Mariam Monroe

Has it REALLY been almost 2 years?

2020-05-06T13:07:00.003-07:00

Man...time flies....when you have kids.

So over 2 years ago I foolishly allowed my .COM to expire thinking I was done with my online life. The site name is taken, but not in use... I hope that one day the .COM becomes available again, but in the meantime, this is the new site. Really....its the old site with a new extension.... I hope it doesn't really confuse anyone. Everything else should still be the same. I have updated all of the YouTube descriptions to reflect this - and it was exhausting....but done.

Because I was forced to register a new domain extension, I toyed around with the idea to just re-brand everything...but I thought of all my social media accounts that some of you already follow me on, and ultimately decided to keep the name as is. So, if you are wondering what sites or apps to follow me on, here is a list:

Facebook: MariamMonroe1 (http://www.facebook.com/mariammonroe1)
Instagram: Mariam_Monroe (http://instagram.com/mariam_monroe)
Snapchat: Mariam_Monroe (http://www.snapchat.com/add/mariam_monroe)
YouTube: MariamMonroe (http://www.youtube.com/user/mariammonroe)
Blog/Website: www.mariammonroe.ca
Twitter: Mariam_Monroe (http://www.twitter.com/mariam_monroe) - Not much activity here

I look forward to seeing you all on these platforms!

xoxo,
Mariam

My Diva Diet & the 20 lbs Lost in 6 WEEKS

2019-05-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

If there was an award for the most number of diet fads attempted in a 5 year span...
I would not only be the winner, I would be the Organizer, Creator, and sole record holder in the Guinness Book of World Records.

That being said, I have FINALLY found the trick to rapid and permanent weight loss......
You ready for it? Two words:

Calorie Counting.

I do not cut carbs, sugars, sodium or anything else. I simply count every morsel that I consume. In the past, I would most definitely lose weight on all of these fad diets (Never the high amount they boast), but enough to say, holy crap!

The problem was, it was always short lived... the cravings for whatever "bad food" I had to banish from my life would come on ten fold. The pounds I worked SO hard to remove, were quickly packed on (and then some) in a matter of days when returning to a normal diet.... It was a yo-yo effect.

The problem was, it wasn't realistic once the target weight was achieved. I couldn't imagine never eating another carb or full fat butter meal again... that's crazy talk! I'm Canadian....Poutine gravy runs through my veins!

Not to mention, it obviously wasn't healthy. But don't you sit there and judge me like you aren't here reading this to see what extreme diet I used - and how to do it!

In February of this year, I ordered a dress for my brothers wedding in Mid-March. The dress was gorgeous and was coming from Australia. I gave every exact measurement to the lady who helped me place my order. She had the dress in stock for me and no alterations were needed! So she sent it out express, and the dress arrived within a few days.

Fast forward to the weekend before Valentines day, and the dress could barely make it up to my shoulders, let alone zip closed!! What was I going to do?? I just spent $900 on this dress that was so perfect in my mind. I didn't have any time to find something else!

Then it hit me. I was turning 35 in May, and had been complaining that I hated the way I looked as it was, and I didn't want to see myself in this state anymore. This dress was going to help me lose some weight before I officially crossed over into my "mid-thirties".

I set the goal: 20lbs in 6 weeks. I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

First day - 2 Weeks into Diet - 1 week before the event - My Brothers Wedding

I will be using this section of my site, along with my newest Instagram account: www.instagram.com/MyDivaDiet/ to show you recipes and low calories versions of your favorite meals. So you never have to feel like diet food is boring ever again. And you too, can stick to your goals and achieve your target!

The BEST Make-up Brush Cleaner for UNDER $2!

2017-03-07T10:57:00.004-08:00

So earlier in the month I had stumbled across my long lost Sephora gift card and thought, oh boy! Shopping spree! I browsed around on their site and came across this:

I had seen someone use a brush cleaning pad on YouTube before, but I wasn't interested in spending $40 USD on it.... I thought, hey this is a pretty good deal for a brush cleaner..... until I searched online and found these silicone heart shaped ones for under 2 bucks! (dirt cheap!!) For that price you can give em out to friends as stocking stuffers or a little add on to a birthday gift! You'll look like you spent a TON - but you know that the wrapping paper used to wrap it all cost more...

I decided to shop around on google and see how much others were charging and if there was a better design available. Here is what I came up with:

First of all, I cannot justify spending that much on a finger make up brush or cleaning pad. The design of the heart shape cleaner is PERFECT because you can get all your fingers in there for support when pressing your brush against it. Plus, it came in a TON of colors as opposed to the usual hot pink....

WHERE TO GET IT: AMAZON.COM (Sort Price: low to high) , you can also find it on Ebay.

WHAT IT DOES: Of course I made a YouTube video showing you how it works:

I hope you guys enjoyed this video / post. Leave a comment down below if you found a beauty item you want me to try out or review!

Xoxo,
Mariam Monroe

Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored in any way. All items presented were purchased by me, and the opinions expressed are my own without any influence. Links to products may contain affiliate links.

Erase Your Face Beauty Cloth + Giveaway!

2017-02-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

You've obviously come here to enter in my "Erase Your Face" Cloth Giveaway, so let me just point you in the right direction:

If you are interested in some more information on this product / giveaway without having to watch the YouTube video (which is posted at the very end of this post), you can also just read down below:

Comes in 4 colors (4 pack)

This face cloth promises to remove your make up and oils using ONLY warm water! As skeptic as we all are in a world of photoshop and filters, I figured I had to try this one out for myself and see how well they really work. It seemed so impossible.... but the results....my goodness!

