Garnier Skin Renew Overnight Peel- Review

I have always tried to take good care of my skin. This inlcudes regular facials, proper hydration and constantly searching for the right skin care that works for me. I am horrible about two things. 1- I hardly ever take my make-up off at night and 2- I rarely do weekly masks and peels. Usually by the time bed time rolls around it is amazing if I am able to go up the stairs and get into bed! About four weeks ago I started using the Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Overnight Peel ( keyword here is "overnight!") I was skeptical at first because I don't really have any dark spots, but it promised a few things that intrigued me.

Overnight: See smoother, hydrated skin
In 1 week: See brighter skin
In 4 weeks: Spots and imperfections are significantly reduced

I really needed help with skin hydration and wrinkle reducers- especially along my forehead and between my eyes. So with the added benefit of Glycolic Vitamin C Complex and a built-in buffer that helps skin maintain a healthy pH level I figured I had nothing to lose.  This product is a simple serum that you apply to CLEAN skin before bed and then rinse off in the morning- That's it! It absorbs remarkably fast and doesn't leave the skin feeling sticky.

I realize the lighting is different, but after 4 weeks of use you can see a difference in my skin tone especially around my eyes and forehead.  So while I can't speak to the direct benefits of the "dark spot removal" I can speak to the hydration, skin buffer, and brightening properties of this overnight peel.  Some facts straight from Garnier's website- the Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Overnight Peel is noncomedogenic, won't clog pores and is safe for all skin types/ethnicities.  This product is available at most mass retailers for $16.99- and that's a true steal in terms of skin care.  If you want to try this easy peel for yourself there is a coupon here (Garnier's facebook page.) Let me know if you try it. If your not doing anything for your skin before bed- this would be a great start!

//disclaimer- I received this product from BzzAgent, but the honest opinions are my own. 

  

Sick and tired of being sick and tired

Goodness.  I feel like the last week + has been filled with nothing but medications and taking it easy.  I am honestly, "Sick and tired of being sick and tired." It seems like it was all I could do to work, pick up Eleanor, get dinner together, get her to bed and then get myself in bed right after.  Pollen is bad, asthma is bad, antibiotics have caused side effects- it has been one long bad day.  On Saturday (with my doctors permission) I stopped taking my antibiotic that was causing me more side effects then actual good and it got me thinking, "What daily things could I be doing to take better care of myself to prevent this long course of bronchitis, sinus infections, and stomach aches?" I looked through a couple of my natural health books, researched a few things on the web and had a brief conversation with my doctor and came up with this list.

1. Drink more water.  (You should take your body weight divide it in half and drink that in ounces.)

2. ProBiotics are your friend.  A few months ago I started researching the Paleo diet and decided to eliminate dairy.  I have always been a huge fan of yogurt especially Greek yogurt and made sure to eat at least one container of yogurt a day.  Stopping that practice cold turkey had the opposite of a health benefit to me- it has made my stomach a mess.  So while I am still going to reduce my dairy, I am welcoming my old friend Greek yogurt back.  You need a ProBiotic to help regulate your digestion and replenish the beneficial bacteria.

3. Gargle with salt water.  Horrible topic to discuss on the blog I know, but this is the only thing that relived my sore throat. If you gargle daily when you are first feeling symptoms it can reduce and/or stop them before they start.  (One cup of warm water + 1tsp of salt and gargle until the cup is empty.)

4. Sinus rinse best cure for sinus congestion.  Again horrible topic to discuss, but get a neti-pot or sinus rinse.  The doctor suggested this as a tool to keep you free from the bacteria that can cause a sinus infection.  I will be sure to use this a few times a week to keep things clear and purchased NeilMed on my doctors recommendation.

5. Mint tea before bed (lemon honey optional.) Drinking any caffeine free hot tea helps wind you down and prepare you for bed. I prefer mint tea because it helps to aid in stomach digestion. A little extra help for the stomach while I am sleeping isn't a bad thing.

6. Sleep. Did you know that you can not catch up on sleep?  Ugh.  That is what I thought I was doing by sleeping in on the weekends!  Adults should get between 6-8 hours of sleep a night. I know that I can function on about 6 a night, but I would love to start getting around 7 a night.  I think this is key to staying healthy.  

Ok, that's it these are my first thoughts on how I can get healthy and kick this crap out of my system.  What are your natural get healthy tips? Any that I missed?

//Disclaimer- I am not a health professional these are just things that worked for me and I wanted to share.

