Clinique!

Ok, so no one cares about my current favorite pop song. Maybe you'll be interested in my daily makeup routine?








I became a Clinique fan right before I got married (summer of 2007). I had been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen (aka "The Pill") since high school in order to fight acne; it was the only thing that ever really worked for me. My wonderful friend Jenn suggested that using so many different types of makeup (Covergirl concealer, Revlon powder, Clean & Clear facewash, etc.) could be a reason my face broke out so much. Anxious to have clear skin for my wedding photos, I took the plunge and traded all of my old makeup and cleansers for Clinique products that summer, and I really haven't looked back. Clinique is a little pricey, but their products last for so long (and work so well) that I think it's worth it.

Here's my day-to-day routine:

AM
-Wash my face in the shower with Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam
-Apply Superdefense Moisturizer* (oily skin version)
-Apply All About Eyes eye cream (since my skin is oily, I use the regular AAE, not the rich version)

Makeup:**
-Maybelline Mineral Power concealer (I don't like the concealer dispensers that Clinique uses!)
-Superfit liquid foundation if I really feel like putting makeup on, which almost never happens. I only use this if I'm really trying to look nice. :)
-Loose powder
-Bronzer (I use this for an all-over "glow" -- I've never really gotten into blush, although I think I would be up for trying it. I've heard great things about cream blush. Blush users: yay or nay?)
-Quickliner for eyes
-Eye Shadow (the quad I have was from a free gift!)
-Covergirl VolumeExact Mascara (Clinique's mascara is "too much" for me. I don't like a lot of mascara and I like Covergirl's tight bristles -- they keep away the clumps)
-High Impact Lip Colour
-Yummy Beauty Rush Lip Gloss from Victoria's Secret (who knew VS would excel at lip gloss?)
-Clinique Happy, my perfume of choice. LOVE it. Can't smell it on myself at all anymore, but other people apparently can, so I keep spraying it. :)

PM
-Use Take the Day Off makeup remover on my eye makeup
-Wash my face with Foaming Cleanser
-Apply Clarifying Lotion (it's so surprising... and gross... how dirty my makeup pads are after using this -- and after just washing my face!!)
-Sometimes I use Super Rescue Night Moisturizer, but my skin is so oily that I might quit using it; it's created to be partnered with Superdefense, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE -- see the * below)
-Use All About Eyes again (my puffy eyes need all the help they can get!)
-Touch problem areas with Clearing Moisturizer (but I use the tiniest bit of this -- it's effective, but turns my skin bright red if I use too much!)

So you can see that I love Clinique, but my allegiance does waver in a few areas. What about you? What are your can't-live-without products? Do tell! Bare Minerals products are really popular these days... I've confess; I've been tempted to stray from Clinique. Are BM products really that great??

__________________________
*Okay, I really can't say just how much I love Superdefense. I'm pretty evangelistic about it. It has an SPF, which is so necessary, and it just feels so good to put on. You see so many wrinkle-fighting products these days aimed at women who've made poor skin-care choices their entire lives and are fighting wrinkles and lines they already have. It may seem crazy to spend $40 on a moisturizer, but it's all in the name of prevention... and besides, the last jar I had lasted me 6 months! Plus, it just feels so good to put on. Did I already say that?

**I confess... I almost always put on my makeup at work. I just can't seem to find five extra minutes in the morning to do it! But for such a long list (at least it looks long to me), it really don't take me more than 5 minutes. Impressed?

___________________________
BTW, I switched to Progressive for auto insurance and State Farm for renters'. I'm saving over $500 a year! Thanks for all of your feedback! :)

PG-13

*Warning: This blog post is rated PG-13*

Please, please, please tell me you find this graphic as funny as I do. I found it on facebook today:








(If you have no clue what I'm talking about, you clearly don't listen to enough pop radio. This song is ridiculous. Btw, my favorite part is when the woman echoes the last words in the chorus. I can't get enough of it. Note: you have to get past the 2-minute mark for this to happen. But trust me... it is worth it.)

Dirt Poor Robins

I'd still really like to hear from more of you about your car insurance choice. Please?

Anyway -- while I'm waiting for more feedback, allow me to introduce you to an amazing band: Dirt Poor Robins. Their version of Eleanor Rigby is, dare I say, better than the original!



