September's #BabyGuyBox - Unboxing and First Impressions

Hi there!

I was able to snatch up one of the last available boxes offered for September by Jamie Grayson - TheBabyGuyNYC.  Don't know who that is?  Well, click HERE to find out! I LOVE Jamie.  He's a single, gay man living in NYC who just happens to specialize in all things BABY!  He has worked in the industry for years and has so many connections and FABULOUS reviews of products that moms like me NEED to check out!  Like I say in the following video, I've been following him for a few years now - ever since I was in the market for a double stroller and I was trying to convince Husband that we just HAD TO HAVE the Orbit Baby Double Helix.

Affiliate Link

I'm secretly still wanting this stroller, but my husband just might divorce me if I asked him for another one! JUST KIDDING!!! Kind of...

Anyway, I love Jamie and I trust his taste and opinion in Must-Have products, so I was excited to receive this box.

 Info on the box - 

• It is a box full of things Jamie currently loves and think us moms need to test out 
• While the names of the brands are released, the actual contents of the box are not - it will be a surprise to everyone! 
• Each box will be slightly different 
• They do not ask for any information from you about your children (sex, age, size) or what you may or may not already. You are sent what you are sent, and that's all. 
• It is $60 for the box 
• Only a limited number are available and once they are gone - they are gone! So you have to be fast!
• You can not return the box 

Below is a video I made to share what was included in my September Baby Guy Box. I'm hoping at the end of October, there will be a few extras available as well!

Let me know if you have any questions and if you try it for an upcoming month, let me know!

Until next time,

xoxo

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Dinnertime Sucks

Hi there!

Yeah, that hi there sounds pretty happy, but in reality, I'm really annoyed at the moment.  I'm usually annoyed at dinnertime.  Actually, dinnertime seriously pisses me off most nights.  The cooking, the NOT EATING, the food on the floor, the food on their clothes, the freaking dishes.  I HATE DINNERTIME!!!

I mean, my kids don't eat ANYTHING!!!  It's the most annoying thing in the world to spend any length of time making a meal only for it to NOT. BE. EATEN.  By ANYONE!!!  I already hate cooking.  Not eating the food is rubbing salt in the wound.  But, they don't care. (They're kids - I can't expect them to care. But I'm still annoyed!)

I'm exhausted from blogging until 1:30am, only to be woken up and kept awake for 2 hours by my 2 year old.  She just wanted to cuddle - I'm not mad about it.  I'm just tired.  So, they are watching a movie while I sit in front of my computer and rant.

Husband is out tonight with his friends watching baseball (or hockey??? I don't really know). I knew he'd be gone tonight so I thought "Hey! I'm going to keep the kids happy and we are going to make our own pizza!!!"  I've never made a pizza before (I hate cooking, remember?), but I thought it would be fairly easy and fun.  And it was!

My #1 helped me spread the sauce and cheese and place pepperoni. #2 was supposed to help but she chose to poop her pants instead, so she missed the pizza-making. They even sat in front of the oven and watched it cook!!!  But come time to eat, guess what?  THEY DIDN'T EAT THE PIZZA!!!!!!!

What. The. Heck.

The only one who ate the pizza was the baby.  It was so good, too!!!  But #1 asked for apples (he ate 3 whole, giant apples) and #2 asked for strawberries and blueberries (like half a container each of strawberries and of blueberries) and a whole pear.  Can I really be mad they ate fruit for dinner (Yes, I know it's not a well-balanced meal. But they ate something, right?)?  YES I CAN!!!  I mean, look at this pizza!!!

Last week, trying to get a break from freaking macaroni and cheese aaaaaaaaaallllllllll the time, I made tocos for the first time! You know what they ended up eating?  MACARONI AND CHEESE! Again  - What. The. Heck.

Tomorrow they are getting...MACARONI AND CHEESE!  It's the ONLY thing I can guarantee they will eat, so I'm sticking with it.  Ugh.

Dinnertime sucks.  And, HOORAY! Bedtime is up next!  Can't. Wait. (I know you're sensing my sarcasm.)

