skincare

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Distraction by Shopping

Why yes, I am trying to still the anxious thoughts that are clamoring inside my brain with some good ol’ retail therapy. (I find searching for things I want and putting them into various online shopping carts to scratch my shopping itch nearly as well as shelling out money to buy them.) Join me, will you?

Skincare Storage Solution

For the last billion years, I have stored all my makeup in one of the free pouches my mother got with her Clinique purchases. I don’t wear a whole lot of makeup (mascara, eyebrow mascara, blush, maybe a cream eyeshadow), so it’s never a very crowded makeup bag. But over the past year I seem to have assembled QUITE the collection of what I refer to as my Old Lady Potions. It’s getting a little out of control. I keep some of them stacked together on the counter, and the others are crowded into several makeup bags which means I forget about them.

Currently at THREE makeup bags of assorted Old Lady Potions. Also, I have no idea where to keep My Precious which has kind of an intense cord situation happening.

Carla has been mildly interested in skincare since she started middle school, and her bathroom counter was a disaster, so I got her a little shelving unit for all her face washes and moisturizers and perfumes. (Note: I forgot to measure the available space on her counter, and the shelving unit turned out not to fit in the corner, so it’s sitting awkwardly in the middle. I HATE IT but Carla claims to love it, so I am trying really hard to just go with the flow instead of ordering a second skincare organizer to appease my sense of scale. 

What do YOU do about organizing/storing your makeup and skincare items? I, of course, am currently coveting Carla’s beauty organizer and now want one for myself.

Of course, The All-Knowing Amazon has sensed my desire for a skincare shelving unit of my own, and has served me up with a campaign for this cutie of a shelving unit. Hashtag Ad, I guess?? I am feeling extra averse to amazon these days, especially when the amazon product in question doesn’t seem to be supporting a recognizable small business. So I am wondering: where else do we go to find skincare organizers? 

West Elm has this option, although I think it would take up too much room on my counter. I like this one better, actually, although again it’s much too big for the available space; plus, it’s $140. Pottery Barn Teen has a smaller beauty storage option, but it’s not cute. And of course it’s $69 compared to amazon’s $36. But paying more is part of the sacrifice, right? Or, perhaps I should consider not engaging in overconsumption at all. Or – maybe I need to go in the complete opposite direction and buy myself a vanity table! There’s even a cute little tuck-away-able wall-mount beauty station! 

Cat Core Décor

The All-Knowing Amazon has also tuned into my current intense interest in cat products and has invited me to advertise “the purrfect scratching solution for your feline friend” – this cat scratch lounger. 

By the way, we do not have a cat at this time, and – even though I know (based on a little light Facebook stalking) that our local cattery’s latest batch of kittens has arrived in the world – have no timeframe for getting a cat, I have been doing a lot of cat research. My top concern at this moment is the inevitable destruction of our furniture. All the cat care books say that all you have to do to prevent scratching is spray a little Feliway on your furniture and set up a scratching post right next to your couch and voila! No scratching. (All the actual cat owners I’ve talked to say that the cats will scratch the furniture no matter what I do. Womp womp.) (Stephany? Jenny? Is your furniture ripped to shreds?)

This is going to sound so dumb but I am feeling a little reluctant to have a bunch of cat accoutrements strewn about my house. (Maybe I am not cut out for a cat?) (Maybe this is the equivalent of a pre-parent saying, “I will never let my house be overrun by toys” before they have an Actual ChildTM and understand that toys in all corners of every room are just a part of life?) Anyway, I have been googling things like “mid century modern cat towers” and “scratching posts that look like furniture.” AND I HAVE FOUND THINGS. It delights me that there is indeed a market for luxury pet products.

This three-panel scratching board slash art piece is kind of cool. Although my guess is that it would need to be mounted closer to the floor than an actual art installation. Also: pricey. I am kind of in love with this side tablethat doubles as a scratching post and triples as a cat hideout. But: very pricey. I am *head over heels* for this art piece slash cat perch. Of course: excessively pricey.

I’m a fan of these decorative cat shelves; they could possibly look like art. This wall-mounted cat scratching post isn’t too offensive to my anti-cat furniture sensibilities. I don’t mind this cat tower; it would coordinate with some of our existing furniture. This little cat nest is pretty cute. Oooh – I like this one even better. We just got a new bookshelf that has a lot in common, style wise, with this cat condo; maybe together they would look like Intentional Décor Choice instead of like We Cede Control to the Cat. Okay, okay, how can I resist a CAT ROCKING CHAIR? This cat tree has LEAVES. Here is a litter box station that looks like genuinely nice furniture! 

