This is going to take time

The last week I've been feeling fairly icky. My burn isn't healing as well as I feel like it should be and it's making me feel junky like after I get tattooed. It's to be expected when your system is jumping in to heal one thing, it's not really taking care of everything else like it should be. All I want to do is take naps and snuggle with my blanket, though. I also have been having the issue where I need to dress to have access to clean and bandage the area as needed, but I don't particularly want it showing when I go out. Then genius struck - that's what scarves are for!

I got a little matchy matchy with my makeup using MAC Going Bananas and Blue Candy shadows. Lips were OCC Interlace Lip Tar which doesn't seem too matchy matchy...

Until you get to the shoes. Love these. Love. I got them at H&M the other night. I don't tend to get much there, they're not exactly fat-friendly. Matt agreed with that I needed them and even went so far as to say they were kind of hot. That's like a big deal, he doesn't say things like that.

Hope everyone else's week feels like it's going faster than mine does. It's only Tuesday and even watching the new Face Off isn't making it totally better. 

L'Oreal Colour Caresse - Less pretentious than the name makes it sound

I saw an ad on tv for the new L'Oreal Colour Caresse lip color (is it lipstick?) and figured it looked interesting enough to seek out. Makeup commercials always confuse me, so I'm not technically sure if it's supposed to be a lipstick or colored balm or what. I'm going to go with semi-sheer lipstick, though, as that's what it seems to be when I use it. I had a coupon from CVS (just a general one, not for this specific product) so that's where I got mine. It sells there for $9.99. I saw it at Walgreens for BOGO 1/2 off. I didn't really want to spend $15, though, so CVS with my coupon was a better deal for me. I picked up a color called Fiery Veil which is a very autumn leaf-like orange.

The tube for this one is shiny and gold (it is, it just didn't photograph nice) and a magnet for fingerprints. I don't love fingerprinty things, but it isn't a deal breaker for me. There is a safety seal on these (yay!) so I had to just pick a color based on the questionable color samples from the display.

Usually I associate a shape like this (thin and rounded) more with balms:

It definitely swatches with a hint of sheerness to it:

I think it's too pigmented to be sheer, but it's definitely not opaque either.  As far goes application, the lipstick goes on very smooth and glossy. While I'm not sure it's moisturizing, it's definitely not drying or clingy. I think it smells kind of like my Revlon Lip Butters and actually in general reminds me a lot of those. Are those lipsticks? Whatever those are, these seem to be similar. A lighter (consistency, not color payoff) version. (Please note I HATED the makeup in the following pictures, but it's all I have to work with for "in action" shots)

(Seriously, what is this face? I'm so confused by myself.)

Karen from MBB described these as a drugstore rival to Chanel's Rouge Coco Shines. I've never tried those, so I'll trust her on that one. I do think I like this formula, though, and might go back to pick up a couple more from Walgreens while they're on special. My one issue is that there are still not that many swatches of these cropping up and the ones I am finding seem to be the pink/berry colors (which I am interested in, don't get me wrong). Since these do come sealed, though, I would like to have more of a game plan going in than just trusting the display's color samples (though the one I got was surprisingly accurate) 

Public Service Announcement #3

Another life lesson learned. Don't carry a bowl of soup on a plate. While it seems like a good idea (any soup dripping from the bowl will go on the plate and not your hand) it's actually a very bad idea (the bowl can shift on the plate and spill down your shirt) I'm going to spare you photos of this particular wound as it's verges on a little too gross to share (blistering second degree burn and skin that melted off) Just trust me when I say that soup doesn't belong on your chestal area.

Instead of wound pictures, here are some random pictures from my phone:

Top one is some boats Matt and I saw from the park we were walking in. I don't think I've posted it before, but it's been the background on my phone for a while. The bottom one was drinks and appetizers from my birthday dinner with Kristen. As a PSA within my PSA, I think I am allergic to one of the two things pictured (hibiscus in the drink or brie cheese in the fondue). While both delicious, one made my tongue swell which was confusing and weird seeing as I've never had it happen before. I call it karma (or something like that) as I said I would not drink again and I had a drink.

