Ok ladies & gents…it’s Labor Day weekend, and that means lots of food & drink! At my age, the whole drinking for empty calories and a hangover aren’t really what’s up…BUT I can indeed justify all consumation by at least increasing my anti-oxidant and flavinoid intake! Here’s some great recipes to try out – and I am STILL working on getting Staci’s friend’s amazing blueberry sangria recipe – TDF!

Absolut has a new drink out: Absolut LA: Inspired by Hollywood’s glitz and glam, the latest release in Absolut’s cities series features blueberry, açai berry, acerola cherry, and pomegranate flavors. Be sure to try this out this weekend:

ABSOLUT L.A. Dream
Created by Chaya Brasserie
Serve in a highball glass over ice

Ingredients
2 oz. ABSOLUT L.A.
½ oz. Blue Curacao liqueur
Dash of sweet and sour

1. Combine ingredients.

2. Top with 7Up.

3. Garnish with fresh blueberries and lime.

One audition and you’ll be calling it back for more.

for some variety – give some of these fav’s a shot too:
Bethany’s Skinny Girl Margarita
Bethany’s Pomagranitini

A Great drink resource: Absolut Vodka

I’m on day 2 of my DHC Velvet Skin Coat primer. So far so good – and actually feels a bit lighter than my existing favorite – Smashbox Photofinish primer, and most definitely kick’s Bare Escentual’s Prime Time out of the water.

I’ve got over 100 degree weather going on here in the Valley, so for sure, that is a true test for these primers, especially with wearing a bunch of makeup, and I’ve switched back to the Mac Skinfinish liquid makeup because I’ve already tired of Bare Escentual’s due to the messy application issues.

I’ll keep you all posted on my continued DHC Velvet Skin Coat adventures!

Click the image (over there <<) to get to Overstock.com and grab some True Religion jeans, or the Tom Ford shades for a super good deal! You know I LOVE a good deal!

Strivectin is by far not the most affordable product around, and after doing a full 3 month run of the Strivectin Orbital Eye Treatment with little noticeable results, and a level 6 toxicity warning at SkinDeep’s Cosmetic Database, I was kind of leary to try any more of the product, but I’ve got to say, my hands look pretty darn nice. Pretty darn nice…I must say! I’ll post photos later, because I am in dire need of a nail fill lol!

Anyway, at $38 average price for the cream, it did last around 6 months with daily application following the box instructions of a dime size drop on the back of hands, and rubbing the backs of the hands so that knuckles and outer skin area are treated the most heaviest.

Hey! What happened to Burt’s Bees being cheaper than the other stuff on the shelf? I don’t know if I never noticed before, or that I would buy it at Whole Foods and automatically assumed that organic type stuff was more expensive than regular drug store stuff, but since Chlorox took over Burt’s Bees, the availability of the product has been placed at drugstores, grocery stores, gas stations, counter tops and probably at the movies too, if you look hard enough, but that’s not the topic of this post (I promise!)

Anyway, I use the Burt’s Bees cuticle cream every single night as part of my nighttime ritual/routine. Hands are SOOOO important, and need as much attention as your face and neck, because before you know it, your hands will be spotted and raggedy and then you’re super assed-out. So back to the Burt’s…it’s about 3.99 for a tin that lasts 6 months or so with daily use AND I ran it through SkinDeep’s cosmetic safety database and all’s clear with the safety issues.

I’ve never met a Dermalogica product that I didn’t like…but since finding my new total obsession: SkinDeep’s cosmetic toxic database, I’m kind of getting paranoid with running all of my favorite products to find out the toxic levels and to my total SHOCK – I found my daily moisture lotion, Dermalogica’s Active Moist to be a 6 out of 10 making it a moderate toxic level. along with notification that the company (Dermalogica) has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics thingie.

Bummer. Now I am going to have to find an alternative daily moisturizer. Maybe I’ll try DHC’s.

Ok people…I think we have a winner! I told you how Bare Escentual’s Rare Vitamins not only gave me blackheads, but the actual powder application dried my skin out, and that I thought i was psychologically prone to putting extra thick moisture on my face because basically I grew up with a mom who packed on the pond’s every night…well anyway, I totally think I found a nice halfway meeting point.

DHC’s Extra Nighttime Moisture actually is nice and thick in application – almost scary thick, but my skin drank it all up and in the morning, I woke up with velvety smooth skin! I’m not sure that my skin can handle something that thick every night, but at least a couple nights a week, it is going to feel fabulous!!! I’m ordering a couple of jars from my last summer product allowance that I give myself every season – I’m super convinced it’s a MUST have, for my 37 year old skincare needs. Oh yea, and I’m slathering some on my neck too, and on my cleavage crows feet while I’m at it.

