Lumiere d'hiver Reconstructing Masque - Ce fabuleux!

I received a 1.5 oz. sample of N4 Lumiere d'hiver Reconstructing Masque in my August 2011 Birchbox.

At first glance the packaging looks like something I'd buy at Aldi's grocery store. Plain, simple, bare bones and with print so small I had to grab my reading glassed to figure out what it even had in the bottle.

I had low expectations. Very low.

But then.

I washed my hair, threw the masque on and let it sit while I shaved my legs. Rinse. Towel dry.

And then.

Wow, my hair felt great. I've of course had this happen before. I get so excited thinking my hair feels silky smooth, but once the blow dryer hits it, it turns back into its coarse fluff that I need to curl or flat iron before I can be on my merry way.

Not with this product. I have NEVER used a better hair product. My hair dried silky smooth, it was amazing. It looked fantastic straight, it looked neat and tidy when I pulled it back into a pony tail. I am not kidding - I did NOTHING other than blow dry and voilà - fabuleux!

I thought Google and I could talk about this. Do some research. Hear what others thought of this product, but he let me down. I can't find anything on this product. No one suggesting something better or comparable. No bad press or comments to be found. How rare.

So. I may be the first to tell you this stuff shames Moroccan Hair Oil and every other fandangled crap I've bought looking for silky gold.

This may be my Holy Hair Grail.

Here's the rub. I thought with the sparse packaging, maybe this wouldn't be a budget buster? Well, you know when something appears to be too good to be true...

5 oz of this product runs between $55-$58. The 1.5 oz I received from Birchbox runs around $20. I was able to get 4 conditionings out of the 1.5 oz, but you know I need the whole 5 oz.

Sigh.

It all comes down to choices. Save my money. Pay some bills. Or walk around with spectacular hair?....I bet you can guess what I'm going to do.

And I'm WORTH it and so are you. Really, give this one a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I was going to try and find a .jpg so I could show you what I am talking about, but it's dull people. Dull. Don't judge this one by the cover because the content is thrilling.

Monday Quick Pick

Hello!

Where have I been?

Well, this weekend I'm happy to report I became certified in both Spin and Kettlebell training. I had so much fun - an entire weekend doing what I love, with people who have similar interests. Today I'm incredibly sore, can barely walk up and down the stairs. Saturday I was on a Spin bike for 5 hours and yesterday was 5 hours of Kettlebell training. Both are excellent workouts and BOTH should only be done at most an hour a day.

I know many people are just beginning to hear about Kettlebells, if you have any questions feel free to ask. This is one of the best workouts for strength and weight loss, if you haven't given it a whirl I suggest you do.

Funny story though a woman was talking to me about how ridiculous it is that people come to work out with full makeup on. WTF?? Was she looking at me? I go NO WHERE without my lipstick on and since yesterday was kind of special, I had on the full works of foundation, waterproof liner, mascara, NARS Orgasm on my cheeks and lipstick. I thought it was funny. Maybe she was hinting to me that I'm silly for having the makeup on? I was tempted to tell her about this site and offer her a makeover. I guess that would have been rude. It's interesting that I stopped myself, usually I'm known to insert foot into mouth quite often.

The only downside of this weekend? I was too busy to hit Ulta and Target. I have a coupon for Ulta though and plan to shop today or tomorrow. I'm on the market for Easter basket items for the girls (Sally Hansen's nail stickers and Cover Girls stay forever lipsticks). For myself I'm going to pick up some NYC's liners.

I also want to buy MAC lipsticks in Pink Plaid and Hug Me. And Yu-Be body lotion.

OH, and Lancome's new Mineral Veil lipstick. I'm not sure of the shade, I've heard great things about all of them so I'll have to do the swatch test.

So many desires, only so much cash! I'm grateful for all the work other bloggers do because it helps inform my choices. That said, Product Girl, if you happen to read this, You ARE MISSED! Come back Product Girl!!

I'll report back here as to what I've liked and what's been a waste of cash.

OK. Off to shower and then Ulta. Report back here tomorrow for more reviews and an update on my Clean Eating. (Spoiler - so far, not so clean, but I'm not giving up!)

