Over the past couple of years I have been trying different types of flat irons. Honestly, my hair just does not look good as anything but straight!  My friend is a stylist with Paul Mitchell and I asked her to get me one of their flat irons, the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth, after she used it on my hair.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this straight iron. I have a friend who swears by her CHI that she was harassed into buying at a kiosk in the mall. Even though I have tried it the CHI and liked it OK, I still like my Paul Mitchell iron the best.

Recently, I was in Thailand and accidentally left the iron on while I was out sightseeing all day long.  Unfortunately, despite using a converter on the iron, it was dead.  Since then I have had to use my old irons until I can buy a new Paul Mitchell one and I have to say it’s not the same.  I’ve become completely spoiled on how fast it straightens my hair, doesn’t burn while I’m trying to straighten my hair and my hair is still healthy looking with breakages from too much ironing.

On top of using the flat iron, I like to use the Paul Mitchell Heat Seal which guards my hair even more from the heat and helps my hair to last even longer. After applying the heal seal and flat ironing my hair, I usually add the gloss drops as a finishing touch. The gloss drops are so much fun I actually look forward to adding them to my hair! I know it’s weird but they make already beautifully flat shiny hair even more beautiful. The only thing I don’t like about the gloss drops is that after spreading it through your hair with your hands it’s hard to wash it off your hands. Minor inconvenience I suppose!

Hair loss is a concern for many women.  It’s little known but it is totally possible to avoid hair loss in women. The supplements are a great way to promote new hair growth in women.

Accessories for this summer have one main goal, they should be different, don’t be afraid to try something new. When adding accessories to an outfit it is something that can make or break an outfit. Now the following article will give you a glimpse of the ways to accessorize this summer.

Colors: This summer, you will want wear colorful accessories. Think of the colors as a painter pallet. The color you will see when shopping for this summer’s accessories is mostly turquoise. You will also be seeing some fuchsia, apple green and pale pink with a 70s twist. Some other colors that you will see when it comes to accessories would be Coral, Bronze and khaki mixed in with gold. So that being said, no matter what your taste, there are lots of colors out there and you should be able to find something that you like.

Handbags: Handbags are often an easy way to accessories that looks great. Luckily this summer is no different. You may want to try a big purse that comes in one of the bold colors mentioned above because above all, the most important thing this season will be the color, but a beautiful handbag is a great way to show these color’s off.

Sandals: While shopping this summer, you will notice that there are different types of sandals that look different than any you have ever seen before. If you feel bold you could try these on; it may surprise you how awesome they look on you. Sandals for this summer again are an absolute must; they can make any outfit look so much better. You will have many options to choose from as there will be a lot of different styles.

Revisiting the 70s: You will see a lot of accessories that will be revisiting the 70’s. With bright colors, bold statements and big textured items. Big jewelery will also be something popular this season, like bangle bracelets, or big necklaces.

So as you can see, the biggest thing this summer is bigger, bolder, and brighter. Try many different types of shapes and textured, and mainly, do not be afraid to be different. Try something you may not normally try. It’s all about choosing your own personal style.

Contrary to what most women think, the answer to this question is quite simple. Every woman can wear skinny jeans if they like the look. The only thing to make sure of is that you pick the right look for your body type. Women are all made differently so the following will be tips and hints on how to wear skinny jeans no matter what shape you are.  One thing to remember is that skinny jeans are not called skinny jeans because they are only made for skinny women. They have this name because of the way they are made, because they taper at the ankles.
One thing to remember is that if you chose skinny jeans in a dark wash wearing these will actually compliment any body type. Women who are a very small size will look alright in a lighter wash, but if you’re hesitant choose a darker one. You will also want to ensure that they fit you perfectly. Try a few different ones on to make sure they fit right. Often times if they are very stretchy they will hug your curves.  This also means where they sit at your waist. If you already know if you look better in a lower or higher rise jean you will want to choose that same rise but in a skinny jean.
You will also want to pick a pair of shoes that works best with skinny jeans. Although a nice stiletto would look good with skinny jeans, this is not your only option. A nice flat would look good and a very safe bet when it comes to skinny jeans is wearing a nice pair of boots that goes up to the knees and which you wear over your jeans.
You will also want to pick a shirt that works well with the jeans. If you feel self conscious you may want to wear a longer shirt. This look will be very nice on anyone wearing skinny jeans.  You could also wear a nice longer sweater with a belt around the waist.
So if you are searching for the perfect look for wearing skinny jeans that will work with any body type, you can wear a dark pair of skinny jeans with a long shirt or sweater and a nice pair of knee high boots. And remember, even if some people will say that you cannot wear skinny jeans unless you are supermodel slim, don’t believe it, you can rock it girl!

