Lisa Hoffman Fragrances

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

If you are looking for a fragrance to try, or find a gift for any fragrance lover in your life, we just tried Lisa Hoffman fragrance for the first time. The Brazilian Begonia Bracelet actually just won the 2015 ICMAD award (Independent Cosmetics Manufacturers And Distributors). Lisa Hoffman is an award-winning perfumer, jewelry designer, American business woman, mother, & wife to actor Dustin Hoffman.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Hoffman

In addition to regular perfume, she also has a line of scented fragrance beads that get placed into jewelry like: bracelets, necklaces, & earrings. The fragrance beads are eco-friendly and and made from the highest standard of pure perfume.

They sent me the  Holiday Floral Travel Trio to check out and it came with Madagascar Orchid, Tunisian Neroli, and Brazilian Begonia. They have a variety of scents to pick from in addition to these to find your signature scent.

UP TO 75% OFF FRAGRANCE JEWELRY FOR BLACK FRIDAY!!

You can find out more about the company, and order here:
http://www.lisahoffmanbeauty.com/shop/perfume/eau-de-parfum

Photo courtesy of Lisa Hoffman

Bolder Band Giveaway!

Enter to win this fun polka dot band by just telling us what State you are celebrating Thanksgiving in this year, and you will be automatically entered to win this Bolder Band! Winner will be contact on Friday through email.

Jack's Fancy Shoes

If you like horses, or know someone who does, these would make the perfect gift. Sylvie made me these custom horse shoes and I love them! I grew up having been around horses my whole life because my mother adores them. She use to ride her horses for Bird Dog Field Trials as a hobby in her younger days with my father, and now in her retirement she likes to watch the horses roam the fields on her farm.

Jack's Fancy shoes does custom beaded horse shoes from recycled shoes and you can pick your favorite glass or stone bead colors, send them a charm, or pick from the ones she has. They start around $25 depending on how "fancy" you want to get.

I originally came across Sylvie's work at a local fair. My children ran through a Craft Tent and her works of art caught me eye, and as we coasted by, I grabbed her card off the table. A few months later, I met up with Sylvie again at a horse pull on a farm. I gave her two old rusted horse shoes that had come off of my mom's horses.

These are what she gave back me:

They are special because to me because #1) the shoes came from the horses my mom loves to watch for many years #2) I had Sylvie use the color stones of our family. My children were both born in December so they are turquoise, my husband was born in February so he is amethyst, and I was born in August so I am peridot.  She intertwined silver metal throughout the shoe and added little silver hearts for me.

She has tons of creations to pick from that she has designed herself, or you can do the whole custom thing. These are great to hang over a door for a good luck, but you can get creative and put them anywhere like on your kids bedroom door, the stall of your horse, a garage or shed decoration.

You can check out her designs, and get in contact with Sylvie here:
http://jacksfancyshoes.weebly.com/

The Organic Face

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

The Organic Face was started by Noreen Diani in 2013, and she had over 18 years experience as a makeup artist and skin allergies as her motivation behind her. The Organic Face is dedicated to making natural, chemical-free, organic cosmetics made with the finest ingredients. They offer organic lip gloss, lipstick, eyeliners, soaps, eyes shadows, bronzers, blush, & foundation in a variety of shades and styles. The company is based of Jackson, NJ and all the products are made in the USA.

Everything is 40% off on Cyber Monday, so it would be a great time to stock up and pick out a few stocking stuffers for yourself. They sent me the Addiction Lip Gloss to try out in Dusty Rose and I love it. It's a frosted pink lip gloss that's super-shiny and made with organic cocoa & shea butter so it glides on smooth and feels good on your lips.

Find out more about The Organic Face, or you can order here:
http://www.theorganicface.net/

LOOK BETTER. FEEL BETTER. BE BETTER.

