Funky Town

Hello?  Is anyone out there?  I wouldn't blame you if you abandoned my blog...it seems I've been a neglectful writer as of late.  I'm not sure why that is.  I have tons of products I need to write about and I think up ideas for new posts all the time.  But lately...when it comes to putting words down, I just can't seem to be bothered.

I, my friends, am in a blogging funk.  

I've been writing here since 2006, so I guess a period of blah-ness is to be expected.  But I am not happy about it.  It's bothering me that I've been negligent, and I am of two minds.  On one side, I tell myself, "to hell with it.  It's been a good run, but maybe it's time to close up shop."  On the other side, I say, "sit down and write.  This is not the time to quit...it's a time to reevaluate and reconstruct."  Since it's easier to do nothing, that's exactly what I have done.

I think the side of me that wants to reevaluate and come back better than ever is edging out the other side that says F-it.  I do know this: I have a lot still in me to share, and I really DON'T have any intention to shutter this site any time soon. 

I will get back into the writing and posting routine I'm used to...it seems I am just taking a temporary hiatus.  I don't know how long it would last.  Hell, if I get my act together, I might be back tomorrow like this little silent stretch never happened.

All I ask is that you hang in there and stick with me.  I'll shatter this blogging funk in no time, and (being completely optimistic) hope that the best is yet to come!

Before I end this post, I'll ask you this: how do you bust out of a funk?  We all get into them, and we all find our ways out (hopefully).  Let me know what works for you!

Another Year Older...

Hooray! Today's my birthday.  I'm taking the day off of work (and blogging) to spend time with my husband and family...you know, the people that REALLY matter the most.  I fully intend to make the most of this day and this year.  And I can finally say that I am starting to feel like an adult, and that it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

I don't mind getting older.  I'm not afraid of stupid things like wrinkles or frown lines.  I'm just happy to be here another day, another year, to experience all that I can.

I'll try to get back to blogging duties tomorrow to round out the week (I have a Beauty Product of the Week I've been putting off for ages--argh!)...but in case I don't, here's a few quotes from other, wiser, folks about growing old(er).

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. ~Chili Davis

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. ~Mark Twain

Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. ~Author Unknown

Lady Gray

I came home the other day to several boxes waiting for me.  The one that stood out the most was marked "Dior."  I ripped into that sucker like a little kid on Christmas morning, and was rewarded with three beautiful gray nail polishes from Dior.

Let's take a look!

The entire new gray collection is inspired by the great fashion cities of the world: Paris, London, and New York. Dior considers the collection an invitation to an urban voyage, and I must say: the colors rock.

First there's Gris Montaigne (Paris), which, according to Dior is "sleek and elegant, the very iconic color of the Dior House."

Then there's this lovely shade: Bond Street (London), "a gray London fog infused with a touch of blue, urban chic."

And finally (the shade I'm currently wearing and LOVING!), NY 57th (New York), "a metallic asphalt, a homage to the dusky light of the Manhattan skyline."

All the new nail polishes feature an interesting new brush--it's short and tapered slightly at the tip, so it does take some time to get used to applying this stuff. But in the end, you're rewarded with nails that feel smooth and that shimmer like crazy. This is high end polish, and at $21 a bottle, it's not for everyone. But for those who care, Dior's new gray collection is AMAZING.

I'm so totally hooked!

Anchors Away!!!

Are you ready for Spring yet?  I sure am.  Though the Winter hasn't been particularly awful here in the Seattle area, I am more than ready to have longer days, warmer weather, and maybe, just maybe, to see the sun on a somewhat regular basis.

Since it's Monday and it's still Winter, I thought it would be a good time to look at a colorful, lovely Springtime collection of nail color from China Glaze.  Because hitting stores in time for better weather is their fun Anchors Away collection.

Let's see what they've got for us...

Sail away this spring in 12 nautically-inspired colors from China Glaze. These bold and confident brights are reminiscent of a carefree natural getaway, with soft ethereal hues that inspire leisurely thoughts of sand and sea. Colors in this collection include:

Life Preserver: Highly pigmented and luxurious poppy crème.
Hey Sailor: Vibrant crème red.
Ahoy!: Delightfully intense pink that flashes with reflective glass speck.
First Mate: Sophisticated and rich navy crème.
Starboard: Hip and playful green crème.
Lighthouse: Multi-dimensional, bright yellow glass speck.
White Cap: Whimsical and sparkling multi-dimensional white.
Pelican Gray: High shine, cool toned grey crème.
Sea Spray: Calming pale blue crème.
Below Deck: A flirty mix of taupe and violet.
Sunset Sail: Delightful peachy pink high shine crème.
Knotty: Micro-particle beige shimmer.

I received samples of the new line and I must say: the colors are great!  My favorite?  Hands down: Below Deck.  It's such an interesting, pretty, and wearable color.  I also really like  Pelican Gray and Life Preserver (though that shade doesn't look great on my skin tone...pout!).

What do you think of this collection?  I say it beats the pants off of OPI's Texas collection!

