This stuff sucks.
I don't think I've ever been quite so disappointed in a product. Ever. If you're just dying to spend 12 bucks on something that sits on your lips and feels greasy, just go buy 6 tubs of Vaseline. It'll last a lot longer, and I'm betting it'll work better. If you're wanting something, though, that lives up to the promise that Clinique makes about their lip treatment, ("Deeply hydrating balm that helps to repair distressed lips and replenishes moisture loss.") then skip the Clinique counter and head over to Philosophy for their Hope in a Tube Eye & Lip Cream. As an added bonus, it fights wrinkles, too.
01 December 2010
REN Skincare
I've been using these products for quite a few months now, and I was reserving judgment until I was certain, one way or another, how I felt about them. Now, I can comfortably say that I love them. I have "problem skin," and though I'm reluctant to admit that my skin is high-maintenance, I don't know why I should be surprised. I mean, everything about me is high-maintenance, right?
The products are made using organic, natural ingredients and fewer chemicals. There are no sulfates, no fragrances, no parabens, dyes, or animal byproducts. Every ingredient is plant-derived. Also, the company is green and they not only recycle, but they also donate a portion of the proceeds to promote a healthier environment.
So, yeah, the products are touchy-feely, and you get sorta' warm and fuzzy when you think about all the good you're doing by buying them. That's nice, right, but do they work? YES.
My favorite product is my cleanser: Mayblossom Balancing Cleanser Gel. I use it along with my Clarisonic, and I love that after I wash my face, my skin feels completely clean, but not at all dry or tight.
I'm also a big fan of the F10 Enzymatic Smooth Radiance Facial Mask. It promises to exfoliate and detoxify, and leave your complexion smoother...and guess what? It does. The mask also contains Vitamin C, which is super good for your skin because it apparently combats free radicals (I don't even know what those are, but they just sound dangerous).
I've used so many skincare lines through the years, and the one thing that they all seem to have in common is inconsistency. Maybe one will work for a few days, or even a whole month or so, but inevitably, I begin to have the same problems I've always had: enlarged pores, sporadic break-outs, and dry spots around eyes and below my nose. I haven't had a break-out in months, and I'm definitely starting to notice a real difference in my pores. My laugh lines and crow's feet are diminishing, too. I think the key, though, is the combo of REN's products with the Clarisonic. REN works alright by itself, but alone, the results are nothing like what they are when I use them with the Clarisonic.
There are several other products that I'm dying to try, so I'll report back when I do.
The products are made using organic, natural ingredients and fewer chemicals. There are no sulfates, no fragrances, no parabens, dyes, or animal byproducts. Every ingredient is plant-derived. Also, the company is green and they not only recycle, but they also donate a portion of the proceeds to promote a healthier environment.
So, yeah, the products are touchy-feely, and you get sorta' warm and fuzzy when you think about all the good you're doing by buying them. That's nice, right, but do they work? YES.
My favorite product is my cleanser: Mayblossom Balancing Cleanser Gel. I use it along with my Clarisonic, and I love that after I wash my face, my skin feels completely clean, but not at all dry or tight.
I'm also a big fan of the F10 Enzymatic Smooth Radiance Facial Mask. It promises to exfoliate and detoxify, and leave your complexion smoother...and guess what? It does. The mask also contains Vitamin C, which is super good for your skin because it apparently combats free radicals (I don't even know what those are, but they just sound dangerous).
I've used so many skincare lines through the years, and the one thing that they all seem to have in common is inconsistency. Maybe one will work for a few days, or even a whole month or so, but inevitably, I begin to have the same problems I've always had: enlarged pores, sporadic break-outs, and dry spots around eyes and below my nose. I haven't had a break-out in months, and I'm definitely starting to notice a real difference in my pores. My laugh lines and crow's feet are diminishing, too. I think the key, though, is the combo of REN's products with the Clarisonic. REN works alright by itself, but alone, the results are nothing like what they are when I use them with the Clarisonic.
There are several other products that I'm dying to try, so I'll report back when I do.
I'm declaring blog bankruptcy.
Sorry, for those of you who were waiting patiently on me to update you on the remainder of my trip to Alabama. I got sidetracked by work and about 100 other things, so now it's clear that it's simply not going to happen. Most of the people who read this blog were there anyway, so y'all all know what happened.
