Skin Care Quest- Puffy eyes

I have found that the best thing for my puffy eyes (which results in shadowy dark circles) is this little trick I got from guess who, Lisa Elridge!

So cheap, so simple, feels amazing.

Brew up some really strong green tea.  I use one bag in my teapot and let it sit for several hours. 
Pour into ice cube trays

to use:
Take a washcloth or thinner piece of cloth of some sort.  I use baby washcloths.
Pop a cube in
(I let mine melt a little so it starts to saturate the cloth)
Apply to puffs and also along brow bone

Feels so good and helps de-puff my eyes.

Check out before and after photos from this gal on YouTube.

Skin Care Quest

My skin, *sigh* is getting aged looking.  For the first time, I look saggy, fine lines, puffy under the eyes (thanks sinus problems)  After discovering the lovely Lisa Elridge, I realized I was pretty much doing everything wrong.  I wasn't cleansing or exfoliating properly.  Now to find the right products to make this happen.

I HATE buying beauty products and makeup.  I have very sensitive skin and dehydrated skin and I hate all the buying and trying of products to find one that will work for me (not make my skin burn.)  I've wasted so much money. 

Here is a (mostly) recent list of stuff I've tried and what it's supposed to do and what it did to my skin:

Key- Do not like           OK            Works

Cleansers-

• Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Cream Cleanser with Clary Sage- Burns my skin.  It's a cleanser for your face, why does it say avoid the eye area???  (Noticed that some Alba cleansers also say avoid the eyes.  But I need to get my eyes clean too!)
• Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser- Was excited to try this.  Burns.  And the third ingredient is a known irritater and I avoid it in my shampoo and toothpaste already- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS)  I didn't notice this when I bought it
• Estee Lauder- Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser-  Mild burning. I can tolerate, but not ideal.  Leaves my skin feeling a little tight.
• Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser-  Mild burning, mild tightness.  Works equally well to the Estee, but a hell of a lot cheaper and rinses really easy.  Temporary winner.
• Bioderma Crealine-  Lisa loves this stuff. I found it doesn't take off my waterproof mascara all that well despite what Lisa says.  I still like it even though it uses up a ton of cotton pads.  It's very gentle. I just don't like all the rubbing with the cotton which seems to "scrape" and irritate my skin.

I have some Vichy Cleansing Milk coming from Walgreens.com. I will review once I receive.

Masks and Exfoliants-

• Exfoliants with "scrubbing beads and bits" (in general)-  This stuff is just too damaging no matter what the brand.  Now that I know about cream exfoliant masks, beads no more!
• Eminence Carrot Vitamin Masque- Smells divine.  It didn't use to, but now it sort of burns.  Not sure why.  I think of all the Eminence products I like this one the least. 
• Eminence masks in general-  They all smell so freaking amazing.  Even if there are no skin care benefits, your nose will thank you.  (There are benefits though. :D)
•  Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant-  Love this.  Needs to sit on the skin like a mask for 15 minutes but worth it.  My skin looked and felt great after
• Dermalogica Hydrating Mask-  Love, so soothing. I think I should use some today after using that Eucerin last night.  My skin still feels terrible.

Serums-

• Estee Lauder Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting Serum-  I don't think this really does anything frankly.  Maybe a little.  Doesn't feel all that nice going on.  Seems slightly irritating.  I don't hate it, but I wouldn't buy again either.
• Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair-  Always a winner.  Feels soothing and nice going on and really helps to "repair" any issues over night. 