#whatsinyourmakeup

Lola Granola

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

Lola Granola was started by a family that had once turned to food banks & public assistance when times were hard for them. Mary and Ernie were doing the best they could, and Ernie was eating junk food because it was cheaper than eating healthier more expensive choices.  Mary's kids also had soy and gluten allergies, so she started whipping up these granola bars in her kitchen for a healthier alternative. Fast Forward. They started a whole line of Granola bars called Lola Granola and named the 5 different flavors after each of their kids & family members. They are out of Croton Falls, NY. The bars are wonderful and we are really enjoying them. They are dense and packed with flavor for such few ingredients.

These are the flavors:

THE LOLA - The original! Lola is teeming with vibrant cranberries and almonds
THE RUBY - Ruby is abounding with robust cranberries
THE ELLIE - Ellie is chock full of succulent dates and cashews
THE ENZO - Enzo is packed with hearty almonds and cashews
THE NATHAN - Nathan is brimming with delectable blueberries and almonds

Their motto is Clean, Simple, Good. The bars are made with oats, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and only sweetened with honey, they are gluten free, and they are non-GMO. You can find out more about the company here: http://www.lolagranolabar.com/

You can find the bars at most Whole Foods and Big Y's in Connecticut, or you can do a search to find your closest retailer here:
http://lola-granolabar.myshopify.com/apps/store-locator

Not only are they making a healthy snack, they are a charitable company and they give back. They know what it's like to have the shoe on the other foot. They donate to backpack programs for children as risk for hunger and they partner with retailers to support their charitable community efforts. The whole month of November if you buy a whole box of granola bars, they will donate a box to three local food banks. Way to go Lola Granola!! Here's to making it through tough times and coming out on top!

Revolutionary Powercycles by Giacomo Fansano

Book review by Lisa VanWilliams

This book is like a college course packed into 585 pages! I started reading it and it's going to take me a while (like maybe all Winter). It's FILLED with lots of information and food for thought. Giacomo believes that 68 minutes of vigorous and slow-paced running to achieve the highest amount of sweat extraction helps to eliminate cumulative toxicants that can lead to many illnesses. It's a pretty in depth view and he goes over the whole program and how it's designed to work for your body. 

Here's the press release summary:

Sweating your way to optimal health
Giacomo Fasano highlights the benefits of detoxifying the body through running in new fitness book

MAHWAH, N.J. – The fundamentals of fitness have been under our noses forever, but some aspects have not been diligently recognized.

In “Revolutionary Powercycles,” Giacomo Fasano presents an 8-year self-study of his unique exercise regimen, Powercycle68, which combines 68 minutes of vigorous and slow-paced running to achieve the highest amount of sweat extraction.

Lead and other toxic metals present in sweat are cumulative toxicants that affect multiple bodily systems that can lead to many illnesses like cancer, tumors, depression, high blood pressure and premature aging. The World Health Organization says there is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe, and that lead can enter the body through environmental contamination or ingestion.

“The pragmatic approach to targeted lead removal in Powercycle68, known as progressive displacement, is like a reverse vitamin to our bodies,” Fasano said.

By following Giacomo’s fitness plan, readers currently undergoing cancer treatments can also improve their health through progressive displacement by lowering the levels of arsenic toxicity in their bodies caused by radiation or chemotherapy drugs while generating new, healthy cells in the brain, lungs and other organs.

“I am of the strong opinion that the calculated, systematic and consistent removal of lead and other bad toxins from the body can only begin to have mankind be taller and better than cancer and other ailments,” Fasano said.

For more information, visit http://www.revolutionarypowercycles.com.

“Revolutionary Powercycles”
By Giacomo Fasano
ISBN: 978-1-50351-252-8
Available in hardcover, softcover and e-book
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris

About the author
Giacomo Fasano has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and a law degree from Pace University School of Law. His passion for health and fitness is well into its fourth decade, having logged more than 14,000 miles of running throughout the last 10 years.

lauren b. Beauty

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

Lauren B. Beauty offers a full line of luxury nail polishes inspired by glamorous Los Angeles. They are proudly made in the USA without any harsh chemicals, and vegan-friendly. It's fast drying and has a super shine & chip-resistant finish. The colors are explosive and they make a POP of color to attract the eyes to your nails. They sent me SUNSET BLVD and POLO LOUNGE PUNCH to check out. The bottles go for around $18, so if you are looking to splurge, this would be a treat. But, sometimes you have to pay more for no poisons and better quality. The polish glides on smooth and I was able to get full coverage with two coats and it dried quickly.

