Cultivating Joy

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For those of you who are Daily Ellie readers, here is an update on my Ellie2.0 plan.

Sunday Skin Favourites: Wallet Friendly Masks!

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As you know, in my last post, I raved about GlamGlow’s Thirstymud Mask. I’m still obsessed, even though the mothball scent is starting to occur. Surely that means it’s starting to turn. Right? Whatever the case, I think it is pretty awesome, despite the smell change. When I wrote the post about Thirstymud, I was so tired that I couldn’t focus on writing much more. I did want to talk about all of my favorite masks and promised myself that I would write a post about them.

First, I should clarify what kind of skin I have: dry, sun damaged, mildly sensitive, with blackhead issues on my nose. Also, I do get the very occasional hormonal breakout (so annoying as my skin is dry). In an effort to take care of my skin, the products I like to use are generally in the hydrating, calming, soothing, brightening, and occasional exfoliation realm. Therefore, the products I use frequently and love are not suitable for everyone.

The masks I have been obsessed with lately are:

  1. Lush Cosmetics Oatifix ($6.95)
  2. Lush Cosmetics Catastrophe Cosmetics ($6.95)
  3. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (ranges from $3.99-$5.99)

For those of you who don’t know, Lush Cosmetics makes masks completely preservative free, called Fresh Face Masks. Every week, each store is shipped small batches of these masks and they are kept in a small refrigerator. Those of us who are obsessed with these masks know the day of shipment, so that’s when you’ll find us at or local Lush. I generally shop at the two South Bay locations: Valley Fair & Oakridge malls. Their delivery day is Thursday. For a long time, I really wanted to try them, but I always seemed to go to Lush on a Wednesday. Of course, no fresh face masks left! Finally, I went in one Thursday & decided to purchase a mask. The first one I purchased was Catastrophe Cosmetic, then a week later, I bought Oatifix. Ever since, I’ve been totally in love. Another fun fact about Lush is their recycling program. Pretty much all of their packaging is recyclable. So, if you bring in 5 clean, empty pots (make sure it has a recycle marker on it), you can get a Fresh Face Mask for free! I was able to get a new pot of Oatifix on Thursday, which allowed me to splurge on a Catastrophe Cosmetic & some leave in hair treatment.

Oatifix is a blend of oatmeal, bananas, kaolin, ground almonds, illipe butter, and some essential oils & other ingredients. I have a feeling I can make a duplicate of this at home & get pretty much the same results. At $6.95, I don’t mind buying a tub of it every few weeks. The main purpose of this mask is to hydrate & calm the skin, so it is ideal for normal to dry skin, especially anyone with a sunburn! Two consecutive Sundays, I managed to burn my face. Oooops! This helped, at least, soothe the skin and add a bit of hydration to the raw skin I had left of my face.

Catastrophe Cosmetic is another great mask for soothing irritated, angry skin. Its main ingredients are calamine powder, irish moss, and blueberries. We know how wonderful calamine is for bug bites, poison oak & ivy, and other topical rashes. Irish moss is a great hydrating and calming agent. Blueberries are little antioxidant powerhouses. Another great ingredient is Blue Chamomile, which is commonly used topically for irritated, sensitive skin. Between this & Oatifix, my skin has been able to heal itself, even just superficially. (I am well aware of the deep damage the sunburn has done to my skin & there is not a lot of repair that can be done.) This mask is great for all skin types, from super dry to insanely oily. It does have some kaolin in there, which helps draw out impurities without stripping the skin.

All Lush Fresh Face Masks are left on the skin approximately 5-10 minutes. You can leave them on longer, but I find that 10 minutes does the job. Enough time to make a cup of tea and get my bed ready for cozy time.

Finally, let’s talk about Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. If you live anywhere in the US, you must have seen this at some point in your life. Most of us have been in a CVS, Longs, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Safeway, etc. We’ve grabbed toothpaste, sunscreen, body lotion, soap, shower gel, or any other hygiene necessities at some point in our lives. Therefore, by default, we have seen the ultimate drugstore staple: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. And, quite a few of us have used it in the past, currently use it, and/or call it a staple. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, let me break it down. It is a simple clay mask that is targeted for clarifying the skin, whether it be acne, blackheads, or plain old oily skin. It has the added benefit of being minty fresh. As I mentioned before, I have dry skin. So, why would someone like me use a mask like this? Because, people with dry skin get breakouts and blackheads too! Also, clay isn’t bad for dry skin. It can be very healing on any skin. I use this frequently on my nose and leave it on overnight. Once a week I’ll use it all over & simply rinse it off once it is dry. This also serves as a great pimple fighter when I get hormonal breakouts.

