A to Z: Z is for Zzzzzz....

Ahhhh, sleep. Something that I always have trouble with.

Fun fact, did you know the one-two punch of anxiety and depression can trigger insomnia in some folks? Guess who has two thumbs and is that unlucky soul!

So I have a looooot of tricks to get around the lack of sleep look. Perfected, of course, during college. Enjoy!

My personal favorite trick for waking up looking refreshed even after not getting enough sleep? Water!

Water is a miracle, let's be honest. Universal solvent. Polarity. Necessary. It's really cool, right? But did you know that one way to fight under eye circles in the morning is not to get dehydrated when you sleep? 

It's easy, actually. Just drink a really tall glass of water before you go to bed. Most nights, I try to down 12 oz of water. When I started this routine, it was because I would wake up with the absolute worst case of dry mouth. And I sleep with my mouth closed! However, after a couple days, I began to realized that my skin looked awesome in the morning, even if I hadn't gotten a lot of sleep.

If my eyes look really tired in the morning, I'll rub a little bit of my morning green tea in under my eyes. Usually, I just squeeze the excess water out of the bag and onto my fingertips and then rub it in under my eyes. The warmth helps me relax and the caffeine does wonders for my eyes. 

If my eyes are still a hot mess, I'll actually use a tiny amount of coconut oil. I don't know why it helps, but it does. I just get a tiny bit on my finger, rub it in (gently) in circles, and then add my makeup on top. I discovered this by accident when I rubbed my eye after applying my lip scrub. 

And last but not least, eye drops. My eyes tend to get really dry because I wear contacts 99.9% of the time. Usually, after a long night of no sleep, my eyes are tired and sore and dry and itchy. It's miserable. I invested in some of the best eye drops around.

Awww, who am I kidding? It's just saline drops from the drug store. Nothing special. Right now, I think I'm working on a bottle of the CVS brand. But first thing on waking up, I'll add some eye drops. And then again before I put on my makeup. And once more before I leave the house. If it feels like you're applying too much, apply some more. Your eyes could always do with the moisture. 

And I have to say, all of these things seem to work. Even when I'm physically exhausted, no one seems to notice unless I mention it. Of course, working at coffee shop has to help, too.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for sticking with me through the A to Z challenge. I know it's been weird and behind schedule, but I promise, this has definitely gotten me in the habit of posting more regularly. And soon, I'll have lots of fun goodies to review!

A to Z: Y is for Youth

This is more of a mini rant than anything else. And it was inspired by Brightest Bulb in the Box. This wonderful woman does a segment called Beauty Bullshit, and I just had to jump on that bandwagon for Y, AKA the letter I couldn't think of anything for.

Why is everyone so obsessed with looking younger? Yeah, I get it. You always want to look healthy and gorgeous. But I, personally, think that you should work with your age. Remember W? Work with what you've got? Yeah, it goes for age, too.

My mom is 50. And she doesn't try to look young or hip or sexy. She looks gorgeous and wise and collected. Pics or it didn't happen? Fine.

Yes, that's my mom (and me). She doesn't wear a lot of makeup because she's already gorgeous. She doesn't try to hide her wrinkles or that worry line between her eyebrows. She would never consider botox. Or lipo. She is beautiful just the way she is. 

And in a way, I gleaned a lot of my opinions about beauty from her. Which is why, when someone asks if I'm using any products for anti-aging, I just...I can't even think about that.

I'm 23. I'm relatively healthy. I take care of my skin, sure, since it's an organ. But beyond the basics of being able to pronounce what I put on my skin (or in my body, for that matter), that's it. I feel like as long as you treat your skin well, it will work well for you. And if you get wrinkles? You earned them! You have laugh lines? The name says it all!

Not to mention, I feel like a lot of anti-aging products on the market are, as Brightest Bulb would put it, total bullshit. Most of the ingredients listed don't soak into your skin. They don't rewrite your DNA (and we would be in trouble if they did). They don't make you suddenly look 30 years younger. 

