Tag: products

loves & latest: May 6, 2019

loves latest

loves

reads

Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

I resolved to read more sci-fi in 2019, but the male-dominated aspects of the genre is often a turn-off… not so with Polaris Rising. Runaway princess? Check. Sexy scoundrel? Check. Forced proximity? All the checks! An excellent, fast-paced plot with an active heroine? SOLD! I’m half-way through and want more from this writer/universe.

beauty

eltaMD UV Physical Tinted Sunscreen

Summer is here and the time is right… for sunscreen! The Florida sun is blaring and my Juice Beauty CC cream is not going to cut it, so I switched to an old favorite: Elta MD physical sunscreen. It has a light tint, kind of like a BB cream; it’s COMPLETELY scent free (a must for me), and does turn me a whiter shade of pale (even if I skip the light fandango).

random

turmeric supplements

Turmeric! It’s a magic root! Well, that’s what they say. All I know is I was desperate to kick a hormonal migraine (5 days! gah!) and picked up a bottle of 1000mg of turmeric with BioPerine (a patented form of pepper that helps you absorb the turmeric). The stars aligned, or something, because it worked. Not the first time either; I just haven’t been consistent.

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latest

podcast

bluestocking-circleCelebrate May-tilda 😉 as the Bluestockings discuss everyone’s favorite, telekinetic bookworm.

Episode 21: Matilda is available on your favorite podcatcher.

If you want to hear three lady nerds talk about their favorite books and movies, give us a listen on Podomatic, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Also available on YouTube.

Follow us @bluesoxcircle on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

loves & latest: December 10, 2018

monday musings

Loves

Reads

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick

I love a good time-slip and this book is the perfect blend of history, mystery, and romance. I had a serious book hangover after reading it, and can’t wait to read more by Nicola Cornick (she has a long history as a romance writer, but this is her second work of historical fiction). Her first historical novel, House of Shadows, is equally engaging.

Beauty

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure

I love blush. I love blush almost as much as I love lipstick  (and that’s saying a lot). Mood Exposure might just bump Benefit Dandelion from my holy grail makeup collection (not least of which, because Hourglass is cruelty free, whereas Benefit is not). It’s the perfect blend of color and highlight, and gives the right amount of glow to my cheeks. It makes me look fresh-faced and ready for the day every time I swipe it on.

I have the mini travel size and I can see it lasting for years, you don’t need much at all to get a good amount of color.

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Latest

bluestocking-circlePodcast

Winter is the perfect time to cozy up with a podcast 🙂

Our most recent episodes include:

If you want to hear three lady nerds talk about their favorite books and movies, give us a listen on Podomatic, Apple Podcasts,Google Play, or Spotify.

Follow us @bluesoxcircle on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

video: September – November empties

Can it be?! Why, yes! An empties after all this time.

Products Mentioned

  • Jarrow Formulas Theanine 100
  • Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer – Vanilla
  • Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water – Cucumber Aloe
  • VitaFusion Sleep Well
  • Olly Sleep
  • Jarrow Formulas Theanine 100
  • Vitacost 8-5 Probiotic
  • NOW Biotin
  • Nature’s Way DIM-Plus
  • Desert Essence Jojoba oil
  • Lifeflo Rosehip Oil
  • Evan Healy Rose Geranium Cleansing Milk
  • Giovanni 2Chic Repairing Conditioner
  • Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat
  • Aveeno Baby Bath
  • Essence Make Me Brow
  • InkJoy pen

project use it up: June empties

project use it up-2

What I used up in May. Body care and supplements.

June 2018 empties

  • Me! bath tini ME! Lavendar Lullaby bath bombs: These were part of a Target sample both and proved to be a pleasant surprise. It brought three little bombs and they were perfect and nicely scented.
  • Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Baby Unscented Pure Castille Soap: This is the workhorse: hand soap, brush cleaner, body wash, I may not have 18 uses, but it’s a fave.
  • Oral B floss: True confession: I hate flossing. My teeth are crazy tight and I’ve yet to find a floss that doesn’t get stuck. This one was ok.
  • Weleda Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash: Another sample bag trial. Smelled like orange peels and felt like the L’occitane Almond Shower Oil.
  • wowe wooden toohbrush: Not really an empty so much as a new addition… I went through all the plastic toothbrushes I had and made the switch to bamboo. So far, I’m impressed by the quality and like that they come in a 4-pack that will get me through the year. They’re no more expensive than plastic brushes. win-win.
  • NOW Foods Super Enzymes: The best and always a repurchase. I started using these after my gallbladder surgery, when I started to have issues with food intolerance. They make my tummy happy and I can double up when I choose to indulge in something problematic, like ice cream.
  • PB8 probiotics: Another frequent product. I alternate brands, but this is a trust fallback. As with the enzymes, probiotics keep my gut working.

project use it up: May empties

project use it up-2

Welcome to another round of “what I used up last month”

May 2018 empties

  • ACURE radically rejuvenating under eye hydrogel masks: I’ve posted these before. Love them and they’re easy to find at my local Target and Whole Foods when I need a pick-me-up.
  • California Baby Calendula Cream (for babies and sensitive adults… I’m def. a sensitive adult): one of my favorite creams when my skin is reacting or experiencing a psoriasis flare.
  • First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (citron scent): Another good cream when I’m experiencing a flare. The active ingredient is Colloidal Oatmeal and the orange scent is lovely is you like a light citrus (fades quickly).
  • NEST fragrances in Dahlia and Vines: at the time of purchase, this was a Sephora exclusive scent. Light and floral, lasts a long time and didn’t give me a headache (always a win).
  • LaVanila The Healthy Deodorant, vanilla scent: When I’m not using Schmidt’s bergamot and lime, I’m using this. It works for me, but deodorant works differently on every body. If you’re new to natural deodorants, this might not be enough to cover the initial detox stank.
  • ACURE seriously glowing facial serum: This was a nice blend of nourishing oils, just what I needed when my skin was going through a dry spell. ACURE may have discontinued or renamed this since their rebranding.
  • Desert Essence spot treatment: one of my favorites.
  • Weleda Almond Lotion sample: Came in a sample baggie. I’ve used this before and continue to enjoy it. Very light moisturizer.
  • avatara Calm Down blackhead pore strips: bought these on a whim at Target, they really work.

May 2018 empties

  • Yogi Chai Rooibos tea: another tea successfully used up. Red tea with chai spice, no caffeine and no weird headaches (some chai blends give me a reaction)
  • Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night: for when I need a little help to fall asleep.
  • Solgar Zinc Picolinate 22 mg: part of my thyroid support protocol
  • Mr. Bubble Meltaways Bath Candies: part of a Target discovery box. They do what they do.
  • Kiss my Face Sensitive toothpaste, orange mint flavor: My favorite SLS/fluoride-free toothpaste. Been using it for at least 2 years.
  • Weleda salt toothpaste: This… was weird. Part of the same Weleda bag mentioned above.

project use it up: March empties

project use it up-2

Happy Easter! Here’s what I used up in March.

March 2018 empties

  • avatara wipe out nose pore strips: first time using these and it was quite a nice experience. I picked them up at Target and definitely noticed a difference.
  • elf Ultimate Blending brush – Probably my favorite elf brush, but I had it for years and it gave up the ghost
  • Juice Beauty SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Moisturizer in Sand – One of my favorite sunscreens. It just matches my skin tone without turning orange. Currently using the un-tinted one in an effort to simplify my makeup look.
  • fresh Rose Face mask – sample from Sephora. Just a lovely mask that leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. I’d be willing to buy a trial size in future.
  • Dr.Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap in Peppermint – a classic. This is a trial size because I like to rotate the scents and even the small size goes a long way.

March 2018 empties

  • Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides – My favorite collagen supplement for skin and joints, but it’s pricey and I can’t always justify the cost. I splurge when my knees are feeling particularly achy, or I want a skin boost.
  • Rainbow Light Just Once Iron-Free – The best multi I’ve tried and one I continue to purchase.
  • Jarrow Formulas Femdophilus – Probiotics for ladies. ’nuff said. I can’t say I noticed a difference, but it was on sale and I thought it worth a try.
  • Gaia Herbs Quick Defense – This is one of those products that I try to push on people. I keep a bottle on hand for colds and flu and it WORKS. It speeds up a cold like you wouldn’t believe.

March 2018 empties

  • A pen – Because every pen is a success.
  • Re-Boost decongestion spray – picked this up a few months ago and it’s come in very handy. It’s a natural product that actually works to clear things up.
  • Nature’s Bounty thrive blend – It smells strongly of clove but I like to think that it works to clean the air during cold season. At least it helped when I was stuffed up last month.

video: something different, a chatty GRWM!

I wanted to do something different and totally unlike my usual fare, so I recorded a simple, classic “Get Ready with Me” to start the 2017 video series 🙂

Just an everyday makeup look on my last day of winter break.

Check in next week for a peek inside my bullet journal, and be sure to subscribe for updates!

See below for products.

Continue reading “video: something different, a chatty GRWM!”

5 things: summer loves

Saying goodbye to summer by sharing some of my summer loves and faves (though it’s still hot as ever in Miami, there’s a sense that the season is changing).

5 things: summer loves

 

First up, my KeepCup! I have the saffron colored one and it makes me so happy. The color looks like a little baby duck and my barista gets a thrill every time I bring it in for a refill.
InkJoy gel pens. Total impulse buy from the campus bookstore. Mine look slightly different because they are a newer model than the ones shown above, but they are amazing. Love the inks, very bright and thick lines. I have the hot pink and neon green ones.
Marimo moss balls. I wanted something different for my home and I was inspired by More Melody’s video on Marimo Moss Care. Easy to care for and they look like little green pets.
RMS Buriti Bronzer. Even though I was less than thrilled when I first received my sample, I soon learned that I just needed to play with the application to get the right color. It has become a total staple in my routine and will probably continue into the autumn for a nice flush and coppery lids.
Lancome Juicy Shaker in Apri-Cute. This has been my color of the summer. It’s not green and it’s not cruelty free, but it has been a total guilty pleasure. I may use it on top of a darker lipstick, but will probably be returning to it next Spring.