Pamper Time! Evening Skincare.

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As my skin has settled down from its painful couple of weeks of dermatitis, I am able to get back into a comfortable skincare routine. I do all of my main skincare at night, as it is both physically and emotionally cleansing.

Tonight I am giving my skin some extra special love as it has been an arduous two weeks. I’ve been working nonstop and had finals this week. I desperately need some TLC! I want to share my pampering evening skincare ritual.

My skin type is dry, sensitive, and prone to redness & enlarged pores. I like to call my skin bipolar, as it really varies day to day as to how dry & sensitive it can be.

To start, I take off my make up with Caudalie’s cleansing water.

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This has been my favorite makeup remover for years. It takes off everything, including heavy foundation and waterproof eye makeup.

Next up is a proper cleanse!!

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Tonight I chose to use Ren’s cleansing balm with my Clarisonic Mia2. The cleansers I use vary. My other favorites are Ren’s Hydracalm cleansing milk, Nude’s cleansing oil, and Ren’s Hydracalm cleansing gel. It really depends on the day.

Next is a mask. I rarely do masks. Let’s face it, I’m lazy! So this is the unusual pamering part. And when I do a mask, it has to be amazing.

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Tonight I am indulging. Two masks! First is Ren’s Glycol Lactic mask to exfoliate, brighten, and hydrate. Then I hop in the shower. After the shower I slap some of Aveda’s intensive hydrating masque while I make some tea. This is supposed to be left on 5-10 mins, but I leave this on a lot longer sometimes. As it’s not a peel, it doesn’t hurt if I forget about it for awhile.

Once this is rinsed off, I finish with a serum & moisturizer.

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Along with Ole Henriksen’s truth serum & Korres’ wild rose sleeping facial, I have added some rose essential oil in a jojoba oil base.

Tonight I am all about exfoliation, hydration, nourishment, and brightness. I love nights when I pamper my skin!! It’s rare, which makes the ritual even more special. I do hope you enjoy this little snippet of my life.

FYI: I do not represent or am not paid by any of these brands for any usage or mention of them or their products. All of the products I used were paid for by my own money over the course of the year. Any product gifted me will always be disclosed and I will not use nor review something gifted to me if I do not like how it works for me. Thank you!!

Free Stuff! Giveaway…

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Hi dears!! Everyone loves the opportunity to get free stuff, right? I know I do. Free hugs, free food, free petrol, free love…

So, I’ve been formulating a giveaway to do. I’ve been collecting things over the last few months that I’m happy to pass on to others. Why not make it interesting?

Here are the rules:
1. Follow or subscribe to me me on at least one of the social media sites I am on
–This blog, or
–DJ ToasterBiscuit, or
–A Life In Paperback, or
–FaceBook, or
–Twitter, or
–Bloglovin’, and
2. Leave a comment here telling me your favorite thing about winter and your current music/movie/literature/art obsession. If you can hit the like button, even better! Also, please share which form of social media you have chosen to connect with me if it is not directly here.
3. This step is optional. If you could give me a shout out on your favorite social media site, I’ll be forever grateful! If you do, email me a screen capture or leave a link in your comment. Who knows, if you do this optional step, you might get two chances to win!?
4. The deadline is 11.59pm PST, December 30th, 2013.

What am I giving away? I’m putting together a box of treat yourself goodies. Included will be a pear scented candle, some dry body oil, a face exfoliator, a face serum or two, a moisturizer, and possibly even a $20 gift card of your choosing (within reason). I will definitely include more, I promise. Guys, check this out: the exfoliator is a cult favorite in the GQ/Esquire/Entourage watching circle of men. (Ladies, it’s amazing. I have a few tubes of it. That’s why I’m willing to part with one.) Plus guys, if you have any women you care about, everything else can make great gifts.

If I only get one comment, I will either nix the giveaway or reboot it and start over in January. So participate please!!!

Skin Issues: Sensitivity & Dermatitis

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Oh my gosh, it’s been too long! Many apologies!

