Tag Archives: Skincare

Christmas Gift Guide For Him 2013

Instead of doing a book review today, I’m doing my second Gift Guide post. I always get my husband to help me with the gift guide for him post. It’s probably one of my favorite posts to write, because I get great ideas to share with you, and some ideas to use when shopping for my husband.

Kiehls Ultimate Man Refueling Set. This is perfect because most guys don’t think to buy themselves high end skincare. They tend to grab whatever is at the drugstore and be on their way. They may not be so thrilled with this gift at first, but once they try out the products they’ll be singing a different tune.
Cologne is always good, especially if it’s your boyfriend or husband. My husband is a fan of Viktor & Rolf’s Spicebomb, but what’s really important is that you like they way it smells too, so shop around and make sure to clear your head with those coffee beans.
Or if he already uses higher end skincare then you might want to try something like The Art Of Shaving’s kits. Using a higher end shaving cream really does make a difference.
If the guy in your life is big on exercising, or just prefers a sporty look then a sport watch like this Nike+ Sport with GPS would be absolutely perfect.
For the guy that’s just turned 21 or is an alcohol connoisseur then these Villeroy &Boch Scotch Tumblers are perfect. If they already have drinkwear then try something like these Whiskey Stones which are perfect because they cool your drinks without watering them down.
Everyone is obsessed with their iPhones these days it seems, and this Olloclip is a really cool accessory that allows you to take better pictures with your phone. For the tech guy or photography buff in your life this gift is absolutely perfect.
Something that’s entirely practical is a scarf. I love to give scarves usually ones that I’ve knit myself, and my husband likes them because for a while after I’ve made them they smell like me. If you’re not a knitter try picking up this Gap Buffalo Checkered Scarf and then give it a spray of your favorite perfume. Let it air out for a while before you wrap it so it will smell very faintly of you every time he uses it.
Because we all know that some boys just never grow up, a remote control Helicopter is the perfect toy for the adult boy in your life. With a usb charger, gyroscope, LED light and metal body this Phantom Gyro Helicopter is wicked cool.
Of course I’m going to recommend a Sweater, personally I think this Heritage Irish Fisherman’s Crew Neck Sweater is perfect. But really you can get great sweaters at a multitude of places.
Finally my husband said that a good quality wallet is always a good gift. He personally picked this Jack Spade Mill Leather Bill Holder, because he said it looks well made and still relatively slim.

Once again these are just suggestions and hopefully they make your shopping this season just a bit easier and more seemless.

Gift Guide For Him by fashionandhappythings featuring a whiskey tumbler

Kiehls Rare Earth Cleanser and Toner Review

I bought the Kiehls Rare Earth Cleanser and Toner a while ago. Originally I had gone in to get the Rare Earth Mask but they didn’t have it, and since I needed a Cleanser and Toner I just went for these. I still haven’t bought the mask, but I really want to.

I don’t think I’ve had a rave review about a cleanser in a very long time. Not since Liz Earle broke my heart. But I really like this cleanser. It’s a cream cleanser, which means it doesn’t foam at all. Which I like. I’m not actually a fan of foaming cleansers, I much prefer cream, balm, or milk cleansers. This one has bits of Amazonian Clay in it that help soak up the oil, keep it at bay and provide a bit of exfoliation. But unlike other products that claim to have gentle exfoliation this one really doesn’t tear at your skin or rip open acne blemishes unless you scrub too hard. It sort of reminds me of that Dermalogica Powder exfoliant, which I have added to this on occasion to give it some extra oomph. I absolutely adore this cleanser, and while it took me a while to figure out how much to use, you really only need the tiniest bit, I will be repurchasing this when it runs out. I keep forgetting how much I love Kiehls products until I repurchase one.

How I Use It: This is either the first or second step in my routine. I use it every morning first thing, followed by another cleanser and the rest of my routine, and if I’m not wearing makeup I use it first at night, followed by the same morning routine, but if I’ve worn makeup that day then I take my makeup off first then follow with my morning routine. I apply it to slightly damp skin, and then take it off with a Hot cloth.

