New Subscription Box Review: Dapper Box for Men

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Dapper Box for Men

A well-groomed man knows the importance of your image when it comes to succeeding in a competitive world.  Dapper Box is a men’s subscription box that might save you the trouble of shopping for accessories each month.  The company asked if I would like to review a box to see what my guy thought.

This subscription runs $29.00 a month with free shipping.  Of course, the price drops depending on how many months you sign for such as $27.00 for a three-month commitment, $25.00 for six months, and as low as $23.00 a month for a year.
  
What was included in the box that arrived here was a royal-blue tie with small polka dots, a handkerchief with matching blue trim for a suit jacket pocket, a pair of socks with huge acqua, cornflower blue, and pale yellow dots with the same royal blue background shade as the tie along with a small 5 ml bottle of Stirling Soap Company’s Frozen Tundra Aftershave Splash.  

My guy felt that if you want to make a strong statement you could wear the playful socks.   The tie, jacket pocket adornment and the Aftershave Splash were more up his alley.

If what I described sounds like your cup of tea and you hate wasting time shopping, then do check Dapper Box for men.  

Review: Beauty Box 5 September 2015 Is One of The Best Months Ever!

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

You'll love this September 2015 box!

My mailman was struggling, juggling my packages in one hand and trying to sort through his pouch for the regular mail when I spotted him on my sidewalk.  Immediately, my happy face appeared because that little green box from Beauty Box 5 was in view. 

What could make me so excited about this beauty subscription?  The answer is easy.  Each mystery box always is full of sensational beauty of about four to five full and sample size products from great cosmetics, skin, hair, nails products and sometimes fragrance like this month’s selection while running a mere $12 per month.  If that doesn’t sound enticing, then prepare yourself because you will change your mind once you hear what my September 2015 box contained.  Hold on to your seats, ladies, because this is fabulous!
  

Beauty Box 5 September 2015  

1.  Bellapierre Shimmer Powder (Snowflake)–Full Size–$19.99 

2.  Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass Lip + Cheek Stain (Sample Size of 3 g.)–$6.95

3.  Beautiful Nutrition Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment (Sample Size of 14 g per application without any other size information to break the cost down).  The full size of 13.3 oz. retails for $10.00.  The sample bottle appears the size of a liquid foundation, but I can’t give an accurate total to list it in my calculation. **Update--PR informed me this amount has a value of $1.50.

4.  Harvey Prince Sincerely Mini Roller EDP (Full Size) 8.8 ml–$21.00

5.  Be a Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Crayon (Stonehedge)–Full Size–$14.99

Total Approximate Value: $64.43!

I really liked the Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass  Lip + Cheek Stain for being a double duty cosmetic that gives great rich, sheer red color that can last unbelievably long.

The Beautiful Nutrition Lemon Rinse Gentle Clarifying Treatment is for deep cleansing the hair.  I will be saving this one until I need to strip all those styling products out of my hair before I color it again.  

I was thrilled to get a Harvey Prince perfume.  I have reviewed many of their fragrances and do love them each in their own unique way.  Sincerely is gorgeous, being both fresh floral with a bit of mysterious warmth from notes of cedarwood, freesia and orange flowers.

The Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Snowflake is a product and shade that I have used before.  This is beautiful white shadow that you can use to highlight the eyes, cheek bones, etc.

The Be a Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Crayon in Stonehedge that I got was in a wonderful, neutral grayish taupe with some shimmer. Unfortunately, mine was probably defective since the color stick came out of the tube and stayed attached to the cap, which disappointed me because it was such a versatile color that I like to wear.

I think this is one of the best Beauty Box 5 assortments yet.  Do you agree? Do check this beauty subscription out because their assortments seem to continually get better every month!

***Beauty Box 5 is no longer in business.***

Review: StriVectin Advanced Retinol Pore Refiner for the Difference You Can See!

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

This is the package containing those wonderful skin changers that PR kindly surprised me with.

Though I don’t have an oily complexion or the enlarged pores that come with it, the pores on a portion of my cheeks are slightly larger than I would like.  Therefore, I looked forward to seeing how StriVectin’s Advanced Retinol Pore Refiner worked when it arrived from PR,  perhaps, to solve that particular problem for me.

This is a lightweight anti-aging lotion that is a daily moisturizer with StriVectin’s amazing NIA-114 technology for perfecting, nourishing, and protecting the skin.  You are recommended to use it in the morning after you apply your sunscreen if you have excess shine to get more of a matte finish and then after cleansing at night.  

