LF Garcinia Cambogia Supreme 80% HCA {Product Review}

Hi again. Here is my official New Years post! *blows trumpet* Happy New Year! With the new year lots of people will be trying to lose weight, be happier, and loads of other things. These are admirable things to try to achieve, but you have to make these decisions every day and not just at the beginning of the year.

 The weight loss craze is... well... crazy. For about a year or so I've heard about this Garcinia Cambogia stuff and I think I even tried a couple of kinds. I never think trying to lose weight with supplements alone is a good idea, especially if it's something that is harmful to your body, but I figured these were plant based and were supposed to be supplemental and not restrict what you eat or anything. So I decided to try a couple of companies that offered to let me review. Because more than one accepted me, I gave this one to my mother to try. This stuff is supposed to start working pretty quickly, and my mom has taken it for about two weeks or so now.

 According to the brand, Life and Food, this contains no stimulants or additives and is the pure plant. It's just a vegetable capsule mixing Garcinia Cambogia fruit rind with calcium and potassium for added absorption. I think it's supposed to help with your mood too.

 As far as she could tell, the biggest difference was Mom felt her appetite being suppressed. She got full quicker. I don't know if that's any sort of sign or what. But she didn't feel any "thinner' and her weight stayed about the same. Maybe it isn't a fast working thing, maybe you have to take it longer than two weeks, but the stuff didn't really do what was hoped for. But since we weren't expecting /too/ much with this experiment, we aren't so disappointed. What can replace being healthy anyway? But just for fun, I shall be experimenting with a couple of other brands to see if we can actually find one that works for us. I've also heard that you have to pair it with something, but I'm not sure what that something is. Perhaps I will learn for my next review. If you would like to try this stuff out for yourself, here is a link. It might work better for you than us. It worked for LOTS of people, but for some reason... not so much here. But we will try again. 

**EDIT** If you would like to try this product yourself, the company has offered to send one as part of a giveaway. This will be a short giveaway that ends tomorrow evening, so enter fast!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lemon zester/grater {Product Review}

 Hi girls! Me again with another review. Yep. This one, and then right aboutMidnight tomorrow's post will be up. Hehe.

This evening I'm reviewing a really neat lemon zester/grater from Chef Proven.

 



My mom loves this thing.

 At some point all classy ladies are going to need some good cooking utensils... You might even use them now. So here's a nice combined product you can use for both zesting and grating.

Here tis.

 It is a long metallic zester/grater that has been voted the #1 useful kitchen tool for grating and zesting. According to them, it is the most popular kitchen tool on the market. It works great for both zesting lemons and oranges and whatnot and is also a wonderful grater.

 My mother is the main cook in our family so she did a lot of the testing for me (I took the pictures.) She initially used it for grating and loved that half of it. She grated carrots and remarked on the fineness of the grate and how good that would be for my grandmother. She also loves how easily it grates.

Here's part of a zested lemon.

 

 The blade is stainless steel (and sharp), has a nice cover sleeve when not in use, and has a lifetime money back guarantee. It is also crafted well. Great. My mom also told me to say that it cleans really easy and that is a plus in her book. My mother is probably one of the best cooks I know so I definitely trust her judgement on this thing. If she likes it, I know it's a success.

Zesting

 It works for whatever you want to zest/grate including lemons, carrots, etc. and it costs less than $13 on Amazon, which I think is pretty cool. You can check it out and read more reviews here.

So if you or your mother or anyone you know needs a nice gift or

whatnot in this department, I recommend this one. :)

 

Softy {Product Review}

 Hey gals! Tonight I'm reviewing another product from Tomoson.com. Softy sanitizing wipes. I know a lot of you might have younger siblings or you just need some practical wipes. So this review might be the one for you. I know wipes might sound like a weird thing to review, but trust me... they come in handy.

 

So here's how big the container is. Also I'm tired.

So... Softy sent me a giant cylinder of wipes. I was surprised and pleased at the enormity. Especially when compared to those tiny little wipe containers they sell in the store. They contained a whopping 150 count of wipes. Which is pretty cool. But would they be super liquidy or too dry or too thin? The wipes turned out to be nice and thick for wipes with a perfect amount of dampness and they worked pretty wonderfully. They also smelled good. I like the way the packaging is done. When we traveled out of state for Christmas, I stuck the wipes in between the seats, anticipating their need.

