Book Review - Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning writer Anatole France once penned, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."  Having a number of pets in my home, I always feel blessed; as if a little peace of heaven surrounds me.  Just the other day, I had learned of the story of Joey, the pit bull puppy that was placed in a plastic bag and thrown from a moving vehicle somewhere along the Sagtikos Parkway.  Animal lovers and decent human beings everywhere were immediately outraged. A reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible is being offered as Suffolk County Police look to bring justice for Joey.

For every horrible story we hear regarding animal cruelty, there are wonderful people that offer loving homes and rescue strays every day.  Some of these pets are in wonderful health, while others are plagued with disease or injury.  Enter Homer, a small kitten with a raging infection that threatened his eyes.  I came across this wonderful book on a recent trip to my local bookstore.

Book cover image from www.gwencooper.com

Ms. Cooper tells a wonderful tale about how Homer came into her life and, dare I say, changed her perspective on things, especially love and life.  We follow Homer's life from kittenhood to adult cat, from Florida to New York, after which I felt so connected to him.  I simply could not put the book down, even when I relived the horrible tragedy of 9/11 from Ms. Cooper's perspective.

Overall rating: Booyah!  I highly recommend reading this memoir, regardless of whether or not you have a pet.  It is very inspirational and uplifting and I thank Ms. Cooper for sharing Homer with the world.  In having read Homer's story, I reminisced on the lives of all the pets that have shared my life and have a deeper, more profound perspective on adversity, or, at least, on how it is perceived.  Please note that 10% of the author's domestic royalties are being donated to organizations focusing on abused, abandoned and disabled animals.  One such organization is the Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc.

"Animals are such agreeable friends -- they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms." - George Eliot

July 2012 BeautyBar.com/Allure Sample Society Shipment

Allure Magazine has partnered with BeautyBar.com in launching a beauty sampling program.  Each monthly shipment costs $15 dollars and contains 5 deluxe samples as well as a $15 gift code for a future purchase, and a booklet of tips.  If you end up using the code, the box pays for itself.

The July 2012 shipment contained the following:

• Borghese - Tono Body Creme (1 oz/28 g; full size 8.4 oz/$36.50) - An extra-rich treatment creme that locks in hydration with moisture intensifying molecules. 
  The body is veiled in invisible moisture, which becomes obvious in both the appearance and texture of the skin.
  Firms and smoothes skin tone.
  Features & Benefits:
  • Fennel, Witch Hazel, Matricaria, Horse Chestnut and Ivy Extracts - Hydrate skin and improve tone and texture
  • Acqua di Vita Living Water Complex - Restores all-over moisture balance
  • Peppermint, Rosemary, Lavender and Geranium Oils - Treat the senses to aromatherapy

• VBeauté- Eye Never Nourishing Repair Eye Crème (0.033 fl oz/1 ml sample; full size $85) - VBeaute Eye Never is an age-defining, line concealing eye cream that immediately smoothes and silkens the delicate skin around the eyes, minimizing the appearance of puffiness, lines and wrinkles. Formulated with the brand's powerful age-defying complexes, this eye cream boosts collagen production while protecting against free radical damage. At the same time, it helps increase moisture and relax muscle contractions to help prevent future signs of aging.

• Sisley-Paris - Hydra Global Intense Anti-Aging Hydration (0.14 oz/4g/4ml sample; full size 40ml/$250) - 


If you are suffering from major skin dehydration, turn to Sisley Hydra Global Intense Anti-Aging Hydration. Developed with a three-tiered approach to treatment, this formula uses botanical, mineral and aromatic extracts to replenish skin’s thirsty moisture cushion in the epidermis, dermis and stratum corneum layers of the skin. Skin is left intensely moisturized and revitalized, so that wrinkles and line lines are minimized and elasticity and youthful appearance are restored.
• Hydrating anti-aging skin treatment
• Utilizes botanical, mineral and aromatic extracts
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
• Restores skin’s elasticity and youthful appearance
Especially Suited For: All skin types
Essential Elements: Hydra Global features a unique combination of botanical (padina pavonica, wild pansy and chestnut), mineral (malachite) and aromatic extracts (essential oils of marjoram, lavender and sage) to hydrate and restore skin.
For Best Effect:Use Hydra-Global morning and night, on perfectly cleansed face and neck.

• Vincent Longo - Duo Eye Pencil - Sangria/White Glimmer (Full size 0.64 oz/1,81g/$26) - Smile your way through a glitzy event or a stop at the coffee shop with Vincent Longo’s Duo Lip Pencil. Providing you with maximum creativity and minimal guesswork, this smudge-resistant pencil is easy to apply and long-lasting. The soft texture and rich pigment allow for precise definition and shaping.
  