I truly believe that everyone should love the one body that they have, for all of its flaws and lines and quirks. If you want to take care of your skin by using youthful looking products...just be careful. Read the labels. Try it first. Ask if it's worth the money. And as for makeup...Well, I think we all know what can happen when someone wears makeup that is out of their age range. 

Yes, this is a rant. But I also don't have any products starting with Y. So there you go. 

And yes, that picture was taken at my wedding. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: X is for eXfoliation

This is a review of Aveeno's Smart Essneitla Daily Detoxifying Scrub.

This was a sample I received in one of Target's beauty bags, and it's what I carry with me on long trips.

Overall, I feel like exfoliation is something that everyone has strong feelings about. Some people do it every day, some never. Either way, pretty much everyone in the beauty industry has an opinion about exfoliating, and every opinion seems to be different. 

My opinion? I exfoliate very slightly with the face scrubbies I reviewed previously. Every time I was my face, I use that. I wouldn't term that exfoliation, though. It's more of a deep scrub. 

I exfoliate pretty seldomly, to be perfectly honest. I feel that if you scrub off too much skin, it's either going to be really dry or really oily. And I know this because my skin likes to go both ways. If I exfoliate too often my skin either flakes off or I break out because of all of the oil. 

I find that exfoliating once a week or even once every two weeks is perfect for me. That, in addition to using the face scrubbie, keeps my skin relatively balanced and happy. 

When I do need to exfoliate, I pull this stuff out of my travel bag. 

The exfoliating bits are small, so I don't feel like I'm sandpapering my face off. The solution that the bits are suspended in is gentle and cleansing. It doesn't make my skin feel tighter than usual. It doesn't cause any adverse reactions for me. And while the ingredients aren't exactly wonderful (sulfates are the third ingredient), I use this so seldom that I don't think it's going to cause any long term effects. 

This is a pretty decent product for the price, and I know that it's getting the job done in the safest way possible. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: W is for Working with What You've Got

I was going to write this post on another topic, but I covered my makeup wedges is another post. So here goes. This is completely unplanned and off the cuff!

Aw, who am I kidding? Most of my posts go through only minor editing because I like writing from the heart. Not from the agenda.

This is something that I struggle with ALL THE TIME. Seriously. Because in addition to the other issues I have, I have some pretty bad self esteem issues. I mean... totally, self loathing, can't look in the mirror issues.

I find myself in a flux of desperately wanting to love myself for how I am and how I look, but then hating glancing in the mirror. And honestly, I feel like this is what a lot of women struggle with. Especially women my age. 

But in the end, you can't just give up. You can't. Because that would be the absolute worst thing to do. 

So what do you do? You work with what you've got!

Round face? You can pull off rosy cheeks and bold lips to make yourself look like a classic pinup. Or do something bold with your eye shadow to make yourself look less cute and more edgy.

Long nose or jawline? There are tutorial everywhere for diminishing the shape through special highlights and contours...Or, you can rock it! Show off what evolution gave you. 

I know that one that got me to love the way my face looks is to check up on why my face is shaped this way. Genetically speaking. I'm Irish and German, and both of those cultures had some interesting bouts of feast and famine. My face (and body) is designed to hold onto weight to survive a potentially tough future. 

And the fact that my body recognizes that? BRILLIANT! I, personally, love to do simple eye shadow and the really add blush to my cheeks so that I look young and fresh and adorable. I'm not a fan of myself with the edgy look because I always feel like I'm trying too hard. Not to mention, the faux blush emphasizes the roundness of my face, which is what I'm working with.

I could say a lot more about loving yourself for who you are, but there are a myriad of videos on the internet to help with that. Watch them if you're ever in need of a boost. I like to watch something empowering right before I put on my makeup, that way I feel more confident and more awesome.

Thanks for reading this random text post!

A to Z: U and V are for...UV!

