Hello, March!

I needed a little sparkle in my life, so I went and did this:

Zoya's Trixie is about as close as one can get to a self-done Minx job. The effect is pure foil and dazzle. It's been going strong for four days now--something that I appreciate with Zoya polishes. They don't carry the strongest polish fume, and the lacquer tends to last longer than other brands.

The last couple of weeks have been busy busy busy. Amongst it all, my nephew and sister came into town. We went to a 1st birthday, and some of the kids volunteered to participate in a doughnut eating contest. This kid loves string, so when they tied his arms together he was thrilled. However when it came time for them to bite into their doughnuts and compete, they all looked as though they were about to cry. It's my understanding he "needed privacy". Mind you, they ate those doughnuts in two bites, the minute they were untied.

Also, a dear friend of mine is expecting twins (both and girl and a boy!), so we threw her a baby(s) shower. The event was gorgeous (it didn't hurt that she looks amazing, WHILE carrying two!), and I'm pretty sure that when they arrive...say three or four weeks down the line, she'll be all set and ready to go.

And in other random news (because you wanted to know this?), I've been having the strangest dreams! One night, I'm buying boxed cobbler to prepare for a group of 100...the next night, I'm dreaming that I've met beauty blogger friends (and their significant others, of whom all are wearing matching nail polish). As if I needed to encourage anymore weirdness during my otherwise peaceful sleep, I picked up the complete set of Grimm's Fairy Tales. It includes my childhood favorite--The Bremen Town Musicians. For those who know how strange these un-Disney-fied originals can get, I'm probably only asking for it with the continued dreams.

So, that was a quick update on what I've been up to. There are several boxes that I'm meaning to get through in terms of reviews and interesting products. It hasn't been due to a lack of ideas, but rather a lack of energy that my posts have been so few and far between lately.

Is everyone excited for Spring? Any major collections you're looking forward to?

Bananas For Classic Products!

I can remember working at the Body Shop as a teenager--it being my first "real" job over the holidays. I'd make myself copious jars of samples, blow-dry the shrink wrap on gift baskets (I found this a thrilling chore), and use every last cent of my paycheck on products--all in the name of research, of course. I felt it was my dute to be thoroughly familiar with what I was selling, and I suppose it was even before that, when my crazy love affair with beauty products had began.

Some of my favorite products were their coconut hair oil, banana shampoo, and chamomile eye makeup remover (not that I wore any eye makeup at the time--but I could totally see its potential). Imagine my surprise when I walked into The Body Shop a couple of weeks ago, to find that they had brought back some of their classic old school products!

These remind me of the good 'ol days. The scent of Ice Blue shampoo is minty and fresh--but doesn't have the lingering scent of a shampoo that's attacking chlorine. The Banana scents are just like they state--very banana-y, with the texture and color resembling a finely mashed banana. They don't weigh down the hair, yet do an excellent job of cleansing--something I've always admired Body Shop's hair line for. Although they're meant to be on shelves for a limited time, I was informed that they've gone beyond the original date that they were meant to be stocked--that's a good sign..perhaps they'll keep them out longer!

I've always enjoyed using banana in my hair--it's deeply moisturizing, and the scent (well, to me) is so comforting. If you don't feel like picking up a bottle of shampoo, perhaps a homemade hair mask will be your thing:

*1 cup mashed bananas
*A few dallops plain yogurt
*1 tbl olive oil

Sure, it sounds a little hokey, but massage this into your roots and leave under a shower cap for 30 minutes or more--you'd be amazed at how shiny and hydrated it leaves your mane. Of course the key here is rinsing well. It's one thing to smell like bananas in the shower--an entirely different thing to have pieces falling off of your head on the street. I know this isn't for everyone, but I grew up eating the stuff for breakfast lunch and dinner. If you do try it, let me know!

Project X Pan Update:

Another four bite the dust!

*Stila Convertible Color Eye Liner in Plum - I can't wear plum liner another day--glad this is gonzo. I might add though, that plum is a nice daytime alternative to black and even brown.

*VS Beauty Rush Gloss in Passion Fruit - my favorite scent of the bunch. I probably have six backups.