How Does it Work?:

Specially knitted polyester fibers that are finer than human hair. So when wet, the cloth creates a hydro-mechanical process that breaks down

What it is:
A make up remover without the use of harmful chemicals or synthetic makeup removers. No more money spent on liquids and disposable remover pads! Just use warm water!

Who it is for:
Everyone! All skin types and shades! These packs are ideal to carry while traveling or on the go.

Where can I buy them:
http://amzn.to/2kIugBr (Affiliate link)

Now on to some semi-gross pics of how incredible this cloth works at taking off your cake face!

You're welcome for the close up.

Not only did the cloth remove my eye shadow, layers of foundation, and eyeliner, but it also removed my waterproof mascara with little to no effort! My skin felt unbelievably soft afterwards. and the clean up and storage process couldn't have been any more simple: Rinse, hang to dry. Done.

These cloths make great gifts, travel essentials and deserve a spot in your make up arsenal. Do they pass the test? Absolutely.

WHERE CAN I BUY THESE??: http://amzn.to/2kIugBr

Now what are you waiting for?

I am giving away 3 of these bad boys!

Scroll back up to the top and don't forget to enter for your chance to win one!

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Bloglovin'

2017-02-05T08:19:00.001-08:00

Its official. I'm getting back into the swing of it all, and to make it easier to keep up to date with my current posts and ramblings, you can find me here:

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

A Gentlemans Guide........

2016-11-19T06:13:00.000-08:00

Lately it seems like everywhere you look, there is a subscription box available for every trend. A sea full of Beauty boxes, doggie box subscriptions for your fur babies, boxes for the workout fanatic, dehydrated organic food boxes! It seemed like every corner was covered....

Today I checked our mail to find that my husband had ordered a subscription box of his own. Years of seeing the mail stuffed month after month with goodies for me had finally taken its toll on him. Fair enough...

But whats so different about this box? Why brag on my beauty blog about my husbands subscription?

Because ladies.... and especially GENTLEMEN....this box...

Is for YOU.

THE GENTLEMANS BOX

www.gentlemansbox.com - Use Promo Code: Monroe5

This box is for the stylish Gentlemen who want to have more fun with their look. Or perhaps they are looking to spice things up with the ladies. If you have already heard of this company and aren't a member, GO NOW.

With Christmas right around the corner, this makes the PERFECT gift for any guy with style, or someone who isn't quite sure how to pair things up, and needs a little help finding the right items to add to his wardrobe.

Things you can expect to find in these monthly subscriptions include: socks, bow ties, lapels, watches, wallets, bracelets, pocket squares, body wash, cuff links, flasks, beard balms, the list goes on and on!!

Want to take a look at the November 2016 box? Click the video below to watch my husband and I unbox it together! If you like watching us, leave a comment and we would love to do another video for you next month!

THE DETAILS:
Head over to www.gentlemansbox.com and

use Promo code: Monroe5 to get $5 off your first order!!

WHAT I'M WEARING/WHERE TO GET IT:
My Top: Rachel Roy Leather Accent blouse
Earrings: Suzy Shier
Bracelet: Le Chateau

WHAT KYLE IS WEARING/WHERE TO GET IT:
Suit: Saville Row 3 Piece Suit
Tie: Jones New York
Shirt: Banana Republic
Watch: Armani
Stay proper. Stay classy.

WHATS IN THE NOVEMBER 2016 BOX?:
- An Incredible Gentleman's booklet filled with style tips (check out the blog link below for photos of the inside)
- Gentlemen of the North Toque
- DeadSoxy Teddy Socks
- Quinton Shaw Anchor Bracelet
- Wine Aerator
- Lucky Scruff Beard Oil
- Gold Bond Hydrating Cream
- $100 giftcard to Nakedwines.com
- 20% off Peopleschoicebeefjerky.com

Gentlemen of the North Toque

Wine Aerator, Gold Bond Hydrating Cream, and Lucky Scruff Beard Oil

Quinton Shaw Anchor Bracelet

DeadSoxy Teddy Socks

20% off Peopleschoicebeefjerky.com and $100 giftcard to Nakedwines.com

One of the pages in the Gentleman's handbook

Photos showing how to wear your monthly boxes items together! AWESOME!

xoxo,
Mariam Monroe

***************************************

Disclaimer: All items presented were purchased by my husband, and the opinions expressed are my own. I reached out to the company to let them know I had planned on reviewing their box and asked if they would be willing to offer a promo code to new members. We are not being compensated or commissioned by your purchase. We simply loved these freaking boxes and had to share!

Halloween 2016

2016-11-16T05:20:00.002-08:00

So my oldest son was obsessed with Elmo a few months ago and I had the idea to dress the family up as some of the characters for Halloween this year. My husband and I wanted quick and not too elaborate costumes this year as we just simply did not have the energy for it. So we bought the kids costumes from Walmart when they first put them out to ensure we got their 2 sizes. Next I went to a local thrift store and found this old dance dress which served its purpose with the big bell sleeves and bright color. I had intentions of adding a yellow feather boa to the rim of the dress, and a quick head piece, but ran out of time (damn procrastination)

Actually, when given the option the night before of completing a personalized trick or treat bucket for my son or my headpiece, I felt the costumes deserved another character. and then Oscar was born......

Oscar photo coming soon....lol

I plan on uploading a video soon of how I created him....so stay tuned.

