Named after the Boga fish, one of Costa’s newest sunglasses for women is both practical and pretty. The company claims they are designed for women who spend a lot of time on the water, however they are attractive and comfortable to wear all the time.

 

The Boga, like the other Costa sunglasses, is made for eye protection. With 100% UV light blockage as well as polarization that eliminates reflective glare and thereby reduces eye strain, these lenses are built for practicality. But that’s not to say the glasses don’t look spectacular.

 

The Boga style is round with the frame not entirely surrounding the lens, giving it a more modern flare to the Jackie-O style. Although when I first put on my glasses, my husband said, “You look like Jackie.” I took that as a compliment.

 

Besides the look of these very wearable glasses, they are meant to be durable and comfortable. Costa uses special hypoallergenic rubberized no-slip nose pads and temple tips, which for those of us who are sensitive, is a great advantage over other brands. And their springs are comfortable so wearing the glasses all day long won’t cause any problems.

 

What also makes Costa sunglasses perfect for everyone is that the frames and lenses are available in a variety of mix and match combinations. I prefer grey lenses on all my sunglasses, so I selected the gray lenses with the Pomegranate Fade frame. What, you might ask, is a Pomegranate Fade frame? The top is a darker shade of maroon and fades to a beautiful cranberry pink at the bottom. It’s gorgeous. And the other colors in this collection are just as beautiful. They have Morena, which reminds me of a beautiful piece of wood, White, Orchid, which is a stunning soft pinky-purple, Tortoise, and Squall, which is a dark gray. The lens choices are gray, green, copper, blue, amber, and silver mirror. When you go to the Costa website, you are able to customize your sunglasses with the color lenses and frames of your choice.

The second new women’s style for spring 2015 season is called La Mar, which is another round frame with a little more edgy styling. The outside edges come to a corner on the top instead of being completely curved. The frame colors for the La Mar are different than those for the Boga. La Mar seems to me to be a little sportier and the Boga is more voguish because of the way the lens is not completely surrounded by the frame.

 

“These styles are for women who love to be on the water, and want a great pair of sunglasses to complete the scene,” said Chas MacDonald, president of Costa. “These big-eye styles are a perfect fit for any escape.”

 

Both styles offer complete eye coverage and both of the new styles have the same construction and durability as well as the lenses that ease eyestrain (which is why we should buy sunglasses to begin with). Many people select sunglasses on style alone and forget that they are meant to serve a purpose. Sure, Jackie O looked great in her sunglasses, but back in her day they didn’t make lenses like they do today, and Costa makes sure to create lenses that are functional while at the same time combining them with stylish frames. Think of why you buy sunglasses. Is it solely to look good? If so, you are doing your eyes a disservice. Finding a sunglass that looks good while at the same time preserving your eyes and reducing strain while making what you see look clear and sharp is what you should be doing when you look for sunglasses.

As you can tell, I am already a fan of Costa sunglasses simply because I have sensitive eyes and suffer from headaches. With the Costa glasses I don’t suffer from the eyestrain of dime-store sunglasses, and I get the option of selecting my lens color and my frame color.

 

Costa has been in business since 1983 so they know how to create the best glasses. They are designed for sportsmen and sportswomen who spend a lot of time outside. But they are also great for people who don’t surf, fish, boat, or aren’t on the water all day long. These are simply well built sunglasses with the added benefit of being functional and stylish.

 

Costa not only creates sunglasses, but also strives for conservation. They recently took on the problem of plastic waste in the oceans with their Kick Plastics Campaign. “Our hope is that we can spark real conversations within our own fishing and outdoor communities about the grave dangers facing our oceans,” said Perkinson. “This isn’t some distant problem, this is an issue that directly impacts all of us in the sport fishing industry. Simple changes such as … drinking out of a permanent water bottle and recycling the plastic we do use can significantly reduce the amount of trash making its way into our oceans.” For more information about this campaign and Costa, as well as to order your own sunglasses, go to costadelmar.com.

