Vendôme Beauté Eyeshadows

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

Last minute glam for the holidays! Make your eyes pop with these luxurious highly pigmented ultra-fine powder eyeshadows from Paris. They have 33 striking hues to pick from that range from soft and subtle to dramatic looks. The eyeshadows go for $26 each and they are only available through Amazon. To find out more about Vendôme Beauté, or to look through the colors they offer, please go to: http://vendomebeautefrance.com/

They were kind enough to send me some gorgeous colors to check out for myself. Great packing, cute little cases with mirrors inside. The colors last all day without creasing. They are also great to use as a subtle eyeliner and they blend excellently. I would recommend the brand to check out. They also throw in cute little extra's like the sparkle pen and note book.

Vendôme Beauté is a family owned skin-care and cosmetics line.

7th Heaven Face Masks - Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

By Lisa VanWilliams

If you need some last minute stocking stuffers, these 7th Heaven face masks make a fun option for any men, women, or tweens on your list. These are inexpensive and loaded with natural ingredients. They offer the following kinds of masks:

• Mud Masks
• Peel Off Masks
• Self-Heat Masks
• Exfoliating Masks
• Fabric Serum Infused Masks
• Fabric Clay Infused Masks

They have delicious flavors to pick from like Mint Choc Chip Mask, Superfruit Mud, Creamy Coconut, & Strawberry Souffle to name a few. 

For men they offer a Spearmint Deep Pore Cleansing Peel Off Mask or a Dead Sea Rescue Mud Mask. 

The brightly colored single-use packs only go for $1.99 and you can find them at Ulta, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Harmon Discount, and Kmart. 

To find out more about 7th Heaven Face Masks, and view the complete line, please go to:

https://www.my7thheaven.com/us/?gclid=CJLF6oDb8dACFUhWDQodKB4F-w

Ulta Beauty Christmas Picks

By Lisa VanWilliams

Ulta Beauty was kind enough to send a few of their picks of the season. If you still need to get yourself something, or the girls you love, here are a few primo choices that are sure to bring a smile.

Benefit Cosmetics - They're Real Special Limited Edition Mascara ($26) This little stocking stuffer is a gem of a deal. Over 8,000 reviewers give this 4.3 out of 5 stars. This mascara is one of Benefits bestselling lengthening mascaras and the bonus part is that the handle is dazzled in Swarkovski crystals.

JULEP - Stars in Your Eyes Essentials 3-Piece Set ($28) This is a $45 value and it comes with a cosmetics bag. This was made for starry-eyed looks and it comes with a Full Size Eye Shadow 101 Crème-to-Powder Eyeshadow Stick in Taupe Shimmer, When Pencil Met Gel Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Blackest Black, and Length Matters Buildable Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black.

Too Faced Christmas in New York 2016 Limited Edition Dollhouse Box ($69) This looks sold out already on their website. I found one listing on Ebay only at this point for this palette. Check your local Ulta for them. Enjoy it if you were able to get your hands on it! The palette is super packaged in a box, which opens to another box that's like a pop up book, pop the top, and it's a girls skating in Central Park. Adorbs! The palette is vanilla scented and offers 16 rich colors to pick from, along with Deluxe Better Than Sex Mascara.

To find tons of other Ulta brands, or purchase the above items, please go to:
http://www.ulta.com/

Pinrose Scents

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

If you are looking for a great Hostess gift for the Holiday season, look no further! Pinrose is a luxury fragrance brand that offers 12 different scents and you can get them in a candle, a rollerball, a 30ml Eau de Parfum, or get some petal packs for on the run single dose applications.  They work with Master Perfumers from around the world to create unique pieces of wearable scented art. You can even personalize the bottle and put a picture on it. Get your BFF that bottle of Wild Child and slap her picture right on front. You can find the brand a Sephora locations, or you can order online here:
https://www.pinrose.com/

Pinrose was kind enough to send me Campfire Rebel to check out for myself. This is a 9 ounce natural (lead free) burning wick, that offers 90 hours of burn time. Each candle includes a matching petal pack single use perfume in the same scent. The candles are $45 each. Campfire Rebel is a spicy mix of burning oud wood,vanilla bourbon, and vetiver. It was crafted by Master Perfumer, David Apel. It smells outdoorsy and musky, and goes great competing with a roaring fireplace. It comes beautifully packaged and you can tell right away it's a quality product. I would recommend the brand for yourself or as a gift.