Neil and Kate go to our church and we're so blessed by their music ministry there. (In fact, Neil produced Sojourn's upcoming CD, Over the Grave, which is devoted to "re-styling" the hymns of Isaac Watts. Can't wait for it to come out!) You can also check them out on Myspace or Facebook.

Hope you love them as much as I do!

Progressive vs. State Farm

Ok, folks. I don't have anything exciting to post today... but I do need your help.

I'm switching auto/renter's insurance because Allstate is too expensive (sorry, Dennis!). I've narrowed my search down to Progressive and State Farm, but I have to make a decision quickly. State Farm is $140/year more expensive... but I know a lot of people rave about their customer service. Then again, my boss has Progressive and said they've been excellent through three big claims.

So... help! Whom do you recommend (and why)?

My Life Should Be a (Lifetime) Movie

I'm still around, just searching for blog-worthy material.

In the meantime, would you like to know what I've been up to lately? Ok. In the past few days, I...

-Walked 7 miles for a funnel cake (and, incidentally, paid $7 for it!)
-Mailed 4 packages to (4) unsuspecting friends
-Cleaned the oven, cleaned and caulked the shower, and did all of our laundry (in one day, mind you)
-Sold four sets of my china (I still have four more sets to sell if you're interested!)
-Finished a novel and started the next
-Discovered these -- so cute, and tasty, too! (And click here for a coupon that I didn't have when I bought them....)
-Scolded a business owner
-Attended a birthday party for my favorite one-year old
-Stayed up 'til midnight (!)
-Watched a movie at a Fair Housing training starring Puff Daddy oh, excuse me, P. Diddy oh, excuse me, Diddy and Uncle Jesse (and was expected to take it seriously)
-Located a new cupcake shop in Louisville (still haven't been -- anyone wanna come with?)
-Discovered that my favorite laundry detergent is on sale at Target (I got one bottle for $9.25 and am currently trying to find a coupon that will bring it closer to $8... then I will buy twelve)
-Found out that a few of my friends are pregnant :)
-Made more progress on the blog (can you tell?)
-Added a few new blogs to my Google Reader

So there you have it... my life in a nutshell!

I know... I shouldn't unleash it all on you at once. The excitement is a tad overwhelming.

I'd want to know. Wouldn't you?

Hello,

This may be a strange thing to contact you about, and you may already know (as it is correct on your website), but the large sign outside of your building has a typo on it. It says, "Life has it's moments... make them unforgettable," but "its" should not have an apostrophe in it.

I just thought that if I was a business owner and I had a typo on my sign, I'd want someone to tell me. :)

Beth

DIY: Rain Barrel

This looks like a fun (and very resourceful!) project.














(Okay, admittedly, I like anything John & Sherry do!)


















But seriously -- easy access to free water -- what's not to love? Unfortunately, I don't know that the Village Manor would be up for me cutting away at their downspouts. I suppose I'll have to store this idea away until we buy our first home. But hopefully some of you can take a stab (make the cut?) this summer!

Totally Fooled

Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here; He has risen.
Luke 24: 5-6

I hope you have a wonderful Easter celebrating the resurrection of Jesus! For fun, I thought I'd post this ridiculously cute promotional video from my church. Just as Jesus had everyone "totally fooled" at the feeding of the 5,000, He likewise had everyone fooled when they came looking for Him and found the tomb empty.



He is risen, indeed!


::edit::

HA... I am laughing right now because my hubs just told me that the little girl actually says "totally full" at the end of the video, NOT "totally fooled." Whoopsies! I guess that makes sense.... (But she sure had me fooled!)

Oh, well. The resurrection is still amazing, and that video's still cute. Whatevs. :)

Thursday Thoughts

I like: splitting Klondike bars with my hubs. They're only 1/2 as bad for you that way! (We're currently in the middle of a Heath pack... soooo yummy.)








I want: you to try to win some FREE natural, handmade soap. My friend Alicia's hosting a giveaway on her blog! You'd better believe I have some on my bathroom sink (fresh-cut grass with dried dill, in case you're wondering).









***
Do you like: my new blog header? My friend Steven made it for me. He can totally give you the hook up on all things web design. Check him out!

Do you want: to see the new skirts I just bought? Yes, plural -- I like them so much I bought one in each color. Please don't judge me.

Animal Dreams

Ok, so you're not digging HTMW. That's cool.

