Laser Hair Removal

Now for all you ladies or gents who hate waxing(or shaving) and are constantly paying loads of money for it..this could be a great, cheaper alternitive for your hair removal needs. I had my first experience with laser hair removal last week and I was so scared as I had heard so many terrible things about it being painful and what not. But after my sisters successful laser hair removal treatments(now on her forth) I decided to give it a try! It was barley painful!! Now this all depends on what type of lazer you are using..and I guess on your pain tolerance as well and where on your body you are getting it done. For me, it was not painful, slightly uncomfortable at times yes,  but WAY less painful than waxing which I find to be the worst thing ever lol. This "painless" laser which several people I know have used have said it didnt hurt them very much. This laser is called "The Soprano" which is the newest on the market that I know of. It is also good for dark skin. Also make sure you find a laser clinic who uses a good technique, and not the PULSING technique hurts ALOT! Now obvi all clinics very in price but I get mine done by a nurse and all six treatments(you need 6-10 for basically permenant hair removal) are costing me around $526 dollars! Which will save you loads of money on waxing for the rest of your life, or the hassel of shaving (and razors add up).The sensation of being lasered lol feels like warmth on your body, and sometimes like a warm elastic band. Anyways, wanted to write this post because I am so happy with it, and the results! Best decision! If you have any questions write in the comment box and I'll be happy to answer..BTW lazer is not just for girls..GUYS too..not forgetting you my "hiscoconuters" ;)

On SnapChat

By: Andrea (& guest blogger @jtl999)

Hey everyone,

Sorry it’s been so long since our last post. Vanessa and I have been incredibly busy with work, school, travel, and life in general. This post is in regards to a topic that has been getting a lot of press lately. Do any of you use the app SnapChat? If so, you might want to read on...

Our friend @jtl999 has been researching all the ins and outs of this popular app, and we felt we should share what we have learned in effort to make sure you all stay safe!

SnapChat: You take a picture, send it to a friend, and the picture disappears in ten seconds – gone forever… or so you thought.  This is how SnapChat really works…

First you take a picture. It could be anything. You might think it is sent directly to your friend, but first it is sent to a server in Phoenix, Arizona.  This is the important part. The team behind these servers has not disclosed what they do with the images after you press send. The pictures might be erased, OR they might be stored (meaning they could be hacked by strangers). At this point we just don’t know.

When your friend checks SnapChat the app sends a message to these servers saying, “Hey, anything new?” Of course it is more complicated than that, but that’s a simplified version.   Your friend opens the message with the picture and the app starts a countdown timer, which will result in the picture being erased. DO NOT be fooled by this! 

Does that ghost look trustworthy to you?

First of all, the app can easily be hacked to have unlimited time meaning that the picture is never destroyed. This is the weakest link in the chain and the easiest to exploit. Hacked versions of SnapChat have been showing up on YouTube more and more. These hacks can supposedly save and send images to and from people, from your photo feed, and even wind up as automatic posts on your Facebook (yikes).  Even without fancy hacking skills, people can easily take a screenshotof the picture. SnapChat has tried to counter people saving the images by detecting when you press the screenshot button on your phone. Unfortunately that’s not enough. Even without these hacked versions of SnapChat copying the images is as easy as copying and pasting a file. No computer required! You can also use programs such as Activator and Tasker to change the volume buttons to take a screenshot, which is not detected because you are using a different button. Of course, someone with no hacking ability at all could just take a picture of the screen with a camera.  So you see, there is no way to ensure that your pictures are only going to last 10 seconds.

There is a good rule of thumb – “Don’t send anyone any picture you wouldn’t want your grandma to see.”  Hopefully that is un-hackable advice.

Do you guys use SnapChat? Have any stories?

Yoga Love

By: Andrea

Hi all! I know we haven’t been blogging as much lately, so I figured I would devote my newest post to something I’ve been working hard at over the past month… Yoga!

This summer I will start writing my thesis for graduate school on the topic of body image and cinema.  I am currently finishing up research and have found myself stressing over the laborious writing process that lies ahead of me.  This combined with work and completing the remaining credits for my degree can often send me into a tizzy. Hence….. OHMMM (that’s a yoga chant btw ;)

I started doing yoga in high school to help deal with stress and anxiety.  I was already strong and flexible from years of figure skating, dance, and pilates, but yoga challenged me by testing my patience and my ability to find stillness in both my practice and myself.

