and for me it can only be bareMinerals.  Once I made the switch from liquid foundation I never looked back.  I have been a dedicated fan of bareMinerals for at least 8 years, maybe even more.  If you could talk to all of my girlfriends they would tell you I have an obscene amount of bareMinerals products, from foundation, blush to eye shadows, you name it, I probably own it, I even have an assortment of their skin care products that I love as well.  I promise to show you my entire bareMinerals makeup & skin care collection but I will save that for a blog post at a later date!

Just so you know, I am 40(ish) and (unfortunately) I have oily skin.  My favorite foundation is the bareMinerals MATTE foundation SPF15 in the medium beige shade and it's perfect fit for my skin type, it gives flawless coverage in addition to a no-makeup look & feel and also helps keep my shine to a minimum.

If you are familiar with bareMinerals you know that their products can be a little pricey.  However, like any savvy shopper who loves a good deal I always take advantage of the sales & package deals and never, ever pay full price for products, otherwise my family, furbabies & I would be living under a bridge!  I also belong to the bareMinerals club so I can take advantage of special pricing and choose what products I want and how often I want to receive them.  Plus, they send you free gifts with each shipment!  Love that!!

Have you tried bareMinerals?  What is your favorite product?  Is there a certain product you have been wanting to try?  If there is a product that you've wanted to try the chances are that I have probably tried it/own myself and would love to give you a review of it so leave a comment below!  Did you see that they just released a liquid foundation?  You can check that out here and here, now this is one liquid foundation I just might have to try!

Little Black Bag Buy 1, Get 2 Free Handbag Sale!!

Little Black Bag is having a great sale on handbags, buy 1 get 2 free!  There is a minimum purchase of $39.95 and the sale ends 04/15/14 at 10pm PDT.  They have a great selection of handbags at already reduced prices so this is a deal that is too good to pass up!  Are you going to be getting some new handbags?

Little Black Bag also has some super deals on beauty, clothing, shoes & accessories so it's really worth checking out.

Check out Total Beauty for some great deals!

Have you had a chance to check out totalbeauty.com?  It's a great .com that includes info about beauty, health, style & also has some really great deals to be had!  Currently they have a Mother's Day Collection Box for just $29.00 when you use coupon code MOM or you can order 2 boxes for just $55.00 using coupon code MOM2, each box contains over $110.00 in beauty products!!

You can also purchase a Sampler Collection for just $15.00 or you can use TBFAVE12 to get it for $12.00 when you order 2 or more, one for you & one for Mom!!

In addition, you can save another 10% if you join totalbeauty.com  Yay!!  Who doesn't love saving more $!

They also have a few other great deals, are you going order something on totalbeauty.com?  I think I will order the Sampler Collection so I will be sure to do a review of the products once I receive my order!

***Super Goop Complimentary Shipping Today Only***

Have you tried Super Goop Sunscreen?  I use it just about every day and it is seriously great stuff!  They are having Free Shipping today only on the Super Goop website so it would be a great time to order some to try out.  "90% of the signs of age are caused by day to day UV exposure" so get some sunscreen on that face, neck & don't for get your decollete!

Skin Care Must Haves & On-Line Shopping Tips

For someone in my early 40's with oily skin that also has to deal with the effects of Melasma I wanted to share my skin care "must haves" that I depend on to help keep my skin clean, clear, wrinkle free & also keep my Melasma in check.

My first "must have" is the Clairsonic.  Unless you have been living under a rock you have all heard the rave reviews about the Clairsonic.  It's a little on the pricey side but well worth the investment and a staple in any skin care routine.  QVC almost always has the Clairsonic on Easy Pay which allows you to break it out into 2 or up to 5 payments, depending on which one you want.

I like to mix it up so in addition to my Clairsonic I also use Muslin face cloths.  You can use just about any brand but I prefer Pai Organic Muslin Face Cloth.  The Muslin cloths gently exfoliate your skin and leave it feeling clean & smooth.

Next up is cleanser.  I alternate my cleanser depending on how my skin is acting but lately I have been loving the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.    DHC Deep Cleansing Oil works like a dream and removes excess oil, makeup, dirt and other pore-clogging impurities and its water-soluble.  I know, I know you are wondering why on earth would I use a oil on my oily skin but I have to say it is a fantastic product and my skin loves me for using it!

Every skin care routine would not be complete without a great exfoliator!  I have probably tried over 10 exfoliates and I always come back to Meaningful Beauty Superfine Exfoliant.  I use this at least twice a week and usually at night.  The exfoliant is formulated with a multi-crystal refining complex to gently exfoliate the layers of dead, dull surface skin cells to help reveal a fresh, radiant complexion which makes it another "must have" product.

Another exfoliator that I use is in liquid form and I use it in both my morning & night routines is the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and it is a gem of a product!  The BHA in this product stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid and it's a little miracle ingredient if you ask me.  BHA helps increase collagen production and helps smooth the surface of the skin.  I know you can purchase similar products with more than 2% but 2% is really all I need since I am using it along with other exfoliant products so the 2% is the most beneficial for my skin.

For my daytime moisturizer "must have" I use DDF Ultra Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew.  This light weight moisturizer is perfect for my oily skin since it hydrates without causing blemishes or adding to my oiliness.

My last but certainly not least is Josie Maran Argan Oil.  I know, here we go again with adding more oil to my already oily face but trust me this stuff is amazing and does NOT contribute to any additional oiliness.  I only use Joise Maran Argan Oil at night as the last step in my nightly routine.  The oil absorbs into my skin fairly quickly and little goes a really long way.  Overnight the oil heals, repairs and conditions my skin.  Plus, as an added bonus you can use it for just about everything like hair, feet and nails.  Another little miracle product if you ask me!  I realize this might be a little pricey for some of you peeps but the 1.7 oz. bottle really does last a long time.  You can also look for it on the QVC website.  This is where I usually purchase it since they usually have it on Easy Pay AND the have special packages where they also include some of the other great products in the Joise Maran line.

So there you have it!  My "must haves" in my everyday skin care routines.  Have you tried any of these products?  I would love to hear your comments & any suggestions of products you are currently loving so be sure to post a comment below!!

Special On-line Shopping Tips: 
Tip #1:  Before you complete any on-line purchases ALWAYS do an on-line search for a "coupon code" for that product/website.  You can almost always find one for at least 10% or Free Shipping.  

Tip #2:  Also, before you make any on-line purchases check to see if they have the website on Ebates.  If you haven't already done so you must sign up for Ebates since it pays you to shop!  Yes that's right PAYS you!  For those of you not familiar with Ebates it is an on-line shopping hub with a million websites to shop from and they offer cash back just to shop through Ebates.  I know it sounds a little sketchy but I know first hand that it is the real deal.  Once set-up your account you can choose to have your cash-back payments sent to you via your Pay Pal account or have a check mailed to you.  I have my cash-back paid to my Pay Pal account and that way I can just transfer the money directly into my checking account.  Love it!