This week's random thoughts ~Lush only sells their Snowcake soap during the holidays, so I bought 12 bars. Snowcake smells like almondy goodness. I long for it all year.
I am still full from Thanksgiving. There are leftovers aplenty. Make them go away.
You know, I am a really huge fan of Beauty Habit. They've had a 20% off sale all this month. Luckyscent never has discounts (aside from free shipping which I must give them credit for). But with Beauty Habit I've received 20% off plus free shipping. I love them. There's only a day or two left of this sale - should I order Strange Invisible Perfumes Fire and Cream unsniffed?
I've settled on SPF 30 on my face. Does anyone have an SPF cream for the face they truly love? I'm using Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Moisturizer (fragrance free SPF 30 for sensitive skin). It's ok but it does the usual thing I hate which is make my skin all shiny. My skin leans toward oily and I've never found an SPF which doesn't make me seem greasy. Is there anything out there - that is also fragrance free, non-comedogenic and the like? Suggestions are immensely appreciated.
I placed A LOT of orders this week with all the wonderful sales. Next week will be so amazing with all the boxes showing up. I can't wait. Amazon had special magazine subscription deals for $5 bucks so I bought a few as holiday gifts. Discover and Popular Science for myself but I can be geeky.
Beverage of the week: Agua de Jamaica, a Mexican juice drink which I believe to be sweetened Hibiscus iced tea. The first time I drank it I was on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, we were inland, not at the tourist traps, but touring the "real" Mexico. (If you do this rent a 4x4 truck and learn some Spanish), and Agua de Jamaica seemed to be the local favorite drink. I was pleasantly surprised to find it here in New Mexico and tasting just the same.
Are you watching Parks and Recreation with Amy Poehler? Sorry I'm bringing this up again. The sitcom is so darn funny and I still live in fear of it being canceled. It's my #1 comedy/sitcom now, with The Office and 30 Rock trailing behind it.
If you live near Trader Joe's and haven't tried their Peach Salsa you simply must. It might sound terrible but it is so good. I've converted everyone I know to Peach Salsa Fiends. Even those who only took a bite because I was forcing them with an eager face. Most are astonished at how good it is.
I hope LT and TS never review my beloved Teo Cabanel Alahine. I'm at the point where Alahine parfum extrait is my #1 HG of all time. If they were to give it a bad review, even though I'm not supposed to care because this is an entirely personal choice, I'd be crushed and would feel obliged to write to them to tell them they're simply wrong. I would have to tell them their subjective personal opinions are just wrong. (!) Perhaps they didn't wear it on skin - only tested it paper? Alahine is exquisite, there is no doubt.
I'm not mentioning my love of Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio this week because I'm not a stalker. I'm not.
I admit to being upset/angry with Serena of Ava Luxe. I loved several of her fragrances. I know she moved on to create jewelry and no longer eau de parfums and this is her life, her livelihood, her choice; but she's deprived me of some of my favorite fragrances. So I'm upset and sad.
Doesn't it drive you crazy when you're reading reviews on basenotes or MUA and you just know they're not reviewing the correct fragrance? For instance, you can tell a reviewer is describing YSL NU edt instead of edp and hope their low opinion on the edt doesn't sway anyone interested in the edp because it's so much better? I also maintain the perhaps unpopular opinion that you can't review a fragrance based solely on a 1 ml dab-on sample vial.
I can't wait to get my NM driver's license because my NJ license picture was the worst pic I've ever taken.
I didn't wear fragrance for Thanksgiving. With all the cooking and guests it didn't seem right. I received a sample of Laura Mercier Pistachio moisturizer from Nordstroms and used that instead. Doesn't it figure that everyone told me I smelled amazing? It was a delectable scent - utterly gourmand and it lasted for hours - amazing longevity actually - for a lotion.
Have a fragrant weekend everyone!
Abigail--an SPF 28 moisturizer that does a great job without being greasy (I have oily prone skin as well) is Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti Sun Damage. It is inexpensive and works as well, if not better,as moisturizers at three times the price.
ReplyDeletebursztyn
I found myself saying, "me too" throughout much of your post. :-)Re: SPF face cream, I use Aveeno, too, the one with 15 SPF - didn't know there was a 30. I also placed lots of orders, none from BH though. Everywhere else, though!
ReplyDeleteI tried Parks and Rec. and just don't find it funny, which is weird because The Office has me on the floor, as does 30 Rock. Go figure.
I am annoyed at Ava Luxe, too. Sigh. Then again, I'll save a lot of money, or maybe the reality is that now I'll just be giving it to Laurie and Liz. :-)
Best moisturizer with a matte finish is neutrogina healty defense in 30 or my fave 45 spf. They also offer a tinted version that rivals Laura Mercier's. I apply it every day and it sinks right in. The trick is to apply it after you have splashed your face 3 times with warm water and after you pat it dry. If you apply it on dry skin it will just sit there like a slick and never sink in.
ReplyDeleteHi Abigail, NO, you do not want to order SIP's Fire and Cream unsniffed! I usually enjoy SIP, but this one, not so much...