  
  • Sharpens without breakage
  • Non-chapping
  • Long-lasting
  • Smudge-resistant
  
  
  Available in 10 duo shades, this lip pencil has proven staying power that holds your lip color in place and eliminates bleeding.

• Jouer - Luminizing Moisture Tint SPF 20 (0.17 fl oz/5 ml sample; full size $38) - 
Jouer Cosmetics Luminizing Moisture Tint SPF 20 evens out imperfections and fades the appearance of fine lines with its light-diffusing multi-mineral formula. This lightweight, water-resistant, hypoallergenic tint features SPF 20 to protect from UVA and UVB rays while ginseng and gingko biloba leaf extract deliver antioxidants to the skin, promoting a healthy complexion.
• Moisturizing brightening tint formulated with SPF 20
• Evens out imperfections and fades the appearance and fine lines
• Water-resistant, hypoallergenic and oil-free
Especially Suited For: All skin types
Essential Elements: SPF 20 protects from UVA and UVB rays while ginseng and gingko biloba leaf extract deliver antioxidants to skin.
Free of: Fragrance, oil
For Best Effect: Apply to clean skin to even out skin tone. Layer for additional coverage.

Here are swatches of the tinted moisturizer and the duo lip pencil:




Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint; Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil Sangria, White Glimmer

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint - blended; Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil Sangria, White Glimmer

July's tips:

1. Moisturize Your Body Like a Pro
2. How to Hide Crow's Feet
3. The Three Things Dry Skin Hates
4. Bold Lip Lessons
5. Look Good When You Oversleep

Overall rating: Booyah!

Membership is limited so if you get the chance to join the Sample Society, I highly recommend it.

June 2012 BeautyBar.com/Allure Sample Society Shipment

I have had a busy summer playing catch up and trying all my beauty sampling products.  In my excitement, I noticed I have been remiss in posting updates on my shipments as I receive them.  Here's information on the June 2012 BeautyBar.com Sample Society with Allure Magazine shipment ($15 a month).

The June 2012 shipment contained 5 deluxe samples as well as a $15 gift code for a future purchase, not to mention their usual booklet of tips as follows (descriptions courtesy of BeautyBar.com):

• Jane Iredale - Just Kissed Lip Plumper - Madrid (Sample; full size $25) - Make your lips full and kissable with Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper. Special peptides give moisture and visible plumping that lasts. One single sweep of this tinted cool mint and ginger lip plumper and your lips will be transformed with sheer natural color and a refreshing feeling you can't top.
  • Refreshing lip plumper that makes lips full and kissable
  • Delivers a sheer natural color
  • Special peptides moisturize and plump lips
  Especially Suited For: All skin types
  Essential Elements: Just Kissed Lip Plumper features spearmint and peppermint oils, in combination with ginger root extract, to stimulate blood circulation making lips fuller faster without pain. Shea butter, sunflower oil and aloe vera soften and hydrate lips, while the essential oils of lemon and tangerine help to exfoliate dead skin cells
  For Best Effect: To moisturize, condition and plump your lips while adding just a kiss of color, sweep on Just Kissed Lip Plumper straight from the tube or with your Lip Brush.

• Oscar De La Renta - Live in Love (Sample; full size $58) - 
Inspired by Oscar de la Renta's passion for life, Live in Love Eau de Parfum Spray is a reflection of the woman who lives each day filled with joy and beauty. A green floral bouquet, with a sparkling heart and sensuous dry down. A classic scent in its richness and beauty, but with an updated more contemporary feeling.
• Women's fragrance inspired by her passion for life
• A green floral bouquet
• A classic, yet contemporary scent

• Alterna - Boho Waves Texture Mist (Sample; full size $22) - 
Alterna's breakthrough Bamboo Style Boho Waves Texture Mist combines strengthening organic bamboo extract and nourishing blue yucca root in a weightless texturizing spray that instantly gives you natural, tousled, "just-back-from-the-beach" waves. Sport them at the office, at the wine bar, on the beach - these waves are meant to be seen in.
• Adds texture, volume and shine
• Creates natural-looking, shore-sexy hair
• Weightless spray won't weigh hair down
Especially Suited For: All hair types
Essential Elements: Made with Certified Organic ingredients.
For Best Effect: Spray on damp or dry hair from roots to ends, and shape with fingers for loose, tousled style.
Free Of: Sulfates, sodium chloride, parabens, gluten, TEA, phthalates.