Please be advised that it is unlikely that I am going to buy any of these. For one thing: spendy. For another: the cat is going to ignore anything I buy for it, isn’t he. But they are fun to consider. I may persuade myself to get this little window perch, though.

This is my parents’ cat (RIP) and he had a litter box in the basement and NOTHING ELSE. Why yes, all their furniture was clawed to pieces why do you ask.

Jean Journey

I have finally crossed over from aggressively avoiding the latest denim trends to reluctantly jumping on the bandwagon. It took me forever to get on the skinny jean train, but I am tired of feeling totally out of style. Plus, baggy jeans are comfy! (Are you still doing skinny jeans? Do you hate the barrel leg jean style as much as I do?)

As with any type of jeans, it is next to impossible to find a pair that fit and feel good and look relatively okay. I should know; I have tried on a million options lately. A few worked: I got a pair of bootcut jeans from Loft that I like quite a bit. I bought a pair of straight leg jeans from Madewell; in fact, I went into an actual store that sells Madewell denim to try them on, and I’m glad I did. I originally thought I wanted wide-leg jeans, but they were MUCH too wide for my shape. These straight jeans are so soft and comfy. Maybe not the most flattering fit I’ve ever worn, but I like them. Oooh – I want to try the 90s fit jeans as well, and they are on a MAJOR sale right now! I also got a pair of these jeans from Stitch Fix (here’s my referral link if you want to get a $25 credit to try it out! I have been getting Fixes for more than a decade now and I still find it fun and I have gotten a ton of cute clothes this way.) and I’ve worn them several times and really like them.

In no universe do I need more jeans.

So I have a few pairs of “in style” jeans, but of course I want more. (See above RE: overconsumption omg.)

I’ve heard good things about Quince, though I’ve never purchased anything from them before. These relaxed straight jeans look very cute and the price is perfect. (Don’t fall for their $30 off sign-up bonus, though; it’s $30 off of $250 and you have to sign up for email AND text messages.)

I read an article in the NYT recently about the best women’s jeans, and these Levi’s jeans got top billing. The ribcage high waist is a little intimidating, though. I love a high waist but ribcage high might be going too far. 

My current body doesn’t mesh well with wide-leg denim, but I do like a bootcut pant. (Well. Only when paired with a heeled shoe. Otherwise I feel too stubby.) Maybe I need a pair of these Kut from the Kloth jeans? I am also intrigued by these very spendy ankle jeans. (FYI – according to this article about whether it’s worth the extra $$$ to buy pricey jeans, you really want to pay attention to the cotton content. My key takeaway is that more cotton equals better denim.)

If you have jeans recs, I am all ears. 

Okay. I suppose I better stop shopping and do something productive. But in case I decide against doing something productive, what are you shopping for these days?

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My Personal Care Regimen and Associated Costs

My personal care regimen is something I’ve been thinking about ever since Engie posted about the Beauty Tax a couple weeks ago. (Basic premise: women spend more on their appearance than men do; based on a survey, the average American women spends $877 on her appearance.) While the concept itself was fascinating to me, what I really loved was that Engie gave us a detailed inventory of the items she uses on her own hair, skin, and body upkeep. While I am a little afraid to know how many thousands of dollars I spend each year on my appearance, I still find the whole topic quite interesting.

Blatantly copying Engie, here’s my personal care routine and what I spend money on, in terms of haircare, skincare, cosmetics, and fitness.

SKINCARE:

Because I have rosacea, I have had to change my skincare regimen quite a bit over the past couple of years.