*VS Beauty Rush Gloss in Strawberry Fizz - also a nice scent, but a little lighter and more sparkly than the Passion Fruit flavor.

*LUSH Shower Jelly in Snow Showers (not pictured) - best kept in the freezer in between uses, these can be so chilling on a warm day, but I prefer the solid soaps. These easily wriggle out of your hands.

That puts me at: eight products down, and two to go! This is the most progress I've made with this project...ever!

How is your Project X Pan going? Do you plan to check out any of The Body Shop classics?

Discontinued and Disappointed.

Hi Sukas, Happy February! Any big plans for Valentine's Day? My apologies for the posting hiatus--change is in the air, and now that the dust has settled a bit, I'm back to my old self.

As a huge fan of Ojon, I was saddened to hear that my very favorite part of the line--Tawaka--has been discontinued.

The Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cream is a favorite around this house--I even caught el hub packing a tube to take with him on a trip last weekend. Now I realize what the scent has been that lingers on him! It's one of the most deeply hydrating moisturizers--smelling of cocoa and mild spices. It's perfect for any dry spots, but can be used as an all over moisturizer--especially for those with dry skin types. It is said that the main ingredient was becoming "too rare", thus they stopped producing the line. You can still find remainders on sites like eBay (the "ball" is another great product to keep an eye out for), but of course sellers are taking advantage of the near extinct availability, and charging likewise.

Are there any long lost products that you only wish would be brought back?

For the past few days, Orly's Country Club Khaki has been on the nails, and I'm really pleased with the formula. Typically, these kinds of nude shades are either too light for my coloring, or else not opaque enough. I'm not one to wait around for three coats of color, so when one coat of polish was enough, I realized that I had hit the nude-brown jackpot! In a world of OPI and China Glaze, I feel as though Orly gets the cold shoulder. I have a few more Orly polishes that came with this order--and if they all run true to formula, I may have re-discovered an old favorite in terms of polish lines.

Are you a fan of Orly? Are there any shades that I need to get my hands on?

In updates, a bit of progress has been made on Project 10 Pan. There have been four items that have been fully defeated on the list:

*Lancome Hypnose Mascara: love the moisturizing formula

*Lancome Cils Booster Mascara Base: nice, but have found a replacement
for less than half the price
*MAC Queen Bee Lipglass: have a backup in tow, but of course this is limited edition
*LUSH Spice Curls soap (not shown): a spicy holiday scent--best left with the holidays

Four out of ten isn't horrible. There are a few items that are well on their way--and to be honest, I'm finding enjoyment in using up the ten items I've set aside. LUSH items have become a bit of a habitual purchase, so they needed to be added to the list as a means of self-control :)

How is your Project going? What have I missed? Fill me in, with your comments!

A Few Good Tools

There are a couple of beauty tools that I've been using over the past few months, that have completely replaced their former competitors.

The first, is this squirmy little springy type-thing which is used for hair removal, called the My Spring It. Before bending, it looks like one long piece of junk.


All you need to do is bend it like so:

use both hands to twist towards each other, and run upwards against any hair that you would like to remove. It's thorough, quick, and for my sensitive skin, causes little to no redness or irritation. This has become a bit of a "while watching television" project, and is so much less painful than threading used to be for any facial hair. And no, I don't use it on my brows. But yes, the women in my family have converted.

The second tool topping the charts, is the Sephora Professionnel Platinum Airbrush #55 foundation brush. It's incredibly soft, packed fairly dense (yet not over the top), and actually creates the airbrush appeal it promises. So many brushes claim to do this, and in my experience they either:

a. Pack on too much product (cake-face)
b. Absorb too much product (wasteful)
or
c. Create streaky and obvious lines

If you prefer an effect that is natural and takes little time to create, then this is the brush for you. Due to the size that the hairs cover alone, it quickly covers the face in a minimal amount of time. Time is something I've been short on lately, so it's been the first brush I reach for in the morning.

What are some of your new favorite tools? When you find a standby tool, do you ever keep one eye open for the next best thing?

I was tagged by sweet Su-Pah over at Treasure Trove of Makeup. The point is to share seven facts about yourself that are otherwise unknown to your readers. Here they are:

1. I've never owned a Barbie (have I told you this?)

2. Pro-biotics are a current obsession. I've been enjoying Good Belly (black currant), and Nancy's (peach)

3. I never take medicine. You'd have to put an IV in me. Unless it's natural (as in, my mom prepared it and says "hey this will help you..your grandma used to cure this or that with it...)