When I practice yoga, I try my best to leave all my inhibitions at the door.  In other words, I try not to let my fears, worry, and self-doubt about myself seep into my practice. While yoga is fantastic for toning up your physique and strengthening your body, I don’t feel that it should be the sole motivation for practicing. Strengthening the mind is just as (if not more) important to me.

Today in hot class, my teacher said something quite meaningful. She mentioned that the beauty of yoga lies in the fact that it is non-performative. After thinking about this for a second I came to realize that most of the activities I have partaken in since childhood have always revolved around the act of performance (acting, skating, dance, music, theatre, even academia).  Yoga is different.  Your audience is yourself.

If you are interested in starting yoga (or if you do yoga already) here are a few links that you should check out:

If you don’t have access to a studio, this website offers tons of fantastic classes. You can start off with a free trial. 

http://www.myyogaonline.com/

Halfmoon is a fantastic yoga prop supplier located in Vancouver. 

http://www.shophalfmoon.com/

My favorite ethical mala beads company. 

http://malacollective.com/

Alternative Earth (yogawear) 

http://www.alternativeapparel.com/

Tonic (yogawear) 

http://www.mytonic.ca/

Lastly, are you good at knitting?  I recently found a neat yoga sock pattern online and am getting my mom (who is a sewing expert) to make me a pair.  Funny enough, the first pair she made turned out to be a bit big, so Edie is now rockin' the sock-sweater!

Namaste!

Andrea 

LASHES ON A BUDGET

By: Vanessa

So I was watching “Till Debt Due Us Part” the other night and one of the girls was spending A LOT of money on beauty/makeup each month over her budget.  She was spending $40 dollars a month on her lashes which she LOVED but could not afford to do. SO she was told no more lashes!

WELL if this is you? I HAVE YOUR SOLUTION..It’s called “Lashes on a Budget”

I recently saw that the “99cents store” in the states or “Dollarama” in Canada  sells 1 dollar lashes..individual and strips! Which quite frankly works just as well!! Now they come with glue but I have never tried it only because well..it is from the dollar store, so (i'd reccomend)

buying eyelash glue for a couple bucks at your local CVS or Shoppers Drug, which will last you several months. Now if you don’t believe how good these “dollar lashes” can look, here are some pics below of me wearing them!..These are the full strips, but I HATE the look of full strips so I cut it in half, by doing this it gives a way more natural look, and they will last on your lashes longer!..Also after a night out and your washing your face CLEAN the lashes and place them back in the case!  Get the bang for your buck;) Honestly I tried and you can reuse them over and over again as long as you take care of them! Then when they are unusable, buy your next $1 Pack! This all shouldn’t cost you more the $3-4 dollars a month. BELOW ARE ALL PICS of $1 LASHES!

We all have a budget…now lashes don't have to be part of it ;)

-VM
xoxo

Lips SOS

By: Andrea

Here are some awesome go-to lip products that will keep your lips from drying out!

Lip Salves by C.O. Biglow and Smith's

You can usually find these tins at Bath and Body Works or Urban Outfitters. I use these every night before bed (love my menthol).

Lip Rescue by Desert Essence

These sticks are great to use when your lips are feeling extremely dry. While the tea tree oil stick doesn't taste the best, it gets the job done. The Shea Butter is a bit more soothing.

 Tropical Lip Gloss by Alba

These lip glosses smell amazing! My favourites, as pictured here, are Coconut Cream and Passion Fruit Nectar!

 Lip Balm Spheres by Eos

These are super fun and come in a wide range of colours. They make great gifts too!

Andrea’s Advice – The DOs and DON’Ts of College Life

By: Andrea

Hey guys and gals, 

Have you recently applied to College or University? Since spring is quickly approaching, I figured I would compile a list of the DOs and DON'Ts of College life since many of you will be hearing back from the Universities you applied to in the fall. Here is a short list of things I learned to / not to do while working through your undergraduate degree.

...

1. DO NOT skip class- Okay, I have to get this one out of the way. This is not high school... Profs will not be chasing you down to attend class and hand in work. You don’t want to get to your fourth year and realize you don’t have the grades to get into grad school / pursue another degree / apply for the job you want. If you are paying for school, you REALLY should attend! Work hard, study, and hand things in on time.

2. DO start up study groups with your classmates! This can ultimately cut down on study time, make learning more fun, and give you an excuse to hang out with new people and make new friends!

3. DO NOT drink energy drinks before bed- I made this mistake in my first year! For some strange reason, I used to adore the taste of Diet Rockstar Energy Drink. I can’t believe I spent that year wondering why I had such bad insomnia!