• Caudalie - Premier Cru Eye Cream (Sample; full size $95) - Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream is the ultimate anti-aging eye cream for immediate and long-lasting visible results. It targets all the visible signs of aging around the eyes: wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dehydration, dark circles, puffiness, dark spots and loss of radiance. Premier Cru The Eye Cream immediately brightens and correct dark circles thanks to silvery, coppery and iridescent pearlizers.
  • Anti-aging cream
  • Targets visible signs of aging around the eyes
  • Eliminates dark circles
  Especially Suited For: All skin types
  Essential Elements: Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream comes in a 0.5-ounce bottle.
  For Best Effect: Put a small amount of The Eye Cream on the tip of your finger and then delicately apply with a gentle tapping motion working around the eye from the inside out. Then, lightly smooth the area, beginning with the undereye, then moving out towards the temples and up to the eyelid. Repeat 3 times.

• Murad - Clarifying Cleanser (Sample; full size $26) - 
Use Murad Clarifying Cleanser that helps eliminate 99.9% of surface bacteria and clears blemishes. This cleanser prepares your skin to allow maximum penetration of ingredients and prevents new breakouts. It is especially designed for those with blemish-prone skin.
• Helps clear blemishes
• Prevents new breakouts
• Prepares the skin to maximize penetration of ingredients
• Suitable for blemish-prone skin
It contains various organic and pharmaceutical ingredients that releases acne treatment for hours even after rinsing.

Just For You: Blemish-prone skin 

A Closer Look: Murad Clarifying Cleanser contains various organic and pharmaceutical ingredients that cools and calms inflamed skin. It also can provide powerful antibacterial protection to inhibit blemish formation. 

Get Started: Massage a small amount over damp face and neck. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

• June's tips:

1. Make Your Lips Look Plumper
2. How to Wear Fragrance Politely
3. Getting the Sexiest Beachy Waves
4. Eye Anti-Aging 101
5. Clear Skin Made Simple

Overall rating: Booyah!

Membership is limited so if you get the chance to join the Sample Society, I highly recommend it.

July 2012 GLOSSYBOX Shipment

I know it's the beginning of August but, believe it or not, my July 2012 GLOSSYBOX arrived today.  The July 2012 installment, entitled Summer Nights offered the most variety I've ever seen in a beauty sampling program.  The insert card reads, "After a sizzling day in the sun, there is nothing better than a cool summer night.  This month's GLOSSYBOX offers you the essentials you'll need to indulge in products that show off your sun kissed skin and hair and enhance sultry eyes.  Afterwards, thrown on your sexy sandals and dance the night away under the shimmering summer sky."

The contents of my July shipment were as follows:

Alessandro International - Pedix Heel Rescue Balm - Sample size: 30 ml; Full size: 100 ml/$18.50 - This foot cream oil imported exclusively from Germany provides intensive protection and nourishes skin, leaving it soft and supple.

Ofra Cosmetics - Universal Eyebrow Pencil - Full size: 0.04 oz/$10 - Created with a beeswax base for an effortless and long lasting application, this water resistant pencil is perfect for even the most sensitive eyes.

Sebastian - Color Ignite Multi Tone Shampoo - Sample size: 50 ml/1.7 fl oz; Full size: 8.4 oz/$14.95 - Smart color moisture complex that targets your color-treated strands, to deeply moisturize and restructure hair fibers wherever needed most.

Sebastian - Color Ignite Multi Tone Conditioner - Sample size: 47 g/1.65 fl oz; Full size: 6.6 oz/$16.95 - This micro-bubble conditioner whips, wraps and wows your strands leaving your hair with long-lasting color and vibrant shine.

Senna Cosmetics - Double Dose Lip Lacquer - Chocolate Cherry - Full size: 0.34 oz/9.65 g/$22 - This extremely shiny gloss formula contains light reflecting pigments that make your lips appear fuller and hydrated.  Vitamins and Jojoba Oil add extra conditioning to your pout.

Chocolate

Cherry

Bonus: Caswell-Massey - Almond & Aloe Hand & Body Emulsion - 2 samples 5 ml/.17 fl oz; Full size: 10 oz./$24 - Softens and moisturizes dehydrated skin.  The pure sweet almond oil will leave your skin as smooth as velvet.

July 2012 GLOSSY Mag - A mini-magazine with brief articles on Trends, News and Wellness.

Here are swatches of the eyebrow pencil and lip lacquer shades:

Top to Bottom: Brow Pencil (strokes), Brow Pencil (as a liner); Chocolate Lip Lacquer; Cherry Lip Lacquer

Here are the lacquer shades on my lips:

Chocolate (darker shade)

Cherry (Lighter Shade)

Cherry over Chocolate

Overall rating:  Booyah!  I loved the mix of products I received this month.  The insert card led me to expect an eyeshadow or liner rather than an eyebrow pencil as it mentioned sultry eyes but I can always use the pencil as a liner.

June 2012 GLOSSYBOX Contents

Since Glossybox launched in the USA in April, I have been looking forward to receiving my monthly shipments.  My June 2012 installment, entitled Summer Simplicity, included an insert card that reads, "As the weather heats up and you head to the beach, it's time to get back to basics and let your natural skin glow.  This month's GLOSSYBOX allows you to do so; treat yourself to lush products that will revitalize your face, pamper the body, enrich your locks and add a luxurious aroma of summer notes.  With your natural beauty restored, all you'll need to worry about is which bikini to wear."