Cheating? Maybe. Creative? Oh, I think yes.

\

Today's post is all about something near and dear to my heart: Sunlight.

I'll be the first to tell you that I spent a good portion of my senior year of college tanning. Yes, me. The pale-skinned, easy-to-sunburn redhead. I would slather on a thin layer of low SPF and lay out in the sun for at least an hour, sometimes more, taking a few chances to jump into the pool to cool off. 

Although my skin got slightly darker, I did start to notice a few side effects. First off, my skin started getting really oily. Whether it was from the sunscreen or the sunlight, I don't know. But it got to the point where I would have to use oil blotting sheets several times a day. Normally, my skin isn't that oily. In fact, it's a little on the dry side.

I also started getting serious heat problems. I would be in my air conditioned apartment and suddenly feel like I was back out in the sun again. Frying. I would have to shower off to deal with it. 

Then came the acne, the hair turning from red to blonde.

Sure, the skin color was nice. I don't like looking like the underside of a trout. But then my dad came home with skin cancer. And that was the day I called it quits. I stopped hanging out poolside unless I was actually hanging out. 

And from then on, I wore nothing less than 30 SPF. I still won't.

I've had a history with bad sunburn. Once, it was so awful, it ruined an entire vacation with my then boyfriend/now husband's family. I spent the rest of that week trapped inside the beach house, miserable. 

Now that I'm a little older and have all of that knowledge to pull from, I'm super careful about sun exposure. I still like sitting out in the sun, soaking up the vitamins, reading, listening to music. But I don't do it purely to tan now. I don't want to be 40 or 50 and look like I'm 80, y'know?

As if reading my mind, Birchbox has been putting out all sorts of videos about sunscreen and SPF lately. And I really like them. I'm slowly wrapping my mind around the fact that it's something I have to do to keep my skin healthy. Limit sun exposure and always wear some form of SPF.

My general routine? My moisturizer has SPF 15. As does my foundation powder. My chapstick, also, is a great protector. And if I know I'm going to be in the sun for a while, I always don my Neutrogena Ultra Sheer that I mentioned earlier. Usually, 30 SPF. 70 if I know I'm going to be out for a while.

Seriously, guys. I know that it's super popular to look tan and glowing and golden. But be safe. There's no reason that something as fleeting as a good tan should ruin your skin later. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: T is for Tools

Today's (on time) post is going to be all about the tools that I use.

I think they're pretty important. But more on that later. First, pic spam!

This is, quite literally, the first serious makeup brush I ever bought. It's a kabuki brush that I bought with my first blush. In college. Yeah, I was a bit of a late bloomer. Still, this brush has lasted me for about four years. I keep it clean, treat it like gold, and love it to pieces. Because it is the absolute best (IMO) for putting on my BareMinerals foundation powder. Nice coverage, good natural bristles. I love this thing. And really, having one brush you love and use regularly is so much better than a hundred that you don't. 

This is a small travel set of brushes that I got at Sally's Christmas clearance for less than a dollar. Everything I need, on the go. 

I never use the spongy white one (you shouldn't, they're terrible), but I keep it in case of emergencies. Sometimes I will use it to remove smudged mascara when I don't have a q-tip handy. 

These...these are also precious to me.

I got them on Amazon for about $5, plus shipping, and they are the absolute best eye shadow brushes I have ever come across. All of the brushes I could ever need, each uniquely designed for a specific purpose. This is one of those times where the tool really changed how professional my makeup looked. 

Before these tools, I was just using the sponge applicator that came with the shadow. That really just wasn't giving me the accuracy or coverage that looked good, though. These tools changed all that. Now I can contour, shade, and smudge to my heart's content. 

Here's the brand, in case you wanted to invest in these for yourself.

More cheap brushes from Sally's clearance section. The one on the right is what I primarily use for blushes. The mini kabuki on the left I use for lots of different things, sometimes translucent power, sometimes blush. The middle one I haven't used yet, but it for foundation. 

