Carmex Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Naomi, the winner of the Carmex Moisture Lips giveaway.  Naomi has confirmed her prize.  Thank you everyone for participating in my giveaway and Happy Holidays!

Carmex Moisture Plus Giveaway

It's winter time again and living in Alaska, this means extremely dry weather and dry chapped lips. Thus, I make sure that I have lip balms with me (pocket, purse, car, etc) wherever I go.  

I have been a long-time user of Carmex products and so I was really excited when I received the Carmex Moisture Plus  Limited Edition lip balms to review. They come in trendy sleek designs and you can take an  online quiz  to find out which one matches your personality.

I found out that mine is "Chic"  - a modern girl with classic tastes.  This sounds about right :)

What I like about the Carmex Moisture Plus  is that it is infused with Vitamin E, shea butter and sun protection. I also like that it provides just enough sheen on your lips.  It smells and tastes good too!

Good news:  I am giving away an entire set of the Carmex Moisture Plus Limited Edition lip balms like the one I received.  All you have to do is enter my giveaway below.

How to enter:

Mandatory Entry:  Must be a GFC follower of my blog!  Just write a comment that you are an existing follower or a new follower AND take the Carmex online quiz - what personality/stick was recommended for you?

* Make sure you write your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

 

Extra Entries:

1. Visit Carmex and tell me what other products you wish to try

2. Follow me on Twitter (@mandalarctic) and tell me your twitter handle

3. Tell me what your grateful for this holiday season

This giveaway  is open to  US residents only and will end on December 13, 2013  (11:59 AM Alaska time).  I will use random org. to choose the winner and he/she will be contacted via e-mail.  Winner will have 48 hours to confirm the prize or I will choose an alternate winner.  Carmex will directly ship the prize to the lucky winner.

Disclosure:  I received a set of the Limited Edition Carmex Moisture Plus lip balms to facilitate my review.  A similar prize kit will be sent by  Carmex to one lucky reader of my blog. I was not monetarily compensated for this post and the review reflects my own experience and opinion while using the product which may vary from yours. 

"The Spirit of the Heart" by Ismael Nuño (A Book Review)

The "Spirit of the Heart" is written by a renowned heart surgeon, Dr. Ismael N. Nuño.  The book is a collection of his personal insights interspersed with specific personal and medical examples of people and patients who have inspired him the most.  The themes captured in this book illustrate existential issues that we all grapple with such as our quest for meaning, our attempts to make sense of personal losses and tragic deaths, and of confronting one's mortality and spirituality.

 I must admit that after reading  the Introduction section of the "Spirit of the Heart", I was hooked and knew that I would finish reading it till the end in one sitting. The author's writing style was clean, simple, straightforward and efficient.  Like a skillful surgeon (that he was/is), Dr. Nuño effectively brought me to the operating table as he shared specific surgical procedures he had to perform to save the lives of his patients. Because his personal experiences and that of his patients' were powerful enough to enthrall the readers, for the most part, Dr. Nuño had the wisdom to provide restraint in his writing and allowed the characters in the story to take center stage. There were a couple of instances though wherein the author tended to be tangential and circumstantial as he would occasionally get sidetracked with detailed (and at times redundant) explanations of certain challenging medical procedures he had to perform.  I found that these  took away some of the focus from the story or personal insight that he wanted to impart or illustrate.

Honestly,  this book might not be for the faint of heart (no pun intended).  For some, they might find the stories to be potentially very depressing as the author spoke of his own personal losses - deaths of his daughter and parents as well as some of his patients. There were also graphic descriptions of surgical procedures which made me squirm at times. While reading the book, I also wondered if this was the author's attempt on reconciliation (with his past, the  personal and career decisions he has made)  and  of his healing and spiritual  journey.   Being a well-respected and very skillful surgeon, he has faced death countless of times - as evidenced by just a sample of stories illustrated in his book.  I can only imagine how that would be like - to be surrounded by pain (physical and emotional) on a daily basis,  the strength and humility it took for him to acknowledge what he can and can't do as heart surgeon, and the faith he needed to constantly call on God, not including the courage he  had to muster as he faced the loved ones of the patients he lost on the operating table.  

