Keeping Your Skin Hydrated This Winter with Bleau Beauty (Review)

The weather is getting colder, which means winter is right around the corner. One of the things I make sure is a priority for my family during the cold months is to make sure that we take care of our skin and keep it moisturized and hydrated. Winter can bring lots of dryness to your skin if you don't keep it moisturized and the winters out here in Canada can be brutal.

Self-care is also important and I tend to forget that at times when running a household. I'm thankful that our friends over at Bleau Beauty has my back. They sent me a few of their items from their Fall collection and I've been using them this past month as a new skin routine to keep my skin looking smooth and staying healthy and hydrated. I was sent their Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask, Illuminating Seaweed Clay Mask, Glacial Mineral Toner, and Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Emulsion. One of the things that caught my eye was that the products that were sent to me were all made in Canada, which just makes my heart happy.






The Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask gently exfoliates, soothes redness and irritation, and infuses thirsty skin with intense hydration. Containing 70% of organic ingredients which includes, coconut oil, aloe vera, and magnolia bark extract, the Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask leaves your skin with a flawless and radiant complexion. The Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay detoxifies for a brighter complexion. It also rehydrates for smooth and supple skin and reduces sebum to naturally remove dead skin cells. It tightens pores to minimize their appearance while also promotes blood circulation and regeneration of damaged skin. The organic coconut oil was extracted from mature coconuts that are rich in high-fat content to help increase the skin's moisture without leaving it feeling oily. The organic aloe vera is packed with Vitamin E to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and the Magnolia Bark Extract helps protect the skin against inflammation and reduces skin redness.




The directions on using this clay mask were easy and it went on without any problems. To use all you need to do is stir up the clay with the spatula that is included and then you simply apply the mask to your clean face evenly making sure that you avoid eyes and mouth. Leave the clay mask on for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. You can use this mask daily or as often as you like. I chose to use it daily right before bed. I love that this clay mask is suitable for all skin types and that it's a non-drying clay mask and that when it's time to come off, it easily removes from my face leaving my skin feeling smooth and clean. Bleau's Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask is retailed for $59.

Right after using the Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask, I then open up the Glacial Mineral Toner, which is recommended to use right after the mask. The Glacial Mineral Toner is a light-weight and quick-absorbing blend that deeply hydrates, improves suppleness and natural elasticity, and protects the skin from free radicals. The red maple bark extract adds a healthy dose of collagen and elastin, helping to control sebum production and prevent wrinkles. It leaves your skin feeling clean and invigorated, with a dewy glow. Easy to apply, the Glacial Mineral Toner can be used with a cotton pad or the palm of your hands. Press gently and evenly into clean skin on the face and neck, until the toner is fully absorbed. I loved that this toner was light-weight, but also that it deeply hydrates your skin, leaving you feeling refreshed. The Glacial Mineral Toner is retailed for $39.

After using the toner I quickly opened up the Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Emulsion, light-weight skin nourishment that replenishes, moisturizes, and softens your skin.  It combines botanical moisturizers like Canadian Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water, shea butter, and jojoba oil to replenish and soften skin, improving elasticity, tone, and texture. This was what my skin needed to end the night with. After using the mask and toner, I then added the Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Emulsion to my face to end my night before bed. Easy to use like the other two skincare products, apply evenly to clean skin, avoiding the eye and mouth areas. You can use this for mornings or nights. It has a light floral scent that isn't too strong and after applying, it doesn't make my face feel greasy, which I love. The coconut oil provides intensive hydration to the skin, leaving a softer and smoother finish. The shea butter nourishes and soothes your skin and the jojoba oil seals your skin with a protective barrier to retain moisture. The Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Emulsion is retailed for $39.

The first three products I used every day for the last month and I have to say I have noticed such a huge difference in the way my skin looks, feels, and even noticed some of my dark spots getting lighter. I was also sent the Illuminating Seaweed Clay Mask, which helps clarify, brighten, and balances the skin resulting in a naturally glowing complexion. Like their other clay mask, to use just apply the mask to a clean face evenly and let it sit on for 5-10 minutes, and rinse with warm water. It's recommended to use twice a week, so I would use the Illuminating Seaweed Clay Mask on the weekends in place of the Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask. The Illuminating Seaweed Clay Mask is retailed for $39.