Total bummer. I had to return my Fit Flops because although they are super comfy, the portion between the strap that goes in between the toe an the actual ending of the bottom sole was a bit too long so I ended up tripping and catching the rug wayyy too often and often almost falling on my face.

Staci is still wearing hers as far as I know…I will have to make a point of asking her about them. In the meantime. my legs didn’t get any more fit during the few times I was peeling myself off the floor.

Ok people – I will expand on this list as the season gets more underway, but I’ve got some for-sure must have stuff for fall 2008 that you want to know about. You’ve GOT to be the cutest dressed vamp in your circle, after all!

QuickList

- 2 pairs of jeans, one skinny (yes, still) and one trouser/high waisted/cuffed for a more slack-like look.
- Comfortable oversized sweater – this season, instead of loose and flowy, cinched up with a belt!
- Leggings in various colors.
- boots! slouchy, thick heeled and a more round toe. Pointed toes, out. Square toes – totally out.
- scarfs! the kind with fringe to wear with tanks even!
- berry tinted lips. glossy, not matte.
- think chocolate, berries & tartes as inspiration for color swatches
- deep berry colored nails.
- leg warmers
- cat-winged thick eyeliner (tutorial coming soon)
- vests
- blazers (sans shoulder pads please.)

AKA shower gel, Aveda’s “Energizing” shower gel infuses Aloe vera, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit seed, Peppermint, Vitamin E, Witch Hazel, Ylang ylang – a much thicker and more emolient rich gel that won’t dry your skin! I actually had to stop using shower gels because I was SO tempted by the $1.99 lovely smelling Suave gel but kept having dry itchy skin, but not with Aveda! After today’s beach grind boot camp workout (I’ll blog about that later) I took a super fab shower with my Aveda gel and only needed a light layer of lotion after my shower and it’s 8 + hours later and my skin is still nice and moisturized! Makes you go Hhhhhhhmmmmmm….

At a US $15 pricepoint, I must do some more investigation on the pros and cons of an effective body cleanser vs. a $2 semi-effective uber-drying gel cleanser. Both smell divine – however, only Aveda’s is botanical, the Suave stuff is highly fragranced. I’m almost scared to read the ingredients of the Suave stuff…but here I go, about to google it:

Continue reading ‘Aveda Vs. Suave Body Cleansers’

Look what I found!!!
Now, I’m not too much of a NYC fan, but I am a HUGE fan of glam and free LOL!

Last night I took the bellydance cardio class from my local gym, and it was SOOOO much fun! Granted, I didn’t really get the stomach rolling thing, and the instructor wasn’t very instruction-ish but more like a dance coach which was much, much more fun and intense, the music was fun, the movements are fun, and the workout kind of snuck up on me because at the end of the class, I was sweaty and red-faced so I assume I was workin it!!

I’m totally going next week, so I will post more detailed stuff as I get used to it – last night two things stood out to me right away: 1. Bring an extra pair of socks, and 2. I was the only one without one of the cute little hip scarfs making jingly noises, and I want one. Ok that’s it for now…

xoxo

sg

Alright people, here are some links to good deals that I’ve found at Drugstore.com – you can save money, get delivery straight to your home or work, and get some goodies with your purchase too…even Target can’t compete with that and I loooooove Target!

Check out the goods:
Freebies with Purchase at drugstore.com

Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle 12% Glycolic AHA

Hot Summer Nights! Spend $99 or more on any of these flirty and fun items, and take $20 off your order. While supplies last. Offer expires 10.5.2008.

Save $5 on Listerine Quick Dissolve White Strips. While supplies last. Offer expires 8.31.2008.

New Customers: Receive $5 off $30 or $10 off $50 on your first non-prescription order! Offer ends 12.31.08.

Plus you can get your GNC suppliments there too – holla! My suppliments usually consist of high levels of chewable vitamin C, fish oil and zinc.

Last night I went to my very first official Yoga class, while at the gym, it still was a really nice experience and much more interactive than the DVD’s that I’ve been doing at home for years. It was a really generic Hatha class with most poses being familiar. Plus I actually had to give Four-Limbed Staff Pose – Chaturanga Dandasana full chance since I was in public and what not. Out of all the poses, that one and Prayer Twist – Namaskar Parsvakonasana gave me some strength and balance challenges, so those are the two poses that I hope to get stronger at. My second class is thursday!