Swap – Don’t Shop clothing swap party

When I received a request to share this event with you, I couldn’t resist. It’s just so grassroots and sounds like a lot of fun. Swap parties are also an inexpensive and green way to refresh your wardrobe, clean out your closet and give to those in need.

What?
Swap – Don’t Shop clothing swap party: A fun and frugal way to revamp your wardrobe

Come out to our first bi-monthly clothing swap party with all of the unwanted clothing taking up space in your closet and drawers, and leave with bags of wonderful new wardrobe favourites!

All womens’ clothing, shoes, jewelery and other accessories (except undies) in clean and in good condition are welcome.

Where?
103 Bellevue Ave.
St. Stephen-in-the-Fields church (at College, between Bathurst and Spadina) (map)

When?
Saturday, Aug. 16
11 a.m.-2 p.m.

11 a.m.: Drop off your clothes, socialize, and enjoy the yummy snacks and drinks.
Noon: The swapping frenzy begins!

At the end of the day, all unclaimed clothing will be donated to a local charity: Dress Your Best.

How Much?
$5 to cover the cost of food, drinks and location rental fee.

RSVP
clothing_swap@hotmail.com

Join the facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61408230503

Clarins gave me baby-soft skin

I spend a small fortune on my make-up and tend to cheap-out when it comes to skin care.

A few weeks ago, I decided to treat myself and bought a $50 exfoliant (instead of either a) not using one; or, b) using one the one I bought from The Body Shop a year ago that leaves my shower full of sandy grains).

I had been messing around with self-tanning lotion and knew it was time to bite the bullet and buy a decent exfoliant. I asked the cosmetician from my neighbourhood Shoppers what she recommended. Without missing a beat, she suggested one of two products from Clairns. I sampled both and decided on the new Toning Body Polisher with essential oils. Why? Because it was a smidge cheaper than the Smoothing Body Scrub and I liked how it smelled.

After the first use, my skin was noticeably softer. There wasn’t a huge residue in the bathtub and I smelled amazing! Actually, my whole house smells amazing for an entire day after I use this product.

Anyway, now I’m hooked. How about you? Have you tried any new beauty products this summer that you don’t know how you lived without?

IKEA showroom in downtowm Toronto

IKEA started distributing it’s 2009 catalogue last week. I always love flipping through mine but to be honest, despite my semi-annual visits and compact home, I don’t usually buy much.

IKEA seems to be on to something and it’s about time! This year they are trying something a little different. Recognizing the vast number of compact condos and townhomes in the downtown core, IKEA opened a temporary showroom (July 31-Aug. 3) in the fancy furniture strip along King St. E. If you’re downtown and looking for something to do tomorrow, you can have a look ’cause it’s closing at the end of the day.

Have you been to the downtown IKEA showroom? What did you think? See anything cool in the new catalogue? I’m loving the new pink chaises featured on the cover. Surprised?

My first impressions of Smart Set

You may remember I was contacted by Smart Set via their PR agency to participate in a program. In return, I got a mini-wardrobe consultation and a $75 gift certificate.

Instead of buying the suggested outfit, I bought a pair of casual cargo shorts for $26.99 (I’ve been living in them ever since). They were on sale from $35 and a week later, they were back up at regular price. I also picked up another pair of shorts for $9.99 but I didn’t love them so I took them back. Fortunately, Smart Set has a no-hassle return policy.

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the chain and noticed they have different specials every week. For instance, they’ve introduced lululemon knock-off yoga pants and co-ordinating jackets this week for an unbeatable price – any two pieces for only $50! (A set usually sells for $70.) I’m tempted to use the remainder of my gift certificate before they’re gone.

I also found a decent selection of jeans at very low prices. I think I’ve seen them on sale for under $30!

My friend Connie told me they’ve also started offering reusable bags and last week they were free with a minimum purchase of $40 or $50.

Bottom line:
I was pleasantly surprised to see so many women customers. I expected to find only teens. Staff was friendly, clothes seem to fit nicely and prices are very affordable. I probably won’t buy my work clothes at Smart Set because I find them a bit too junior and I prefer better quality. However, when it comes to basics and weekend wear, I’ll definitely pay Smart Set a visit.