StriVectin's Advanced Retinol Pore Refiners

Judging how the product felt on my often sensitive, dry complexion, I think it would be appropriate for all skin types as well.  It soothed and provided enough moisture while doing something more–-it did minimize the size of the pores that I was complaining about so they were noticeably reduced.  The best part is that I saw the difference immediately after the first time.  Even more exciting was each additional application seemed to further shrink my pores and improve the overall texture of my complexion without any irritation, flaking or peeling!  

If StriVectin’s Advanced Retinol Pore Refiner ($99) performed this well on a dry complexion like mine, then I can imagine the beautiful way it could especially benefit those battling oily complexions and overly large pores that go with it.  Do yourself a favor and look into this product because it does more than just mask the problem-–it does deliver real change!

A Few Vital Tips to Remember When Following Style Trends for Fashion and Beauty That Fits YOU!

These few tips can help add to your beauty, fit, and overall confidence with just a bit of forethought before shopping.

Of course, it is important to keep up with fashion and cosmetic trends each season.  However, it is just as critical to know what styles, color and techniques work for you at the same time instead of blindly following dictates that may be exquisite on some but ridiculous on you. Let’s face it, but the average woman is not a lanky, bone-thin, baby-faced model walking a runway with the same height, weight, features, and proportions to carry some of those fashions or makeup looks off.  Instead, we come in a variety of ages, shapes, colors, and sizes with different working environments that can also affect the image we need to present.  If we intend be beautiful and stylish, there are a few essential tips that would be to your advantage to remember.

The first order of business is learning to be true to what you are born with and adapting new trends to your particular assets and flaws.  Lock yourself away in a room with a full-length mirror.  Now strip and take a realistic look of those figure flaws.  Just remember, everyone has them–-even top models and celebrities.

For instance, if you have heavy, beefy thighs and are carrying a big caboose, then a tightly fitting pair of pants, especially leather that adheres to you like a second skin will only draw the eye to your figure flaw as you stuff yourself in. Throw some bright colors, widely spaced and detailed set of back pockets, or a wild design along with that fit and it will flatter you the same way as it does a floating blimp, especially if wearing one with a designer’s name, perhaps, on an ample backside. Being the case, you just may want to wear a straight, but looser fit.  What’s important here is to buy clothes for your body--not the one you wish for that was pictured in the latest fashion or beauty magazine.

Another prime example is jewelry.  While a  large, chunky piece of statement jewelry is still the rage, it can swallow up a small-breasted woman in how much room it takes up on her chest.  A slightly smaller piece can still possess enough detail to compliment an outfit but also focus less attention on that chest.

Take time to root through your closet and examine your outfits.  After all, they are an expression of you–-of your individual taste by the choice of your favorite colors and pieces.  The more you learn how to mix new pieces with treasured past purchases and accessories, the more you can keep your look current but also individualized.

You can even expand that individuality further.  Depending on the function, you can mix it up by incorporating several styles for one special, unique look.  This can be fun, edgy and a way to spark a new attitude as you reinvent yourself.

As to makeup trends, I personally do not see some of them as attractive.  For example, bright eyeliners not lining the eyes themselves but applied beneath looks bizarre even on young eyes. Just as silly is scribbling color on the lids like a child learning to draw shapes, if you ask me.  I feel makeup is meant to help make most of our natural beauty.  Yet, those two examples are so farfetched in how they exaggerate beauty, the techniques are better suited for clowns in the circus instead of real women who are expected to look professional in the workplace.

Think carefully before you randomly adopt just any new fashion or makeup trend.  Perhaps, the “latest” thing may not have the fit or style that expresses your beauty in its best light.

Review: Rimmel's NEW Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up Mascara (Black)

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Rimmel's Wonder'Lash Lift Me Up Mascara

Overall, I haven’t been all that excited over some formulas of Rimmel’s mascara–-that is until recently when PR sent along their new Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up.  This particular mascara was a pleasant surprise in quite a few areas.

To begin with, Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up mascara has an appealing spa-like scent from the cucumber among its ingredients along with vitamins.  

From the consistency of its formula to its hourglass-shaped brush, I also liked how this mascara managed to lengthen, add some curl and volume and yet keep lashes from clumping.  Instead of heavy spikes of black framing my eyes, this product beautifully coated and keep the lashes separated, opening up my eyes more in the process.

The next time you are looking to replace your mascara, you really should give Rimmel Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up a try.  For $8.99, you won’t believe it came from your drugstore!  

Six Keune Design Professional Hair Styling Products Review + ($116) Giveaway! (USA, CA)–Ends September 25, 2015

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Beautiful hair was never easier with these six professional Keune Design hair styling products at your fingertips.