Rimmel Eye Glistener

I've been reading several makeup blogs that have mentioned many eyeliners/eye pencils are manufactured at the same plants, re-labeled and then sold at various price points under different brands. With this in mind, I thought it would be fun to try Rimmel's Eye Glistener. At first glance it looks like an Urban Decay fat liner and I was feeling cocky. Confident even. Big middle finger to the MAN who's trying to steal my cash. I'm SO much smarter than that.

Except. I'm not.

I picked up this Rimmel liner at Target for $6.89, the color 'Eyeful' is a light, spring-like green shade. I was so excited to see how it would look I peeled the paper off and applied it with the help of my car's rear view mirror.

I applied one line. Nothing. Not visible.

I applied more. Nothing.

I went to town and smeared the stuff heavily. There. I could see the color, I liked it OK, but didn't love it.

And here's what I also did not love. The feel. This feels like you've smeared your lids with Vaseline. I felt I needed a face wash not like I had a fresh made-up face.

I blended it a little with my fingers and this was better, but still not great.

This did not wear long, 2 hours or less before I needed to blend again. My lids looked like a greasy mess and I never did get over the "wet" feeling.

I can't imagine anyone liking this one. It's not even in the same ballpark as Urban Decay. I would NOT buy this again.

Next I'm going to try NYC's fat liners. I think I can get this fat liners at the fraction of the cost of Urban Decay with better results than Rimmel's. I'll let you know what I find.

Until then, I need to head back to Target. I have a return to make.

30 Day Health Beauty

I'm on a personal journey for beautiful cosmetics, great books/music and first and foremost weight loss/great health.

I found this somewhere on the web, and I'm going to do it! Starting on the proverbial Monday. Cliche I know, but tomorrow it is.

I'll report here periodically as to how I'm doing.

I've explored Primal eating before and read Mark's Daily Apple for inspiration so the Primal diet concept is not new to me, BUT following it precisely for 30 days will be a personal challenge.

I know I can do it. The bummer is I'm already missing cream in my coffee and I haven't even started yet. I love starting my day with coffee and cream. Tomorrow it will be black.

I'll keep you posted. I hope you'll consider joining me in this venture. Nothing says beauty to the world better than good health. And an appropriate BMI.

Let me know how it goes. Best of luck to both of us!

I Landed My Own Doctor Pepper

I'm always looking for a quick easy look for when I head out to the gym. While it's true I sweat like a mofo and most of my makeup is off by the end of the workout, I don't want to head to the gym NAKED. I must apply a little moisturizng, tinted lotion, light blush and something on my lips.

I never do anything without something on my lips. Even when I'm tucking in for the night I can be found wearing some Burt's Bees tinted gloss.

I was excited to find Sugar Plum at Sephora. I've read other bloggers like this product so this gave me the go-ahead to purchase. And at $22.50 a tube, I think it's a little pricey so I definitely needed approval before clunking down my check card.

I wore Sugar Plum to the gym last week. The tint gave me a nice, well, tint. Not gaudy, not too pink or red, actually just perfect.

I love the tube the product comes in, it's a larger than average width, and it feels like a strong metal. You screw the top off and I like this too, it makes the product feel secure, strong and maybe worth $22.50?

I say MAYBE because when I put this on I was transported back to 6th grade, where my ultimate beauty product was LipSmacker's Dr. Pepper.

Remember Dr. Pepper? It's the perfect stuff for a girl who is too young for makeup, but old enough to know she can't wait to be in 7th grade and mom will let her wear mascara. (BTW - this was my mom, for my girls I allowed mascara in 6th grade and now that one is in high school I BEG her to let me do her makeup in the morning)

Dr. Pepper gives the best tint. Not too pink, not too read. It tastes and smells sweet.

Just like Sugar Plum.

But, unlike Sugar Plum, Dr. Pepper only costs $1.49.

Verdict?

I would buy Sugar Plum again because I can afford to and I like it. BUT, I'm not foolish enough to not know I can bet similar results for much less money. Therefore, Sugar Plum for me and Dr. Pepper for my girls until they're old enough to foot the bill themselves. (Sorry daughter #1 if you're reading this)

Um...It's My Lipstick

I was walking through MOA and what did I spy? Wonder Woman!

I loved Wonder Woman when I was growing up. Remember Linda Carter, squeezed into her teeny, tiny little bikini? She kicked ass. While my friends wanted to play Charlie's Angels, I was partial to Wonder Woman because she was STRONG. I like that in women.

Back to MOA. There's an employee in their MAC store dressed as Wonder Woman except she's wearing a god-awful bright yellow eye shadow. I don't know how anyone thinks yellow eye shadow is attractive and I feel the same way about yellow nail polish. Really? Yuck.

There wasn't a lot in the makeup line that turned me on to be honest. The colors were fine, but nothing special, except the lipstick.

I love MAC lipstick, so moisturizing, wears well and generally pretty colors.

I bought 'Heroine' which is a bronzy, brownish shade.

I like this shade a lot. I don't LOVE it, but I really like it.

On to the lipstick tube design. Doesn't it look like something you'd buy at the Smitten Kitten? It does now that I mention it doesn't it?

My husband thought so.

Also, the tube also looks like a fancy-dancy tampon holder.

Can't you just see it? A Wonder Woman tampon?

Or better yet, the Wonder Woman adult toy.

It's all in the design people.

All in all, this is a fun item. Nice wearing lipstick.

Lemony Delight

During my weekly Target run, I spotted 'Sun Drenched Lemon Sugar Scrub' created by One. There was only one container on the shelf and I debated whether or not to treat myself.

I'm so glad I did.

I brought the container home and after opening I was greeted with a heavenly lemon scent - it smelled like a lemon drop tastes. Delightful!

The first time I tried I scrub I was in the shower. I wouldn't recommend this approach - I had a hard time opening the jar and then I was worried I'd get water in it. This product should be revered! Save it for when you have time to soak in the tub, preferably with dimmed lights, candles going, a glass of wine. You get the picture.

Anyway. Back to the shower.

I applied the scrub to my loofah and scrubbed my arms, back and feet. The scrub feels gritty in a good clean way and again the smell is so wonderful.

After drying off I felt invigorated, my skin felt soft and my bathroom smelled of fresh lemons.

Next time I'll soak in the tub, get my hubby to scrub my whole back and I'll have lemon drops on hand so I can taste the wonderful smell.

I contacted the One company because I couldn't find the product anywhere on the web or the Target website and I wanted a .jpg. I was informed this is a brand new item to Target - I had the great fortune of spotting it early! They have other items for sale at Target and I plan on making my way through the line. I really like their company web site and here's a blip on their philosophy I like too:

'ONE is committed to promoting natural beauty without compromising the beauty of the earth, providing eco-friendly products in recyclable, plastic-free packaging to rejuvenate the spirit and save the planet.'

You can find them at onebathandbody.com

This is a must buy if you deserve a little treat. And even if you don't.

I also think this would make a great gift in someone's Easter basket - maybe my mother-on-law's?

Enjoy and let me know what you think of this great find.

Is There A Team 'Jodi Piccoult'?

I'm reading Piccoult's newest, "Sing Your Way Home" on my fabulous, best Christmas gift EVER, Nook.

I've read all of Piccoult's work because she's timely, intriguing and easy. Sometimes easy is nice.

But then, it gets ROUGH. (Are you catching my plagarism from Ike and Tina?)

I started "Sing" late at night next to my snoring hubby. I figured I'd read a little, relax, turn out the light and call it good.

It was NOT good. The beginning chapters of this book are so compelling, so wretching I found myself holding my breath. This coming from someone who is usually too lazy to be bothered with emotion while reading.

Then I was crying. What the hell?

I FINALLY shut down the Nook 100 pages into the story because it was 1 AM and Christ I need my sleep already.

THEN I proceed to dream about what I had just read. I dreamt I was pregnant. With a boy (cue husband's excitement), except in my dream I was less than thrilled. And due to my husband's vasectomy I was slightly puzzled about paternity.

But, I digress.

I woke up feeling disturbed and bothered, so of course I picked up the book as soon as possible and now I'm hooked.

Piccoult writes in different character voices and her topics are timely and on-point. Almost so observant and poignant it makes me wonder how she does it? Then I came up with the conspiracy theory that she doesn't. She has a team. This is why the differnet voices - who can tell the author? It also explains how she is so prolific while other authors of her ilk take a few years to produce new work.

The jury's out for me on this one. I am certainly thinking about it when I'm not reading. I'm looking forward to bedtime tonight when I can get back to the story and I have no idea how this one will end (downside to the Nook, I can't read the final chapter first, which I like to do with 'real' books).

I give this a thumbs up, but it could wait until the paperback is out. Or not.

If you want to wait and guarantee a great summer poolside read, this may be a book to remember.

Stuff's Come A Long Way - Shampoo

A few years ago I had an appendectomy. I was in the hospital a few days and I mentioned to the nurse I really wanted a shower. "Oh, honey," she said. "Tomorrow you can shower, how about I give you a dry shampoo for now to freshen you up?"

Kind of her. Except she didn't mention while my hair might feel squeaky clean, it would feel like straw and look even worse. I have no idea the product brand I used. I vowed to never use dry shampoo again unless I was hit by a bus and laid up for WEEKS, not days.

Fast forward to yesterday, when I spotted this at Target:

Suave Dry Shampoo.

Here's what I wrote on the Target review:

'I picked up Suave Dry Shampoo yesterday at Stillwater Target. I'm not one to go without washing, but I was asked to review this product from a friend and at under $3, who can go wrong?

I sprayed my daughter's hair this morning at the roots, her hair looked fresh and she commented on how soft it felt. Added bonus - the stuff smells fantastic! Truly great smelling.

If you're in a pinch and don't have time to shower, or have kids who are reluctant to shower, this is your go-to product.'

There you have it. I personally would have to be bed-ridden again to skip a shower, but this would be fine in a pinch and great for my daughters.

Thumbs UP.

Ah, Does Something Smell Funky? Oh. It Was Me.

I'm currently focusing on becoming certified in Spin and Kettlebell. I've been working out hard and pretty intense.

I love the rush of a tough workout, the sweat pouring off me. But. The smell, the wet armpits? Not so much.

I sweat like a woMAN, I am fierce, I am strong. I smelled like a gym locker room and so did my tshirts.

I went to the dermatologist to see what the heck was wrong with me. She gave me a prescription for some super-strength, toxic potion. It gave me a rash. A very, very painful rash.

I was then told by the same doctor that she could Botox my pits, stop the sweat all together. Are you kidding me? Poisin to stop the toxins my body is trying to rid me off?

I thought I would have to live with stinky old me, ROAR at my athletism, curse anyone who questioned where the rank odor was coming from.

Until.

This:

I have run. I have lifted. I have done Spin sprints and hills. I have put this product to the test.

And it's passed! A+!!

I have had no rashes. No irritation. No problem, no worries.

I recommend this one. And it can be found...where else? Target, the rock star of all stores!

Crazy Life

Hello!

I don't know if anyone is reading me (yet!), but in case you're checking in I've been on an obvious hiatus.

Work became really busy and my girls are on Spring Break, but trust me, I have some product reviews coming soon. Really soon.

I'm heading to Mall of America today with my list of goodies to check out for you (and me!) and will start writing manana!

Cheers!

Exercise Motivation

My goal this week is to attend 3 spin classes and run 4 days. I also will do some kettlebell workouts. Going for beauty through exercise. How about you?

Here's my favorite new workout list for running, spinning, kettlebells:

Born This Way, Lady Gaga
She Bop, Cyndi Lauper
S&M, Rihanna
Circle the Drain, Katy Perry (explicit)
Animal, Neon Trees
Bulletproof, La Roux
If You Seek Amy, Britney Spears
Proud Mary, Ike & Tina Turner
Animal, Nickelback
Black Betty, Ram Jam
Ventura Highway, America (this is one to relax your mind)
Howlin' for You, The Black Keys
You Spin Me Round, Dead or Alive
Ray of Light, Madonna

Beauty Bite: Curly hair, Curly Lashes, Who Knew?

My day begins with hair.

Not my own, my two daughters'.

Generally the fun choices involve tiny french braids or the proverbial pink sponge rollers. They go to bed with damp hair and in the morning I'll run the blow dryer quickly over their hair, and voila!  Curls where there once were none.

I bet you already know these hair tricks and the magic of blow dryers on something round.

But here's something I didn't know until today. Where have I been? Who knew?

Use your blow dryer to heat your eyelash curler. Once heated, 30 seconds or so, hold the curler at the base of your lashes and voilá!


Curls where there once were none!


*I use the Shu Uemura eyelash curler that I purchased at Nordstroms for $19. I haven't tried cheaper curlers and from what I have read you shouldn't either. 

Beauty Bite: This Little Piggy Went to Market

I have a cheap little secret to soft feet - A&D Diaper Ointment.

You can pick it up in the baby aisle at Target.

Slather your feet after a nice bath, wear some warm cotton socks to bed and wake up with baby feet. (Well, maybe not that great, but pretty darn good)

A&D rivals the expensive foot creams, but will give you better results for less cash.

It's also great on elbows and dry knees.

A Great Concealer - Benefit Erase Paste

I'm always on the hunt for a great concealer. My experience is they're hard to find.

Just like the perfect mascara, marketers claim to have developed many miracles in their newest jars of beauty.

And they lie.

But, I am a sucker for a great name and who can resist something called 'Erase Paste'?  Isn't that my ultimate desire to have my flaws erased? Plus, by and large I love everything Benefit makes - and as I said before, who can resist their great product names?

I read reviews online before purchasing this as it's $26 and I hate to waste my money and/or my time with a return. The reviews are mixed. Some people claim it's all that and a bag of chips and some people stated it was too oily and needed to be set with a powder. 

I bought the product in "Fair". I have olive skin tones, I guess I would call myself 'medium', but I was hoping with a lighter shade I'd have better luck concealing the circles under my eyes. 

I immediately opened the package once I was in the car (hubby was driving) and I applied it to one eye. I  asked if he could see a difference between the two eyes and received an immediate 'Yeah, actually the one doesn't look so dark'. I thought the same thing. I could see an immediate improvement. 

I like the creamy texture of this product and the little spatula that comes with it. I put a small dollop on the back of my hand and dotted it under my eye before blending. I didn't feel the need to add a powder on top. 

I did notice after a couple of hours that some of the concealer had managed to move into a couple of my eye creases (let's not call them wrinkles!) which I blended right back in and it looked great. 

Next, came the true test. How does this product work covering up blemishes? 

I have the good fortune of having a 15-year-old in the house and she has fair skin. And some acne. I applied Erase Paste in the morning to cover a few blemishes - flawless!  I couldn't believe how nicely it covered her skin. (She's more fair than I am).   When I picked her up from school, I could tell some of the product should have been re-touched midday, but all in all this is the best concealer I've found for her. 

Long and short of it? I think this is a great product with immediate results. I like it a lot and wouldn't hesitate to recommend buying it. 

I bought this product at Ulta for $24 (retails $26) because the salesperson at the counter gave me a discount from a coupon she had saving me $2. You may want to hunt down a coupon before purchasing. 

Beauty Bite - Vaseline Revitalizing Gel

While at Target this caught my eye.

Then before I knew it, it was in my cart. I am a sucker for the smell of cocoa butter. Summer anyone? Perfect to buy in the middle of the winter. Right? Wrong!

While Vaseline Intensive Care Revitalizing Gel comes from a brand I love (their intensive care lotion smells great and works beautifully on dry skin) this product falls way below the quality I expect.

After a hot bath I slathered my legs and put on my pajamas. I was a sticky, gooey mess - although I did smell like an appealing candy store. Sounds kind of sexy when I type it out - the reality though was just a mess. I wouldn't buy this product again and will stick with my Neutrogena Body Oil until something better hits the Target shelves.

