January Favorites

I have several favorites this month!  I love reading other bloggers favorites (and watching favorites on YouTube as well!).  Lots of times I find new things to try!!

I will start with my beauty favorites:

First is a recommendation by Kristina at Pretty Shiny Sparkly, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair.  I was a little skeptical about making this purchase.  For all of my adult life, I've had oily skin.  When you have oily skin, you tend to steer clear of any type serum type of product for fear it will produce more oil.  I'm not sure that holds true any more.  I began to give this some thought after I realized this winter that I was starting to have a few dry patches on my face.  I've never seen such a sight before! I watched Kristina's video about the product and decided to add it to my wish list of various beauty products.  I got some gift cards for Christmas and decided to take the plunge (the smaller bottle retails for $62.00).  I couldn't be happier with my decision!  I get the occasional breakout (not just a little zit - but one of those big, tumor-like pimples that seem to take on a life of their own!).  I still get them but this serum seems to aid in the healing process.  They don't seem to linger as long as they used to (YEAH!).  And the other bonus - it doesn't seem to clog my pores!  This is a great product that I plan to repurchase over and over!

The next a glitter eyeliner from NYX called Liquid Crystal Liner

The silver color is called Crystal Silver and the gold color is called Crystal Silk.  I picked these up at my local Ulta store (you can also find them here).  I use these over my all time favorite MAC Powerpoint eyeliner in Buried Treasure.  The brush makes a very thin line of glitter and is subtle for a glitter eyeliner.  I get compliments on them each and every time I wear them.  I love to add a little sparkle and glitter to every day life.  It isn't always appropriate for the office (or even for a woman over 40), but every now and then, it's fun!

My last beauty favorite for January are LUSH bath bombs, bath melts and bubble bars (I know that's more than one item but I couldn't just pick one!  I've really come to love tub baths lately.  At our old house, we only had a shower in our master bath and the only other tub in the house belonged to my sons, and I really didn't want to have to clean it before each bath (boys are gross!).  In our new house, I have a huge garden jetted tub in my master bath and I have joyfully rediscovered baths!  I've tried a few bath bombs from LUSH and I've been very happy with them.  I've gone back a few times for more.  My two bath bomb favorites for January are Sakura and Twilight.

Both are suitable for evening baths and relax me and soften the skin.  This month, I've discovered their bath melts and bubble bars.  My faves are Dreamtime Melt and French Kiss Bubble Bar.

The bath melts are a very luxurious silky melt that really softens your skin.  It made a little bit of a mess in the tub, but not too bad.  I had them cut my bath melt into thirds before I left the store.  I probably could have had it cut smaller, but I do have a really big tub!  The bubble bars are also multi-use products.  I just break off a little corner of the bubble bar for each bath.  When I turn the jets on, I have a TON of bubbles!  I usually have to turn the jets off for a bit!  Love these products from LUSH.  The last time I was there I also bought a lip scrub and a lip balm.  I've used them only a couple of times, so I don't have a complete opinion yet.


For non-beauty related favorites, I have to first give a shout out to my Erin Condren Life Planner.

Like many other Southern women I know and love, I have ALWAYS been a paper-planner girl.  I need to see things written out, on paper or it doesn't happen!  I love to organize tasks and reminders by color so that I know what's going on even at a glance.  I have always used a Filofax (except for those couple of months I attempted to use a Palm Pilot).  I saw these online and started watching a lot of review videos and decided to go for it.  I was nervous, because I only knew my Filofax (and the Life Planner was pricier than my Filofax refills).  I love the colors and the festive designs and the layout.  This is just a perfect fit for me.  It's a little larger than the Filofax I used to use, however this has plenty of room to do proper planning.  I will admit that after I started using it, I began to miss my Filofax.  I broke it out and thought I might start using it again, but quickly realized that I really like the Life Planner layout much better.

The covers are heavy laminated that are customized with your name and/or phrase, and lots of designs and patters and colorways to choose from.  I love it and can't be without it!

My last favorite for January is my Teavana tea.

My sister (another great Southern lady) introduced me to their teas and got me hooked on this weight-loss blend.  Now, while this stuff is yummy, it's pricey for tea.  That said, I have noticed that it does curb my appetite a bit.  I have had it both hot and cold, and I like it both ways.  I just drink it warm at work.  It's a nice change from plain water all day.  I try to only have one (maybe two) cups a day to keep my caffeine intake in check.

That's all for my January Favorites!  Check back soon for a What's in my bag post coming soon.

Love y'all!
L

September 2013 Favorites

I love looking at blogs and YouTube to find what others deem as their favorites each month.  I make a running list of things I'd like to try.  This month, I'm throwing my hat into the ring.  Here are my favorites for September 2013!

• Origins Clear Improvement active charcoal mask.  I have oily skin and have finally found a mask that will do the job of clarification on my very clogged pores.  I've gotten better at my evening routine and may have a system to clear up my skin.  My skin doesn't break out all that often any more, but when it does - it's one of those ugly pimples that hurts like the dickens and takes forever to heal (I usually name it since it stays so long!).  Currently, I use this mask once or twice a week (may only be once a week in the winter months) and I can really see the difference.  It's a dark gray, almost black charcoal mask that goes on smoothly and dries within 10-15 minutes.  I typically leave it on for about 20 minutes or so, then wash it off with a washcloth.  Your washcloth will look a little scary when you are done, but it does not stain them (go here to purchase).  
• Sara Happ the lip scrub and the lip slip.  This product is a monthly favorite each and every month.  I don't know where I'd be without it.  It's amazing.  If I don't use it for a day or two, I can really tell.  My lipstick does not apply well and I feel like I am constantly picking at the dry flakes on my lips during the day (go here to purchase). 
• Non-beauty favorite has to be my new iPhone 5S with the mophie power case.  The iPhone 5S is a lot faster than my old iPhone 4S and I'm also really enjoying the new larger screen.  It also has a lot more storage than my old one.  My iPhone 4S was a 16G, and the new iPhone that I got has 32G.  With that, I had to increase my iCloud storage - but it was worth it!  I'm totally digging the thumb print to open the screen thingie (that's a southern term!), but that's about all I notice that is really different.  But let's not tell my husband that is all that is different.  He's anti-Apple products, but he is supportive of my love for them.  Love him for that!

That is all for the month of September favorites!  Stay tuned for more reviews!  I have FedEx and UPS delivering goodies today!  First, my Erin Condren Life Planner is on a FedEx truck on it's way to my house as I type.  I'm certain I will stay up plenty late tonight putting all my info in it!  Also on it's way is a new face exfoliate from Origins - Modern Friction.  I've used up the sample of this product, so when Origins was offering free shipping and three deluxe samples with purchase, I jumped!  

Love y'all!

L

Hi, my name is Lisa and I'm addicted to lip balm.

And the rest of the room said, "Hi Lisa".

I have lip balm everywhere.  It's always within reach.  At my desk at work, I have an EOS in raspberry or cherry (not sure).  In my purse, I have a Fresh lip balm.  In my living room, another EOS in strawberry.  By my nightstand, there is C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm.  In my make up bag, another Fresh lip balm.  I think that covers me pretty well.  There are others as back up in my bathroom - you know - in the event of a lip balm crisis (could totally happen).

One night time ritual that I could not live without is my Sara Happ the lip scrub and the lip slip.  My lips are so smooth and totally moisturized when I use this pair at night!

I take my make up off, and wash my face and then what ever treatment I need to do (mask, exfoliation, etc.) followed by toner and moisturizer.  Then, I take a little bit of the lip scrub on my finger and gently rub into my lips in a circular motion. Then I wipe off with a cloth.  Then, I sloth on a good amount of the lip slip.  Then it's off to bed I go!  When I wake up in the morning, my lips are soft, firm and flake free.  When I apply my make up and lipstick in the morning, my lips are perfect!  Highly recommend!

Love y'all!
L

Polish pride

A southern lady will always have presentable nails.  Whether they are clean and bare, long or short, perfectly polished.  For me, I love my nails short and always polished.  The trouble is that nail polish doesn't like to stick to my nails.  Sometimes they would last a day, and they would chip and the polish would peel off in large chunks.  I would wear only nude colors so that it wouldn't look so bad when they chipped.  

Top coats have helped for sure.  I'm a big fan of Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat (and I also recommend the Restore for it as well).  With the top coat, my polish would last almost 24 hours. I then started to use alcohol on my nails before the base coat.  That has helped greatly!  So I began to experiment with base coats.  I stumbled across a blog recommendation (which I don't even remember the name of the product).  I ran to Ulta to purchase the base coat, and they were out.  The sales person recommended CND's Stickey Base Coat.  This stuff is the BOMB!!  Depending on the polish formulation I use - I can get a full week out of a polish!  That is just amazing!

Here's what I do:

• I use a cuticle remover and push back my cuticles.  
• I wash my hands and file my nails (including buffing)
• I put some alcohol on a cotton pad to remove any residue of water or cuticle remover
• I use CND Stickey Base Coat
• Then two coats of polish
• Followed by a coat of Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat

The great part, is that I can usually go to bed within 30 minutes of doing all that.  It's awesome and it works great.  

I really love the gel nails (or Shellac manicures), but I don't like committing to a particular polish color for two weeks.  I can handle a one week commitment - two is too much.  Don't get me wrong, I think they are IDEAL for special events and super busy times when you don't have the time for any kind of touch ups.

And now, I leave to have dinner so that I can do my nails!  

Love y'all!

L