Toronto Teacher Mom: For Women

Svelte Shapewear - Redefining Skinny Jeans

When it comes to shopping for everyday fashion, comfort is a top priority for me. How well it fits comes in as a close second. This often means I miss out on trendy pieces because they either don't suit my body or they are simply not comfortable enough to justify the purchase. Lately, I have resorted to pairing long tunics or loose-fitting tops with comfy leggings during the work week. Why? Leggings have forgiving waistbands that can easily accommodate my fluctuating waistline. Currently, said waistline is enjoying some freedom and, as such, I haven't been wearing any of my jeans so as to avoid the unsightly muffin top. Thankfully, Svelte Shapewear has come to my rescue with their incredibly flattering skinny jeans.

The sun is shining. It's finally time to break out the @michaelkors wedge sandals! #michaelkors #sandals #footwear #fashion #ootd #wedgesandals #platformsandals #instashoes #instafashion #svelteshapewear #sveltestyle #instastyle #gold #twitter

A post shared by Diana Mancuso (@torontomom) on Apr 8, 2017 at 7:05am PDT

Shockingly, I have never owned a pair of skinny jeans and now that I have a pair from Svelte Shapewear in the perfect indigo colour, I guarantee they won't be my last. I love them so much! This classic piece, designed with their exclusive denim fabric, is soft and stretchy, with an elongated classic slimming panel that makes them flattering for all body types.

I usually fit into a size 10 but their size chart lists size 10 to 12 as a large. After taking rough measurements and following their sizing guide, I felt I was right on the border between medium and large. Given the stretchiness of the fabric, I thought it was better to opt for a medium. I lucked out with the sizing but it is good to know that you have 30 days to take advantage of free returns. Plus, you can get free shipping on orders over $100, which is great since these skinny jeans retail for $112. The fact that they are so comfy and that I have received so many compliments whenever I wear them, however, makes them worth every penny.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017
4 Comments

Taming "Oh No" Hair Moments #InASnap

#GoodbyeFlyaways

In a few days, I will be flying out to Cincinnati for #cascadebloggerday and I am still in the process of packing and making sure everything is in order before I leave. It is going to be a busy week since I will be gone for three days and when I arrive on Friday afternoon, the family and I will be checking into the Eaton Chelsea for a weekend stay. While I'm used to the hustle and bustle of being on the go as a full-time teacher and mother of two, I still manage to find myself in some pretty embarrassing, utterly mortifying "oh, no!" hair moments. And I'm not referring to that pesky whisker that grows persistently beneath my chin.

One of the things I love about summer is being able to wear tank tops and shorts. Having to keep up with shaving my legs is something entirely different. I swear, it's like my hair follicles are on steroids. I often use a razor in the shower but do so without wearing my glasses. This makes it particularly challenging to shave my legs without missing a spot. Or three. I often rely on the sense of touch to feel for any stubble because if I didn't, I would develop a hump on my back from leaning over to within inches of my legs in order to detect any defiant leg hairs. Sometimes I am in such a terrible rush that I give my lower appendages a quick once-over with my razor and cross my fingers they look presentable enough. That's if I even remember to shave my legs at all.

While I love teaching primary grades, there have been more than one instance of those dreaded "oh, no!" hair moments that have taken place in a primary classroom. These are the times when I sit on the teacher chair surrounded by little eager children crowding around me on the carpet. I cross my legs and assume my professional teacher pose when all of a sudden I notice a row of dark, conspicuous, unshaven leg hairs. Right there, at the exact eye level of my young, inquisitive students. Perfect! It's a good thing I wear closed toed shoes because I probably forgot to shave my big toes, too. (Oh, come on! Like you've never had to do that!) And don't think it goes unnoticed in the older grades. Let's just say, while modelling the action for "Levez la main!" I may or may not have elicited outcries of terror with my Amazonian underarms...

The good news is I now have a handy Venus Snap portable razor that I can keep in my purse to help tame those spontaneously crazy hair growths. The mini handle is easy to grip for control while shaving and fits conveniently in a cute little compact that slightly resembles a Venus fly trap. It is interchangeable with all Venus blade refills and comes with a single Venus Embrace 5-blade cartridge. In essence, it's #InASnap smoothness on the go.

I will be taking my trusty Venus Snap with me on my travels this week but I won't be the only one who gets to say goodbye to "oh, no!" hair moments. As a P&G mom, I am giving away a Summer Hair Care Survival Kit to one of my readers, which will also help you say, "#GoodbyFlyaways". This giveaway is valued at approximately $45 and includes:

Gillette Venus Snap with Embrace – $13.99
Gillette Venus Spa Breeze cartridges – $21.99
Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Waves Enhancer Spray – $4.99
Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Waves Crème Pomade – $4.99

Monday, August 04, 2014
54 Comments

Skechers: GOwalk - I Challenge You

Fashion

I have always been a firm believer that walking is one of the best forms of physical activity, especially the speed-walking variety. I prefer walking over running simply because it is low impact and therefore easier on my knees. Plus, you can call up a friend to join you on your power walk while you get to catch up on the latest gossip, such as the undeniable fact that Chris Hemsworth has a secret crush on me. It's true.