PS - Groupon just sent me an offer for 52% off bbq from Pig of the Month. So glad they made me fill out a whole panel about my interests when I signed up... 

Death Of A Mermaid

Sometimes I take pictures of my hair that make it look nice and shiny and pretty. Here is one of them:

Then I realized that pictures like that are few and far between and actual real life experiences like that even more so. In reality my hair hates me and would turn into a frizzy poofball of tangles daily. I've resorted to putting it back into a ponytail or braid for months now because I just have had no idea what to do with it. Until today. I had an idea. And it didn't involve a hair tie. It involved a salon and the recommendation of an awesome stylist named Eric:

I didn't look at the floor for how much is gone, but I'm going to guess it's a foot. I slept so bad last night because of the anxiety and I thought I was going to cry on the ride there. Thankfully my co-worker's mom helped recommend an awesome stylist who kept me talking though the whole thing and honestly it wasn't too stressful at all. I am feeling a little bummed about some of the things I can't do with my hair now, but mostly am excited to have my waves back (my hair had gotten so heavy that they really weren't doing their thing properly) What do you guys think? Did I make the right decision? Can I still be Merida from Brave, but a shorter-haired version??

I'll punch them with my 28 year old arms

Cat's out of the bag (and good thing, why was he in there?), I'm admitting to my age. This past Friday, I took one more step towards the big 3-0 and I'm pretty ok with it. I had a nice weekend and got to spend time with Matt, my mom, my brother, his boyfriend and my bff Kristen (at different times) There was lots of eating and gifting going on and I wish it didn't have to be over.

I did play with makeup one of the days and this is what I wound up with:

And of course the presents! I picked a "best of" for these:

(Matt and his parents seemed to have picked up on an interest of mine)

(From my brother & Jacob. Matt can't get past how this squid looks kind of inappropriate. Squids kind of just look like an inappropriate shape, though...)

(From Kristen. FYI the Marchesa perfume smells like floral amazingness)

While I'm thinking of makeup, does anyone else watch the show Face Off? Kristen got me hooked. I'm watching an episode about creating zombified Alice in Wonderland characters and it's totally amazing. I wish I had the talent of even the worst artists from the show!

Gettin' Clean

As odd as it sounds to not be able to afford soap, I just haven't been able to order with Solstice Scents in a while due to other obligations. It's not because their prices are exorbitant, but it's one of those things I kept putting off because I had weddings and birthdays and graduations to deal with. A few weeks ago, though, I gave up on resisting and placed an order. I was starting to get super dirty and smelly after all this time!

I already was a fan of their whipped soap from a previous order and decided to also give sugared amber (sugar scrub) a shot. I ordered on 8/17 at 9:27am. At 10:28am that same morning, I had a shipment confirmation. That is some seriously fast service. I will say this isn't something I will expect of them always (I might have just hit a lull in orders), but it isn't unlike the kind of awesome service I have experienced in the past. Shipping options are done so that if you choose one and it really is less to ship, they refund you. I wound up getting a little back and I find it super admirable how honest they are regarding shipping charges. My order arrived a few days after shipping by USPS.

I will say my one very small disappointment was how little selection there was as far as scents when I ordered. I've seen more available at other times (especially right after a seasonal collection launches) It just so happened when I ordered, though, there wasn't much left. As I type, there are 4 scents of whipped soap available and 3 scrubs (same selection as when I placed my order) 

For the whipped soap, I selected Savannah. The site describes it as:

Elegant, timeless, sophisticated and genteel, Savannah is a glorious combination of purple violet flowers, moss, tuberose, hyacinth, lily of the valley and a hint of crisp and cool Bartlett pear.  A scent that is at once classic and mysterious, Savannah will have you recalling Victorian architecture, Spanish moss-draped live oaks, private brick courtyard gardens and strolls along impeccably manicured city squares.  You may even be transported to Bonaventure cemetery for a late night martini with a certain voodoo priestess.

