Author Archives: tairaxo

My summer fragrance…

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Hi guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Here in Hawaii, we’ve had a huge spike in COVID cases and honestly it’s become quite scary. I’ve been back at work for a couple of months and it’s really weird how different things are now. Face masks and social distancing is something very hard to get used to, especially growing up on an island where a kiss and a hug is a normal way of how we greet everyone. I hate what’s become of the world today and it’s sad to think that this may be the new norm.

Anyway on to some fun stuff…. I did a “blind buy” for my summer fragrance. I am a fragrance junkie and it’s been so hard to go to Macy’s and ask the sales associate to spray like 10 fragrances because they no longer keep their testers out for the customers to sample. So, I went on YouTube and watched tons of reviews. This one fragrance kept coming up but I couldn’t not find a sample on eBay to purchase nor could I find it at Macy’s or any other department store here. So I made the decision to buy the full bottle without even knowing what it spelled like.

This is Alien Eau Sublime by Thierry Mugler. This does smell a lot like the original Alien but a brighter version, if that makes any sense. When I smell the original, I think of a dark bar or a romantic dinner in a dimly lit restaurant. This one is a brighter version, I imagine a brunch in bright lit restaurant. Maybe the photos below can paint a better picture of the different moods of each.

It still has the sexy jasmine scent that you get from the original Alien but with a brighter feel that I’m guessing comes from the Tiare flower found within the notes. I think it’s perfect for me to wear the entire year, living in Hawaii with the sunshine and beaches, but definitely a great summer scent for those who like to change their scent with the seasons. I’m so glad that I took the risk and bought this without knowing what I was gonna get. When someone says “you smell good, what are you wearing?” You know you’ve made a good purchase. Have any of you tried this? What did you think?

Please everyone be safe out there. I wish you all health and happiness. Until next post…

Rodan & Fields… the products I love

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Hi guys! I know it’s been a while. I’ve gone back to work and life has been busy. So, I’ve been selling Rodan and Fields for over a couple of months now. In that time I’ve been trying out all of the products. In my previous R&F posts, I said that I would give my honest opinion on the products. In this post I want to keep it positive and talk about the products I love.

Lashboost Cost: $155 Supply: 2-3 months

Click photo to purchase off my site

This bad boy does what it says… it boosts your lashes by giving the appearance of fuller, longer and darker lashes. I’ve made this a part of my night routine. Normally I wear mascara every day and in the past I used to notice that I would always loose a couple of lashes while removing my makeup. This doesn’t happen anymore. This proves the stronger and fuller lash. I haven’t noticed too much length difference. Maybe I’ll give it another month to give an update. This is a good investment.

Redefine Regimen Cost: $208 Supply: 2months

Click the photo to purchase on my site

The redefine regimen is my night regimen. My face feels so clean after using this product. The cleansing mask is perfect for those like me who wear makeup. It’s a scrub that give a deep clean at the end of the day. I follow with the toner and then the PM cream. On the weekends I use the AM cream because I usually don’t wear make up on the weekend so the SPF gives the protection that I usually get with my SPF foundation.

Recharge Regimen Cost: $134 Supply: 2 mos.

Click the photo to purchase on my site

This is my morning regimen. The cleanser is a light gel foaming cleanser with gentle scrub, perfect for the morning. The moisturizer is a light water based cream that gives a light feeling. The recharge sunscreen is a MUST!!!! This product reminds me of Benefits Porefessional Primer. This gives a blurring effect and acts as the perfect base for foundation application. I love love love this product. You can buy the Sunscreen on its own for $48.

My Favorite Product from R&F

REDEFINE AMP MD SYSTEM Cost: $227

Click on the photo to buy off my site

This product is awesome!!!! I have never felt my face feel as smooth and soft as after I use this product. I use it twice a week. my suggestion would be to buy a cheaper Derma-roller and order the serum alone for $102. You can find a Derma roller by Sonia Kashuk for $10 at Target… I own one and it works perfectly.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Please if you are interested in purchasing any R&F products, or know of anyone, please purchase from my site www.tairagaison.myrandf.com

My Grams was laid to rest

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Winona Joyce Moanikeala Wedemeyer Gaison
Sept 8, 1936- May 18, 2020

If you follow my blog you know that while my daughter was in the hospital, my grandma passed away. There have been so many emotions that I really wasn’t even going to post about it. But this is a sort of diary for me, and a lot of what I post is so that I have these memories to look back on.

My grandma was an amazing, strong woman who lived her life for her family. My cousins and I are so tight that we’ve never spent more than a month without a gathering. We all talk to each other all the time and make sure that we let each other know that we are always here for one another. That’s the family that she raised. Family first… period!

She left a really big family behind. In her life she was able to be a part of the lives for her 5 of her children, 13 grand children, 21 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Interestingly I am the oldest of the grands, my son is the oldest of the greats and my granddaughter is the oldest of the great-greats.