4. I live and breathe Target. If you like something I'm wearing, check Target--your chances of finding it there are high.

5. I will never invite you to sit on my bed. And I definitely won't make you feel comfortable if you're sitting on the comforter.

6. Touching my hair was a big no-no until this last year or so. Friends still tell me that my aversion to someone's hand getting near my head amuses them.

7. Speaking of hair, I had my first haircut at age 15--and that's early for girls in my family. My dad nearly tore what was left of it, off--he was so upset. Mind you, it was a trim of 3 inches.

I now tag anyone who will promise that they'll complete these questions--link me, because I love reading your answers!

Hair Stories

As I'm an oil girl through and through, the search is constantly on for a bigger and better fat. Coconut will be my all-time standby, olive oil runs a close second, and one that is vying for third place is argan oil. The Josie Maran tube has a permanent home in my purse, and I've recently fallen for the most publicized of them all--Moroccan Oil.

When my grocer ran out of pure argan oil, I began to get nervous. I didn't want to sell out to the highly marketed products toting argan oil, but had little choice. My hair needed it, and I had to put its needs before mine. The bottle that was acquired is an interesting one--I think it was originally meant to be sold outside of the country...which only made me like it more.

The scent is warming. It seems to have hints of vanilla and undertones of orange. The results--equally impressive. This oil is perfect for all hair types, as the formulation is not thick, nor is it super thin. It absorbs beautifully into my hair without leaving a residual grease slick. This is one of those products that has you pulling your hair to your nose all day, because the scent lingers on. Yesterday I went to the salon to have my ends trimmed, and even my stylist commented on the new health situation my hair was facing. Although my love for oils is truly for the kinds that are original and unadulterated, this may be the one that stays in the styling drawer for a good long time...or until I find its superior :)

I was tagged in November by Tali at The Gloss Goss, with a survey:

1. What is your beauty style? (Natural, trendy, etc.)
I tend to go for the natural look most times. I appreciate a dewy and fresh appeal, with the slightest hint of shimmer. Even when I think I've really outdone myself, I'll take a picture and realize that I am never as over-the-top as I think I am. So perhaps in my mind I'm really fierce, but on paper..not so much!

2. Where do you get your beauty inspiration from?
I like odd pairings. Pink and orange, blue and teal... when I see things like that, I think of anything from peacock feathers to sunsets. So, things that occur naturally in the world.

3. What beauty products do you have the most of?
Moisturizers and lipglosses. I need the full spectrum in moisturizers, but not so much in lipgloss. Although, I'm constantly convinced that I'm finding something new...thus, the collection continues to grow.

4. What's your favourite/holy grail colour for:
Eyes: Browns, golds, and greens...especially the offerings of Le Metier de Beaute. Spicy is a favorite.
Lips: Lipstick - L'Oreal's Aishwarya Beige / Lipgloss - Sheer peachy tones, like those by Castledew
Cheeks: Benefit's Coralista, Illamasqua cream blush in Rude, Maybelline Mineral Power in Original Rose
Nails: Lippmann Satin Doll--a slightly shimmery beige which is beautiful with one coat, and opaque in two.

5. Three favourite brands of the moment:
1. MAC - Warm & Cozy brought me back..at least for the meantime
2. Laneige - Everything in the line makes you feel so clean and fresh
3. Guerlain - The blendability of their shadows, and great packaging always gets me

I now tag: Pri*Sila, Javy, Cherries in Syrup, Dila, and any others who would like to do it! Leave a link in the comments if you do!

Dry Skin: Solved.

My face went insanely dry about a month ago, and it wasn't going away. I'm talking, literal patches of dry skin that were sort of ruining my life. You see, I've always felt that this body really wasn't created for the cold weather. It was made for a warm place with lots of sunshine and humidity. So every time Winter rears its head, I end up being plagued with the transitional terror known as extra-dry skin.

I tried everything. Even argan oil refused to come to my rescue.