Unlike celebrities that have access to their own personal hair stylist at their beckon call, the average woman does not have that luxury.  For most of us, the best our hair looks is when we step out of our hairdresser’s chair.  The next best thing to running to your salon is using the same professional products those stylists use like the new Keune Design hair styling products that I have been playing with since they arrived for this review and giveaway.

Although I have thick hair, I have a layered cut.  This way I can celebrate my curls with products to bring them out as much as I want or opt for a smooth, sleek style just by turning to other ones.  With these six new Keune styling products that I got to try, I can change my style at a snap of a finger and alter my looks. 

With Keune’s Design Volume Powder, I got bigger curls where I needed that kept up with me through my day just by sprinkling a bit of this powder into my hair. However, use this stuff sparingly to get the results you need or your hair could look dirty.

Another hair product that can I relied on heavily this Summer was Keune’s Design Ultra Forte Gel.   This vitamin-enriched product on damp or dry hair insures a strong hold with a shine to it that doesn’t make your hair feel overly sticky or weighed down with product.  This was great when I was going for a sleek, wet look with my hair pushed back through hot, humid weather or keeping my long bangs from falling in my face.  It even has double the sunscreen protection to keep hair protected.   

I have tried root lifting sprays in the past but I have forceful, down growing hair.  Some have worked better than others to give me some lift, but the hair on top of my head has a mind of its own. Keune’s Volumizing Spray surprised me.  First off, the formula is not a liquid but a gel-foam consistency that comes out in a thick line when you apply.  When I laid it in the section that I needed and then began to blow-dry with my round brush, I did manage to get better results with more fullness and height for a longer period compared to the other liquid root lifting sprays that I had used earlier.

Keune’s Molding Paste is a hair product that can help you do a variety of different things with your hair using a little at a time. I loved this product as well for using in my bangs and layers.  It gave me reliable hold and buildable texture with sunscreen protection that you brush and can keep adjusting without making the hair feel disgusting.  

I also experimented with Keune’s Design Mousse Styling Forte.  This is an alcohol-free formula protective formula with jojoba oil that does give plenty of hold.  I didn’t get as much volume as some mousse products that I have used, but I liked the nice sheen my hair had as well as how those strands felt when touching them.  

The final product that I used this time was Keune’s Design Society Forte Hairspray.  I liked the amount of hold that I got.  Though a light hold, this spray maintained my style and allowed my hair movement instead of locking it in place that later could be brushed without losing the style.

The more Keune hair products that I try, the more I love them.  You will notice a big difference in how your hair looks and acts with professional hair care products from Keune.  Check them out!


Thanks to Keune, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States or Canada wins the above six full-size Keune Design hair styling products ($116 value)!

Giveaway details and how to enter–

Prize: One (1) winner will receive the Design Volume Powder, Design Volumizing Spray, Design Mousse Styling Forte, Design Society Forte Hairspray, Design Ultra Forte Gel, and Keune’s Molding Paste ($116 total value)!

Dates of entry: 09/27/15–9/24/2015 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time

Eligibility: Open to USA and Canada.  The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.  

How to Enter:  Please use the Rafflecopter widget if it works.  You can also enter by clicking this link or try to enter using another browser. You can return daily and log in again with your email to tweet or to vote daily for Nuts 4 Stuff on Picket Fence Blogs.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Handy Beauty Fix Will Save You From Starting Over When You Overdo Your Eye Shadow Or Blush

Why start over when you can simply repair your makeup mistake?

Sometimes, it is easy to simply apply too much eye shadow.  Whether you were trying to replicate a new look or just fiddling around with those beautiful colors of a new palette you just bought, most of us experienced this problem at one time or another. Earlier, I gave a tip of how to repair the damage without removing your makeup using a beige shimmer shadow.  However, here is another excellent way that you may like even more as a save.

All you need is to grab a cotton ball and dip it into your loose powder.  Lightly tap the excess powder off in the lid or on a tissue so it doesn’t fall in your eyes first before gently blending the color into the area.  This won’t smear your work and will soften that undesired darkness very nicely.  Use more loose powder if you need it lighter.  

When you accidently go overboard with too much blush, loose powder can also come in handy.  Dip your brush in some loose powder and blend over the problem is all it takes to tame a wild, strong color.

The Help You Need When Bloating Occurs to Get Your Svelte Figure Back!

Of course, you can unbutton your jeans when bloating begins.  However, you can do more with these helpful tips.

Having a bloated stomach is no picnic.  Despite how great an article of clothing fit you before, it can suddenly ruin your look and mood when you come face to face with your full-length mirror.  When this problem occurs the immediate solution is rummaging through your closet and trying one thing after another for a better fit. However, you lessen your chances of bloating if you know the difference between foods that can cause bloating and others that can help reduce it.