Back row: my dad, my dads gf, Maui (my oldest son), Kūha’o (my youngest son), Kahele,
Front: my oldest daughter tea, Tatum ( granddaughter), Kayla (my DIL), Me, Aria (my youngest in front of me)

My grandma lost her oldest son around 25 years ago and her husband (my grandfather) a little over 12 years ago. She lived a long life full of experiences and able to watch her family grow. But, the first thing that came to mind after the shock that she was gone was, now she’s with my uncle and papa… and it warms my heart to think that.

This is the wreath from the grand children, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. The 3 hearts represent us.

We were so blessed to be able to celebrate her life as a family with a full service during this pandemic. There are some who I’ve heard were not able to give their loved ones a proper service a month or so ago. The family on the mainland were able to fly in to Hawaii and do their 14 day mandatory quarantine in able to join the service. There still was social distancing, which we weren’t too worried about because everyone was really careful and followed the rules during quarantine.

Uncle led kaapana played his Slack-key during the viewing and long after for the family to enjoy.

The turn out was actually more than I thought it would be. This is how my family is… even our second, third and fourth cousins are all close and showed up. It was truly a day full of blessings. The weather was beautiful, the flower arrangements were beautiful, just the overall mood was bittersweet and BEAUTIFUL. The love that surrounded my family that day was present and we all knew it was grams and papa showering the love onto us.

After the burial we all headed to her home, a place where she’s lived all my life and where my family has built a lifetime of memories. We drank, shared stories, drank, laughed, cried, drank, sang and just had the best time together. Yesterday was another story… woke up with a headache, slept, ate, slept… I really paid for that good time I had!

Clockwise starting from front: cousins: Alohi, Kapu, Tiana, Kahiki, my sister Tasha and me far right.
Me with my cousin’s Constance and Alohi
These four are all the same age and the same grade so we refer to them as “the four”
The kids started falling asleep so we waited for our designated drivers and had to eventually end the most perfect day.

I’m going to link her favorite song here. It’s such a perfect song for her and her life so we played it during the service. Enjoy!

Grams favorite song

Beach Day with the fam!

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Hawaii is starting to open up! Yesterday we packed up the cars for the beach and spent the entire day there. However, when we were there we got alerts saying that after weeks of zero new covid cases we now have 8. This is soooo depressing. Will it ever end? What’s the plan?

I also got a text saying that we’ll be returning to work on the 15th but with these new cases, who knows what the governor will do now. I’m soooo craving normality and by the looks of it… things will probably never be what we considered normal.

My nieces and daughter (middle) had the best time
FYI uncrustables are the best beach snack

I dread going into places where face masks are required (which is pretty much everywhere here), and to even try to imagine that face masks are going to be a part of everyday is hard to accept. In Hawaii our greeting to anyone we run in to or meet is a kiss and hug. Now in public we find ourselves doing this weird elbow tap. I hate it! That’s not what I want my kids to grow up doing and it’s not something I want lost in our culture.

The older kids really missed this!

So, even though I don’t like going to the beach, I enjoyed myself. It’s something that brought all of us together that felt really normal to us. No face masks, laying on the beach, swimming in the ocean… it was a great day!

My grandson is the cutest

R&F save 15% + free SPF with full+ mini regimen purchase

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This is a great deal guys. The full size redefine regimen alone costs $208. So for only $10 more you receive a mini regimen along with SPF! And if you already have your PC perks, it’s only gonna cost you $197. Check out the site for other regimen deals.

Here’s the full size regimen

If you’ve been contemplating a new skin care regimen, I can honestly say that I’m loving a lot of the products so far. I’ve been using the Redefine regimen and I’m loving it. I want to give it a couple of weeks before actually reviewing it (because I’m me and that’s just how I work). I’m also using the lash boost. I’ve only been using it for 4 days now so I’m really not seeing a lot of results yet. But some of the before and after pictures I’ve seen online are crazy. I hope I have amazing results to share with you.

I’ve also tried the derma-roller and renewing serum… probably my favorite of all. The feeling of my skin after applying the serum, I’ve never felt my skin like that.

And that’s about all I’ve tried so far. My kids have been using a couple of other regimens and I’m excited to get them into a good skin care routine. They’ve all had face washes and toners but to have a regimen specifically targeted towards sensitive skin or teenagers is so convenient! Especially my 12 year old daughter, this is an important age where her skin may change dramatically.

Don’t forget to click on any of the images or HERE to connect to my site!!!!

A new business venture…

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For so many years I’ve had friends and co-workers try to get me to jump in on businesses like Amway, Mary-Kay, Avon… and I was never interested. The thought of ordering products for someone and then having to deliver it to them never sounded fun to me. It actually sounded like too much work. I vowed to myself that there was no way I would fall into something like no matter how much someone built it up to me, it just didn’t sound fun at all.