All products are phthalate free, paraben, cruelty, and gluten free.

They also offer a great Rollerball Giftset for $60 that includes 3ml glass rollerballs of Pinrose's signature scents:

• Secret Genius - Madagascan vanillla, caramel, sandalwood
• Treehouse Royal - Fig, jasmine, moss
• Gilded Fox - Cocoa, rum, vetiver
• Wild Child - Gardenia, jasmine, plumeria
• Tambourine Dreamer - Ylang ylang, lily of the valley, white musk
• Cuddle Punk - Apricot, vanilla, cypress
• Merry Maker - Nectarine, Plum, tonka bean
• Pillowtalk Poet - Powder, amber, musk
• Moonlight Gypsy - Cardamon, orange blossom, sandalwood
• Garden Gangster - Lime, bergamot, mandarin
• Campfire Rebel - Whisky, burning oud wood, vetiver
• Pinrose - Rose, clove, leather

Commodity Cocktail Fragrance Kit

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

I am loving this Cocktail Kit from Commodity that goes for $26. You can wear them the way they are or mix it up. This morning, mommy went for the Old Fashioned, and I'm wearing Whiskey with a splash of Mimosa..a spicy citrus blend and it smells great. 

Morning Fog Mixture

Commodity was kind enough to send me the Cocktail Kit to check out for the Holidays. It has all 10 of Commodity's premium eau de parfum unisex fragrances and it makes the perfect gift or travel package. The five black collections are complex, moody, and intense. The five white collection fragrances are bright, airy, and easy. The fragrances are designed to be layered with one another to create your own tailored signature scent. You can find the brand at most Sephora locations in Connecticut. 100ml bottles go for $105 each, or they have 10ml spritzer bottles for $26 each. No animal testing, paraben free, sustainably sourced. 

This is the perfect compilation of scents for Winter and worth checking out.

To find out more about Commodity or order online, please go to:
https://commoditygoods.com/pages/about

Juice Organics - Haircare

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

Protect against color fade with this great line of luxurious and affordable organic shampoos and conditioners. Cruelty free and chemical free to do the best for you and your planet. The set goes for $22 and you can find the brand at most Target and Ulta locations in Connecticut. You can check the store locator for your local area.

Figs are said to be rich in vitamins and nutrients, plus they can help add moisturizer and vibrancy to the appearance of color treated hair. Juice Organics sent me the Color Protect Shampoo and Conditioner in Fig to check out for myself. It smells great and the shampoo has a really nice lather to it (I have thick shoulder length hair). The conditioner has a nice thick consistency and it rinses out nicely. Overall, I like the products and I would recommend the brand. Some organic hair care can be runny and it does not lather as well, but this works great.

Juice Organics also carries a Repairing (Coconut and Soy Protein), Volumizing (Passion Fruit and Barley Protein), Smoothing (Pomegranate and Shea Butter) , & Brightening (Citrus and Aloe Juices) set depending on your hair care needs. It's nice to keep two sets on hand to alternate every now and then, depending on how your hair and the weather are acting.

To find out more about the company, or to order online, please go to:
http://juiceorganics.com/

John Masters Organics Roll-On Fragrances

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

Here are some great smelling organic roll-on fragrances that are the perfect size for any purse or wristlet. The fragrances are 100% USDA certified organic and they go for $22 each.

Three scents are available:

Fresh Floral - The bouquet of florals combine to create a light, vibrant aroma to uplift your senses. This is a sweet, fresh scent that is infused with clary sage, rose, lavender, and geranium essential oils. A splash of orange and neroli notes add brightness, while hints of rosemary and mint round out this flirty fragrance.

Sparkling Citrus - this is a crisp, clean citrus with effervescent fragrance blended to revive the senses. Litsea cubeba, wild-forest petigrain and lyang lyang provide a bright, citrus base, with hints of rose and palmarosa that bring fullness to this lively scent.

Sultry Spice - a blend of sensual spices to create an alluring scent. The rich, amber aroma of bourbon vanilla is complemented by a careful mixture of orange, neroli, and wild-forest petitgrain, with cypress and turmeric to add a zesty twist to this exotically earthly fragrance.