Thanks for reading my silly rant!

Until next time,

xoxo

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Believe in Beauty Consultation Experience and a new GIVEAWAY!!!

Hi there!

A few weeks ago I had a consultation with Rebecca, a consultant for Believe in Beauty (LINK).

Believe in Beauty is a Skin Coaching and Analysis company that:
1 - Analyzes your skin 
2 - Suggests skin care products that will treat your specific skincare needs
3 - Gives you a follow up consultation to be sure that you are getting the results you need from your products.

Rebecca came to my house for the consultation and brought along a serious machine - The Glow Skin Analyzer - as well as a ton of different products that could address any and all issues I may have with my skin.  

Rebecca using The Glow Skin Analyzer

Before we started the analysis, I completed a survey about my lifestyle, nutrition, genetics, and skincare products. Then she talked me through the process and I got inside the Glow machine so she could take a look at my skin. 

With a clean face (no makeup or moisturizer), Rebecca used the Glow machine to analyze my skin for different issues - dryness, clogged pores, sun damage, wrinkles, etc.  The machine uses low level UV lights to see below your skins surface to give a more accurate analysis of the issues your skin is experiencing.  All issues show up a different color under the lights, so it's fairly easy to differentiate the problems (she has a color key that she will show you).

This is my before photo:

The white dots are fuzz from my towel.

The main issues the machine helped Rebecca recognize with my skin were a little bit of dryness and clogged pores on my nose.  After the analysis, she gave me a facial using products that would address those specific issues.  I'd never had a facial before, so it was exciting and relaxing at the same time!  

First I washed my face with the Artistry Ideal Radiance Illuminating Cleanser.

She applied the Essentials Pore Masque on my nose, forehead and chin, and a Essentials Moisture Masque on my cheeks to address my issues.  

Essentials Pore Masque and Moisture Masque

While these products were working on my face, she demonstrated a few more products on my hand. The Polishing Scrub and Advanced Skin Refinisher that she used on my hand were seriously impressive! It gave my skin such a nice glow!!! Rebecca also told me it can be used both under and over makeup to give it nice refresh.

Essentials Polishing Scrub and Advanced Skin Refinisher.  

After the product demonstration on my hand was complete, she removed the masks from my face with a nice hot towel (so nice!), and I went back into The Glow Skin Analyzer to see the results.

This is my after photo:

Side-by-Side Comparison - 

My pores were clean!  While the machine showed that the dryness issue didn't change much, my skin did feel refreshed and moisturized.

After the facial was complete, Rebecca talked me through what products would work well for me and I chose to purchase the Artistry® Essentials Polishing Scrub and the Intensive Skincare Advanced Skin Refinisher, both of which are awesome and I will be doing a separate blog review on. I also purchased an SPF cream because the SPF moisturizer I was currently using was causing me some annoying problems.  

The products I purchased

A few important notes about the brand - 

• Their tag line is "Best of nature, best of science." The products are made with organically grown botanicals and pharmaceutical grade ingredients.  
• It works for all races/ethnicities/skin tones
• They offer a 6 month satisfaction, money back guarantee.  6 MONTHS!  It takes more than a few weeks to see if you're getting results from a skincare product.  I think this is a GREAT guarantee!

Overall, I really enjoyed this experience with Rebecca for Believe in Beauty!  And in a few months, she'll come back and do a follow up so I can see how the products have worked on my skin. I'm interested to see what my next analysis will look like.  I'll make sure to blog about it when it's done!

So now, here's the fun part for YOU!  Believe in Beauty not only offers skincare products.  They offer nutrition consulting, wardrobe styling, hair products, and cosmetics as well!  So for you guys, I'm offering a giveaway!!! A beautiful lip gloss in the color Champagne - a shimmery nude that will work for everyone!  

How fun!  It has a light and a mirror to help you see when you are applying!

Here's all you have to do to enter :

• Follow me on Facebook HERE
• Follow Rebecca on Facebook HERE
• Leave a comment on THIS BLOG letting us know what kind of skincare issues you've been having that you'd love to have addressed. 