 I'm pretty sure we actually used them at some point in the car but for some reason my memory is currently failing me. But when there was an accident involving my one-year-old nephew and him taking off his diaper, well... let's just say those wipes came in real handy. My mom even got some great uses out of them. She used them for wiping hands, wiping kids, wiping counters... you name it. They have been quite useful. And since there is such a large amount, we're still experiencing their usefulness.

 These wipes are unique in the fact that they are safe to use anywhere, even on little kids and are alcohol free. They're also infused with aloe and vitamin c. They have a germ-killing rate of 99.9 % and are quality with their soft application. I really like these wipes and think you will too. If you need a bunch of wipes these retail for about $15 on Amazon. Since they're so nice I think it's worth it. Also, there's a money back guaranty if the wipes don't stay moist. So that's cool.

 Thank you Softy wipes and Tomoson for letting me give my honest opinion with this review.

 

 

Review: Amari Vitamin C Serum with Organic and Natural Ingredients

Hey everyone! It's Christmas break for this college student. WHOO! Anyway, I'm reviewing Amari Vitamin C Serum with Organic and Natural Ingredients! I don't have pictures  ready to upload but they are coming!

 Vitamin C has an endless list of benefits. Here are some of them...

 Colds – Doesn't cure the cold but can reduce symptoms and help.

Stroke – Vitamin C reduces risk of having a stroke.

Heart Disease – Vitamin C may lower the risk of heart disease.

Osteoarthritis – Vitamin C helps combat this.

Asthma – Vitamin C helps.

Cataracts – Apparently increased blood levels of vitamin C are associated with decreased risk of cataracts.

Gout – Helps with this.

Skin Aging – Vitamin C helps keep your skin from aging, wrinkles, acne, etc.

Stress – Vitamin C is helpful for those whose immune systems are weakened due to stress.

 As you can see, Vitamin C is really really good for you. While I feel like I can't give you a total comprehensive review of this product because I think it's benefits are more obvious over time, here is the product description.

Description: Combination of the most powerful herbal and organic ingredients along with 20% Vitamin C provide up to eight-fold antioxidant protection, 96% percent reduction of sunburn cells, and prevents new formation of free radicals in skin exposed to sun. Vitamin C Suspended in a concentrated base of pure vegan hyaluronic acid to plump skin cells and protect and restore. This serum is a concentrated delivery system for the highest form of active, bio-available Vitamin C for beautiful skin.

- Hydrated and Moisturized skin

- Lighter and brighter complexion

- Reduced photo damage and scarring

- Boost healing properties of skin

- Improved collagen synthesis

- Reduced Inflammation

  This stuff is a really nice oil, and it smells pretty nice too. I haven't noticed any obvious effects of it yet, but I'm sure it is helping because it's a nice vitamin c combination. My mom, however, has been using it, and she put it on a spot on her skin that was darkening.  She said it started to lighten it up right away and has been really helping her skin. So though I haven't seen the obvious effects personally, I'm sure they are coming. Also, the ingredients are all organic and natural so that's a nice plus! If you would like to try out this nice product, you can purchase it here.

 

Vintage! Vintage! Vintage!

Hello Everyone!

Today I wasn't really sure about what I was going to post about but then I remembered!

I found a little hidden gem in my local area. That hidden gem was a boutique...

...and that boutique sells Vintage dresses!

[Insert Squeal of Excitement Here]

My sister and I went to the shop and tried on a couple dresses.

The first one I tried on, was cute but I didn't find to terribly flattering (colour wise) but I loved the style!

Can I just say how much I love the style and modesty of vintage clothing?! I am also quite convinced that I was made to wear these. I have a very curvy shape, so it was rather flattering and it fit perfectly to my form. On a whole I just loved the style! The narrow waist, the skirt style and length, the sleeves and the chest coverage. (That made me most excited y'all)...but now, let's just all admit the blue wasn't the greatest.

Luckily for me, I found the cutest dress, the same style, that had cherries on it, so obviously I HAD to try it on!

When I did, I half regretted it because I was unable to purchase the dress but...here is what t looked like...