  • Cleanser: I wash my face at least twice a day, and often three times a day: morning, after my workout, and before bed. I use a prescription sulfur-based cleanser which costs me $35.64 per bottle. On the occasions when I wash my face a third time, I use Cetaphil. My husband and I used to share the Cetaphil, but he doesn’t like it, so he’s now buying his own manly face wash. I estimate that I go through about five bottles of Cetaphil a year. The last time I bought it was on November 29, and it cost $8.79 at Target. It’s too early to tell about the sulfur based face wash, but I’m guessing a bottle lasts about two months.
  • Moisturizer: I buy Cerave and Cetaphil products on the recommendation of my dermatologist. I use a Cerave moisturizer at night and a Cetaphil moisturizer with sunscreen during the day. The Cerave costs me $16.99 at Target and the Cetaphil costs me $15.49. I don’t love either, but they are very light. On a previous post when I was whining about my skin, someone recommended Clinique Moisture Surge, which I used to use religiously, so I may consider going back to that. My memory is that it left my skin feeling like I was nourishing it, rather than like I was applying expensive air to it. I haven’t been using these products long enough to know how frequently I go through them, but I think I’m on my third bottle of each.
  • Cleansing Wipes: Occasionally, I will remove my makeup with a Neutrogena wipe. Nothing removes mascara like these bad boys. I get a big box of these wipes from Costco, for around $26.00. They last me a long time; I probably buy one or two boxes a year.
  • Lips: My lips get very dry, especially in winter, so I apply Vaseline frequently throughout the day and every night before bed. The last time I purchased Vaseline was November 29, and it cost me $5.49 for a twin pack of .5 oz tubs; one tub lasts me quite a while. I bought a twin pack on May 23 (for $3.69!!! What is with the huge price increase?!) and gave one tub to my daughter. The first tub lasted me until yesterday.
  • Body Lotion: I wear body lotion daily, and apply it to my entire epidermis after my shower. I use Eucerin. My favorite Eucerin (Daily Hydration) has been out of stock at Target lately, so I had to buy the Roughness Relief last time ($12.99) and I hate it. It makes my skin feel sticky. Yuck. Next time, I will buy a three pack from Amazon for $35.97.  
  • Sunscreen: In the winter months, I use the Cetaphil with sunscreen and call it a day. In the summer, I use Neutrogena SheerZinc Dry Touch sunscreen, which is about $25 a bottle. I can usually get a bottle to last the whole summer.

Estimated Total Skincare Costs for 2023: $560.72

MAKEUP:

I don’t wear a lot of makeup. Most days I wear something, but only put on a lot of makeup for special occasions.

I love this mascara.

Near-Daily Makeup Routine

  • Mascara: I love me some mascara, and usually if I’m out of the house I’m wearing mascara. In May and then again in July, I bought a tube of Maybelline Falsies Lash Lift Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara for $9.99. (I have bought two other mascaras since then, but I bought them in-store and for some reason I don’t have a record of the purchase in my Target app.)
  • Eyebrow Filler: My natural hair color is light brown, but I color my hair dark brown. To me, my eyebrows look pale and ridiculous against my hair, so I darken them. I have my hair stylist dye my brows every time I get my hair colored (three or four times a year), but the brow color fades really quickly. So I use an eyebrow mascara for the rest of the year. My current eyebrow mascara is Revlon ColorStay Brow Fiber Filler Eyebrow Gel in Dark Brown. It cost me $10.99 the last time I bought it, which was in mid July of this year.
I don’t wear any sort of foundation. I’ve tried it before, and wore it to proms in high school and to my wedding, but that was enough.

Special Occasion Makeup Routine

  • Highlighter: I love my Tula rose glow cooling and brightening eye balm. It feels so good on my skin and I think it really helps deflect from my under eye bags. I got the stick I have in a FabFitFun box in early 2021, and I am still using it. Is this the best in terms of health hygiene? No. Do I care? Not particularly. I am getting near the end though, and will definitely buy it again. It costs about $38.00.
  • Eyeliner: I have been using Almay ink liquid eyeliner for years and years. Even though my Target app is pretending like I have never once purchased it, I certainly have. It costs around $7.49 a tube, but one tube lasts me a long while.
  • Blush: I use a Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Color Balm to add a little color to my cheeks. Again, cover your eyes if you believe that skincare products have an expiration date, but I have had this so long I cannot remember when I got it. Also, I am 99% sure that I got it from my mother, who may or may not have gotten it as a free gift with purchase.
  • Eye Shadow: I am not good at applying any sort of “fancy” makeup, but once in a while I like a little shimmer on my eyelids. This Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Soft Bronze is my favorite. I bought it last spring for around $33 and it’s still going strong.
  • Lip Gloss: I feel like a huge weirdo when I apply any sort of lip color, but sometimes it’s still nice. This Haus Laboratories lip gloss is my current go-to. I think it was around $25 when I bought it last spring and I don’t see it running out anytime soon.

Estimated Total Makeup Costs for 2023: $135.95

Except for the bar soap, everything on the left side is mine. Except for the Cetaphil, everything on the right side is my husband’s. I hate our shower so very much. See that tiny shelf up on the right? There’s an identical shelf on the opposite side of the shower and that’s it for storage. Also, there’s no place for me to rest my feet when I shave my legs, so I have to balance on one foot while shaving (or have water in my face the entire time).