There are other amazing masks that are cost effective. But, these three are my favorites & the ones I use most regularly. Freeman, as many people know, make some great inexpensive masks. Anyone born in the 70s & 80s are surely Freeman savvy. Also, I do use some expensive ones as well, but not as frequently, and have mentioned the two I love before: GlamGlow Thirstymud & Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I hope this can inspire some of you to try Lush & their Fresh Face Masks. They have quite a few options for many different concerns. They also have vegan options!! Both masks I mentioned are vegan, which is a huge bonus for me. And, Lush is very much anti-animal cruelty, so you are supporting a positive, supportive, worldly company by purchasing from them.

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far! Stay hydrated & protected! And, if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, I hope you are enjoying your winter!

Drink up!

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Masks have seem to come back in style quite heavily recently. The oil trend has died down, and masks have taken over. I’ve said it before, and I will continue to say it: the US is often late to both the progressive party & trendy party. So, what European & Asian countries have been doing for decades, the US is only really just catching on now.

I’ve always been a fan of masks, ever since I was a kid. I’d poke through the beauty stash of both my mother and grandmother in awe of the pretty bottles they had. However, it wasn’t until I moved to California that I truely discovered the joy of masks. I never really saw any of the women in my life do a mask, probably because I was too young to remember. By the time I was 10 or 11 and starting to feel my body change, I started to grow into my feminine side. I would hit up Payless (later RiteAid) and stock up on some Freeman masks and my friends & I would go to town with them at sleepovers. And, let’s be real here, I still love Freeman masks, don’t you?

Long gone are the days of innocent pre-teen girly sleepovers. It’s been about a year since I’ve slept over at a friend’s house, and that was out of necessity. Our time spent together no longer involve stuffed animals, Ouija boards, and yearbooks. Well, we might still get out the yearbooks and gawk at our lithe, carefree bodies & smiles. But, more often than not, wine is involved, which makes sense twenty years later. Point is: if I sleep over at a friend’s house, it is because it’s always wise to not operate a vehicle if a wine glass has been accurately used. So, no masks are applied to our faces. We’re lucky if the makeup even comes off.

So, it is up to me, during down time to pamper my skin. I have quite a few face masks that I absolutely adore and always suggest to people. There is one currently out there that is my ultimate favorite.

The mask I have been obsessed with is GlamGlow’s ThirstyMud mask. At first, I was really put off by the smell. I had smelled a tester that had obviously gone off and it smelled like moth balls. Then, I was lucky enough to receive a jar to try. When I cracked it open and took a whiff, I was surprised. It smelled like coconuts and apple juice!

GlamGlow ThirstyMud

This mask is a lifesaver!! It’s full of amazing ingredients, such as apple fruit extract, coconut fruit extract, ginger root extract, green tea leaf powder, olive leaf powder, and so many more. I learned it feels best chilled, so I keep it in my fridge. This mask is essential to anyone with redness, irritated skin, sunburned skin, surface dehydration, or genuinely dry skin. It’s great for all skin types, however those dealing with the issues I just mentioned will greatly benefit from this mask. This mask can be left on as little as 10 minutes or as long as all night. And, I always wear this mask overnight. My skin does really well when I use the mask this way. The company even suggests using this mask in-flight to prevent that dreaded dehydration many people get after a long flight. For my skin, I feel that the apple extract helps gently exfoliate and brighten, while the coconut, green tea, and olive are replenishing, and lastly the ginger helps energize my skin.

Please, if you can afford this $69 mask, invest in it! It is worth every penny. If not, stop by a local Sephora and, at least, pick up a sample to try. And, fret not my loves, I will write a post about my other favorite masks, which include a plethora of cost effective masks!

In the mean time, please visit (and follow & like) my other blogs, twitter, and Facebook:
DJ Toaster Biscuit
A Life In Paperback
@DJToasterBiscui
@RealEllieMcHale
@lovenugget
DJ Toaster Biscuit at FaceBook

And, I have a very special GIVEAWAY in the works! Keep your eyes peeled. It involves hitting a like button or two & hitting one or two follow buttons. Also, get your creative juices flowing. I might ask for a haiku, ya hear?

