I thought I'd share some products that I fell in love with this year, some that continue to keep me in love (so worth mentioning again) and some things that I wouldn't purchase again.
New Loves
*Beauty Society Enormous Lash- Face Fab is a representative for this company and of course I had to try out the EL because I'm a mascara ho and anything that will enhance my lashes I will try- especially since there is a money back guarantee if not fully satisfied. I got in on EL buy one get one free and have definitely seen results- as I have posted with photos on this blog.
* Lime Essential Oil- For several years I've been playing with melt and pour soap and making scrubs- using both essential oils and fragrance oils to scent. In general I tend to prefer EO over FO because FO can often have a "chemically" finish which I do not like. I seem to have a very sensitive nose (DD says I'm part beagle like our one dog Sully) so I notice scents being off. Even with EO, one can be disappointed with the scent-- for instance I have tangerine EO- expected to be bright and sweet like when one peels a tangerine and it was not very scented and rather bitter smell. So this year I ordered lime essential oil and it is my HG scent for the scrubs I make myself. I never seem to tire of the scent.
*Natural Soap Warehouse Key Lime Soap-- I've been a fan of natural soaps for a few years now but just ordered from Natural Soap Warehouse this year. By far my favorite is the Key Lime Soap-- it has the bright, fruity scent of lime essential oil which I love so much and it's natural soap which leaves my skin softer and less dried out. For the NSW price, I won't be bothering with scenting melt and pour soap base and will just keep ordering loaves of this soap. Many of the other scents are quite lovely but the Key Lime will be a staple for me.
*LaCrosse Double Bar Lash Curler- at about $5.99 this curler does the best job on curling my lashes quickly and easily. I've already bought a backup in case they stop making it. Post about it here.
* MMBB indelible liner pencil in Smolder- Lisa sometimes does a special order on these liner pencils and she suggested Smolder to me. I LOVE it- it's purple but smoky and just such a great liner color. When I travel, this pencil is always in the makeup case since it's great for so many different looks.
*Argan Oil- Lisa also recommended this- Sally's Beauty Supply sells a version of it and I picked it up. It can be used on wet or dry hair to help condition and prevent frizz. Usually this kind of product really weighs my fine hair down but this stuff works great. I bought the trial size for $1.99 and soon went back for the large size because I do not want to be without. When I was getting the large size the girl working at Sally's says "That stuff is great!" She even gave me a helpful hint of putting a little bit of it into hair dye to keep color longer.
*Aquafresh Isoactive Toothpaste- I really like the foaming action and how clean my teeth feel after using it.
*Revlon Eye shadow brush- I happen to find these at Big Lots for $1.99 if I remember correctly, but would even pay the real price (under $10) for this brush. I find myself grabbing this brush all the time.
*OCC Lip Tars- Due to the generosity of Lili, I was able to try almost all of their colors and can't tell you how fun they are. I only wish that they did smaller (more affordable) sizes so everyone could get the entire set and try them out. I am thinking about purchasing the entire set and breaking them down into smaller containers (like I put Lili's into the little paint containers that are 8 strung together with a round sticker on top with name) and sell to friends so more people get a chance at them. It only takes a tiny bit to get pigmented look- so the big tubes seem over the top. LMK if you think you'd be interested in a smaller sampler- if I get enough interest, I'd buy all the colors and do that.
Old Loves that still have my heart.
*Wen- (and Classy Minerals Hair Zen) cleansing conditioner. I just can not go back to shampoo since starting on this. My hair is super soft and conditioned but the added benefit is that I don't get "hair product" breakouts anymore.
* Emu oil-- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this stuff for my dry skin. In the summer I use a few drops of emu oil (which I scent with EO- usually lavender, even though I'm not a lavender fan it's beneficial to skin so I "get over" it and lavender is definitely better than "chicken fat" scent) mixed with a bit of water. In winter I use this same mix and then apply Olay moisturizer over it to give a bit more moisturizing and "sealing" in. I really think that emu oil is responsible for how young my skin continues to look.
*Emu soap- I don't make this, I buy a melt and pour base online and then add a bit more emu oil to it- I leave unscented. This is the only cleanser I use on my face. It just seems to work for me.