Beauty Product of the Week: Belle De Jour White Lotus Mask

What is it? The Belle De Jour White Lotus Mask from Kenzo will "offer the skin special moments of pleasure and rest. 10 minute application, and the White Lotus alchemy, enriched for this mask, sets to work and quickly reinforces the daily benefits of Belle De Jour. The mask's rich, creamy texture is enhanced by the brush provided which stimulates and soothes the skin at application. Wraps the skin inside a bubble, restoring its optimal balance. Hydrates the skin and stimulates cellular regeneration. Significantly reduces levels of Cortisol in the skin."  Available online or at Sephora or Nordstrom's for $70.

What did you think?  Have you ever done yoga?  If so, you know at the end when you do savanasa and then, when you sit up how you feel completely at ease?  Like you're unstressed and completely recharged?  Yeah...that's how the White Lotus Mask made my skin feel.

The mask has a very different texture than most facial masks.  It is not thick; it doesn't feel like it's drying and caking and cracking on your face.  It brushes on very lightly...almost like a cream rather than a mask.  The scent is interesting and pleasant (lotus-y!), and the whole experience of using the mask is enjoyable.  Using a facial mask means forced relaxation, and you'll want to languish in that downtime with the White Lotus mask.

Everything about this product whispers luxury.  The box it comes in is lovely.  The booklet (with the instructions) is glossy and enticing.  The brush?  Yup, high quality...just like the mask.

Final verdict?  I love this product. Sure, I don't love, love the price, but that's life.  This mask made my skin feel like it had taken a deep, cleansing breath and was left feeling all zen and chill.  So, so nice!

Prep for Valentine's With Help from Ricky's NYC!

I live on the West Coast, so I don't have the ability to shop at awesome places like CVS or Ricky's NYC. But for those of you who can, be sure to swing by Ricky's to check out these products.  Ricky's NYC wants to help you get ready for Valentine's Day (which is just around the corner...eek!) with the items listed below.

Get date ready with Mattese Elite lipstick ($10) in Provocative, Porn Star or Blow, rich,seductive colors that will entice.

Pump up the volume with an Amika Pink Cheetah Hair Dryer ($160), leaving locks looking sexy and full.

Set the mood with Earthly Body Massage Candles ($13.99), which melt down to a silky,
massage oil that moisturizes skin. With names like “Naked in the Woods” and “Dreamsicle,” they’re sure to lead to a night to remember.

I have to ask: do you have any big plans for Valentine's Day?  Me?  I'm working late and so is my hubby.  How romantic.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you're doing!

(Pro) Mend Your Evil Ways

I've been having hair issues lately.  I know what I need to do: I need to get my butt into the salon for a cut and color pronto.  But I haven't.  I am not sure what my problem is, but lately I haven't wanted to take the time (or spend the money!) to deal with it.  I haven't been to the salon since July (gasp!) and as a result, my hair is a wreck.

I was thinking sadly about the state of my hair when I received a huge box from Nexxus.  The answer to my woes?  I sure hope so!  I eagerly tore into the box to find a new system--Nexxus Pro-Mend--that gave me hope--hope that my fried, split, unloved hair could be restored.

Let's check out the products and see what Nexxus has to say about them:

Pro-Mend Shampoo: ProMend Split End Treatment Shampoo prepares split end prone hair for repair by gently cleansing away damaging impurities and build up while giving it the vital nourishment it needs, leaving hair clean, strong and shiny.

Pro-Mend Conditioner: ProMend Split End Binding Conditioner is a revolutionary daily conditioner that feels and performs unlike any other. It targets and binds split ends back together in just 3 washes. Use daily to keep hair looking beautifully healthy and strong.

Pro-Mend Leave-in Creme: Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Leave in Treatment Crème provides daily repair for split end problem areas. Use after each shower to bind split ends back together before styling, so ends look beautifully healthy and strong.

Pro-Mend Overnight Treatment: Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Overnight Treatment Crème provides intensive repair as you sleep, binding split ends back together and dramatically strengthening against future splits. Hair is healthy and restored in the morning without leaving residue on bed linens.

My thoughts: Like I said, my hair was a disaster when I started using these products.  It was difficult to style, I had a lot of fly-aways, and the texture didn't look great (thanks to dying and frying!).  I've used the entire line of products for a couple of weeks now, and I am very satisfied with the results.

The shampoo and conditioner are great.  I've been using them daily, and my hair feels clean, silky, and smooth when I'm done.  The shampoo seems gentle and the conditioner is relatively light, which surprised me since this line promises to bond hair back together.  Seems that the gentle approach works pretty well, though!

I use the leave-in treatment right before I blow dry.  It seems to help control those dreaded fly-aways that I get, especially in the winter.  I've used many other products before styling, but I like this one.  It's lightweight and doesn't make my hair look overly greasy or weighed down like it can with other products.

I try to use the nighttime treatment twice a week (though I sometimes forget).  I love that it doesn't mess up my pillowcases!  It, too, is surprisingly light.  It does seem to saturate my hair, but in a non-greasy way that I appreciate.

After a couple of weeks of using this line of products, I think my hair looks a bit better.  Do I still need to get into the salon?  Oh hell, yes!  But does my hair look a little less like straw than it did before?  You better believe it! 

I like this line and would recommend it.  Another decent batch of products from Nexxus!  Well done!  Look for the Pro-Mend line at big box stores, Ulta, or salons.

Battle of the Body Scrubs!

Alright! After taking an unscheduled--but apparently much needed--break from blogging, I'm back. And I'm very much behind! I have a ton of beauty products to tell you about, so be sure to swing by this week. I'll have new content up regularly, unless all hell breaks loose!

Since yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday (confession: I have never--and never plan to--watch a Super Bowl game.  Sorry!) and we're in a competitive mood, I thought I'd have two body scrubs go head-to-head today.

Let's meet our body scrub combatants:

• Arbonne Aromassentials Unwind Sea Salt Scub
• Repechage Pomegranate Cran-Apple All-Over Body Scrub

And let's see how they measure up:

USE
Both scrubs are meant to be used in the shower, on the entire body. Both were easy to apply and rinsed off easily.  It's a draw for this category.

SCENT
Arbonne: Clean, slightly flowery but not distractingly so.  The scent seems to last a while on the skin, so you'll smell good well after your shower.
Repechage: It smells yummy! Very much like a fruit smoothy!  It's filled with pomegranate and cran-apple, so I was expecting it to be cloyingly fruity.  Thankfully, it's not.  The fruit smoothy aspect is mild and pleasant, and doesn't linger.
Advantage: For me, I prefer Repechage, though there was nothing wrong with the Arbonne scent.  Since I wear perfume, I don't like to have too many scent layers on at one time.  The Arbonne is nice--especially if you're not planning on adding any scented lotions.  But if you do, you may want to stick with the Repechage since it won't compete with other products.

FEEL
Arbonne: The product is a bit watery, with chunks of salt mixed in.  It's easy to scoop out of the jar and a little seems to go a long way.  Since it's salt based, it's a bit rougher on the skin (though it's by no means harsh!).
Repechage: This one seems sticky almost--kinda gooey.  It was a bit more challenging to get out of the jar--it seemed to fight me!--but once I got it out, it was easy to use.  This seems to be a very mild scrub, which is good for those with more sensitive skin.
Advantage: Slight advantage to Arbonne, simply because I thought the Repechage was a bit goopy.

FINAL RESULT
Arbonne: Like many salt-based body products, I found the Arbonne scrub to be a bit oily.  When I rinsed off, the water beaded up on my skin, like I had been waxed down!  If my skin were exceedingly dry, all that additional moisture might be beneficial.  Arbonne left my skin very soft and scented.
Repechage: With this product, my skin is just as soft as the Arbonne.  It feels a little less aggravated, and there's no lingering fragrance.
Advantage: Both do an admirable job of softening skin, but I am giving the edge to Repechage since I am not the biggest fan of the oil associated with a salt scrub.

PRICE/AVAILABILITY
Arbonne: This appears to be a limited edition product...so much so that I had a hard time finding a place to buy it from.  I've heard that people have had issues with Arbonne consultants and that they're a bit sketchy to deal with.  Since I received this (and the Repechage scrub) for free to try out, I am not factoring in any of these issues I've read about into the review.  Still...it does seem that it may be tough to track this product down, and it appears to cost just under $25 for 5 ounces (for a 5-pack...I think. Again, this is not clear to me!).
Repechage: This product is readily available at spas and online.  It retails for about $30 for a 10.5 ounce jar and is currently on sale for $23.98.
Advantage: The hands down winner in this case is Repechage!

OVERALL
If I were to purchase either of these products in the future, I'd go with the Repechage.  Both products are very nice...don't get me wrong...but for me, Repechage is the clear favorite.  I really like the non-sweet, not overbearing fruity scent and the gentle approach to scrubbing away dead skin cells.  Plus they incorporate all organic fruit products in the scrub, so that's a nice little bonus.

Two Quickies...

First off, let me apologize for my absence this week.  I have no excuse for my lack of posts...I actually have a TON of stuff to blog about, but I just haven't had the time or energy to face my computer.  Sometimes we just need a little break, I suppose...and I am taking that break now.

As I mentioned, I do have plenty to write about.  I should be back to posting at my normal pace next week (that's the goal, at least!).  So...hang in there and I promise I'll be back.

Second, I thought I'd drop by really quick to let you know about this month's features and giveaway over at Freebeautyevents.com.  In case you need a reminder, freebeautyevents.com lists hosts giveaways, provides updates on events where you can get free samples or tips, etc.  This month, L’Oreal will demonstrating their True Match lines at select Rite Aids around the country as well as handing out coupons and samples.  If you want to see if they're coming to your area, check out the freebeautyevents.com site.

For the February, they're giving away 10 prizes. Each prize will consist of an Almay Smart Shade Concealer, Wake Up Makeup, Intense i-Color Smoky-i Eyeshadow, and Get Up & Grow Mascara!  The Contest runs from 2/1/2011 to 2/28/2011, winners will be chosen on 3/5/2011 and notified by 3/15/2011.

Nice! Check it out.

Enjoy the weekend and the snow (if you have it!)