Current loves

A couple of conversations with friends have had me thinking about how I haven't written a blog post in awhile, and all the Valentine's Day marketing has me wanting to share about things I love, so I thought I'd start by writing something easy: new-to-me beauty products that I've been using and loving in the past couple of months. Just in case you, like me, like trying new things, maybe you'll take a shot at one of my recommendations. Hopefully you're NOT like me in the using shopping for beauty as therapy, because this past year my therapy trips have increased to the discomfort of my wallet. I will say I have gotten a lot better about shopping sales and hunting for coupon codes, and using Ebates to get some $$ back to invest on more shopping. :)

I am trying to stick with products I haven't written about before, since for the most part, a lot of my favorites haven't changed all that much. I highly encourage you to check out any one of these if they sound like something up your alley.

Lotions and potions

My skin is in better shape now than I think it's ever been. I've had super oily blemish-prone skin for most of my life, and in the past year or so it's been clearer and more balanced than it's been since I hit puberty. I thank/blame this on finally getting a beauty routine that works for me, heavily influenced by the skincare blogs I started reading a few years ago, followed by some trial and error. Increasing my water intake and cutting all soda/pop I think helped as well.

A couple of friends noticed the improvement in my skin and asked me to share what I'm using, so here goes. I do know it's kind of excessive, but it works for me, and as I've mentioned before, skincare and makeup are one of my favorite pastimes. I would highly recommend a routine of cleanse/acid toner/essence/serum/moisturizer using products targeted to your skin needs. What works for me won't necessarily work for everyone, and I've tried to make note of things that may not work well if you have dry or sensitive skin.

Current beauty favs

Despite telling myself I was going to hold back from beauty shopping this year, I've still managed to get my hands on some new (to me) things, and have been so impressed I feel the need to talk about them, because most are from brands I don't think that my friends who read this blog know much about, and/or they are new(ish) products you haven't tried. Also I haven't written a post in FOREVER so this is long overdue. So the following is a list of some of my current beauty favs, some old, some new, most I believe from brands that don't test on animals.

  

You do you

I haven't posted in a long while, not because I haven't had anything to write about, but because I haven't taken the time to organize my thoughts, take pictures, and research links in order to write something that I find to be cohesive and generally not embarrassing. Also this year the political circus has been particularly crazy and divisive and I don't want to throw my hat in that ring here. But I've been bothered by something other than politics and the general state of the world lately that I feel the need to be a little ranty about, and a thought dump is something I can do relatively easily.

I love makeup - I think that's been well established here. I love reading about makeup, watching makeup tutorial videos, and trying new products. Sitting in down to do my makeup is literally one of my happy places - it helps ground me and prepare for the day ahead. I love pretty much anything that can be found in a beauty supply store, and am always down to help anyone go beauty shopping. Getting complimented on my nail polish will literally make my day.

All that said, I know that a lot of people do not share this love with me. They find makeup to be a waste of time and/or money, and applying makeup stressful instead of joyful. I get it - we don't all share the same loves. But what I HATE is when these people tell me that my love of makeup is silly.

There are few things that rile me up quite as much as people who throw out insults disguised as compliments then don't own their shadiness. You know, the "you look nice, it must have taken you forever to get ready" kind of comments. I honestly don't care if it took you 5 minutes or 5 hours to do your hair, all I'm going to say is that you look good. And if I'm not a fan of your look, I'm just keeping my mouth shut.

Why do people who don't wear makeup feel the need to criticize people who do? You know the "you would look prettier without makeup" or "I don't know why you spend so much time on that stuff" babble. Why is that OK? I don't criticize anyone for not wearing makeup, nor would I pressure someone to wear it either. You do you I say.

I don't think I need makeup to make me feel pretty or as a mask to hide the real me. I enjoy the artistry, colors, textures and the rituals...the pretty/shininess of it all. If I'm being honest yes, I do want to hide my undereye circles so that I don't look sleep deprived all the time, but it's not a crutch or something to hide my insecurities. You might not feel the same way, maybe the thought of putting on makeup just makes you break out in hives, but why feel the need to cut me down because I do? Why do some women feel the need to be mean girls well past middle age? Why do men assume that women wear makeup to try to entice them?