They were kind enough to send me the new scents over to check out for myself. The Sparkling Citrus and Sultry Spice are my favorites but it's all a matter of preference and mood. Try to let the oils dry as much as you can before putting on clothing because it can rub off. These would also make a great stocking stuffer.

You can find out more about John Masters, and order online here:
https://johnmasters.com/

Believe Organics

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

Sometimes the changing of the seasons is a good time change up your skin care regime. Extreme variations in weather changes can call for extra moisturizer. Right now, I have been using Believe Organics which is an all natural organic skincare line and they a carry nontoxic, cruelty free, skincare system.

It's a 3-step skincare ($39.99) set that has:
Cleansing Caviar - this is a clay based gentle cleanser and light exfoliation to detoxify.
Clarifying Toner - is a light mist to tighten pores, refresh and soften the skin.
Facial Elixir - organic oils to help balance the skin, that's delicately scented with floral and citrus notes.

The set has ingredients in it like: essential oils of lavender, rose absolute, tea tree, thyme, neroli and geranium rose, grapefruit seed extract, rose hip seed oil and jojoba oil. They sent me a set to check out for myself. It comes in a cute little burlap bag. The Caviar is really a powder so don't do what I did and pour the whole jar out at once expecting a cream. It's very gentle on the skin during cleansing and softness is noticeable to the touch after.The Elixir feels nice and smells great, not overly oily and soaks in quickly. The toner is also very nice and has a great scent. I like the brand after trying it, my skin feels happy, and I would recommend the line.

The founder of the company, Valeria Anastasia, has a passion for the earth, holistic health and wellness. Since she lost her sister-in-law to a mysterious illness, she's focused on holistic living to help make her family healthier and in the process developed Believe Organics.

In addition to the Skincare set, they sell dry oils, detox bath, talc-free powder, body scrub, cuticle oil. These are hand-crafted small batches and made with certified organic botanical ingredients. To find out more about the company or order, please go to: http://www.believeorganicsshop.com/

bellápierre Cosmetics

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

Mineral makeup is a big craze lately and one company to check out is Bellápierre Cosmetics. They have a luxury line of all natural mineral based make up that offers flawless coverage and they have some great Fall colors to pick from. One of their best sellers is their Mineral Foundation which offers 5 products in 1 by providing: Concealer, foundation, SPF, Finishing Powder, & Setting Powder. Almost 200 Amazon reviewers gave the Mineral Foundation  4.7 out of 5.0 stars. They have eyeshadow palettes, contour & highlight cream palettes, glowing palette, concealer palette, brow palette, Shimmer Powders, makeup base, waterproof gel eyeliners, eye brow liners, mascara, mineral lipstick, super gloss, waterproof gel lip liner, cheek and lip stains, lip balm, complete kits, blushes, bronzers, and a nice selection or brushes.

They sent me a few of their items to check out for myself. We tried the Glowing Palette (normally $50 on sale for $35 right now) which are illuminators that draw attention and bring forward any areas of the face where emphasis is desired. Typical areas to apply are the highest points of the cheekbones, down the bridge of the nose, and to the inner corners of eyes.  I really like this palette. It has a color option for everyone, it feels great on the skin, it adds little subtle pops of light and shimmer to your face, and it's a great palette for the price.

The Mineral Lipstick in Envy ($20 each) which is a dusty rose color is a great neutral color. It applies smoothly and feels good on the lips. I experienced a little bleeding with this, but a lip liner helps keep it in check.

Lastly, we tried the Super Gloss in Raspberry ($24.50 each) which offers non-sticky coverage. It's more like a stain than a high gloss but it feels super moisturizing and it has a nice applicator.

You can find out more about the company and order here:
http://www.bellapierre.com/

Mango Chutney Apple Tart

By Lisa VanWilliams

Yesterday we went apple picking and I have two huge bowls overflowing with apples. My daughter and I made Apple Strudel Muffins yesterday, and this morning I made an apple tart.
Here was the highly rated Strudel recipe we picked the other day: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/33157/apple-strudel-muffins/
They are really tasty and my husband is finishing them off today.

Today I cheated and used a pre-made pie crust I had leftover, but feel free to make your own dough!