Now leading up to Halloween we tried to keep the boys focused on the holiday and start some traditions together. Like decorating a haunted gingerbread house, which you can watch below:

And of course the expected halloween pumpkin carving. We opted to just paint this year since the boys were too young to cut things, and my 2 year old seems to think he can do everything himself and throws tantrums if we dont allow it. So in hopes of making this a tearless process, we just said were painting. No gutting the pumpkins...just painting.

So I`m sure you came here to see the pumpkin DIY, so lets get to it, here is the video below:

My adorable Elmo and Cookie Monster!

I hope you guys enjoyed our Sesame Street Halloween efforts. What do you think we should go as next year?? Did you go as a Sesame Street character as well? Post a photo below, I'd love to see it!

Dying to be Skinny

2016-09-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

So some of you may not know this...but my whole teenage life, I weighed about 118lbs. When I took on a sedentary position at a medical office, I gained 25lbs in the first year. After that, it has been a steady 10lb increase every year. Top that off with getting married, having babies....you could only imagine the absolute horror on my face when I stepped on the scale during the last week of pregnancy with my second son.

204 pounds.

I always used to joke that if i ever hit 200lbs, I would kill myself. Sounds a bit much, I know. I never meant it literally. But I did think that at my height and build, 200 looks an awful lot like Violet Beauregard from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. See photo below for an almost exact depiction...

Okay, so not exactly like this.... as I'm not blue.

Anyways, after I delivered my son in January 2016 - and was back down to about 180lbs - I promised myself that during my 1 year maternity leave, I would get down to a healthy weight of 135lbs. I had I had a game plan. This had to work! It's fool proof!

It is now the September, and I am currently weighing in at 184lbs. Way to go me...
So the NEW goal is to get down to 150lbs before I returned to work in January (lol).

So what is it going to take to get to my new goal weight? I've done fad diets before, and none of them worked. Mainly because I would binge eat by lunch while only 2 days in... I needed to try something different this time. What has always worked for many people that doesn't necessarily need a butt load of exercise? Because, lets be honest...I had to Google the word exercise for spelling purposes.

Should I do the ABC diet? 2,4,6,8? So many anorexic diets to choose from....but it what elze?? Oh, I know...Counting calories!

I set out a goal for myself to consume no more than 500 calories a day. DONT EXIT THE PAGE YET! 500 VERY large and filling calories! If I ate more than that, I had to get on my air stepper and work off the surplus. The first day was not so bad, because I think seeing myself in a photo during labor day weekend had me feeling way too determined to want to eat anything anyways.

Here's how my first week went:

Starting weight 184lbs

September 6 - 182.5
September 7 - 180.2
September 8 - 179.5
September 9 - 178.8
September 10 - 177.6
September 11 - 176.8
September 12 - 175.8
Total Lost: 8.2 lbs

Now I gotta be honest, the following weekend I ate like a piglet at 2 family events. The morning after those 2 days, I was up 3lbs. But I thought to myself....not bad at all...I expected to put it ALL back on, so this was a bonus. Needless to say, my motivation was there.

Game Plan:

I would eat any and everything I wanted so long as it stayed within my caloric limits. If I couldn't add it up on MyFitnessPal, I was not going to eat it. And here is where this blog comes into play. I had to find new and creative ways of making big meals (cause I am always hungry) that would stay within that target range, and help me lose weight. This was not as hard as I thought at all.

Now because I CAN eat anything I want, I don't feel as restricted, which always made me binge eat shortly after I gave up. If I want to eat a cookie, I can have it. But that means I'm giving up 70 calories of my daily allowance. Will it satisfy me? Probably not. Will it satisfy the craving so I don't binge eat later? Absolutely. This is what makes this diet different. You don't have to restrict. Eat whatever. Just count everything!

There are no other rules other than...stay within the 500 calorie limit!

Now I know many of you will comment on how this is very unhealthy and leads to anorexia and blah blah blah. But listen, to each their own. Its a great jump start to your weight loss journey even if you only did it for 2 days or 1 week! For me, this was a great head start and definitely has me motivated and ready to lose the rest of this excess I've weight. Now I can't guarantee I will stay eating 500 calories. But maybe once a week in addition to exercise and a a restricted diet.

Now if you are an avid fad-diet-trier (you like that one?), or ABC diet lover, then these recipes should be a God send to you, seeing as to how your family will be amazed at how much you're eating, all the while keeping your calories super low. a HUGE salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions has practically no calories. Top it with your protein of choice and low cal dressing, and you've got a meal that looks like it should be 500 and up, but its really about 200-250 calories! Don't make stupid choices. I find the bigger the meal (fill it with low calorie veggies and protein) will be ridiculously filling.

Don't forget to chug at least 2 liters of water throughout the day!

So stay tuned, and don't forget to subscribe! Because I will be sharing with you some super low cal recipes that you may not find on pinterest. I know my photos aren't professional, and the meals may not be GOURMET. But hey, it beats eating a celery stick and a bag of skittles for the day and praying to lose weight and not be hungry. =)

Madam Glam Gel Nails

2016-08-25T09:16:00.003-07:00

Hey everyone! I know its been a while since I posted on this blog...but the inner Carrie Bradshaw in me has been dying to get back into it. I've been writing a lot on my phone, but never really uploading it to this website. Mainly because my .com expired due to me not having an online presence anymore! SUPER SAD.

