Nice & Naughty: Skincare Edition

I haven't done a "Nice and Naughty" post for like eight years, so it's about time.  All the things on my previous lists still apply, and you can find them here and here. 

~ the Nice list ~

I've been on a quest to find the just right skin care products for basically my entire life.  The first time I ever used anything on my face besides regular soap and water was when I was in high school - I used Noxema.  Remember that? Horrible stuff.  I don't think they even make it anymore.  My skin did not like it.  It smelled gross and I continued to break out, but I was young and that's what my friends were using and friends were the only "google" we had back then so I didn't know any better.  In college, I discovered Clinique after stopping at their counter in Daytons (now Macy's) where my best friend Christine and I used to go to get our fix in the men's cologne dept. (and we were not shy about being obnoxious about it). Then there was a brief period in my 20's when I tried Mary Kay. It wasn't any better than Clinique for me honestly, so I eventually went back to Clinique. My skin improved quite a bit, but I continued to have dry spots and oily spots and would still break out - even well into my 40's and that's just about enough.  At the suggestion of my "all natural" sister-in-law Annett, about a year ago I started using Philosophy products and, well...I'm hooked!  I have had the best skin of my entire life.  Very little oil, no more dry spots, and no more breakouts.  OH happy day!  And happy face!  Here is my routine:

I start with Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash in the shower every morning.  It's really gritty and took a little getting used to.  In the evening I use Purity One-step Facial Cleanser before going to bed.  I'm not faithful about the latter, sometimes I'm tired and just use a washcloth, but I do use it most nights. Just one product to remove makeup and cleanse.  I like keeping it simple and then I'm more likely to do it.

This is the moisturizer I use every day.  I really like it.  It's not heavy at all, and isn't watery or greasy either.   I started with a different one by Philosophy, but that is on my naughty list now.  I'll explain why later.

Ok, this is one of the best skin products I have ever used.  I always used to think that specific moisturizers for around the eyes was just a gimmick, an unnecessary waste of money.....that is until I started getting some wrinkles and gave this a try.  It's amazing. The skin under my eyes is so soft now, and I'm choosing to believe that it's preventing wrinkles too.  (Please let me live in my world of delusion for a while anyway).

I still use some Clinique products, mostly makeup which I will probably blog about in another Nice and Naughty post because I know everyone who knows me is dying to know what makeup I use.  This is another product that I used to think was a gimmick...something that minimizes your pores?  Right.  Who needs that.  Apparently 48 year old Lisa does because this stuff has worked wonders at minimizing the pores on my nose and chin.  I'm a believer.

I have been using this moisturizer at night, only because I got a sample of it in my last Clinique "bonus time" giveaway bag.  (One reason I have always loved Clinique is when they have their "bonus time" twice a year where you get TONS of free stuff inside a cute makeup bag and a girl can never have enough cute makeup bags).  It's thick and creamy and feels really good on my skin.  And I don't wake up with a greasy face like I always used to. Philosophy also makes an anti-wrinkle "nighttime" moisturizer that is supposed to compliment the one I'm currently using during the day.  I'm thinking about giving that a try, but I'll wait until I can get a trial size of it.

~ the Naughty list ~

This looks like it would be wonderful, doesn't it?  Hope in a jar!  How could that be bad?  Well it's a good moisturizer but it's on my naughty list because it smells....HORRIBLE.  What in the world, Philosophy people?  I can't even explain what it smelled like...a very strong offensive soap crossed with old lady smell is all I can think of.  If it wasn't so expensive I would have thrown it out, but I stirred in some essential oils and made it tolerable enough to finish the jar.  Thankfully, the Miracle Worker stuff that I switched to has a pleasant smell. 

Last on my naughty list is this, which was part of my 3 step skin-care routine for years.  I'm not sure why they call it "lotion" because it is a liquid that you apply with a cotton ball after cleansing and before moisturizing.  It's for exfoliating.  But after using Philosophy, I have realized that this product was way too harsh on my skin.  It may have exfoliated well, but it is all chemicals and I have a feeling that because it was too harsh for me, it was causing all the problems I was using it to fix.  Hmmph.

So, that's my skincare routine!  Your life is complete now. I know there are less expensive products out there that probably would work well for me too, but once I find something that works for me I tend to stick with it.  I have nothing against cheap, trust me I go cheap on lots of things (hairspray, mousse, jewelry, thrift store clothes).  But there are some things I'm willing to spend a little more on... skincare products, shampoo/conditioner, shoes, and perfume.  About that, I've used the same perfume since 2004 and I know this because I remember exactly when I discovered it at the Celine Dion store in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.  I walked around the entire day smelling my arm and saying "I'm in love with myself" all the day.   Just ask my sister. 

Nice & Naughty: Chocolate Edition

Have I mentioned before that I LOVE making gift baskets?  I love coordinating gifts in a theme and putting them all in a basket...in fact years ago I had this dream of opening my own shop.  I was going to call it "The Basket Loft" and I would sell all of my favorite things...candles, chocolates, baskets, baking and dip mixes, coffees and mugs, and all kinds of coordinating things that could be given as theme gifts.  I had a vision of it being a rustic little store with a real loft filled with baskets and benches, wooden shelves and signs with cute sayings on them.  I would custom design gift baskets for people with coordinating cloth and ribbons.  Who knows, maybe someday...

For my "nice" list today my theme is "all things chocolate".  If you know me at all you know that I can be quite fanatical about chocolate, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite chocoholic fixes...along with a gift basket theme idea, you know since it's Christmas and all and maybe you have some last minute shopping to do yet (not that I'd know anything about that).  