HAIRCARE:

I have longish, thickish hair that greys easily. My biggest beauty expense every year is my hair, because I get it professionally cut and colored. (I tried coloring it myself during the height of the pandemic, but I hated it so much. It was awkward and I felt like my hair always came out with weird streaks because I didn’t apply the color correctly. I am HAPPY to pay a professional.)

  • Cut and Color: I get my hair cut and colored three to four times a year. With tip, this costs approximately $160.
  • Shampoo and Conditioner: I complained a few times to my hair stylist that the dye wasn’t taking to my hair very well, and she suggested that my cheap drugstore shampoo and conditioner were to blame. I bought a ridiculously expensive bottle of fancy shampoo from the salon and used that for awhile, but I just couldn’t stomach spending that amount on shampoo again. So I bought a twin pack of TRESemme Keratin Smooth Color Shampoo and Conditioner and have been using that for awhile. (Neither Target nor Amazon have a record that I made this purchase, but I think it was from Amazon sometime this past summer.) If I were to replace both bottles today, it would cost $20.99 on Amazon. I only wash my hair once or twice a week, so shampoo and conditioner last me a looooonnnnng time.
  • Styling Cream: After I wash my hair, I comb some Aveda Smooth Infusion through it. My hair is naturally wavy, but I straighten it 90% of the time, and this styling cream seems to help keep my hair smooth and frizz-free.  I don’t see my specific bottle available on my salon website, but I could by something similar (though only 5 oz instead of 8.5) for $37.
  • Hair Ties: Does this count? I am counting it; it’s an expense my husband doesn’t have, and one I repeat. I put my hair into a ponytail every time I shower, every time I exercise, every time I drive my kid to school without doing my hair. I prefer the Goody Ouchless Elastics. The last time I bought a package (of 37 hair ties) it cost me $4.99.

Estimated Total Haircare Costs for 2023: $744.96

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Fun Hand Soap: My husband uses the Up and Up brand of clear liquid hand soap, 99 cents per 7.5 oz bottle, $4.79 per 50-oz refill.) But I love having fun, nice-smelling hand soap in the bathroom. I love the Method French Lavender Gel Hand Soap and the UltaBeauty Foaming Hand Wash…but they are $3.99 and $7.00 respectively, so I only buy them when they go on sale. (Occasionally, Ulta will have a sale where each bottle is $2.50 or $3, which is reasonable unless I compare it to my husband’s 99 cent soap.) I have probably purchased three bottles of fancy soap this year.
  • Body Wash: I don’t like bar soap, so I use body wash to clean my body. I am not super picky about what I use – it just can’t be exfoliating because that clogs my pores. I usually go for whatever combination of decent-smelling and cheap that I can find. I’ve used Suave Essentials body wash, which is $3.19 per 18-oz bottle and am currently working my way through a bottle of St. Ives Eucalyptus/Tea Tree body wash, which was $3.99 for 22 ounces. I quite like this scent so I will stick with it as long as I can find it at Target. I probably buy a new bottle of body wash every six to eight weeks.
  • Razor: I shave my legs every single time I shower; I cannot stand the feel of stubbly legs, particularly when they are wet and stubbly. I shave my underarms every other time I shower and my bikini line whenever it needs to be tended. When I need new razors, I buy them from Costco at about $36.99 a pop. If they are on sale, all the better. I am terrible about changing the heads of my razors, so they last me a very long time. I did have to buy new ones this year, though.
  • Foot Lotion: I owe so many wonderful things in my life to Nicole, and the O’Keefe’s Healthy Feet Cream Exfoliating is one of them. This stuff is amazing. I use it once or twice a week. It costs about $8.96 for a 3-oz tube and I estimate I go through about three tubes a year. Once I accidentally bought the non-exfoliating foot cream and IT IS NOT THE SAME.
  • Hand Lotion: O’Keefe’s Working Hands Hand Cream, at $7.97 for 3 ounces, is my favorite hand cream of all time. It’s not greasy, it’s very nice and think, it’s soothing, and it helps keep my hands from cracking and bleeding all winter long. I have a tube of this in my nightstand drawer, a tube in my car, and a giant tube in the kitchen. It is magic. I go through probably eight tubes a year.
  • Nail Polish: I hardly ever get my finger- and toenails professionally painted, because it lasts such a short time. But I do like to paint my toes in the summer and occasionally I will paint my fingernails as well. Because I am very impatient, I prefer the quick-drying polishes – Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color ($5.98 on Amazon), and Essie Expressie  (around $8 or $9, depending on color). I probably buy between one and three bottles of nail polish a year.
  • Deodorant: I use deodorant every day and probably go through three sticks a year? I prefer Secret. I haven’t bought any deodorant at all this year because I bought a six pack last year… from Costco, maybe?