4. DO become a tea-connoisseur! There are so many great caffeine-free teas on the market these days! I always find that drinking tea helps kick my brain into gear when it comes to writing term papers. Check out http://www.davidstea.com/ for some awesome tea selections (some of my all-time favorites: Pumpkin Chai, Chocolate Rocket, Checkmate and Bear Trap)

5. DO NOT be a hermit- I don’t recommend spending all of your time tucked away in your dorm room playing video games / hanging out alone with your boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. Even if you have a busy semester, don't forget about the outside world!

6. DO pull fun pranks on your floor mates- Above are some pictures of a dorm-room prank I pulled on the guy I liked while he went out of town for a few days… I guess it paid off, we are still dating :)

7. DO NOT gain a reputation for being the ‘obliterated’ one at all the parties- Everyone makes mistakes, but these days… EVERYTHING ends up on Facebook! Take my advice and 'check yourself before you wreck yourself.' You can still have fun without your head winding up in a trash can for the better part of the evening. 

8. DO make an effort to plan and attend as many social events as possible- Throw parties, invite your floor mates over for coffee/tea, organize sport events, and plan group MOVIE and BOWLING dates! Also- Never pass up an opportunity to go to a dress up party!

9. DO NOT overspend- While most people want to start off on the right foot in college by decorating their dorm rooms, buying a new wardrobe, and updating their electronic devices, remember that college is expensive and that you should do your best to keep your spending to a minimum. Luckily, there are so many ways to be stylish and savvy at the same time. 

Instead of buying brand new EVERYTHING, get creative with old furniture and clothing (there are so many awesome blogs on this), ask your parents if they are willing to donate any used kitchen appliances, and be sure to check out thrift stores for some great finds. If you don’t have a meal plan, you should also check out weekly grocery store ‘sale’ flyers when planning your meals, this can save you some big bucks! Remember, every penny counts! 

10. DO start budgeting your expenses– Now that you are venturing into adulthood, you should have a working knowledge of your financial situation. At this point in your life, you should start building credit and you should switch to a student bank account to help save on monthly banking fees if you haven’t already. Allocate a specific amount of $ to things like: student debt, food, entertainment, tuition, housing etc. Need help creating a budget / financial plan? Visit Gail Vaz Oxlade’s website (From the shows Princess, and Till Debt Do Us Part) http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/

...Remember, college goes by FAST. Before you know it, you will get one of these. 

Oh yeah, just don't forget to STUDY!

My Favorite Everyday Makeup PRODUCTS

By: Vanessa

"My LiPsTiCk BrInGs AlL tHe BoYs to The YaRd, Damn Right It's BetTer Than YouRs;)" haha

I’ve tried SOOO many makeup products...from doing my own and from acting on set and getting my makeup done by professional’s everyday. Here is a list of my faves, that compliment my skin, don’t make me to breakout and that I overall just love for my everyday makeup!

1. My %100 Pure Tinted Moisturizer- I am in love with this, it’s light gives a little coverage and gives you a brighter look! It’s organic, made from fruit pigments and does not clog my pores. It also has SPF 20.  I use the color “toffee” for my skin coloring.

Alternative: if being organic isn’t that important to you I also like Smashbox’s tinted moisturizer, I get color medium.

2. My %100 pure concealer- I use it for my under eyes or to cover a blemish.. really light, organic and made from fruit pigments.

 

     3. My Dr. Hauschka Duo Bronzer- I love this, organic, light compact powder made with essential oils that gives a golden Grecian bronzed glow!

I also like as an alternative, the body shops trio blush bronzer in "Warm Sunset"

  4. My 100% Pure Blush in Peppermint- Organic, light compact powder, smells like peppermint on your face..Hehe guys like it;) & chemical free!

     5. My MAC Studio Fix Powder- If you’re the type who likes more coverage than just a tinted moisturizer than I would recommend, MAC studio fix powder,  great for further coverage on top of concealor for blemishes…Or if your skin is feeling too shiny and you want a smoother looking palate.

6. My Honey Bee Gardens color “Valentine”- I’m really into PINKPINK lips…possibly thanks to Nicki Minaj lol..anyways I Always get compliments on my lipstick..it's organic. NO LEAD LADIES, It is from Honey Bee Gardens color “Valentine”. “My LiPgLoSs is PoPin!” ;)

 

     7. My Telescopic & Divaderm Fiberlash Mascara

     8. My Zulu Liquid Organic Eyeliner in Black- Lasts a long time! or %100 pures gel liner