New: Pangaea necklace + Diorskin Nude

The latest in my series of ever-changing jewelry draws inspiration and colors from the sea and nature. I have purchased several shell, wood, and ocean-inspired blue and green beads and will be creating things to sell soon. “Pangaea,” the first (above), features see-through quarter-size green baubles. I love it and might keep it for myself.

My apologies for the few-and-far-between blogs lately. I’ve had a bit more time off this week due to our slumping economy and intended on finally posting the skin care drafts I’ve been working on. Instead, I’ve been working on projects and household chores I’ve been putting off.

I have still been busy trying out new products, the latest being the new Dior Diorskin Nude liquid mineral foundation. I’m the lightest shade, Ivory 010, which made me look quite pink. While I do have pink undertones from years of sun damage (I swear I don’t tan anymore!), I prefer my foundations to be more yellow-based. It seemed that all of the shades had pink undertones, even those that claimed to have “yellow” and “neutral” undertones.

It did wear quite well and give a natural finish. After an eight hour workday, my skin still looked flawless. It also seemed to control my oily skin a bit as well, most likely due to the hydrating properties. It was a bit hard to remove at the end of the day and even my beloved Clarisonic brush didn’t seem to completely remove it all. After washing and patting my skin dry, my white towel had traces of foundation!

The loose powder wears well and while it has a bit of a glow, does not make you look as shiny as other mineral foundations do. I’d say that for the most part, Dior got their new mineral foundation right. Now if only they would add more yellow to the “neutral” shades…..

I couldn’t take it anymore so I went back to the sea

If I ever happen to win the lottery (even though I don’t play) I’d pack up my things, buy a little house near the beach, and spend my days surfing, writing, reading, and being completely lazy. Until then, I’ll settle for trips to the Pacific Ocean whenever I can sneak away from real life, weather permitting. Perhaps there will be a birthday beach trip in my future? The photos above are from the beach near the Point Montara lighthouse, along highway 1.

James Iha

One of my most favorite bands in the 90’s was The Smashing Pumpkins. Sure, Billy Corgan is awesome, but I always liked D’Arcy and James Iha the best. When Iha came out with a solo album (Let It Come Down) in the late 90’s, I was super excited. I thought it was really good. Looking back, it was okay. I lost that CD years ago but came across a few tracks on an old mix tape recently. You know, that thing that’s not a CD but also not vinyl. Not sure what a mix tape is? Oh, you kids these days…google it, k?

I have to say, I still love the song Lover, Lover. It’s calm. It’s melodic. I used to fall asleep to it. Okay, maybe not, but I did really like it. I know B.C. is loved by all, but sometimes I felt like he got all the credit for a band that wouldn’t have been the same without the other founding members.

Hello Kitty for M.A.C.

Coming February 12th to a MAC store near you: Hello Kitty embellished color products, including a pricey Hello Kitty Kouture collection complete with Swarovski crystal HK heads on the packaging. The HK color collection is close or the same as typical MAC pricing. The Kouture collection will include Dazzleglass lip glosses ($28), and Sheer Mystery Powder, a highlight/blush powder for $90.

I, for one, LOVE Hello Kitty. However, I will be passing on this collection because I’m not a fan of the color selection. I got a sneak peak of a few of the items and they are fairly similar to things that already exist in the permanent MAC line or similar to colors from other cosmetic companies.

The bottom line: Do take a peak when it launches, just don’t go broke over Hello Kitty packaging.

I <3 baths

I love taking a nice, long, hot bath. Right now, Bath and Body works is having their sale and I had a gift card to use. I got sooooo much stuff for under $30! I love a good sale even more then a hot bath. I purchased tons of sleep-inducing aromatherapy items and have been slowly trying them out, one by one.

My purchase included a Black Chamomile set (above) that is just fabulous. It’s a bit heavier then other chamomile scents I’ve tried in the past and it’s quite nice. The set includes a body lotion, bath and shower gel, pillow mist, and aromatherapy roll-on that’s designed to lull you into dream land. I’m not super enthused with the roll on. Either mine is “off” (it smells weird) or the scent doesn’t agree with me. I also dislike the little cutesy things BBW adds to its gift packs (in this set, it was a little lamb). Over all, at $10, this set was a huge steal and I totally recommend it. I pretty much slept like a baby the first night I used it.

I also indulged in the Warm Milk and Honey Luxe Bath. AMAZING! The scent is light and calming and my skin felt super soft afterwards. If I had known this would be my new favorite thing, I would have gotten more Milk and Honey items instead of the others.

Since one of my favorite bath and shower gels happened to be on sale for $5, I bought a bottle and the matching body lotion. I received the coordinating pillow mist as a holiday gift since I ran out just before Christmas (I previously had the old packing that was long and featured faux botanicals inside). They are best when used together, although you can absolutely use them separately.