What I loved about using all of these products was how light each product felt on my face. It wasn't too heavy or greasy and went on cool to the touch. I loved that the smell of both clay masks was better than others that I've tried and I loved that both the toner and moisturizer had a nice calming floral smell that wasn't overpowerful. I'm very excited to continue to use all of these products for my nightly routine, especially during this winter. 

For more information about the above-mentioned products and similar, be sure to head to Bleau Beauty, and for a limited of time, use the code BOGO50 to buy one get one 50% off of all travel clay mask, these would make the perfect stocking stuffers this holiday season! 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above products at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received


Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Special Edition #HolidayGiftGuide

 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.




After watching the season’s final performance of “The Nutcracker” ballet on Christmas Eve, Jerry dreams of dancing with the beautiful prima ballerina, who captivates him with her graceful performance. After the theater patrons leave, Jerry climbs onto the stage and begins to dance on his own, as Tuffy Mouse cheers him on. Through the magic of Christmas Eve, Jerry is suddenly transformed into one of the dancers. Costumed to look like regal prince, he takes center stage, which turns into a winter wonderland, as all the toy props around him come to life, and music from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” begins to play. A petite music box ballerina springs to life and joins Jerry as the two of them dance their way into the Nutcracker’s magical realm. It seems as though Jerry’s “The Nutcracker” fantasy has finally become a reality. That’s until Tom and his band of alley cats enter through the theater’s stage door, capture all the toys and lock the beautiful ballerina in a cage.


MY REVIEW
In the last month or so, my family and I have had the chance to go back in time and watch some of our favorite childhood classic cartoon characters from when my husband and I were kids. It's been great introducing all of these hilarious characters we watched as kids with our own kids and Tom and Jerry are no different.

We were sent Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale on blu-ray and it was our first Christmas movie we watched this holiday season. Not only did the special edition come with A Nutcracker Tale, but it also came with a couple bonus episodes, Tom and Jerry: The Night Before Christmas and Tom and Jerry: Santa's Little Helper. I was surprised that all of my kiddos, even the teens, enjoyed this movie and asked to watch the bonus episodes that were included. 

With everything going on in the world right now, it was nice to sit down and turn off our smartphones and enter Tom and Jerry's world for just a little bit. We laughed and got swept away in their love-hate relationship. I loved that my kids got to watch even more characters from our childhood and that they enjoyed themselves. A Nutcracker Tale will now be part of our family holiday movies we watch as everyone enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. 

A great movie to introduce your kids or grandkids to this holiday season, Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Special Edition is available to own on Digital for $14.99 (US and Canada) and also available on Blu-ray for  $19.98 in the US and $24.98 in Canada.

For more information about Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Special Edition, head to Warner Bros Home Entertainment 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned title on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray #HolidayGiftGuide

 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.


Bugs Bunny, one of animation’s most recognizable characters, first hopped onto the screen in 1940 and he’s been a pop-culture icon ever since. More than eight generations have enjoyed the timeless antics of the carrot-munching wise guy who always outsmarts his rivals. Cartoons, movies, TV, comics, music, sports, and more – this wascally wabbit has done it all. Clever pranks and one-liners are here, along with interviews with today’s most renowned animators, historians, and superstars. Enjoy the full range of his silly and smart-alecky personality with 60 theatrical shorts restored and remastered to the original 4X3 aspect ratio on Blu-ray™ for the first time. It’s just what the doctor – er, doc – ordered.  

Bugs Bunny is one of the most beloved, iconic cartoon characters in pop culture history. He has delighted generations of fans for 80 years. We have put together a beautiful collection with a wide-ranging assortment of cartoons that celebrate Bugs Bunny’s incredible body of work,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Senior Vice President Originals, Animation, and Family Marketing. She added, “Fans of all ages will want to own this eye-catching collection, which commemorates Bugs Bunny’s landmark anniversary with some of his most popular cartoons presented in high definition and also contains some fun extras, like a full-size glitter Funko figure, exclusively available in this giftset. This is a release no collector will want to miss.


MY REVIEW

“What’s Up, Doc?” A classic from the bunny with most, Bugs Bunny! I remember watching him and all of his shenanigans he went through in each episode when I was a little girl. The Bugs Bunny Show was a classic that has been around my entire life. A bunny who has made a name for himself and who people still talk about today. I don't know too many cartoons that have fans from so many generations but believe me, Bugs does. I remember being so entertained each episode as Bugs overcame each obstacle that stood in his way, mainly his need for getting the best carrots in his belly, but I loved watching him in every episode.