Despite that fact that I had to take short breaks in between chapters to process my own mixed emotional response while reading this book (sadness, hope, joy etc.) and talk to my best friend about it, I really admire Dr. Nuño's honesty and openness in sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings about his career, family and his patients. I can truly say that reading the book has helped me to have a better perspective of my current life situation.  Aside from it being educational because I learned about certain medical heart conditions and surgical procedures (being the geek that I am), the stories shared by Dr. Nuño reminded me to be more grateful and appreciative of life in general and of my own life.  I was inspired as well to hear about his share of personal and professional triumphs, particularly  with patients whose surgeries were successful and had gotten a new lease in life. To be instrumental in giving life to another human being is truly a wonderful experience and gift that Dr. Nuño shared to his readers. 

Overall, although I do not think Dr. Nuño is an extraordinary writer,  I do think he is an extremely skillful and gifted surgeon and an effective story-teller.  Furthermore, his stories are so moving and  powerful that you will want to read his book from cover to cover.

Disclosure:  Rebecca from the  The Cadence Group  provided me with a free copy of the book to review but I did not receive any monetary compensation.  The review is based on my personal honest opinion and does not reflect the author's views.

Carmex Giveaway Winner

The winner for the Carmex giveaway is Nicole (commenter #20).  She has confirmed her prize and her information has been passed on to the sponsors.  Thank you for joining the giveaway!

Carmex Review & Giveaway

As a Carmex Bloq Squad member, I received the Carmex Healing Cream and Carmex Hydrating Lotion to review early this month. I reviewed these two products in 2011 and so I was excited to try them out again especially because I learned that these are now infused with increased levels of lanolin.  Being a bit of a geek, I researched the properties and effects of lanolin and found that when used in our skin, it helps  prevent water loss and abrasion.  I was also surprised to find that lanolin's barrier repair properties are apparently better than those derived from glycerin and petrolatum.

Where I live, I have to contend with the extremely dry and cold winter weather for almost 7 months (We even had three days of snow fall early in the week).  I struggle with dry itchy and sensitive skin on a regular basis so I was eager to find out if the improved Carmex products can address my skin problem.

To give justice to my review, I used both products for 6 consecutive days.

My experience:

I used the Healing Lotion right after my shower in the morning for my whole body, particularly legs and feet because they are the driest parts of my body.   I noticed that for the first 2 days,  it was effective in soothing my dry itchy skin for the entire day.  However on the 3rd day, my legs felt extra dry, itchy and scaly.  I did not have this reaction  when I used this in 2011 so I was not sure if it was just a coincidence or I was developing an allergy to it.  Anyway,  I decided to still use it but  I in lesser quantity.  I noticed that the itchiness  eventually subsided once the old skin  got sloughed off when  I showered in the mornings. So far,  my new skin seems to be OK with it.  I like that it has menthol properties which provided a cooling effect to my new skin. My only suggestion is that for its scent to be milder because it was a bit strong for me.

Between the two, I prefer the Carmex Healing Cream because it is indicated for very dry skin and provides my skin the kind of moisturizing it needs.  The Hydrating Lotion has a lighter formula and I bring it to school for my hands and elbows which need constant re-moisturizing.

Want to try the Carmex Healing Cream and Carmex Hydrating Lotion?  You can purchase Carmex products at various US retailers such as Walgreens and CVS. 

Now for the giveaway - one lucky reader of my blog will receive the same products that I received:

• One 5.5 oz Carmex Hydrating  Lotion
• One 4.0 oz Carmex Healing Cream

ENTER TO WIN A CARMEX HEALING CREAM AND HYDRATING LOTION GIFT PACK!

Mandatory Entry:  Must be a GFC follower of my blog!  Just write a comment that you are an existing follower or a new follower AND visit Carmex, tell me what other products you want to try.  You need to do to do both! (1 entry) 

* Make sure you write your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:

1.  Follow me on Twitter (@mandalarctic) and tell me your twitter handle

2. Grab my button.  Leave a link as to where you put it.  

3. Tweet and leave a link of your tweet.

This is a quick giveaway, open to  US residents only and will end on April 17, 2013  (11 PM Alaska time).  I will use random org. to choose the winner and he/she will be contacted via e-mail.  Winner will have 24 hours to confirm the prize or I will choose an alternate winner.  Carmex will directly ship the prize to the lucky winner.

Good luck!
 

Disclosure:  I received the Carmex Healing Cream and Carmex Hydrating Lotion to use and to  facilitate my review.  A similar prize kit will be sent by  Carmex to one lucky reader of my blog. I was not monetarily compensated for this post and the review reflects my own experience and opinion while using the products which may vary from yours.