Moving on...
Moving on...
Thanksgiving!
Lucky me, I spent Thanksgiving with The Lambs, one of my favorite families. Mark is a police officer at Salt River, and Janel does my hair. Janel and I always talk cooking while my color is...coloring, or whatever, so I was really excited to have Thanksgiving at her house! She is Superwoman: five kids, and she somehow finds the time to sew adorable aprons (like the one I used at home during Christmas last year) and lots of other cuteness, make gourmet popcorn, work at her dad's business, do hair, and make GORGEOUS cakes, plus tons of other stuff that I'm sure I'm leaving out.
Needless to say, we had a blast! I arrived in time to watch some of the last of the cooking, and then we had lunch. Afterwards, Janel and I messed around with Mark's new camera. It's fancy and has loads of different settings, and it makes really great pictures. We even brought out the tripod and the detachable flash, and then we really got creative!
For Thanksgiving dinner, there was turkey, spiral ham, stuffing and dressing, two kinds of sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, jello salad, and homemade rolls (Mark's sister grinds her own wheat...my, oh my):
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| I didn't think people decorated with plates anywhere except the South. Imagine how happy I was to see Janel's Thanksgiving tablescape and the matching plates! |
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| Janel made the table runner...out of BURLAP and CORN HUSKS. Told y'all she was talented. |
For Thanksgiving dinner, there was turkey, spiral ham, stuffing and dressing, two kinds of sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, jello salad, and homemade rolls (Mark's sister grinds her own wheat...my, oh my):
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| Janel's spiral ham |
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| Janel's dressing |
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| And the cranberry sauce (yuu-uum!) |
I was in charge of desserts, so I made Italian Cream Cake, Mrs. Nina's lemon squares, and a chocolate chess pie. The pie wasn't feeling photogenic, but...
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| the Lemon Squares were... |
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| as was the Italian Cream Cake (recipe is in the previous post, if you're interested) |
After cleaning up, we sat down to watch the Saints game. Y'all know that I'm not much into pro football (Bama and LSU monopolize my football-watching time), but because the Lambs were cheering for the Saints, so was I. We were all happy when they pulled off a win in the last seconds of the game!
I hope y'all had as great a Thanksgiving as I did!
26 November 2010
Italian Cream Cake
I spent Thanksgiving with some sweet friends, and much to my own amusement, was placed in charge of desserts. I'll post about Thanksgiving as a whole separately, but I wanted to include the recipe for Italian Cream Cake on its own. I keep promising to share the recipe, so here we go:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small can of coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sift the flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Cream the shortening, sugar, and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the flour/soda mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk until both are incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. Using a spatula, fold in the coconut and the pecans. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold them into the batter mixture.
Generously butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans OR one 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes for the 8-inch pans, or 45-60 minutes for the 13x9 pan.
Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese icing.
NOTE: If you make three 8-inch layers, you will need two recipes of the frosting. You only need one recipe if you make the 13x9 sheet cake.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
8 ounces cream cheese
½ stick butter
1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Mix butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar. Add vanilla extract. Fold in pecans.
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small can of coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sift the flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Cream the shortening, sugar, and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the flour/soda mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk until both are incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. Using a spatula, fold in the coconut and the pecans. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold them into the batter mixture.
Generously butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans OR one 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes for the 8-inch pans, or 45-60 minutes for the 13x9 pan.
Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese icing.
NOTE: If you make three 8-inch layers, you will need two recipes of the frosting. You only need one recipe if you make the 13x9 sheet cake.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
8 ounces cream cheese
½ stick butter
1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Mix butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar. Add vanilla extract. Fold in pecans.
14 August 2010
Texas
I just returned yesterday from a last-minute trip to Texas. Last week, I was in my supervisor's office, and he asked if I wanted to go to Texas. I said, "To live? Yes, please." He explained that there was a Crimes Against Children conference happening in Dallas, and that another person who had planned to go now couldn't, leaving a spot open for me...but that I would, sadly, have to return to Phoenix the following Thursday.
Needless to say, I immediately began readying myself for the trip.