This is the reason I haven't used that middle brush for foundation. I have found that these super cheap makeup wedges are perfect. The front side is for foundation, the back is for fixing blush if I need to. It gives me pretty good precision and nice coverage. 

If you'll notice, I don't have a whole lot of brushes. Because, honestly, I don't need them. Everything here I use pretty regularly, with a few exceptions. I wouldn't know what to do with one of those fan shaped brushes. I don't have a clue about the vibrating makeup puffs that are all the rage in Korea. 

So really, this is all that I need. And I'm not ashamed to say that, either. 

Now maybe, down the road, if I get better at applying my makeup...sure. Then I'll invest in fancy brushes whose uses I can't even imagine right now. 

But as a beginner, this is all that I need. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: S is for Soap

All natural, all the way!

I'm a HUUUUUGE fan of soap. And I'm not just saying that because it's a wonderful, cleansing product. And I'm not talking about that crappy bar stuff or, even worse, body wash. Shudder.

Ever since college, I've been a huge fan of this stuff:

Handmade, all natural soap. No SLS, no chemical perfumes, and lots of love.

Each bar is crafted by someone, out in the world, that I have met or talked to in person. Each bar smells delicious and unique and true. And I know that these soaps are the absolute best for my skin. Moisturizing bars? Got 'em. Bars that smell like a fresh cup of chai tea? In the shower now.

As far as vendors go, I've gotten soap from lots of different places. A couple of my currents bars are from conventions. A few are from Etsy. I'll include a list of all of my favorite retailers at the tail end of this post. For now, more bragging.

These soaps also last forever. I use a loofah soap holder from Walmart that cost me less than a dollar, and I can keep a bar of soap going for at least a couple of months. And because they're in a loofah, they don't grimy or gooey. They stay just as fragrant as when I purchased them. 

And what really makes me happy? The fact that I am helping folks at home run their own business, doing something they have a passion and talent for. Big box soap manufacturers don't care. They only see dollar signs. But the people that I buy soaps from love making things that make people happy. And that along makes me happy! Not to mention having a wonderful soap that feels amazing, is good for me, is great for the environment, and smells absolutely divine. 

Yay artisan crafts! Try out some homemade soap from one of the below retailers. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Thanks for reading!

Soap retailers that I use regularly:

Ele and Honey

Tea Gypsy

Rocky Top Soap Shop

St. John's Soap Works

Daisy Cake's Soaps

A to Z: R is for Revlon Customeyes

This is a review of a Revlon eye shadow palette.

When I was first getting into makeup, nail polish was my starting point.

But eye shadow was a major stepping stone.

Why? Because in the end, it made a huge difference. It took me from "oh, pretty" to "oh, damn." Now I was (and still am) scared of anything other than neutrals, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a nice, complimentary brown that makes my blue eyes pop.

I started with some nice and simple and cheap from the local drug store: A Revlon Custom Eyes palette, of the Naturally Glamorous variety.

One of the main reasons I purchased it is because of that diagram on the back. I have no idea how to give myself a normal eye, let alone a smokey one. I was lost and confused and didn't know where to start. And it was at that point that I spotted one of these upside down in the makeup section. 

I like the colors on this palette: simple, smokey, natural. It looks excellent with my blue eyes. And it was easy to apply. 

Also, the wear on this is pretty good. It fades a little by the end of the day, but with a little primer, it can last through a whole work day without the need to reapply. 

Here is the (amateurish) application by yours truly.

That's with no eye liner, no mascara, and no primer. Just straight up, rapidly applied eye shadow. 

This really is a palette for beginners, which is awesome. Because the mass amount of options for eye shadow is super intimidating. It's nice to have something simple to start with, or something subtle fall back on. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: Q is for Q&A

I know this is kind of cheating, but I absolutely cannot think of anything for Q. It's like my mind is drawing a blank except for the weirdest, most random stuff. And none of that stuff fits with this blog.

So, in lieu of an actual post, I'm going to host a Q&A.

Where? Here.
When? Whenever you want.
Why? Just cause.

If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask them here. I will either do my best to answer them or find someone who can answer it and have them....interrogated.

Mwahaha! Mwahahahaha! MWAHAHAHAHA!

Ahem.

Anyways.

Ask away! And this isn't just for today. Ask me anytime!

A to Z: P is for Perfume!

Again, sorry about this being a day late. Life, you know? But I'm going to try my absolute hardest to make sure that I do every single letter, even if one or two are a day late.

So today, I'm going to talk about perfume!

First and foremost, I'm a huge fan of oil based perfumes. They tend to be more expensive, but in my opinion, you get more bang for your buck. The throw isn't as powerful, and a lot of the scents can react with body chemistry to produce something awful, but in the end, I love them. The scent is purer. More true. It can smell exactly like that chocolate cake you had for your fifth birthday, or bring to mind the exact smell after a strong spring rain. 

Not to mention, I find that most mass manufactured alcohol perfumes smell too floral. They are a combination of scents that are heady and unfocused. Misguided and overpowering. Cloying and pricey.

I'm also a huge fan of indie perfume brands. My personal favorite brand of perfume is Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. They have such unique collections, each with their own story. They have Neil Gaiman scents, RPG scents, fairy tale scents. If you can dream it, they probably have it. And each scent will have its own history and meaning.

And let's just say...I have a bit of an addiction.

Yes, those are each a completely unique, individual scent. Packaged in 5ml "imps ears" so that I can wear whatever I want, whenever I want. 

Some of those perfumes are delicate and floral and smell like "tears and wet straw" and some smell like the beach. Some smell like candy and cookies, others smell like fruit. 

Really, my tastes run the gamut. And I love that with BPAL, I can sample what I like and if I love it enough, I buy the full bottles that you see in the top picture. 

Not to mention, the great thing about indie brands is that most of them have a cult following. BPAL is no exception. The family of BPAL lovers are, as a whole, intelligent and cultured, loving and passionate.There is a website called BPAL.org where fans of the scents swap, sell, and giveaway the perfumes and products. Have a perfume you want to buy, but want to test it first? See if someone has an empty or nearly empty that they can send you cheap/free. Love something that's impossible to find? There's surely someone who has it and is willing to strike a deal. Or, if you're lucky, "fairy" will gift you that limited run perfume you have been searching for. 

Indie perfumes have love in every bottle. And in the end, I think that's what I'm drawn to the most. The passion, the commitment, the pure and unadulterated heartfelt joy (or intricate sadness) of each scent. 

Thanks for reading!

If you're curious about my collection, here is my stash of imps and bottles.

A to Z: O is for Orly Flash Dry

A rare negative review has been appeared!

This is a review of Orly's Flash Dry nail drops.

This is a product that I bought upon recommendation from a sales woman at a Sally's Beauty Supply. From reading the label and what the woman told me, I was lead to believe that these drops would help my manicure dry faster and would increase the shine of the lacquer. 

Boy, was everything wrong. 

First off, this product has a pretty decent price tag. This cost me about $8 all told. And really? It makes my manicures consistently worse. I have only used the product a couple of times because it, without fail, makes my manicure gummy and squishy. Even fully dried polish is susceptible to its ruination. 

This is an utter failure of a product, in my opinion. It doesn't work as advertised, and it ruins manicures. 

When I contacted Orly about this, I got absolutely zero response. None. Not even a "we got your email" email. Just radio silence. 

Most beauty companies are excellent about offering refunds. Orly, apparently, not so much.

I was so severely disappointed in this product that I'm kind of surprised I still had the bottle to take a picture of for this review. It was buried in the recesses of my makeup drawer. And there it shall return, because there are tons of products out there that actually live up to their name. And don't, you know, ruin half an hour's worth of work. 