 

Yes, I am biased because I have been wearing Costa sunglasses for years and completely believe in them. And I feel that once you try them, you will feel the same.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

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The Academy Awards are history as well as all the after-parties, hangovers, and borrowed gowns and jewels. Hollywood is getting back to normal. No more street closures and hype. For people who are not residents of Southern California, this might seem strange, but Southern Californians go through this every year, and awards seasons are filled with a lot of fun, hard work, and guilty pleasures for the media.

 

Sometimes I attend a gifting suite, which, for outsiders, is an opportunity for talent and media to find out about products. This year I attended only one gifting suite, and what I noticed this time was an abundance of organic, natural, and health products.
Fiber Choice was represented (we’ve all seen those TV commercials for their fiber gummy chews) and yes, I did get some bottles of the delicious fiber chews. This is a product I can definitely use. Fiber is important for all of us, and trust me when I say, these little gummies taste delicious. They have two different formulas: Immunity Support and Metabolism Energy. They all taste fruity and two fruit gummies are only 10 calories.

 

Gutsy Chewy is a chewy product for queasiness and reflux and comes in two flavors: wild berry and citrus. They are gluten free and lactose free and only 5 calories each. According to the bottle, a gastroenterologist developed them.

Just one sniff of the Nuwati Herbal Tea can open your sinuses, although it is supposed to be steeped in hot water first! The Healer Tea was created for immune support and to relieve sinus, allergies, headaches, and colds. I haven’t tried it yet, however I did take a whiff and it definitely gets right to the nasal passages to reduce swelling.

 

Do you remember the product Ally? It was a disaster. Calorease is a new product for reducing the body’s absorption of fats in much the same way Ally did, however it does not create the loose, oily byproduct. It is designed to attach to the fat and reduce calorie absorption. According to the representative, it can reduce up to 500 calories a day and is stimulant free.
TrueToniq was also on hand giving samples of the Trim Toniq and Brain Toniq. Trim Toniq is designed to enhance your metabolism, and Brain Toniq is designed to fuel your brain with mostly organic substances. The Trim Toniq has zero calories, and the Brain Toniq has 80 calories to get your brain unstuck, so to speak.

 

True You Mist is an interesting little product I was introduced to at this event. Just a few sprays and it clears the space around you filling it with positive energy. Just mist the space around you and your mind and body will be refreshed and clear. There is a mild scent, so if you are sensitive to that, you might want to think about that before trying this, however I found just one small spritz isn’t overpowering and rather refreshing.

 

RevitaLash products for fixing up lashes and eyebrows were on hand to display their products and give away samples. If you have thinning eyebrows, this is a good product because it makes them look fuller. I did ask them if it will do anything for people without eyebrows and they said no. You do need some hair on your eyebrows for this to bind to to create the look of more brows.

 

We were treated to the new ice cream inspired yogurt flavors from Muller yogurt, and a variety of delicious wines courtesy of Testa Wines of the World and given our own bottle of Undurraga Brut, which, I have to admit, makes a wonderful mimosa. This is a delightful blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

 

 

No Mo O isa product to remove odors and stains, especially pet odors –and it really works! And Ancestry handed out DNA tests to complete and send in. They are able to trace your DNA back many generations to see where on this globe your relatives lived. Interesting? I’m about to find out as soon as I put my test into the mail.

 

Perhaps one of the most unique items of the day was from Belli Vita. This is a way to capture your pregnancy in a way that will live on for years. What they do is take a plaster cast of your belly when you are pregnant. They then create a one-of-a-kind glass bowl from that casting. These bowls come in a variety of colors. They are really beautiful. You can use your bowl for fruit, candy, a display, or a true conversation piece. And, think about handing it down to your child once he/she is old enough to appreciate this unique item. The bowls are not flimsy. They are sturdy and substantial. If you’re pregnant, definitely check out bellivita.com. When I attend a gifting suite I usually find one very special item and this is it from this event.
Whether it’s for the Golden Globes, the Emmys, the Academy Awards, or whatever, Hollywood goes gaga over gifting suites. And the talent goes home with plenty of goodies. The rest of us are spared the luxury vacations, spa treatments, expensive jewelry, cosmetic treatments like liposuction, and other items, but we do get to experience and learn about some pretty interesting products.