Anywho, an email came in a few weeks ago from a company called Madam Glam asking if I would be interested in reviewing a gel polish kit for them on my YouTube channel. When I mentioned it to my husband, he said it was about time for me to get back to doing what I love.....which is creating online content while quietly talking to a camera in a room all by myself hoping my husband cant hear me or my silly outtakes repeatedly....... *blush*

So back to the email. I replied within a few days and waited patiently for a response. When the email returned, the woman (Mirela) at Madam Glam pointed out that it had been a little while since I had uploaded a video.... *dies inside*

I explained to her that I was looking for a chance to get back into all this YouTube stuff, and this seemed like a great opportunity. THANK YOU Mirela for taking a chance on me and giving me the incentive I needed to get off my no-longer-preggo butt and get working again!

SO, the video below is my review of the product. I hope you guys enjoy it!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Anyone who has followed my channel in the past (thank you for your continued loyalty) knows that when a company asks me to review something I will only do it if I can get a promo code for my viewers as well as a duplicate product(s) to do a giveaway. Otherwise, no deal.

Needless to say, Madam Glam was nice enough to offer a 30% discount when you use this code: MARIAMKSMA30. However, here is an insider tip..... If you sign up for the mailing list on their website you can catch constant sales and promos were the products are actually 50% off!! So unless you are dying to try it right this moment, sign up for the mailing list and give it a weekend or two!

So onto the contest details.... You know me, I like to keep things VERY simple. I ask you to leave the same information every time. So the rules shouldn't surprise you much. I am hosting all the contest information on my website going forward because apparently YouTube has changed the way it works and I have yet to read and understand the full specifics. So rather than jeopardize the entire video being pulled down (which wouldn't be fair to anyone including the company) I decided to just put it here.

OK, SERIOUSLY! ENOUGH BLABBING!

HOW DO I ENTER TO WIN?!?

1. Comment on this post with:

Your YouTube user name, age and location.
As well as why you would like to win this kit?

2. Comment on the YouTube Video with the words ENTERED or I WANT TO WIN (or something along those lines, so that I can cross check you entered on both sites) I will be checking and verifying!

3. Contest ends on Friday, September 2, 2016 at midnight!

Thats it guys! I will be drawing the name and contacting you on YouTube via a private message on Sunday, September 4, 2016 in the evening! So make sure you and everyone you know enters as well to increase you chances! If they are willing to give you the product that is, lol.

Thanks again for watching and I look forward to seeing you all again soon in the next video!

xoxo - Mariam Monroe

3 DIY Make Up Removers! | Pinterest Tutotrial Tuesdays

2015-02-03T04:34:00.001-08:00

Okay guys, we are trying something new here... Once a month (to start) I want to find some DIY pinterest tutorials and put them to the TEST! That way YOU don't have to waste time or money trying to do it yourself!

I pin so many wacky DIY beauty tips that sometimes I question the credibility of the photos.... How do I know the result was done in the same day using that exact method??

Well, the only way to really find out is to embark on this journey myself. Well...if you guys are joining me, then were doing it together! Leave a comment down below or on the YouTube video of tutorials you've seen on pinterest that you would like me to try or compare!

For my first edition of the Tutorial Tuesdays (I only gave it that cool name cause it they went well together, the downside is....I have to schedule everything to post on a Tuesday instead of the weekend! Ughhh!) where was I......?

........Oh right!

The first Tutorial Tuesday I am going to present to you guys is the 3 most commonly seen (and pinned) DIY eye make up remover tutorials!

I followed the pins to these websites, and got to work immediately trying to replicate it!

Photo credit: ATravellingWife.blogspot.ca

#1 - The Baby Shampoo, Baby Oil, and Water Method can be found HERE via ATravelingWife.blogspot.ca

Photo credit: MyFrugalAdventures.com

#2 - The Whipped Coconut Method can be found HERE via MyFrugalAdventures.com

Photo credit: Thriveonadime.com

#3 - The Olive Oil and Water Method can be found HERE via Thriveonadime.com

NOW ON TO THE VIDEO EXPERIMENT!

Thanks for watching guys and I hope you enjoyed watching this as much as I enjoyed making it!

XOXO,

Mariam Monroe

Burn, Baby, Burn!

2014-11-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those people who use curling and flat irons without the protective glove that comes with the tools. I like to think I've got a pretty good handle on what I'm doing. But every now and then I give myself a scar to remind me of why I SHOULD be wearing that protective glove.

I clearly should have been wearing the glove.

I'm pretty sure everyone has experienced this burn before. Whether you were in la la land dreaming about your hot date, watching an episode of the walking dead, yelling at your dog who is sitting next to you biting his paws, or just plain old distracted......we've all been there!

So anyways, it got me thinking....(Actually, the burn I gave myself when I yelled at the dog during my last video got me thinking)... What can I do to remedy this burn to ensure there is as little scarring as possible? And how on earth do I stop this painful throbbing??

Let's start by saying that if the burn is severe and pussing or blistering badly, be sure to see your doctor ASAP! But for minor burns, here are 10 remedies you can find around the house, and fast!

______________________________________________________________________________

1. Cold Compress! Using a washcloth, soak it under cold running water and apply it to the burn to help cool it down. Our first instinct is usually to grab ice and apply it, but this is not the same thing, and could cause frostbite and seriously damage your skin!

2. Aloe Vera. When we get a sunburn in the summer or on vacation, the first thing someone tells you to use is aloe vera! Destination hotels even include them with your shampoo and conditioner in your bathroom! So the same goes for a curling iron burn. Apply a small pea sized amount to the area for instant cool soothing feeling and to help with the healing.

