NanoStyle is an online jewelry store specializing in contemporary jewelry collection of Onyx and Cubic Zirconia gemstones with imprinted 24 karat gold adornment. They claim that they are the first & only to engrave 24 karat gold on semi precious stones. 

They are also specializing in unique and fashionable collection of pendants for most faiths and spiritual beliefs. But other than that, Nano Style also have a jewelry range of Zodiac collection pendants and Love-inspired pendants too. 

When I have the opportunity to review a jewelry from NanoStyle, I found myself browsing the pendants on their website and decided to get my birth stone pendant that comes engraved with my zodiac sign in 24kt gold ! 

And a couple of weeks later I received these package in my door step :

As stated in the website, every purchase will include:

Your choice of Nanostyle fine pendant in either a 925 sterling silver or 14k gold (NOTE: All Zodiac pendants may be purchased in 925 Sterling Silver, 14 Karat Gold or TopGold. A silver chain is included with each silver pendant. A gold chain is available separately for purchase with any gold or silver pendants)

And that's exactly what I received !
I even got an extra bonus of colorful candies too! You can see from the picture above that the yellow box on the left is the box with the free NanoStyle key ring, the plastic container in the middle is the free candies, and the exquisite dark blue box at the right is the jewelry box.

Below is the NanoStyle key ring with attached magnifying glass. I love the key ring because it's not one of those cheap looking key ring that you usually get from a bonus somewhere, this one is made of stainless steel and black leather.

The design is elegant too, with NanoStyle logo and name imprinted on each side. My hubby loved it so much and he practically took it straight from the box and claimed it his. He now uses it as the key chain for the car's key. And her sister also compliment on how cool the car's key chain is!

And here's the extra candy bonus:

And as for the jewelry box, I love how exquisite and sturdy the box is. It's lined with matching dark blue suede inside, and on the bottom of the box if you lift the suede you can find a small instruction note on how to clean and care for the jewelry.

  Isn't it gorgeous?

My zodiac is Leo so I chose the Leo zirconia pendant in cubic zirconia and silver chain. Leo's birth stone is Peridot and so I decided to choose the Peridot color too which is a green color.

  

The Leo symbol is engraved in a brilliant 24 karat gold on a round (8mm) Peridot cubic zirconia and set in a stunning sterling silver chain. I love how beautiful and illuminating the peridot cubic zirconia is. Cubic Zirconia is a semi-precious stone and they say it is the most desirable diamond substitute today. Cubic Zirconia gained popularity because it's less expensive than diamonds but it's also very similar to diamonds that only well-trained experts using advanced equipment can tell these gems apart. But aside from that fact, I think cubic zirconia is already beautiful in its own right. 

I really love my NanoStyle necklace! It's so beautifully sparkly inside, it reflects the Peridot color very well, and it's a flawless durable gemstone that's as brilliance as diamonds. Can you see the brilliant cuts inside the pendant in the above picture? I also love how the beautiful cubic zirconia is neatly attached on to an elegant case that matched the pretty silver chain. I can tell that the silver chain is of great quality, and the pendant is just gorgeous, you can see the Leo zodiac sign engraved inside the pendant in 24kt gold. Look how beautiful it is!

I also use the magnifying glass that comes as an extra bonus to view the zodiac sign in more detail:

Overall , I am very much in love with this necklace and I wear it almost everyday now because it stated in the instruction paper inside the box that NanoStyle uses only the highest quality materials so you can shower, swim in the sea or go to gym while wearing your pendant, and that's why I almost never took it off ;) 

The standard length of the chain is also a satisfactory, it's not too short so it looks like it almost choke your neck, and it's not too long that if you wear a lower-cut blouse it would keep tucking itself inside your blouse and everyone can't see your pendant because it keeps hiding inside your blouse. So the length is just perfect ;)

NanoStyle always have Free Shipping & 60 Days Money-back Guarantee. 

They are shipping Worldwide - except for Malaysia due to postal/shipping problems.