Estimated Total Miscellaneous Expenses for 2023: $189.90

PERFUME

I love wearing perfume. Especially now that I smell faintly of sulfur due to my medicated face wash, I wear perfume pretty frequently.

And if you think I keep my makeup for a long time, you have no idea. My bottles of Lucky and Dream perfume are from high school. That was in the 1990s, people. They still smell good! The Allure, I got in college, and my bottles of Truth and Blue are from the early aughts. My newest perfume is the Tiffany Sheer, which I love. I got it for Christmas in 2019 and it’s nearly gone, so I’m on the hunt for a new scent.

One of the women I volunteer with smells amazing and I would LOVE to know what perfume she wears (so I can buy it for myself). But I don’t know her that well. Would it be super weird to ask her the name of her perfume?

Total Perfume Expenses for 2023: $0

This weight looks so weird in my hand. I promise it’s symmetical.

FITNESS

While I do strength training approximately three to four times a week, I follow free videos on YouTube. (My favorite workouts are from Lindsey Bomgren of Nourish Move Love and Tracy Steen of Move Daily Fitness.) Sometimes I think about paying for a membership for Nourish Move Love, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. In years past, I really enjoyed barre classes, but I haven’t felt moved to go back.

This year, my fitness purchases have included hand weights ($34.99 for a pair of 20s, and $25.99 for a pair of 15s) and a yoga mat ($21.98). (Also, I got a giant yoga mat for Christmas! Woo!) In previous years, I’ve spent money on grippy socks, fingerless yoga gloves, and headbands.

Estimated Total Fitness Costs for 2023: $82.96

Estimated Total Overall Beauty Products for 2023: $1714.49

(Looked at another way, this is $142.87 per month. I don’t know which way makes me feel worse.)

Okay, this total is honestly a bit lower than I anticipated. HOWEVER, it doesn’t include my dermatology appointments, although it probably should. It doesn’t include things I do for my overall health, like doctor’s appointments or acupuncture or mental health care, which seems pretty closely related (especially if I loop all these things into one “personal care” category). It doesn’t include any dental expenses or eyecare expenses (I wear contacts), although maybe it should. It doesn’t include any sort of clothing, even though pretty much all clothing falls under the umbrella of “beauty.” Even if I stick to more rigid categories, I buy leggings and shirts and sports bras and shoes JUST for the purposes of Fitness but I didn’t count any of that. Plus, I’m sure there are a few one-off things that I have forgotten about or missed, so the total is probably closer to $2,000 in overall “beauty” expenses. And that’s still probably a conservative estimate.

That total probably fluctuates year over year, too – I mean, I won’t be buying the same hand weights again next year, and hopefully I’m all set for yoga mats. I am betting I can make the razors last for at least a year. But maybe my hair dryer will short out and I’ll need to replace it, or I’ll decide to get all new hairbrushes next year or something.

All that said, I really don’t think I’m a particularly big spender when it comes to personal care stuff. Maybe with the exception of my cut and color (which I am not giving up, no way, no how), it feels pretty reasonable. And I think YOUR expenses are reasonable too. We have bodies, and we need to do things to take care of those bodies, to preserve them for the future, to make them feel good.

What is your most expensive body care category? What perfume do you wear? Do you prefer bar soap or body wash? What’s the last beauty splurge you made and would you do it again?

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Wednesday Randomosity: Squeaking in at the Last Hour Again

Okay, maybe it isn’t the last hour, but it’s pretty late. 

Once again, all I have for you is a collection of small random things I’m thinking about. But first: I am typing this from the armchair (Stephany: Pottery Barn Kids, purchased in 2013) in the corner of my room while my husband entertains his parents. An owl is hooting halfheartedly outside, or perhaps it is a mourning dove; they have similarly soft voices. 

From my vantage point, I can admire the new lamps for our nightstands, which arrived today! My husband set them up and they are lovely! I am still not 100% in love with the shape of them, I think, but I like the color (blue on ivory) and I really like the soft arcs of light they throw off. The dimmest setting is not as dim as I’d hoped (I wake up at the slightest provocation, so wanted dimmable lamps so my husband could see without jolting me out of sleep every night), but they will do, probably. 