This post is unfortunately inspired by my reactive skin. About a week ago, I noticed my skin started to feel more delicate than usual. I assumed it was just the weather, as we got a few days of rain after they usual dry winter air. Many people feel a change in their skin when that happens. What was just dry, uncomfortable, itchy skin from head to toe went to inflammed, lobster red, burning skin on my face, neck and chest. My main eczema-type spot on my left wrist even got irritated for the first time in over a year. It turns out, the excessive heat that kept getting blasted in my workplace aggravated it. Even after my requests to keep the store at an even 68-degrees, it ended up feeling like a hotbox to many. You can only imagine how uncomfortable I felt. Sweat, clothes made out of synthetic fabric, constant movement, and naturally warm human beings corralled in one decently sized room that is over heated is never an ideal location for someone with reactive skin. The general concensus is that I’ve got a case of dermatitis. I almost went to urgent care tonight, but want to give it one more day. Plus, I’ve got a bunch of school work that needs to get done.

Last Friday, I splurged and bought a Clarisonic Mia2. We sell them where I work & I was able to get one with a few extra free goodies in the box (including a small face wash I can’t use, but I’m sure a friend will). I spent $105 on a $225 value!! Honestly, I wouldn’t have bought it if that wasn’t such a great deal. Because my skin got worse over the weekend, on Sunday I bought a golden standard for sensitive skin: Ren’s HydraCalm Cleansing Milk, which now called Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk. (Of course, I had the means and had to buy a top seller: Ren’s Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask.)

So, let me share what I’ve been doing the last couple days to calm my skin down. In the evening, I’ll take a makeup wipe and take off any traces of stuff. Then, I wet down the Clarisonic brush head & add the cleansing milk just before splashing some water on my face. Then I’ll Clarisonic my face. After finishing that & drying off, I’ll spray my face with Caudalie’s Grape Water. Once that has been pat down & my skin is dry, I’ll moisturize with either plain organic coconut oil or Ren’s Frankincense Night Cream.

So far, my skin feels calmer. Today, the temperature at work was less hot and I wore a cotton shirt to allow my skin to breathe a bit. I’m still itchy & red, but I am less swollen and hot. Now, I have a mug of white tea and a large glass of water. I’m keeping hydrated internally to help. The plan is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Does anyone else have any experience with dermatitis or any other skin irritations? I’d love to hear feedback.

Take Care: Treat Yourself Thursday

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It’s no secret that I’m an Aveda fan. I use at least two things from the brand every single day. The two I use most often are Rosemary Mint Hand & Body Wash and Hand Relief Hand Cream.
I find that the hand wash gets my hands clean without drying them out. I’ve never been a fan of hand washes with Triclosan in it. I’d rather just wash my hands well and regularly. Plus, synthetic antibacterials seem to be drying on my skin. Aveda’s hand wash smells great and doesn’t dry my hands.
Coming into winter, my already dry skin has a tendency to become more dry. About a year ago, my mother get me a tube of Aveda’s hand cream and I’ve been hooked ever since. It is extremely hydrating, but absorbs very fast. Those seems to be the two most important factors when people shop for hand creams.
So, dear readers, my treat yourself suggestion today is taking care of your hands. Happy hands (and feet) help set the tone for the day. I do suggest Aveda’s Rosemary Mint hand wash, but any gentle wash without synthetic antibacterials will work. Wash your hands regularly, especially during heightened times of the cold & flu. Make sure you have a great hand cream. My favorite is Aveda’s, but another amazing hand cream that works just as well is Caudalie’s Hand & Nail Cream, which is nourishing and also absorbs well.
And, remember to keep your hand active. During cold weather, joints may have a tendency to stiffen up more often. While putting on hand cream, give your hands a mini massage. This will boost circulation to keep them warm as well as keep fluid moving well.
Enjoy!!

Homebody Love

Ellie Mae2 Comments

After visiting an old college friend yesterday, I was reminded how much she loves to craft as well as keep a welcoming home. She put a humble, homebody bug in my brain and I spent a moment on Pinterest today finding fun craft ideas.