We received Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny: 80th Anniversary Collection on blu-ray which also included a nice letter from Jerry Beck, an animation historian, and it also included a beautiful sparkling Bugs Bunny from Funko Pop! for us to have as we went back in time and watched a few of our favorite episodes from the show. The blu-ray includes 60 episodes including 60 digital episodes, along with New Documentary: Bugs Bunny’s 80th What’s Up Doc-umentary and 10 Looney Tunes Cartoons episodes. 

Awesome cartoons and memorable characters deserve to be celebrated as they were such a joy to watch when we were kids. The husband and I have watched Bugs Bunny with my older two kiddos, but never our youngest, so we loved that we had the chance to introduce her to one of our childhood favs and she definitely enjoyed watching the episodes with both mom and dad. For the hubby and I, it brought back so many childhood memories, and I'm so thankful to have this anniversary collection in our home library now so that I can go back in time whenever I feel like a dose of childhood. This would be such a great gift to give someone this holiday season who loves to feel nostalgic 

Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection is now available on digital download for both US and Canada on various digital retailers including iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and others, and will be available on Blu-ray on December 1st, 2020. For more information on where to buy this anniversary collection, head to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment


Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned title on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.




Flintstones: The Complete Series Blu-ray #HolidayGiftGuide

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.


The Flintstones: The Complete Series is boulder-sized fun for the whole family. Fans of all ages will crack up at the misadventures of the Flintstones and Rubbles, who consistently find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.

Living in the suburbs in the town of Bedrock, Fred Flintstone is a devoted husband who is employed at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company. He is married to Wilma, a smart, strong-willed red-headed beauty. Their next-door neighbors and friends are Barney and Betty Rubble. The four of them are always involved in variety of hilarious shenanigans of every-day living. Although they live in pre-historic times, they have modern conveniences but they are made from stone age materials and mainly powered by animals. 

Since the stone age, The Flintstones has delivered entertainment that never shales to delight each new generation. And now, all 166 episodes are available for the first time in high definition. So grab a Bronto burger and Cactus Coola, and settle in to watch the first primetime animated television series and celebrate 60 years of history in the making.


MY REVIEW

Yaba Daba Doo! It's a classic quote from one of the most popular beloved cartoon series that I watched in my childhood, but was around for over two decades before I was even born. So when we were sent Flintstones: The Complete Series on blu-ray, I was very excited to re-watch this show and introduce my kids to Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Pebbles, Bam-Bam and Dino! 

The 10-disc series not only comes with all six seasons of The Flintstones, but it also includes two bonus movies: The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age Smackdown! and The Man Called Flintstone. Re-watching this show with my kids definitely reminded me of when I use to sit in front of my grandmother's television early Saturday morning and watch as Fred and Barney get themselves into a situation while Wilma and Betty made sure everything was good on the home front. 

I absoultely lov that I now have the entire series in our family movie collection so that we can watch whenever we'd like. My two teens were interested in the cartoon for a bit, but this show kept my six year old glued to the screen and over the last couple of months, both Bailey and I have watched the first three seasons and she absolutely loves it. I think her favorite character would have to be Dino, anytime he is on the screen, Bailey lights up and makes the connection of a dinosaur being their pet to us having a dog as a pet. 


The Flintstones: The Complete Series, is now available to own on Digital HD for $74.99 (US and Canada) and on blu-ray retail for $84.99 in the US and $99.99 in Canada. For more information on how and where to purchase, be sure to head to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.



Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned title on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


iRobot Introduces the Roomba i3+ (Review) #HolidayGiftGuide

This year has been hard on us all, and being a full-time worker, switching from the office, and then working from home every other week gets tiring. I still run a household with a family of four and live with all boys, so when I find a cleaning tool that helps me keep my home clean without me having to do a lot of work, it's a bonus for me.

I got the chance to review the new iRobot Roomba i3+ and wow it is amazing. This is my first time using any sort of cleaning robot and I was beyond thrilled to try.  I received the iRobot Roomba i3+ about a month ago and have used it every day since. It gives me back my time to do something else around the house, like, relax and spend time with my family.