SUPER EASY!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents and will end on October 14th, 2015 at 8:00pm.  The name of the winner will be drawn randomly. We will be double checking that the winner has completed all of the requirements above.

Make sure you contact Rebecca HERE if you'd like to schedule a consultation! 

Thanks for reading and GOOD LUCK!!!

Until next time,

xoxo

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#WearWhatWhereOctober Syle Challenge - Week 1 Roundup

Hi there!

If you've been following me on Instagram, you'll know I'm taking part in the @WearWhatWhere Style Challenge for October.  I never completed the September challenge I started, and I think it was because I didn't look ahead at the prompts and have anything planned.  So for this first week, I planned and succeeded!  We'll see how next week goes!  But here is a run-down of the pieces I chose and why.

Day 1 - Gray Gradients

Dress - Forever 21 (LINK)

Boots - Just Fab (LINK)

Glasses - Aldo Shoes.  I got these on sale for $5 at the Fashion Outlets in Rosemont!

I'll be honest - I didn't actually wear this dress on Day 1, because I wasn't going ANYWHERE that day. I just waited at home for a contractor that day, so it seemed a waste to wear it.  Instead, I wore it for date night on Saturday night.  

Day2 - A (J) Crew of Blue

Sweater - Forever 21 (LINK) This sweater is not from the plus size section, it is regular size Large, and still fits perfectly! I HAD to have it!

Blue Tank - (so old) from Old Navy

Jeans - (old) from H&M

Boots - (ALMOST 10 YEARS OLD!!!) From Steve Madden.

I've seriously had those boots since at LEASE 2006, but possibly before that, and I still love them so much and wear them all the time!  I remember I got them during the Friends and Family sale for a super discount.  Like $40, or something.  And they are still in great shape!

Affiliate Link - 

Day 3 - Tee Time

Celfie Tee - Zulily a few months ago

Denim Vest - Mossimo

Flare Black Stretch Pants - Forever 21 (LINK)

I seriously LOVE these knit pants.  I almost bought 2 pairs just in case one got a hole or something.  BUT, I didn't do it.  Yet.  

Day 4 - Denim Darling

Denim Shirt Dress - Forever 21 (LINK)

Boots - (old) Massimo

Bag - Chanel Grand Shopping Tote (2014)

So that's the breakdown of what I chose for the first week of this challenge. I'm finding it SO FUN!  Most of the outfits I'm wearing here are fairly new.  I live very close to The Fashion Outlets in Rosemont, and find myself hitting up Forever 21 a few times a month.  But, this challenge got me pulling out boots and shoes I haven't touched in YEARS!  That's why I love these kinds of challenges - it gets me looking at clothes I ordinarily pass over.  You might have noticed I started using the hashtag #wearwhatyouhave.  That's because of the shoes here. Next week I have even more pieces prepped that I've looked over for a while.  Looking forward to sharing week #2!  

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

xoxo

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The Glam Mom Tests: The Buggy Bench

Hi there!

One of my first posts on The Glam Mom was called "Shopping Cart Sensitivity."  If you read that post, you'll understand that not having enough space in shopping carts is a BIG issue for parents with more than one child.  Well, since I'm always looking for solutions to the problems I come across with having 3 children within 3 years, I've found an item that can help!  It's called The Buggy Bench.

Did you know that over 16,000 children are injured because they fall from shopping carts each year??? (LINK) Your kids NEED a secure place to sit in shopping carts.  And this item provides it.


I've made a video to demonstrate how the Buggy Bench works.

The Buggy Bench was developed by a mama of twins who needed a solution for grocery shopping with both of her children, so she understands the concerns us moms have. I love this item!  It folds flat and can slide into your diaper bag if you need it to.  I just leave it in my car and install it into the carts in the parking lot.  It has a secure seat belt and is really affordable.  I purchased my Buggy Bench from Amazon HERE

  .

My #3 seemed to enjoy his ride.  It got him out of his infant carrier and into a comfy seat, when I needed to put his sister in the cart too. And, we still had space in the cart for groceries! There was plenty of room in front, behind and underneath him to place items in the cart.