All of us have things we love that we probably spend too much time/money doing because we enjoy them. Maybe for you it's crafting. Or playing fantasy sports. Or buying shoes. Maybe it's writing fan fiction. Maybe it's building model replicas. I think it's OK if others don't understand your fervor for a particular activity - if we all loved the same things, the world would be very boring. But why belittle someone for their passions? Why is whatever you love to spend your time doing more valid than anyone else's? There is so much ugliness in the world, why not just let people enjoy things they see beauty in?

Look, I know I'm guilty of tuning out when someone goes into a monologue about the cultural impact of Star Trek v. Star Wars, and I definitely roll my eyes when people start talking about NFC stats, but I don't belittle them because of their interests. My love of makeup is no less frivolous than your obsession with men chasing around a ball professionally, or your need to decorate a room a certain way. So how about you do you and let me be, and maybe those small things can just add some much needed sparkle to everyone's lives.

2015 Beauty Favorites

My beauty addiction is a problem, but as a result of it I do act as a guinea pig for friends when it comes to trying new makeup products. I test it so you don't have to waste your money! I thought I'd compile a list of the products I tried and loved this year - some new releases, some just new to me. So if you're looking for something new to sample as you start off 2016, here is a list of things I think are worth dropping your hard-earned cash on.

Is it worth the $$?

Over the years, I have spent A LOT of money on beauty products. I've shopped online, in duty free, in drugstores, department stores, beauty retailers, outlets, home shopping channels, and even from infomercials. Although the grand total over the last 20 or so years is probably some ridiculously embarrassing amount, individually, I have lines in the sand on how much I'm willing to spend on a product. I refuse to spend more than $10 on a nail polish, so there are brands I have never tried. $30+ dollars for a mascara seems ridiculous when there are fantastic options for a third of the price in drugstores. And there is no way in hell I would spend $90 on a lipstick. (Especially considering my ridiculously large existing collection, partially highlighted in the pic below.)

Some beauty favs

I have a bunch of different things I've been meaning to write about - like does anyone else want to join me in raiding Cookie's closet on Empire?  (Where can I get a leopard hat that will fit my huge head?) And do I really need to say more about how much I hated the book Fifty Shades of Grey, and how I don't plan to see the movie, no matter how attractive I find Jamie Dornan? (For the record: I think he's FIIIIIINE. So much so that it creeped me out to watch the series The Fall because I was attracted to him playing a cold-as-ice serial killer.) Instead of any of that, I think I'll start with a little post about my forever weakness for pretty/shiny/lotions/potions.

I was just lucky enough to spend a few days with some friends in New Orleans, and have some genuine girlfriend time in the process. There is nothing quite as good for the soul and for the ego as spending time with good friends. We gossiped, laughed, window shopped, ate some good food, daydreamed, watched some TV, gave each other makeovers, and I think ended up feeling better about ourselves and the world around us. Of course being told I had the skin of younger woman and that my hair was fabulous did not hurt this overall outlook. :) With that in mind, I thought I'd write about some of my current favorites in the world of beauty - some of the things that have kept my spirits up and my skin looking better than it has for awhile during this long cold winter. Feel free to share/recommend some of yours back.

Beauty hacks

A friend's recent FB post recommending using oil to cleanse your face reminded me of all the "non-traditional" beauty items I've heard about over the years - items you normally find in your kitchen, or perhaps your medicine cabinet. She mentioned it would be nice to have a page with all these beauty secrets, so I thought I'd quickly jot down a post of all the ones I have tried, and recommend.