Ingredients:
1 pie crust
4 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup mango chutney
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon honey

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Spread out the pie crust on cookie sheet and start laying down the apple slices in a spiral. Topping one piece over the other. Once all the slices are laid down, fold up the dough sides and crimp with your fingers, sprinkle sugar over apples. drop pieces of butter around the tart. Bake in oven for 45 mins. In the meantime, on stove top in small sauce pan, add rum, chutney, and honey and reduce it down. Remove apple tart and pour mix over apples, put back in oven to brown up. Enjoy!

Meal Prepping

By Lisa VanWilliams

Chris Powell (personal trainer) is always posting his meal preps on Instagram. He says, "Yes, another meal prep picture :) Only reason is to show ya'll the frequency for meal prep. Every week! Get into this groove, and it puts you in total control of your transformation". https://www.instagram.com/p/BHWEG2ZDLLK/

Today I cooked for a client who likes low carb meals and he likes to keep extra protein on hand. I made him 24 meals with vegetable sides included, a salad for the week, a fruit salad for the week, and 14 extra pieces of grilled chicken to have on hand for snacking in between meals. He will eat these meals over the course of the next 2 weeks. Having healthy options ready to go for your consumption at any given time makes eating healthy easier. I know sometimes I will panic when I'm starving and I still need to actually cook something, and having meals on hands helps eliminate that panic. Having prepped food on hand also might stop me from ordering out, or eating something quick,easy, and processed.

For my family, we tend do only do a few meals in advance because I do not like frozen food, and I prefer fresh new options. I can't do leftovers for 3 days in a row :) I keep chicken salad on hand, fresh fruit, and sliced turkey for panic hungry mode. It all about your preferences and making is easy for yourself to make better choices.

Here's to today's menu to give you some ideas for healthy low carb meal prepping options:

Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies
http://juliasalbum.com/2016/06/one-pan-pesto-chicken-and-veggies/

Buttered Brussels Sprouts - done with browned butter
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/buttered-brussels-sprouts-102575

Baked Dijon Salmon
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/21176/baked-dijon-salmon/

Bok Choy and Green Onions
https://www.atkins.com/recipes/bok-choy-and-green-onions/1310

Herbed Lamb Chops w Greek Couscous Salad
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/248917/herbed-lamb-chops-with-greek-couscous-salad/

Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
http://www.oatmealwithafork.com/2014/04/21/balsamic-rosemary-roasted-vegetables-vegan-grain-free/

We also made a batch of Chipotle Peppered Chicken and Mojito Lime Chicken. Just portioned out pieces of chicken marinated in McCormick Grill Mates. http://www.mccormick.com/grill-mates/flavors/marinades

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival 2016

It was another incredible year at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival 2016! This was the 11th year running and they definitely have it down. It has to be one of the best festivals in the country. The lawn at Marble House overflowed with incredible foods and wines from around the world. Once again this year, Nobilo Wine from New Zealand was the tent to be at. DJ Face Show based out of Rhode Island had the place jamming! The lawn was getting cut up by beautiful ladies as the men in pastels watched, and the wine was flowing like waterfalls all around. The backdrop of the ocean view one way and Marble House view the other way, never disappoints.The day flew by and we look forward to attending this wonderful event again. If you are into food and wine, this is an event you need to get to at least once. Thank you to the Preservation Society of Newport County for having us. http://www.newportmansions.org/events/wine-and-food-festival

Here are some pics from the beautiful day:

Welcoming Crew!

We started with this from Two Ten Oyster Bar & Grill out of South Kingston, RI:
http://www.twotenobg.com

Lamb Chops

Amish Style beetroot pickled egg w orange, habanero, & crispy garlic drizzle

This was from BRIX out of Newport, RI : http://www.newportvineyards.com/brix-restaurant/menu

Beautiful cheeses from Arethusa Farm out of Litchfield, CT : http://arethusafarm.com/

Great wine to try out of Sonoma County: http://www.ferrari-carano.com/

New Kitchen Aid Pro Line Series Blender $629.99
Kitchen Aid: http://www.kitchenaid.com/shop/countertop-appliances-1/countertop-appliances-2/blenders-3/-[KSB7068FP]-5745096/KSB7068FP/