Mail of the Week (January 30 - February 10)

Instead of showing you what I got in the mail last week, I chose to show you what I brought to Toronto for my VIP week-end courtesy of Ubisoft and Just Dance 3, so here is what I received last week and this week.

LASHEM products I have been given the opportunity to try some samples from this eyecare brand which carries beauty innovations that give you glowing and tantalizing eyes. I have started seeing some reviews on these products on blogs and most were positive so I thought, why not? I was sent the Measurable Difference Lash Gel (I can't say no to products that are claimed to make my short, sparse and invisible lashes grow fuller and thicker!) and the Double Trouble Mascara (volume wand on a side and length wand on the other).

Get Creamy Body products Get Creamed is an all-Canadian, Vancouver-based company and all of their products are made fresh on a regular basis to provide customers with the freshest and highest quality products available. Get Creamed Body products are a truly all-natural alternative to the chemical-laden formulas currently found on most store shelves. I was sent a great selection of some of their products:

• Coconut Cream Pie 100% Natural Whipped Body Cream
• Macha Grapefruit Moisturizing & Detoxifying Spa Body Scrub 
• The Balm Extra Creamy Moisturizing Balm For Dry Skin And Hair

I can already tell you that I am absolutely in love with The Balm after around 5 days of use because it immediately soothes my dry and irritated skin and it calms down any eczema flare-up in an instant! The Whipped Body Cream as a perfect texture, it could be called a butter easily as it's so thick and smooth, and it's rteally moisturizing. I like to use The Balm on extremely dry areas of my body and then apply the body cream on the rest of my body. As for the scrub, the sea salt makes my skin burn ):

Schick Hydro Silk gift basket I was invited to participate in Schick Hydro Silk razor review program, where I can offer free samples of the new razor to my readers for review (stay tuned, more details to come!).  I was sent a Schick Hydro Silk gift basket, including a new Schick Hydro Silk razor (launching February 2012) and many more goodies I was not expecting!

• Upper Canada Soap Lavender & White Tea Diffuser Kit
• purple spa wrap
• purple spa slippers
• pedicure file
• toe separators
• nail brush
• cuticle sticks

Roots Only hair color applicator comb Roots Only is a one-of-a-kind hair color applicator tool that makes the home hair coloring process a breeze. With Roots Only, solution is applied directly to the scalp and roots trough hollow teeth. It's also great for applying medicated shampoos, conditioning growth oils, hair conditioners, lice medication and other hair treatments solutions needed to get down to the scalp and roots. This is perfect for me as I always dye my hair the darkest brown available so there's no need to apply the hair all over my hair again.

February Canadian GLOSSYBOX I know, I might be the only one who is still not convinced of the amazingness of those beauty boxes, but I still think it's great that more of them are coming to Canada, starting with the renowned GLOSSYBOX. No, I'm not showing you what I got just yet =P

Coffee USB warmer I bought this on a whim on eBay after seeing someone rave about it on Twitter - I never knew such a thing existed and as a coffee addict, I knew I needed this! It cost me only $3.72 with free shipping and I received it almost a month later, which usually happens when I purchase something that ships from Hong Kong.

March 2012 issue of Cosmopolitan Is it wrong to have a crush on Selena Gomez? I think she is sooooo gorgeous and her voice, wow! Anyway, I think this will be my last issue because I have chose to not renew my subscription for the only reason that I prefer reading blogs (:

♫ We Found Love - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Mail of the Week (January 9 - 13)

I didn't get tons of exciting things in the mail recently not to mention the postal service is on hiatus during the Holidays, but I know some of you love these kind of posts so I felt bad not posting it for what... three weeks? I even contemplated - again - to stop posting what I get in the mail but I don't want angry readers =P Oh well, I hope you will enjoy this post anyway!

Marcelle BB Cream I don't know if you remember me mentionning the big surprise at the Marcelle/Annabelle #Avant1reBeauté event... but it was the BB Cream! Yes, Marcelle came up with the first Canadian-made BB Cream formulated specially for Canadian women in pharmacies as well as mass retail stores!

If you don't know what is a BB Cream - I'll admit it, despite seeing these all over the blogosphere, I was confused before being finally able to try one for myself - well, "BB" stands for Beauty Balm and it's designed to perfects the skin to reveal a more even epidermis and well-hydrated, flawless complexion, all in one. Ideal for any age and any skin type, the Marcelle BB Cream comes in two shades and is suitable for a wide variety of carnations thanks to its self-adjusting pigments that transform and adapt to skin tone.