Moisturizers-

• Estee Lauder Resiliance Lift SPF15- Meh, it rather irritates my skin.  It's doesn't hydrate all that well.  As for the lift?  The jury is out.
• Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion SPF 30-  I still don't feel "soothed" when applying, probably due to my sensitivity to sunscreen ingredients, but it works equally well if not better for moisturizing to the Estee Lauder, has higher SPF and is very inexpensive.  Not rich enough for winter, but don't need so much SPF then anyhow.  Also contains one of Lisa's favorite ingredients- lactic acid.
• FAB Ultra Repair Cream-  I use this at night. It's rich, but not greasy and has lovely nutrients and anti-oxidants in it.  I like it.  Can be used anywhere on the body too.
• American Beauty Beauty Boost Radiance Night Cream- Used in the day too, this stuff is lovely and I would buy it again in a heart beat.  Despite having a fragrance, it is non-irritating and hydrates well.   Found at Kohl's they often have nice sample tubes of it for you to try first.  Retails around $30.
• Shiseido Bio Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream- Hydrates well, non-irritating. But nearly $80!
• Eminence Moisturizers-  I've tried many different ones in either full size or sample form.  All hydrate well, smell really good and don't irritate.  I've tried- Blueberry Soy Night Recovery, Eight Greens Whip, Linden Calendula, Naseberry Treatment, Stone Crop Whip and Apricot Whip.  Sadly they only have 2 with SPF and no one seems to carry it in store.  These moisturizers might be way too rich for oily or combo skin. But they also carry some hydrating gels that I would recommend for folks with that skin type to try.  Because honestly, their products are just that good.

I have some La Roche Posay coming for red skin.  It is soothing and has a green tint.  I'll review once I've tried it.

Target Shower Curtains

I'm obsessed right now with shower curtains at Target.  They range in price from $19 to $25.  Some of the fabrics are stunning.   I'm going to reupholster a chair with the blue one (see pic below.)  I already covered my cork board with it.  Another, I plan on making throw pillows with for my couch (second pic below.)  Oh the ideas.  Shoot, you could make clothes out of the stuff.  The ones I speak of are either 100% cotton or poly cotton mix.  As I continue to make more things out of them, I'll post.

Chair fabric

Throw pillows fabric

Fancy corkboard project

Another use of my awesome Target shower curtain!  I picked up a framed painting at Goodwill for $13 just for the frame.  (Another story is that painting.  See end of post.)  I also got some cork board tiles at Fred Meyer.  I took apart the painting and set aside all but the foam core backing.  Glued the cork tiles to the foam core with some Elmer's, trimmed the excess cork.  Covered the cork with my fabulous shower curtain fabric, stretched it tight and put into the frame. Voila!

About that painting.  Turns out the ugly purple and pink monstrosity has a nice watercolor painting underneath.  (It's not a print.)  It is much nicer without the matching pink and purple mat they framed it in.  It doesn't go with my decor at all, so am hoping a friend might want it.

Multiple uses for simple items

I was sitting here today wishing I had my desk set up the way I wanted. I want a big bulletin board above it for notes and cards and such.  Then I was thinking a white board might be nice for quick notes.  I started perusing Target.com, my favorite place right now.  Then I looked over at this little tray I bought there.  It's their outdoor dishes line and it's supposed to be an appetizer tray, but I bought it to put my mail in when I come in the door.  Because it's for outdoor it's a plastic tray.  *lightbulb!*  I got out a dry erase marker and sure enough!  Best looking, quick note taking, dry erase board you can find.

Simplicity is delicious

Sometimes the uncomplicated is as good or better than something fussed over. Take for instance plain potato chips with salt. They aren't anything fancy. Just thin sliced potatoes, deep fried and sprinkled with salt. Everyone loves potato chips. That is exactly what my dinner was tonight... Potato chips! (Well I guess you could call it an appetizer.) But no, I mean simple and delicious. I had as my "entree" leftover baked chicken and mashed yams.

I love reheating leftovers because that means no major dish washing and fighting with the kitties to stay out of what I'm cooking. It's not that they are allowed on the counters but it's hard to wrangle the little beasts off and they don't listen very well. The little one is immune to being squirt with a water bottle and my "kitty booby trap" (can filled with pennies on the edge of the counter) failed it's purpose of frightening Mimi away. But it did however fascinate her and distract her from the counter mischief. I digress.

Anyhow not doing dishes is also nice. But I recently found a tip on FlyLady.net that was really useful and that is before even getting the cooking started, to fill the sink up with hot, soapy water. As you stir and mix and chop and slice and dirtying things up, you can place them in the soapy water to soak. Once the cooking/baking is done the bowls and spatulas and knives are practically clean from soaking.