I haven’t had a lamp on my nightstand since we moved in, so I’m very pleased about the presence of LIGHT! and I feel like I will warm up to the shape of the lamps.

Furnace: My furnace emailed me today. First of all, I didn’t know it could do that. Secondly, it is the kind of furnace that apparently only deigns to talk to you if there’s a problem. No, “Hey, how’s it going?” No checking in on how *I* am doing, just reporting issues like we don’t live in the same house together. 

THIS CAN’T BE GOOD.

It wanted to let me know that “your system briefly stopped heating your home several times.” What? Why? ARGH. I don’t know what’s going on with my furnace, but the whole thing is worrisome. We had our HVAC people out a couple months ago to do a check up, and they reported that the system is working fine. But it’s aging, as are we all, and the HVAC technician strongly suggested I register for the extended warranty on the furnace. But when I called, they said I only had 90 days from the day we bought our house to purchase the warranty, and they needed a copy of my title and the title transfer paperwork to get the process going. The title and paperwork we did not yet have. So I called the title company and asked where was our title, and they said it had been mailed, coincidentally, earlier that same week, and we waited for it, and it never showed up, and I badgered and it didn’t arrive and then the 90 day furnace warranty extension period evaporated. So. We don’t have the extended warranty on our furnace. (We do, finally, as of two weeks ago, have the title for our house. Not the original, which has apparently been lost to the whim of the US Postal Service, but a copy, which I had to prod and bother for.) This is all to say: of course our furnace is absolutely going to die now, isn’t it. 

Someone asked recently if I am feeling more settled now, and the answer is yes: more settled. But am I loving our house? Not yet. I am still hopeful it can happen. But right now, it still feels like there is so much. So many things to take care of, new problems popping up all the time. And with my in laws here — well, this is the first time they have been to this house, so we are showing everything to them and revisiting the early days of owning this place. Plus, they tend to be… quick to see the negatives in a situation, and they seem to often feel like people are out to get us all. So I am plunged back into feeling pretty low about the whole thing. I think (I hope) that this is all Part of Moving, and I am holding on to Jen’s assurance (HI JEN) that it will take me a good six months to feel like this is home. Maybe by the end of February I’ll feel better? Let’s check back then. Maybe my furnace and I will be on better terms.

Face (again): I know I just talked about face-washing yesterday, but it’s top of mind because a) my face is in A Right State lately and b) I had to buy a new bottle of Cetaphil face wash from Target and c) I just had a dermatology follow up to my diagnosis of rosacea. The dermatology appointment was a little disheartening. I don’t know what I expected, honestly. My skin hasn’t improved. If anything, it seems to break out more frequently than ever. The dermatologist kind of shrugged and said that it’s a chronic condition and there’s nothing I can really do to get rid of it. So. That’s the disheartening part.

I also had questions about the sulfur-based face wash I have been using (works pretty well, makes me smell faintly of sulfur which is unpleasant and self-conscious making) and I also wanted to ask a Vanity question. Background: I have been using either Cetaphil or the sulfur face wash to clean my face. When my face feels like a desert dune, I also use Cerave moisturizer. As a result of this regimen, I feel like my face looks SO OLD. Crepey and wrinkly and bleh. Fine lines really get a good grip when the skin is dry, I think. (I really, really miss my Beauty Counter face oil.) So one of the questions I had for my dermatologist was WHAT CAN I DO. WHY HAST YOUTH FORSAKEN ME SO. Etc. The dermatologist recommended – brace yourself – Vaseline. On my face. Like. All over it. 

I use Vaseline on my lips, and, yes, it seems to stave off the flakiness (although I don’t think I’ve used it yet in the dead of winter, so I will report back). But… on my whole face??? How would I sleep? My pillow would become an oil slick. Is this… a real suggestion? I feel like it cannot work and yet: I would try a lot of things in the name of vanity. 

Fashion: My husband’s holiday work party is coming up and once again I have no idea what to wear. It’s sort of dressy, although people wear a wide range of clothing items. Last year I wore black Ponte pants and a black top and maybe a sparkly necklace. What should I wear this year? 

By posting at night two nights in a row, I feel like I’ve really messed with the rhythm of this blog. And also, I still have houseguests, so I am guessing I will post again (if at all) late tomorrow night. But we are down to the wire of NaBloPoMo, and I am not going to fail now, Internet! 

I am kinda sorta attempting to complete NaBloPoMo, with the full expectation that life will make it impossible any day now. If you want to follow along, or join the fun, check out San’s blog here.