When I'm not watching 24, I'm reading this:












I'm on a mission to read every novel Kingsolver has ever written. Progress so far:

Animal Dreams
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (recently purchased!)
The Bean Trees
Pigs in Heaven
The Poisonwood Bible (you must read this if you haven't)
Prodigal Summer


What are you reading?

HWTM

This blog makes me really, really happy.
















It will make you happy, too. Promise!

Now. Go be a facebook fan. And add Hostess With The Mostess to your Google Reader. Pronto!

That's all for now.

God Save the Z

I interrupt the normal programming on this station (i.e., my Clorox rant) to bring you this announcement: I'm so glad the Z Gallerie in the Oxmoor Mall didn't go out of business.

Because if it had, I wouldn't have these fun vases.














And that would be a shame.

Don't you think?

I should really get paid for this...

...but I'm not, don't you worry. :) I just have to take time to endorse the new Clorox Toilet Wand. (Hmm... I'm not sure I've ever used the word "toilet" on my blog before!) I finally picked it up at Walmart a couple of weeks ago when it was on sale, and I LOVE it. It's simple: attach a disposable cleaning sponge (the kit comes with 6) to the wand, clean your toilet, and dispose of the sponge.










I used to hate cleaning my toilet because all I could think of was the germ-ridden brush. Not to mention the fact that it took me FOREVER because I'd bleach everything after I was done -- the brush, the places the brush touched, the container that housed the brush... you get the picture. Now, with the press of a button (you don't even have to touch it!), the dirty sponge falls in the trash. Brilliant!

I must admit... I use Clorox Anywhere daily sanitizing spray on the wand when I'm done... just in case. :) But overall, this product is such a time saver. No more time spent worrying about germs. No more time (and money!) spent buying liquid to squirt in the toilet... all that's needed are some disposable sponges. (More on that in a minute.) I don't know about you, but I can deal with that.

By the way, click here to get a $5-off coupon!


...
Side note: I have several friends who are very into natural living. They see danger in using excessive cleaning agents that are targeted to kill bacteria, because apparently those cleaning agents are killing much more good bacteria than bad -- leaving our houses as a breeding product for bad bacteria that the cleaning agents aren't actually strong enough to kill (and the good bacteria can't fight the bad because it's, well, dead). This makes sense in my mind... and I tried for a while to discontinue my use of clorox products... but I just can't! I feel so much better about life after I clorox my countertops and my kitchen sink. I feel so much better about life when I wipe my faucet knobs with a clorox wipe. I can't deny it.

As I've briefly mentioned before, I'm trying harder to be more eco-conscious in the cleaning products I use. I love the Clorox GreenWorks shower cleaner. (I tried the Method brand, and it doesn't suds at ALL... and call me crazy, but I have to have suds when I'm cleaning my shower! I do, however, use the Method daily shower spray, and I enjoy it a lot.) I haven't tried the Green Works wipes, but perhaps I should.

The one thing that troubles my conscience a little bit about the ToiletWand system are those wonderful, wasteful disposable sponges. Overall, though, the positives of this product far outweigh that negative for me.

What do you think about the idea of natural cleaning products? Do you struggle with this issue as much as I do? Tell me what you think!

One of these days...

... I'm going to quit blogging about Bakerella.

But today is just not that day.













I mean, really. Could her cake pops be any cuter???

SVU love

Confession time: I've been so caught up with 24 lately that I've lost my first love. I haven't watched an episode of SVU in forever!

Here's an episode list for Season 10, along with working links to watch the episodes online. (If you find that a link doesn't work, please let me know!) I've seen through Episode 10, but I can't wait to see the rest. And since I have a three-day weekend this week, I won't have to wait for long....

You'll have to click through a few ads to get to the episodes, but then you'll get to watch Mariska. And it will all be worth it, I promise.

Episode 1: Trials
Episode 2: Confession
Episode 3: Swing
Episode 4: Lunacy
Episode 5: Retro
Episode 6: Babes
Episode 7: Wildlife
Episode 8: Persona
Episode 9: PTSD
Episode 10: Smut
Episode 11: Stranger
Episode 12: Hothouse
Episode 13: Snatched
Episode 14: Transitions
Episode 15: Lead
Episode 16: Ballerina
Episode 17: Hell
Episode 18: Baggage

A few more items of interest:

-For more info on Season 10, go here.
-To follow the SVU Production Blog (I admit; it's on my Google Reader!), go here.
-For Mariska's blog, go here. :)