Review: Made From Earth

A few weeks ago I received a package with a relaxing aromatherapy scent peeking out from the box. The package is from a company called Made From Earth, who specialized in organic, holistic, and chemical free body care products at the best prices.

Organic Aloe Vera, Chemical-Free Jojoba, Organic Lavender, Organic Honey, and Organic Green Tea as well as Organic Rosehips are among their natural ingredients. Doesn't it sounds good for your skin? Now, let's take a peek inside the package that I received, shall we?

When they first asked me if I have some items that I might be interested to try from their website, I chose the Lavender Calm Lotion with Jojoba (because I have insomnia and lavender is known to aid sleeping problems), and also the Peppermint Parsley Natural Soap Bar (because I'm a sucker for natural soap bars!). But I was surprised that they sent me more than those two products! Along with the two items I asked them above, I was also sent a few items from their line :

Lavender Calm Body Lotion

Peppermint Parsley Natural Soap Bar

Rosehip + Hibiscus Organic Face Serum

Citrus Fresh Organic Lip Balm

Vanilla Organic Lip Balm

My Review:

Now let's talk about the sweet smelling item that makes this package smells awesome from the outside (even before I opened the box!). It is the Peppermint Parsley Natural Soap Bar! The soap is handmade fresh with USDA Certified Organic ingredients for a high quality bath/shower experience. And oh my, how me + hubby love it!

This soap bar has a very calming spa-like scent even when you haven't opened it yet! The scent is very delightful, it makes you think you're in a Spa. First of all, I chose the Peppermint Parsley because me and hubby loved anything minty. So it's just natural that I chose to review this soap. This chemical-free soap has a soothing yet invigorating scent of peppermint which is so refreshing, when you use it in the shower you'll feel the luxury right away. The soap didn't leave any greasy residue, it smells wonderful, it ignite your senses, and the parsley is good for cooling down your skin while gently cleansing it. Truthfully, there is no way to not like this soap :D

I love natural soap bars because they are much more healthier for our skin, they usually don't leave any residue, and they have the most invigorating scents! Nothing can beat the scents from natural soaps. Your bathroom will practically smells good right after you showered ;) If you haven't tried natural soaps, I really recommend you try it!

 

 

For $4.50 per bar, this soap is quite big as you can see from the photo above. Usually natural soap bars mostly have medium small size, but Made From Earth soap bars are medium big, as you can see above.

Aside from this refreshing Peppermint Parsley, Made From Earth also have other delightful scents of soap bars such as Citrus Lavender, Lemongrass Tea, Oatmeal Spice, and Patchouli Herb. All those names makes you want to try every single one of them, don't you? ;p

Now, let's move on to the Body Lotion. On the website it says that this Lavender Calm Body Lotion is recommended to use at night for relaxation and a calming effect. So being the hardcore insomnia that I am, after trying it for a few weeks I found it does help me to relax and unwind and help me calmed down at bed time. I still got insomnia though because as I told you, my insomn is hardcore version. But I do find the relaxing effect really helpful, and I could feel my body relaxes itself just right after I put on the Lavender Lotion. So I'd say it does work in calming your body and senses.

Aside from the Organic Lavender, this Body Lotion also have Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Nut and Witch Hazel as ingredients of this lotion. The lavender itself helps relieve tension, disinfect scalp and skin, and enhance blood circulation. While the added organic ingredients also helps as anti-bacteria, protects from free-radicals, and adding some deep moisturizing to the skin.

My only Peeps is I would suggest a different container for the lotion because the consistency of the lotion is quite thick, so this type of bottle makes it harder to squeeze the lotion out, especially when your hands are already slippery from the first application, so if you want to put on more lotion to different areas it would need some extra efforts to squeeze the lotion out again. I would suggest a pump bottle or a simple tub / jar for this type of lotion to make it easier to use though.

The lotion is full with rich ingredients in it so it might feels a little thick when you first applied it to your skin, but the skin will absorbs it completely, and no greasy residue at the skin surface (as you can see above). It is $14.00 for 8oz bottle at the website, and it's suitable for all skin types.

Next is the Organic Lip Balms. I was sent the Citrus Fresh and the Organic Vanilla. These lip balms are made from chemical-free nut extracts and moisturizing organic vegetable oils to soften and moisturize lips. Made From Earth lip balms contain vitamin-rich sunflower seed oil and protecting beeswax to avoid chapped lips and to keep lips moisturized. 

I like the lip balms and has been using the Vanilla one for a few weeks now. The scents and flavors are subtle, but both are really great for the lips. Because I'm not a fan of citrus so I couldn't really say about the flavor (the website says the Citrus Fresh tastes like a delicious mix of lemons, limes and fresh squeezed oranges), but the texture of the balm is as good as the Vanilla one. The added Vitamin E gave the moisturizing feeling to the lips, it doesn't feel "thick" in your lips like some other lip balms does.  

I applied it day and night to keep my lips moisturized and far from chapped. When I applied it at night just before bed time, I wouldn't find any residue on my lips in the morning like I always have when I use other lip balm (my bedroom is air-conditioned at night so sometimes it makes my lips dry upon waking up, and therefore I always use lipbalm before bedtime).

The lip balms is $3.99 each, and it also comes in the flavors of Blueberry, and Spearmint. Oh and the packaging looks exclusive, I love it :)

Last but not least, the Rosehip + Hibiscus Organic Face Serum. I actually really like this serum. I have just realized that my skin is starting to need some serious treatments, and I read that serum is "A Must" these days, and it should be added to our daily routine facial care of "clean+tone+moisturize". 

Serum is to be used after cleansing your face (after toner) and before moisturizer (or night cream). Serum can penetrate deeply into your skin layers, allowing them to give you more beneficial effects than when using a moisturizer alone. 

This Rosehip + Hibiscus organic face serum has the benefits of rosehip oil and hibiscus extract. The rose hips are a rich source of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids, and Vitamin C. It has a primary role in regeneration process of skin cells and the repairing process of damaged tissues. While Hibiscus extract has anti-oxidant properties, and also rich in AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) and Amino Acids that provides a tightening effect to the skin without stripping the natural oils of the skin. 

This serum helps reduce the appearance of scars and fine lines as well as restoring the skin's moisture balance. It also helps to tone and balance the skins delicate pH, and provides moisturizing benefits, and helps to boost the works of moisturizer. 

The texture of the serum is thick and liquid-y, but it absorbs rather quickly to the skin. In the bottle it says to wait for 5 minutes after the serum application before using a moisturizer, so in 5 minutes everything is soaked up and all the ingredients in the serum have worked it's way through the skin's deep layers. 

Applied to skin

 a few minutes after application

So far, I like using it before my usual moisturizer. I use it in the morning and in night time too (after cleansing & toning, and before my night cream). I do find that my moisturizer now sinks in much more easier into my skin, and I think the serum somehow helps the overall appearance of my face so far. Of course you have to use a serum on daily basis for a significant time to finally see the effect, but so far I'm liking this serum :) 

This serum is $24.99 and is recommended for sensitive skin. Other than Rosehip + Hibiscus, they also have other serums such as Three Berry Daily Face Serum which is a potent concentration of vitamin C from organic blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry. And also the Vitamin Enhanced Face Firming Serum which has an anti-aging formula.

There are several other skincare and bath products that are available at Made From Earth website.

Overall, I believe that Made From Earth is a place where you could buy high quality natural chemical-free skin care products, with quite an affordable price. Their products are valuable, their bottles and packages looks professional, and they ship fast! 

Made From Earth also have "Value Buy Product Sets" as well as "Samples/Trial Size".

Check out their site:

http://madefromearth.com

Winner of Cover Your Hair (3rd) Giveaway !

Many thanks to you lovelies who has entered the Cover Your Hair 3rd giveaway !

Random.org has decided, and the winner is :

Nana Khaira said...

 

I have subscribed on Cover Your Hair Youtube's channel.

CONGRATULATIONS TO NANA from INDONESIA!
YOU'RE THE WINNER OF T.T.T'S GIVEAWAY !!

