5 Things

Well I survived the earthquake, my first one (and hopefully last). I was on the 1oth floor of my building (normally I am on 26 but lunch room is located on 10) and felt the weirdest shaking and rumbling. It sounded and felt like the subway you feel walking on the streets...It was scary, but not quite as frightening as #3 on my 5 things listed below:

1. Salma Hayek Nuance Hydating Rose Balm

Love this stuff. It is like a fancy aquafor with the faint smell of rose. I use it before I go to sleep on my lips (cant go to sleep without aquafor or this b/c if I do, I wake up with the most chapped lips EVER!)

2. Yogurt Pretzels

I am not a huge fan of yogurt, so they should probably call them frosting pretzels b/c that is what they taste like. I just had my first one last week and have been on a yogurt pretzel kick since then! I would love to make my own (with frosting of course...)

3. Ouch!

So I was shaving (standing up, apparently most people sit) and I guess I was shaving the top of my foot (I think???) and I lost balance. While I was making the shaving motion with the razor I caught the pad of my 3rd toe from the big toe on my right foot in the razor-and off it went. My apartment literally looked like a murder scene. Blood EVERYWHERE. Had to hobble out of the shower bleeding like roadkill (thank god I had just started and no shampoo or conditioner was in my hair) . And the worst part? I was all alone, had no first aid stuff, and my iphone was not working! It was traumatizing to say the least. I have been hobbling all day long and am dreading how painful tonight's shower may be.

4. Mary Janes

Not that I will be getting much wear out of any heels anytime soon due to #4, but I fell in love with these shoes from a catalog that got sent to the previous tenant me. They remind me of Prada. The Nordstrom's photo is not as cute as the way they look on the model...I need them for fall!

5. Nails, Nails, Nails!

In my last post I talked about how wonderful pink gel topcoat is from Sephora. And above is my nails after using it consistently for 1 week. My nails before were little stubs. Like guy nails. Awful, I know! Soon they will be in tip top shape so I can start sporting some Chanel Peridot or OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark (you all know I love and am ready for fall!)

Skincare Woes and Loves

In this little post here I blogged about Shasta Anne's awesome skincare giveaway...and I WON!Thank you SO much Shasta!!!!!!!! I am so excited! Not only because I won, but because the skincare products she was giving away were geared towards people with discoloration issues (aka malasma, my nemesis). I touched briefly on my struggle with melasma due to birth control and my irish skin. After my beach trip with Muffin a few weeks ago my face literally looked stained. The spots that I had been lightening gradually came back full force. In this post I am going to talk about some of the skincare products I do love, and have continued to purchase because they actually work.

For zits (luckily, I deal with these only around that time of the month)

• Clean and Clear Persa Gel (has 10% benzoyl peroxide, put it on over night and your zit will most likely be gone the next morning, minus a little mark).
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For makeup removal (HEAVY makeup removal mind you...)

• Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser-you know those fancy facial oils from Shu Uemera and Laura Mercier that came out a while ago and were so popular? This is the same thing, just in gel form. I use it on my DRY face and the gel melts into an oil that takes off pretty much EVERYTHING...plus it smells fantastic and is not harsh at all.
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• Neautrogena Deep Clean Oil Free Makeup remover wipes-I use this before washing my face when I have lots of makeup on... Cleanser alone won't cut it for me.
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• Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover- This I use only on my eyes b/c it is super oily...it is amazing and is the ONLY thing to get rid of my beloved Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner.

Regular Wash and Moisturizing

• Aveeno Skin Brightening Scrub-love it, takes off any flakies (ew.. I know..I know..) without making my skin look like I just washed it with a brillow pad.
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• CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion-my absolute favorite can't live without skincare product. I have been using this for YEARS. It is an amazing moisturizer with no fluff, just does what it says without any awful side effects like breakouts or reactions.. TRY IT you will be HOOKED!
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• Retinoid- I use a generic prescribed one from my dermatologist. I have been on Retin A, Tazorac, TriLuma (for the spots), and the generic one is doing its job. I stay on the retinoid b/c it keeps me clear and is the ONLY proven wrinkle fighter.

I am obsessed with skincare, and am always trying to find a regimen that works and that I can stick to. The above products are the ones that I keep buying over and over again. Now, because I am a makeup/sephora junkie I also tend to try new stuff. Currently, I am trying out the following:

• First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads-I have only been using this for over a week, and haven't really seen any results besides my face feels really clean---ps I also use this on my arms and chest...just because.
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• Clarisonic Mia-I have had this for over a year...I used it when I first bought it and really did not like it which was sad, because it gets such good reviews. I felt it irritated my skin and caused breakouts. Now I started at it again because I am praying it does for me what it does for other people. This time I am trying the "sensitive" brush head. If it doesn't work on me this time, I will use it to clean Muffin's shower.
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So, if the products I won work as well for me as the did for lovely Shasta and the other bajillion people raving about it, then I will be the happiest girl on the planet. I promise to keep regular updates on how it is working for me.

PS: Remember how I was saying my nails are pathetically weak? Well I have found the MOST amazing thing to keep them strong and pretty. It adds the most gorgeous pink to your nails and uses something else to cancel out ANY yellowing. LOVE LOVE LOVE (minus the price tag)

It's called Pink Gel Topcoat. You can find it in the aisles near the checkout counter in Sephora, or buy it online here.

Shasta Anne Pretty Skin Giveaway

The lovely Shasta Anne is sponsoring a fantastic skincare giveaway. For those of you that have trouble with spots, melasma, hyperpigmentation, whatever you want to call it (I like to call it the mask of awfulness), you may be interested. I have been using tri-luma and a generic form of a retinoid with hydroquinone in it to lighten dark spots for several years. M dark spots are caused by birth control, genetics, sun, etc...and triluma hasn't worked the way I wish it would. I dream of having skin as clear and even toned as a babies but always felt it was impossible...However her experience with the product has me thinking there could be light at the end of the tunnel...And Shasta certainly knows her stuff about skincare. Head on over to her blog to find out more, you could be the lucky winner (or me of course...).

Is there a product you have used that has lightened stubborn spots? If so, sharing is caring!

<3, Megan

Product I am Loving Right Now

Its VERY rare that a product sticks with me enough to purchase it for a 2nd time...I am always searching for the next best thing and expecting miracles. 2 months ago I was walking around in Nordstroms doing some damage when I spotted free kiehl's samples (LOVE SAMPLES). When I saw that they were offering samples of the product below I almost put it back because it says 'oil' on the packaging. The thought of oil in skincare products makes me worry that I would erupt into a total pizza face........but I took the samples anyway. And I tried it. And I am in lurve. I even got Lynett obsessed with it. The product smells delicious and has not made me break out at all. It gets rid of any flakies/skin dryness and totally regenerates your skin into baby skin over night. The best part about it is that I use it under my retinoid cream from the derm and it works beautifully (one day I'll do a post on retinoids because I have a love/hate relationship with them). Everything about the product is yummy, I even love the glass bottle and dropper. You can find it here :)