• Oil cleansing: I use jojoba oil I buy at Trader Joe's for removing makeup - it's great, especially at melting off eye makeup. Extra virgin olive oil works too. (And it's something you may likely already have in your cupboard.) I have super oily skin so the idea of rubbing oil on my face seemed counter intuitive, but it really works, and does not break me out. If anything, I think it has helped normalize my oil production. I simply put oil in a pump bottle, and use a pump or two to rub all over my face, gently going over eye area, then rinse with water. I still use a mild cleanser after though - the oil is just for makeup removal. 
• Other uses for oils: I use coconut oil as a hair mask on the regular - just put on dry hair and leave on for about 20 minutes before washing hair. (Kind of makes you crave an Almond Joy while you're wearing it though.) I also mix coconut oil with granulated sugar as a body scrub - works well, and leaves skin moisturized. A little jojoba oil is great to smooth dry/frizzy hair as well, and works wonders smoothed into cuticles. 
• Non traditional mattifier: Bear with me here, but I'm recommending milk of magnesia as a beauty product. I don't know who first got the brilliant idea of putting a digestive aid on their face, but they were on to something. I have found it to be an excellent oil-control primer, and whenever I use it under makeup not only am I less shiny, but my makeup lasts much longer. If you're going to try it though, make sure to use the plain unflavored variety. I don't think cherry flavoring will work well with foundation. ;)
• Non traditional face primer: If you thought the milk of magnesia was a weird recommendation, I have an even weirder one: chafing cream as primer. Yeah, I know. I'm not sure who the brave soul who first tried this was, but I know I got the tip from a YouTube beauty guru I enjoy watching, Tati. I like to use primer to smooth out pores and make my makeup last longer, but the high end stuff that really works can be really pricey. Monistat Soothing Care Powder Gel costs $8-$9 at most drugstores, has the same ingredients as face primers that cost triple that amount, and it really works. You just have to get over the fact that you're putting Monistat on your face.
• The many uses of baking soda: make a paste with water and use to cover insect bites - helps control itch and dry up the bites as well. You can also mix in with your regular cleanser to make it an exfoliating cleanser, or use 3 parts baking soda to one part water to make your own exfoliant. You can also sprinkle some in your shoes to avoid stinky feet, add some to your toothpaste to help whiten teeth, and use it as a mouthwash to neutralizer halitosis in a pinch (just one teaspoon in a small cup of water.)
• Foods as beauty products: 
• Avocados are very moisturizing, and make a great hair mask (mix in with some coconut oil for a hair mask that will leave your hair SUPER shiny), and a great face mask (2 tbsp of mashed avocado, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp yogurt and 2 tbsp mashed cucumber make a very nice refreshing mask that is quite cleansing and refines pores.)
• Cool cucumber slices really help de-puff eyes. 
• Manuka honey is like a super food (which I was happy to see sold for awhile at Trader Joe's, and online and at health food stores at a higher price.) It has all kinds of uses: as a digestive aid, to treat infections...but for beauty purposes, it is great as a mask. You can use in the avocado mask I mention above to really help reduce redness and treat acne breakouts (it has antibacterial properties) or use it on its own. (Smooth all over face, leave on about 20 minutes, then rinse off.) I think it tastes a little medicine-y as a sweetener in tea, but it really works wonderfully as a lip balm, mixed with some coconut oil as a intense moisturizer (rub honey/coconut oil mixture on your feet at night, put on some socks, and wake up to soft tootsies), and it makes a great face scrub mixed with milk, sugar, and a little olive oil. (I've read that milk & honey was Cleopatra's beauty secret.)

So those are some of the ones I have tried and recommend - what are some of yours?  I'm sure that there are many, many others - and I welcome any tips/hacks that others have to share. I'm all about multi-purpose!

Feeding the habit

My friends sometimes call me a human IMDB. I haven't retained school knowledge that could perhaps help me advance my career, but I can remember the lyrics to songs from the TEEN WITCH soundtrack, and the fact that Robin Lively, who starred in that movie, is Blake Lively's sister, and the guy who played the love interest Brad in that movie also played Kevin Buchanan on ONE LIFE TO LIVE...you know, really useful information like that.

Besides watching a lot of TV and movies, my knowledge about things entertainment, pop culture, and beauty related comes from reading magazines and regularly checking-in on web sites dedicated to my various interests. Thought I'd share some of my favorites (AKA the ones I visit the most), in case you have similar interests.

For beauty info, these are some of the ones I visit like a junkie looking to get a fix:

• I love the Beautylish site for their online community of fellow makeup-aholics, with all kinds of beautiful and inspiring ideas for costume, theatrical, and everyday makeup. They also have interesting articles with beauty tips and some product reviews. Plus, Beautylish has a great online store that sells cult/hard-to-find makeup lines. (Which they ship with lovely little personalized notes like a care package. Making it extra dangerous for this addict.) 
• In terms of thorough product reviews, I don't think anyone does a better job than Temptalia. She tests makeup products, grades them, and includes a lot of great photographs that swatch each product. Her focus tends to be a little heavier on higher-end products, which can lead to a long and very expensive wish list.
• Of course you know I have to recommend the website of my favorite Youtube video making sisters, the Pixiwoo team, but even cooler is their online/mobile app TWO magazine - with tips from pro makeup artists, gorgeous photography, and all kinds of makeup-related inspiration and recommendations.