3. When topicals arent enough. Taking a dose of Advil or Ibuprohpenn can help with the inflammation of the burn and bring it down, it also will help if you you are experiencing throbbing in the area and pain.

4. Prescription/OTC. hydrocortisone cream. Whip out a tube of 0.5 - 1% percent hydrocortisone, this lotion or cream can help also bring down the inflammation and ease the pain. If you have medical coverage, you can ask your dr to give you a prescription for it and keep it stored in a cool dark place for future use.

My personal favorite moisturizer!

5. Moisturize. Make sure to keep the skin as moist and hydrated as possible. Keep a small tube in your purse to apply liberally throughout the day.

6. Apply honey to fresh burns. Honey helps to prevent infections and scar tissue. Honey has also been known to heal older burns and scars, including those from previous falls or surgery, when applied regularly.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar. Is there anything this stuff cant fix?? Use apple cider to speed up healing time and prevent blistering and peeling.

8. Essential oils. Rub lavender essential oil or tea tree oil on a burn to speed recovery time and prevent bacteria from entering the wound.

9. Whats in your fridge? Place fresh papaya slices or fresh tomato wedges on burned or damaged skin. Both of these fruits contain enzymes that encourage the creation of new skin cells, collagen and elastin to help your skin renew itself! Slice up a few extra pieces to snack on while healing

10. Cleansing. At night, use a gentle cleanser (like Cetaphil) to gently cleanse the area. And of course moisturize before bed.

And, if you'd prefer to watch these tips rather then read it, here ya go:

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this post, and learned a thing or two! I'm off to remedy my own burn before bed....ouch!

XoXo

Mariam Monroe

Big Curls and Waves, Without the Blowout

2014-11-22T18:26:00.003-08:00

One of the things I always hated the most when I wanted to "Kim Kardashian" curl my hair is the fact that I had to straighten it first...

After spending an HOUR straightening my hair, making sure nothing was frizzy, I THEN was able to curl it, but not without dousing it in hair spray to get it to hold the curl...So my now clean hair was considerably dirty, and will surely begin its usual: hair-spray-residue-that-resembles-lice-or-flakey-skin-that-people-feel-the-need-to-point-out-to-you.

How annoying.

Anyways, it was until one lazy morning, where I decided to shower the night before and sleep on it wet, and curl it the next morning, regardless of what it looked like. To my surprise, this not only held the curl better than straightening it first, but it cut the time by more than half!!

The next step was to try to see if the curls could be achieved the SAME DAY by blow drying the hairs enough to get them dry, but just not super straight........... Eureka!

With that being said, lets just jump into the video/tutorial:

I hope this helps!

XoXo,

Mariam Monroe

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2014-11-14T09:37:00.004-08:00

After having my son, I noticed my slightly bald patch had become way more obvious.
Hair was falling out left and right. I would swiffer daily and find enough hair to make a wig every 2-3 days!

With that being said, I decided to look into ways to deal with the temporary loss, and put them into videos for you! I hope you enjoy, and please leave a comment if you have used the items, or have some tips and tricks of your own to share!

Product used to conceal hair loss/balding - Tutorial

And of course, a video with numerous tips and tricks for hair loss

Xoxo,

Mariam Monroe

Giveaway Time!

2014-10-08T14:17:00.001-07:00

After a very long absence from the online world, I think its time to do a giveaway to kick-start my comeback...

As the video below describes, I am doing this giveaway to basically clear out my product box, because there is NO way I'm going to be able to do a review/tutorial on all of these items. I just want them GONE!

CONTEST:
- 3 Winners will be selected at random by using a random comment generator.
- Contest begins today, and will end on October 31st, 2014. Winners will be contacted on November 1st, 2014.
- If you receive a private message on YouTube from me congratulating you on winning, kindly reply with your mailing address ASAP so that I can get your goodies out to you.

HOW TO ENTER:
- Comment (as many times as you'd like) with the following: Name, Age, Location, and what videos you would like to see in the future.
- MUST BE A SUBSCRIBER

PRIZES AT A GLANCE:

Good Luck to everyone who enters!
Xoxo,
Mariam Monroe

Tons of Baby Freebies! Find out how you can get this stuff for FREE!

2014-09-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

I made these videos in hopes of proving to weary people, that all it takes is half an hour of your time filling out some forms to get these things! Well....and then you sit pretty until baby and freebies come in.

Most of this stuff came in right before Roman was born, but its not uncommon to receive stuff afterwards.

Enjoy!

Telling the Family....

2014-08-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

Slight error in the date at the beginning, haha. But this was taken last December 2013!

We got together to do our family photos, and my husband and I surprised them at the very end with the news....It was a super fun day, and I'm glad we told them it like this, because its something I can now look back on and laugh at. I hope they don't expect this kind of news every Christmas.....lol

Say Hello to Baby "S"

2013-11-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to introduce you guys to our soon to be new addition:

Because we dont know the gender of the baby yet....I will refer to IT as "Baby S".
(S is the first letter of both of our last names....)

Baby S had a heart beat of 173bpm, was asleep for the entire process, and in the last 5 minutes finally woke up due to vigorous coughing. (I was instructed to do this to see if it will shake and wake the baby up).