Isn't it lovely? The instant I tried this on I fell in love with it and finally my mum and I came to the decision that vintage is probably one of the cutest styles in existence. 

Everything about the vintage style is just amazing and not to mention modest! That is what I love most about the whole vintage style! It's cute, it's classy and it's modest! A great mix if you ask me!

So, What are your thoughts on the vintage style? What do you love about it? Would you wear vintage clothing on a daily basis if you could? And, last question, have you discovered any little gems that sell your favourite clothing (like this boutique I found) in your area?

So, that is my post for today! Kinda fun and full of excited rambling, but still a post nonetheless. ;)

Until Next Time!

Yes, I Actually Love My Body

Think you're fat? Don't like how short you are? Don't like your not-so-chiseled stomach? Think you're too skinny and wish you had more curves? Wish your hair were straight instead of curly, or vice-versa? Unhappy with the fact that you don't have a thigh-gap?

Is it just me, or does it seem like everybody hates something about themselves? Nearly every woman or girl is dissatisfied with her physical appearance in some way or another. Even if it's a little detail that most people wouldn't even notice. WE ourselves notice. Oh, yes we do. And then we obsess over it until self-hatred even occurs.

 

For crying out loud, isn't about time we dumped the whole mess?

 

Self-hatred is so contagious.

 

In the media, we see it non-stop. All these articles on how to supposedly improve our physique, look hotter and get more attention from the dudes. Why? Because apparently we aren't amazing enough already? Apparently so, or articles like that wouldn't exist.

 

Does this bother you at all? It should. It certainly does, with me. There are many reasons why I'm irked by the self-hatred society has encouraged women to have toward their bodies, but I'm only going to give one for now.

 

Psalm 139:14 - "I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knoweth right well."

 

Did you see that? Fearfully and wonderfully made. Not ugly, worthless, or trash. Not even a fixer-upper, or a 'needs improvement.' Do you see where it says any of these things? Me neither.

 

Bath & Body Works! A favorite!

We are created in God's own Image. How could that make us anything less than beautiful?

 Contrary to a lot of what I hear being said these days, I actually love my body. Yep, that's right. I love every inch of me. Wouldn't trade this skin for any other.

 

*GASP* She actually...is satisfied with her appearance! Is.....is that a crime? A sin? Pride? Self-conceited?

 

No, it's not a crime, and it's certainly not a sin. You can call it pride or self-conceit, but I call it gratitude and contentment.

 

For a while, as an early teen, this was hard for me to grasp. I was pretty dissatisfied with parts of my body, to be honest. When I was 12, I even thought I was fat. (I wasn't.)

I was ungrateful. I was missing the unique beauty that God had given me, and mistaking it for something less than beauty.

 

But that changed as I matured and learned more about God's plan for my life.

 

See, I realize how Christ made me to be the person I am, and not someone else. If I weren't supposed to be Leah Oxendine, I wouldn't be Leah Oxendine. He knew what He was doing when He put me on this planet. I've learned to see myself and all my flaws and appreciate everything because it's what makes me me.

 

My body is His temple. Ultimately it's only a borrowed vessel. Dare I insult my Creator by calling it ugly?

 

I love my long, soft auburn hair.

I love my turquoise-blue eyes. 

I love my long fingers.

I love my hourglass shape. (Yes, it's curvy! And yes, I'm proud of that! Another shocker? I'm getting  sick of 'curvy' being used as a plus-size only term. You don't have to be plus-sized to be naturally curvy. And naturally curvy doesn't equal plus-size.)

I love that I'm fairly muscular.

I love that I'm not skinny.

I love that I'm not fat. 

I love that I'm the weight that's normal for my body type.

 I don't wish I was anything other than what I am.

I don't think I'm fat.

I don't think I've ever been fat.

I love that I'm taller than most.

And I love that I had scoliosis, because that kept me from being too much taller than my boyfriend. (haha!)

 

Newly arranged jewelry/dressing corner.

Kinda mindblown? Not used to seeing something where the girl wasn't complaining about her appearance?