I had a wonderful time. The conference was informative and often entertaining, in as much as a crimes against children conference can be entertaining. I miss being in school, so I soaked up all the knowledge I could in four short days, and I now have aspirations of prosecuting cyber crimes. We'll see where that goes.
Hopefully, it will take me to Texas, because I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Texas really is like a whole other country, y'all, and that's definitely a good thing. Good manners, good food, hats and boots wherever you look, and lots of smiling faces. Work has been keeping me feeling pretty burned-out, so I'm happy to report that I'm home, feeling refreshed and energized for a new week.
Needless to say, I immediately began readying myself for the trip.
I had a wonderful time. The conference was informative and often entertaining, in as much as a crimes against children conference can be entertaining. I miss being in school, so I soaked up all the knowledge I could in four short days, and I now have aspirations of prosecuting cyber crimes. We'll see where that goes.
Hopefully, it will take me to Texas, because I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Texas really is like a whole other country, y'all, and that's definitely a good thing. Good manners, good food, hats and boots wherever you look, and lots of smiling faces. Work has been keeping me feeling pretty burned-out, so I'm happy to report that I'm home, feeling refreshed and energized for a new week.
05 July 2010
Banana Pudding
2 small packages Jello instant vanilla pudding
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups milk
12-16 ounces Cool Whip
3 bananas, sliced
1 box Nilla Wafers (please don’t buy the store brand; it really does make a difference)
Mix together the pudding, the milk, and the condensed milk. Fold in the Cool Whip. In a trifle bowl, layer as follows: Nilla wafers, bananas, pudding. Repeat until you’ve used up all the ingredients. Refrigerate. Easiest pudding ever, but so good. My supervisor at work requests that I make it at least once a month. He’d eat it a lot more often if I’d make it, actually.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups milk
12-16 ounces Cool Whip
3 bananas, sliced
1 box Nilla Wafers (please don’t buy the store brand; it really does make a difference)
Mix together the pudding, the milk, and the condensed milk. Fold in the Cool Whip. In a trifle bowl, layer as follows: Nilla wafers, bananas, pudding. Repeat until you’ve used up all the ingredients. Refrigerate. Easiest pudding ever, but so good. My supervisor at work requests that I make it at least once a month. He’d eat it a lot more often if I’d make it, actually.
Pasta Salad
SCM: Yes, this is the pasta salad you gave me the recipe for ages ago. I make it all the time. It’s so easy, and flexible…one of those great salads you can make out of whatever happens to be in your cupboard.
- 1 pound pasta (whatever kind you want to use; I use whole wheat spirals).
- 2-3 bell peppers, chopped (doesn’t matter what color)
- 1 cucumber, sliced and seeded
- 3-4 green onions, chopped (you can substitute some different sort of onion if you don’t share my love of green onions, or leave it out altogether)
- one bottle Kraft Greek Vinaigrette dressing
- pepper (to taste)
- 1 package Feta cheese, crumbled
- fresh cilantro (to taste)
Mix everything together, and if it still looks dry, add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the Feta last, and just sprinkle it over the top. Cilantro wasn’t in the original recipe, but since I add cilantro to everything, I figured, why not? You can also bake chicken breasts and then chop them up and mix them in. I’ve also added in mushrooms and olives at different times, and both were good. Told ya: can’t mess this up (unless you try to use a different salad dressing; that’s the one ingredient that must remain constant!).
- 1 pound pasta (whatever kind you want to use; I use whole wheat spirals).
- 2-3 bell peppers, chopped (doesn’t matter what color)
- 1 cucumber, sliced and seeded
- 3-4 green onions, chopped (you can substitute some different sort of onion if you don’t share my love of green onions, or leave it out altogether)
- one bottle Kraft Greek Vinaigrette dressing
- pepper (to taste)
- 1 package Feta cheese, crumbled
- fresh cilantro (to taste)
Mix everything together, and if it still looks dry, add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the Feta last, and just sprinkle it over the top. Cilantro wasn’t in the original recipe, but since I add cilantro to everything, I figured, why not? You can also bake chicken breasts and then chop them up and mix them in. I’ve also added in mushrooms and olives at different times, and both were good. Told ya: can’t mess this up (unless you try to use a different salad dressing; that’s the one ingredient that must remain constant!).
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