Firmoo Glasses Review

Sometime in March, I was approached by Firmoo -- an optical online store, to choose a  free pair of their  fashionable glasses or sunglasses in exchange for my honest review of their product.   A quick look at their website piqued my interest because they had a wide array of prescription and non-prescription glasses, lenses, frames as well as  trendy sunglasses to choose from.  In particular, I thought that their  Virtual Try-On System was a really cool idea - you get to try on a pair of glasess using your own photograph.

Because I don't wear glasses, I opted to get a pair of wrap around sunglasses in black with a hollowed out butterfly knot on each arm.  I like the style - its feminine, classy and youthful :)  Below is a picture of what I chose.

My experience ordering online was an easy process.  As soon as I had sent out my order, I immediately received an order confirmation e-mail which detailed the product that I chose and their policy.  I learned that I had 24 hours to change information regarding my order - item choice, number as well as shipping address.  I appreciate the that they provide you with a link which provides you an update about your product - from the time it was shipped, the courier service they uses and  the product tracking number.  

My sunglasses arrived a week after I ordered it but because I live in campus, it took a few more days before it reached me. It was exactly what I had ordered - I was pleasantly surprised by its quality and was excited to use it.  However, because I live in Alaska - (we still have snowfall even as of this writing), I had to wait for an opportune time to wear it outdoors to do justice to this review.   I finally had that chance last Friday when the weather was a bit "warm" and it was sunny outside. 

Overall, I am satisfied with my Firmoo sunglasses. My friends commented that the I look chic and sexy wearing my Firmoo pair :)

Want to have your own Firmoo glasses?  Firmoo has a "First Pair Free Program".  To learn how to get free glasses, visit their Help Center for more details.

Disclosure:  I received a pair of Firmoo sunglasses to use and to  facilitate my review.  . I was not monetarily compensated for this post and the review reflects my own experience and opinion while using the product which may vary from yours.

Call for Bloggers: Opportunity to Review & Giveaway Diamond Candles

Hello fellow bloggers!  This is a wonderful opportunity to review a unique soy candle product with ring surprises.  Check out the Diamond Candles Campaign Announcement !  They are looking for 100 bloggers to do a review of their soy candles. BUT you must hurry because they are only looking for 100 bloggers to participate! 

Visit their website HERE  for more information :)

Carmex Review & Giveaway

As a member of  the Carmex Bloq Squad I received the Carmex Healing Lotion and Carmex Healing Cream  to review.  Given that I live in Alaska, one of the skin challenges I have to deal with is dry itchy skin during the winter time because of the extreme dry cold. For example, about 2 weeks ago, we experienced a record low temperature (for November) of negative 41C! Hence, I am always on the look out for products that will help my skin survive Alaska's harsh winter.

My experience:

Both  Carmex Healing Lotion and Healing Cream  have this gentle mild sweet scent which I like.  I am allergic to strong scents and so I was happy that they smelled nice but not overpowering.  
The first time I used the Healing Lotion, my first impression was that  it did not glide easily on my skin compared to other brand lotions that I use. Although it is non-greasy, I did not feel that it provided the smoothness that I was looking for in a lotion.  However, I decided to continue using it to give justice to my review.  

After a week of using the lotion, I noticed that it is effective in soothing my dry itchy skin.  I found that if I apply it right after a shower, the lotion glides better on my skin.  It also feels like it has a small hint of menthol which felt soothing to my skin.  In addition, it  has aloe and Vitamin E which are known for their moisturizing properties. 

As for the Carmex Healing Cream, this seemed more indicated for very dry skin and has a thicker and more concentrated formula with 9 healing ingredients  You can apply this cream on your cracked skin and/or rougher areas such as the elbows, knees, hands and feet. Compared to the Carmex lotion, I find that it provides my skin with the  moisturizing it needs because of the extreme weather conditions that we have here in Alaska. I use this as my initial protective layer of moisturizer after the shower and I use the lotion for my hands and arms because these parts are the ones that need constant moisturizing.

Want to try the Carmex Healing Lotion and Cream?  You can purchase Carmex products at various US retailers such as Walgreens and CVS.  What's more they are affordable at  $5.99 each regular price.

Now for the giveaway - one lucky reader of my blog will receive the same products that I received: 

• One 5.5 oz Carmex Healing Lotion
• One 4 oz Carmex Healing Cream
• One 1 oz Carmex Healing Lotion
• One .75 Carmex Healing Cream

ENTER TO WIN A CARMEX HEALING CREAM AND LOTION GIFT PACK!

