(Ryan took this photo as Rhys surprised me with flowers.)
This week was busy, as always, and I crossed a few big things off my list, including registering James for kindergarten next year (gasp!). The weather was beautiful and we got a short respite from the heat. Tonight is brew night and we’re planning a few fun things this weekend, too. Here are the things that caught my eye this week.
“The Cost of Spending Less,” a wonderful article by my blog friend Leah from Style Wise.
A new site co-founded by Olivia Wilde that offers responsible shopping options. It’s in beta form and a little rough around the edges, but still worth noticing.
“Prairie Porn,” if you will. I actually bought a copy this week!
Rarely seen images from Guy Bourdin.
“The Top 10 Artworks of the 20th Century.” According to this guy, at least.
And gorgeous photos of the cast of “Orange is the New Black.”
This weekend I’m putting together my six pieces for the upcoming clothing challenge, and I’ll share them with you on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend!
(My evening face washing routine.)
Back in January, I showed you what I use to control moisture on my face. After re-reading that post, I realized I’ll need to do an update for spring and summer, since I switch out a few products based on the weather and humidity. Oh, the humidity! It can really cause problems for my skin.
I was just about to run out of my trusty Solvére cleanser that I’ve used for years when I decided that it might be time to try something more gentle on my skin. Solvére is wonderful and I will always recommend it, but it contains salicylic acid (which really helps with hormonal acne), and leaves my pores quite large. I’m at the point where my acne is really under control, and I still use a prescription retinoid to control it, as well as a benzoyl peroxide cleanser in the morning. At night, I just need something simple to wash away the day, so I decided to try CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, since I’ve heard good things about it.
I picked up a bottle of CeraVe at Walgreen’s, which is so convenient because I always had to order Solvére, and I’ve been using it for about a month now. It’s very mild and quite similar to Cetaphil, but without any scent at all. I like Cetaphil and use it in the shower sometimes, but I’m not a fan of the cloying smell. CeraVe is simple and washes my face well, and that’s really all there is to say. I don’t have any issues with tightness or drying, probably because my skin is so oily naturally. It gets the job done and is affordable, so I’m sold on it.
During the winter, my face does get dry, and I’ve been using the Korres’ Sleeping Facial my mom gave me for Christmas. I only use a dab here and there, and it’s very emollient. Now that spring is upon us and the weather is warming up, I’m planning to swap out this night-time moisturizer for something lighter, or maybe nothing at all. I’ve read a lot lately about the benefits of Rose Hip Oil, which naturally contains tretinoin, an acid that is similar to a retinoid. It’s used often to repair scars, fade age spots, and help with acne. I decided to try some and I’ve been using this brand
I’ve been mixing a few drops of the oil with my nightly moisturizer on my face and then also applying it directly to my hands to moisturize and fade a few light freckles (age spots?) I’m beginning to notice. The oil is also very emollient (it leaked a bit when I photographed it), but it rubs into the skin easily and is quickly absorbed. I’m just about out of my eye cream, and I’m thinking of using the Rose Hip Oil instead, since it’s so affordable and lasts a long time. As for my face, I haven’t noticed anything remarkable, but just this week, I tried using only the oil (without the night moisturizer) and I found that my face was less oily throughout the next day. That’s something for me, since I normally have to re-apply my powder often.
Overall, I’m pleased with the Rose Hip Oil, though I haven’t seen the miraculous results I’ve read about online. Maybe that’s due to my own oily skin, but I think I’ll keep using it for a while. And the CeraVe is perfect: simple and easy, which is exactly what I was hoping for. The fewer products, the better!
(Stella and Dot’s Eden Ring and Courage Bracelet.)
My blogger friend Allie held an online Stella and Dot trunk show recently, and I took advantage of the opportunity to buy a few new pieces for the warmer months of the year. I’ve really been drawn to smaller jewelry lately and wanted to try a bit of yellow gold, a color I don’t often wear.
I chose the Eden Ring and the Courage Bracelet, and I’m so thrilled with both of them. The ring is dainty and has a lovely, organic shape with tiny stones set inside the small segments. And I love that the shank is hand-sculpted and not perfectly round, which lends a natural feel to the entire piece. The bracelet is like a very fancy friendship bracelet and has a knotted closure that makes it easy to slide on and off. I’m always in a hurry when I’m putting on my jewelry before I run out the door, and this style is perfect for me.
I’ve been wearing my new pieces every day and I really love how simple and beautiful they are.