*Sugar and Honey face scrub- I especially love this in the winter. I mix about a teaspoon of honey with sugar until I get the right consistency and then scrub my face (and lips) in a circular motion in the shower. My skin feels so soft and all dry flakey skin is removed. Sometimes I add a bit of lemon juice to the mix. It works and tastes good too. LOL
*Humidifiers in the winter. I run humidifiers all over the house during the winter. I think it helps my skin and also seems to keep illness at bay.
*MMBB sprays- I use these for every makeup application I do. My favorite is the grape spray but I also love the neroli & immortelle. Lisa can attest that I insist on having a backup long before I run out.
*Fit Flops- I just love these shoes. I think I owe 6 pairs. I kind of hate winter because it's too cold to continue to wear these and I'm not really a fan of the clog versions they make because they are lined. They are the only flip flops I will wear because my feet never hurt when I wear them.
*Natural Soaps- last year I gave my mom and MIL a gallon each of the unscented (although I scented later) gel soap from Vermont Soap Works. My mom said she preferred this one to the Soap Factory one because it lathered better. Since I liked the Soap Factory one, I guess I would love the VSW version and plan to order some soon, although I have lots of bar soaps from Natural Soap Warehouse to use up first.
*Philosophy Falling In Love, Baby Grace and Pure Grace perfumes- as I mentioned before, I tend to have a sensitive nose and most perfumes do not agree with me. I love these three fragrances and can't say how happy I am to know that they will always be around. My signature scent is Falling In Love, but I still find myself grabbing Pure Grace (especially if I'm going in public after a workout) for it's clean, soapy scent and when I want a little more sweetness I grab Baby Grace. My DD loves Amazing Grace and it looks like I will have to buy my mom some because she kept using Amazing Grace lotion in DD's bath on her hands and commenting on how she liked it.
*Maybelline Full N Soft Mascara- I've tried many, many, many mascaras (see multiple posts of various mascara reviews- just look up tag of "mascara review") but haven't found anything better than FNS
*Mineral Foundation- don't see myself ever going to anything else. Recently I found my foundation looking a little eh, but I found that a change to Lumiere Flat Top brush, MMBB spray and less foundation is producing the look I love again.
Makeup Diary- Even though I do less FOTD photos, I still rely on a small little notebook to mark down what I wore, ideas to blog about, etc. It keeps me sane because if I didn't write these things down, I would not be able to post many FOTD and actually remember the products.
Things I was disappointed with-
Soy products- I started drinking soy milk daily as a way to combat belly fat but found that they are just not for me. I found that my skin started breaking out like crazy and didn't particularly like the bloated and gassy side effects. I guess I'll take working out harder to combat the belly fat-- not like some other parts of my body can't use this too. LOL
Pricy mascaras- I got the Sephora Lash Stash mini mascara set and all I can say, not one of them is worth the price when I can get Maybelline Full N Soft Mascara for half the price. See review.
Chagrin Falls Shampoo Bars- This is just because my hair is really fine- my hair was once described as a forest of skinny trees- so these Shampoo Bars really weighed my hair down and left it rather oily looking. My DD has coarse hair and she actually found these helpful for her hair (although the one that has patchouli scent annoyed DH so I passed those along to a friend that I knew enjoyed them.)
Here's the final two FOTD for 2009- I'll post them now and will be starting on Makeup Diary #3... kind of funny that I ran out of pages with this post.
Dec. 26 (My mom and Brian were visiting and we went to see a local band play later that evening.)
Dayna foundation using Lumiere Flat Top brush, MMBB Grape Spray and less foundation.
Tarte Dollface and Flush gel blushes
Eyes- Coastal Scent Bare Necessity indelible, Apricot Dreamzzz all over lid. Cocoa Nut in crease, Mad Magnetism indelible on waterline, Iced Sugar Plums as liner and outer corner. Luminous White Gold as brow and inner corner highlighter. Loreal Extra Volume with Collagen and Maybelline Full N Soft (WP) mascaras
Lips- Botanics Chicory pencil. Cover Girl Plum Shine (lipstick like tube but sheerer than lipstick) Dec. 30
Dec. 30
Dayna (applied as Dec. 26)
Tarte Dollface and Merry gel blushes
Eyes- CS Bare Necessity as base, Sunbeam (inner 1/2) Iced Tee (outer 1/2) Magnetism waterline and upper lash line. Black Sparks over GD as liner and then a little dry on outer corner.