Tip of the Week – Join ChickAdvisor’s Product Review Club

Want to test out cool products for free? All you have to do is join ChickAdvisor’s Product Review Club by completing a survey. From time-to-time you may be selected to test out some cool stuff. In return, you’ll beexpected to write a review on ChickAdvisor within 14 days of receiving the goodies.

So far, I’ve reviewed one product and I’ve just received some skin care products from pHisoderm. I’ll have my review posted on ChickAdvisor soon as well as this blog.

Okay, so I finally blew it but I’m determined to get back on track

Once I started deviating from NutriSystem and eating junk food other than the occasional ice cream or gelato, I had trouble stopping. To make matters worse, I was on a mini-vacation last week and my hosts were quick to express their disappointment when I suggested I eat salad with tuna instead of their cooking.

You guessed it… I’ve gained back a few nasty pounds. I need to learn not to be discouraged. I need to remember I’m still hanging on to my original goal of 25 pounds and down three sizes!

I have lots of NutriSystem dinners on hand because I’m pretty good about knowing how and what to eat for dinner at home or at restaurants so on maintenance I’d been pretty religious about sticking to the plan except for dinners.

I inquired about ordering more breakfasts and lunches from NutriSystem but that option isn’t available – at least not to Canadian customers.

Feeling desperate, I asked one of their PR company’s reps for help. NutriSystem came through and thanks to them, I have an order of breakfasts and lunch bars on their way.

Losing the weight was challenging and keeping all of it off is even tougher but I’m determined not to go back to the weight I was when I started the NutriSystem Challenge last winter.

What were they thinkng?

I can’t believe someone even suggested 212 Sexy Men as a name for a fragrance. Would you buy something with that name? I wouldn’t. I don’t care how nice it smells or that it’s part of Carolina Herrera’s collection. Besides, what would I do with 212 men?

Occasionally, I’m going to post pictures of wacky products I’ve found. Feel free to send in your pictures of other wacky products and I may post them here too.

Dear Bargainista #16 – baby gifts

Leona from Toronto writes:

One of my oldest and dearest friends had her first baby (a boy) on July 8. She lives in Edmonton. Do you have some ideas for great baby gifts or unique shops here in Toronto where I could get a special gift?

Thanks for your help. Love the blog,
Leona

•••
Dear Leona,

It’s been ages since I had my babies and things have changed a lot since then. Seems every time I turnaround there’s something new. I’ve listed my top three suggestions:

I just learned about this great new baby bath towel called Kangaroo Towel ($39.99). You can wear it while you bathe your baby so you stay dry. When the bath is finished, you can simply pick up the little one and put him in the in the self-contained towel with it’s own hoodie while you dry the baby and then lay him on the change table. Bonus: the Kangaroo Towel comes in it’s own little organza bag perfect for gift-giving. Check for a store near you or your friend (you may be able to save on shipping costs if you order from a store near her).

I learned about the Kangaroo Towel from Parent Tested Parent Approved Media. You may want to check out some of the other great things on this year’s list of winning products.

The Bumbo Seat ($59.99) also makes an incredible gift. It’s a fun little seat for babies as young as 6 weeks old to 14 months. Babies can sit upright while interacting with you and you can have your hands free. There are so few things babies can actually sit up in during the first few months other than I car seat. The makers also claim it helps improve posture. You can pick it up at Mastermind or order it online. Either way, hey’ll wrap it up and add a gift card for you. I’ve had excellent experiences sending gifts from their online store for years.

Another one of my favourites is the Mini-Whozit ($12.99). It also makes a nice add-on. My little guy had one and wouldn’t go anywhere with out it when he was a baby. There’s a whole line Whozit toys at various prices. You can get it at Mastermind and lots of other place where baby toys are sold.

Dear Bargainista would love to hear from you too! Have a question about shopping, fashion or food? E-mail us.

Tip of the week: applying self-tanning lotion

Years ago when QT was the only self-tanning product on the market, I tried a tester. I swear I wore a stain of that stuff on the inside of my wrist for years.