Originally, we thought that was a hand in the air, but after the tech pointed it out - its a foot....we thought Baby S was waving to us...but in fact it was giving us the boot... =\

The whole ultrasound process took about an hour. They didnt tell me it would take this long, and my friend who had hers said it lasted only 10-15 minutes tops! So I was worried after 35 minutes of dead silence and my rude ultrasound technicians heavy breathing and grunts. I asked if everything was ok, and she waited a minute or so before answering me while staring deeply into her monitor...Her answer was that she needed me to roll onto my side for 5 minutes and she would return to the room shortly. She did this twice. and We even switched rooms once because she "didnt like the machine"

I kept waiting for the doctor to come in and tell me the baby was gone and we needed to schedule an appointment to remove what was left. When she started asking me to cough, I questioned her again if everything was ok...She responded with "Its asleep". Confused and enraged by her 2 word response, I asked "Is it asleep...or 'ASLEEP'?". Her response will shock you....

"I wouldn't be doing all this if it were dead." - Yup. This brand new state of the art building with the promise of outstanding customers service just blew my mind as well.....

I think because I now knew Baby S wasn't deceased....I smiled and remained silent for the remainder of the scan. Kyle was scared when he was called into the room 55 minutes after I had gone in. But in the end we saw the baby, heard the heart beat, and were excited to show the photo to friends and family....But they're just going to have to wait until Christmas!

Another shocker was that we thought the technician would tell us we were about 9 weeks along...We were soooo off. Turns out as of today we were 11 weeks 3 days!! Holy crap! This means waiting till Christmas for a surprise announcement could pose a problem if I begin to show - seeing as to how I would be 4 months at that point!

This will be interesting....But, alas, time to start planning the surprises!

xoxo,

Mariam Monroe

The Big Fat Positive

2013-10-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have always talked about wanting to have a family one day. The trips we would take, the holidays and photos.... but deep down inside, we both weren't ready for it.

I come from a conservative Chaldean family. You cant live, travel, sleep over, or anything "else" before marriage. So when my husband and I got married back in 2010, it only made sense that we live our lives the way normal people get to while dating, lol. We traveled A LOT.

Life got so busy, we kind of put having a baby on the back burner....in fact, we did everything we could to AVOID getting pregnant, because we just weren't ready yet! This did not sit well with my parents and extended family, who were CONSTANTLY asking why and when, followed by a lecture somewhat along the lines of "if you don't use it you lose it..." but the female version.

After my mother in law passed away a year and a half ago, Kyle and I decided to book one more crazy vacation filled with drinking, partying, and just enjoying each other one last time before we started "trying" for a baby.

We booked an amazing vacation with my in-laws to Palm Springs and LA back in August. We had a BLAST. Hangover for dayyysssss. I promised my mother and family that once this vacation was out of my system we would give it a shot.

I had no idea that it would take....just one shot..... =(

Let me break it down for you in details you'd rather have not known:
- September 1st we returned from vacation.
- Period began September 6th.
- Period finished September 10th.
- Got pregnant on the 10th/12th.

Wait..what?...Knowing most people ovulate 14 days after the start of your period...How is it possible I got pregnant when we weren't even in the ovulation zone?!? That's a great question, which my GP responded by saying ovulation isn't the same for everyone, and this is why people shouldn't follow a schedule when trying.

I guess my mothers dream came true....lol. I am still in shock, because with PCOS - I assumed this was going to take about 4 months - 1year to conceive! Oh well....we are very happy.
Shocked..... But very happy. =)

The tests were as clear as day....I couldn't believe it.

(I like to think my Mother-in-law in heaven made this happen because

she knew we would continue to put it off, lol )

I would like to let my readers/viewers know that 2 of the test strips above were Dollar store tests. They are just as bright as the disk test, and I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to try a few of these before whipping out your expensive drugstore tests for quadruple confirmation.

Well....thus begins a whole new journey for us all. I still don't think I'm ready for this....but if its meant to be, it will be.

Good luck to everyone in their journey!

xoxo,

Mariam Monroe

The Phonytail...Longer Hair WITHOUT the Extensions!

2013-09-25T19:41:00.002-07:00

"If you can' join em...FAKE IT"

So after literally spending all night editing and posting my last video (Perfect Your Winged Eyeliner), I was catching up on some of my own subscriptions, and noticed that a number of YouTube Gurus that I follow had all posted ponytail hair videos (Do they all go to the same conventions and meetings?)

I noticed that they all used hair extensions to accomplish the up-do. Which made me wonder....What happens if you don't have hair extensions, cant afford them, or simply don't want to waste time in the morning trying to tie it all together?

Well now you dont need to!

For the first time EVER I have created a tutorial video that takes less than 5 minutes for you to put together! I KNOW!!! A VIDEO I MADE THAT WAS UNDER 5 MINUTES!!! =D

I hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know if you have any requests by commenting on the YouTube page! (or here, but I know most people prefer YouTube > Blogger...lol)

XOXO,

Mariam Monroe

Perfect Winged liner for Beginners

2013-09-25T17:11:00.001-07:00

Hey Guys...

I know...I know...its been a while... I have no excuses....

So... Let's jump right into the video and Giveaway:

***Products Mentioned***
- NYC Jet Black Eyeliner Pencil
- NYC Black Liquid Eyeliner

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
- Contest is open Internationally!
- MUST BE A SUBSCRIBER ON YOUTUBE! (I do check!)
- Comment with Your AGE, LOCATION, and WHAT VIDEO YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE NEXT!
- Contest Starts TODAY (25th) and Ends next Friday (October 4th)
- Winner will be contacted via Youtube!