Lips- Jordana Mauve Silk liner, Cover Girl Wet Slicks No Care Bare.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHECK OUT MY PREVIOUS POST ON YEAR IN REVIEW
End of Year Sale. Everything 20% off (all prices have already been reduced). Will be relisting them until they are all gone.
Enjoy. :)
Well alrighty then!
I've been home a couple of days & my bod is still not caught up my time zone yet, hence just now getting around to a post. This is basically just a pic post.
I won't bore you with all of them-(there are almost 400. =P ) But here are just a few of the fun time ham & I had.
Ham forced me to take LOTS of pics (of me), but I only threw a handful of those in.
The pic of me with the random dude is an AWESOME guy named Albert. If you guys ever go to Vega$ & eat at the Denny's closest to Sephora in the Venetian (it's about a block up from there), please ask for him. He's so sweet & gracious-I know of at least 3 tables around us (including us) tipped him at least $20! That's how pleasant & accomadating he is. Really makes you feel at home, tell him Family from Florida highly recommended him (he'll know, lol). Also that Denny's is WAY nicer than the one that's past Paris. Just an FYI.
Uhm, Ham Claus needs no explanation! =P & what's up with the random vegas chicken? That is a chicken isn't it?
Oh & I will do a breakdown of the haulage in a separate post.
Heads up-if you are a fan of the max factor 2000 calorie Xtreme, you may want to check walmart grocery centers. I found the last tube they had here. So sad such a forefather brand in the industry is leaving our shores. =(
Enjoy!
Here's a FOTD from Dec. 15- I put makeup on seeing I was going out grocery shopping to pick up a few ingredients before the Christmas Bake-A-Thon could continue.
Some things I've noticed lately. My foundation hasn't been looking so hot using the damp red cleansing sponge method. Just been looking not so fresh. I think part of it is that remnants of my tan are quickly fading but also drier skin. I am using honey/sugar scrub more frequently now and applying emu oil twice a day. I also think part of it is not drinking as much water- I just have such a hard time drinking water when it's cold. I am not alone with this because my middle son got a headache last week and said the same thing. I've been playing with other foundation application methods and liked the synthetic flat-top (Lumiere) damp application in the following look.
Dayna Foundation with MMBB Grape mist- Lumiere flat top synthetic brush.
Tarte Dollface and Flush gel blushes. (I have plans to make more blushes in 2010 because of these colors)
Eyes-
Gilded Beige (all over lid below crease) (this is such a neat color because it's like a drab gold-- not yellow, but a golden patina) Chocoholic outer V (this is a warmer (reddish) brown) Sable coat over Milan Gelle Drops (Sable Coat is an interesting "brown" because it's dark but has this olive cast)
Lips- Cover Girl Mauve Shine-- it's this product that's in lipstick tube but a little more glossy and sheer than regular lipstick. I am loving this color because it's just enough "berry" to brighten my lips without making me feel self-conscious.
So I got my holiday decorations up- save the live tree that we put up closer to Christmas. Thought I'd share with you.
This is our living room fireplace decorations. I made the stockings years ago.
This is our entertainment center that is to the side of our couch- it houses the cable box, and other components since the house came with the flat screen TV you see above the fireplace and prewired such that all the other things plug in at this wall. The Steeler football is DH's gift from parents- Yes, he's already opened.
This is a book case opposite of the fireplace that I also decorated. The rest of the house isn't decorated much- like the den won't be fully decorated until the tree goes up. Outside I keep it pretty simple- two small lighted trees at the entrance with red bows on top. Red bows tied to outside lights. Lighted wreath on the door. I also have these large puffy bows that I put on the ends of the brick stair "railing" Now if only I could keep the dogs from peeing on the trees. GRRR
Here's two FOTD that I did this week. Once again I am shopping my stash and trying not to reuse eye shadows until I've gone through them all. I was kind of hating the photos because I was definitely in "mouth breather mode" due to my cold. Mouth breathing makes people look like they've lost IQ points in my opinion.
Foundation change to Dayna this week. Applied with MMBB Grape spray and red cleansing sponge. Couldn't cover the raw nose/flakey skin under it. :-( Mascara is Loreal Extra Volume with collagen topped with Maybelline Full N Soft WP.
Dec. 7-
Pinch Me blush
Eyes- Rose Gold all over lid. Copperhead in crease. Green??? as liner over Milan Gelle Drops. Limeade as bottom liner.
Lips- Hush, NSFW, and Fondue lip tars over clear gloss.