Sometimes, we need to find furniture, however we don’t want to or have the means to afford expensive ones.  There are however many ways to find furniture on a budget. You will have many options whether you wish to get new furniture or used furniture that could add some character to your home. Buying budget furniture can be a fun task, you may have to be creative and try many different spots before getting exactly what you want, but this can be a fun weekend activity. You will want to make sure you know yourself and don’t buy something that will require too much work that you know you will not do. The following are ideas of places to find furniture on a budget:

Garage sales: If you are someone who enjoys going to garage sales on Saturday mornings, this can be a great way of finding some really nice furniture. Take a look in your local newspaper, or online classifieds in order to find some in your area and go on the hunt for furniture. You never know what you could find, a lot of people have garage sales when they move therefore may have something that is barely used. You could also find antique furniture or simply something older that could be fixed with a simple coat of paint.

Curb side:  When people do their spring cleaning, you may want to have a look around your neighborhood while you’re driving to see if you find something you could use.  You never know what some people could be throwing away that you might really love.

Flea market: On weekends, there are often flea markets in most areas. You may not find what you went in there to look for, but chances are you will not come out empty handed.

Second hand stores and pawn shops: Check out your local second hand store like Goodwill or Salvation Army’s. Also, if you know of some pawn shops or “junk stores” that have furniture, you may find something there too.

Furniture from model homes: Companies who have model homes in order to try and sell houses could also be an option. They will often use new furniture to decorate these model homes, and you may be able to purchase pieces for a low price when they are done with them.

Furniture stores:  Most furniture stores have a section with furniture that has scratches or dents or sometimes even pieces that were floor models. For the most part, these items will be highly discounted.

Furniture outlet stores: Outlet store for furniture companies or department stores that sells furniture will also have cheap furniture, whether they be discontinued models or simply last year’s model, you can often find some very nice things.

Online: Websites such as Kijiji (in Canada), Craig’s list or eBay would also have furniture for a low price. If you are comfortable with this method this could be a good way of acquiring nice furniture.

Trade with family or friends: You may also find that someone you know has something you would want and that you have something they would want so you can make a trade.

So there are many ways to find furniture when you don’t have a lot of money or don’t wish to spend a lot of money. One thing you need to remember when deciding where you want to go check for some stuff is how much time and energy, if any, you are willing to spend making this piece of furniture into what you want. If you want something that you can buy and put in the house with no work, you will probably want to check mostly for new stuff, like in outlets, model furniture and the dents and scratch section of a furniture store.

Most people have heard of the iPad, which is the first Tablet based device to go to the market. A Tablet is a portable, wireless device that is basically a computer, but made like a Smartphone (I.e. Blackberry, iPhone etc.) with a bigger screen. A lot of people are asking themselves if they should get one of these, as it seems as if more and more people are getting them and they appear to be very versatile. But do you really need to jump on the tablet bandwagon? Is it something that would replace your laptop? See for yourself, the following are pros and cons of the Tablet.

Pros:

• They can be used as an E-reader. Have you wanted to buy yourself an e-reader because you travel a lot and like to be able to have a portable device at the tips of your fingers to read all those great books you love? If you are considering buying a Tablet and an E-reader, you only need to buy the Tablet as they have many ways for you to buy books and read on it.
• They are better than a Smartphone. If you are the type of person who uses their Smartphone for everything like checking e-mails, opening attachments, watching videos, you would enjoy the view of the bigger screen on the Tablet.
• If you have an older laptop and don’t need to type a lot, you will find that a Tablet has a much more advanced technology than your older laptop.
• If you have a lot of meetings where you need to take notes, it is also a great tool to have.
• When you have a job that needs you to use pictures, it is much easier with the Tablet as you can have it all on there and it’s easier to turn on quickly then a laptop.
• Even families may want to buy Tablets as they are a device that allows kids to watch movies or listen to music while on road trips.
• Tablets are also less money than a laptop, so if you are on the market for a laptop this may be a cheaper alternative for you.
• When a Tablet freezes or crashes, which doesn’t happen often it’s a much quicker reboot then a PC.
• When travelling a lot Tablets can be a great tool as they are equipped with Wi-Fi which means there are various ways for you to connect on the Internet, and you can use it for maps, tour guides, finding restaurants and hotels, etc.