GIVEAWAY:
  I have $50 Gift Certificate from NanoStyle for one of my readers! 

You can use it to get some huge discounts from their webstore. Maybe you want to give your mom or sister a special gift, or maybe you want your boyfriend or husband to get you something special? (wink-wink) ;p

To win the gift certificate :  All you have to do is email me or comment on this post before February 8. I will pick one name by random and announce the winner by February 9.

My personal preference for deodorant is the dry stick instead of the roll-on or the spray. I like the dry stick version better than the roll-ons or spray because the stick is dry (obviously) so it won't give a "wet" feeling when in contact with my skin. And since I live in a tropical country where heat is what I have to face almost everyday so a dry stick is more comfortable to use because you wont get that sticky feeling when you put it on, unlike when you use a roll-on. 

The dry stick also has a wider surface so it can cover large areas at once, as when you use roll ons you will usually need to roll it around twice or thrice so it can cover large areas. Deodorant sprays are also not my favorite because they tend to vapor easily and do not last longer.

After my shower I usually use deodorant stick for my underarms and then use a Body Spray for the rest of my body. I have been using Rexona brand for quite a long time and a few months ago I decided to try the new Dove version. So here are my reviews on both brands :

Both of these deodorant sticks are from the "lightening" variant, and they are both available for similarly affordable price at the drugstore or supermarket:

Rexona Women Skin Light Deodorant Stick.

This has been my number one deo stick for years. It has purple cap and on the tube it says 24hr antiperspirant deodorant, which is actually kinda true. This one has been tried and tested, and it never let me down. So far I have no disappointments, it does lasts all day, it kept me fresh and it kept the oil glands under control. But when it's really really scorching hot outside and I spent my day under the burning sun I usually get sweats too.

This Rexona Women Skin Light deo stick also has sunflower oil and licorice extract which helps to lighten and smooth underarms area. I do notice some lightening in my underarms but I think it took more than a month of regular daily uses to finally got that effect. And please note that it's not "whitening" (because there is no product that can actually really make your skin whiter) but it just "lightens" the area a little bit which makes for a clearer underarm. The formula is of course dry, and does not leave residue at all, and it seems to take effect immediately. I also love the scent. The scent is fresh and subtle so that it doesn't contradict with my body spray or perfume.  

Dove Lightening Silk Dry Deodorant Stick.

I bought this one because I thought I'd try a new deo stick after using my Rexona Skin Light for so long. It has creme yellow cap and on the tube it says "24hr Anti-Perspirant deodorant with moisturizing cream". 

I do find the anti-perspirant lasts for quite a long time, it's dry and it doesn't leave any residue too.  But I think it doesn't lasts as long as the Rexona one. The moisturizing cream is added to help smooth and lightens the underarm area. It also claims to have a combination of pure silk extracts to leave your underarms feeling silky-soft and fresh all day long. But maybe because of the moisturizing cream in it so the formula is a little bit more moist compared to Rexona that has a very dry formula. And when it comes to deo stick, I like mine "super dry". 

For me, the Rexona Women Skin Light Deodorant Stick still rules! :D

Well actually the Dove Lightening Silk Dry is quite good because it has long staying power, it has moisturizer and silk extracts to smooths the skin and it has lightening effect too, but the scent is what kinda put me off. I just personally like Rexona Skin Light's better because it's somehow more subtle and it just smells good for my nose ;)

Just in case you need another good website to get some screen printed t-shirts or embroidered shirts for your company, your events, or maybe for a friend or family, you can head over to Specialty T-Shirts for great quality and affordable embroidered shirts. From what I read on their website the company has great service and many options to choose from. The website is very user-friendly, it's easy to use, and they also provide online catalogs complete with measurements and details.

 

They specialize in t shirt screen printing, but they also provide options on other promotional items or labels and banners. With the help of digital technology they can offer custom embroidery, screen-printing, digital printing, heat transfers and promotional messaging on a variety of items. They can also offer low minimums, small run capabilities, and short lead times. 