Skechers GOwalk

One very important factor affecting your walk is a decent pair of shoes. Since we are finally enjoying some spring-like temperatures here in Toronto, I am feeling the itch to get out and walk more often. So I accepted an opportunity to try out a pair of Skechers GOwalk shoes. Having worked in a shoe store when I was younger, I have a general idea of what to look for: a low, supportive heel, a flexible sole, breathable material and a lightweight shoe. The new Skechers GOwalk pretty much fits this bill.

From the moment I tried on a pair of Skechers GoWalk while at the Bay, I knew it was a match made in heaven. It was like walking on a cloud. You see, these shoes have what's called a Resalyte midsole which is lightweight and absorbs impact rather effectively. This in turn helps to reduce pressure on ankle and knee joints. They are also extremely flexible and have a built-in OrthLite sockliner that is anti-microbial and honestly feels like a second layer of skin. You can hardly tell you're wearing a shoe.

Seeing as I often have difficulty finding shoes that fit properly, I questioned whether or not this slip-on shoe would fit me well as compared to a lace-up. I was glad to find they fit like glove. The uppers are so flexible yet they hug you in just the right places. They are wide enough for my short, stubby feet and easily accommodate my slightly high in-step. The size 7 shoes left me with plenty of room in the toe box for my little piggies to spread out freely and cry, 'Wee, wee, wee!" all the way home. Unfortunately, the shoes smell of unpleasant rubber so I'm hoping the smell goes away sooner than later. And I'll be curious to see how durable they are for such a lightweight shoe and whether or not they can bring the price down a smidgen from the $75 suggested retail price.

Sunday, June 16, 2013
122 Comments

Anti-Age Global by Yves Rocher

Anti-Age

Thursday, March 07, 2013
68 Comments

New Schick Intuition Limited Edition Handles

For Women

Friday, May 25, 2012
0 Comments

Fresh Produce Cardigans for Women

Clothing

Monday, April 16, 2012
0 Comments

The New Schick Hydro Silk Women's Razor #HydroSilkCanada

For Women

Monday, February 13, 2012
3 Comments

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Long Sleeve Bamboo Tops by BOA Apparel Inc.

Clothing

Saturday, November 12, 2011
7 Comments

Baby On Board Apparel is Offering a 20% Discount!

Canadian

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
0 Comments

Toronto's Own Diane Lai Introduces the Latest in All Natural Moisturizers

For Babies

Wednesday, February 02, 2011
2 Comments

30 Days Later... Or So...

beauty

Back in December, I shared the news that I would be taking part in a 30-day New Proactiv challenge. I was really excited to try out their new faster and gentler formula and focus on obtaining the clear skin that I always wanted. And I was pretty good for the first two weeks. Then, just before the Christmas holidays, my son fell ill with some type of bug and days later, so did my daughter. This involved a lot of TLC on my part with the occasional midnight bed change. Needless to say, I hardly felt in the mood to follow the 3-step system both in the morning and before bed. I also found it was drying out my skin so I resolved to using it only before bed after the kids had fallen asleep. I probably could have called the Proactiv Skin Care Advisors to discuss the dry skin issue I was experiencing but really, who has the time when one is busy wrapping presents, wiping noses and playing with one's iPad?

The first few weeks showed great results. My skin was smoother and felt clearer. It did a great job with those nasty blackheads, too. But in the midst of all the chaos, I resorted to... dare I say it?... popping pimples. I know what you're thinking: "Eek, gads, woman! Don't pop them!" Believe me, I am just as disgusted by it. It is SO bad because they just end up getting irritated, more infected even. And then I end up picking at them some more. My husband hates that I do it. More than I hate his nasty nail-biting habit. And I really try not to do it. But sometimes, I don't realize that I'm doing it. Or I do, but ignore it anyway. I just want to get rid of them once and for all. You catch my drift?

So, here I am, more than 30 days later, trying to figure out what to write in this post-Proactiv post. Was I being proactive by not using Proactiv as frequently? Not really. But I did enjoy clearer skin for those first few weeks. And then there was always that question in the back of my mind that made me stop and think; Is there any side effect of using a facial product containing benzoyl peroxide? The words themselves sound pretty powerful. Perhaps it's so powerful that it caused my skin to feel drier than normal. I did use the repairing lotion, which helped a bit. Yet, I wonder if I had the Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer, if that would have helped with the dryness. Based on the following description, it sounds like a good solution.

Most blemish treatments work to control and remove oil from the skin’s surface and therefore, by nature, can be drying. A soothing, oil free moisturizer is key to replenishing and repairing the skin. Proactiv Solution Green Tea Moisturizer is a light moisturiser that absorbs instantly, delivering soothing hydration to dry skin. It is formulated for blemish prone skin with concentrated botanical extracts and powerful antioxidants that leave skin feeling refreshed and moisturized. This mineral-rich, non-comedogenic formula won’t clog pores or leave skin feeling greasy and is suitable for all skin types.