winter skin care routine

When winter rolls around my skin gets out of whack. It gets so dry and tight it hurts. Normally I stay away from putting heavy creams and/or oils on my face because I have oily/combination, acne prone, AND sensitive skin. Triple whammy, I know.  However, I need to do something about my dry skin.

Through trial and error I realized that creams/oils don't actually make my skin oily or breakout, in fact it does the opposite, it helps my skin stay acne-free and smooth. I think in the past I'd use too many harsh ingredients without enough moisture, which would make my skin break out. Moisture is key, even for people who have oily skin. 

   

 Here is my current skin care routine:

In the morning:

 I wash my face with deep clean facial cleanser.

 It fights acne, but I found it to be less harsh than some of the other face washes out there. I used this face wash in high school and recently came back to it after remembering I had great skin in high school. I moisturize with olay total effects anti-aging moisturizer.  

It's suppose to fight fine lines and wrinkles as well as fade dark spots. I started using this about 3 weeks ago and have already noticed my sun spots fading! 

At night:

To clean off my makeup I wash my face with neutrogena deep clean again as well as neutrogena fresh foaming cleanser. 

This helps remove my makeup. I take off what makeup is left on my eyes with vaseline cocoa butter jelly. 

The cocoa butter helps condition the delicate skin around your eyes. Make sure when you remove the makeup around your eyes you don't tug. You don't want to create wrinkles you didn't have before. Sometimes, if my skin is feeling really dry, I use cocoa butter vaseline on my whole face. I just spread some on and wipe the excess away with a tissue. 

For my regular moisturizer I use loreal age perfect. It's a very rich moisturizer with a buttery feel. I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not, but I LOVE it! It has a luxurious feel to it. 

Gossip Girls

I really can't stand when people are gossipy! This came with age because in high school I use to be like that until one day a girl I was friends with overheard me talking about her. It wasn't that I didn't like her but the "cool" girls were talking about her so I was just trying to fit in I guess. Well anyway from that moment on I swore I wouldn't say anything bad about anyone to another person because you never know what will get back to people.

After I started work in a predominately female profession it was hard because what do women do best but talk about each other. It's seriously messed up and toxic how gossipy people can be and I hate surrounding myself with that, but it's hard because I need a job and the field that I'm in is mostly women so it's hard to avoid it.

So I made up some steps on how to help minimize the gossip that is said is said around me (because I know I can't eliminate it).

Number 1:  Don't go looking for gossip. I hate when people are like "OMG! What did she just say?!" or "Tell me all the dirty gossip about her!" Nope sorry not gonna happen!

Number 2: Just avoid it. Period. Avoid it like the plague! Don't listen to other peoples gossip. Most of the time it's just not true so don't believe it unless it's straight from the person who's being gossiped about.

Number 3: Expect that people will gossip about you. Yep, people love to gossip about everyone, including you. It doesn't mean you have to respond to it. That's just what they want.

Number 4: You have to recognized that if people do gossip about you it's mostly likely because they are unhappy with themselves and jealous of you. Bringing people down is fun to them. Well I feel sorry people who feel the need to act this way. I guess your best comeback in this situation would be just to kill them with kindness...  

Speaking of gossip- I'm really loving Gossip Girl right now! It's finally on netfilix so I'm able to watch it ALL the time! It's one of my new faves :) 

Gift Ideas

Hello Everyone! 

It's that time of year again, where we put up all our decorations, play Christmas music, and start thinking about what we are going to get our family and friends for Christmas.

 I love giving gifts but at times it can be hard to think of what to get someone, so I've listed a few items (of different price range) sure to please any woman out there!

From Left to Right:

Umbrella necklace with turquoise drop - $22


Chevron Patterned Knit Throw - $195

Shine all day and night top - $39.00

Deco turquoise drops - $38.00

Folk flora rolling pin - $18

Triple spike drop earrings - $14.07

Winter's perch mirror - $148

Rosa coat - $69.99

Mineral Veil D.I.Y

Recently I've been feeling really bad if I spend my money. I go through these stages where I don't mind spending, heck I welcome it, or I'm such a penny pincher I obsess over the littlest purchase. Right now I'm going through the "obsess over the littlest purchase" phase. However, I need more mineral veil  by bareminerals and  since I don't really have $20 to drop on face powder right now, I decided I would go ahead and make my own.