Dec. 8-
Bronzed Goddess glow
Pretty In Peach Blush
Eyes- Lovey Dovey inner 1/2, Smokin' outer 1/2. Vanilla Cream as inner corner and brow highlight. In Color Fabuliner in black.
Lips- NSFW and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss.
Hey all- sorry I haven't posted FOTD in a while. I haven't been wearing makeup much or haven't had chance to do photos- so quite a lack of them.
Been busy with Christmas ramp up and fighting a cold. Started getting sore throat last week and it has progressed to nasal and chest congestion. My poor nose is raw. I took weekend off on working out but am forcing myself to do squats today- writing this in between sets-- think treadmill might be pushing it--- seeing I can't breathe so great. LOL Did decorate the house (except tree which we put up about a week before) and need to do cards and baking yet. Only have 3 things to pick up and waiting for some deliveries- then wrap those few items and I am done with gift part of Christmas.
I also need to make the dogs some cedar filled beds. It's turned colder here and Sully has dumped a flower pot and trying to burrow into this bit of dirt on the deck because there are no cedar beds to snuggle into when they are out during the day. I buy inexpensive fabric and make a pillowcase- fill with cedar chips (love how they smell like little hamsters LOL) and then sew end shut. I will make them some very large ones for outside and smaller ones for their cages. Have to go buy a big bag of cedar chips for this.
So I am still "shopping my stash" trying not to reuse eye colors (except highlighter colors if I am wearing that.) All photos using Dayna Dark (may need to go to Dayna- it's crazy how fast color changes) and MMBB grape mist. Brows are Just Browsing Brown. Mascara Loreal Extra Volume (non-WP) with collagen with Maybelline Full N Soft WP over it.
Dec. 1-- you'll see some blemishes-- my face went really crazy because I waxed my mustache before Thanksgiving (plus probably stress too)
Mauving On Up Blush
Eyes- Rustic all over lid. Purple Haze in outer V. Better than Black as liner.
Lips- Melange and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss
Dec. 2-- taken with flash-- I hate how it gets so dark so early now. :-(
Loca Mocha Blush
Violet Vesper Glow
Eyes- Sea Mist (inner 1/2) Winey crease, Sterling Violet outer "liner" In Color Fabuliner in Black
Lips- Pageant and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss
Dec. 4 (not feeling so great this day)
Pinch Me Blush
Eyes- Lav It Up inner 1/2, Chocolate Diamonds in crease. Vanilla Cream as highlight, Venerable Vert over Milan Gelle Drops as liner.
Lips- Fondue, Anime and Feathered lip tars over clear gloss.
Two more sets of 10 at 85 pounds left on my squats-- time to finish those up.
I don't do Black Friday. I did it once when my kids were rather young to get inexpensive bikes for the older two at Walmart but it was so crazy that I never was tempted again. As usual we were at my in laws and thus Black Friday holds even less appeal since I wouldn't be shopping my home turf. I did partake in Cyber Monday on a small scale.
The only true Cyber Monday purchases were at Zazzle-- I got some T-shirts for DD and friends for Christmas. There's a 10% off code and free shipping today- so I saved about $20 on my order. I got one shirt with "Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?" for DD's track friend. She's a huge fan of the movie Elf. For DD and another of her friends I got "Paper Street Soap Factory" t-shirts-- both are fans of Fight Club. I also bought DD another Fight Club themed shirt that has a photo of Ghandi and "I'd fight Ghandi" underneath. I think DD will like. I really wanted to get a "Project Mayhem" shirt with the burning smily face on back but just can't see paying $30 for a T-shirt.
I also ordered from ihealthtree-- I ordered 2 types of Nature's Gate mineral sunblock SPF 20- one is like what LT uses and other is sports version without any scent. They were $6.99 for 4 oz- it's very hard to find SPF with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide these days and I find that I don't do well with the more chemically based SPF (at least on my face.) I also ordered 8 bars of Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment soap. Even though DD no longer uses this on her face, she found it excellent to control her "back-ne" plus my middle son does find this works to prevent blemishes for him. I also bought several different shampoos- ones that are botanical bases- trying to find a cheaper alternative to Wen for myself and DD.