Please be sure to respond with your mailing address asap so I can get your items out to you!

REMEMBER: If you dont win this time, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MORE CONTESTS / GIVEAWAYS!!

EVERY TIME we hit an additional 1,000 subscribers, we are going to do a giveaway for 3 people (1 American, 1 Canadian and 1 International)!

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Xoxo,

Mariam Monroe

3,000 Subscriber Giveaway in Effect!

2013-08-18T18:43:00.002-07:00

Whaaaat??

Somehow we hit 3,000 subbies! All while I was MIA! lol....thats not funny...I'm a horrible youtuber.

Either way, the contest is now open! Hurry up and sign up now to ensure your name is in the draw!

VIDEO CAN BE FOUND AT THE END OF THIS POST

GIVEAWAY DETAILS
WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED VIA FACEBOOK!

***Giveaway Items*** (3 Lucky Winners will each receive the following)
- Elf Cosmetics - "Beauty MUST haves" eyeshadow book
- Macadamia Hair Oils - 6 piece Sample Pack
- Essence - Volumizing Lash Powder
- Elf Cosmetics Nail Polish (1)

RULES:

1. Must be a subscriber to my channel!

2. Must add me on Facebook.

3. Comment on YouTube with the following: Your Facebook name (so I can verify you've added me there too). Your age. What is your favorite item in the giveaway. What kind of video you'd like to see next. What country you are from.

Example:

Hello, my name on Facebook is __________.

I am ____ years old.

My favorite item in the giveaway is ______________.

I am from __________.

DETAILS:

1. Three Winners will be chosen! (One from Canada, One from the United States, and One Internationally)

2. EVERY TIME we hit an additional 1,000 subscribers, we are going to do another giveaway!

3. CONTEST ENDS ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 22rd @ MIDNIGHT!!

4. Winners will be contacted via FACEBOOK on August 23rd. Please respond with your mailing address ASAP!

THAT'S IT!

Good luck everyone! And I look forward to many more Giveaways!

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Mariam_Monroe
INSTAGRAM: mariam_monroe
 FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MariamMonroe1

Cheap Alternative to Smashbox/MAC Face Primer! ($36 v.s $8)

2013-07-17T19:30:00.002-07:00

While shopping with the BFF, I mentioned how I hated the summer time because of my thighs. My huge, behemoth, gargantuan thighs that have since quadrupled in size due to weight gain...
Anywho, I hate that in super hot and humid weather, they rub together and chaff....To which my friend mentioned seeing a gel like product that prevents it and feels just like a face primer....

That's all I needed to hear...because from that moment on we were on a mission to locate this product.

Assuming your country does not have Lancane, you can also look for Monistat's "Chaffing Relief Powder Gel" - NOT to be confused with the Monistat Lotions or Creams....this is totally different!

A photo of the Monistat gel incase you wanted to see the difference.

NOW - Let's go through a list of Pro's and Con's of the Lanacane:

CONS:

First and foremost, you have to go down "that isle". The isle that we all pretend were in to pick up some feminine hygiene products for our "friend or sister". Now while were on the subject of shopping in this isle, can I just ask why on EARTH they put all those products across from the condoms and lubrication?? I mean, its embarrassing enough to shop the Vag-products - now you have to do it while a cute boy is behind you buying condoms. Holy awkward for both people!!
Anyways, back to the chaffing gel - you spend 10 minutes searching for the product, cant find it. You ask the pharmacist for help, only to have her draw more attention to the fact that shes never heard of it - so she asks people around her....LOUDLY.
And then of course there the checkout line....you scan the lanes looking for the least judgmental person you could find. Only to end up with a 60-something-year-old lady who tells you she personally has been using it in a number of different places for years...places you could have definitely gone without knowing today...
You could break out. Dimethicone is the main ingredient in these chaffing gels which is a silicone product. So be aware if you do have skin allergies! Ask the pharmacist what the return policy is or if you could test it out in store just to see if you react to it within a few hours.

And.....That's about the only cons...yup. everything else was amazing!

PROS:

Easily applies with your fingers or make up brush
Colorless, and has no odors. You could always dab a little bit of your foundation together with the "primer" to give it a tinted color. This would be ideal for all those horrid BB creams you bought thinking it gave good coverage - only to realize it goes on like watered down make up.
It costs 8-9 dollars...Seriously. How can you go wrong here?? I've been using it for 2 months and have BARELY made a dent in the tube!
The size is extremely convenient. It fits in my make up bag much better than the Smashbox primer - because theirs is too big, and square, and takes up too much room.
It can be used for chaffing too! I'm sure we don't all have that problem...but thought I'd add it as a pro, cause I used it for that!

Bottom line is....You really cant go wrong for this price and quality! I personally don't think I'll ever go back to using regular face primers again! Give it a shot, I promise you'll like the feel of this stuff waaaaayyy more than the actual high end primers!

And just incase you wanted to compare prices, here is a list of just a few top primers on the market:

Smashbox - Photo Finish: $42
MAC - Prep and Prime: $40
Benefit - Pore-fessional: $30
Makeup Forever - HD Microperfecting: $34
Sephora Perfecting Ultra-Smoothing: $15

xoxoxo,

Mariam Monroe

(And here is the video breakdown of this product:)

Review of the L'Oréal Arginine Resist X3

2013-04-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

L'Oréal Arginine Resist X3

A little while back I had seen a commercial for the L'Oréal Arginine Resist X3 Shampoo and Conditioner.
Being the skeptic that I am, I ignored the commercial and carried on with my day.. I mean...I cant say its a FACT that J-Lo doesnt wash her own hair....but if you read some of the outrageous Diva-ish demands she makes for her movie and concert dressing rooms, then you know there is prolly no chance in heck she:

A - washes or blow dries her own hair, and
B - Uses L'Oréal when she has a WORLD of priceless beauty products at her disposal...