Fed up, I was strolling through Barney's one day and decided to take a closer look at the NARS skincare line. I didn't really need to explain to the makeup artist what was going on--as it was clear--and he instantly recommended the NARS Aqua Gel Hydrator. In my mind, I compared it to the RMK Recovery Gel that I read about on Cosmetic Candy's site. A gel product, made predominantly of water (87% in this case--which made me wonder why I was paying so much for water), and could be used as an overnight treatment. He told me that the product was nearly always sold out--and those were the last words I needed to hear.

It works so well. Amazingly well. Honestly, it's the best hydrator I've had in years. I all the heavy creams when this part of the year comes around, but never has anything worked so well. It doesn't plump up the skin in the same way that thick moisturizers do. Because it is mostly water (which bursts when it hits the skin's surface), I don't have to worry about milia being formed under the skin's surface. Since it's meant to be used at night, I wake up to nicely moisturized--not greasy--skin. I can happily say that the trauma is over.

In other news, I have apparently decided to prevent myself from anything fun in life. I'm back on the detoxing train, and currently on day six (in one hour..hey, it counts) of ten. It's never been easier--which has been a pleasant surprise--as I wasn't too thrilled about starting this time around. It's given me an opportunity to prioritize things in my life, and to finish a few projects that I had abandoned. Coincidentally, a handful of friends were starting at the same time, so I figured there was some strength in numbers.

Is anyone interested in going for a 5-day?

PxP has also resumed once again, thanks to Tali at The Gloss Goss. I don't know why I do these things to myself. Most likely, because I never want to be absolutely comfortable in life. I like a little fire under the seat to keep things moving. So, until I finish 10 products fully, I won't be purchasing any more makeup for myself. The x can be replaced with any number you like. These products appear to be items that I've yet to review, so expect a few short reviews on these things--they'll be finished up for a reason! Pray this ends soon.

Who's in? For that matter, who else is dealing with dry winter skin? What do you do to resolve the issue?

Swap 'n Hearts

When I returned home after spending a few Christmas days with the family, I pulled up to a box sitting outside of the garage. The side of the box read heels.com, and the first thing I thought was "Great, time to go and deliver this to the person it was meant for." But no no no. It was for me!

This package came from the Scarlet Empress herself, Javy! We had agreed ages ago to do a swap, and then life got in the way. From wedding, to health, to school..there was always something. So we collected and collected, and left our boxes to wait.

And let me tell you--her box did not disappoint. So much so, that I thought I was having slight heart attacks as I continued to pull out product after product.

I was (and am still) so overwhelmed with her generosity. Looking at this picture is a reminder that I have met some of the sweetest girls through this blog. It makes all the annoying amounts of time that I spend watermarking my photos, so worth it! It's shocking that Javy could pinpoint my interests and tastes so well--I was going to pick up the Too Faced Bronzer that afternoon, and there is also an amazing honey and shea body balm that now has a permanent spot next to my monitor. Her package is en route, and I won't bother to post any photos here because that would be spoiling all the fun! If you've yet to check out Scarlet Empress, there's no better time than the present!

Thank You, Javy!

We finally let go of our Christmas tree last night. I was a sobbing mess through the whole ordeal. At first I told the Mr. that I couldn't bear to take its lights and ornaments off--but it needed to be done. Then I said that he could take it outside and I just wouldn't come back outdoors until the garbage truck had come to pick it up in the morning, therefore I could avoid seeing it cold and lonely on the curb. Before I knew it, I saw him walking with the tree across the house and through the deck! I had to stop him, because the way he was carrying it was so funny.

He has a way of making me laugh, even when I think I'm going to cry. Especially if it means chucking our seven foot tree over the deck with one hand. Hey, he was sparing me all of the pine needles on the rug!

And for a little more randomness...

Since our Christmas decorations are down, I'm now looking forward to Valentine's day. I love seeing how creative people can get with basic heart designs--and I attempt to find coffee mugs each year that reflects this. This year I've already succeeded in finding two! There are some masculine mugs in the cabinet for the guys...but these make me look forward to my morning tea or coffee.

Is anyone else a fan of St. Valentine's Day? I'm trying to get back to regular posting, and seem to be so backlogged on reviews and posts...do you mind the general chit chat?