Clarisonic Mia- Day 30

I've had my Clarisonic Mia for about a month now. I really, really wanted to love it. There are so many unabashed raves to this product--talk of porelessness, radiance, completely changed skin--that I thought for sure I would see something spectacular manifest. Not so much.

I have normal to dry sensitive skin that is prone to a few clogged pores from what I can only assume is living in a city with filthy air, copious sunscreen use and the occasional hair product. My skin is normally pretty clear, but doesn't have that glow it had in my teens and early twenties. I wasn't looking for miracles, just an overall improvement in the look and feel of my skin. I started using the Mia once a day (the packaging prescribes twice) and found it very irritating to my sensitive skin. I was left red and raw feeling. I switched to every third day and while that helped quell the irritation, after 2 weeks I noticed no change whatsoever in my clogged pores. I then opted to use it every other day which I though would be the perfect balance.

When I look in the mirror, my pores are exactly the same, my clogged pores persist and I now have broken capillaries on my cheeks and nose, something I have never experienced before and have to attribute to the Mia. I know that many other people have had the same issue with broken capillaries and I hope they go away! I also never had the experience of seeing how much "hidden" makeup and dirt the brush was removing as it was always clean and white after use. I am a proponent of double cleaning (removing my makeup with a balm-like cleanser before washing with a gentle foaming one) and it seems that this really does get my skin quite clean.

The Mia (and all Clarisonic products) may be divine for heartier skin, but I'm giving my poor irritated skin a break, shipping it back and returning to my ExfoliKate Gentle.

What NOT To Buy

Back in October when my last digital camera started to malfunction after a few years of faithful service, I went to Best Buy and asked the sales associate for a digital camera under $200 for everyday picture-taking. She recommended the Fuji Finepix J38, which was on special at the time and had pretty good reviews online.

This camera has been a huge disappointment since I purchased it. It washes out colors, has an unduly bright flash, the quality of the pictures, at 12.2 megapixels, appears well below that of my old 5 megapixel camera, and now, a mere 8 months later, no longer allows pictures to be uploaded to my computer. It seems that the USB connection is broken.

I don't expect a tremendous amount from my camera--I'm no photographer and simply want decent quality pictures and an easy to use, well made product that lives longer than, say, 8 months. If you're in the market for a new digital camera, stay far away from this one. It's also the last time I'll be taking the advice of the Best Buy salesperson!

Unfortunately this means I will not have posts with pictures for a while. :( Any recommendations for a new camera?

Dinner!

One of my great passions apart from makeup is food. I love to cook, bake, and, most importantly, eat! While eating healthy is important to me, I'm also a huge fan of indulgence! Tonight's dinner, Tuscan Pumpkin White Bean Soup, combines the best of both worlds. It's packed with antioxidants and protein, is low in fat and calories, yet tastes creamy and delicious. Pureeing the beans gives the soup the texture of a hearty, cream based soup with none of the guilt and tons of flavor. Homemade crostini don't hurt either!
(The bubbles are from the immersion blender!)

Tuscan Pumpkin White Bean Soup:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 15 ounce can of packed pumpkin puree (I find that the organic has much more flavor)
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock (I use low sodium and add my own salt later)
• 1 15 1/2 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste

• Saute onion in olive oil until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute or so. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
• Add pumpkin, broth, beans, salt and pepper, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Add more seasoning if necessary
• Serve with homemade crostini (I slice a baguette, coat with olive oil, salt and garlic and bake until browned)

Yum! What are you having for dinner?

My Favorite Candles

I'm not a huge home scent person. I was never the girl in college with a zillion candles covering her dorm room, am scared of plug in wall fragrances and have had asthma attacks on the few occasions I've entered Yankee Candle stores. Heck I don't even own Febreeze. However, there are 3 candles that I absolutely adore and implore everyone to try, even non-candle people like me!

Deco Candles Sweet Mango- If you've ever walked into a Ritz Carlton lobby and wonder what that absolutely intoxicating scent was, it's Deco Candles Sweet Mango. It smells like a rich, true ripe mango but is not at all cloying. Bu this while you have company over and they'll never want to leave!

Voluspa Saijo Persimmon- I have absolutely no idea what a Saijo Persimmon actually smells like, but but the candle is deep, fruity and oddly mysterious. This scent works in all seasons and the throw on the candle is amazing. The small votive size scents my whole apartment easily.

Archipelago Pineapple Ginger- I love both ginger and pineapple but have to admit that I do not smell any ginger in this candle. The pineapple is not overly sweet and is just heady enough to evoke the tropics. The scent on this is so strong that I store it in the box--out in the open it can scent an entire room without even being lit.

Stem Organics Sample Kit Clearance

I've raved about Stem Organics moisturizers several times, and now is the perfect opportunity to try them! The line is clearing out their sample kits and for just $6.95 (FREE shipping!), you'll recive samples of: Gentle Cleansing Milk, Smooth Skin Exfoliant, Intensive Eye Serum, Balancing Face Fluid, Hydrating Face Fluid & Exquisite Face Fluid. Plus, you'll also receive a $10 gift certificate to put towards your next order! The Hydrating Facial Fluid is my go to moisturizer, but I've had the Exquisite on my wishlist for ages!

30% Off Julie Hewett!

One of my favorite under-the-radar lines, Julie Hewett, is offering 30% off through tomorrow. Use code MOM30 at checkout. Some items to consider:

• Cheekies, especially Peachie and Destiny
• Nude Noir Lipstick
• Pixie and Goldie Shimmies
• Lip Lush in Sophia (I love the ginger scent!)
• Bronzer in Aphrodite (pictured above)
  

NARS Angelique Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

Backed when I owned NARS Exhibit A blush, I always had the most difficult time coordinating a lip look with it. On my the blush had rosy, red, and peachy orange tones that harmonized well, but were difficult to replicate in a lipstick. For those that have and wear Exhibit A, NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in Angelique is the perfect counterpart.

The Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments are slim, waxy tinted balms with SPF 15 and moisturizing mango butter. All of the shades (there are 6 total) are quite sheer, with Angelique having the most color. It's described as sheer strawberry and to me is a rosy red with just a hint of orangey coral. It's perfect for summer! The downside is that it is quite sheer and quite expensive for a tinted balm at $25. Sephora only seems to have 4 of the 6 shades, but Nordstrom and Blue Mercury have the full lot.
And just for fun, here is my eye look of the day:

• Becca Satin lash to crease
• Becca Tweed in the outer 3/4 of the crease
• Lancome Black Coffee to line close to the lash liner and on the waterline
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara