BRILLIANT. Dolly Curls using a sock!

I was reading the Glamour blog (the magazine's site has a blog for the beauty dept!) today and they were talking about styles using trouser socks. Yes. Socks. Preferably clean.

I clicked one of the links that looked kind of interesting and now I am going to have to try this, though my hair isn't quite as long...BRILLIANT.

Here's one of the clearest tutorials I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXsCxRjPFw4

PRODUCT REVIEW: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics "OCC Skin: Conceal"

After reading about this line of Vegan cosmetics around the net called Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC), I was pretty excited to finally suck it up and try it.  I was most interested in what was supposedly their amazing concealer, and based on the fact that the Skin Tint supposedly was quite pigment rich, I was excited to try that also.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Skin Tint

After reading about this line of Vegan cosmetics around the net called Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC), I was pretty excited to finally suck it up and try it.  I was most interested in what was supposedly their amazing concealer, and based on the fact that the Skin Tint supposedly was quite pigment rich, I was excited to try that also.

PRODUCT REVIEW-LET: Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara

I was looking for a non-waterproof option for weekends that would be there but not waterproof for days I don't want to mess with serious makeup.  From the first use, the non-waterproof was extremely wet. Like, destroyed curl wet. So I let that sit now for a couple weeks and it's a lot better.  However, it's something I fear will not last me much longer, esp since I only use it on a day a weekend or something.  

I also picked up the waterproof option, which again, was also quite wet. I gave that another two days, and it made a significant difference. It was great for a whole week, every day. However...after that first week...it was dried out to the point nothing would come out on the brush but a clump or two. So either there's VERY little in there, or that tube is not airtight...I can usually got 4 months unless I am piling it on before I need to toss a mascara.  

The brushes are both very nice, large, and very plush. They left my lashes looking awesome, no clumping, and the carbon black was a great shade of rich black. It was VERY waterproof, in a good way. I didn't worry about rubbing my eyes either. It stayed.

However..for $7 or whatever I paid for each one...the waterproof can not be worthless that quickly. I had to toss it a week later and that's not going to fly with me!

This is available at drugstores.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

Photo Credit: Sukiskincare.com

After seeing this brand at a few higher end shops, Whole Paycheck, and at a couple apothecaries in various cities, I did a little poking around. The line is natural and in most cases organic where possible, using little to no synthetic ingredients.  From what I gathered, this Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser was the "prize" in the selection of products. It's quite a range, and I might have to check a few more out. Esp that 10% Vitamin C serum. This getting older nonsense needs to be kaiboshed.

PRODUCT REVIEW: La Mer Cleansing Gel

Photo Credit: cremedelamer.com

I have been using the La Mer Cleansing Gel in alternation with SIMPLE moisturizing gel cleanser from the drugstore (well, Target), off and on now for about a year. With and without a washcloth or the Alien Laser Deathray Gun, aka Clarisonic (yes, that's maybe back around...)  It smells nice, and does not require very much to make a nice froth.  It's exceptionally foamy on the Clarisonic. I might use about a half of a pea size dab.  I got a few travel size bottles when I bought the La Mer special event set last year at Anniversary. That to me was the prize winner of everything I got. I have made a travel size last almost a year before repurchasing a fullsize, using gift cards.  It's a pretty nicely sized bottle, as it should be for sixty-five-fucking-dollars. It has a pump that locks, which I love.

It's time for a serious purge around here!

I am in the process of a serious house cleaning. I have let things pile up for years, and finally I've had enough. We bought a new sofa last weekend that we deliberately asked to be delivered on August 31st...but that is only because there's NO WAY it would get in our house if we didn't give ourselves a huge window.  Last year we had some plumbing work replaced (just old, needed it and wanted to prevent a future issue!) and I had the plumber go through my office wall, which backs up to the bathroom. Because of that, I had to clean out my entire supply closet (invitation and design supplies) literally with 4 hours to do so. I wasn't smart enough (nor did I give myself the time) to sort it before I moved it out, I just piled it up. And then it sat in my living room, dining room and other side of my office til now.  A little over a year later.  I finally decided to do this now in prep for the couch.

I could not even believe how much  I had. I mean, this is like almost a decade of past work overage, none of which was returnable so instead of recycling it I just held onto it in the event I could use it later. Well...later came and went. And never did I find a job that it could work for.  So now I am finally in the process of sorting it to do something with it.  I spent all day yesterday, after doing all the moving I could into the living room from other rooms to contain it at least to ONE room. I sorted all day into the evening. I finally have it relegated to 10 paper boxes. Ribbon. Envelopes. Cardstock. Cover stock. Pocketfolds. And so on.  I also managed to keep an enormous amount of the printed material for past work, I guess in the event I wanted more for my book? I make 5 extra for myself on every job, 4 for the folder, one for my book. Sometimes Ill put 2 in the book, or give one to the reception hall and wedding planners that refer me sometimes, which each have books of my past work (which reminds me...I need to update those...). But they run me about 10-20% overage just in case there's a screwup cut in the bunch or there's some kind of issue, like I mistake the measuring on mounting and have to pull two apart and ruin both...stuff like that.  So I'd say I tossed at least two full boxes in the recycling container too. I felt like I made a TON of progress. 

Today I spent some time sorting my magazines, yet another alarming collection of mine, though I do keep a good track of editing that, I try to never keep more than a year of any fashion mag, and I keep only the best wedding magazines, mostly Martha Stewart and higher end stuff. But that's still staggering.  Lesson I learned today: lift with your legs. Friendly PSA for the masses...