Me either. That's exactly why I decided this post needed to be written. It's about time that positive things were written about one's self-image. It's about time somebody stepped out of the mire of self-hate, and learned to live in gratitude. It's about time a girl looked in the mirror at herself and smiled because she genuinely liked what she saw. It's about time a woman saw herself in a photo and thanked her Maker for crafting her the way He did.

 

Do you have a hard time finding things to love about yourself?

 

It's about time that changed.

 

It's about time we stop hating ourselves and learn to appreciate the bodies we 've been given.

 

One simple way to do this is to stop listening to the propaganda and lies of the modern media and society. Stop caring what the pop culture 'beauty experts' are saying.  Stop looking at billboard models and thinking to yourself how you don't measure up. Stop comparing yourself to friends or celebrities. Stop looking down at the scale and being disgusted with your weight. 

 

What else can you do? Start digging into God's Word about what the definition of beauty truly is.

Start working on keeping your temple strong and healthy by feeding it real food (raw and unprocessed is always best!) and not convenience junk. Exercise at least several times a week to keep your blood circulating and your body functioning at its best. Try toning workouts to get everything firm and solid. Get outside and enjoy the great outdoors - the fresh air will clear your mind! Start surrendering your thoughts to Jesus and go to Him in prayer about your issues and struggles. Start serving others more and engaging in ministry, to get your mind off self-centeredness.

Start looking yourself in the mirror every day and thinking how gorgeous you are. Start finding things to appreciate about your appearance, even if they're small things to start out with.

 

Sparkly heels from Payless which I saw and decided were worth buying!

 Are you willing to join me in this quest to abolish self-hate? Do you have a blog of your own? If so, I invite you to write a post of your own, on what you love about yourself and why. Please comment below with the link when you're done, so I can check it out! APOC may even feature it in the future.

 

Loving your body could be a major paradigm shift, if you've always lived in frustration or dissatisfaction with yourself. It may be very hard in the beginning. You might wonder if it will ever be possible.

But don't give up. With God, all things are possible. And in this case, I know He will bless you for your efforts. Why?

 

 Because He always blesses a grateful heart.

 

Blessings,

True Beauty

Healthy and Skinny are two very different things.

It’s okay to be over 90lbs and its okay to not have a thigh gap (can anyone really explain the whole ‘thigh gap’ thing to me, please? I don’t see any reason for it at all. The only way I have seen it achievable is through a lot of people who have lost more weight than they should to achieve it.) it’s okay to weigh 20 more pounds than your best friend. As long as you are healthy its okay. I promise you. Compared to a lot of my friends I’m rather big…. but thats only because they are a lot shorter or smaller than I am.

I have many friend who’s healthy weight might be 100lbs where mine is more than that.

There is a big difference between healthy and skinny this picture is a very good example.

(My apologies on the scantily dressed women…but this proves a point)

You can see the difference between both women. (Even the campaign names and company’s prove the point with almost no explanation needed)

Most of the time to achieve skinny people have to go through insane diets that are in no way healthy for ones body.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying diets are bad but to an extent they can be.

 

I think the main reason anorexia or eating disorders is a big thing is because people are constantly being told things like “I’m not good enough”, “You aren’t beautiful if you are over 100lbs” and the list goes on.

 

A main factor creating these body image issues for people is the media. Magazines and videos especially. The media gives us these false images of flawless, skinny, acne free people when in truth by telling us we can look like someone on the cover of a magazine…well its a lie. WHen you see that model on a Billboard sign or magazine cover or even in a picture or music video it is edited.

 

The media is telling us that to be perfect we need to look like the girls on covers of magazines..but in truth they are lying to us because we can never achieve that. This video I’ve embedded below just shows the process behind things before the public sees it

 

 

Now you are probably wondering where exactly I’m headed with this post so here is where I dig into my point here.

I think the main issue is so many people (mostly the media) telling girls they aren’t perfect. We’re haunted by magazines, books, pictures on the internet and more and see that flawlessness as what true beauty is.

I know a girl who wishes her teeth were perfect and straight and doesn’t like that she is a bigger bodied girl. I know another girl who hates her smile and laugh. Another girl I know hates the acne on her face and another hates the way her hair frizzes….The list goes on and on but today I’m going to tell you and those girls something special.

 

I’m going to tell you a secret.

 

The most important beauty secret of all. 