Last I ordered Melazepam cream that is 20% azeleic acid which is supposed to help with melasma- so I am going to try that for lightening. I did see a product that was hydroquinone, kojic acid and azeleic acid but it's like $58-- this cream is $12- worth a try since it may also help with acne- so DD could possibly use also. I'll let you know how that goes.
As far as Christmas shopping goes- I have DD, DH and parents done (except for some wine for my mom and bottle of bourbon for her BF.) I need to get new skateboards for the boys, another guitar hero game w/ guitar, a skateboard ramp, the Simpsons version of Scene It and some band shirts. Then I am D-O-N-E. I gave youngest son an early gift of a new portable DVD player because old one would not play certain sections of DVD's. I also gave them Season 1 & 2 of "My Name Is Earl" to watch on our drive to the in-laws... heard LOL several times from all of them.
Next on the list is Christmas baking-- trying not to start too early since I am still doing workouts and trying to lose weight- I am admittedly powerless against Christmas goodies so the longer I wait to start the better. Anyone else doing Cyber Monday stuff?
We have officially moved into our new home.
This means of course that Freddie now gets 100 acres to roam and protect.
Which means that there is a whole new set of adventures out there for Freddie to get into.
Yesterday we went out for a walk because I wanted to check out the Water Tank at the top of the hill.
Here is the cute boy caught in the act of peeing on a bush.
After which he bounded off down the hill in pursuit of something.
After I walked up to visit the water tank and check out the views, I started calling for Fred.
He'd been gone for a good fifteen minutes by then and I was getting worried.
I stood still listening intently for the sound of a puppy in pain. I eventually heard lots of crashing and wood snapping and then spotted the boy bounding up towards me.
I love how the pics capture him with this mouth open and all this fangs sticking out. LOL
Here he is after coming back, panting like a banshee and with his tongue hanging out.
This picture makes him look like the Luck Dragon from Neverending Story.
At least I think so anyway....
He seemed pretty happy anyway.
I also spotted all this yellow stuff on top of his nose.
I think he might have tried to stick his nose into an ant hill or something.
That or he found a HUGE flower full of pollen to sniff. LOL
Here he is later, resting back at the house. If you look his back paw is bleeding.
I didn't notice at first until I started taking lots of pics.
He had managed to scrape off half his toe.
YECH
I think he might've just landed on something without realising as he was running.
I washed it off with dettol and rinsed it a few times.
This morning it looks ok so I've stopped worrying.
Let's just hope he keeps his adventures to ant hills.
The last thing I want is for him to discover snakes =(
After I walked up to visit the water tank and check out the views, I started calling for Fred.
He'd been gone for a good fifteen minutes by then and I was getting worried.
I stood still listening intently for the sound of a puppy in pain. I eventually heard lots of crashing and wood snapping and then spotted the boy bounding up towards me.
I love how the pics capture him with this mouth open and all this fangs sticking out. LOL
This picture makes him look like the Luck Dragon from Neverending Story.
At least I think so anyway....
He seemed pretty happy anyway.
I also spotted all this yellow stuff on top of his nose.
I think he might have tried to stick his nose into an ant hill or something.
That or he found a HUGE flower full of pollen to sniff. LOL
Here he is later, resting back at the house. If you look his back paw is bleeding.
I didn't notice at first until I started taking lots of pics.
He had managed to scrape off half his toe.
YECH
I think he might've just landed on something without realising as he was running.
I washed it off with dettol and rinsed it a few times.
This morning it looks ok so I've stopped worrying.
Let's just hope he keeps his adventures to ant hills.
The last thing I want is for him to discover snakes =(
Here are a few more close up shots. I love this one - he looks so serious:
Here he is after drinking water. He practically drank an entire bowl. I have no idea what he got up to when he ran off.
And to be honest I'm not sure I really want to know. LOL
I LOVE this shot of him also. Again you can see that yellow spot on the bridge of his nose.
And another one taken from above...
And lastly a profile shot. Look at his fangs!
And to be honest I'm not sure I really want to know. LOL
LT recently found some old Meow eye shadow samples that she had forgotten about and that gave me the idea to challenge myself to use more of my eye shadow colors. It's typical to get into the rut of using the same colors repeatedly and easy to get a whole new look by just shopping our stashes that we've forgotten about.
My personal rules for the challenge- no repeat eye shadow colors until I've used every color with the exception of highlight colors-- sorry but a dark plum does not a good highlighter color make. LOL
So here are 3 looks without using the same old stuff-- all looks are Dayna Dark Foundation applied damp with MMBB grape spray (my personal favorite.) Beach Bronzer in the 3/E technique to add a color boost. Mascara is combo- Loreal Extra Volume (non-WP) with Collagen topped with Maybelline Full N Soft Waterproof... this seems to correct the flaking that Extra Volume is prone to. Since Lili was so kind to send me lip tar samples I have been trying them out... even for a whimp like myself, lip tars are wearable. I use a clear gloss before applying a color to sheer it out and truly the amount needed is uber tiny... I put samples into paint pots I get from craft store-- 8 connected together-- so it's kind of like playing with watercolors or a box of crayons combining the many colors.
Nov. 11-
Perfect Pink Blush
Eyes- In The Flesh all over lid below crease. Steeler Black in outer V.
Lips- clear gloss topped with Uber and Grandma lip tars.
Nov. 12 (wearing new emerald earrings)
Raisin Rush Blush
Eyes- Red Planet all over lid below crease. Dragon scales outer V and topping Milan Gelle Drops as liner.
Lips- clear gloss topped with NSFW/Fondue/Hush lip tars.
Nov. 13
Pur-fection Blush
Eyes- Blink Bling inner half, Hazy in crease. Blacken Blue as liner
Lips- clear gloss topped with Hush and Katricia lip tars.
At the end of the summer I had ordered DD a bunch of acne products and for a while they were working quite well and then she actually started breaking out worse than before. I had gotten her Grandpa's Sulfur soap, Home Health Blemish Treatment Lotion (Salicylic Acid treatment) and Rachel Perry Calendula Cucumber Oil Free moisturizer SPF 15. So I started buying ProActiv again (DH likes the lotion and toner) but even that wasn't helping- so I decided to research acne options again. I found this site and decided to order the cleanser/benzoyl peroxide/moisturizer for DD to try out since this guy doesn't promote just his products- seems he really wants to help others since he too suffered from acne. DD has been using this exclusively for about 3-4 weeks. I definitely notice a clearing of her skin-- she was getting a lot of deep pimples on the sides of her cheeks and these are all gone except for the dark spots where they once were. She still has some bumps on forehead but they are super tiny and not erupting into whiteheads like before she started using the Acne Org products. What I found most interesting about this routine is how important it is to be gentle with skin-- cleansing less than 10 seconds, no wash clothes or exfoliators, gentle, gentle, gentle. The benzoyl peroxide is a lower percentage and you put it everywhere and then use moisturizer to prevent over-drying. Like I said, it seems to be working so far. The Grandpa's Sulfur Soap with 10% benzoyl peroxide has cleared up her "back-ne" so I may continue to purchase that for her- although I want to see how the Natural Soap Wholesale peppermint tea tree and eucalyptus tea tree soaps work for her.
I too had a recent breakout- nothing major like my reaction to squalane oil (deep, very painful pimples that never came to the surface but left dark spots) just tiny whiteheads that would go away in one spot but another would erupt elsewhere. I hadn't changed my skin care routine so I tried to figure out if there was another cause for it. I am pretty sure the culprit was the soy milk I was drinking. You may remember I started drinking soy milk because I had heard it helped prevent/fight belly fat storage. A little research into soy products after deducing that it could be the cause for my breakouts made me give up soy entirely. I try not to be too reactionary to every little thing I hear but when I saw how soy is not something people can digest without a lot of processing it made me leery of putting a lot of it in my body. I definitely noticed a change when I was drinking a lot of soy-- I was so gassy that it was embarrassing and I was getting Beano and other gas medications to fight this side effect. When I read about how 2 glasses of soy milk per day can actually change a woman's periods- it made convinced that it was probably the cause of my breakouts- as a teen the only time I ever had pimples was "that time of the month." So I gave up the soy milk experiment-- I'd rather have belly fat than never-ending pimples- and my face is back to normal not to mention that gas issue. LOL. I don't know everything about nutrition and chemicals but at least for me, soy isn't something I'm going to willingly add to my diet. I guess I'll just have to work out harder (and eat less) to fight the belly fat.
Along these lines-- I've found that exfoliation is somewhat counterintuitive thing. Most think oily skin needs lots of exfoliation but in reality it may cause more acne issues. I kept telling DD to stop with all the masques and scrubs and she kept saying that this or that beauty article said to do them-- but the reality is that the more she did, the worse her skin got. Dry skin tends to be more sensitive but it actually needs lots of exfoliation to get rid of the dry, dead layers. I definitely notice that once the cold weather comes around, I need to do my honey/sugar scrub several times a week whereas in the summer I don't have to do this.
I have been really good about sticking with my workouts. Since Oct. 15 I have been pretty good about doing cardio workout every other day. Three weeks ago I started doing bench workouts again. Yesterday I did 2 sets of 8 reps with 85 pounds quite easily. I think I am seeing results- at the very least I am tightening up, if not "getting skinny." I am definitely feeling better and more energetic. A friend of mine also started on a weight-loss program and we are trying to keep the other one going. I am not a workout at the gym girl-- I actually hate anyone being around when I workout... I don't know if I'm embarrassed by the faces I may be making or what but I like working out alone- but having someone to talk about workouts with does seem to keep me motivated.
Hi all, it's been pretty chaotic here... my brother called last Tuesday saying they MAY be stopping by on Thursday. He left conversation saying he'd let me know further details later. Thursday morning I called him and he said they would arrive in the late afternoon after picking up the tractor he'd bought nearby. We went out to dinner that night and they left Friday morning. While I was checking email, my cell rings and my brother is asking where the nearest Dodge dealership is-- his truck won't go any faster than 50 mph. To keep this brief, the part wouldn't come in until the next morning-so my brother and family would be spending the day and night= so we headed to Mammoth Cave National Park for the afternoon. Can you believe this is the first time I have toured the cave? We've lived within 45 minutes of the park twice-- over 8 years of being that close- and I have only done this unguided tour of just the main entrance. So at least the truck breakdown ended up being a nice thing since we all enjoyed the cave tour.
Friday night we had dinner and then the adults went bowling. The men definitely got out of hand- especially my hubby (due to alcohol and long work week- he'd just gotten home from work week in Chicago.) Saturday morning was typical chaos of Hoozey house with guests thrown in. I dropped DD off for local cross country meet. Then home to get hubby and then headed to tire shop -- he had peeled out the night before and gotten a flat-- due to his tires being so worn. So we dropped off the truck to get 4 new tires. BTW, that Ford Escape is still parked in our driveway-- I am sure his work has already forgotten about "taking care of it" when he informed them two weeks ago that it wouldn't move. They were supposed to get that one out of our drive and deliver a Dodge Journey, but I am sure it was forgotten minutes after the email was sent. Seeing that the very same person who was going to "take care of it" is responsible for it taking over 2 months to get license plates. GRRR!!! I hate relying on others to take care of things like this-- especially since it's really annoying having that thing stuck in our driveway. It would have been handy Thursday evening when we were going out to eat-- had it been able to move- but instead I had to make two trips to and from Red Lobster because brother's truck was attached to trailer with a tractor on it. LOL
A few hours later DD needs to be picked up from meet, on my way over, tire shop calls my cell to say truck is ready (of course I am driving right past the shop but hubby wasn't with- so couldn't combine trips.) Once I arrived back home from picking up DD, brother's truck was repaired and I told hubby to come along since his truck was ready too. After picking up both trucks, we had lunch and then my brother and family headed home from their extended visit. So it was kind of a crazy weekend.
Aside-- Thursday the place DH ordered this special lifting bar calls to say that the bar that arrived earlier that week was missing a part. The bar needs to be sent back and they would email a shipping label and I was told several times that the replacement bar would arrive tomorrow. (Friday) Let me give you a little background-- said bar was ordered in early Sept.--- said bar hit the credit card and has been paid for long ago. So not really keen on that fact that it's F'd up after such a late arrival, especially since ETA was supposed to be soon after order and kept getting "pushed back" for one reason or another. I hadn't gotten email so I called back. We decided that when new bar was being dropped off "tomorrow" that the old bar could be picked up. So Friday morning Fed Ex guy is standing in my drive while brother's family is getting ready to depart--- he's there to pick up bar but doesn't have replacement bar. DH sent instructions to me that I was not to send old bar UNTIL new bar arrives-- seeing that they've strung him along repeatedly- he wanted some sort of leverage. Have to say it really pisses me off that new bar did NOT arrive Friday as I was told repeatedly on the phone, especially since email from them to DH had Tuesday or Wednesday as delivery. That's definitely a pet peeve of mine-- obviously the bar wasn't arriving Friday, so why keep telling me that??? So I sent Fed Ex guy away without old bar and hopefully it arrives tomorrow because otherwise I have to get a new label set up since the one is only good for 3 days-- Friday, Saturday and Tuesday... they don't deliver on Monday. Did I tell you that this bar is 45 pounds and about 7 ft long? Yep, I lugged this boxed bar (very unwieldy) from the side of my house into my basement only to find out that I needed to send it back because they didn't put all the parts in??? Mind you it wasn't cheap either!!!!! So hubby used that bar over the weekend with the "F' em" attitude considering what he's paid for it and all the trouble it's been.
My camera arrived Thursday evening and I had forgotten it in all the chaos of my brother's arrival. So while heading home to pick up my kids to take to restaurant, I told my DD to check for it. I didn't get to play with my camera since I was busy entertaining. I did start playing with it after my brother left and so far and I am very pleased. There's an automatic setting for easy picture taking but also several settings that are still quite automatic but a little more specific... like macro, motion, portrait, etc.
Here's some of my test shots...
This one of Sully was taken with me standing on our deck (a story above him) with the zoom.
These ones of Jack were taken without zoom- notice how he's all in focus except for his little wagging tail? The camera has this feature that stays focused on an object-- in this case Jack's face. I kind of like the blurry tail because he does always wag his tail around me--
except for this one of his eye--- even though he was maybe 4 ft away and the zoom was still set on "Sully" it took a crystal clear up close photo. Quite amazing "macro" zoom IMO.
Here's photo of plant on our deck... look at the color and you can even see a spider web.
Here's a few of Sully with a bit of zoom but he's at closer range.
Here's a close up of a music box
and a close up of the anvil and hammer FIL whittled for DH. You can even see the dust on the glass shelf... LOL
I took todays' FOTD with my new camera and I definitely notice the color is more realistic than my Kodak- which always had more pink/red than reality.
Nov. 9 2009
Dayna Dark Foundation with MMBB Neroli spray
Beach Bronzer as "oomph"
Perfect Pink Blush
Eyes- Brought To Light all over lid below crease. Flaxen Light in corner and as brow highlight. In Crease-- crease. Espresso Yourself as liner. Full N Soft Waterproof mascara.
*I am pretty annoyed with Loreal Extra Volume Mascara with Collagen because they are so flakey... they flake between application and photos which is often only a few minutes. I love the look of the mascara so I wish it didn't do this--- of course it claims that it doesn't flake but we know how false the advertising is on mascaras. GRRR
Lips- Plum lip tar over clear gloss. I definitely find that for me- Lip Tar can only be applied over a clear gloss and I only need the tiniest amount to get the color I desire. The Plum color is quite lovely-- as you can see that I used it alone.
Nov. 3 FOTD Old camera
* Notice the difference in the wall color and my face compared to new camera??? Kodak is definitely "redder"
Dayna Dark Foundation with MMBB Neroli
Beach Bronzer in 3/E bronzing technique for additional color
Vision Airy Glow
Empress' New Clothes as blush
Eyes: Empress' New Clothes (ENC) all over lid below crease. Flaxen Light as brow highlight. Espresso Yourself as liner and Earthy Girl as crease color. Max Factor Lash Lift Mascara-- flaky but probably because it's pretty dried out at this point
Lips- Katricia, Hush, Petty Beige and Melange Lip Tars over clear gloss.
Nov. 2 FOTD
Dayna Dark Foundation with MMBB Neroli spray
Beach Bronzer in 3/E bronzing technique for additional color
Pretty In Peach Blush
Eyes- Pick Me Up Pink all over lid below crease. Mahogany in crease. Milan Gelle Drops with Poy-ple -need to wear this more--:-) applied over it as liner. Loreal Extra Volume Mascara
Lips- No Care Bare (Cover Girl Amazemint) with Katricia and Plum Lip Tars.
Here's a drawing my niece did of me Thursday evening--- I took a photo of the drawing to test my camera but really the drawing cracks me up because of some of the details-- like she got my hoop earrings and also drew Jimi Hendrix on my shirt (I was wearing a Hendrix shirt) although it looks like I was wearing capris but I was wearing jeans. Most importantly, in my left hand is a glass of wine-- explaining the grin on my face and the arms raised in exaltation. LMAO.
Do you think it's a good FOTD?
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