Oil cleansing... not just hype.

So I have been oil cleansing; well creamy oil cleansing. Specifically, I have been using Ultrabland from Lush (here) since the week after Christmas and I have to say hurrah for oil. I have heard the hype for a couple of years but thought "Not for me" because I have always been acne prone. That said, ever since I swung north of 35 my skin seems to be getting drier each year. My solution has been heavier and heavier creams, which was really was only sort of working. We are talking a day cream labeled "intense moisture" followed by a BB cream. Still my face would be feeling tight by the time I got to work.

The very helpful and not pushy sales person at my local Lush store (which was way less choky-stinky than I remember) suggested the Ultrabland after having a feel of my skin. I have to admit I was skeptical but I thought what the hell might as well try it. Love. I am not only using the BB cream as my moisture in the morning, but also I need to buy a new night cream because my current one is to heavy. Basically my skin isn't really all that dry; I was stripping my skin and it just isn't necessary.

I will admit that at first I was using the Ultrabland twice a day and at the two week mark I started to notice a few white heads popping up. My solution was to add in a more soapy but not all strippy cleanser in the evenings (when may face is most funky because makeup, urban dweller, gym, life) then the Ultra in the AM only. Also every couple of days I use Let the Good Times Roll for some gentle exfoliation (again AM only). The only down side of this is that my very expensive (was a gift) Clarisonic brush is sitting unused at the side of the shower. I just don't need it.

So my new routine:

• AM: 
• get up, pull hair off face, wash hands then get a small amount of Ultra on my fingers by swiping them over the top of the tub. 
• Massage between hands (just using finger tips) to warm up, then massage on face for bit (I sing happy birthday to my self twice which is about 30 seconds. Yes, really. Happy birthday.). 
• Wipe off with a wash cloth wet with warm water. Dry, & lotion up. 
• Get on with morning having not splashed water everywhere while washing my face. 

• PM
• Get home from gym and take a shower. Wash face in shower with more conventional cleaner (Ok, I use Purity from Philosophy. I am too lazy to find a link, but you can get this all over the place). 
• Get out, lotion up. Need a way less emollient cream than I have, but use it anyway and then be annoyed that my face is all shiny-sticky-greasy because the cream doesn't soak in all the way because it is too heavy.
• Get glass of wine, relax.

That is it. I swear I even look a little younger because my skin is all moisture-y nice. Totally psychosomatic, but who cares.

A couple of product notes:

• Ultrabland has a distinct smell. Not a scent that is added, there is none of that. It smells like what it is - oil. I have gotten used to it, but I didn't love it at first. On the flip side there no fragrance and thus I use it right over my eyes.
• My Ultrabland is clearly going to last forever because you need very little of it. Makes it a really good value for money.
• Let the good times roll smells like a cookie. This was charming at first, but I have come to hate it. I will be buying something different for my exfoliation the next time around. Which will be ages from now, because again, don't need much of this either. 

The Pebble. So sad.

I really, really wanted to like my Pebble. I waited ages for it and it had so much promise... Promise. Not overly featured, simple, great battery life, design I actually want on my wrist, not a full computer (looking at you galaxy).  I shipped it back.

You see, I have an iPhone which means I just couldn't get the most out of that watch. Really this is because of decisions that Apple makes about it's product. I understand that the (relatively) closed system is the price I pay for my Apple addiction. BUT Pebble really didn't make clear just how much of a challenge I was going to have with the device up front. There are things that just don't work. Most of the apps require you to jailbreak your phone (all but one that I could find actually). Bummer, but I probably would have been okay with this had it been clear up front.

The connectivity issues are another thing; survivable before iOS 7 but so frequent after I found myself just keeping my phone on the desk again. Then there is the notifications not showing problem. An apparently known issue that is discussed frequently on the forums. Notifications on my wrist + Runkeeper integration is why I bought the thing. Hey Pebble pro-tip: telling you customers the solution notification problem is to do something called "the finger dance" where in one goes through and turns off and on all the notifications on my phone every single time the connection gets dropped isn't a solution. It is a sign that your product isn't production ready to pair with iPhones. It was annoying when I had to do it because I went out of bluetooth range, it made it unusable with the connectivity issues I had with iOS 7.

So back the Pebble went. I am once bitten twice shy on smartwatches now. I am going to sit back and see what happens with these over the next 12 months.

A product rave and some nail stuff (look a girly post)

Ok 2 product comments today (I am not a product junky. I am not a product junky. I am not...) and I am deliberately not calling them reviews because they aren't; just comments.

Ok first a new foundation. I am in love with the Fit Me Shine-Free foundation stick from Maybelline. I bought it on a whim expecting very (very) little. In fact, I totally had buyers remorse when I bought this thinking "Uh - this is going to suck. Drug store foundation is never good on me." and it sat around for while before I finally tried it. (I bought it back in July - relax I am still on the month of not buying things.) SURPRISE - not only does it not suck but I am so in love with it I wore it to an audition last night instead of my usual Ben Nye (which I have been frustrated with as of late). I am currently using 115 which is the lightest color but one so there is even a color left for me to go to in January (more product info here). My skin is combination to dry these days and it works out just fine on me moisture wise and doesn't seem to settle into the lines I totally don't at all have... ahem.

And now nails... I am giving up on Sephora brand nail polish. I know it is (theoretically) made by OPI but I have just had nothing but problems with it. Its durability is terrible, it's streaky more often than not, and I hate the brush. For the price it must be better than this so I chucked the ones I have and I am just going to skip it from now on (no matter how pretty it is).

Semi related on the nails, I found a great blog with lots of really good nail care info (also lots of "here is a color holding the bottle photos but I think that comes with the territory). It is called LoodieLoodieLoodie Find her "how to file" videos here. It is good stuff.

And about that NYX make up

Yeah that make up I broke the not buying things to buy because "IT ON SALE," I am not even happy with any of it.

I bought the white eyeshadow primer - it creased, by mid-morning no less.
I bought an auburn eyebrow pencil - to harsh (that could be that my technique sucks to, so perhaps I could give that one a pass).
I bought the crazy ergonomic eyeliner marker. Yeah so not easier. I hated it and the liner drifted everywhere. Perhaps it has a long drying time or something but I was very underwhelmed. It is a shame, I had read such good things about it.

It is too bad. I like the NYX eyeshadows but apparently I should not have tried going beyond that as I really haven't found anything else that I like in there line. I hear the lipsticks are good but I don't really wear lipstick that often anymore so I haven't tried them.

Anyway that is all. Just thought I would share since I mentioned it.