I’m going to tell you what true beauty is. Are you ready for this?

 

Are you truly ready? This is the truth my friends and I hope you believe it…Here it goes.

The secret is one word. One simple three letter word and that word is:

You.

You embody true beauty. You ARE true beauty.

Beauty isn’t defined by what you wear, how much you weigh, how frizzy your hair is or how curvy you are. (and the list goes on)

Real beauty is being confident in your own skin and not letting anyone else tell you you aren’t worth anything or that you aren’t beautiful.

True beauty is within us all. Just think about this.

You were created by God who made you exactly he way you are and everything in his creation is beautifully and wonderfully made.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

 

 

Greetings and Classy Outfit

Hello Everyone!

My name is Adriana and I am so excited to be joining the team here on a Pinch of Classy.

So I have a fun little Outfit Of The Day post for y’all (I think Leah is calling it a ‘Classy Garb’ post) but first I wanna take a little bit of your time to introduce myself a little. (My bio would be pages long if I tried to fit it all on that thing :P)

My bio is kinda more the bare bones about me but I’m gonna throw in a couple more fun details. I am the oldest of 8 kids and I’m overly obsessed with the color orange and the use of smiley emoji's whenever I can. I am known to be quite the girly girl. (Though I have my moments where I’m not.) and I love to dress up in my most classy outfits whenever I get the chance.

I love to be an encouragement to people and help them as much as I can. I am also a Junior Youth Leader at my Youth Group (meaning I help plan the outreach events to bring the youth of the community to our church) and I plan to attend Briercrest College for Youth Ministries.

So there you have it! A bit more about me (besides what's on my bio :P) and now it’s time to get serious and get right into this post! Yay :)

 

For Sundays I love to dress up. On Sundays is usually when I will wear a skirt or dress.

Yeah so my sister jumped in the one picture :P

 So this outfit is probably my favorite outfit of all time. It is an outfit I can also wear year round and one of my few outfits that looks great with my awesome 5 inch heels.

Since I don't have much money to spend on clothes you can probably count that it was cheap. Proof that modest clothing can be purchased at very cheap prices. (Except for the jacket. That was more on the expensive end but it is my moms that I 'borrow'...almost every day.)

I also like to do a little bit of makeup for thing like church or events that require me to dress up. For my makeup I just use Mascara and my all time favorite tinted mint lip gloss. Throw in the super easy hairstyle known as a bun it looks super cute!

So here is a quick recap as to what pieces make up my outfit (and where I purchased them)

 The jacket was purchased from a store called 'Ricki's'

The dress was purchased from Walmart

The leggings were purchased at Value Village. (Not sure they have that in the states but its a second hand store :P)

The shoes were purchased along with the necklace at Ardene

The mascara brand is L'Oreal (Miss Manga I believe it is called) and the lip gloss I found at Bath and Bodyworks

So, yeah. That's my outfit :) Hope you liked it!

Look forward to posting in the future,

 

Bohemian Lace {classygarb}

 

Hey ladies! How is your Sunday faring? I thought I'd share my church outfit today - trying to get some more outfit posts up since I haven't really posted many of those this year and, well, APOC is supposed to be a fashion blog. With actual outfit posts. Haha.

 

 

So, I saw this quote on Pinterest which I really loved.

 

"Always be kinder than you feel."

 

Last week after church, my parents informed me that I didn't smile very much during the time I was playing piano in the service. They said I looked like I didn't want to be there.

Yes, it hurt to hear that, because during that time I was playing I wasn't thinking that at all. I was just focusing on the music; and sometimes I tend to look somber when I'm playing my instruments, if I don't watch.

 

Nonetheless, when I saw that quote, it made me think about the act of smiling. My argument has always been, "well, if I put on a big cheesy grin while I'm playing it'll look super fake!"

 

Well, maybe yes and maybe no. It's only going to feel that way if you decide so. Ever since then, I've been making an effort to smile whenever I can. Smiles are wonderful things, people! And they're free gifts you can give to any human being on the planet that you choose.

 

Act the way you want to feel, and soon how you feel will follow suite.

 

 

"Be cheerful: it's contagious!"