The Roomba i3+ is a stylish new Roomba vacuum packed with advanced features like systematic navigation, self-emptying capability with Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal, and an expanded range of personalized cleaning features powered by the recently launched iRobot Genius™️ Home Intelligence. 


Similar to the iRobot Roomba i7+ and Roomba s9+ robot vacuums, the Roomba i3+ retails for $749.99 CAD for the i3+ and $499.99 CAD for the i3, which is less expensive than other Roomba's and is a great option for first-time Roomba buyers or those who are looking to step up from their entry model Roomba.

The Roomba i3+ comes with everything you need to set up the unit including the base station, instructions, power cord, and actual unit itself. The instructions (booklet) are very precise and explains how to easily connect to WIFI and schedule your cleaning times. You can connect your iRobot Roomba i3+ through the iRobot App available on both the Apple Store and Google Play Store  (the Apple Store is where I downloaded). However, you do not need the app to get your iRobot Roomba i3+ to work. 


I love that I can control everything from my phone with just a touch of the button. There are adjustments that you can make so that it fits your unique cleaning needs. 



After trying different settings, I found that I just like to let it run by pushing the main button on the top. The iRobot Roomba i3+ runs on laminate, ceramic tile, and carpet. I have a carpet over the top part of my laminate floor, and it moves from carpet to bare floor flawlessly. This sweeps very well. It follows a grid, so it doesn't miss anything. 

It even empties itself! The Roomba i3+ automatically empties up to 60 days worth of dirt and debris into the Clean Base, which doubles as the robot’s charging station. The debris is then locked away in the Clean Base’s enclosed AllergenLock™ bag that uses four layers of allergen blocking material to trap 99 percent of pollen and mold. Between, two kids, a husband, and a cat, sweeping is the last thing I want to worry about. This a time saver. I work from home and at the office so when I am away from home, I walk into a beautiful swept house, and the best part is I DIDN'T have to do it.

The iRobot Roomba i3+ picks up crumbs, dust, cat hair, and other yucky items that might have been dropped on the floor. The iRobot Roomba i3+ is equipped with a pair of Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes and a specially designed edge-sweeping brush and will even alert you when it has a build of crud (clean brushes). During cleanings, it uses iRobot’s Dirt Detect technology to identify areas of built-up dirt and will go over the area multiple times until it's cleaned. It's also equipped with a High-Efficiency Filter that captures 99 percent of cat and dog allergens.

The iRobot Roomba i3+ uses light touch bumper technology to identify walls and other objects that may be in the way. When the iRobot Roomba i3+ bumps into an object it automatically changes direction. After a few cleanings using the Roomba i3+ in my kitchen, I decided to move the chairs in my kitchen out of the way to allow for better seamless cleaning under the table, but it's definitely not necessary, the Roomba can get under the chairs fine without getting stuck. Another great thing is the iRobot Roomba i3+ detects stairs, so you don’t have to worry about it falling and something breaking on the vacuum. 

After the iRobot Roomba i3+ has done its cleaning or if we return it to its home base it has a self-emptying Clean Base which is attached to the charging docking station. This is quite loud when the debris gets sucked out, the suction is unbelievable, so the three seconds of loudness doesn’t bother me and I know that the vacuum has been emptied and ready for its next job.

The iRobot Roomba i3+ has a lithium-ion for efficient charging and use. The Recharge and Resume feature that allows them to automatically Recharge when they’re running low on battery in the middle of cleaning. The Clean base also comes with two disposable bags. 

Here's the bottom line, as a first-time user, the pros to using the iRobot Roomba i3+; it was an easy setup, it has stair detection, the suction is great, it's appealing to the eye, and allows me to have time doing other things when I'm home. There's not really any cons besides the loud suction noise when the vacuum is emptying the bin, which again, last a few seconds and I am assured that the vacuum is empty to start the next job.  This iRobot Roomba i3+ has a great run time and gets out of spots it gets trapped into. It runs fast and is a little loud when it is running but that just means it's pulling out all the dirt and dust in the carpet and other floor areas in your home. It cleans the tray out, so you never have to touch it. I am fully satisfied. 


With the holidays around the corner, the iRobot Roomba i3+ would make a great gift to family, friends, or even as a gift to yourself. For more information about the Roomba i3+ and other iRobot products,   be sure to head to www.irobot.ca. To see a video of the i3+ in action be sure to check out our Instagram page as we've shared it over there. 


Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Roomba i3+ at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received