I’m super excited to start using this product

My cousin got into Rodan & Fields, I want to say a couple of years ago, and tried to get me to join. I refused for so long, and one day during quarantine she asked me if I wanted to join at that time because she was still making a lot of money even though we all were at home. I said I’d think about it. She sent me the link that evening inviting to a zoom meeting where I could hear some of the stories from those who are selling the products and how they’re making out during quarantine. I could not believe when my cousin shared with everyone that the money she makes from selling this product practically paid for her daughters PUNAHOU tuition. That’s an expensive school… you may have heard of it… Barack Obama?! When I heard that, along with stories of those who actually were able quit their job because they were bringing home more money selling these products and how all the payments and shipments would be taken care of through the company!!!… I was interested.

I guess my cousin felt she had to announce my arrival on board… no pressure at all 😉

So I did it! I bought my business kit and set up my account. I’m going to be real with you all and say that I’ve only tried a few of these products. I also want to say that I will be totally honest in my posts about each product. There have been so many times that I’ve gone on a website and read about a product and bought it only to find it’s crap. I know that every beauty brand will have their good products and not-so-good products. I’m on a mission to find the products that work best for me and my family.

Just to gain your trust a little… I actually worked as a esthetician for about 10 years before having my oldest daughter. Some brands that I’ve worked with, that I hold pretty high up there are… Yon Ka, Aveda and Dermalogica. Working at some popular spas like Abhasa Spa at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Serenity Spa at the Outrigger Reef, both in Waikiki, I’ve had to attend MANY skin care classes. So yes, skin care has always been really important to me. Because the R&F products are pretty pricey, I want to make sure that I can promote the products that I feel are really worth dishing out your hard earned money for. So please if you are interested in checking out my site for now please click here.

I feel… numb

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Hey guys… We’re still here in the hospital. If you read my last post you know that we checked into the hospital on Monday because Aria had an infection in her neck. I also shared that my grandmother died that same day. I don’t think that I’ve fully grasped what has happened. I mean I know she’s gone but why am I not grieving right now? I’ll think about it and tear up but I think I’m just too numb.

Shes been eating pretty good here. She enjoys her breakfasts the most.

Everyone from home is being so supportive and checking up on us. My best friend went through a similar situation where she wasn’t able to focus her attention on her grandfather’s passing because there were other things that her mind had to focus on. She told me not to feel bad because my mind and body are so focused on my daughter and that’s where it has to be. The tears will come later when we go home.

They have a wonderful playroom right next to our room. So she’s been spending a lot of time there. Definitely helps to pass the time.

I just fear that I’m going to absolutely lose it. This whole thing is weighing heavy on my anxiety and depression. I feel like a zombie. I’m so grateful for the staff here… they’re amazing! The truly go above and beyond to make you feel supported and comfortable.

It’s just so miserable that during this COVID-19, no one can come and visit and keep us company. There are no visitation during this time. One person allowed with the patient and that’s it. I feel terrible that I can’t be more help to my family trying to plan my grandmas funeral during this pandemic. Everyone is pretty much on the island accept for my dads sister. So she’ll be flying down because she will have to 14 day quarantine here before we can have a burial.

This Barbie dollhouse has been her favorite. So, her dad went to Walmart and bought it for her. He’s setting it up so that she’ll be surprised when we get home. HOPEFULLY TODAY!!!!

May 18th… the day my spirit ached

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Hi all! I’m sitting here in a hospital room with my 4 year old. About 3 weeks ago I had an enlarged lymph node in my neck. I had a fever for 1 day and the swelling went down. Turns out it was just a viral infection. The next week both my daughters had it. My older daughters healed itself but my youngest, Aria’s started looking worse on Sunday. So, on Monday before I went to work I gave her some Tylenol and when I got home from work took her straight to urgent care. They said that the recommended I go to emergency. And she got admitted because it looked like the swelling needed to be drained.

My sweet baby finally getting a nap.

While answering a million of the same questions by about 5 different doctors and nurses and feeling beyond drained my cousin texts me that my grandma passed away. Right then and there where I couldn’t be anywhere or focus on anything but my baby. It was so hard to sit there and be strong for my scared daughter when I was literally breaking inside.

My grandma in the top right and me the farthest right along with her grands on Mother’s Day 2015
The staff here have been amazing! They really make sure that their little patient’s have a little happiness during their time here

I’ve been dealing with this alone while trying to talk to doctors and having my daughter totally traumatized from all the poking and vitals being checked every hour and antibiotics going through her IV. I feel beat up emotionally. I feel guilty for not being able to mourn my grandmother in a healthy way. It’s building up and I just want to go home so that I can sit and feel whatever it is that I am holding in right now. I need to hug my kids.

She even got to make slime!

On a happier note… my family, co-workers, friends and the staff here have all been a huge reason why I haven’t completely lost my mind. The support has been overflowing! Thanks to FaceTime I’ve been able to see and talk to everyone and keep them updated live with Arias progress. Her neck is looking a lot better now and we’re hoping to be released tomorrow. Fingers crossed.