An Old and New Fave

Years ago, I used to religiously take a bubble bath every Friday night.  Mostly so I could shave my legs, but it was also relaxing and cozy.  One year I asked for a bottle of Kiehl's Creme de Corps for Christmas, because I had read in a magazine that it was nice stuff, and I was too cheap to spend the money myself.  I really liked it, and when I would use it on my legs after shaving, it felt really soothing.

Eventually that bottle was used up, and that was that.

These days, I still take bubble baths, though not every single Friday night no matter what.  I still enjoy them, and particularly during cold weather, they warm me up quite nicely.  I've tried various different lotions to use afterwards, with varying results.

About a month ago, I was reading someone's blog (sorry I can't remember which it was to link), and they mentioned using Creme de Corps all of the time, since it was the ONLY thing that helped their skin in winter.  And I remembered how much I'd liked it when I had that bottle years ago.  And I decided to spring for a bottle myself and revisit it.

My skin gets extremely dry during the winter.  Dry as in cracking and bleeding, particularly on my legs and arms.  I have used various things, including a prescription lotion, which helps but is used up very quickly.  I figured maybe another try at Creme de Corps would be worth it.

It has been.  I treated myself to a 4.2 fluid ounce bottle, which cost $18.00.  I started out using it every time I took a shower, on my arms and legs.  And after a week, my skin was so soft, so supple, and so non-dry, that I decided to try using it every other day.  I seriously cannot believe the difference.  The other day, I was putting on a pair of tights, and there were no dry skin flakes flying around as I was getting them onto my legs!

So I am here to encourage you to try this stuff if cold weather makes your skin dry.  It is very luxurious feeling, but it almost immediately absorbs into your skin, leaving it soft but not greasy or lotion-y.  There is no discernible scent.  I also think that the bottle will last me a while, since a little bit goes a long way.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps.  Worth the splurge.  Try it.

Two Mini-Reviews

Well hello there - I know I've been gone for a while, except for some quick check-ins.  October was pretty busy, plus I caught a cold that messed with me for about 10 days (7 of those days were particularly miserable).  But fortunately it's left, except for a few sniffles, so I can get back to my routine.

I realized that there were two products I meant to write about here, and just completely forgot about it.  So here you go.

I'd read a few reviews of this product, Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel, and decided to give it a try.  I was really disappointed.  The thing that bothered me most was the consistency - it didn't feel like a gel to me at all.  It was really thick and goopy, and felt very sticky on your finger, as well as when you were applying it to the eye area.  It also stung a bit once applied, which surprised me, since the ingredients and the reviews made it sound incredibly gentle.

I used it for two weeks and gave up.  I just did not like it, and decided that it was stupid to keep using it just because I had it in my possession.

Next up, Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Radiance Lotion.  I really wanted to like this product, since Fresh products are usually so nice.  Unfortunately, this was another fail for me.  For one thing, the bottle is not that big, and you need a lot of pumps to get enough product to cover your face (or at least I did).  As a result, it doesn't last that long, so it is not cost-effective.  And this is another one that just had a weird consistency to me - not quite a lotion feel.  There was a slight, though not completely unpleasant, scent to it that dissipated almost immediately.
I will not be buying this one again.

So there you go - I realize I gave you two negative reviews here, but it's only fair when I tell you things I like to also tell you things I do not.

Of course, I do not in any way speak for anyone but myself.  Clearly, other people have had success with both of these products, and I'm sure they each have devotees.  For my money, though, I'll try something else.

Happy Halloween!

Checking-In

Hello there!  I just wanted to say that I'm still here and OK, just way too busy lately.  But I have some pictures I will be posting next week, some from an event that I attended with one of my favorite boys - Dug the Doodle Dog!

In the meantime, take care and enjoy this lovely fall weekend!

Makeup Alley

I will admit that I love reading magazines like Allure, where they talk about various beauty products, and often rate them according to a panel of experts in skincare and beauty.  I also enjoy other magazines where I can drool over clothes and shoes, but I can very seldom afford to try those items (or even find them, where I shop!).

And I do enjoy blathering on about various products (hence this blog), and I have a couple of friends who also do, so we do a lot of e-mail exchanges about various products and topics (neither lives nearby, so I seldom get to see them in person).

A few years back, one of them told me about Makeup Alley.  Do you know it?  It's an online site where reviews of different products have been contributed by members.  All ages, all price ranges, all personal opinions - and a great place to get a feel for things you might want to try.  You can even filter the reviews by your skin type, age, etc., which can be particularly helpful.

Like most things in the universe, I like to form my own opinions in the end.  But this site is really wonderful for giving you an idea of what "real" people think, as opposed to marketing and beauty editors whose raison d'etre is to get you to buy the products.  There are also forums where you can ask questions and get specific answers to them from various members.

