These are the things I loved in October
Action Kid NYC Walks
One of my ultimate bucket list items is to spend a Christmas season in NYC. The plan would be to arrive for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, do my Christmas shopping and see the tree lighting at Rockefeller Centre. Of course I’d be staying at the Plaza Hotel just like Kevin McCallister or Eloise. Until then I follow The Action Kid around New York as he tours the Holiday Window displays at Bergdorf Goodman to the designer shops inside Bloomingdales. Thank you Action Kid!
Keratin Hair Treatment
If you design your schedule around having to flat iron your hair then you HAVE to give yourself a Keratin Hair Treatment. Amazonliss is a natural straightening product that isn’t laden with chemicals or formaldehyde. Keratin is a a naturally occurring protein found in hair. When you add keratin to the hair, it binds the hair shaft which in turn takes away any frizz and makes the hair strong and shiny. I say “give yourself” a treatment because if you want (just for giggles), go ask any hair dresser how much they charge for this and they will quote you $300-500+ guaranteed, especially if you have long hair. I bought this treatment online for $52, followed the instructions and yes it was time consuming but now I wash and have straight hair in 1/2 the time it used to take.
https://amazonliss.nutreecosmetics.com/
PickupLimes Vegan Blog
I discovered this blog recently while researching plant based recipes. We’ve been cooking plant based (vegan) food at home 7 days a week (and enjoying meat, chicken and fish if we’re at a restaurant or invited to dinner at someone’s home who isn’t vegan). Pick Up Limes is directed by Sadia, a Vancouver based dietitian who’s worked at VGH and Children’s Hospital. Her recipes are easy to follow, colourful and delicious. As I learn more and create new dishes, I’ll share them on my recipe blogs.
Huda lip creams
I have a drawer filled with lipsticks, glosses and chubby sticks I never wear. I’m one of those people who bites their lips a lot (maybe a nervous thing) so my lipstick never lasts more than 20 minutes. I usually go for a gloss or straight 8 Hour Creme by Elizabeth Arden and play up my eyes with makeup. In the Sephora store lineup the other day, I saw Huda’s cream lipstick set and honestly picked it up more for the cute lip shaped box they come in. This stuff doesn’t budge once on. I put the lighter nude shade on for Thanksgiving dinner and came home shocked to look at myself in the mirror and see it still there!
https://www.shophudabeauty.com/en_CA/matte-cream-lip-set-sheikha-trophy-wife-HB00267.html
Aveda Hair Repair Treatment
Whenever my FabFitFun box arrives in the mail, it’s like Christmas. I love trying the latest products. The best is they’re full sized. I’d never tried the Aveda line before; I think it’s because the only way to purchase them are in Aveda stores so when I got the Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair cream in my Fall box, I was curious. Light weight and a serum-like consistency, use on freshly washed hair. It’s not greasy and leaves hair silky and moisturized like a drink of water for your hair. It’s scented with essential oils and smells herbal and natural. I’m a convert. Totally making the trip to the Aveda South Granville shop when I run out.
Retro Style T-Shirts
On my days off you’ll usually find me running errands: to the bank, grocery shopping, stocking up on beauty products and going to my weekly sauna at Halsa Spa. On days like these, nothing is more comfortable (and practical) than jeans and a tee. I’ve recently been loving vintage tees and will be keeping an eye out at thrift stores for any to add to my collection. Two shops on Etsy that have great tees (if you’re looking for one) are Classic Rock Couture and Electric West.
Vintage Garage Sale Scores
I just love a good garage sale or flea market don’t you? When you go to regular shops you usually know what you’re looking for but when you go to a garage sale or flea market, you just go, money in pocket with no idea what treasures you’ll find. These are some of my finds from the past years from a 1950’s fully beaded clutch I found 12 years ago (and used for my wedding) to signed Nina Ricci earrings.
Microneedling
Before I try any products on my skin (retinol, peels, masks) I research the heck out of them. I guess the good side of having anxiety is that I worry about pretty much everything. I never dyed my hair because I worried it would dry it out. I’ve never had cosmetic procedures done (not even a facial) because I worry I’ll turn out looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein. I’ve been hearing a lot about microneedling lately but the idea of rolling needles over my face to open channels for serums and products to penetrate deeper into the skin terrified me. Finally and after months and months of “looking into it” I finally bought myself a dermaroller. This treatment isn’t for the faint of heart. It hurts (especially around the eyes and forehead) but I can definitely see a difference in my crowsfeet and the day after microneedling, my skin is soft, plump and clear. I can only handle microneedling once a week, some do it more than that. I start by double cleansing my skin then I add a good layer of Hyaluronic Acid to my neck and face. I roll 4 times in each direction (up/down, side to side & diagonally) working in squares and once I’ve covered my entire neck and face I add another layer of The Ordinary “the Buffet” serum followed by a few drops of Biotherm Skin Best Oil. No retinol or active ingredients on these nights. Don’t forget to disinfect your dermaroller after each use with alcohol. And replace it altogether every 2 months.
Thanks for joining me. What are you loving?
Until next time,
Jennifer