A little me time: Review

If you have any children under the age of 18 then you probably can relate to the bare minimum of me time you actually get.  I love Eleanor, but I love 8PM as well because I get to eat dinner, talk to John, watch an episode of something on Hulu and have roughly an hour or so to just be me.  Usually I blog, draw, or watch YouTube videos.  After the craziness that is my 10 hour + workday I usually do all of this with a cup of something warm, yes even in the summer.  I am a sucker for both the drink and the experience.  Luckily I have a Keurig that is capable of brewing all sorts of delicious things in just moments (read: that's all the time I have anyway) and lately I have been enjoying Cafe Escapes Chai and Cafe Caramel before bed.

How to & review: Palmolive Fresh Infusions

Sorry for the delay in post.  My house has been a non-stop sick zone.  Oh my goodness I feel like the coughing, colds, flu, sore throats, and pink eye (read: not pink eye) will never leave.  Here is to hoping that we are all on the mend.  I never knew that my luscious little baby bug would be such a hot bed of virus. Anyhoo....

In the last year there are a few things that I feel I have a good handle on when it comes to raising an infant and I wanted to share them in case any of you are struggling with some of these issues.  Now, there are plenty of things that I didn't have a handle on (and still don't) but I think that is where we can learn from other Mom's out there.  Early on I realized that I would be tied to my sink washing and sanitizing everything. Even though I was breastfeeding I still had to wash and sanitize pump parts, bottles, pacifiers, and now we have to wash and sanitize her bottles and nipples that she uses at school.  Its a nightly ritual that has become a habit.  I created a little system that streamlines this process and actual makes it an enjoyable part of the night.  You only need four things:

The long and short of it

As my stylist says, " Happy New Hairs!" Usually this time of year I crave a fresh start for my hair.  I've had fun with the length and color over the holidays, but come the depth of winter I am ready to shake it up. This year however, is different than most years because my hair is not "my hair." I don't know what happened after I had Elly, but I have lost so much hair and my texture has changed.  It seems that nothing I do will restore the shine and volume.  Let's not even talk about the new hair growth all around my temple. It sticks out like crazy!

\\exhibit A- horrible hair

So with all that said- I am going shorter.  I am thinking chin length bob, lots of layers and I am toying with some side swept bangs.  If perms weren't so 1988- I would get that too!  Momma needs volume and texture (and a less awkward smile-wth?!?) Here are some of the inspiration photos I have found via Pinterest.

Source: summerglauwiki.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: kittyradio.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: teemix.aufeminin.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: paisleepress.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: thewifeofanartist.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Thoughts? Would you consider shorter bangs? Perm?

Boost your day

Ok, ok- I didn't want this to turn into a total Momma blog, but MAN this.is.my.life now! I am finding lots of new products and tools to make my life easier with the little bug while working full-time and still being me! Its a balancing act for sure and I have been lucky to be introduced to some fantastic products along the way.  So naturally I feel like sharing what I find with others- isn't that what a blog is about?!

my obsession

I'm not embarrassed to say that I rely on caffeine to get me through the early mornings, but by mid day (read: 3PM) I am crashing hard.  Several months ago I got to try EBOOST in my monthly Birchbox and I was obsessed. It’s a mood boost, focus boost, immunity boost, natural boost, a no-crash boost. It's the BOOST! Best part is that it's natural- no caffeine.  This is great if you are BF Momma and have already consumed your daily caffeine limit (read: horror.)

EBOOST has real ingredients, like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Green Tea, Vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid plus its sweetened with Stevia.  I keep some in my desk at work to give me some pep and I am not afraid of the headache that comes after I consume other energy drinks. I was glad to see it in my Naturals VoxBox, but bummed because now everyone will know the secret. It is easy to mix with water and the little foil packets last for awhile. I found it at Whole Foods here in Charleston. Give it a try and let me know what you think- I can only vouch for the orange flavor- it's my favorite.

I have a few invitations to give away for the influenster program so if you are interested please leave me a comment and I will send one along.


//disclaimer- I received this product complimentary through Influenster, but the opinions are my own.

A cure for cradle cap: SheaMoisture Baby Bar Soap

When I took Eleanor for her 6th month check-up, her doctor mentioned that we should try to clear up what was left of her cradle cap.  Her hair is really starting to come in and once the hair is there it is harder to get rid of.  She mentioned using a dandruff shampoo, but I was kinda hesitant.  So far everything that goes in or on Elly I try to be natural/organic about.  It's just my personal preference for her.  I started looking around for some natural solutions and spent a good bit of time in the bath aisle at Whole Foods.  Nothing was standing out to me as a solution for the cradle cap.  Ironically (read: doesn't it ALWAYS happen this way) I got my Natural Vox Box from Influenster and was given a bar of this Shea Moisture- Organic Baby Ecxema Bar Soap.