Just Breathe

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I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately. My life revolves around school, hence the rut & lack of regular blogging. Tonight, however, I had some Chocolate Coffee and Citrus 4 from Pressed Juicery and my hazy brain seemed to clear up a bit.

That means I got inspired to actually take more than a couple minutes to remove my makeup and slap some moisturizer on. I decided to use a gold standard product and a totally new (to me) product.

To start, I swiped some Sephora Cleansing Water all over before getting stuck in. Next was my hero, holy grail, número uno beauty product: Ren Skincare Cleansing Balm. I’ve written about it before and will continue to write & talk about it for the rest of my life. As usual, I massaged a teaspoon over my entire face and neck and let it sit for a minute. Then I added a bit of warm water to get it going. The last step was wiping it off with a mildly hot wash cloth. Heaven!!

Next was the newest addition to my skincare: Lush’s Catastrophe Cosmetic fresh mask.

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I let it sit for ten minutes or so, then removed it with a hot wash cloth. My skin felt so smooth and soft! The only less than positive aspect to this mask is the smell. It wasn’t a bad smell, just not my favorite. However, the smell is not a deterrent from me repurchasing this mask.

These two products allowed me to unwind and take some time to just breathe. They allowed me to reflect on the day and set some positive intentions for the rest of the week. I highly suggest everyone take 10-15 minutes at the end of the day to do the same. You don’t need to do skincare, you can just sit or stroll. Find peace any way you can!

Half-Marathon; Or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My Body

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I haven’t been inspired to run for a couple months now. After reading this, I am refreshed and renewed!!!

Amira K.'s avatarThe Z-Axis

I’ve never told anyone these things. My parents, my sister, my friends – no one. So heads up. You’re the first to know.

For the last few years, I have grown, slowly but steadily, to despise the way my body looks.

When I was a kid, I was always told how skinny I was. I didn’t break fifty pounds until I was eight years old. In high school I was always the smallest – height and weight – of my friends. I grew up knowing, somehow, intuitively, that ‘being skinny’ was something good, that it was something I should maintain. In high school, that belief was confirmed and reinforced by magazines, friends who were constantly ‘dieting’, and my school’s insistence on athletic rigor and social ostracism of students who didn’t fit the body ideal. But I was always warned that, as a woman, ‘my time would come’, I would have kids…

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Take Time

Ellie Mae4 Comments

Day three of my self imposed challenge! I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t log in today. I started thinking about social media and our need to be virtually connected all the time. The idea that Facebook plays a huge role in many lives across the US is quite daunting.

I’ve decided that after this “blog every day for a month” challenge is over, I’d like to try getting on to Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress only once a week for a month and using more traditional sources for communication and obtaining pressing news. Six out of the seven days, I plan on reading a newspaper, watching the news on TV (a fond memory I have of first moving to California: listening to KTVU/FOX 2 10 o’clock news from my bedroom), calling and texting my friends, and listening to NPR/KQED. I’ll be honest, I might not stick to that, but I am going to try. I’d love to get back to basics and enjoy my 30’s like my parents did. They survived very well and with immense joy without social media, computers, the internet, and smart phones. They did really well with land line phones, basic TV, newspapers, radios, and a great community of friends. I feel that I will be able to cultivate more honest relationships if I am able to distance myself from the virtual networks I am completely immersed in.

How do you feel about Social Media and Social Networking? How often do you find yourself checking Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.? Would you happily take a week vacation without internet access, a computer, or a cell phone?

Gratitude Is Glorious

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Happy Treat Yourself Thursday!

Oh Rainn Wilson, thank you for creating SoulPancake.

Everyone, in this new year, please take lead here and have a little grace and gratitude in your life. A simple thank you with a smile goes a very long way. We all enjoy a little appreciation once in awhile. Thank the cashier who rang you up for your cup of coffee, then thank the barista who made it. Thank your body for keeping you alive for one more day. Thank your family members who show you love and support.

We often forget to take two seconds to express gratitude, but our brains our wired to feel happier when we say thank you (not to mention being thanked).

Who do you appreciate the most? Why?
Comment below… Then tell that person how much you appreciate them!

Happy New Year!

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Welcome to 2014! May this year be full of joy, love, happiness, and peace for everyone.

One of my goals for 2014 is to write more. To aid that goal, I plan on writing a blog post every day of January. The task seems a little daunting, but I don’t plan on writing a 10 paragraph essay in each one. I just want to write something meaningful every day.

I don’t do resolutions anymore. It has been years since I’ve made solid, intentional resolutions. The idea of a resolution seems negative to me. Instead, I strive for positive, attainable goals. As I mentioned, this year, I plan on writing more. Also, I hope to complete my first triathlon this year. I am going to start small and sign up for a sprint distance triathlon and will aim to do it in August if there are any great ones in California.

What are your goals and/or resolutions? Do you believe in the act of making goals and/or resolutions? Please share!

And, please wander over to my other blogs:
DJ Toaster Biscuit
A Life In Paperback

Love me!!

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

In an attempt to gain views and followers, I’ve devised a little plan. I am trying to get to 500 views by 11.59pm PST on December 31. So, if that happens, I will make my first YouTube video, share it here, and entice y’all even more to keep coming back.

What will I do in my YouTube video? I’m not sure yet. I might recite a poem. I might tell some jokes. I might do a goofy dance. Or I might just say hello, thank you, and a little snippet about myself. Whatever I decide, I do promise you a YouTube video.

So, get reading! Get sharing! And while you’re at it, please mosey on over to my two other blogs: DJ Toaster Biscuit & A Life In Paperback.

Thank you all so very much!

I Can Be Your Hero Baby!

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So, ladies who have the luxury of having things, including makeup, we often have a signature of ourselves. It could be just a thing we’re known for, like a niche musical taste or being the [xyz] girl, or it could be a signature part of our physical appearance.

Me? Well, many people have different things they attach to my persona, but one thing does seem to be a constant… My eyelashes. Almost every day I have people asking if they are fake or telling me how lucky I am. Yes, I’m glad I have long lashes, but I’m not lucky. The length of my lashes is set in DNA stone. This is one of the many positive traits that I biochemically got from my parents. [Thanks, you two!]

With that said, pretty much any mascara I swipe on works well for me. However, there are a select few mascaras that I swear by. And, because my lashes are naturally long & curly, these mascaras may not be for you. Let’s face it, people who want their lashes to look like mine have very short, sparse, straight lashes and the best option for them to replicate my lashes is very natural false lashes.

My hero mascaras:
1. Fresh SuperNova mascara. Sephora stopped selling this a really long time ago, which drives me bonkers! The only place I know that has it currently is the Fresh website & I can’t quite reason with myself ordering one $25 mascara every 3-4 months. Sure, I could call the Fresh boutique up in San Francisco, but again, I can’t fathom driving 30 miles into a crowded city for one tube of $25 mascara. But, it is still my ultimate favorite mascara…
2. Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. I was gifted this mascara over the summer and immediately fell in love that I purchased a tube three months after falling in love with it. The brush is very similar to the SuperNova brush and the formula is almost as soft as SuperNova. Also, the finish was exactly the same as SuperNova, if not slightly better. So glad to find a replacement! I can get my hands on this mascara with a lot more ease, so I have a feeling this will be a staple for awhile. The name gets on my nerves, but I overlook it because it’s worth it.
3. Milani Runway Lashes mascara. Let me be honest here, I’m not a fan of many drugstore mascaras. For me, a lot of them don’t do much or feel to stiff, drying, or clumpy on my lashes. So I took a major leap of faith with this one. I was in a bind and needed a mascara. I don’t like carrying expensive mascara with me, so when I was due to meet someone, I needed something to wake my face up. $4.99 on a mascara was exactly the budget I was hoping for. I was immediately wowed. I love that I got volume, plushness, and a soft finish that I always love. I’m so happy with this mascara! If you are on a makeup budget, please invest in this mascara! Amazing results without hurting your wallet.

This mascara technically isn’t one of my heroes, but it deserves some recognition. Guerlain Cils d’Enfer Maxi Lash mascara. This mascara is pushing it as far as price. I always used to believe that $25 was far too much for mascara (SuperNova). Then I tried this on… It was love at first swipe. As I’m well stocked on mascara right now, I don’t own nor have I ever owned a tube of this $30 mascara. But, I might consider buying this as a gift to myself when my mascara stockpile is down to one lonely tube. I wish I could afford this mascara every three months. Let’s be real though, I’d rather switch between $23 and $4.99 every four months.

I’d love to hear what some of your favorite mascaras are! Please do share! Also, what is your signature?