Favorite sites for fun pop culture:

• I have been reading the Pop Candy blog for years. I don't remember how long ago I first stumbled across it, but I became a loyal reader since the first time I did. I love that it covers all things pop culture - movies, TV, music, books, and more, but with a definite opinion. I think of Whitney Matheson, the blog's author, as one of my online "friends." Over the years of reading her posts I've found that we don't have super similar tastes in music, but I really trust her book recommendations. (And she even gave me a nail polish recommendation once, so her enabling is really prize worthy.)
• I started reading Television Without Pity recaps of TV shows back when most of its focus was on shows on The WB, and the site had a different name. The network no longer exists and the site has changed names twice since I first came across it, but I still enjoy a nice snarky recap or weecap every once in awhile. Their photo galleries can be quite entertaining as well. They've branched out and do some movie reviews as well. 
• I became a regular reader of NEW YORK magazine's Vulture entertainment blog more recently that the previous two, but we've gotten close quickly. I think it was The Thinking Woman's Guide to FIFTY SHADES OF GREY that solidified our relationship. Like Pop Candy, it covers all things pop culture, but unlike Pop Candy, there are a team of writers, so there are various perspectives - which means some posts feel way more thought out than others. The comments section on some posts are sometimes way more entertaining than the actual posts, and probably what keep me as a regular reader.

For foodie fixes:

• If you like to cook, or just look at pictures of delicious-looking food, or recipes from restaurants you love or simply must visit one day, you have to check out Epicurious. It's tag line is "for people who like to eat" and I find it extremely apt. Their Pinterest boards are food porn you should avoid if you're on a diet or fasting. They also have some really good instructional videos with how-to-instructions on various techniques. It's my first stop when looking for recipes.
• Find. Eat. Drink. Food/travel tips and recommendations from chefs, bartenders, and artisans that share their best addresses around the world. I wish they had a non-iPhone app as well. 

Prepping for summer

Summer weather is upon us, which means my great appreciation for the inventors of air conditioning and refrigeration increase along with the outside temperature. In my opinion, these two inventions are what make summer bearable. I love the longer days, but I hate the heat and humidity that come along with the summer months.

Summer sun and heat alter my primary beauty concerns. Although I am a fan of the extra sunlight, it brings out a heightened paranoia in me regarding sun damage and skin cancer. Especially after reading articles like this one about the aging effects of the sun. I wear a face moisturizer with sunscreen every day, and my makeup has sunscreen in it as well. (Side note: I am currently slightly obsessed with Asian BB creams as my daily makeup and want to try other Asian beauty supplies next. So glad Amazon broadens the availability of products from around the world.)

A selection of sunscreen products currently in rotation

In the summer I increase the SPF of my daily moisturizer, plus add a daily body moisturizer with sunscreen in it, and layer extra sunscreen over it if I'm going to be outside for a significant amount of time. Even the bug repellent I use has sunscreen in it. I read that Australia has more stringent standards for labeling sunscreen, so now I'm all about products that pass the mustard down under. I have even started carrying a little sample size sunscreen with me at all times, just in case I spend more time outdoors than originally anticipated. Next step: getting myself a pretty parasol for when the sun starts to really ramp it up. Basically I really, really don't want to look like that leathery tan lady that was in the news recently.

The other thing I obsess over in the summer months is not stinking. Let's face it, increased heat and humidity equals increased prespiration - which in my case means that in addition to all my sunscreen layering, there has to be a lot of deodorant layering as well. It also means that I have to keep a stash of toiletries in the office for reapplication and touch-ups after my commute, especially when the air conditioning on Metro fails me (which is more often than I care for.)  There have been many a commute with my face stuck next to some stranger's sweaty, stinky armpit, and I try to avoid being that gross person to someone else.

An essential for the summer

For others with similar concerns, I found a product a couple of years ago that I highly recommend to dealing with the extra moisture of summer: Gold Bond Ultimate Comfort body powder. Powder is something that many of use quite a bit of in the summer months, and really love this one. I like that it has a fresh scent, is corn starch not talc, and it really works to control odor. So if like me you are looking for an adult alternative to baby powder, check it out. I do have to say that I've found it hard to find in most drugstores. I heard rumors it was being discontinued, which had me tempted to stockpile it in my bunker, but thankfully it still easily available on all the drugstore websites I've checked.

With my stash of sunscreen, deodorant, and powder, I'm braced for the summer heat that is surely coming. Now I just need to get a new filter for my AC and make sure the freezer has plenty of ice. And maybe double check that I have sunscreen in my purse. And powder in the office. Shoot, I'm not ready at all.