As for the t shirt printing itself, they have a minimum of 25 t shirts per order and they can work with client's design or artwork provided by client. Or if you prefer to have them create a custom design for you then they'll do it too! Sounds like a no-hassle service to me. Oh and you can also request for price quotes directly through their website, and you will get 24 hour quote. 

Bookmark their website, who knows you'll need it someday :)

I should've posted this a few weeks ago but I've been very disorganized lately, so I'm sorry for that. I've been bad with my blogging schedule and I can't help it ;p

So anyway back in December my mother in law just got back from visiting my brother in law & his wife in US who just had their baby. I asked my MIL if she can help bring me some stuffs back to Jakarta if I buy some items online and have it shipped to my bro in law's address, and she agreed. And when my MIL came back to Jakarta just before Christmas she brought me my stuffs PLUS a little bit of something else :

My freebies & hauls

Aside from my purchases, my MIL also brought me some little gifts. My MIL was staying there for a month so I had a chance to buy some stuffs to be delivered to my brother in law's address to cut the shipping cost, and then have my MIL brought them here. I had some extra dollars in my paypal that I can use for my shopping but at first I didn't know what to buy, and only at the last minute I decided to buy something from drugstore.com. I've shopped at drugstore.com before and shipped it to my bro in law's address and have him brought the items for me the last time he went back to Jakarta. So I had good experience with drugstore.com before and decided to purchased from them again for my last minute shopping. I also checked out beauty.com which is a part of drugstore.com, and after some quick browsing I decided to get these:

 Left to right: Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner, Red Flower Indian Jasmine Moisturizing Body Lotion, Too Faced Beauty Insurance Kit, Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser.

I have been reading about how good this Thayers Witch Hazel Toner for oily or combination skin, I've read it in make up alley, in some beauty blogs and youtube beauty gurus, and I'm always curious about it. Since they comes in big bottle so there's no way I would buy it online and have it shipped here because I'm afraid whether the overseas shipping would be safe enough for a big bottle full of liquid, and because it contains fluid so I'm not sure too whether I would get trouble with shipping a big liquid bottle via the usual postal shipment. So when I was browsing drugstore.com I thought it was the right time to buy it because my MIL can bring it inside her luggage.

Witch Hazel has been known for their many benefit for the skin, it helps to clear out some impurities on the skin surface and it also helps to tighten pores and smooths skin as well. And unlike most of the other brands, Thayers version has un-distilled witch hazel which means more beneficial natural tannins which is great for our skin! This toner also has certified aloe vera formula and added Vitamin E to help smooth and beautify skin without drying. The Vitamin E itself has a moisturizing function.

SHORT REVIEW: After using it for several weeks, I guess I like this toner because it doesnt dry my skin and it leaves my skin moist because of the moisturizing factor in it. I also think it helps freshen my face and it also helps with the problem of uneven skin tone on my face. I really hope this toner would help clear out my face in the long run. So far, all I can say is this toner really suits my combination skin.

Next is the Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser. I was in need of a new facial wash that month and decided to get this instead because it is something that I have tried before and loved it. And from my past experience I know that this cleanser is great for my combination skin:

I know you can get Neutrogena in special store here in Jakarta, but they usually always ran out of the oily version. Every time i checked a store they always said the oily skin version are out of stock! So I guess it's time for me to buy this while I can. I remember I loved how my skin feels after I washed it with this cleanser. It feels fresh, clean, and it gets rid of oil on my face and helps keep it at bay. It didn't leave any residue feeling, just a smoother clean skin. I also recommends this if you have oily or combination skin like me.

And then to be able to get free shipping, I also bought this Too Faced Beauty Insurance Kit (although I didn't know that it would be sooo small, LOL) ;p. This Too Faced Beauty Insurance Kit consists of their three best seller primers which are: Primed & Poreless Face Primer, Lip Insurance Lip Primer, and Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer :

I've been eyeing for the most raved eyeshadow primer which are the Urban Decay Primer Potion and this Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer. Both are quite pricey so I decided to try some samples. When I browse Too Faced Shadow Insurance on beauty.com I found this mini pack instead, so I thought why not? I got to try three different primers and the mini tubes are just perfect for my daily makeup bag which I always carry in my handbag.
I actually haven't tried any of the primers because lately I always runs out of time every time I'm getting ready to go out, and I didn't have enough time to put on everything so it's always been a "quick easy makeup of BB Cream + Powder + Mascara + Lipstick" nowadays..