NOTE: I will email the winner shortly after this, and the winner has 3 days to replied my email to confirm her/his winning. If I didn't get any response up until 3 days then I will have to cancel the winning and draw another winner.

 

 

And for you who doesn't win this time, let's not fret....because you still have another chance to win another giveaway! You can check the top left side bar for running giveaways.
 

I try to have Giveaway(s) every other week so you better keep checking back and/or follow my blog if you don't wanna miss your chance on winning great free stuff here on Two Thousand Things ^__^

PS.
Don't forget to also check out my other blog Tigerlily's Book for more (non-fashion) giveaways!

Best & Worst Dressed - Golden Globe and SAG Awards 2012

Oh my God I just realized that my blog hasn't been updated! The truth is I have updated the blog by publishing this particular post on February 1st via the Blogger for iPhone app. That is my first time of trying the app because my laptop was having some big errors these past few weeks so I couldn't log on via laptop, and then I decided to try the Blogger for iPhone app. And I swore I have published this post via the app and I thought this post is up and running, but today when I got the chance to open my laptop I just realized that the post DID NOT published on that day on February 1st, dammit! (sorry)..

So anyway, I won't vouch for the Blogger for iPhone app to update your blogs, and I learned my lesson. Now let's just re-published this post, shall we?

-------------------------------------------------

I know this is such a very very late post but I actually already have this post as draft in my blogger so I think I just post it now anyway. I made a list like this back in 2010 for the Emmy's Best & Worst Dressed list, and I remember how much fun it was when I made the post, so I thought I'd do it again this year. 

So here is my best dressed (and not-so-best dressed) in two of recent Hollywood big events: The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (or SAG Awards) and the Golden Globe Awards.

First up is the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards that was held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 15, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California. 

So most of the websites and blogs out there are mostly saying that among the best dressed that night were Charlize Theron in silk chiffon Christian Dior gown, and Jessica Alba in Gucci, but hey don't get me wrong, although their dresses are no doubt very beautiful but I just personally think the dresses are nothing "new", I mean you can see lots of other dresses like that in red carpet events so nothing new or nothing very special about the dress that makes me say "wow" or sparks joy when I first see it.

But no worries, I do find some other best dressed in their list that are on my list too, such as Angelina Jolie. Read below to see my version of the Best & Not-So-Best Dressed of the Golden Globe Awards:

First up, is the Best Dressed:

My 1st place :

Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci

Now some of you might not agree with my number one choice because I know this dress is not for everybody ;p But I just love everything in this dress. This is all-out diva, perfect for big events like Golden Globe where you want yourself to shine and grab the attention in a good way. This dress somehow reminds me of the famous J Lo's green Versace dress all over again, maybe because the similar deep v-neck, and the strong green color, and the 'wow' factor of both dresses ;)

Maybe only Evan Rachel Wood that can look totally great in this dress.

My 2nd place:

Angeline Jolie in Atelier Versace

Taken from someone who almost always wear black, this time Angelina really shines through her white silk satin Atelier Versace dress with red lapel that she complimented with a matching red lips (which is also her signature). This look might be the best of Angelina's red carpet looks so far. Everyone predicts that you might wear another black dress again, but no you're not! You decided to bedazzle everyone with this gorgeous lovable look.

My 3rd place:

Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann

This is also another bold dress that maybe only someone like Tilda Swinton can wear it this elegantly. And with that bouffant hair and flawless makeup she just nailed it. Tilda seems to have some sort of partnership with Haider Ackermann because she mostly always wear something from that brand. Either a partnership or Tilda just love the brand so much ;)

And the Runner Ups are:

Nicole Kidman in Versace

This body-hugging silver gown is full with gold-embellishments, and the dress looked like it was made for Nicole's body. It's just look so flawless on her. The gold embellishment color in the dress actually matched her hair color, maybe that's what makes this look so perfect.