Different Shades of Kisses

My very, best friend neighbor does not understand my lipstick passion. She once asked me in all seriousness, "Why would you have more than one lipstick?"

How can I explain the way both the texture and color of a great lipstick can fill me with euphoria? The glee that overcomes me when the UPS man shows up with my latest order from MAC? The way a subtle change in lip color can set my mood and my entire tone for the day? 

I own a lot of lipstick. More than I can count and possibly more than I will admit on the off chance my husband ever reads my blog. He knows I have a lipstick addiction. I don't need to confirm anything.

I do have four shades that I love above all others. I tried to photograph them for you, but it's a little difficult to tell the difference in shades, unless you, like me, appreciate subtlety. 

From left to right:

1. Mica by L'oreal.You can buy this one at Target and it's my go-to color of women of all ages especially 13-year-olds who are just beginning to experiment.This color has a slight pink hue, but not too pink. L'oreal makes a great product that wears well, is affordable and easy to purchase anywhere and the color lasts throughout the day with minimal touchups required.This is the ONE shade I was able to convince my neighbor to buy and she never fails to tell me that she's wearing it when she see me. As though I need to be told. I am a color maven.

2. Bamboo by Clinique.This color was talked about in a book, "How to Look Ten Years Younger". It has more of a brownish color than the pink Mica, wears well and looks natural. This is a little bit of a pain to purchase as Clinique is not sold at Target, Sephora or Ulta and will require you hit the mall. (Once you are at the Clinique counter, check out their under eye concealers too)

3. Plum Dandy by MAC. I must admit this is my current favorite color and was suggested to me by another makeup loving pal. She said if I buy it, it would change my life. I'm not sure I would go that far, but it certainly has given me pleasure. This color is again in the mauve family, but it has a gold shimmer and I just love the way it brightens my face, especially when I have brown eye makeup going. I order my MAC products on line and always wait for a free shipping deal. I get the added pleasure of the UPS man ringing my bell, with a gift for moi! I like to pretend I didn't have to spend any $$ for this pleasure and at $14 a pop for MAC lipstick, it's hardly something to worry about. If you're feeling a little down and ready for a little spring brightening this is the shade for you. 

4. Tickled Pink by Watkins. I'm not sure how easy it is to find this product, a local hospital carries it in their pharmacy. I love this lip tint so much more than Burt's Bees colors. This lip tint is a sheer pink with a pearly white glitter, it looks great layered on top of your favorite shade, or by itself. 

These are my current top four lip picks you can find in my purse.

How about you? Let me know your favorite shades and brands and why. I'd love to have an excuse to buy more lipstick. I could never stop at one.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased these products. Your results may vary, but I think you'll end up loving these shades. 

Whiter Teeth = PAIN IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY

People talk about Chiclet white teeth as though they're a bad thing. I LOVE Chiclet white teeth and want them for myself. 


So, off to Target I went with a $10 off  coupon from the Sunday paper toward the purchase of Crest 2-Hour Whitestrips. The marketing on the package touts professional results, whiter teeth!, best product on the market. Yeah!  That's what I want!  Professional results at an affordable (relatively) price. ($49, but look for a coupon and buy them for $39)


I peeled the strips from the paper backing and easily stuck them to my teeth. These strips are indeed thicker than other strips on the market and stuck amazingly well to my teeth. I could see my teeth underneath appear to change before my eyes!  White chiclets here I come!


I pulled the strips off after the alloted timeframe (30 minutes) and rinsed my mouth with warm water. My teeth were indeed whiter, I was impressed. 


Then....an hour later all hell broke loose.


Holy Hannah it felt as though there were firecrackers going off in my mouth, one tooth at time. I quickly grabbed some ibuprofen and warm water. Still. PAIN!  Thankfully I had Vicodin on hand (yes, it was that bad) which I took and felt a lot better.


I also brushed with Aquafresh Sensitive toothpaste (way tastier and effective than Sensodyne) and rinsed with Act Flouride rinse which is supposed to help alleviate tooth sensitivities. 


