The gifts included in this fun package include a 1oz. microdelivery wash, 2oz. amazing grace shower gel, 1oz. soul owner, and a single-use microdelivery peel foil in a black cosmetic bag. Glamorous Moms’ readers are invited to use  promo code “glamorous” at checkout. Click here to indulge and enjoy!

                    

Thankfully, several stores have grasped the importance of “natural” personal care products and have been providing healthier and safer beauty products and supplying them in designated isles and shelves giving you the opportunity to make the right choice for yourself. For example, back in 2008, the “mommy feel good store” Target created a “natural” beauty isle which sells products free of questionable ingredients such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates and phthalates.  The products sold in this section are NOT tested on animals and are packaged in recyclable materials only. This is just one store joining the party. There are many more well-known retailers and manufacturers today that are combining efforts to provide healthier “all natural” products. It’s true companies have been creating products with synthetic preservatives to maintain a longer shelf life yet, it’s time to worry about the shelf life of the consumer not the product.

Toxic exposure can be managed and cut down if your one to worry about what you’re putting on and in your body and are willing to make a change.  My first change is simply changing from drug store shampoos and conditioners to sulfate free formulas which I can buy a Target, select drug stores and beauty supply stores.  I was tired of my hair being dry and brittle and it seemed I bought more products to mask this problem when really it’s been a vicious circle all along. More money had went out the door for more products and salon visits but the problem never got better.  I didn’t realize the real root to my problem until one day my face and neck began to break out and give off a burning sensation directly after I washed and blow dried my hair.  I realized my body has changed during my motherhood years and a recent visit to the dermatologist taught me that I am suddenly allergic to parabens and sulfates. News to me….I realized I had to figure out my next step. AS soon as I made the change, I instantly noticed a difference in my skin and in the look and feel of my hair.

Although this is simply my situation alone, I do recommend listening to your body and taking any discomfort as a red flag.  Many of you haven’t experienced side effects like I have experienced and may never experience a problem such as mine. But, for those of you who are interested in which ingredients are better to be avoided, I have created a list below to keep you in the know.  Granted I have only given up favorite shampoos and conditioners thus far, I do admit, I’m going to be more careful with the beauty products I choose in the future and what their main ingredients entail.

Top 10 ingredients to avoid when going all natural.

1. Formaldehyde
2. Parabens
3. Phthalates
4. Synthetic Colors
5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
6. DMDM hydantonin
7. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
8. Synthetic Fragrance
9. Quaternium
10. TEA-DEA

                    

I don’t recommend wearing a full-blown evening look from day-to-day, but adding a few quick habits to your daily routine (even if you are just hanging out in your yoga pants all day) will make you feel better and ready to charge through the day.

Follow these six easy steps in the morning, before you start your day. Once you get the hang of them, you’ll find them to be  quick and effortless!

1. Start with concealer.  Apply on lids, under the eye, the creases of your nose around your nostrils, along lip line and apply one light strip down the center of your nose.
2. Add a skin tone shadow on lid
3. Add a light coat of mascara
4. Dust loose powder around face
5. Gently add blush upward from the apple of your cheek towards your temple
6. Apply your favorite long-lasting lip color to your lips. Choose a lighter color for day, keep the darker hues for night.

                    

1. Step up your workout – Make sure you’re allowing yourself a high intensity workout at least three days a week.  Walking around the gym lifting a few weights will not do the job, but getting that heart rate going and pushing yourself with more aerobic exercise will.  Try going to a high intensity aerobic class or include short bursts of jogging during your morning walks.
2. Drink lots of water – Water is necessary to process food in your body.  If you are dehydrated, your metabolism will slow down. Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and replace pretzels and chips with fruits and vegetables.
3. Eat more often – Yes you heard me right, eat more often! When you eat large meals and nothing in between, your metabolism will again, slow down.  A long as your choosing healthier foods, studies have proven that eating 3-4 times a day with healthy snacks in between keeps your metabolism going.
4. Eat spicy foods – Spicy foods rev up your metabolism into high gear.  If you only eat spicy foods (a spice level within reason) once in a while you’ll only receive a short-term effect.  But, if you make it a habit to eat spicy foods, the effect will become more long-term and continuous.
5. Add ice – An ice-cold drink will help your body burn more calories. According to WebMD, research has shown that 5-6 glasses of ice water will rev up your metabolism and allow you to burn nearly 10 calories a day.
6. Eat plenty of protein - When the body digests protein, it uses more energy as it does for fat and/or carbohydrates. If you eat a boat load of carbs, try replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods.  These can jump-start the metabolism at mealtime. Lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, eggs, and low-fat dairy products are all high in protein.
7. Avoid crash diets - Diets that include eating less than 1,000 calories a day are disastrous for anyone looking to speed up their metabolism. These diets may help you drop pounds but they also help you lose a high percentage of muscle. When your muscle mass is low, your metabolism is slow.

                    

Shannon Lazovski

Shannon Lazovski is the editor and owner of glamorousmoms.com.  She also owns detroitfashionnews.com, is a MichMoms blogger for the Detroit News and is the founder of Detroit Mom Bloggers; connecting mom bloggers in the Metro Detroit area with pr firms, brands and each other for social media campaigns.  She is a freelance writer, fashion and mom blogger, service & product reviewer, image consultant and make up artist wrapped up into one little beauty obsessed package eager to share what she knows to help others shine.  She loves to collect, jewelry, handbags and heels (typically the higher the better) and cannot get enough when it comes to the subjects of beauty and fashion.

This is a compensated campaign. Tweets, facebook entries and blog posts containing opinions and texts on this subject are and will be my very own.  I was provided with Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly, Vaseline® Lip Therapy Original®, Q-tips® Precision Tips™, a $25 gift card and information about the products by RocketXL. 

FTC Disclosure of Material Connection: While the publishers of this Blog received compensation for posts on this subject in the hope that it would be mentioned here, this Blog only recommends products or services used personally by its authors and believed to be enjoyed or relevant for its readers. This disclosure is made in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s Disclosure Requirements under 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

                    

Shannon Lazovski

Shannon Lazovski is the editor and owner of glamorousmoms.com.  She also owns detroitfashionnews.com, is a MichMoms blogger for the Detroit News and is the founder of Detroit Mom Bloggers; connecting mom bloggers in the Metro Detroit area with pr firms, brands and each other for social media campaigns.  She is a freelance writer, fashion and mom blogger, service & product reviewer, image consultant and make up artist wrapped up into one little beauty obsessed package eager to share what she knows to help others shine.  She loves to collect, jewelry, handbags and heels (typically the higher the better) and cannot get enough when it comes to the subjects of beauty and fashion.

This is a compensated campaign. Tweets, facebook entries and blog posts containing opinions and texts on this subject are and will be my very own.  I was provided with Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly, Vaseline® Lip Therapy Original®, Q-tips® Precision Tips™, a $25 gift card and information about the products by RocketXL. 

FTC Disclosure of Material Connection: While the publishers of this Blog received compensation for posts on this subject in the hope that it would be mentioned here, this Blog only recommends products or services used personally by its authors and believed to be enjoyed or relevant for its readers. This disclosure is made in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s Disclosure Requirements under 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

                    

Many get confused between the cold and the influenza virus because the symptoms are quite similar and are not very easy to differentiate. The flu symptoms entail coughing, season, runny nose, fatigue, nausea, aches, vomiting, diarrhea and fevers. Even though, we usually get the flu vaccine, these symptoms still may arise if we don’t take care of ourselves.  I’ve included five easy tips that we are going to follow to try to keep the cold and flu away and hope you and your little ones will benefit from them too.

• Take Vitamins – Research done earlier this year proved Vitamin A is necessary to fight both bacteria and viruses.  Vitamin A has an incredible anti-viral ability.  We can add more Vitamin A within our diets by eating butternut squash, leafy greens, carrots and sweet potatoes.  Vitamin D3 is also known for effectively fighting off bacterial and viral infections. One must be careful with the proper doses of D3 since it’s a water-soluble vitamin that accumulates over time, especially for children.  It’s best to check with your doctor and/or pediatrician if you have a concern or questions regarding proper intake and dosage. Typically a daily vitamin is enough for both children and adults combined with healthy eating habits.
• Wash Hands – As Moms, we all know washing hands is crucial.  It is the best way to limit  our exposure to contagious infections and illnesses.
• Get Ample Rest - Our everyday lives are stressful enough and when we don’t get enough rest, feeling more stressed and tired the next day adds to our vulnerability to catch the cold or flu.  Adults should have 7-10 hours of sleep a night and children need 9-14 hours of sleep each night.  Of course, this depends on the individual but staying within that range will allow our bodies to rest and rejuvenate for the next busy day.
• Eat Healthy – Proper diet is crucial to fight infections and to keep our body functioning properly.  Eating fruits and vegetables and lessening the amount of sugary foods and meals strengthen our immune systems.  A strong immune system is necessary to fight infections.
• Keep Hands Out of Mouth and Eyes – Washing our hands is one of the big rules, but it’s hard to avoid catching germs 100%.  If by chance we have  harmful germs on our hands and fingers, it’s important not to rub eyes or put fingers in our mouths.  I know this is hard for the kids but once the germs interact with our eyes and/or saliva, those germs can then be absorbed into our system leaving a not so happy child and/or parents.

                    

Is it possible to exercise less and burn more calories? Maybe so.  According to Glamour Magazine, fitness trainers across the country use a similar technique for fast results.  Which technique? While working out, experts say intense, fast intervals mixed with intervals of less intensive efforts will change  your body for the better in just a matter of a few weeks.  

The trick is to start with a fast, high intensity interval and alternate with an easier slower recovery interval. This allows you to burn calories during your highest intense work out moments and then allows you to recover and catch your breath during the recovery period allowing you to recharge for the next fast interval.  It has been said that this will allow you to burn 20 to 25 percent more calories if you repeat these high and low intervals during a full workout according to Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

Remember work outs are most effective when they are 30-40 minutes long and if your extremely winded then your doing too much and should slow down.  Beginners should start off slow and only push themselves to safe levels.  A good idea to make sure your not over doing it is by using the talking technique.  If your face is red, your gasping for air and you cannot carry a conversation, these are clues that you are pushing yourself too far.  One should be able to carry a light conversation during their work outs.

So there you have it.  Instead of working out steady walking from machine to machine in an hour, burst out with fast and slow intervals in a 40 minute time frame and you should see the pounds come off much quicker.

Photo-healthdietfitnesstips.com

Shannon Lazovski

Shannon Lazovski is the editor and owner of glamorousmoms.com.  She also owns detroitfashionnews.com, is a MichMoms blogger for the Detroit News and is the founder of Detroit Mom Bloggers; connecting mom bloggers in the Metro Detroit area with pr firms, brands and each other for social media campaigns.  She is a freelance writer, fashion and mom blogger, service & product reviewer, image consultant and make up artist wrapped up into one little beauty obsessed package eager to share what she knows to help others shine.  She loves to collect, jewelry, handbags and heels (typically the higher the better) and cannot get enough when it comes to the subjects of beauty and fashion.

                    

Available at Sephora.com and Sephora stores for $24.00.

                    

Dress Barn recently celebrated their store grand opening at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, Mi.  The Grand opening took place Friday, October 14, 2011 and the event featured snacks, hors d’oeuvres, great sales and Mary Kay product giveaways.

During the grand opening party, the store was quite busy with shoppers buying dresses for a local wedding, faux fur vests to keep warm in our Michigan weather and corporate seperates for work.

Dressbarn proudly supports the American Cancer Society and they usually celebrate by asking customers to take the “Pink Pledge” by purchasing a $5.00 stuffed animal.  This year the featured animal is Lilac the dog.  Lela, the grand opening door prize, was featured last year in stores nation wide. During the grand opening event, every customer received a Lela the lamb for free.

For you corporate gals,  Dress Barn’s Jones Studio section is filled with corporate separates with layering pieces.  Suit jackets and matching pants and skirts are available in conservative colors and are available in sizes 4-24.  Buying separates is key for women of all shapes and sizes because not one of us is perfectly the same measurement on top as we are on the bottom.  Buying separates gives you the luxury of buying the right sizes and mixing and matching different pieces to utilize your wardrobe choices longer. Dress Barn has a wide selection to help you build your worl wardrobe in a fun and afordable way.  Tanks, blouses and other tops in this section follow current color pop trends allowing you to have a pop of color with your conservative suit.  This opportunity also allows you to have fun with your work wardrobe.  In the store now, fuschia, cobalt blue and red are three colors available to add to the conservative corporate separates.

For the gals that need jackets and sweaters for Fall, this is the place to be.  Starting from the grand opening event and running until the Christmas Holiday, all sweaters are buy one get one 1/2 off.  Dressbarn sweaters are more on the dramatic side with ruffled trim and faux fur collars.  They also have styles available in duster lengths, 3/4 lengths and cropped lengths.

If your looking for cropped faux leathers, Dressbarn has those too.  Simply pick out a cropped jacket and wear it with your favorite feminine dress and you’ll be in style,  in season,  and definitly looking like your “in the know” with the current trends.

During the grand opening I noticed a wide variety of gift items as well.  The small gift section included dog sweaters, jewelry organizers, wine glasses and business card holders to name just a few. This section is by the registers next to the accessories, shape wear, hosiery and clutch purse and handbag collections.

All items in the store are under $100. They have everything you need for FallAs you can see, there are several reasons why you should stop by the new Dressbarn at Great Lakes Crossing. Faux fur vests and fun sweaters are my Fall favorites this year.  I even took a few photos for you of a few store favorites that are in stores now and are under $70.00.  Now that’s a deal!

A big thank you to Christina Strickland of detroitmommies.com and homeschoolingindetroit.com and Melissa Brodsky of rockanddrool.com for posing with me.

Dressbarn is located at 4146 Baldwin Rd, at Great Lakes Crossing, Auburn Hills, Mi.

 This is not a compensated post yet Dressbarn has provided a store gift card we will be giving away for our readers in our next giveaway. Tweets and blogs containing opinions and texts on this subject are my very own.

Shannon Lazovski, owner/editor of Glamorous Moms