When your body bloats, it is also retaining extra water that needs to leave your system.  Therefore, foods that are natural diuretics can help get those trapped fluids moving along as they should.  

Foods That Help When Bloating Occurs

Bananas are excellent for help with water retention.  They not only have potassium for keeping leg cramps away but also for how wonderfully that specific mineral rids the body of sodium in the process.

Watermelon is another fruit that helps reduce that bloat with all its juice.  It also has a healthy dose of potassium, vitamins A and C, dietary fiber and more lycopene than any other form of fresh produce according to Watermelon.org.  For 40 calories per cup, you can enjoy its sweetness without guilt that you are breaking your diet.

Other natural diuretics are citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.  They can help push excess water out while keeping you hydrated.  Instead of coffee that contributes to bloat, you might want to try switching to water with some fresh lemon for your beverage. It’s refreshing and also will act as a mild laxative to keep everything moving instead of adding to this problem.

Leafy green vegetables also have a lot of beneficial potassium that will come to your rescue when your tummy swells.  Fresh spinach, kale and Swiss chard are just a few rich sources of potassium as well. 

Asparagus is another winner when bloated since it has asparagine, an amino acid that makes it a natural diuretic also.  

Cucumbers are something else to reach for when bloating occurs due to its quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that counteracts swelling.

Celery can also rescue you when you’re bloated.  This vegetable is also a natural diuretic.

Tropical fruits like kiwis, pineapples and papayas all have protein-splitting enzymes that could help with digestion and a bloat problem.

Probiotics like yogurt or soy drinks or any labeled foods with “live and active cultures” have beneficial bacteria that can help.  

Something else that comes in handy is trying fennel seeds, especially if you’re suffering with painful gas. The most direct way is to chew about one-half teaspoon of these seeds.  

These are just some suggestions that can help relieve the discomfort as well as deflate that puffy stomach. However, if bloating happens more often than you like then you may want to eliminate some foods from your diet.

Foods That Contribute to Bloating

Cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli are just a few examples.   They contain a sugar called raffinose that can stay undigested in your gut for a time until your own body’s bacteria kicks in. Unfortunately, this wait can cause stomach expansion and gas pain with it.  

Dairy products can cause the same problem if you happen to be unable to digest lactose.  A simple fix is buying lactose-free milk and nondairy replacements for cheeses.

Coffee is not the only beverage that causes bloating.  Carbonated beverages can also be blamed, especially worse are the ones that contain artificial sweeteners that have sugars that your digestive system has difficulty in breaking down.

Apples have a lot of natural sugars that can bring on bloating due to how long it takes the body to process them.  Pears, raisins, prunes, and grapes can be just as detrimental.

You also might want to try salting your food less or use a salt alternative.  Do try my herbal salt substitute recipe. Here are two other flavorful homemade substitutes I like to use.  If you do, you will retain less water and have a flatter stomach.  

Start looking at the sodium content of the foods that you buy because you may want to buy lower-sodium products.  Convenience foods are notorious for having too much sodium.

Hopefully the information presented here will help keep you staying and feeling as beautiful as possible.  If all else fails, you also may want to see your family doctor to see if there is another cause.

Review + Swatches: Mineral Fusion Blush/Bronzer Duo (Rio Bronzer)

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

These Mineral Fusion colors in this Blush/Bronzer Duo are more vibrant and deeper than this photo.  

What face doesn’t benefit from a healthy dose of realistic color?  A lot of brands can give your complexion that, but they also give you something else, mainly a long list of chemical ingredients that you would need a doctorate to figure out and a magnifying glass to read.  However, Mineral Fusion takes the guesswork out beauty buying with safer, gentler ingredients like with their Mineral Blush-Bronzer Duo that arrived for this review.

Besides having no parabens, artificial colors, fragrances, talc, or phthalates, you can feel good about sweeping the color on.  What else is great about this blush/bronzer compact is it’s helpful for defending against aging with pomegranate, red and white teas, and vitamins such as C and E while protecting a complexion from damaging UV rays with its minerals. 

Rio Bronzer that I got is the darker option with a golden bronze and a vibrant peachy shade with some slight pink to it.  It goes on velvety-smooth.  Just as wonderful was the fact that the colors are very natural appearing when I swept some on.  

This is what the Rio Bronzer shades appear like once I swatched them.

However, my only complaint was the bronzer shade was bit dark for my fair complexion.  I think the Blonzer choice would have been better with my coloring.  Regardless, this choice still works for paler complexions when you go lightly when applying.

Do visit Mineral Fusion and Whole Foods to find the Mineral Blush/Bronzer Duo ($29.99).  I think that you will be more than pleased with this product!