 I did wake in the night again with the pain, took more illicit drugs and woke in the morning pain free.


It's a tough call. Would I do this again in the name of beauty? Probably.


But only if I have Vicodin on hand.

Weight Watchers Online Review

Pretty people are thin. Period.

I would love to say weight doesn't matter, beauty comes from within, love yourself, blah, blah. But. We all know the bottom line is we're fat in America.

At least I am.

I decided in January (cliche I know) to join Weight Watchers online. I've had success with WW in the past and I know their program works, when I work it.

Part of the online appeal for me was not having to write my food and points on a pad of paper which I constantly misplaced. Also, my hand writing is illegible. I figured online would make things easier to manage. But, I was wrong.

I have quit Weight Watchers online because it SUCKS it's not a good product. 

At first I thought the slow processing was because the WW servers were being overwhelmed with New Year's resolution folks. But, it's still slow and it's February 15th.  

Half the food I eat is not listed in their online directory. Every time I try to change a portion size, their program automatically adds a zero - so a 2 point item becomes a 20 point item until you manually change it.

These are nit picky things, but I expect excellence from the WW brand and they're falling short.

I've thought about what they need to do to make their online product better and here are my suggestions:

* Team up with DLWZ.com where you can find points easily for common and not so common restaurants. This is a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.

* Start a blog from the WW site.  Pick someone who is not obese - that's all been done before. Pick an average 160 pound woman and follow her until she reaches her 130 pound goal.

* Expand the food catalog - everything that is in the WW points booklet should be online and it isn't.

* Fruit is now free which is complete and utter bullshit. I know I am not overweight from eating too many bananas, but I also know bananas are not free and I want to count them as 2 points. Don't fence me in with the 0 crap.

* How about a daily, motivational something emailed to participants? I read weight loss/exercise sites every day - they inspire me. Why aren't you doing this WW?

I may email this post to WW. I want them to be better than they currently are.

So I can be inspired to be better than I currently am.

Book of the Week - Thumbs Up!

I am a book lover.

A major book lover.

Reading a book that is a waste of my time pisses me off. When I find a book I love, I can't wait to share the title.

The title this week is, The Fates Will Find Their Way, Hannah Pittard.

This isn't a long book and it's written in an easy, conversational tone. The premise is a girl goes missing and is never found again. The children, especially the boys from her school, wonder what happened to her. Was she killed? Did she run away?

We follow the boys as they age, have children of their own, suffer life's indignities and through it all they never forget their lost classmate. It's almost as if it's a love for her they were never able to realize.

Some of the boys create stories claiming to have seen her on business trips. others suspect her sister knows where she is and others wonder if the bones found in the woods were really that of a dog instead of a young girl.

If you've ever been fascinated by the stories of abducted children, what happened? Where are they? Buy and read this book and let your imagination run wild. This book is not morose, it's more of a realization that life goes on. If we know the answers or not.

Mascara Monday - The First in a Series

I have been searching in vain for the world's perfect mascara. 

For 25 years. 

As Bono so aptly sang, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

I am going to dedicate Mondays as 'Mascara Monday' and each Monday bring you a new mascara I've bought and tried. I also have two daughters who will also try the mascara and weigh in with their opinions. They will also serve as my mascara models. 

I am looking for length, volume, little to no clumping and some drama. I don't want a mascara that flakes or smudges easily. 

This week I tried Maybelline's The Colossal Volum' Express Colossal Mascara, waterproof. It cost $5.99 at Target. 

This product gave instant volume, but little to no lengthening. I had some clumping which I didn't like. This wears well through the day and is easy to remove with a gentle eye makeup remover (I use Boots Eye Makeup Remover). 

Overall, an adequate mascara, but by no means perfect. I rate it an 'Eh' and will continue on my search. 

Here's my model with the mascara on one eye, it's a little hard to see in the photo, but the eye with the mascara does have a little more definition and drama, but no added length.

ADD Anyone?

I have so many things I want to share with my readers. Products, books, athletic wear, recipes and the list goes on.