 

 

// what i wore //

 

Lace tunic: Charlotte Russe

Skinny jeans: Sears or Belk, I can't remember

Ankle boots: American Eagle

Earrings: Charlotte Russe

Belt: (came with a shirt from Sears or Belk...)

 

 

Pearls, Denim & Floral Leggings {classygarb + review}

"Well blow me away, is this an actual outfit post on APOC? *insert gasp*"

 Yes, I'm fully aware of the fact I haven't done any classygarb posts for quite a while now. *sigh* To be honest, half the time when I put together an outfit I like I'm just not in the mood to want to take any pictures. I know, I know, I'm a despicable human being.

Hopefully you can forgive me?

I hope so, because I have some cool stuff to show you ladies today.

I have the pleasure of getting to introduce to y'all two awesome businesses - ShinyGirlDesigns and Apostolic Clothing! One's a high-quality hand crafted jewelry shop, and the other is a modest, feminine clothing line! Both are reputable businesses with a lot to offer. And both sent me cool items to review!

 

 

From Apostolic Clothing, a-line knee-length denim skirt.

 
 

And from ShinyGirlDesigns, a lovely lavender pearl infinity wrap necklace.
 

 

 

So this is my first attempt at incorporating leggings into an outfit modestly. I've actually never even owned any until just a week ago when I bought three pairs from Forever 21. I had this thought that floral leggings would look really fun and quirky with a mid-length skirt, especially if the skirt were denim. I mean it's like combining two things that don't really match but....they kinda do?? I mean, maybe I just have a weird sense of style, but I feel like they match.

 

As to shoes, I would've worn my grey bohemian moccasins but it's not really the season for wintry boots yet. And then I saw my handy-dandy cowboy boots - voila!

 

So I feel like this outfit is a mish-mash of sorts, but I have to say I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It's like a quasi-western, quasi-boho, almost-a-teensy-bit-of-formal-trying-to-sneak-in collage.

 

It's colorful. And it feels very me.

 

Ugh, blurry photos ftw. This is what happens when you try to get pictures in FL humidity.

 

 

I really like this skirt. It's a fantastic length, and the A-line design provides a lot of freedom movement-wise. I don't know about y'all, but trying to find a decent skirt that isn't wayyyy too short is always a struggle for me. Especially since I'm tall. What might fit a friend who's average height comes up being disastrously short on me. So, when I find a skirt that actually fits me right it's almost euphoric. *cue happy dance*

 

I also really like the stitching. It's got a little pizazz. And yes, the pockets are actually functional.
The denim material is well-constructed and sturdy.

My only complaint? The waist is too big on me. Blame it on my figure, maybe. But it fits everywhere except my waist. I'd prefer for it to sit on my natural waist, but it ends up resting on my hips and even there it's a bit loose. I wouldn't want to size down, though, because then it might not fit anywhere but the waist.

Belts to the rescue!

 

 I have no idea what kind of pose this was supposed to be. Or what was up with the facial expression. Haha I'm such a model.....notttttt.

 Oh, hi there!

"I've got enough caffeine in me to last for years! Whoooo!"

 

As to the necklace, it's quite charming. A simplistic, yet very elegant design. Then again, pearls are always classy. Or, so they say down in the South, anyways.

 

Nah, it's not just a southern thing. Pearls are timeless class. 

 

 

This is a piece of minimalistic grace. It's light and dainty, so you almost forget you're wearing it.

Mysti, one of the creators and artisans of ShinyGirlDesigns, actually took the time to handwrite an informative note about the design aspects of this necklace, also including background information on the business which she and her mother run together. (How neat is that, a mother/daughter jewelry business?)

 

A quote from Mysti's letter: "Finally, the technical aspects of this piece. The pearls are dyed, freshwater pearls. The chain and wire are both sterling silver. And of course, the piece is handmade."

 

I think it's a lovely piece. Professional-level quality, feminine and classic.

 

 

Top: Coldwater Creek
Belt: hand-me-down
Skirt: Apostolic Clothing (find it here)
Leggings: Forever 21
Necklace: ShinyGirlDesigns (find it here)

////

What do you think of this look? Is this leggings/cowboy boots/skirt combination a yay or nay?

Note: I was provided these items from Apostolic Clothing and ShinyGirlDesigns in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed remain mine and mine alone.