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A few days ago, I found these glasses bottles at Urban Outfitters for $1.99 each. I love the colors! I don’t know what I’m going to do with them or if I should even do anything with them. I might fill them with beads and buttons for crafting…
Share any ideas you may have! And, if you have any fun crafts you like to do on your day off, I’d love to hear.

Treat Yourself, Baby!

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Two (three, really) posts in one day!? What a treat for me and you! This post will be short and sweet.

Here’s a little something you can do this weekend to treat yourself: eat some tasty fruit and dark chocolate. Make your own trail mix. Drink some iced green tea. Get healthy fats, carbohydrates, and antioxidants running through your body. Do some deep breathing exercises and make a list of ten things you are grateful for. Fall asleep smiling. Enjoy yourself.

50 Facts About Ellie, part 1

Ellie Mae1 Comment

There’s a YouTuber tag going around called “50 Facts About Me” and I wanted to join in. But, I’m not YouTube ready! But, I’d like to share some fun tidbits about myself if you’re willing to learn!

  1. I like things in multiples of three, especially 15 of anything. 9 and 15 are my “lucky” numbers.
  2. Because of my three fascination, I’ve actually noticed I get restless every three years and ache for change.
  3. My middle name should have been Wanderlust. I’d be happy living from town to town and country hopping as I please. [The run off of last year’s multiple of three “I need to move” craving is lingering.]
  4. While I’m still adamant I’d like to be a published author, I still secretly wish I had majored in theatre & become a struggling Off-Broadway actress, mercilessly slinging Shakespeare or contemporary theatre to those who live for that type of thing.
  5. One of these days, I’m going to learn how to tap dance.
  6. When I was a child, I ate anything that was given to me, including steak & kidney pie, or liver, or fresh mussels. I’m sure my parents still have a picture of me from when I was about 5 or 6. In my wet raincoat, I was looking incredibly feral and canine, with a hand in a bucket of mussels and the other hand stuffing a mussel in my mouth. I remember that night vividly.
  7. Now, I am much more particular about what I eat. As I grew older, my tactile sense became a lot more sensitive. I love the taste of beef, lamb, and bacon. Both my body & mind can’t grasp the sensation & action of eating animal flesh. [Rice pudding, bread pudding, and Jello as well.]
  8. I’d happily eat nothing but broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, and lentils for the rest of my life. Those four foods are what I crave most.
  9. For someone who eats a vegetarian (with a Greek yoghurt or a few nibbles of cheese eaten very sporadically) diet, I constantly surprise phlebotomists & my doctor at how iron rich my blood is. I haven’t taken an iron supplement since I was 13. The last time I had my blood drawn, the guy doing so said “Wow, I haven’t seen this much hemoglobin in a long time. Did you eat a big, raw steak in the last 24 hours?” I said, “nope, I haven’t eaten beef since I was 11. I did, however eat a hefty salad last night.”
  10. I used to run competitively (and hard) between the ages of 12 and 18. The moment I graduated high school, I swore off running for a very long time.
  11. For my 31st birthday, I registered myself to run my first official half-marathon. This is a distance I was very capable of running as a teen and did so a few times to blow off steam. I’ll be running the 13.1 miles in less than a month.
  12. I can’t help myself when it comes to collecting books. I have a hideous amount of books I’ve bought over the last ten years that I’ve yet to read. A week ago, I made a promise to myself to not buy any more books until I’ve read twenty of the books on my bookshelf.
  13. The book that changed my life is Taming The Beast by Emily Maguire. For those of you who didn’t pay attention in English in high school, the title pays homage to my favorite Shakespeare play, Othello. Ms. Maguire’s book was jarring, unnerving, and emotional. I feel that this book came into my life just at the right time. I was destined to read the book when I did. I is a permanent fixture on my bookshelf, even if I haven’t re-read it yet.
  14. The quickest way to get me out of a crabby mood is to wave peppermint essential oil under my nose for 15 seconds.
  15. I think Mark Rothko is a genius and hope that all of you get to have a moment of peace with one of his paintings.
  16. I have an ear for (Western) European languages, even though I don’t spend anytime learning, practicing, and seeking them out. I hope that my wanderlust allows me the chance to finesse my francais and become more comfortable with my espanol and relearn conversational italiano and machen ein paar bier in deutschland mit freunden. I’m grateful to work with many native Spanish speakers. I desperately want to know what they’re talking about, so I force myself to figure out what they’re saying.
  17. I hate long, overly crafted nails. I think they are unattractive and useless. Nails that go just above the tips of your fingers are fine. I naturally assume a person with overly crafted nails don’t want to get their hands dirty or lift heavy boxes or do manual labor. With that said, I keep my nails short, and every time I try to grow them, I fail.
  18. My favorite household chore is doing dishes. I could easily live without a dishwasher, as I keep it basic and love doing dishes by hand. Some people knit. Others paint. I do dishes to calm down or distract myself on a bad day. It is such a simple chore that it doesn’t feel like a chore.
  19. As a child I hated milk with my cereal. I would either eat it dry or use orange juice. To this day, I still love Cheerios in orange juice.
  20. Just over a decade ago, I wanted to open a bookshop/cafe that featured art from high schoolers up to recent college graduates, as well as hosting a bi-monthly Salon and a bi-weekly open mic. I still do, and waxed mildly poetic about it in a post at A Life In Paperback.
  21. If I don’t have to wear shoes, I won’t. The shoes are on only at work or while I’m exercising or am in a place of business where social etiquette requires people to wear shoes.
  22. I don’t like driving, unless I’m driving long distances. I’d be happy to settle in a major metropolitan area with a strong public transportation system. Or in a contemporary commune that is able to sustain each and every resident.
  23. I’m convinced I was born 30 years late. The history of the 50’s-70’s in Western Society and amazing cultural & political changes that happened were amazing and seeing all of that happen first hand would have been amazing.
  24. I seem to always root for the underdog. Brian Kinney from the US version of Queer as Folk is my favorite underdog. He was incredibly selfish, pretentious, arrogant, and guarded. But, deep under that really hard veneer was a huge softy. In fact, I like the idea of doing a podcast about underdogs in literature, film, and TV.
  25. Video games baffle me. Sure, I understand that satisfaction of competition &  completing tasks. But, sitting at a computer or at a TV to get that kind of satisfaction doesn’t appeal to me. I’d rather have some sort of physical or financial reward for completing tasks and having a healthy sense of competition. I’d rather play a game of touch football than play Halo.

I’m not going to take up anymore space. I’m going to make this a two parter! And, to be special, Part 2 is at my other blog, A Life In Paperback. To find out more about me, wonder over there!!

Never check in bags: Travel blogger Julie Falconer shares her holiday tips

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I’ve known Julie since we were 12-ish. I am so proud of her! She’s living the life I’ve always dreamed of living & is an inspiration.

Stop & Smell The…

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Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber…

Being the English born Irish lass that I am, I’ll take some Earl Grey and/or Cucumber any day. Seriously.

When I ventured into Nordstrom the other day to see if a fellow beauty employee was working, I decided to give some Jo Malone fragrances a sniff to see what all the fuss is about. For the longest time, I highly doubted that any fragrance was worth $115 (or more). I was so exhausted, that I didn’t even look at all of the options, only the ones I assumed I would like.

The inevitable happened. I fell in love. Two fragrances stood out. First was Red Roses. As you know by now, I’m in love with pretty much anything rose. Therefore, any rose based fragrance is a winner (Stella and Burberry London will always be top in my book). But, as I let it linger on my skin, I reasoned with myself that I am happy enough to get Rose perfume oil at Whole Foods and rock that out. Sure, not as lovely & long lasting as Jo Malone, however the price plays a huge factor. I then sprayed some Earl Grey & Cucumber on my other hand. Immediately, a huge smile was plastered across my face. The crispness of the bergamot cut with the fresh juiciness of the cucumber refreshed me and reminded me of being young and enjoying summertime in England. As the night wore on, the vanilla and musk came through. All of the scents of the cologne merged together to create a sense of luxury and peacefulness.

Unfortunately, I don’t have $115 to splurge on a 100ml bottle of fragrance. I don’t even have $60 to splurge on a 30ml of fragrance. Believe me, I wish I did. I am officially a Jo Malone convert. I get it. The unique scent combinations are divine. Also, the staying power on skin is impeccable. The price is daunting, but a little does actually go a long way and without the need to touch up constantly throughout the day.

Go forth and become a convert, even if you can’t afford it. Jo Malone Fragrances are worth the momentary happiness.

August Faves!

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With summer officially at an end and an autumnal breeze rustling outside my window, it’s time to share my favorites of August. I’m excited to share what I’ve been loving!

[Disclaimer: An asterisk (*) denotes something that was given to me as gratis to try. Everything else was paid for with my own hard earned money. As I’ve mentioned before, I will not review something given to me as gratis if I wasn’t satisfied with the product. I will, however, give any free product an honest & glowing review if I do love it, as I will repurchase the item.]

My absolute number one favorite of August has been the local library. I’ve always been a fan of any library, and have found our local library to been pretty awesome. The past few months, I’ve been making more of an effort to read for pleasure, but don’t want to shell out $15 each time I need a new book to read. I find that checking out a book from the library not only saves money, but gives me a deadline to finish a book. I’ve had to renew some books a couple times when I get a bit caught up with other things, but I’ve managed to get through a few books the last couple months. I highly suggest you get a library card & read!

If I haven’t mentioned, I am a skincare junkie. I love good, effective skincare that is gentle on the skin and full of skin & environment loving ingredients. I will use some “clinical” skincare if the ingredients list isn’t too scary or overwhelming, but I generally keep my skincare to the more natural side. [And, yes, there are many natural skincare lines with great clinical research supporting their products.]

I have such a hard time finding a shampoo that takes care of my scalp as well as keeping my aging Irish curls healthy. It’s been a long battle this past decade trying to find the right one. My scalp is extremely delicate and most shampoos I have tried create small sores in random spots on my scalp. Aveda’s Be Curly usually is fine, however my scalp sometimes will react to it. But, I think I may have found a winner. Aveda’s Rosemary Mint shampoo is currently working wonders for my scalp. I think this is primarily because it doesn’t have any sodium laurel/laureth sulfate or ammonium laurel/laureth sulfate in it (which wreak havoc on my scalp). It does, however, have vinegar in it. Just a few weeks ago, I had to make a baking soda paste mask & raw apple cider vinegar rinse for a horrific reaction I had on my scalp. The only thing that soothed & corrected the reaction was the baking soda & vinegar. So, I think that the small list of ingredients that includes rosemary, peppermint, and vinegar has helped keep my scalp at bay. Any remnants of the past reaction are almost gone & I have had no flare up since using this shampoo. YAY! So, I went out and bought a litre of it. Yes, an entire litre. I know that I’ll use all of it, even if it’ll take me six months. [You may notice that I like Aveda’s Rosemary Mint. The hand & body wash made an appearence in my Summer Empties post.]

This past month, I’ve used up almost of my first bottle of Thayer’s Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. Back in June sometime, I bought two bottles of this toner at GNC as they were having a gold card sale on it. It’s alcohol free and has a good amount of aloe vera & rose in it, which I need for my dry skin. This toner is great after I’ve taken off my makeup. After using my makeup remover (I rotate between two: Ren Cleansing Balm or a double wash with the Sephora Foaming Cleanser) & drying my face, I’ll swipe a good dose of this all over, then let it dry.

I’ve also been loving with my Josie Maran Rosey Mist which I apply after my Thayer’s toner. Just a few spritzes seems to lock in a light veil of hydration because of the rose oil. This is superb for drier skins, although I am sure it will work really well for normal/combination skin types. I really wish I had bought two in one go, because I have to schlep all the way up to San Francisco to repurchase (I’m not a big online shopper when it comes to anything that’s not electronics). I know, #FirstWorldProblems. Next time I do go to San Francisco, I’ll hit up Sephora and buy at least two bottles.

This month, I have been obsessed with layering two Korres products in the evening. After cleansing, toning, spritzing, and slapping on one of the many serums I have (all geared for hyperpigmentation & aging), I start with the Wild Rose+Vitamin C Sleeping Facial. Oh my gosh, I know, I use a lot of stuff with rose in it. What can I say, I’m an Isles girl. So, I’ll massage that into my skin, including my neck. This “sleeping facial” can work as a night cream for normal to combination skin. For drier skin, another moisturizer can be applied. As my skin is on the drier side, I layer the Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial* on top. Man alive! This gets my skin feeling smooth, soft, and hydrated. The skin on my neck gets really rough if it isn’t hydrated properly, but this keeps my neck in check. This combination is working wonders for my skin. The Wild Rose will (hopefully) help with my discoloration and sun damage and the Greek Yoghurt is already working wonders for my dryness. I’ve noticed that if I don’t use the Greek Yoghurt cream one night, the next day my skin is visibly drier.

Like I said, I’m a skincare junkie, so there isn’t much makeup I’ve been fawning over this month. There is one thing that’s caught my eye, pun definitely intended. I’m always in the market for a new mascara, as Sephora stopped selling my one true mascara love (Fresh Supernova). Out of all of the mascaras that I have either bought or have been given to me to try, it took a long time for me to be blown away. So, when I came across a heavy tube of mascara in my cosmetics goody bag, I was hesitant to try it. The name is a bit off putting, even for a super liberal, outspoken gal like me. But, I’ve learned to ignore names of cosmetics if they get the job done. Okay, enough rambling. This mascara I’ve fallen in love with is Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara*. The name really isn’t an issue until someone asks what mascara I have on. My cheeks flush bright red and I find myself quietly saying the name. What I love about this mascara is that the brush is almost identical to the brush of Fresh Supernova. It is full, soft, and hourglass shape. And, the actual formula of the mascara is very smooth and also soft. When I put it on, almost immediately my lashes appear to look false. I get incredible volume, definition, and length. I will toot my own horn here for a moment and admit I’ve been blessed with long lashes that have a natural curl that holds. I’ve never bought an eyelash curler and I’ve never had to use an eyelash growth serum. I just got awesome eyelash genes. Thanks parental biochemistry!! But for people who don’t have uber-long lashes, you will still get great results. I’ve watched people with completely different lashes use this mascara. Just a quick pump of an eyelash curler and a couple coats of this mascara, and voila, you’ve got va-va-voom lashes! I am so glad I’ve found a replacement mascara that I can buy within a five mile radius of my house (instead of ordering it online & waiting & hoping it’s not dry, like would with a new tube of Supernova).

Lastly, laughter is always a good thing to have in one’s life. To ensure I have had a lot of that this past month, I downloaded a lot of comedy podcasts. Three that I’ve found really amusing are:
–Ten Minute Podcast with Will Sasso, Chris D’elia, and Bryan Callen. There is absolutely nothing serious about this podcast. Every “episode” is, you guessed it, ten minutes long. And, every single time I am brought to audible amusement. I listen to a few driving to and from work or school and have found myself laughing really loudly with the windows down, startling people.
–Go Bayside! with April Richardson. I just started listening to this podcast this week. The whole premise of this podcast is April Richardson and a friend discussing and analyzing an episode of Saved By The Bell that they’ve just watched. Like me, April loved SBTB when she was a kid, and now understands the complete wackiness of it. The conversation that happens in this podcast is amusing and entertaining and something I totally get.
–I Seem Fun: The Diary of Jen Kirkman. Again, I only just started listening to this podcast within the last couple weeks. But, again, I’m completely amused. This is just Jen in bed talking into a microphone. And, I find that I share a lot of sentiments, outlooks, and general feelings about life with Jen Kirkman, so I find myself giggling along with her.

Wow, this went on longer than I thought. Many apologies! I do hope you check some of these places, products, podcasts out! Please do & report back! And, if you have already tried them, please let me know how you feel about them!