I've been give a lot of samples recently and I don't share them unless I am 100% sold.  So believe me, this soap is AMAZING! After the first use the cradle cap patch was almost gone and the eczema on her wrist cleared up.  It makes her feel so silky smooth she doesn't even need baby lotion!  The fragrance is light, but fresh- and when I borrowed it for my shower it left my skin baby soft too.  If you have any dry skin issues especially with the change of seasons- I can't recommend this enough.  This soap will always be a staple in Elly's bath time routine. 

// I had to share this! I love a just out of the bath baby!

//disclaimer- I received this product complimentary through Influenster, but the opinions are my own.

product love: the original dish drying mat

Any new Momma's know this problem- precious counter space filled with drying racks and dish towels of bottles, pump parts, pacifiers, baby bowls and spoons.  It is enough to drive you crazy.  I think the first several months of Elly's life I went through a ton of paper towels setting things out to dry.  I saw this mat at Bed, Bath & Beyond a few times and thought it was a great idea.  A fluffy absorbant mat that can be thrown in the washer/dryer repeatedly,  I'm sold!  It has provided an easy place to rest bottles and baby things to be dried.  I also just recently read a review where it was used to dry make-up brushes that had been recently cleaned. Bonus! The "Original" dish drying mat can be found at BB&B for only 4.99.  Have you used this mat?  Trust me- it's better than a dish towel!

//disclaimer- I received this product complimentary through Influenster, but the opinions are my own.
//photo via Influenster
//photo template by vol25-digitaleyecandy.com

New Momma make-up routine

I'm about 12 weeks into being a new Momma and I feel like I am starting to get a handle on time management and new routines (read: all this will change next week when I go back to work.) Immediately after having Eleanor all I wanted to do was get into the shower and get some make-up on! I haven't really spent a day of my teen/adult life without make-up on.  It is part of my daily routine and not something I was going to sacrifice in becoming a Mom.  That said, I knew I would need to streamline my make-up process while still being able to change up looks as needed. I am equal opportunity when it comes to make-up brands.  Some brands just do it better so instead of being loyal to one brand I buy and use what works best. This is my daily make-up routine.

1. willa face wipes | lavender (birchbox.com) - Even though I wash my face in the shower (philosophy purity made simple) I sometimes still need to remove eyeliner/mascara.  These face wipes smell great and are gentle on my face. 

2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles | Brightener - I use this under my eyes to cover up the dark circles from too little sleep.  This is THE BEST under eye concealer I have ever used.  Get brightener.  A little goes along way.

3. ELF Eye Primer - This is a cream based eye primer in a lipstick tube.  I get mine from Target for 3.00!

3. Philosophy the Supernatural - This is a very light tinted primer with SPF 15 that I use as a foundation.  I don't like to wear heavy foundation and I find this gives me a healthy glow, absorbs into my skin after a few minutes and has a smooth finish.

4. Benefit You Rebel - This is called a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15, but I also use this as a foundation replacement.  It is light enough to use in the summer months and gives good coverage.  *I am still in the early stages of testing this product so I am not ready to leave Philosophy yet!

5. Benefit Hoola - I use this all year long.  It is the perfect amount of color on the cheeks! It gives you a sunkissed glow without making you look like you spent the summer at the Jersey Shore ;) * This product last a long-long time.

6.  Benefit Creaseless Cream eyeshadow/liner - This has been the major change to my morning routine.  I usually spend quite a bit of time on my eyes, but I don't currently have that time.  These little pots of color go on bold or subtle and give me color all day.  * I use stiletto and birthday suit.

7. MAC eye pencil | coffee - I can't give up my MAC.  They create the best eyeliner- smooth, long-lasting and BOLD.

8. Maybelline Falsies | Black - Honestly does make you look like you are wearing false lashes. Also, it doesn't give you raccoon eyes at the end of a long day.  Happiness!

9.  tarte lip surgance lip tint | amused  - This was in my March Birchbox and it was perfect timing for this new Mom!  This lip stain smells amazing and doesn't dry my lips.  The bonus is I can apply it and kiss Eleanor without leaving lip prints all over her kissable cheeks. 

Hope this helps any other new Momma's out there! What is your morning make-up routine? Do you have additional suggestions for me?

* edited to add | While reading back over this post, it looks like ALOT of make-up and not streamlined at all (ha!) but, it really only takes me around 5 minutes to apply.