 

Anyway, for my one outing at a gifting suite this year, I know I will be a little healthier with all the healthy and organic items I received. And, don’t forget that delicious bottle of wine, my ancestry history, and plenty of other fun stuff.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Like her on Facebook

 

 

One in five Americans suffer from allergies, and I am one of them. While most vacuums only work on floors, the DC65 also works on the air we breathe. You might notice some dust flying around when you vacuum. With the newest Dyson technology and their DC 65, the dust is all trapped in the bin.

 

According to Mike Tringale, Senior VP of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “To earn the asthma and allergy friendly certification, Dyson vacuums had to pass rigorous tests for removing allergens from carpets, measuring levels of airborne allergens during vacuuming, filtration, integrity, cleaning performance when the bin is almost full, and easy, hygienic bin emptying. Dyson machines meet or exceed the strict criteria for all of these tests.”

 

For allergy sufferers, this statement sounds like it’s too good to be true. So I tested the newest Dyson upright, the DC65, and found it to be exactly what the company claims it is. It is a powerful upright that is easy to handle and cleans my carpet while not scattering dust in the air as I vacuum.

 

There are three versions of the latest Dyson upright: the DC65 Multifloor, the DC65 Animal, and the DC65 Animal Complete. They all have the newest ball technology and a self-adjusting cleaner head. The Complete comes with four additional cleaning tools in a case. Otherwise, whichever one you choose, you’ll have the most powerful Dyson upright on the market.

 

To create this machine, the engineers took three years and went through many prototypes. The final product is one I highly recommend for any household with allergy sufferers, and that is most of us.

 

Okay, enough of the stats, here’s what I found while testing this new vacuum. The ball technology makes it easy to turn the machine when vacuuming around corners and furniture. The cord is long enough to reach a couple rooms without unplugging it from the wall. The hose expands to reach high places, and the additional tools are easy to attach. All of these things are pretty common on vacuums. My main reaction when I used this vacuum for the first time is that it is powerful! It has a lot of suction. And, second, I didn’t sneeze once when I vacuumed. There were no allergens being spread around when the vacuum was on. That’s a big bonus for any allergy sufferer. And emptying the bin is as easy as pushing a button.

 

I vacuumed one room, which had recently been vacuumed by another machine. The Dyson DC65 got out even more dust, dirt, and junk. So yes, it really does have a lot of suctioning power.

 

The downside to this vacuum is the noise, although I have yet to find a perfectly quiet vacuum that cleans deep and is easy to handle. I haven’t found a quiet drill in a dentist’s office either! Once you turn on the vacuum, however, you know it is a formidable machine.

 

One vacuum is pretty much like the other, right? Wrong. They are all different. This one has a lot of guts to it. And, I am sold on the Dyson ball, which makes maneuvering the vacuum so much easier than a plain vacuum. The tools make it easy to clean mattresses where dust mites live, upholstery where mites live and where pet hair collects, and dust where mold spores can congregate.

 

In order to ease allergy sufferers, dusting and vacuuming floors is not enough. Check out the Dyson website to learn where allergens lurk in your home and how to keep them at bay.

 

The bottom line is that the DC65 is the most powerful vacuum I have ever used. The root cyclone technology does its job suctioning out dust and dirt. The ball technology makes it easy to maneuver. Yes it is a bit loud, but not as much as some other vacuums on the market. It’s not my favorite color combination (purple and red), but who decorates with a vacuum? With the reputation of Dyson and the 5-year warranty, if you are in the market for a new vacuum, you should definitely check out the DC65. It is full of p-o-w-e-r.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Like her on Facebook