Marcelle BB Cream will be available at pharmacies and mass retail stores across Canada as of February 6, but while stocks lasts, beauty trend-setters like you lovely ladies will be able to order BB Cream as early as January 16! Sold at its regular price of $22.95, shipping is FREE with any purchase over $25.00 before taxes at shop.Marcelle.com. How awesome is that?

Stiletto Hardware insoles I still remember having to walk home barefoot from the Marcelle/Annabelle #Avant1reBeauté event because my new heels were killing me - of course I catched a cold after, what did I expect? I have tried quite a few shoe insoles in the past but none of them worked, not even the ones from Dr.Scholl's! They would all slip or loose their grip after a few use. I really hope these ones are different! Here's what I've been kindly sent:

• Ball-of-foot Cushions for painful high heels
• Ball-of-foot Ultra-Slender for shoes that are too tight to fit a standard size ball-of-foot pad
• Heel Cushions for flats

Introductory "Classic With a Twist" Julep Maven Box I was not familiar with Julep Maven before being offered to be sent an introductory box and even though there's tons of those subscription services on the market already, I like that this one focuses on nail polishes - no to mention they are free of DBP, toluene, formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin! I'm not posting the content of the box I received already because I want to dedicate a whole post to it... along with a little surprise for you lovely ladies! In the meantime, feel free to use the code GABYSBEAUTYBLOG at checkout to receive your first Julep Maven Sneak Peek Box for just $9.99! (valued over $40). Also, for a limited time only, you can use code NEWYEAR2012 to get a box for 1¢ only - yes, 1¢!

Telus 2012 calendar Telus were giving this calendar for free to all of their customers so I grabbed one for myself as it's just too cute! Now I'm stuck with three 2012 calendars though, hmm...

Winter issue of Compassion Over Killing magazine I didn't know that but COK sends out their members magazine once to twice a year. Not yet a member? Join today! You can also view this issue (and the older ones) online.

February issue of Glamour

February issue of Cosmopolitan Wow, the little Dakota Fanning is all grown up! I can't believe she's turning 18... I still remember the little girl from I Am Sam! Also, is it only me or does Cosmo really have troubles with Photoshop sometimes? Come on, I didn't even recognized her at first!

♫ Born To Die - Lana Del Rey

Mail of the Week (December 5 - 9)

My prize from Alex's giveaway : Can you believe I have never tried Joe Fresh before, except for their double end concealer a looooong time ago? I'm so lucky to have won this giveaway because I keep hearing great things about their cream blushes and their nail polishes! Here's what Alez kindly sent me:

• Joe Fresh Cream Blush in Melon (a gorgeous peachy-coral)
• Nail Polish in Twilight (a flaky with a black base and reflective flakes that sheen orange, yellow and green)

My order from Apothica.com: I'm sad to say that I'm disappointed with their shipping this time. I placed my order on November 28, it was shipped on November 30 and I received it on December 6 - the thing is that I opted for the USPS Express Mail International, which means I was supposed to get my order within 3 days, not to emntion I wasd provided with a tracking number that didn't even exist... well, don't waste your money on that. At least I got my whole order safe and sound, and I'll do a separate post about it (:

Oral-B Pulsonic Power Toothbrush* from ChickAdvisor: As I'm a member of their Product Review Club, I was lucky enough to be chosen to be test and review this toothbrush! I haven't used power toothbrushes in a long time but I really think they are awesome! I'm not sure if you'll be interested in reading a review on a toothbrush so I don't know if I should post this review on here or only on ChickAdvisor? Let me know if you want me to post it on here also!

Coupons from WebSaver.ca for a free box of Kellogg's Special K and a free Glade Sense & Spray

January issue of Glamour

January issue of Cosmopolitan

♫ The One That Got Away - Katy Perry

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

Mail of the Week (November 14 - 18)

My order from AVEYOU.com: I had a gift card from AVEYOU and even though it didn't have an expiration date on it, I decided to use it now just in case - not to mention a few things had caught my fancy. The shipping was incredibly fast! If I remember well, my order was shipped on November 11 and I received it on November 15 - wow! They also made sure to include some bonus goodies - as always - such as an eco friendly shopping bag, Formula 10 Gold Organic Nail Strenghtener and Hair Rules Blow Out Your Curls samples. Here's what I ordered:

• Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Rainbow Connection
• Ganache For Lips All-Natural Gourmet Lip Balm in Chocolate Mousse

The Leaping Bunny Pocket Sized Compassionate Shopping Guide: You can order your own guide here or if you would rather download the PDF version, you can do so here.