I’m gonna have to give this toner the same love that I’m giving the cleanser in this line. If you have oily skin even if you use nothing else, use this before your moisturizer. I’ve used it with another toner before, I’ve used it on it’s own. With the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, with Origins products, with a heavy moisturizer, and with a light oil free one. In a box, with some socks, this toner is better than green eggs and ham. Instead of feeling oily all day, my skin feels like it properly absorbs my moisturizer and is clean and fresh. It’s probably my favorite toner I’ve ever used.

How I Use It: I mentioned above this varies. Sometimes I use it with another toner or other products, but it’s always the last toner I use if I’m using other toners with it. I shake the bottle really well, poor a bit in my hand and pat all over my face. A little goes a long way, and I find I use less of this product applying it this way, rather than with a cotton pad.

All in all I highly recommend both of these products if you have oily skin.

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Nordstrom Beauty Spot Haul

As I mentioned in my post on Sunday, I went up to Kenwood to meet Sarahbelle93, and while I was there I did a bit of shopping. Howl decided he wanted to help show you guys what I bought.

I’m running out of my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, and I don’t know if my skin has changed or if their formula has changed, but it didn’t work for my skin this time around. So I picked up the Kiehl’s Rare Earth Cleanser. I bought this cleanser because it seems that my skin has been absolutely out of control oily lately. I’ve only used it for 2 days now but it seems to be helping.

Then because I actually am completely out of my Liz Earle Toner I also picked up the Rare Earth Toner, which I kinda really love because it separates and has powder or something in the bottom, and then you shake it up to use it.

I also ran out of my Fresh mask and wanted to pick up the Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Mask but they were out of stock so I ended up with a bunch of samples. Only one of those is Kiehls, the others are Kate Sommerville, Clarins and Dr. Dennis Gross.

Then after I checked out I noticed that they had some new Emi-Jay hairties so I grabbed a couple packs for myself, and I grabbed the same ones to give to Sarahbelle. These seriously are my all time favorite hairties, and even though I keep loosing them, and they’re kinda expensive I will always repurchase these. I can pretty much guarantee that I will include a pack of these in my future 100 followers giveaway (hey, I can dream right?)

I know I said I was going to stick with Liz Earle, but I really do think they reformulated or something because my face actually seemed to get a bit worse. I had some left from the last time I bought it, and my skin started to clear up. When I started the new bottle I didn’t change anything or add in any new skincare that I hadn’t been using before and my face started getting worse. I’m actually really heartbroken about it, because I had such good results the first time around and I honestly thought it was going to be my holy grail. But I guess it’s back to the drawing board. Everytime I say ” OMG I love this forever” it either gets reformulated or my skin begins to hate it.

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Ren Skincare or Good Practices

Companies are being held more accountable for the products they put out. If a movie sucks everyone knows about it before the credits of the first showing are rolling. If a restaurant has bad food or service, if a clothing brand has bad quality clothing, they’re held accountable by their consumers for it now. Thanks to the internet and Twitter and Facebook and blogs, companies are being forced to do better.

Which brings me to a company that actually is doing better. I tweeted a few weeks ago that I was mad my Sephora never had samples of the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, because since I have sensitive skin I wanted to try it before I bought it. Last week Ren’s Twitter contacted me and said if I emailed them my address they’d be more than happy to send me a sample. I can’t tell you how happy that made me. I’ve seen them mention sending people samples before, for those that legitimately ask about a product. But still I was surprised when not only did they reply to me a week later, they replied with an apology for taking so long, and an offer to send me a sample.

I mean really that’s just good business right there. So many companies would have ignored my complaint or if they replied they would have told me to go ahead and buy it because they’re sure I’d love it. But instead Ren took the time to send my a sample at their cost, with no guarantee that I would either purchase it full size, or that I would review it on my blog. I doubt they even knew I had I blog. Plus they gave it cute packaging.

And the best bit? I will be buying the mask because I absolutely adore it. I used it the night I got it, and it was lovely. It looked and felt a bit like marmalade out of the packaging, but it smoothed on the skin very nicely. It felt lovely for the 10 minutes I had it on my skin, and only tingled a little bit in a pleasant way. It washed off easy and it left my skin glowing, and feeling amazing. Since I’ve only used it once and that was last night I can’t tell how it’s going to affect my acne, but so far so good. Bonus, it smelled amazing, like pumpkin butter, which being completely in love with fall, I am also in love with all things pumpkin.

With one simple sample, Ren has earned themselves a loyal customer. I’ve already ordered their Hudra Calm Gentle Cleansing Milk to use after my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, because I double cleanse and I finally completely ran out of my Caudalie Gentle Cleanser.

To me this showed that Ren knows they have a quality product and their willing to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak. I couldn’t be more happy with this company and my sample. I can’t wait to add this mask to my skincare routine.

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Ins and Outs or Why Won’t My Puppy Sleep?

I just read one of Elle Fowler’s Ins and Outs posts, which she’s done on and off for the several years I’ve followed her in her various internet incarnations. So I was inspired to do one of my own.

In

Gap Tee Shirts, they really do have the perfect fit for me,as you’ll see very soon.
Reading, I haven’t been reading much lately, but I just finished the book Easy by Tamara Webber and I want to read more and I might start doing book reviews here, inspired of course by my next in…
Booktubers, specifically Chaperstackss. She has the most similar reading taste to me of the booktubers I’ve watched, and I always adore any of the books she recommends.
Bare Nails, I know my nail challenge isn’t going well, because I keep buying polishes. But I’m really loving nothing on my nails right now. They’re finally not peeling anymore.
Fresh’s Umbrian Clay Mask, gentle enough to use every night, and effective at the same time, review on this very soon, but just a warning it will be a rave.
Howl, he’ll always be in, because I love him with all of my heart and he’s so cute and cuddly, but sometimes his behavior isn’t (see below)
Ren Skincare as a company, you already know why if you follow me on twitter, but there will be an upcoming post explaining why.
My new blog design, I adore it, and it makes me so happy, and feel very loved, because my husband spent 2 very frustrating days designing it for me. It may be among the top 5 gifts he’s ever given me, right up there with my Valentines Red Hunters, my Surprise Asos Anniversary Present, Howl and my engagement ring.
Homemade Tazo Passion fruit Tea, better than Starbucks and only 50 cents a glass, I’ll have a post up about it soon.

Out

Howl not sleeping, he looks so sweet in that image up there, but that was taken the day he came home, right now it’s 2:33 am and he’s running around like a nutcase and growling at everything. He’s so naughty, but so adorable.
My bank Balance, seriously I have so many things I want to buy, but my bank says I’m broke. I keep shouting, THE SHOES, at my balance, but it like Roy and Moss, just don’t get it.
Not sleeping, I know I just covered this, but really not sleeping sucks.
This Heat, it’s insufferable, I can’t take anymore of it. I am a fall girl, or early to mid spring, but not summer at all.
Folding Laundry, I’ve always hated it, but now that it’s hot I hate it even more.
Acne, I just want it to go away, if I found a genie I would wish for acne and scar free skin, with enough freckles for them to be noticeable and pretty, but not so many that I’m covered or look like one giant freckle with no hidden cost, and at the harm of no one else. Don’t you read? Genies always trick you, and make you end up regretting your wish, and then you spend several chapters trying to get back what you had. Blah Blah Blah appreciate what you have and all that good stuff.

I guess I’m lucky this week? month? Not yet sure how frequent these will be. But I’m lucky because right now I have more things that I’m happy with than those that I’m unhappy with, and that’s a wonderful thing to realize. I just went from being grumpy to really happy. Now I’m off to bed and I’ll be posting this first thing in the morning, or afternoon, I’m actually really awful about that, yesterdays post didn’t go up til nearly 6pm, whoops.

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