Lea Michelle in Marchesa

I always love Marchesa (if I were a hollywood celebrity I would always wear either Marchesa, Monique Lhuillier, Ellie Saab, or Valentino to the red carpet events -LOL). And this particular one that Lea wore is also very gorgeous. I love the dark silver color, I love the cutting, I love the design of the dress too, it just look gorgeous. Lea Michelle is a "hit & miss" for me (mostly "miss") regarding the red carpet attire, and that's because she seems to always look like she just tried too much. I don't know why she seems to want to be portrait as 'sexy' or have a sexy image because most of the time she always dresses in something that's too revealing, and she flaunt it too much. It's like she wants to show to people that she's a hot material. Well, that's just my opinion ;) But I love her though, I'm a big Glee fan ;)

Salma Hayek in Gucci

This dress was created specially for Salma by Gucci, so no wonder the dress looks absolutely stunning on her, am I not right?! The gorgeous black, gold, and red detailing at the torso is absolutely divine, and the shimmery pleated long skirt is oh-so-elegantly-goddess-like. Perfecto!

 Berenice Bejo in Gucci

I actually have no word for this dress other than "Divine". Love the rich blue color, love the light layers silhouette, love the detail in the torso, and love the overall make up and hair do in this outfit. And the vibrant clutch is just a perfect addition to it. Berenice really nailed this one!

And since there are many gorgeous dresses that night so I couldn't help but to also have some

Honorable Mentions:

Jenna Dewan in Maria Lucia Hohan

I love this sheer teal dress, it's from a foreign designer and it looks really gorgeous on Jenna, especially with that matching clutch and dazzling earrings, love it!

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

This is like the perfect mermaid dress ever! And it hugged Sofia's figure so perfectly, she looks like a princess from the deep sea ;)

Shailene Woodley in Marchesa

The light flowy design of this gown is definitely one of Marchesa's best dresses, The rich embellishments on the torso are significantly beautiful. The up do hair style makes it even more goddess-like.

So what do you think? I was surprised that as you can see above, there are quite a few Gucci dresses on my favorite list this time, and two of them are on my Top three list. Hmm, maybe I should add Gucci to that "designers-list-that-I-would-wear-if-I'm-a-hollywood-celebrity" ;P

And you know a Best Dressed list would not be completed without the 

Not-So-Best-Dressed list, here we go:

Jodie Foster

Come on, Jodie? The dress looks blah and it looks like she did not go to the fitting before the big event because the fitting is quite not right, the fabric looks cheap, and the shoes she paired it with are just disasters. Sorry Jodie.. :(

 Emily Deschanel

 I just dont like  how the dress has one longer sleeve and one not, I think it's "last year trend". And I think the dress just doesn't give any flattering effect on Emily at all. The fabric and the color is actually nice though, but the shoes are obviously not the shoes you want to pair a slinky dress with. Maybe if she wore a slinky strappy heels instead of a closed toe like this one it would be better.

 -------------------------------------------------------

And here is from the SAG Awards that was held at The Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2012 in Los Angeles.

As I mention above, I might have a different opinion than what other blogs and websites said about the best dressed list. In their number one list is Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen and Lea Michelle in Versace, but again, although the dresses they wore were very beautiful but there's just something that makes it seems a little bit off. For me, the length of Emma's gown just bothers me a little, I think it's a bit un-flattering for her petite figure, but it's just my opinion. And for Lea Michelle, well as I told you above how she sometimes love to wear revealing clothes and just "out there revealing it", well she did it this time ;p

So anyway, here is my Best & Not-So-Best Dressed of the SAG Awards, starting from the
Best Dressed:

My 1st place:

Michelle Williams in Valentino

The red asymmetrical gown with lace detailing looks perfect with that red satin Roger Vivier shoes and Lanvin clutch. The makeup and hair do is simple but yet look so chic and elegant, perfect for the dress. Valentino just never make a dress wrong ;p

My 2nd place:

Ariel Winter in Colette Dinigan

I just love this grey sparkly and lace tube dress with a sweetheart neckline. The full-on diamante on the torso looks very posh and makes the dress even more fabulous. I also love the light pleats on the bottom lace skirt. And the way Ariel paired it with grey Miu Miu pumps makes her look so chic and cute, really appropriate for her age.