Polo Lounge Punch color & photo by lauren b.

Sunset Strip color & photo by lauren b.

They also offer a special collection nail set called lauren b. Cares and they will donate 20% of the proceeds to Chrysalis which is an organization that provides men and women with a second chance to rebuild their lives through employment. Thanks lauren b. for helping make a difference! To check out the set, please view it here:
http://www.laurenbbeauty.com/product_info.php?products_id=84

To find out more about lauren b. Beauty and check out the vibrants colors, please go to:
http://www.laurenbbeauty.com/

Roads Fragrances & Candles

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

I think I first came across Roads perfume when I was daydreaming on Barney's website one day. Roads is out of Dublin, Ireland and they are a contemporary and highly creative lifestyle brand. Roads Fragrances was founded by Danielle Ryan and she is all about sensory experiences. The fragrances have several combined notes in each version to make them distinct. This luxury crafted brand is all about unique, exquisite, scents delivered through perfumes & candles. Danielle has said that,

"Scent has a hugely emotive effect on us as humans, but it can be so subtle that we don't realize the effect that it is having. Perfume is a very artistic form of self expression. It can create and atmosphere around you all day that gives a particular message to the people you meet. It might not always be so noticeable, but it creates a strong subliminal impression."

Roads has 14 different distinct fragrances to pick from:

• I AM DANCE
• AFROPOLIS
• PAST | PRESENCE
• BIG SKY
• SUPERNOVA
• WHITE NOISE
• THIS WEEKEND
• CLOCKWORK
• HARMATTAN
• GRADUATE 1954
• CLOUD 9
• BITTER END
• LIGHTS
• NEON

If you can't decide, go with the selection box so you can go with what scent suits your mood. They also make a line of Perfumed Candles that smell just as amazing as the perfumes and it comes in:

• KEEP KISSING
• PAPER PINK
• HOTEL SAFFRON
• MOON GARDEN
• BLACK DOOR

They are sure to add ambience and a great scent to any room. 

Roads was kind enough to send me some samples of their high quality products to review. 

Thank You Roads! They have a great variety and a scent for everyone. The candles are beautifully scented and create a sensual atmosphere.

If you want to find out more about Roads you can go to:

http://roads.co/about

If you want to order any or the perfumes of candles, you can find them at Barney's:

http://www.barneys.com/search?q=roads&simplesearch=Go

Nourish Organic - Food For Healthy Skin

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

Fresh out of Beaver Falls, PA we bring you Nourish Organic. They were the first to launch a full line of organic skincare products way back in 2003. Not only are they natural and organic, they are cruelty free, gluten-free, and mostly vegan. Since most of what goes onto your skin is absorbed into your body, it's a good idea to make sure you using quality products like these. Plus, they are a socially responsible company and they give back. If you read the reviews on Amazon for their products, they are scoring 4 out of 5 or higher on most of them (they are killing it). We were thrilled they sent us a package of their best sellers to check out for ourselves. Here are few of the items we got to check out:

Moisturizing Organic Face Cleanser with Cucumber & Watercress - this is really good stuff, but don't get fooled by the name, it's fragrance free. I keep waiting for the cucumber and it never comes.

Ultra-Hydrating Organic Face Cream Argan & Pomegranate - rich creamy formula, great for harsh weather protection from the elements. A little goes a long way, and it has a mild enjoyable scent.

Refreshing & Balancing Face Toner with Rose Water & Witch Hazel - remove impurities without stripping skin of essential moisture. If your feeling tired, pump it up baby. It smells like you got kissed by a bouquet of roses.

Renewing + Cooling Eye Treatment Cream with Avocado & Argan Oil - revive and hydrate tired eyes with this and watch it reduce puffiness and dark circles.

Skin-Softening Organic Body Butter - rich, creamy, and ultra-hydrating even for the driest skin. Melts into skin quickly and a light scent lingers.

All of their packaging is made with at least 25% post-consumer recycled content. Nourish Organic also supports a number of charities and organizations on both a local and national level.

They also offer several other great Fragrance Collections like the Facial Collection, the Argan Collections, Almond Vanilla, Fresh Fig, Lavender Mint, Pure Unscented, Wild Berries, Lemon Thyme, & Tropical Coconut.

You can find Nourish Organic at Whole Foods and Target locations, or you can order online here:
http://nourishorganic.com/

Bolder Headband Giveaway!

We just got our Bolder Band in the mail! Yay! Even better, the ladies over at Bolder Band gave me an extra one to share with our readers! We will be doing a band Giveaway later in the week, so stay tuned! Black band for me and the white with black polkadots will be given away to one select winner! Will I actually be able to see for a change while I'm working out, without my hair in my face, and annoying little wisps tickling my face? I will let you know!

If you don't win, we will give you the next best thing, a coupon code!
http://www.bbolder.com/

NuGo Nutrition Protein Bars

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

We took 4 NuGo Fiber d'LISH bars out with us on a family hike, and none of them made it back to the car. Coconut Macaroon, Cinnamon Raisin, Peanut Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Brownie are the bars we took with us and the Coconut and Cinnamon were my two fav's out of the bunch.

Nugo offers a full line of organic Non-GMO protein bars such as: Dark, Organic, Gluten Free, Slim, Stronger, Family, Fiber, & Smarte Carb in a variety of flavors.They also offer low-sugar bars for diabetics, vegan no soy bars, and even dialysis snack bars.

To find out more about NuGo, please go to:
http://www.nugonutrition.com/

To find a store near you that sells them, please go to:
http://www.nugonutrition.com/where-to-buy/?search=06461&geolocation=&radius=20&cat=location

They also donate a portion of proceeds to the Children's Alopecia Project (CAP), which is the only non-profit devoted specifically to all forms of alopecia. Their mission is to "help any child in need who is living with this life-altering disease to build self-esteem so children become stronger teens, more productive adults, and the advocates of tomorrow."
Thanks NuGo for the samples!

Raw Spirit Fragrances

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

Want to smell fab with sustainably resourced natural ingredients and support a socially conscious business? Raw Spirit is the answer. Russell James started the brand with a vision that he could bridge together indigenous and marginalized communities throughout the world, and work together for a common good. James does this through a organization called Nomad Two Worlds. He does this by collaborating with them to bring us luxury consumer products, which in return, brings them economic benefit to their communities. It also helps to further the public's understanding and appreciation of the world's most threatened cultures.

For example, one of Raw Spirits hot fragrances right now is Winter Oak. The Winter Oak fragrance was "inspired by the Chumash Lands of California, where the Oak Trees figure prominently in the history and the culture of the Chumash people. Part proceeds of Winter Oak will be used to support the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks,California." These scents are all about living in harmony and connecting with nature. The world is bigger than our backyards, and this company helps put that in perspective.

Winter Oak is smooth, creamy, warming scent, plus it's unisex. The scent was inspired by walking the oak-lined trails of the Chumash Lands of California on cool winter mornings, when crushed oak leaves and twigs release their fresh scent. Notes of ages American oak and layers of suede, saffron, premium Haitian vetiver and musk.

Wild Fire is also a hot scent this time of year with a dry, woody, sensual scent (also unisex). It was inspired by the intoxicating scent of the Western Australian outback in the intense heat of summer. The dry air tingles as wild fire threatens. Premium wild-harvested Australian sandalwood with creamy amber and floral notes of ylang ylang, jasmine petals, cedarwood, and musk. My daughter said I smelled good when I breezed by her with this on.

They also offer: Fire Tree, Desert Blush, Bijou Vert, Citadelle, & Summer Rain

If you aren't sure which of the 7 fragrances would suit you, you can always get the Raw Spirit Discovery set for $20 and try a sample vial of all of them.

We tried all of them and they are a high quality blend of scents that last all day. I have not decided which one I liked the best so far. Thanks Raw Spirit! Keep up the great work.

To find out more about the company, or order a fragrance, please go to:
https://rawspiritfragrances.com/