So, since then despite the warnings about the dangers of natural tanning and the plethora of self-tanning products on the market these days, I’d been keeping my distance. Well, until this year…

My son’s Bar Mitzvah was in May and I didn’t want to wear pantyhose with my suit during the morning. My party dress was white, so my pale legs needed some help.

My sister and a couple friends told me I needed to get a hold of a self-tanner and fast! Which one? They unanimously offered up Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. It was also the least expensive at my local drugstore. Only problem was, I had less than 12 hours to get ready and I needed 3 days for the product to take effect. So, I took a chance and picked up Jergens Natural Glow Express instead.

I applied it as soon as I got home and first thing the next morning. I ended up with just enough colour. I also ended up with a bit of streaking on my legs and dark splotches between my toes. The problem areas would have been hidden had I kept my sandals on all night. About 2 hours into the party, I dislocated my hip and had to remove them. Oh no, the spots on my toes were there for all to see.

My sister gave me some tips:
• Exfoliate and remove all dead skin in the shower first
• Mix your self-tanning with your own moisturizer before applying (I used equal amounts of each).

Not being one to give up, I tried it again.

The results:
Much better, no funny dark spots and a much more even fake tan with a bit of an orange tinge.

My take:
I’m a bit concerned about what these chemicals are doing to my skin. I’m not so crazy about the orange-tinged skin either but I have been using the self-tanning lotion two consecutive days a week. Check out “How do sunless-tanning products work?” for more info.

One final tip:
Self-tanning products are NOT sunscreen. Be sure to apply sunscreen before you go outside.

Do you use a self-tanning product? If so which one and do you have any helpful tips to share?

Tamsin is finding maintenance tough

This month, Tamsin interviews a NutriSystem counselor about maintaining her new weight…

Help! I’ve hit a snag in my NutriSystem maintenance and gained 4 pounds in the past week! This really bums me out but, in truth, I know exactly where those 4 pounds came from: Summer snacking! A fruity cocktail on the patio here, a handful of low-fat chips there… it adds up.

I called NutriSystem to chat with a Nutrition Counselor about getting back on track. I explained my horror and Counselor Donna asked me questions about to get a sense of my typical day of eating.

I told her that I really love the NutriSystem breakfast and lunch bars, and that I usually have the dessert with my afternoon coffee because that’s when my sweet tooth moment hits. Then I sheepishly described some of my favourite snacks for unwinding on the patio at the end of the day. Ah-ha! That’s the culprit right there. Donna was very supportive. She told me, “Sure, it common sense that it’s important to avoid resorting to old habits that may have contributed to your original weight gain, but knowing that doesn’t make it easy!”

Tamsin: How many NutriSystem foods do you recommend during Maintenance?

NutriSystem Counselor: How often you use NutriSystem foods depends on you. During your maintenance, you decide which NutriSystem foods you want to help maintain your weight loss. Some people, like yourself, stick wit the bars for breakfast and lunch because they are convenient. Many NutriSystem dieters choose NutriSystem foods for 2-3 complete days per week.

Tamsin: How many calories are required for maintenance?

NutriSystem Counselor: Donna explained that the number of calories I need to maintain my weight is determined by my activity level, weight, age and metabolism.

Tamsin: How long do NutriSystem dieters stay on maintenance?

NutriSystem Counselor: Donna told me that maintenance time is a personal choice. On average, dieters stay stick with the maintenance program for a year. At minimum, Donna recommends 6 months. She’s met many NutriSystem dieters who stayed on the maintenance program for 2-3 years.

Tamsin: What does NutriSystem recommend for alcohol consumption? Is it OK to have a cold beer or icy mojito on a hot summer day?

NutriSystem Counselor: NutriSystem recommends no more than 2 alcoholic beverages a week, including during maintenance. Donna reminded me that those tasty sweet cocktails are often loaded with calories.

Donna emailed me some guidelines for following the NutriSystem Maintenance Plan, which is available in the U.S. Getting back on track is my new 4-Day Goal! The bright side is that I have loads of NutriSystem food and motivation to get back on track.