Motrin Liquid-Gels samples and $5 mail-in rebate: I got these from Livingwell.ca. Be sure to "like" my Facebook fan page and follow me on Twitter to be sure you won't miss other free sample offers!

December issue of Cosmopolitan: I don't know if it's just me, but I almost didn't recognize Adele!

♫ Hangover - Taio Cruz ft. Flo Rida

Mail of the Week (October 17 - 21)

For some reasons, I totally forgot to post last Friday! I usually make sure to post before going to work but oh well, I guess I was too lazy/tired! So this is what I got in the mail last week and this week.

Shikakai Hair Wash from Raw Gaia: I'm very excited to try this 100% natural shampoo powder - yes, powder! You mix the powder with water to create a thick paste and then gently massage into hair. It is also claimed to slightly darken the hair (making it not suitable for people with blonde hair) but that's good news for me as I'm always struggling to get my brown hair even darker!

Dariya Hair Pad from AJHairPad.com: I'm sure you have heard of those pads before, I keep seeing them on blogs! The Dariya Hair Pad is an innovative special velcro hair pad that hold your hair away in place when you do your makeup, wash your face, put on contact lenses, etc. It is very hot in Asia right now and other people are trying to bring it over too. I'm so glad I had the chance to try it out as this product is not available around here as far as I know!

Lip balms from MyLipStuff.com: Being a lipbalms junkie - thanks to my constantly dry and chapped lips - I've been curious about those handmade, natural, vegan and cruelty lipbalms so when I was given the opportunity to try some, I had to say yes!

Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips: Please don't hate me! I know Crest belongs to P&J which is evil because they test on animals, but do you know how hard it is to find a teeth whitening product that is cruelty-free, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and that actually works? My teeth are naturally yellow, and to make things worst, I'm addicted to coffee and tea. I have tried many kinds of whitening products such as toothpaste and mouthwash but nothing really worked. Do you have any idea how pricey these teeth whitening products are? This Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips box retails for $54.99 - I absolutely can't afford that.

With this review, I will also have a little surprise for you - that's another reason why I couldn't refuse this product.

I'm making big efforts to go completely cruelty-free but it's harder than I thought! If you know of any cruelty-free teeth whitening products, please do let me know!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty express For Brows and Eyes in Blonde: I have never used something like this before and I must say, I'm very excited to try it out! Hopefully it will help to tame my unruly brows!

$50 gift certificate to Mirage New York: This is actually the first time I won a prize from a radio station! Thank you 94.7 Hits FM!

November issue of Glamour: I'm often told that I look like Kristen Stewart! I can see a resemblence in the face shape and maybe the eyes... What do you think?

November issue of Cosmopolitan: OMG What's with the getup, seriously? I know it's Nicki Minaj but still...

And the winner of my EnvyDerm mascara giveaway is...

♫ Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO

Mail of the Week (September 12 - 16)

PETA's cruelty-free shopping guide: I've always been on the fence regarding the subject of animal testing, but I'm ashamed to say that I've always been too lazy to properly "attack" the matter. Of course I'm strongly against animal testing - and I thought it was strange for me to be vegetarian but still "support" animal testing. Now that I've successfully made the switch to a strict vegetarian diet, I thought, why not? It has not been hard at all for me to quit meat as I absolutely hated the taste anyway - the hardest part at first was to make sure I had an healthy diet, but there's plenty of resources on the Internet and now I feel so dumb for not going vegetarian sooner!

I decided to order PETA's cruelty-free shopping guide because it was getting pretty annoying to always have to go on the Internet to make sure a product was not tested on animals before buying it. With this guide, everything is easier! I have downloaded the PDF version on my phone and I keep the paper version in my handbag.

With the guide also came interesting papers with more info regarding animal testing and cute stickers. Now of course I won't just throw away the products I have already purchased that are not cruelty-free (that would be stupid and a huge waste of money), but you can be sure I won't repurchase any and from now on, I won't accept products to review that are not cruelty-free.

Seriously, think about it - would you like your cat, dog, rat or rabbit to be trapped in a laboratory with electrodes implanted in their brain and screaming in terror as they have chemical pumped into their stomach? Thinking about this made me cry - what about you?