The last thing I got from my purchase is the Beauty.com booklet and this Red Flower's Indian Jasmine Moisturizing Body Lotion sachet sample which is an extra free bonus from my purchase above. (NOTE: You can choose which samples you want at their website) :

Haven't tried this one too. I'm saving it for special occasion ;)

And that was my drusgtore.com & beauty.com purchases. But then I also received a little bit of something else from my MIL. Aside from all the stack of chocolates and yummy snacks she bring for us she also bought me a few jewelries (four earrings and a sparkly ring) and two pieces of Bath & Body Works Anti Bacterial Hand Gel :

the jewelries:

And the Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gels:

And last but not least, my brother in law and his wife also bought me a Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction Pouch Set as a gift! It consists of Pure Seduction Daily Body Wash, Hydrating Body Lotion, and Fragrance Mist plus a really pretty sparkly fuchsia pouch with bows on either side, so cute!

Love the fuchsia pouch!

I have always used Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mist as body splash, I use it after every shower. And I have quite a few of them in different scents. For me, I prefer the old Pure Seduction. I think they renew the Pure Seduction because I still have the old bottle of Pure Seduction fragrance mist and the scent is slightly different than the one from the pouch set. But I love the body lotion though ;)


To read all of my "Hauls & Freebies" posts, just click here and keep scrolling down on that page. 

I first knew about this Free Sample program from Carnelin's blog "While You On Earth" (Thanks Carnelin!). And since you know I'm a sucker for freebies so of course I didn't miss this chance ;)

Many thanks to Viva Cosmetics whose been so generous with this program. Viva Cosmetics is one of the oldest Indonesian makeup and bodycare line. Did you know that one of Viva Cosmetic's best seller item is the Viva eyebrow pencil? Even the professional makeup artist use it for their client, I had two make up artists done my eyebrows with this pencil ;)

So anyway if you're interested to also receive some free goodies from Viva then all you have to do is go to their website and sign up for their exclusive member program, fill out your data and just wait for a few weeks for your sample items to arrive at your door. As simple as that!

So apparently every one who signed up for their membership would get different samples on their package, and below are my package which I received back in December:

As you can see, the package is not small at all so forget the usually itsy bitsy mini small sample items that we usually got from brands or companies, this package was full of Viva Cosmetics samples in Full Size!!
Well I assume they all are full size because they are the same as the ones on their website (ex: the hand & body lotion is 100ml, the same as the one on their website). So anyway here's what I got:

- The Blue Compact Powder in Natural Tropical

- Eyeshadow Duo in 01 

- Lipstick in #51 (a deep red color) 

- Hand & Body Lotion

- Moisturizer

- Eye&Lip Make Up Remover
- Viva Cosmetics Booklet

I love the Hand & Body Lotion, it is my most favorite item from the package. The lotion itself absorbs quickly to the skin without any residue, and what I love most is it has a subtle rose fragrant that you don't really notice but it's actually there. There are other lotions in their website such as the Green Tea or the Avocado, but I was sent the original one. I've never tried any of Viva lotions before but I surely love this one!

As for the Moisturizer, it is okay, the consistency of the lotion is not thick and yet not very watery so it absorbs quickly. And it keeps my face moist too.

The Eye & Make Up Remover is between good and so-so. It does wipe away the dirt and thin layer of eyeshadow from your face but it didn't wipe off my Maybelline waterproof mascara, and if I use heavy makeup on the eye, this eye & make up remover didn't do so well either, so I guess it's great for everyday light makeup (face powder and thin layer of eyeshadow), but if you have heavier makeup or use foundation or bb cream you might want to use other makeup remover.

