Review

It's been awhile since I've done a "favorite things" post ... just under 5 years. Time flies when you're having fun!

I have good genes in the skin department (not so much in the body type department, but that's another post) but time is not my friend when it comes to aging so I invest skin care. I've tried all kinds of lotions, potions and serums thanks to Birchbox but keep going back to two mainstays - Philosophy and Meaningful Beauty. I'm currently using MB and say what you will about Ms. Crawford, she has amazing skin. I like that I can mix-and-match my auto ship order to try new products ... the only thing that stays constant is cleanser ... otherwise, I might have a firming serum with intensive night cream one day and a glowing serum with regular moisturizer the next. I use the weather and the way my skin looks/feels to determine what I need daily. Or more likely than not it depends on what I remember to do that day.

I don't always use a daily moisturizer on weekdays because I use a BB cream for foundation. Moisturizer in addition tends to be too much (aka oily) unless we're in the middle of a deep freeze here in the arctic (aka January - March). I am loving Bobbi Brown BB cream ... just right coverage, good skin color match and all important SPF. 

Dry shampoos are all the rage and I am on the bandwagon. Go ahead and judge but I wash my hair every other day - every day would dry it out and day two hair has a good texture for holding curl or a low key updo. I've tried a couple of expensive dry shampoos (thank you again Birchbox) and have found that drug store brands - Suave or Tresemme - work just as well and are much easier on the wallet.

My hair is an enigma ... fine but lots of it, dry on day one and oily by end of day two. I'm constantly changing hairstyles - cut it short and flip up the ends then grow it long so I can put it up. I envy women who have a "signature" style that suits them and doesn't change much. I'm never satisfied. Ugh! I stumbled upon Wen Replenish Mist last summer and found it to be a great boost to my day one hair - use in the am to condition and add texture and use in the pm before bed to prep for day two. It's also a good light skin moisturizer, especially in the winter months. I spritz on (when I think of it) just out of the shower and don't feel so scaly. I gave the one I started with to my mom to try and found I missed it more than I thought so just reordered. It's worth the splurge - only used my first bottle six months and had at least one-third left.

Another rage is contouring and highlighting. There are million tutorials thanks to Pinterest and in theory it seems like a great idea but I can't be bothered to spend that much time or use that many products every day. My cheater product is a crayon concealer in a shade just a bit lighter than my skin color. I swipe under the eyes, down the center of my nose and around nostrils, above the lip bow, middle of the chin and a small triangle between the brows and up the forehead. Then I blend the heck out of it. I've thought of shading with a darker shade as well but haven't tried it yet. Baby steps.

I keep all my makeup organized in this adorable "bento" box - best $7 ever!

And finally a non-beauty product for good measure -
I frequently have only a few moments for lunch and eat at my desk so convenience is key. I'm also trying to watch my spending so have been forgoing the cafeteria at work and eating out only once a week. My current favorite lunch is pita chips and or veggies with hummus. I love hummus and am not picky about it at all, hence I haven't made it from scratch as I'll buy any brand available at Target (aka my home away from home when not at work). There are a wide array of flavors available these days, but the one I only just discovered two weeks ago and have bought three times is Sabra Olive Tapenade... olives + hummus = AMAZING!

I'm praying none of these go the way of the salad mist - it disappeared forever within months of my extolling its virtues.