 My 3rd place:

Sofia Vergara in Marchesa

Sofia made it on my list again! This time in 3rd place, wearing a gorgeous Marchesa's silk stain crepe gown in Raspberry. The gown is simply beautiful, with that perfect drapes at the bottom that makes you look like a princess, and that beautiful sculpted detailing at the upper area that really makes this gown special. The dress is also gorgeous too, it's a refreshing color amongst the usual black, white, and red gowns on the red carpet. The hair do is also perfect for this dress, and the jewelries are also a big help :)

And now, the Runner Ups:

 Amber Riley in Badgley Mischka

I love how different this look is from Amber's character in Glee. And I really love her choice here. This dress is definitely very flattering on her figure, and the up-do on the hair also helps make the whole appearance very lovely. The lace skirt and the halter with big bow on the chest area somehow looks great on Amber. The footwear choice is also perfect. I think whoever her stylist is, she should keep it ;)

 Rose Byrne in Elie Saab

I love the boldness of this outfit. This is something that you wear with a risk, because not everyone gonna like it. But I personally think this attire suits Rose just fine. The blunt haircut and the minimal accessory as well as minimal make up really brings this outfit together. Her figure is a big help too, this outfit might not for everybody, only girls like Rose Byrne can pull this off.

 Regina King in Alberta Ferretti

This lilac chiffon gown is what a princess should wear in her palace's ballroom ;) I love how ethereal this gown looks. The layering effect of the fabric is so light and it drapes beautifully too. I also love how this gown is very figure-flattering on Regina. And the makeup is gorgeous too.

 Maria Menounos in Blumarine

 Not everybody can wear yellow, let alone a sparkly yellow. But when you can wear it, you'll rock it! Just like Maria here, this sparkly yellow Blumarine dress is simply stunning on her. She looks elegant, and glamorous at the same time. And I also love the hair do and the makeup. She looks very beautiful in this ensemble. (Maria also made it to my Best Dressed list back in 2010)

And let's not forget, 

the Honorable Mentions:

 Kelly Osbourne in Badgley Mischka

I love this white dress, from the pretty ruched and lace detailing at the shoulder area, to the hanging ornaments on the belt, I think this dress is simply gorgeous. If only Kelly did something different to her hair, this look might be in my top list.

 Jennifer Carpenter in Emilio Pucci

I love this red dress! But Jennifer didn't do something special enough with her hair to make this dress more special. And the shoes are probably not the best to go with this dress either, so maybe next time better?

 Judy Greer in Colette Dinnigan

 Love the whole white dress + pink accessories look here. The makeup and hair also gorgeous.

 And last but not least,

the Not-So-Best-Dressed:

 Heather Morris

It's too bad that Heather Morris has to be in my worst dress list this year, while she is actually on my best dress list back in 2010. This dress just spelled : d.i.s.a.s.t.e.r

 Shailene Woodley

It's weird how Shailene usually ended up in the best dressed list, and yet she is now on my worst dressed list. I even put her in the Honorable Mentions on my Golden Globe list above, but somehow I have to shove her down to the worst dressed list on this SAG Awards event. Maybe because the print/pattern on her dress is very child-like (plus the lack of accessories), or maybe because the dress just couldn't give the "star quality" that Shailene needs for the red carpet.

And that's it guys!
Tell me what you think ^__^

Review + GIVEAWAY : NanoStyle Jewelry

NanoStyle is an online jewelry store specializing in contemporary jewelry collection of Onyx and Cubic Zirconia gemstones with imprinted 24 karat gold adornment. They claim that they are the first & only to engrave 24 karat gold on semi precious stones. 

They are also specializing in unique and fashionable collection of pendants for most faiths and spiritual beliefs. But other than that, Nano Style also have a jewelry range of Zodiac collection pendants and Love-inspired pendants too. 

When I have the opportunity to review a jewelry from NanoStyle, I found myself browsing the pendants on their website and decided to get my birth stone pendant that comes engraved with my zodiac sign in 24kt gold ! 