Thanks for reading!

A to Z: N is f or Neutrogena Ultra Sheer

Today is another sunblock review. This time for one that I completely fell in love with about a year ago. 

This sunscreen is one that I received in a bag of beauty samples from Target. And let me tell you, it's one of the most luxurious feeling sunscreens I've every used. 

Right out of the tube, this sunscreen isn't like others. It smells floral, not like usual sunscreen. There is still that summer time classic, but it is mixed in with something soft and summery. 

Once applied, it begins....well, melting is the only way I can describe it. Like when you use coconut oil and your body heat makes it transparent. 

As the sunscreen is rubbed in, it dries. Not greasy. Not tacky. Just smooth, soft, protected skin. It doesn't feel heavy, like some sunscreens tend to feel. It's light and moisturizing. It's practically a miracle in a bottle! 

Even when wet, this sunblock remains dry and weightless and steadfast. Because the last thing you want is to reapply and have to wait ten or fifteen minutes for your sunscreen to absorb just so you can go out and enjoy the beach again. 

Above and beyond, this is one of the best sunscreens I've ever used. And for around $7 for the full size, you can't really go wrong. 

Give it a try, I promise you'll be impressed. 

A to Z: M is for Microfiber (And Minerals)

Apologies for the late post, guys. I went on a spontaneous road trip with my best friends yesterday. And let me tell you, getting out and about for the day was absolutely marvelous. I'll make up for it by reviewing two products today! That's right, two for the price of one!

Not that my posts cost you anything, but y'know...

First up is a dollar store find that has completely changed my skin. 

This little thing is about the size of my palm, made of microfiber, and is perfect as a facial scrubber. In fact, the packaging once said that was what it was for. 

Before using these microfiber scrubbies, I used my hands to wash my face. A little squirt of cleanser, some gentle rubbing, bam. Done. And during that time, I had pretty bad acne. 

Now, I didn't know this then, but apparently that wasn't cutting it for my skin. I needed exfoliation. I needed a deeper clean. And then the dollar store stepped in. 

Ever since I have started using these little green circles of amazing, my acne has mostly cleared up. The scrubs on one side are perfect for daily use. Exfoliating, but gentle about it. Not so intense that my skin is dry and red afterwards. The other side, the mesh side, is perfect for days when I feel really grimy or think my skin could use an extra scrub. It's a little bit more exfoliating. 

And the best part is, I can throw these into the washer and dryer with my regular clothes. Completely reusable, over and over again. In fact, I have rotated between the same three of these for over two years now. Once a week or once every two weeks (depending on when I remember), I toss them in the laundry and use a clean one. And on and on it goes. 

My skin is happy, and healthy, and glowing. No complaints from me, especially since I only spent a dollar on all three.

Next is my mineral makeup. Now, I know this is a hot topic right now, but here's my two cents. For what it's worth. (Two cents.)

I use the standard BareMinerals powder in fair. It's fast, it's simple, it does exactly what I need it to do. I've mentioned that I don't like wearing a lot of heavy makeup, and this stuff is about as light as it gets. 

I personally love that I can just brush some on and immediately look more put together than I did before. It's awesome before work because if I'm running behind, I will still look like I woke up brilliant and beaming.

And another great thing? It lasts all day! I don't refresh my makeup much throughout the day, but this stuff holds up to the standard work day just fine. In fact, when I wash my face at night, I still take some of it off. 

The blush that I use is also BareMinerals. It's The Natural High, one of their recent special collections. I didn't go into the store wanting blush, but after the salesperson applied some, I loved the way it looked. So I walked out of the store a little poorer, but happier. 

This blush is a nice, light pink with a slightly peachy undertone. My photos all seem to pull out that peach color. It's actually a little more pink in person than it is in the above pictures. Here's a picture from a beauty blogger I absolutely adore, Temptalia, that captures a better image of the color.