 It's SUPER EASY! All you do is take  a small tupperwear container and mix 3tbs of corn starch and and about 1tbs of cocoa powder so you don't look like a geisha (obviously you'd add more cocoa powder if you have darker skin). Take a powder brush mix the powder into it and tap off the excess then apply to your face. If you apply the powder after your foundation it really helps your makeup stay all day (seriously!) and it cost less than a cupcake :)

I know it looks a little clumpy but trust me it works!

The first ingredient in mineral veil is corn starch (who knew) so you're getting a very similar product but for more than half the price.  I'm a corn starch convert now! Try it, let me know what you think.

 Shine free all day! 

Phineus giving kisses

Old friends (photo diary)

I feel like great friends are hard to come by and when you find one you have to hang on to them! I love when you haven't seen a good friend in a long time and you're able to pick up right where you left off. I have one of those friends. We've known each other since kindergarten and have kept in touch ever since. Even after I moved to Wisconsin after 2nd grade we still wrote to each other and whenever I visited Illinois I'd manage to see her. 

Now that I'm living in Chicago we recently hung out and played tourist for a day in downtown Chicago. We went shopping, got Mexican food at Blue Agave, and went to the signature lounge on the 94th floor of the Hancock building. I had such a great time chatting and catching up! 

Playing around at American Apparel

Outside the Hancock building

Thankful (part 2)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I know I've done a post like this before (see here) but I just can help but do a part 2 because I really do have a lot to be thankful for AND it's Thanksgiving after all. So sorry if you find me repetitive...

 

I'm so thankful for many things in my life. 

Some of the things I'm thankful for:

 I'm thankful that I got to come home! I drove up today because I got off work late yesterday. When I arrived Thanksgiving dinner was almost ready, it smelled so good in the house. I try to come home almost every year for Thanksgiving. Usually I'm the only one because my siblings either live too far away or have to work on the weekend. I wish they were able to make it, but luckily I get to see them over Christmas. It's so nice to spend the holidays with my parents'

I'm thankful for Brian. He has helped me cope with various things in my life since we moved. Without him I don't think I would be who I am today. I wish I was able to spend this Thanksgiving with him, but unfortunately he had to work today. I am thankful that he had a potluck at his work so he at least got a Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully next year we'll be able to spend it together. 

 

I'm thankful to have a job. It took me a while to find one, but I'm happy that I will be a lead teacher soon and will be able to make lesson plans again. I feel a little rusty at it, but I hope it will be easy once I practice a little. I also really need the mulah. I have to start paying back my loans... I'm not looking forward to it. Hopefully it won't take me too long to be debt free!  

I'm also thankful for my kitten, who is almost no longer a kitten (he's 7 months old). He's so sweet and loves to cuddle most of the time. Whenever I'm gone I always miss him... I'm such a cat lady! :) 

 

Here are some random photos:

 

Me and Brian at Tribute Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Me and Phineus (best buds)

 

 

 

 

 

Toned

I had the best work out today! You know when you really sweat and are all disgusting... I LOOOVE that!!!! 

Today Brian and I joined our local gym. It's perfect! They have so many group classes, cardio machines, and weights. I actually decided that I'm going to try out lifting. I really want to get toned up. I want to start now so I'm nice and fit once spring/summer rolls around because why start when you're beginning to wear swim suits and shorts. I've said I was going to tone up (well actually lose weight) many times before but I think I was going after it for all the wrong reasons. This time it's not to lose weight because actually when I signed up they checked my body fat % and I was on the low point of average (yay me!) so I want to do it to feel good all around. It will be a perk that clothes will fit a little better and I'll feel a little more confident in my own skin. 

I'm also going to try and eat healthier too because a toned body is made not only in the gym but in the kitchen too. I think this part will be the hardest for me because I love sweet things...hey I can't help it! But I'll try my hardest.