Mandatory Entry:  Must be a GFC follower of my blog!  Just write a comment that you are an existing follower or a new follower AND visit Carmex, tell me what other products you need to try.  You need to do to do both! (1 entry) 

* Make sure you write your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:

1.  Follow me on Twitter (@mandalarctic) and tell me your twitter handle

2. Grab my button.  Leave a link as to where you put it.  

3. Tweet and leave a link of your tweet.

This giveaway  is open to  US residents only and will end on December 5, 2011  (12 AMAlaska time).  I will use random org. to choose the winner and he/she will be contacted via e-mail.  Winner will have 24 hours to confirm the prize or I will choose an alternate winner.  Carmex will directly ship the prize to the lucky winner.

Good luck!

Disclosure:  I received the Carmex Healing Lotion  and Carmex Healing Cream to use and to  facilitate my review.  A similar prize kit will be sent by  Carmex to one lucky reader of my blog. I was not monetarily compensated for this post and the review reflects my own experience and opinion while using the product which may vary from yours.

Winner of Carmex Giveaway

Using Random.Org, the winnner of my Carmex giveaway is comment #15: Jessica!  She has been notified and has confirmed her prize.  Thanks everyone for joining and supporting my blog.  I will be hosting another giveaway next week as "Appreciation Follower" giveaway.  Stay tuned for more details!

Carmex Review and Giveaway!

Since I moved to Alaska, one of my constant concern is dry, chapped lips.  Because the weather here is always extreme - super cold and dark in the winter time and hot in the summer (with almost 20 hours of sun), I always make sure that I have a lip balm with me all the time. And so I was super excited when the Carmex Team sent me to review their newest Carmex click stick flavors - Carmex Lime Twist  and Carmex Vanilla as a member of the Carmex Bloq Squad.

 

My experience:

For starters, although the packaging is similar to other lip balms being sold in drug stores, it has a  cool feature of being a "click stick"  -   this helps you regulate the amount of lip balm you want to use. In the past, I have wasted a lot of lip balm because I would turn the dial way too much, forget that I should adjust it back again before putting the cap back on, thereby ruining (and wasting) the whole stick. So I really like this no mess, easy to use feature!

When I tried them, I find that these glide smoothly on your lips and provides longer moisture without feeling greasy or "icky". I also like the menthol cooling properties that they have and that they provide sun protection (SPF 15). A plus for me also is that these products are non-addictive and non-tested on animals!

However, if you are sensitive to certain smells, note that they do come with a bit of  a smell but these are true to the flavors that they carry.  I was OK with both but I  like vanilla a bit more because the lime seemed stronger in terms of smell and flavor for my preference.  Overall, the lip balms did a nice job of protecting my lips :)

Want to try the Carmex Lime Twist  and Carmex Vanilla? You can purchase Carmex products at various US retailers such as Target, Walgreens, Walmart, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway and many more.  For a complete list of stores that carry Carmex products, click here.

Now for the giveaway - one lucky reader will receive the same products that I received: Carmex Lime Twist and Carmex Vanilla click sticks and a cool summer fleece picnic blanket to add to your summer fun!

Mandatory Entry:  Must be a GFC follower of my blog!  Just write a comment that you are an existing follower or a new follower AND visit Carmex, tell me if you prefer the Lime Twist or Vanilla click stick.  You need to do to do both! (1 entry) 

* Make sure you write your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

 

Extra Entries:

1. Visit Carmex and tell me what other products you wish to try
2. Follow me on Twitter (@mandalarctic) and tell me your twitter handle

3. Follow  Carmex Lip Balm on Twitter.

4. Grab my button.  Leave a link as to where you put it.  

5. Tweet and leave a link of your tweet.

This giveaway  is open to  US residents only and will end on September 5, 2011  (11:59 AM Alaska time).  I will use random org. to choose the winner and he/she will be contacted via e-mail.  Winner will have 48 hours to confirm the prize or I will choose an alternate winner.  Carmex will directly ship the prize to the lucky winner.

Good luck!

Disclosure:  I received the Carmex Lime Twist and Vanilla Lip Balms from Carmex plus a Carmex fleece picnic blanket to use to facilitate my review.  A similar prize kit will be sent by  Carmex to one lucky reader of my blog. I was not monetarily compensated for this post and the review reflects my own experience and opinion while using the product which may vary from yours.