This is a very buildable color. I can apply just a little for a naturally fresh look. Or a little more to look like I'm super vibrant and flushed. It's an absolutely wonderful color. 

Now, for a mini discussion. I know that right now, there is an article circulating that mineral makeup isn't as good as everyone says. That it clogs pores. Makes your pores look bigger. Has bad chemical reactions for some people. Doesn't have enough SPF for what is advertised. 

In fact, some out there absolutely hate mineral makeup for these reasons. 

But for me, I have never had these problems. I don't notice a difference with my pores. I haven't had any bad reactions. And it doesn't make me break out (unlike some liquid foundations I've tried). I feel that just like with any makeup, you need to find the one that is right for you. Liquid, powder, cream, whatever. The beauty industry is vast and specialized. So go out there and find what is right for you. What makes your skin and soul happy. 

Thanks for reading, and again, apologies for being late!

A to Z: L is for Lotion

Pic heavy post ahead!

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I have a lot of lotion floating around my house/purse/car. Today, I'm going to show you a small sampling of that vast selection. Just so you can see what a hoarder I am with things that smell delicious.

This is one of the lotions that I got with that bag from Bath and Body Works. At first, I didn't like the scent, but it grew on me. It's a simple, relatively moisturizing lotion. I'll use something like this before I leave the house rather than spray on some perfume. 

This is another of the lotions from that same bag. Again, decent lotion that smells nice and girly for when I'm in the mood. 

This lotion is really close to my heart. It smells like fresh crushed roses and feels amazing. I bought it from a wonderful couple in Milledgeville that make their own lotion, soaps, perfumes, teas, jellies...well, pretty much everything, really. It's quite a drive to get this stuff now, so I treat this like gold. 

I received this as a gift ages ago and it's another one that I use sparingly. The smell can be a little cloying sometimes, but I love the currant and vanilla. I wear this when I'm feeling daring.

This is something I use after work, when my hands are incredibly dry. It tends to take a long time to soak in, but it smells like Korean banana milk, which is excellent. It is also super nourishing. 

I discovered this product at the bottom of one of my boxes from college. It's a little linty now, but still moisturizing really well. My favorite thing about it is that it's a bar. Not a cream. It doesn't leave my hands oily or greasy when I use it on my elbows or knees. 

This is my intense cuticle repair. Plain and simple. Smells yummy (I'm a sucker for lemon butter or sugar), moisturizes deep.

This is a product that I'm on the fence about. It feels great once it's soaked in (Minus the slightly tacky feeling), but it takes forever to soak in. And during that time, I can't do anything or I leave greasy streaks everywhere. I don't know what's in this product, but that's the main problem I have with it. That and the smell reminds me of living in college dorm rooms, since that's when I bought it and used it the most.

I don't even know what this is. No, really. I got it in a gift basket. There is no name of the product on the back. Just instructions and ingredients. Regardless, this is a wonderful heavy duty moisturizer that I sometimes use after I shave or have a healing scab. It doesn't burn or sting tender skin, but still does its job well.

Another heavy duty hand/cuticle cream. This stuff lasts forever. 

A friend of mine gave me this because it made her break out. I absolutely adore it. I carry it in my purse and generally put it on as often as possible. Smells amazing, works wonders, and has the price tag to show for it. 

This...this I stole from a hotel. It's typical Aveda: delicate moisture that works hard. 

And this, by far, is the most expensive moisturizer I own. And it's probably one of the few beauty products I own that didn't give me buyer's remorse. The manager of my local Van Michael Salon had me try this right around Christmas time. I am absolutely nuts about the smell. Clove and ginger are two of my favorite things in the whole wide world, and this combines them into the best soy moisturizer ever. I use this candle as a treat when I've done good or had a rough day or feel like I deserve to be pampered. Not to mention it makes me feel dangerous to reach in next to a flame to get my lotion. 

And there you have it. That's probably about half of the lotion I own. I told you I'm a hoarder. 

Thanks for reading!