Here's what I've noticed so far: it isn't easy writing a blog - and this after two entries!  I have to find an interesting idea and then make the other 1,000 ideas in my brain shut up. I am trying to write in a way that is appealing, not pretentious and also quick to a point.

I've concluded screw all of the above.

I have no idea if anyone ever will read this.  If you do, hang on tight because I'm going to take you all over my brain's map and we'll see where we end up.

I look forward to hearing from you with your ideas and snarky comments. All of which I will  most likely ignore.

Unless you're nice and helpful. Then we can talk.

First Love and How I Ended Up at Target

Oh the magic of first love.

Mine was a product my mother used by Merle Norman. It was a pink facial mask that you would put on your t-zone and promised to clear your skin and make all your woes fade away. I loved the smell. I loved the texture. I loved how I would put the mask on my skin and it would dry into a crinkly, pink hard shell.

I was 4.

The magic has since continued.

I used to spend a lot of cash at the department store counter hoping beyond hope that their products would clear my skin and make me the gorgeous, flawless person I was pretty sure resided within, underneath the acne. I tried Clinique, Philosophy and others to name a few. And the stuffs not cheap. A lot of my extra college cash went to paying for products that didn't work, which made me spend a ton more money on concealers and foundation.

Guess what? I still looked like crap.

Fast forward a couple of decades and I now have my skin care routine down to a Target run.  I'm 40-ish, have an olive complexion which is prone to breakouts, which I treat, which then leads to dry skin. I imagine you know the drill. Here are the products I have found I cannot live without. Pick them up and I'm sure they'll make a difference in your life too.

By the way, this is the Holy Grail to improving your skin.

For cleansing at night I use Cetaphil. I have had several doctors tell me this is the best cleanser that won't cause dryness. They were right, I'm not sure why it took years before I listened to them. Maybe because it costs less than $10?

In the morning prior to putting on my foundation (MAC Studio - more on this in a following post) I use Boots Sensitive Skin Lotion. I have never had a break out from this product nor have I had any issues with it making my foundation appear oily halfway through the day. This lotion doesn't contain an SPF, but in the winter I'm more concerned about getting some Vitamin D than I am about skin cancer. This lotion is also under $10.

The coup d'etat of my skin care regimen is Neutrogena Rapid Clear Fight and Fade gel. I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome this product is - I noticed an immediate improvement of clearer skin, less breakouts and blackheads. Seriously. Prior to this product I would fire up my heavy duty all seeing 10X magnifying mirror and pick away (I know, EW, but true). Not anymore. My skin looks great, isn't dry or red and scaly as it becomes when using prescribed RetinA. Again, less than $10 at Target and I highly suggest you run out and buy some RIGHT NOW if you're suffering adult acne. 

There you have it. A perfect skin care routine for less than $30 and all conveniently located in your nearest Target's aisles.  

Tomorrow: looking for the perfect mascara. This will be a Friday series. I don't have the answer yet, but I know it's out there, waiting for me to find it. Perfect Mascara, oh Perfect Mascara, the most important of makeup tools, where are you? And, more importantly what's your brand?

First Blog Post - Ever

You know how you go out with a girlfriend and you tell her excitedly about a good book or product you've just discovered and she must run out and buy it RIGHT NOW! Only to have her respond, "Oh. Yeah. I've been using that product, read that book, wore that athletic brand for years,etc....".

And you think to yourself, 'Well why the hell didn't you tell me so I could have gotten in on the goods sooner?'

Well, I'm aiming to be your friend who lets you in on the goods.

I've thought about writing a blog for a couple of years now. I love reading blogs, I follow several beauty and fitness blogs, but I have yet to find exactly what I am looking for, so I'm going to try and create it. 

I have no affiliation to any beauty, athletic wear or publishing companies (although I wish I did!).  What you'll get from me is the honest opinion of a Midwest consumer.

Consider me the girlfriend who is more than happy to share her secrets. I want you to be happy and successful. I'll share what I love, and maybe you'll find a shortcut to finding what you love too. Albeit easier with my help.


Welcome to my blog!