All of that said, I generally am NOT a Bath and Body Works fan, save for the Warm Vanilla Sugar and Sensual Amber scents. The sleep line of aromatherapy stuff IS indeed something to check out if you happen to be near a store.

Failure rate of Lovabledog harness?

The doggie harness and backpack my aunt bought Lilly for Christmas is way unstable. It was the correct size and it was as tight as it would go. It stretches quite a bit when tension is applied via the dog walking on a leash. I had to pick her up and come right home because I was worried she’d finagle her way out of it and escape. I wonder how many pet owners with this device have lost their precious pups?

More skin and beauty posts will be coming up soon. Until then, here’s a photo of my chi-weiner, Lilly, on Halloween in her costume:

What’s your type?

What’s your type? Personally, I like tall boys with dark hair and brown eyes. Just so we’re on the same page,”tall” (for me) is generally anything over 5′5, being that I’m only 4′11. Learning my skin type, however, ended up being a little more painful then just liking what I see. I remember being 14, in the dermatologist office for the first time, staring at the tourture-esque tools on the table and scared to death. My derm told me I was acne-prone, oily, and needed extractions. I would spend the next few minutes trying not to cry from the pain of having my pores poked and prodded.

My bad derm experience aside, knowing your skin type can help you figure out the best way to care for your body’s largest organ. If you have oily skin, you certainly don’t want a moisturizer for dry types as it may be too rich and emollient. Below are simple and easy ways to determine your type–skin type, that is.

Dry skin: Your skin may feet tight, especially after washing your face. Throughout the day your skin has a matte finish with no T-zone shine. You may also experience flaky patches and sometimes redness.

Oily skin: Yours skin looks shiny and feels slightly greasy to the touch a few hours after washing your face. Throughout the day you may notice more shine. The texture of your skin might be coarse, like the skin of an orange, due to large pore size.

Optimal (or normal) skin: You neither feel dry or oily. Your pores tend to not be enlarged. Skin tone is often times even with zero to little redness.

Sensitive: Your skin tends to be easily irritated. You may have mild to severe redness (rosacea) and experience a sensitivity to some products. Skin is delicate and can turn red easily.

Combination skin: If you experience two of the above skin types, you may have combo skin. Combo skin types often need to treat their skin according to both types.

Acne prone skin: Anyone, regardless of skin type, can be acne prone. Oily skins tend to, on average, be more acne prone then others. “Acne prone” skin can be mild ( a few breakouts here and there)  to severe (cystic acne).

Still not certain what skin type you have? Try an easy little experiment: cleanse your skin as usual in the morning and follow your daily routine. Check in a mirror throughout the day to monitor shine. If your entire face looks shiny, you are oily. If you have no shine at all and your skin feels tight, you are most likely dry. If your face feels neither oily or dry, you are optimal. If you experience any of the above types, you are combo.

Next up: The best ways to care for your specific skin type.

Just arrived!

My new TV stand:

The one that I originally wanted wasn’t available anymore when I went to order it. This one is OK, but I wish it had another cupboard instead of the drawers. It’ll do since it’s the perfect height and has concealed storage. I dislike having my DVDs and Cd’s out in the open and prefer things to be hidden.

*EDIT 1/13/09* This is GORGEOUS in person and such great quality. I highly recommend http://www.homedecorators.com!  My stand came from the outlet and was super discounted from the original price.

This is the one I originally wanted:

Skin physiology

Before we delve into the perfect products for your skin, we first must go over basic skin physiology.

January = skincare month

I had a roommate a few years back whose boyfriend inquired about my age. When I told him that we were the same age, he replied with, “REALLY? I thought you were younger then me because, you know, you still have zits and stuff!” I wanted to punch him in the face but refrained. I’m very oily and acne-prone with congested pores. My case of adult acne isn’t by any means severe but it still occasionally makes me self conscious.

I met a woman in her late 50’s recently who still suffers from acne. I wanted to cry for her because she’d been struggling with it for 40-some years and for me because what if mine never goes away, too? I’m 26 and I still have breakouts. At 18 I was secretly excited to move into my 20’s because I thought it meant no more acne, ever again! Wrong. Acne doesn’t only affect teenagers and, pun fully intended, can “pop up” on anyone regardless of age, gender, race, social class, etc. 

I’ve been to the dermatologist and tried the various remedies they prescribe. I tried Pro-Activ. I’ve used this cream and that treatment and my neighbor’s grandmothers home remedy. Sure, some things worked while some things didn’t and I’ve yet to find a “cure.” I think it’s safe to say that, save for those who were born with the amazing skin gene, we’ve all tried this and that in the quest to find a product that will fulfill our beautiful skin wishes.

What works for one person may or may not work for you so I’m dedicating  the bulk of my January blogs to skincare. It’s my job to be informed of all things beauty and I want everyone to have a wonderful year so why not start it off on the quest for clear, glowing skin?