Monday, December 21, 2015

REVIEW! Valentia True Glow Eye Cream - Natural and Organic Ingredients - Corrective Eye Treatment

Eye creams.... those pesky eye creams.   Do we really need them?  At what age should we consider this "right of passage"?  Isn't eye creme just super expensive moisturizer?  I mean, what is so special that makes 1 oz worth $50+?  Did they add gold flakes?  I recently had the opportunity to try Valentia True Glow Eye Cream.   In all honesty, I probably wouldn't have ever purchased this myself, but I'm glad I tried it. 


In a sea of eye creams, how do you pick the right one?  It's impossible to try them all.  My strategy would be to start trying eye creams in your price range that have lots of 5 star reviews.  Customer reviews are a great tool to rely on.  Valencia True Glow Eye Cream currently has 114 reviews with 86% of them at 5 stars and 14% of them at 4 stars.  Not bad, not bad.


Valentia True Glow Eye Cream is supposed to help with puffiness, wrinkles, and dark circles.  Luckily, I've never had a problem with dark circles or wrinkles, but puffiness is another story.  You know how your eyes swell up after you cry?  Yeah, I look like that every morning when I wake up.  Lucky, right?


I've been using this eye creme for 4 days.  The first time I tried it, it had a very orange zesty scent and when I dabbled it around my eyes, its burned for about 2 seconds.  The pain went away quickly.   I determined that there was a chemical reaction between the creme and my makeup remover, because the creme didn't burn my eyes when I used it in the morning.  I used it morning and night for 4 days.  My make-up went over it smoothly.  It didn't feel oily or dry out my skin.  I definitely notice that my skin feels more hydrated around my eyes throughout the day.  I will continue to use it and hopefully see the results improve more over the next few weeks.  There will be lots of flying and driving from Minnesota to Seattle to San Diego as we move, so this creme will be put through quite the test of climate changes. More on this later!

PS Valentia True Glow Eye Cream is on sale at Amazon right now for $24.99 (normally $54.99), so now is the time to try it!  Get it HERE.


Love,
Dylan

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

21 Tips for Living a Full Life

My mom sent this list to me this morning. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!


1.  Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

2. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

4. When you say "I love you," mean it.

5. When you say "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

7. Believe in love at first sight.

8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams.  People who don't have dreams don't have much.

9. Love deeply and passionately.  You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling. 

11. Don't judge people by their relatives.

12. Talk slowly but think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 

15. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

16. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

17. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

18. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

19. When you realize you've made a mistake take immediate steps to correct it.

20. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice. 

21. Spend some time alone.




Love,
Dylan

Monday, December 7, 2015

Meet My Handsome Mini Goldendoodle Son, Bentley

If anyone says that money can't buy happiness then they haven't have had a Bentley bear.  Bentley is my miniature goldendoodle (f2 variation). He's the best purchase I've ever made.  Bentley came from a breeder in Iowa called Little Paws, and I had him shipped to Seattle one year ago.  Bentley is about 18-20 pounds, he doesn't shed, he doesn't bark, and he is the friendliest, most cuddly little teddy bear I've ever seen. If anyone is looking for the perfect companion or a personal "therapy" dog, I would highly recommend the miniature goldendoodle.  They will never want to leave your lap.


Love,
Dylan & Bentley

I'm Looking for Website Designer!

I'm looking to hire a website designer with experience in building out lifestyle blogs and integrating ad space.   If you know of anyone please have them send me an email with examples of their work at dylanmaureen@gmail.com.  

Thanks, friends!

Dylan

Sunday, December 6, 2015

62 Workout Outfits That Will Make You Want to Hit the Gym

Personally, I feel more excited for a workout when I have a cute outfit to wear.  There's so many places to get unique, affordable workout clothes.  It's so fun to find a really unique piece with a one-of-a-kind, strappy back detail, a fun print, or a pop of color that coordinates perfectly with your sneakers.  I love sports bras with unique necklines, back details, or prints, no-pill yoga pants that hold everything together nice and tight, and tops with unique cut outs and back details.  


If you find yourself wearing workout clothes 50% of the time, then they might as well be clothes that make you happy, inspired and comfortable.  I've put together a collection of some of my favorite workout looks currently inspiring me to get in shape for the move to San Diego.  I can't wait to get back in the gym.  


Here are some tips if you're out shopping... I've seen great matching sets at Nordstrom Rack, adorable sports bras at Forever21, and great zip ups at Old Navy.  Macy's and Sports Authority have great sections and deals for Nike.  I've heard the Gap has great leggings with many fit types.  Outlet malls usually have awesome selections at their Nike, Reebok, New Balance, and Adidas stores-- the outlets are the way to go if you're wanting to stock up on these brands.  Target has really comfortable sports bras, but I'm not super impressed with their bottoms.  H&M active wear has pretty poor quality and fit from my experience. Victoria's Secret has an amazing new sports bra selection (I could see active wear becoming as strong as their swimwear someday). Marshalls and TJ Maxx have a nice selection of apparel, especially bottoms, but their athletic footwear selection is weak. My previous employer, Zappos and 6pm.com, have strong selections on apparel and footwear and lots of unique, exclusive colorways in your favorite styles from the best brands.  I have found amazing deals and solid quality pieces at JCPenney, but not so much at Kohl's. Of course you can also go the more fancy schmancy route with brands like Lululemon, Zobha, Onzie, Vimmia, Oiselle, Alo, Lole, or Lorna Jane.  Sometimes these premium brands are featured on flash sale sites like Hautelook, Zulily, or the Clymb, so I'd keep an eye out for those sales!


Stay Comfy, Stay Inspired,
Dylan