ReplyDeletebursztyn,
ReplyDeletethanks so much for the rec, I'll check it out :-)
Elizabeth,
ooooh, I'm so bummed you didn't find parks & rec funny. maybe it takes a few episodes to get into it.
Carly,
thanks so much for the rec. I'll try it, exactly as you suggest.
Anonymous,
thanks for giving the big N.O. to Fire and Cream. Sometimes I need a reality check. (a lot of times, really).
Am loving my Supergoop SPF 30. I apply under my make-up so I haven't really thought about whether it makes my skin shinny or not...but my husband also uses and his skin does not look shiny at all. Kid like too! Makes things easy as I buy it by the large pump (24 oz!)
ReplyDeleteLots of random thoughts...lots of nodding along from me. I also use the Aveeno, and don't generally have the shiny face issue. But I'm not a good case...I can also use the Neutrogena and the Boots with no side effect.
ReplyDeleteHear you on the Ava Luxe, but I try to remember that talented creative types are frequently going to be wanting to search for the next challenge/way to express...wouldn't it be cool if there were people who were talented craftsfolk who would be satisfied taking over abandoned enterprises? (At a decent wage, of course...)
Yup, that Peach Salsa from TJ's is good stuff. We're always trying out the various salsas, and the peach is the one that remains the consensus happy jar. Did you ever try the Gypsy Chariot red wine? Was their best red wine bargain in many a moon.
Funny you mentioned Nu as your example of edp vs edt...just got a good deal on a back up bottle. Of edp, of course.
Hope your weekend was a good one!
Just uploaded my (still unfinished) novel to Nanowrimo and am bouncing off the walls with excitement. Squeee!!!!! And am currently out of town, with The CEO, at a convention, so I can't even celebrate with the kids.
ReplyDeleteOkay, enough of that. Can NOT wait for that sample of Alahine parfum to show up... Tested Bois de Paradis again; I'm still not impressed. It goes Turpentine/ Kool-Aid/ sugary amber on me, and I keep thinking, "Somebody put this in a bottle?" Four fails in a row.
Beautyhabit is pretty kewl; I heart discounts. And I'm fond of it in part because it's where I bought my adored Le Temps d'une Fete. I should go check out the site again, before my credit card commits hara-kiri.
And I *will* mention my love of Laurie Erickson. If loving her creations is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
Re Thanksgiving: since I paid too much for that d**n Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille mini ($20 for 4 ml), I wore it. It smells mostly like gingerbread, so it worked okay with the food smells. Tabac Aurea is about a zillion times better, but it eats my concentration, so I didn't want it to distract me into burning the ham. (Pistachio? Hm.)
I use Purpose, I have crazy sensitive acne-prone skin and it's the only thing with enough SPF but absolutely no oil/shine.
ReplyDeleteCan't help with the moisturiser, I only use up to SPF15. But the Garnier might be a good one to try, as I find some of their other products pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the online ordering and subsequent parcel anticipation. I just took advantage of a few holiday sales - including yours! ;-)
I like Trader Joe's. I wish we had them over here. My American friends love Marks & Spencer foods, so perhaps we could do a swap - they get a branch of M&S, we get a branch of TJs!
My most recent TJ love was their chillied dried mango. Heaven in a bag! Of course, I only had one bag and it's long gone...
Patty at Perfume Posse did a huge post on sunscreens, but I cannot remember what she said. That was helpful, no? Will try and find it and report back.
ReplyDeleteI can deal with shiny face but NOT with the greasy feel...
Have not had internet access in a while...did your sweet pup come through her surgery okay?
Olay Complete; sturdy little basic with no strings attached.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that you can't judge a fragrance based on a 1 ml sample size.
ReplyDeleteWhat drives me nuts about basenotes are the people who write reviews based on a single spritz on their wrist, or worse yet, on paper. Those kind of reviews I can do without.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your moisturizer recommendations! I truly appreciate it.
Scentscelf,
Gypsy Chariot red wine from TJs just went on the shopping list.
Mals86,
What's the scoop on your novel. Tell us more!
Tammy,
Thanks for asking about my little Greta-girl. I'm now becoming a chef/scientist because of her specialized diet. I need to tweak what she eats (ph levels) so she won't grow more struvites and calcium deposits in her bladder. But the great news is that she came through the surgery beautifully and she's doing well.
anonymous,
I, too, get really frustrated by those reviews on basenotes and elsewhere from 1ml vials. That's not a true wearing. Especially not on paper for goshsakes!
"I also maintain the perhaps unpopular opinion that you can't review a fragrance based solely on a 1 ml dab-on sample vial."
ReplyDeletePreach on, sister! When I was doing a lot of rapid-fire reviewing, I was ordering 2.5ml (or larger) spray samples from TPC because it was the only way to get a really decent feel for the fragrance.
The tiny dab-on vials can give a hint, a peek through the window, but they just don't have what it takes to reveal the soul of the beast.