Savannah opens with a burst of fresh violet, mellow moss and delicate tuberose with the faintest suggestion of rain in the background.  The other floral notes and pear are subtle.  This is a very cool-toned, fresh and deep scent, perfect to take the edge off the sweltering summer days.

I'll admit to not having the keenest nose to begin with and I'm not totally sure how all of these things smell separately. To me it smells very earthy and green like fresh cut grass, but sweeter. This kind of scent isn't usually something I would go for. I don't mind mowing my own lawn because it's so unhealthy that it doesn't smell when you cut it. My neighbor's yard makes me a little nauseous, though. That said, I actually don't mind the earthiness of this soap. It makes me think of how summer is winding down and soon my neighbor won't even have grass to mow, lol. 

My sugared amber selection was Tropical Moon. Solstice says:

Nighttime island breeze carries sweet coconut flesh, delicate tuberose blossoms, Tahitian Gardenia flowers, pressed lime juice and pink lotus blossoms. Tropical Moon smells like an exotic beach paradise. It is sweet with creamy white floral notes, a top note of lime and a subtle delicate pink candy note from the pink lotus. Contains real tropical monoi (Tahitian Gardenia blossoms infused in fragrant coconut oil), mouthwatering lime essential oil, pink lotus attar and a blend of fragrance oils.  The lime burns off relatively quickly in the leave on formats but does have a gentle presence in the scrub and whipped soap. 

Tropical Moon is the humid, torrid and sultry cousin of our popular Nightgown fragrance.  It is a destination vacation in a jar! You will be transported sea side every time you use it.

I ordered this one because it sounded like a fruity tropical drink on the beach at sunset. You can't smell 1/3 of what I just said, but that's ok. This one was a little more on the mark with what I was expecting. I smell a definite top note of coconut. It has that slightly smoky smell to it kind of like LUSH's Trichomania shampoo. I actually don't like the scent in the shampoo, but this one is mixed with lime and some other things, and it really cuts the scent and keeps it tropical and breezy. 

I am overall very happy with my selections and would definitely buy both products again (though perhaps not in the same scents) While I know I can get a bottle of body wash at Target for a little less than the price of either of these products, I don't think the quality compares at all. Solstice's whipped soap and sugared amber make my skin feel clean, keeps it moisturized and I do appreciate the option of buying different special scents throughout the year. It also goes to add that Solstice throws in a free sample vial of perfume with each order. I haven't really gotten to try mine out, but it's just a cherry on top of already great products and service.

The Used (August 2012)

August meant one more long weekend trip for me (and a reason to buy myself some mini/travel products). Is it cheating when 50% of your used things probably only had a weeks worth of product in them to begin with? I feel like I'm reaching here.

Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub: After using the rest of my Yes to Carrots scrub back in June, I decided to change it up. Not for any reason, just for funsies. The result is another scrub that I really liked. It had a similar texture to the Yes to Carrots one and also smelled really great. I don't know how toxic my face was and if it was detoxified after use, but if I had to take a guess I would say it was?

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser: For $.99, I figured I couldn't go wrong with this travel-sized face wash. I didn't love the bottle (I accidentally squished out a third of the bottle the first time I used it) It did the trick while I was away, though. It's not my favorite scent, so I don't think I'll be getting the big version.

Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Strong Lengths Nourishing Daily Conditioner: Holy moly that's a lot of words. Luckily each word was worth it because this stuff is awesome. It's thick and creamy and makes my hair feel and small amazing. Once a week I do try and work a little into the scalp and top of my head as well. I think they want you to do it daily, but I don't think the top of my hair can take daily conditioning. 

Not Your Mother's She's A Tease Volumizing Hair Spray: When I first found this stuff I was super confused because I thought Not Your Mother's was a type of jeans. Turns out it's also an unrelated (I think unrelated) hair care line. I picked up a couple of things and this is the first one I made it through. That's not to say it was my favorite. In fact I honestly wasn't a fan of this stuff. It wasn't the hold (which was fine), it was the scent. The can says it's infused with apple blossom and bamboo. What it smelled like it was infused with was slightly rotted and chemically altered fruit. Going back to my stand by Aqua Net (don't judge) asap.