~ The Nice List ~

Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips - these are simply the best chocolate chips, bar none.  Once you have had these, you'll never go back to wax chips - er, I mean other brands of chocolate chips (which all taste like wax compared to these.  Sorry, Nestle, but they do).  Gift idea:  Put a bag of these chips in a Christmasy mixing bowl lined with a coordinating dish towel and wooden spoon set. 

Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Cocoa Mix - Yummy and awesome as hot chocolate, but this mix also makes the best brownies ever.  The recipe is on the can.  Gift idea:  you could do the same thing as the chocolate chip idea above, or instead of the mixing bowl you could get one of those lazy people brownie pans (have you seen those with the metal grid that you bake inside the pan so you don't have to go to all the laborous effort of cutting your own brownies).  If the person is really special, you could even include a bag of chocolate chips in with the gift.  But make sure the person IS really special because they will be in all kinds of love with you after making these brownies and if you don't want them to be it could be a little awkward. 

Tiramisu Wind & Willow Cheeseball Mix - it's the bomb!  Except with all their dip mixes, I think they taste better mixed with 12 oz. cream cheese instead of just 8 oz. that the box calls for.  Serve it with animal crackers, or graham cracker sticks.  And if you are looking for a great gift idea, get one of these mixes and a cute spreader for under $10...or if you can spend a little more you can get a coordinating dip bowl too! 

Nutella.  It's simply amazing...on bagels, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, and even bananas.  Add a layer of peanut butter and you'll think your mouth died and went to taste bud heaven.  And once the jar is opened, you'll have to hide it from your kids or it will be gone.  Not that I would know anything about that.  As far as a gift idea...I'm not sure you could get away with giving it as a gift.  But if you really wanted to you could put it in a basket with a jar of my nutty butter.  Yummo.

One more for now...

This is awesome.  Just microwave it (after first sampling some of the chips to make sure they are good, of course).  Tastes awesome with mini-marshmallows, bananas, strawberries, chunks of angelfood cake, and whatever else you like to dip in chocolate which for me is pretty much anything.  Good alternative if you don't have time to set up the big chocolate fountain.  Oh...you don't have a chocolate fountain?  Well, you should.  I picked up a brand new one at a garage sale for $20 (someone's unused wedding gift, no doubt) and it's become a holiday tradition at our house.

~ The Naughty List ~

Carob.  It's supposed to taste like chocolate, but contains no cocoa powder. 

Please.

It does not taste like chocolate anymore than margarine tastes like real butter.  The only reason I know this is because my parents thought I was allergic to chocolate growing up, but alas I was not.  I won't revisit that story...suffice to say that my parents would buy me carob bars as a substitute for the real thing (which I really did appreciate because they did it out of love and sympathy and this was the only option available except for tootsie rolls which don't contain any chocolate either, but you can only eat so many tootsie rolls).  Yes, it's true, I was deprived of chocolate as a child, but don't feel too sorry for me as I am more than making up for it as an adult! 

 

The Nice List

You know how Oprah has her "O" list of things she thinks are "just great"?  Well, even though I am no longer an Oprah fan because I think it is very possible that she is the anti-christ, when I used to get her magazine her "O" list was the first thing I'd flip to.  Nevermind the fact that most of the things on her list are insanely expensive (I will never in my life spend $128 on a bracelet, or $168 on a pitcher with a rooster on it), I did find it intriguing.  And since I am a "listy" kind of gal, I thought I'd create my own list of things I think are "just great".  Just because I can't keep these awesome secrets all to myself (and I need something to babble about) here we go...

~ The Nice List ~

Ok, What really made me want to do this list was my recent discovery of these....quite possibly the most tastey little cracker I've ever had.  I'm in love with them now, and the fact that they are really healthy makes them all the more irresistable to me (or at least it removes the guilt that I am indulging in a high carb snack). 

Hello.  That's all I am going to say about this, my favorite yummy lotion smell from Bath & Body. 

Ok, I rarely ever drink pop anymore, but I bought a case of Cherry Dr. Pepper tonight for the kids (Nick caught me at a weak "I wanna be the cool mom" moment and I caved).  So I tried some over ice, and may I just say oh. my. word.  My new favorite bad-for-you beverage.   

I am currently out of this candle....the yummiest most awesomest candle smell on the planet (hinting really loud to Santa).  I buy it at Pieces of the Past, one of my favorite stores in Winona, but you can also get it online (in case Santa asks). 

And what's a "Nice List" without it's antithesis...

"The Naughty List"

Topping the naughty list recently would have to be the city snow plow guy, who barrelled down our street and literally burried my husband and his snowblower while clearing the driveway - not once but twice. 

It was like something you would see in a movie. 

I feel like kind of a traitor putting this on my naughty list, but they disappointed me. They are called "WallFlowers" and are plug in oil fragrances from Bath and Body. I of course bought Warm Vanilla Sugar and also Vanilla Caramel - I got three of them actually, for our bedroom, kitchen and living rooms. Both scents smell awesome in the bottle, and for the first week or two that I had them, but they quickly lost their power and I really can't smell them much at all anymore. I don't think they heat up enough anymore to emit the fragrance. I used to get a nice burst of aroma when I walked into the house each day, but now I pretty much have to put my nose right up next to it to actually smell anything - which is neither convenient nor attractive. So, once I have used up the last of my oil refills, I don't think I will be keeping them. Nice try, Bath and Body, but you make me sad.