Kushyfoot products: This package was such a nice surprise after a long day at school! I was recently contacted by a PR firm on behalf of Kushyfoot legwear which I have never heard of before, and I wasn't expecting a package so quickly! Here's what I was very kindly sent:

• Flats To Go in Black
• Super Ultra Low Cut Foot Covers in Black
• Lace Foot Covers in Pink

October 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan

♥Danza Kuduro - Don Omar ft. Lucenzo

Mail of the Week (August 22 - 26)

My prize from Priscilla's Facebook giveaway: The prize was a MAC lipstick of my choice and of course, I absolutely didn't know which one to choose so I decided to play it safe and go for Angel as it seems to be such a staple. From the swatches on the net, I really didn't know what to expect as it seemd to look different on everyone! I was afraid it would wash me out because I'm so pale the frost finish scared me a bit, but I absolutely love it! It actually reminds me a lot of Creme Cup, which I love. Priscilla also very kindly included Ulta Mineral Powder Eyeshadow in Jade in the package.

L - R: Angel and Jade

Thank you so much Priscilla! =D

My order from AVEYOU Beauty Boutique: I was given the opportunity to test and review some products from this boutique on my blog. I placed my order on August 16, it was shipped on August 17 and I received it on August 23 - pretty quick! But I was incredibly disappointed to have had to pay more than $40 in duties and taxes, which I never ever had to do before. Anyway, I guess it was worth it? Here's what I received:

• TS-2 Conical Barrel Style Stick Clipless Curling Iron
• Aquolina Pink Sugar Eau de Toilette Spray 1.7 oz 50ml
• OPI Extra-va-vaganza! Nail Lacquer

August Luxe Box: You can read my thoughts on this box here and enter my giveaway for a chance to win your very own September Luxe Box!

September issue of Cosmopolitan

♥ Elle Me Dit - Mika

Mail of the Week (July 11 - 15)

My prize from Minnie's giveaway: I was extremely lucky to win a selection of MAC products of my choice from Minnie! I just couldn't believe it when she announced me as the winner of her amazing giveaway, as I could never afford MAC products with my tight University student budget. Here's what I received:

• Crème Cup Cremesheen Lipstick (light blue pink)
• Fleur Power Powder Blush (soft bright pinkish-coral)
• Bronze Eye Shadow (gold brown with gold-bronze shimmer)
• Ebony Eye Pencil (soft black)
• Just Superb Cremesheen Glass (dirty neutral pink)

L - R: Fleur Power, Bronze, Ebony, Just Superb, Crème Cup

Thank you sooooo much Minnie!!!

My prize from Catherine's giveaway: When Catherine featured this cute Vaseline tin in one of her recent haul posts, I was so sad that we don't have Superdrugs here in Quebec! I haven't even found the little tins anywhere neither. So she kindly decided to host a giveaway and I was one of the three lucky winners! Here's what I received:

• Vaseline storage tin
• Vaseline Lip Therapy 
• Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips with Rose and Almond Oil
• Vaseline Lip Therapy with Cocoa Butter
• Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe Vera
• Swizzels Maltow Double Dip Orange and Cherry
• Love Hearts

Thank you Catherine! =D

New Jergens Naturals Aloe Soothing Body Moisturizer with Cucumber: I was given the opportunity to try and review this new moisturizer from Jergens. I was happily surprised to learn that this range is cruelty-free (or are all Jergens products cruelty-free?) and it is also made with 94% natural ingredients. I'm curious to see how it will help with my eczema.

My Apothica order: I placed my order on July 6, it was shipped on July 7 and I received it the next Monday, July 11 - talk about fast delivery! Here's what I ordered:

• Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit
• XEN-TAN Deep Bronze Instant Self-Tan 
• Avène Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream

With every Apothica order you make come some samples. This time I received a sample of The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil and some band-aids in a very handy little Avène packaging to keep in my handbag.

peta2's I am Not a Nugget Leggings: The moment I saw these leggings featuring the cute Nugget, I knew I had to have them and didn't hesitate to redeem 7000 Street Team points for a pair. These leggings are claimed to be comfy and made of a thicker material than most other leggings on the market, but I was a little disappointed when I tried them on. I ordered them in Small but they are a little loose and not as fitting as I thought they would be, and they also didn't really appear to be especially warm.

PETA's Vegan College Cookbook: I hesitated a long time before ordering this book because from the reviews I read on the net, it seemed like a very average cookbook because some of the recipes aren't even recipes (like grilled cheese, salsa, etc). I decided to order it anyway because it was free (it "costed" me 8000 Street Team points) but it's available in the PETA catalog for $14.99. I received it today so I haven't had the time to properly read it yet, but I'm very eager to try those recipes!

August 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan

August 2011 issue of Glamour

♥ What Them Girls At - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida