From My Vanity

Beauty, Skincare, and a bit of Lifestyle

Save money and win a Flexi-Clip from Lilla Rose! (Giveaway)

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Have you ever heard of Lilla Rose? If you haven’t, then you’ve really been missing out! Keep reading to find out what this awesome brand is all about, how you can save money this weekend, AND how you can win a Lilla Rose Flexi-clip for yourself!

BTW, my sister, Jessica, just recently became a consultant for Lilla Rose. I’m SOOO excited for her as she begins this new venture! If you don’t already have a Lilla Rose consultant, I really hope you consider going with her, liking her Facebook page, and — if you plan to order some clips — ordering through her. Lilla Rose is an awesome brand and Jessica is passionate about their flexi-clips! 🙂

“What is Lilla Rose?”

Lilla Rose is a company that’s all about the hair. 🙂 First began in California back in 1992 (the year I was born!), it has now grown into a large company with consultants all over the United States. The product line is focused around unique, functional, and well made hair jewelry. They sell many different items such as headbands, hair sticks, and even badge holders! But what they’re most famous for are their flexi-clips!

Alright, so now that you know what Lilla Rose is all about, I have some really exciting news to share with you. This weekend is the BEST time for you to get your first flexi-clip to try out, because they’re ON SALE!! 😀

Yep! What better time to try something out than when you can get it at a discounted price?! And, trust me, this is a clip that you’re going to love and use very often!! I currently own two of their flexi-clips, and love them. 🙂

“How can I save money on Lilla Rose?”

There is a sale going on — that’s how! 🙂 All the information you need is in the infograph below!!

Sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it?? What better time to try out some hair accessories than when you can get them at a discounted price??

I personally own two flexi-clips, and my sisters all use the flexi-clips in their hair. It’s really a beautiful way to fancy-up your hair styles without having to go to any extra effort on your part. And, hoenstly, the flexi-clips are so easy to use! Just watch this video and you’ll be a pro in no time!

“Did you say Giveaway?”

You heard me correctly! This post just keeps getting better and better, because — yes — I do have a giveaway for you today! 😀

Jessica was sweet enough to not only want to inform everyone about this awesome sale on Lilla Rose, but she’s also giving one follower of LoaW a chance to win an item from her Lilla Rose store, up to a $16 value!! Many thanks to Jessica for sponsoring this giveaway!

Details: USA only and you must be a follower of my blog. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below and make sure you follow all instructions! This giveaway ends on Friday, November 1st, at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Moisturizing and Cooling Under-Eye Treatment that Works Great! (Skincare Review)

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Okay, today I’ve got a review for you that I’m really excited to talk about! Please note – I purchased this item with my own money. It was just such a fabulous product, I had to tell someone! 🙂

Simple Sensitive Skin Experts – Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
Brand – Simple
Retail Price – $12.99

About the Simple Brand 
“When it comes to gentle yet effective skincare, Simple knows that what is left out is as important as what is put in. Developed in the United Kingdom in 1960, the Simple brand was one of the first to create a cleansing product for sensitive skin with no artificial perfume and no dyes. Today, Simple products are still made with no dyes, artificial perfumes, or harsh chemicals that can upset skin. The UK’s number one skincare line, Simple made its US debut in 2012 with a full range of products made with skin-loving ingredients and vitamins designed for natural, healthy-looking skin.

What does the Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
do for you?

Reduces Puffiness Around Eyes – Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
gently massages your delicate eye area, waking up tired eyes and reducing puffiness. Use it in the morning, while traveling, after a workout, or anytime you need a little revitalization.

Cucumber Extract and Glycerin Known to Energize the Skin – The roll-on contains a blend of cucumber extract and glycerin known to help calm and nourish skin, so you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Vitamin B5 Known to Restore and Soften – Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
contains pro-vitamin B5 which is known to help soften and smooth delicate eye skin.
Perfect Even for Sensitive Skin – With no dyes, artificial perfumes, or harsh chemicals that can upset skin, Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
won’t irritate the sensitive skin around your eyes. Dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested, the roll-on can be used safely while wearing contact lenses.

My Review…

Before I get into my thoughts on this product, let me first explain what compelled me to try this product from Simple. I’ve never really had to do anything to my eyelids – haven’t used lotions, creams, serums. They’ve just been fine, and since I tend to want to have a really easy regimen for my skin, I’ve never bothered to add it into my regimen. But, for the past several months, my eyelids have gotten really dry and flaky. It varies, but some days my eyelids would get so dry that they would literally hurt!

I’d tried rubbing a little Jojoba oil and while it did help, it never completely fixed the problem and my eyelids would get dry again. So I decided to give Simple’s Revitalizing Eye Roll-On
a try. I already use their facial washes and moisturizers and LOVE everything this brand stands for.

And I am SO glad I gave this a try! It works amazingly well and exceeded my expectations – especially on how quickly it moisturized my eyelids and took away the flaky feel and texture. I use it in the morning and at night, when I put on my moisturizer, and the next day I could already tell a difference in my eyelids. While they were still a little flaky, they weren’t as bad and they didn’t hurt any more. On the third or fourth day of using it, the flakiness is totally gone and shows no sign of coming back – my eyelids are as smooth as ever! (Which is so nice — it was a nightmare trying to apply eyeshadow on lids that were flaking!)

All in all, I give this Revitalizing Eye Roll-On two BIG thumbs up! As I mentioned above, I love what the Simple brand is all about, and so finding something to nurture my eyes that has good vitamins and natural products with no perfumes, dyes, or harsh irritants. The metal roller ball on the tip of it feels amazing and cools my skin instantly. I will admit I was a little hesitant to purchase this product at first because of the price, but I’ve discovered that it is TOTALLY worth every penny you spend on it and I plan on repurchasing this item for years to come!

Another Post Featuring Grace Unplugged Today! (Review & Giveaway)

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Remember when I posted the giveaway for the book Grace Unplugged by Melody Carlson? Well, today I have more exciting things to bring you from Grace Unplugged! (As well as another giveaway! 🙂

For those of you who don’t know about Grace Unplugged, Let’s talk about the book/movie…

About the Movie:


A talented young singer and aspiring songwriter’s Christian faith and family ties are tested when she defies her worship-pastor father and pursues pop-music stardom in GRACE UNPLUGGED, a moving and inspiring new film that explores the true meaning of success.

Grace Trey has just turned 18 and aspires to do more than sing in her church’s worship band, which is led by her father, Johnny Trey, a one-time pop star who gave up his life in secular music when he became a Christian. Grace longs to escape his shadow and make a name for herself singing songs about something other than God, but Johnny warns her that fame is not as glamorous as it looks and reminds her that serving and worshipping God with the talent she’s been given is a far more worthwhile goal.

When Johnny’s former manager, Frank “Mossy” Mostin shows up 20 years after the two parted ways to offer him another shot at the big time, Johnny declines the opportunity. But Grace takes it – without telling her parents. She records a cover version of her father’s old Top 10 hit, runs away to Los Angeles and, under Mossy’s guidance, begins to taste the kind of success she’s always dreamed of, landing on the charts herself, attracting the attention of the entertainment press, even dating a popular TV star.  But with each rung of the ladder she climbs, Grace feels pressure to compromise her Christian values, and her relationship with her parents gets further strained. Even as plans move forward for her to record a follow-up album, Grace learns not everyone who says they’re on her side really is. The one exception is Quentin, an intern at her record company and a fellow Christian who urges Grace to reassess her choices and put God first again in her life. Will everything she experiences lead her to reject her faith … or rediscover it?

Starring AJ Michalka, James Denton, Kevin Pollack, Shawnee Smith, Michael Welch, and Jamie Grace, GRACE UNPLUGGED arrives in theaters October 4 from Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Inspired by a true story, GRACE UNPLUGGED is directed by Brad J. Silverman and produced by Russ Rice, the team behind NO GREATER LOVE.

Information on the movie…

Website  /   IMDB  /  Facebook
About the CD:

Sounds pretty good, huh? I thought so! I was so excited and thrilled when I was given the opportunity to receive the Grace Unplugged CD
that features the music from the movie! Totally, cool, right? I always enjoy reviewing music CD’s, but don’t usually get the opportunity. The neat thing about this CD is that it features songs from several different artists! I’m going to run down the list of songs that come in this CD and also include which artist sings them. 🙂

Please Note: AJ Michalka is the main character in Grace Unplugged (Just in case you are unfamiliar with the name. 🙂

All I’ve Ever Needed – AJ Michalka
Desert Song – AJ Michalka
You Never Let Go – AJ Michalka (with James Denton)
Misunderstood – AJ Michalka
Holding On – Jamie Grace
Our God – Chris Tomlin
Steal My Show – TobyMac
In And Out Of Time – Colton Dixon
The Void – Nine Lashes
The Space Between Us – Shawn McDonald
Welcome To Daylight – Luminate
Amazing Grace (Instrumental) – Josh Wilson 
I’ve had a few weeks to listen to the CD and now I’m bringing you my thoughts on this CD! 🙂
My Review:

AJ Michalka has such a beautiful voice! I don’t know if she is a new artist, but I know she was new to me! After listening to four of her songs on the Grace Unplugged CD
 CD, I’ve really grown to like her voice. It’s very clear and sweet and gives an innocence and beauty to the songs that I absolutely love.

Depending on your denomination and doctrine, you may like or not like the words in the song. I found them to be okay – I wouldn’t call them deep, but I wouldn’t call them bad either. My favorite song from AJ Michalka would have to be All I’ve Ever Needed. It’s a very moving song and one I hope will touch people in their personal lives and drive them back to Christ.

There were several other songs in the CD that I really enjoyed, such as Holding On by Jamie Grace. The opening to In and Out of Time by Colton Dixon was kind of loud and hard — when I pressed play before going to bed, I’d end up being jolted awake when this song started! — I did like the song. Pretty catchy tune/words, too! 🙂

My least-favorite song would have to be The Void by Nine Lashes. I personally don’t like that hard music — when it sounds like the artists are on the verge of yelling or something. And the music wasn’t restful or peaceful. Some people might like this type of music, but it’s just not my cup of tea. 🙂

All in all, I really enjoyed listening to the Grace Unplugged CD
! There were many artists in the CD that I know and enjoy listening to, and getting introduced to AJ’s beautiful voice was great, too! I’ll be on the lookout for future songs by AJ, that’s for sure. 🙂

I reviewed this CD for Grace Hill Media – special thanks to Briana for setting this up! It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Giveaway!

Okay! So today I have the CD for 12 songs from the movie, Grace Unplugged
, that I’ll be giving to one winner. 🙂 All you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below in order to get a chance to win the CD! This giveaway will run until October 21st at midnight.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

What I Got This Week! (Readers Opinion Wanted at End of Post!!!)

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I was so excited to receive a package from LORAC Cosmetics in my mailbox this week, I just wanted to take the time to post about it to yall! 😀

Before I continue, if you don’t know what LORAC is, let me explain. 🙂 As mentioned above, it’s a cosmetic company that was created by Carol Shaw – the daughter of a hairstylist and manicurist. Over the years LORAC has grown into a brand like no other — it is the Red Carpet Authority and has unparalleled access to celebrities, which says a lot about the brand!!

In their own words, “As a brand that puts care before color, but sacrifices neither, LORAC‘s treatment-based makeup is truly unique. From the plant extracts, emollients, skin rejuvenators, and conditioners they pack in their products, to the stuff left out (oil, fragrance, and other harsh ingredients), every LORAC product fulfills Shaw’s dream to design makeup that makes you look gorgeous like the stars do — without appearing as if you’re wearing much at all.”

So now that you know a little bit about the brand, I can now talk to you about the products I received to review from LORAC. It will take me a little while to go through and review everything, since I want to give each product sent to me it’s own review, but that just means more for you all to look forward to! 😀

For today’s post, I’m just going to give you a rundown of everything I received from them. As you could see from the picture above, there are several different items!

The first thing I noticed right off the bat is the Unzipped eyeshadow palette that comes with a deluxe sample of their Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. Since I am a big eyeshadow junkie (I LOVE playing with new shadows and different colors) I was thrilled to get this palette, as well as the Pro To Go eye and cheek palette. This little duo palette will come in super handy for when I travel and don’t want to take a bunch of stuff with me!

They also sent along one of their Natural Performance Foundations for me to try. I’m always on the lookout for a good foundation that will give me great coverage (since I deal with acne and hyper pigmentation a lot!) but keep my face look natural and not too cakey. So I’m excited to give this one a try! The next product was their Front of the Line Pro water-resistant liquid eyeliner. The color I received was brown, and since I only owned black liquid eyeliners before this, I was really excited about this one! The last item in my LORAC bundle was their Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss in Intermix. The color is a kind of bronzed pink – which is usually the kinds of lip colors I like to wear, so it worked perfectly!

Well, there you have it! That’s my exciting package I received in the mail this week. 🙂 I look forward to bringing y’all reviews in the near future!

I know I don’t usually post a “What’s in My mailbox” kind of thing…but I’m seriously reconsidering doing that on occasion. I’d love to get your opinion on it! Would you be interested in reading a “What’s in My Mailbox” post? I don’t think I’d post it once a week or anything (since i don’t get things that frequently), but maybe whenever I do get something in the mail. Please just feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!! 

(Just as a disclaimer, I am only posting this to 1) help spread the word about LORAC and 2) show you what to expect as I break down this large bundle into several single reviews over the next few weeks. Easier than trying to pack it all into one post! Many, many thanks to LORAC for sending me these review items! 🙂

Don’t Miss Out on Seeing ‘Alone Yet Not Alone’ IN THEATERS!

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If y’all missed my posts on Alone Yet Not Alone – the movie that just came out and is based on the true story of two young girls who were taken by Indians in 1755 after the Penn’s Creek Massacre. The original novel was written by the several-times great granddaughter of Barbara Leininger, Tracy Leininger Craven, and has finally been produced into a movie! (If you didn’t read my original post, catch up by reading this post.)

Alone Yet Not Alone was one of the first “big books” I read after I learned to read, and was the first book that I experienced that “edge-of-your-seat suspense” that you get when you read an incredible story. So, all that to say, I have a really big passion for this book. Over the course of the years, I have lost count of the number of times I’ve reread the book – and each time I am once again caught up in the adventure, struggles, and heartache that Barbara encounters. I just LOVE this book and think EVERYONE should read it!

And, hey, now that it’s in movie form, if you don’t like to read, than you can go watch it!!!!


Why am I bringing this movie up again? Because, since it did so well in theaters it’s opening weekend, it is now open for another weekend. I’d really love to see this movie excel and maybe, even, be able to get into more theaters (so people who are in little cities–LIKE ME!!!!–might get the opportunity to see the movie in their theaters).

If you’re not sure which cities are showing Alone Yet Not Alone in theaters, I’ve listed them for you below. If you live in this town and are able, go and see the movie! I haven’t seen the movie myself yet, but I know the story will capture your attention and you will not be disappointed!

If you don’t live in any of this cities, but know someone who does…call them and encourage them to go watch it in theaters! Below are several links where you can connect with Alone Yet Not Alone so you can stay informed of where the movies are showing and – hopefully! – where they are coming next!! 😀

And, lastly, make sure you watch the trailer (below) to get a taste of what this movie will be like. I’ve watched it so many times….I’m DYING to see it! So those of you who live in one of the cities named above and have that opportunity…make sure you take it!! 😀

Changes are in the Wind for LoaW!

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For me, personally, 2013 has been a very busy and life-changing year for me. I definitely am not the same person I was just one year ago! God is so good and gracious to His people!

But, anywho, the point of this post is to inform you of some of the changes that will be coming to Legacy of a Writer. Some of it you might already have noticed, but this is going to be the official “FYI” (for your information) and heads up of what is to come.

If you’ve been following my blog from the beginning (or since around 2010) you’ll know that Legacy of a Writer was originally created to post about my own writing adventures…and then when I discovered the world of book reviewing for authors and publishers, I began posting my reviews, author interviews, and book giveaways. I’ve done that, almost exclusively, since I began blogging.

I think it was sometime last year that I started dabbling in the world of product reviews a bit. I just did a few things, here and there, like a movie review and some jewelry reviews and giveaways. The response I got from you all was really positive!

With so much in my personal life changing (if you are unaware of what those changes are, read this post…and than this post after that), I’ve noticed that the added pressure to get books read and reviewed on time have caused a lot of personal stress for me. It’s been hard to admit (because I do so LOVE to read!!) but I’ve come to the realization that I just can’t review books like I used to. I don’t find enough free time at the end of the night to read like I used to — and (maybe I’m just getting old!) I can’t stay up as late as I used to, either!

What was I to do? I didn’t want to give up blogging and interacting with you all. So, after a lot of praying and thinking, I’ve decided to give my blog a little shift in directions. While I still want to read and review books (since I do LOVE to read!), I am going to ease off of the amount of books I select to review.

What will I be posting about instead? Lord willing I will begin bringing more product reviews to you, my faithful readers. I have a lot of ideas running around in my head, and have already started getting a few in motion.

I hope that you all will still continue this new venture with me — as I said, I promise I am not stopping book reviews all together. I will definitely still be reviewing books on Legacy of a Writer! But not as frequently, I’m afraid. And in the place of that I plan to bring you new and exciting stuff! Want a hint? Well, one of them has to do with what I’ve learned the past year in cosmetology school. Yeah! Beauty-related posts! And, who knows, as I begin exploring this new direction for Legacy of a Writer, I’m sure I’ll be having even more exciting giveaways to share with you all as well!

Thank you all so much for following Legacy of a Writer – especially those of you who have been here from as far back as 2010. It really means a lot to me to have your support and to read all the lovely comments you bring.

I hope you’re all as excited about this as I am! Be looking for some awesome giveaways in the very near future. 🙂

ATTENTION: People who live in Raleigh, North Carolina – enter to win tickets to see Alone Yet Not Alone!!

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Okay, I am SO excited about this giveaway! As the title states, this giveaway is only for people who live near Raleigh, North Carolina. So if you know anybody in that area, make sure you send them to this blog – this giveaway is only going to be live for a few days. So take advantage of this opportunity while you can!!

Now here are the specifics…

Alone Yet Not Alone will be coming to theaters on September 27th, and I am working with FlyBy Promotions to get some tickets out to y’all before the release date! There are several bloggers in on this fun opportunity, so if you don’t live around Raleigh, do a bit of research on Google and see if any of the other giveaways are near you!

If you missed my previous giveaway for the movie edition book of Alone Yet Not Alone you can read it here, or just check out the synopsis below. 🙂

Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America’s new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. That is, until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French and Indian War and the devastating raid known as the Penn’s Creek Massacre.

The lives of this simple, God-fearing family are forever altered when Barbara and Regina, two young sisters, are carried away by the Delaware tribe. Driven by their faith in God and the powerful bonds of family, Barbara and Regina hold firmly to the belief that they are never alone, even in their darkest hour, and that they will be reunited again.
Rich in historical details, Alone Yet Not Alone is an inspirational, true story of a family caught in the cross fire of the French and Indian War. 

And then here is the trailer…

Pretty cool, huh? So don’t miss this opportunity! Tell all your family and friends that live near Raleigh, North Carolina to come and enter in the Rafflecopter form below, and you could win TWO TICKETS to go see Alone Yet Not Alone when it releases. There are going to be 5 WINNERS for this giveaway, so the chances of you winning are pretty high!

I’d hate to see anybody miss out on this giveaway! So spread the news to anybody you know in Raleigh, North Carolina. They could win and be on there way to seeing this movie in theaters with another special somebody on September 27th!

Enter in the rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends on Tuesday. September 16th at midnight. I know this is a pretty short giveaway, but we need time to get the tickets mailed to the winner. 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stay connected with Alone Yet Not Alone through these sites below…