That being said...I went shopping one day and like usual...walked up and down the beauty isles and found the whole Arginine Resist line on sale! I thought...Meh...its a sign...pick up a bottle to try it out.

This is the FIRST time I've monitored and documented a products results. It was kinda exciting....
But not the kind of exciting like last summer when I planted my first vegetable garden from seeds into little carton pots, and it didnt grow fast enough in 3 days for me to be able to pick and eat stuff off of it, so I gave up, didnt water it....and it eventually died..

NO, this was MUCH more exciting. Because if it didnt work, I was determined to write to L'Oréal and complain about the false advertisement their product was putting out there....Man....I was TOTALLY surprised to find that after a month and a half, the product did exactly what it promised!!

My split ends were GONE and my hair-fall had gone from a hand-full to hand-none!
Well...not none....peep the photos....but it may as well have been!!!

I wasnt sponsored by L'Oréal to do this review...but man, they sure do need to promote this product better...because it has been a miracle for me. I lose so much hair on a daily basis..shower and daily. I still cannot believe the amount of hair that is staying put now!

Here is the disgusting photo of my hair bag experiment for your viewing pleasure:

Truly repulsive...But hey...its proof!

Here is a video review I did of the product, I hope you guys enjoyed, and let me know how your experiments with this line goes!!! Post your disgusting hair bag photos in the thread when you've completed it!

Till next time!

xoxo, Mariam Monroe

2,000 Subscribers Giveaway!!!

2013-04-17T17:03:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone for helping us get to 2,000!!

I am going to keep this post pretty short, with only the details...

RULES:

1. Must be a subscriber to my channel on YouTube (Click Here to go to YouTube)

2. Must add me on Facebook. (Click Here to go to Facebook)

3. Comment on YouTube with the following: Your Facebook name (so I can verify you've added me there too). Your age. What is your favorite item in the giveaway. What kind of video you'd like to see next. What country you are from.

Example:

Hello, my name on Facebook is __________.

I am ____ years old.

My favorite item in the giveaway is ______________.

I would like to see a video about __________.

I am from __________.

DETAILS:

1. 3 Winners will be chosen! (One from Canada, One from the US, and One Internationally)

2. EVERY TIME we hit an additional 1,000 subscribers, we are going to do another giveaway!

3. CONTEST ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24th @ MIDNIGHT!!

4. Winners will be contacted via YouTube on Thursday, April 25th. Please respond with your mailing address ASAP!

THAT'S IT!

Good luck everyone! And I look forward to many more Giveaways!

***Giveaway Items*** (3 Lucky Winners will each receive the following)
- Olay Total Effects 7-in-one Body Wash
- La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume, Anthelios and Anthelios XL Sunscreen
- Neutrogena Oily Skin/Acne Face Wash
- 5 Compressed Face Masks
- 5 Crest WhiteStrips
- Macadamia 6 piece Sample Pack
- The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter OR Pepperming Intense Foot Cream
- 4-Sided Nail Buffer
- 2 OPI Sweet Things Hand Creams
- OPI Euro Centrale 4 Mini Polish Set

DIY Phillip Lim Sweatshirt ($325) for only $10!

2013-04-09T17:53:00.001-07:00

I saw this Sweatshirt when I was browsing around on Lyst.com and fell in love...What I did not love was the price tag...

This winter I recently became a big fan of sweatshirts, and as slobbish as that is to admit, you have to give me credit for rocking some adorable ones...sequins, ruffles, studs and animal prints. Ain't nothin' too grotesque about that...Even though my husband begs to differ that I am STILL going out in a sweatshirt and yoga pants...lol.

Any who, I could not bring myself to pay that kind of absurd amount when I knew I could make the exact same sweater for much less....about $25. At least I thought thats how much it would cost to make it...

My version of the sweater - sleeves are mesh as well, it just looks darker cause there isn't an arm in it, lol.
I also didn't like how baggy it was on me (see video), so I took it in quite a bit to make it more fitted but still comfy.

Breakdown:
Sweater: $2 (on sale at Giant Tiger - Original was $4, lol still a steal for this project)
Mesh Fabric: $5.50 (It was actually 11.00/yard, and I only needed half a yard but bought extra for a future project)
Trim: $1.00 (I added this because I wanted some extra Ooomph. you don't have to)
----------------------
TOTAL: 10.00 (Usually my math sucks, but this time it's only cause I'm rounding up for the sake of taxes.)

Here is where you can purchase the original Phillip Lim shirt if you have the money to do so: Nordstrom

For the rest of us Fashion Obsessed but too broke to afford it, Watch my video to recreate it on your own:

ANNNNDD if you don't want to sew OR spend that kind of money...there are many different options out there for you to check out.

Dorothy Perkins: Grey Sheert Insert Sweater (£19.99)

TopShop: Mesh Insert Panel ($38)


ASOS: Glamorous Sweatshirt with Chiffon Sleeve ($36.58)

Well...that's all for tonight. I hope you guys enjoyed the tutorial! Please leave me a comment with a link to an item you want to see me re-create in a future video! Till then....Toodles!

xoxo,
Mariam Monroe