The contents of my June shipment were as follows:

BeautyADDICTS Show-off Mascara - Full size: 0.39 oz/$20.00 - This unique formula with argan oil will give your lashes an intense, dramatic look without clumps or smudges.

First Aid Beauty Smooth Shave Cream - Deluxe Sample 2.0 fl oz; Full size 6.8 oz/$16.50 - Smooth Shave Cream is a gentle, non-irritating formula containing everything you need to obtain a close, long-lasting shave.  Keep your legs looking smooth and sexy all summer long.

Kinerase Restructure Firming Cream - Deluxe Sample 0.24 oz; Full size 1.7 oz/$98.00 - Erase the years from your face with elastin-strengthening technology that visibly transforms and contours your skin.

Shea Terra Organics Ultimate Moisturizing Body Crème - Deluxe sample 1 oz; Full size 9.0 oz/$18.00 - This moisturizing cream for the whole body is made with 30% organic shea butter, leaving your skin smooth and soft.

Wella Professionals Enrich Moisturizing Treatment - Deluxe Sample 0.84 fl oz; Full size 5.07 oz/$12.00 - Create free flowing hair with this lightweight treatment containing silk extract that instantly restores your mane.

A Perfume Organic Urban Organic Fragrance - Sample vial; Full size 0.41 oz/$65.00 - The combination of lavender and grapefruit makes for a fresh and citric scent.

July 2012 GLOSSY Mag - A mini-magazine with brief articles on Trends, News and Wellness.  Found it a bit unusual that the July edition was included with the June box.

Overall rating: Booyah!  This box was much better than the one I received last month.  The products were perfect for my skin and hair type and I was able to make use of them.

Beauty Box 5 July 2012 Shipment

Beauty Box 5 is a new beauty sampling program that costs $12 a month, $30 per quarter or $100 per year (www.beautybox5.com).  I received my first shipment which contained 4 items in a drawstring pouch.

Here is a list of my July 2012 shipment contents and descriptions as reflected in the insert card:

Blinc - Mascara - Black - Sample .7 g/.02 oz - Full size .21 oz; Retail $26 - Defy the summer heat and the swimming pool with this water-resistent, no-smudge, flake-free mascara that surrounds your lashes with little tubes of love.

Spongeables - Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer - Lavender-Tea Tree Oil Aromatherapy - Trial size: 28 g/1 oz (good for 5+ washes); Retail $2.99 - Nourish, invigorate, and revitalize with this foot buffer for an at-home spa experience.  Use soft side to cleanse and moisturize and flip over to scruffy side to exfoliate and massage.

Hollyren - Eyelashes - 1 pair - Retail $7 - These easy to apply lashes give you the perfect full-lash effect for a night out on the town.

Bodyography - Makeup Primer - Sample 15 ml/.53 oz - Full size 1 oz; Retail $30 - Erase the look of fine lines, prolong the wear of your favorite foundation and help prevent collagen breakdown with this oil-free, anti-aging primer.

Overall rating: Booyah! for the variety of items this box included, not to mention the value.  From what I have gathered, it appears that the contents can vary for each monthly shipment, as I have seen reviews of other July 2012 boxes with different contents.

Have you tried Beauty Box 5?  What are your thoughts?

Book Review - Unsaid by Neil Abramson

I have had pets all my life and my earliest recollection of true grief and loss was when our beloved German Shepherd, Dodge, passed away when I was eight years old.  Dodge was a lovely companion and rather intelligent.  She used to accompany my cousin and me to the bus stop every morning and then make her way back home once we safely boarded the bus.


When Dodge passed away, my grandmother told me that pets were God's angels, sent here to watch over us and then, when their assignment runs out, they return home to give God a report on how we are doing.  That explanation has stayed with me all my life.  Since Dodge's passing, I and my family have been blessed with many "angels" with which to share life's many milestones.  Those of us that have been fortunate enough to have pets in our lives, can also attest to the special bond that forms between mankind and animals.  In "Unsaid," Neil Abramson writes about this bond in the unique voice of Helena, a recently deceased veterinarian, who observes the happenings of her husband, David and those she left behind, both human and not (www.neilabramsonauthor.com).

Picture from Author's Website

Overall rating: Booyah!  The novel is a wonderful read and a poignant love story.  I could not put it down, nor could I stop showering my pets with affection after finishing it (as if I needed an excuse).


A portion of the author proceeds from the book are being forwarded to Finally Home, a not-for-profit animal sanctuary founded by Mr. Abramson (www.finallyhomeanimalsanctuary.org).