And a couple of weeks later I received these package in my door step :

As stated in the website, every purchase will include:

Your choice of Nanostyle fine pendant in either a 925 sterling silver or 14k gold (NOTE: All Zodiac pendants may be purchased in 925 Sterling Silver, 14 Karat Gold or TopGold. A silver chain is included with each silver pendant. A gold chain is available separately for purchase with any gold or silver pendants)

And some extras:

• An exclusive gift box
• A stylish stainless steel and leather NanoStyle key ring
• And a magnifying glass attached in the key ring to view the finer intricacies of the engraved pendant.

And that's exactly what I received !
I even got an extra bonus of colorful candies too! You can see from the picture above that the yellow box on the left is the box with the free NanoStyle key ring, the plastic container in the middle is the free candies, and the exquisite dark blue box at the right is the jewelry box.

Below is the NanoStyle key ring with attached magnifying glass. I love the key ring because it's not one of those cheap looking key ring that you usually get from a bonus somewhere, this one is made of stainless steel and black leather.

The design is elegant too, with NanoStyle logo and name imprinted on each side. My hubby loved it so much and he practically took it straight from the box and claimed it his. He now uses it as the key chain for the car's key. And her sister also compliment on how cool the car's key chain is!

And here's the extra candy bonus:

I actually haven't tried this yet, I'm saving it for later ;)

And as for the jewelry box, I love how exquisite and sturdy the box is. It's lined with matching dark blue suede inside, and on the bottom of the box if you lift the suede you can find a small instruction note on how to clean and care for the jewelry.

Here's what it looks like inside:

  Isn't it gorgeous?

My zodiac is Leo so I chose the Leo zirconia pendant in cubic zirconia and silver chain. Leo's birth stone is Peridot and so I decided to choose the Peridot color too which is a green color.

A Leo is loyal, entertaining, loving and strong-willed. 

Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac and a fire sign. 

  

The Leo symbol is engraved in a brilliant 24 karat gold on a round (8mm) Peridot cubic zirconia and set in a stunning sterling silver chain. I love how beautiful and illuminating the peridot cubic zirconia is. Cubic Zirconia is a semi-precious stone and they say it is the most desirable diamond substitute today. Cubic Zirconia gained popularity because it's less expensive than diamonds but it's also very similar to diamonds that only well-trained experts using advanced equipment can tell these gems apart. But aside from that fact, I think cubic zirconia is already beautiful in its own right. 

My Review:

I really love my NanoStyle necklace! It's so beautifully sparkly inside, it reflects the Peridot color very well, and it's a flawless durable gemstone that's as brilliance as diamonds. Can you see the brilliant cuts inside the pendant in the above picture? I also love how the beautiful cubic zirconia is neatly attached on to an elegant case that matched the pretty silver chain. I can tell that the silver chain is of great quality, and the pendant is just gorgeous, you can see the Leo zodiac sign engraved inside the pendant in 24kt gold. Look how beautiful it is!

I also use the magnifying glass that comes as an extra bonus to view the zodiac sign in more detail:

Can you spot the 24kt Leo sign in it?

Overall , I am very much in love with this necklace and I wear it almost everyday now because it stated in the instruction paper inside the box that NanoStyle uses only the highest quality materials so you can shower, swim in the sea or go to gym while wearing your pendant, and that's why I almost never took it off ;) 

The standard length of the chain is also a satisfactory, it's not too short so it looks like it almost choke your neck, and it's not too long that if you wear a lower-cut blouse it would keep tucking itself inside your blouse and everyone can't see your pendant because it keeps hiding inside your blouse. So the length is just perfect ;)

NOTE:

NanoStyle always have Free Shipping & 60 Days Money-back Guarantee. 

They are shipping Worldwide - except for Malaysia due to postal/shipping problems.

GIVEAWAY:
  I have $50 Gift Certificate from NanoStyle for one of my readers! 

You can use it to get some huge discounts from their webstore. Maybe you want to give your mom or sister a special gift, or maybe you want your boyfriend or husband to get you something special? (wink-wink) ;p

To win the gift certificate :  All you have to do is email me or comment on this post before February 8. I will pick one name by random and announce the winner by February 9.