Try it out!  Let me know how it works for you!

Until next time!

xoxo,

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Instyler vs Flat Iron - Demo and Vlog

Hi all!

I've posted in the past that I used to be a YouTuber and stopped due to how much time time it takes to keep up with it.  Not like I have a ton of free time these days, but I think it's almost necessary for me to resurrect my channel in order to cover topics in my blog the way I want to.  So this entry is a VLOG rather than a BLOG.

In the video below, I discuss my experience with Traction Alopecia and Post Partum Hair Loss and Regrowth.  I also discuss how my beloved InStyler is no longer working the way I need it to.

This is a photo I meant to post in the video, but forgot before I edited it - 

The left side was done with the flat iron, the right with the InStyler. While both sides are standing up, the InStyler side is far worse and got worse and worse through the day. 

The video is longer than I wanted it to be because I talk too much.  Sorry. 

Leave your comments or questions here or on the video! 

Thanks for watching :) 

Until next time,

xoxo

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Jessica Monzalvo - The Glam Mom Street Style Feature #2

Hi there!

I'm so excited to bring you my 2nd Glam Mom Street Style Feature! This time around, I wanted to introduce you to Jessical Monzalvo.

I met Jessica on September 23rd at a casting we both brought our kids to for a print ad.  My kids sat on a staircase that her BEAUTIFUL son was sitting on, and my daughter was trying to force him to share his mama's phone with her so she could see what he was watching.  (My #2 is not shy and a liiiiitle bit pushy.)

It took me a while to get the courage to ask Jessica if I could feature her, but I just had to because she looked so damn FLY!  She had on a funky black outfit and her makeup was amazing! I just loved her berry lip color.  When I finally worked up the courage to talk to her, she told me she was a makeup artist.  A girl after my own heart!!!

This is Jessica the day I met her at the casting.  How beautiful is she?!?! I asked her to take 

the 2nd photo to show her cute furry bag.

We exchanged cards and I checked out her website.  Jessica is a makeup artist with SERIOUS talent!!!  From reading her website bio, I learned that she trained at the Makeup Forever Academy in NYC (amazing!) and now runs an education program called Makeup Fix by JEM.

Jessica was kind enough to complete The Glam Mom Street Style questionnaire to tell you all about herself in her own words.  Here ya go!

Name

Jessica Monzalvo

Age

23

Location

Plainfield, IL

Occupation

Makeup Artist + Hair Stylist, Educator

Number of Children

1

Favorite item you are wearing today (the day we met)

Nightmoth lip liner 

Favorite Clothing Brand

H&M & All Saints

Favorite Handbag Brand

YSL

Favorite Shoe Brand

Vera Wang

Favorite Makeup Brand

This is a hard question! Inglot USA and Makeup Forever

Favorite colors to wear (makeup and/or clothing)

Anything that resembles black ! It's in my DNA!

Your Signature Style (Or Your Go-To Clothing Items For Casual Days)

Vera Wang boots, Zara jeggings, basic tee, gypsy belt and a felt Panama hat .... Oh and lipstick !

Must Have Beauty Products for Every Day

Mist & fix, Bobbi Brown moisturizer, L'Oreal mascara, uplift concealer, lipstick!!

How long does it take you to get ready each morning?

30 minutes

Celebrity's Style You Admire

My style inspo starts with Zoe Kravitz & ends with Zoe Saldana!

Your Personal Beauty/Fashion Philosophy

Have fun with your makeup and wardrobe, get into character!

Why You Love Being a Glam Mom

Who knew you could be edgy and a Mom!!!!

I'm so glad to have met this beautiful mama that day! I love that she is following her passion and helping others along the way.  Check out Jessica's website - www.JessicaMonzalvo.com to see her beautiful Beauty and Fashion work and be sure to follow her on Instagram HERE!  Her bio has a link to her Makeup Fix by JEM events.  I'll be keeping an eye out for her next class!!!

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

xoxo

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