Cons:

• Don’t have the misconception that it is as portable as a Smartphone. The Tablet is bigger and does not fit in your pocket. If you want to carry it with you everywhere you will need to protect it with a case and have a purse big enough to fit it.
• If you are someone who likes to play more complex video games, these will not be available on your tablet. You will however be able to play games such as Angry Bird to pass the time when you’re waiting for a flight.
• You may not be able to do a lot of work on it, especially if this means work that needs a lot of typing or even Photoshop.
• Some people also believe it is not an adequate device to watch a movie and would rather watch it on a real TV anyways.
• How do you know that something better is not going to come out in a few months? The Tablets are fairly new in the technology world and you may feel safer to wait a bit before buying one.

So as you can see, when it comes to deciding whether or not you want to buy a Tablet, it comes down to personal preferences. Hopefully this short list of Pros and Cons will have helped you better decide what the best choice is for you.

This author spotlight is Jodi Picoult. Her novels are the type that really gets you thinking, they always have type of subject that will put your ethical values into question. Her books are well researched and on a variety of different subjects. While reading her books you feel as if you get the point of view of all characters involved in the main plot and you can find yourself agreeing with one character during part of the book and others during another part of the book. In some sorts, her books are playing the devil`s advocate in situations where as a society we see it in Black or White, Good or Evil. But sometimes, when you know the real story, you will find that it isn`t always Black and White. Jodi Picoult is excellent when truly showing both sides of the story.  Some examples of these types of books are:

House Rules: This book is about seventeen year old Jacob who has asperser’s syndrome which is part of the autism spectrum. Jacob is a genius when it comes to things such as remembering details and examining everything. He has a fond a very strong interest in crime scene investigation and anything to do with forensics. One day there is a murder in their small town, and Jacob may be involved. This affects the entire family; his mom does not think it’s reasonable the way he is being judged because it just shows how society does not understand children with asperger’s syndrome. As for his younger brother, this shows him how nothing is normal because of his brother Jacob.

My Sister`s Keeper: Now this is a book and/or movie that a lot may have heard of, seen or read. It is her most popular novel, and if you have seen the movie and not read the book do yourself a favour and pick up the book. It is a really good story about a family who has a daughter with Leukemia and have decided to have another child who is genetically identical for transplants. The story follows the now 13 year old Anna who whenever her sister is sick, needs to go in surgery as the donor. Nobody has ever questioned this until now. Anna wants for once in her life have control over her body.

The Pact: The Pact revolves around two families who have been neighbours for 18 years. The children of both families, Chris and Emily have been friends since they were born and in high school this relationship turns into a more romantic, soul mate type relationship. When one night both families hear that Emily has committed suicide, and that Chris may be involved nobody understands.  Had they planned to make a pact and only Emily ended up committing suicide?

Choosing luggage can be a confusing task as it is not something we buy often so it can be hard to decide which ones to pick. When it comes to certain things like colors, patterns and sizes it is a matter of preference; however the following will be some tips on what to look for when it comes to buying luggage. It is not an inexpensive purchase, therefore you want to make sure what you get is really what you want and need.

1. First of all, if you are going on a flight that has many different stops, you will want to ensure that your luggage can stand all the throwing around it will endure while switching airplanes. Therefore, if you have older luggage, you may want to consider buying something new. Same goes with the type of luggage you choose, Ensure that it is durable enough to withstand the throwing around as they do not normally handle your luggage delicately.
2. Something people may not realize is the importance of not choosing very expensive luggage. When you have expensive luggage people who are looking to steal from travelers will jump at the chance of stealing Louis Vuitton luggage since it probably means that there are also some expensive things in the suitcase.
3. Ensure that your suitcases have wheels; you will not regret it when you’re traveling. However sometimes wheels can just be more of a bother than anything else so make sure you try out the suitcase and make sure it rolls well before you buy it.
4. When it comes to zippers on luggage, it is no secret that they often break or split. Make sure that the zipper appears to be reinforced. Also, test the zipper to see if it closes and opens easily.
5. Weatherproof luggage is something that a lot of people overlook when picking out luggage. You never know when traveling what kind of weather you could encounter and you want to ensure that the stuff inside your suitcase doesn’t get wet.
6. If you decide to get a duffel bag, make sure the shoulder strap is comfortable. Sometimes luggage is heavy and you may have to walk farther then you expect.
7. Examine what type of pockets the suitcase has inside as well as on the outside. Depending on your preferences ensure that you have what you want when it comes to extra storage spaces in your luggage. Some luggage even has a spot for your dirty clothes.

Although luggage is not something we need to buy often, when we do need to buy some and it can sometimes be overwhelming. However with these tips, hopefully it will make it easier. Happy shopping, and have a wonderful trip!

We at DIWYY Gear love lululemon. Our latest obsession is love embroidery from the art hoodie series. Check out the whole outfit! So cute!