If you have never visited, you should check it out.  It's free to join, and other than a monthly "What's New" e-mail newsletter, they never bug you with other messages/spam.  If you do decide to join - or even if you are already a member - you can even avail yourself of my reviews!  My username there is Gitte, *and I think I have approximately 20 reviews that I've contributed.

Please note that this post is my opinion only, and I have not been asked to write it by Makeup Alley or anyone associated with it.  I just wanted to tell you what my experience with it has been.

Enjoy!

*One of the e-mail friends referenced above used to call me "Brigitte," and then shortened it to "Gitte."  It's a useful username, since it's usually not already in existence.  :-)

Thinking Ahead to Fall

Fall is one of my very favorite times of year.  The weather cools (well not here today, but ...) and the air feels crisp, the leaves change, and there is a sense of anticipation.  Even as a kid, when I wouldn't necessarily look forward to going back to school, I still enjoyed it when fall actually announced itself.

For me, and maybe also for you, it means switching out most of what is in my closet and dresser drawers.  The shorts, sleeveless tops, and sandals get put away to make room for heavier clothes, shoes, and boots.  I like to change purses as well, and update my makeup.  Granted, this doesn't all take me that long, since it's not like I have so much stuff to work with, but I am still determined this year to do it more thoughtfully.  Too often I keep things because of "maybe" - as in, maybe it's better than not having a blue shirt, etc. at all, maybe it will fit again/fit better next year - you get the drift.  Then when I pull it out the next year, I feel obliged to keep it.

Not this time.  I am prepared to be serious about what I actually keep and donate what I can.  Other stuff will either be repurposed, or thrown away.  And I'm going to apply this rule of mine to everything I put away.  Another bonus is that it will mean taking up less storage space, and in our house that's always a good thing.

Will it actually happen?  Can I do it?  Well, I'll keep you posted, wish me luck!

Thoughts on Body Image

I have been thinking a lot lately about the topic of body image.  Probably  because lately I have also been thinking a lot about my body.  Some thoughts that are mine are below, and I am not claiming to have the answer, or be perfect.  But I just felt like telling you - of course, that does not mean you even have to read any more of this, but if you do, please know that I do not mean to sound superior, OK?

For as long as I can remember, I have been out of the loop, so to speak, on this topic.  I was fortunate as a kid and then again as a teenager to never, ever have my mother say anything about whether I was fat, skinny, tall, short, whatever.  I also am not aware of her ever saying anything like that about my sisters either.  Don't get me wrong, it's not like she was above saying, "Wow, So-and-So looks like she gained weight," or similar, but it was not something she was always talking about.

Now of course, I was surrounded by other people and their parents who seemed obsessed with weight, appearance, boyfriends, etc.  And who longed to look like certain movie stars or models.  Mostly I thought they were kind of stupid.

It really and truly never, ever, occurred to me that I was *supposed* to look anything like women in fashion magazines.  Oh, I would wish I had some of the clothes or shoes, and often I wished I had the hair/hairstyle, but I can truly say that I never saw those women as having anything directly to do with me or how I looked.  And it's not like I was super well-adjusted - trust me, I had (and still have) PLENTY of my own issues!

As an adult, it's definitely been a good thing that I have never been obsessed with body image.  I've certainly been on the cusp of overweight on more than one occasion, and I've also wished plenty of times that I could fit into last year's slacks or jeans.  I've been dismayed when I couldn't, and had to buy new ones in a larger size.  However, I've lived through this without a feeling of shame or devastation.

This has served me well, after several major surgeries.  My body is now a series of scars that look like a road map for medical students who have wanted to practice doing surgery!  Things are messy, misshapen, not the same size, and even puffy.  I always tell The Tim that I have no plans to donate my body to science, since at this point, science already has most of it!

Though I'm not in any way sure that it was a conscious action on the part of my parents, I am grateful that my growing up focused on things other than appearance.  I've never thought I am ravishingly beautiful, but then again, I've never been convinced that I am ugly.  Likewise, I've never worried about being "fat" or what size my clothes happened to be - particularly in relationship to anyone else.

I wish more people could feel this way.  I am not convinced that it's fashion magazines and advertising that are completely to blame for our society's obsession with looks, weight, etc.  I think it was a problem long before Vogue put super-thin supermodels on the cover, or before Kate Moss and/or others were forced on us as the epitome of beautiful women.  For anyone feeling self-conscious about themselves already, or who thinks that what others say about them is the most important thing, I think life must be a series of miserable days, and I wish that they were able to move beyond it.  I'm sure that the barrage of images and messages about body image needing to be a certain way doesn't help.
I don't know that there is an easy answer.  I think that the fault lies within ourselves, and until *we* let it all go, we're gonna keep passing it on to the next generation.  That is what bothers me.  When I think of the mothers of my friends who would tell them not to eat dessert so they wouldn't get fat, or the girls at school who would call others fat, or ugly, or whatever, I am amazed that so many years later, it still happens.  All the time.

If you think of it, and ever find yourself doing it, please stop.  None of us need that kind of criticism and pressure.  We all need a break.