My second favorite item from the package is the Compact Powder. I got the Natural Tropical (light tan beige). The container is small so it's very practical as it doesn't need a big space in your makeup bag. I've never use any Viva cosmetic before except for the eyebrow pencil so when I tried this compact powder I was actually amazed at how good the face powder is. It has very fine texture, goes on smoothly on the face, and it covers quite well too. And it somehow contain my oily face too, I didnt get any shine for quite longer than I expected, and the powder actually lasts quite long too. Although Viva sent the samples in random but fortunately this one suits my skin color :)

The lipstick I received is #51, it's a deep red color which I think would suit most skin colors. The lipstick has squalane and shea butter to keep our lips soft and smooth. There are many color options on the website too. I like this particular color Viva sent me because I don't have any lipstick in that color yet on my collection so I was happy to add this one to my makeup pile ;)

As for the eyeshadows I kinda like them too. The colors in the palette were Gold and Orange. It's the shimmery type but not that sparkly shimmery much when you applied it to the eyelid. It was also surprisingly good considering the cheap price: the color is natural with quite medium pigment, it applied smoothly on eyelid and when applied it comes out not too sparkly which is good for my taste. It also lasts for a few hours and you can definitely see the colors on your eyelids unlike other cheap eyeshadows which you need to layer several times until you get the color. So far, I like it.

If you want to see and compare what others have received from Viva Cosmetics you can see what Carnelin received, and what one of my reader Ribka of Miles Apart received.

Or if you have already got your samples and have posted it in your blog let me know so we can compare :)

If you've been reading my blog for quite some time, you'll probably notice that this is my third review + giveaway post sponsored by Cover Your Hair. Cover Your Hair is one of my oldest sponsor, they have been my lovely sponsor ever since this blog is just a few months old! Thank you Cover Your Hair!

Cover Your Hair is an online store that focused on selling Hair Accessories such as headbands, turbans, hats, Hair Clips, and bandanas (which is one of their specialty), etc. Aside from that they also have other sections such as Snoods, combs, travel mirrors, belts, and shawls. 

Since I have reviewed a peacock-feather hair clip + bandana, and then a white pashmina from their store before, so this time I thought I would try to review something different. This time I will review the Boar Bristle Brush from their Combs/Brushes section. 

My take: 

After using it for a few weeks now, I found it really great for my hair and it has given much benefits for my hair and actually makes my hair more manageable and looks great all day. I believe the boar bristle brush is suitable for any type of hair but I can say for sure that this brush really suitable for my hair which is a bit on the thicker side and has normal to oily type. My hair is not limping anymore, it has volumes now! And it does distribute the oil in my hair to all over the shafts so that I have shiny hair with minimal oil in my scalp. Love it!

Don't forget to also check their "Under $5" section and Special Shipping offer such as the Free Super Saver Shipping where shipping is free for orders over $30.

GIVEAWAY:
Cover Your Hair is offering a free $25 box of surprise Hair Accessories to one lucky winner!

NOTE: This picture is just an example of assorted hair accessories from Cover Your Hair. The prize will be random hair accessories from Cover Your Hair therefore this picture is just an example of what you might get if you win.   

Please pay attention to the RULES before you enter.

RULES :

(To be eligible for this giveaway contest you MUST do the MANDATORY below. You only need 1 Mandatory entry to enter, but you could also have Additional entries to maximize your chances, please remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't be counted)

To ENTER (MANDATORY) :  You must visit Cover Your Hair, take a look around at the store and then come back here and tell me in a comment on this post, which item would you love to have. (1 entry)

For Additional entry :

• Be a Follower of Two Thousand Things via Google Friend Connect - must be a visible follower. (2 entries, write a separate comment box for each entry)

• Subscribe to my email subscriptions so you won't miss out on future posts and giveaways! (find link in bottom right sidebar). (2 entries)

• Follow Two Thousand Things via these options: RSS / BlogLovin / Twitter then in a NEW separate comment write your id. If you're already a follower then just tell me your id/name and which subscription are you using. Don't forget to write in separate comment box for each of your subscriptions. You can find all subscription links at the right side bar. (1 entry for each subscription)

• Follow Cover Your Hair via twitter. Tell me your twitter id. (1 entry)

• Tweet about this giveaway and give me the link to your tweet. You can just click the tiny twitter button on the bottom of this post. To find the link of your tweet, click the time stamp right underneath your twitter message / status. (1 entry)

• Be a fan of Cover Your Hair on Facebook. Tell me your id. (1 entry) 

NOTE : Remember to include your email in the comment box so I can reach you if you win.
Your entries will be visible after my approval so All entries that does not apply with the rules will not be counted and I will not published the entry!

This giveaway will end on Jan 30, 2012 at 24:00 pm. 

Yeah baby, this giveaway is open for WORLDWIDE!
Winner will be announced here on Jan 31, 2012.

  

Kalau lagi iseng membolak-balik majalah lifestyle ibukota biasanya ada beberapa halaman yang isinya tentang para sosialita Jakarta. Sejujurnya sih saya senang melihat-lihat halaman yang penuh foto-foto glamor tersebut hehe Soalnya beberapa dari mereka tampak selalu tampil stylish dan fashionable banget di berbagai acara. Bahkan saya sampai hafal nama beberapa orang sosialita yang menurut saya pribadi selera fashion nya oke dan selalu tampil menawan di berbagai kesempatan. Nah salah satu nya itu adalah Mesty Ariotedjo, yang juga merupakan sosialita sekaligus fashionista favorit saya. Ini nih yang namanya Mesty:

Sekedar info buat yang belum tahu, Mesty ini tercatat sebagai mahasiswi kedokteran UI, pandai main alat musik, aktif di modeling, dan juga aktif sebagai duta Yayasan Musik Sastra Indonesia sekaligus juru bicara Yayasan Jantung Indonesia. Pokoknya wanita multi talenta lah. Cantik dan stylish tapi juga berprestasi.

Dan seperti yang sudah saya sebut di atas, Mesty ini temasuk fashionista favorit saya. Kalau saya perhatikan, diantara sosialita lainnya gaya dandan Mesty termasuk yang nggak pernah berlebihan dan jarang berpakaian terlalu terbuka. Pilihan busana yang oke ditambah tampilan make up natural serta rambut yang sehat dan indah tergerai adalah gaya andalan Mesty sehari-hari. Sementara untuk ke pesta Mesty lebih memilih gaya yang feminine, anggun, dan elegan. Mungkin lebih tepat kalau disebut “Classy”.


Saya kadang suka mencontek gaya rambut Mesty yang anggun kalau ke pesta, tapi seringnya sih gagal hehe Mungkin karena rambut Mesty lebih sehat daripada rambut saya ya, makanya rambut panjang Mesty kelihatan bagus, sehat dan berkilau.

Dan ternyata oh ternyata…saya baru tahu nih, rupanya Mesty ini adalah brand ambassador nya Sunsilk toh! Dan ternyata Mesty memang memakai produk Sunsilk untuk perawatan rambut nya sehari-hari. Mulai dari shampoo, kondisioner hingga masker rambutnya.

Wah tenyata nggak susah ya pengen punya rambut bagus. Saya jadi tergoda juga nih kepingin coba rangkaian perawatan rambut Sunsilk. Apalagi sekarang varian nya kan banyak banget tuh, pasti ada salah satu nya yang cocok untuk kebutuhan rambut saya. Kebetulan Mesty pakai rangkaian Sunsilk Hair Fall Solution.
Menurutnya sejak pakai shampoo, conditioner dan hair mask Sunsilk itu, rambutnya jadi lebih kuat. Jadinya ya rambut Mesty seperti yang sekarang ini; sehat, kuat, indah berkilau. Dan yang paling penting, nggak rontok lagi! Hmm..sepertinya ini pertanda bahwa saya harus ganti perawatan rambut ;) Coba ah!