Author: Jess

Cheap Thrills: Two New Ulta Finds!

You know how you’re just going to pop into Ulta quick to buy one thing that YouTube convinced you that you need and then end up grabbing a few more things even though your husband is (patiently!) waiting in the car? Here’s what happened a few days ago- I’m happy to report that it was, at least, successful!

One impulse buy was shampoo and conditioner- I didn’t need it, but the kind I like was on crazy sale so I grabbed liters. Spending money on shampoo is no fun, so I embrace the sales!!

Then, while on my way to the area of the store that had the aforementioned YouTuber recommendation (more on that later), I noticed these new Powder Puff lippies from NYX:

Nyx Powder Puff Lippie (photo via nyxcosmetics.com)

Intrigued, I swatched the shade “Moody” on my hand and then thought it was dumb to be buying (more) lip stuff so I moved on. But then I couldn’t stop looking at it. Continue reading Cheap Thrills: Two New Ulta Finds!

Weird Things I Bought For Vacation (HELP!!)

You guys- I need your help. See, I’m no stranger to traveling or vacations, but this year we are doing a different kind of vacation: a few days at Universal Studios Orlando, and then we jump on a 7-day cruise. How in the world do you pack for this?!?!

We usually do one beach resort vacation a year, and then one or two long weekend city vacations, and I feel pretty solid about planning for those. But this is making me panic a bit! For one, it’s almost a 2 week trip- so long! How many shoes do I need?? There will be many different types of things happening! We have been on a cruise before, so I think I know what to expect there, but I’m sure I am missing some great insider tips for both cruising and for spending days at a theme park. My mind is completely bypassing the holidays in favor of preparing for this trip. Also, I am REALLY ready for a vacation!!

Here are some random things I have purchased in order to make my trip more… efficient? Enjoyable? Nerdy?? I don’t know. Tell me what I’m missing!

Packing Cubes

After watching one million YouTube videos on packing (why are these so fascinating? I’m a sucker for a packing video!), I finally decided to see what the hype is all about with packing cubes. I got this random set thanks to it’s five star reviews, plus you get six for a reasonable price. I already roll my clothes and put my socks and undies in separate gallon ziplock bags, so this feels like the next logical step. I like that I can keep things divided, like my dress clothes that I won’t even need to unpack until I’m on the ship. Will it be a magical solution?? Let’s hope so!

Nerdy Phone Lanyard

Ok- this is soooooo nerdy! But if I’m going to be traipsing around Hogwarts, I’m going to want to have a boss InstaStory without worrying that a magical owl is going to swoop down and steal my phone. So I got this stretchy phone… web? That I can then wrap around my wrist or my fanny pack (hell yes I’m bringing a fanny pack) and snap stories with reckless abandon. I’ve tried it at home and it feels pretty secure! Oh, also last time we were on a cruise I left my phone in the room the entire time (and thus have zero pictures) because I was sure it would fling out of my hand and into the ocean.

BodyGlide

This may be in the TMI column, but hey, isn’t that what we’re here for?? Last summer we went to New York and it was HOT, so one day I wore shorts while we bummed around SoHo. Here’s the thing: I rarely wear shorts, and also my legs touch each other. Long story short, by the end of the day my rookie shorts-wearing thighs were on fire and I wanted to die, plus I was walking around like an old timey cowboy. So! I took a tip from the IronMan community and got me a stick of BodyGlide! I don’t even know if it will be warm enough in January to wear shorts, but I’m sure I’d like to wear a dress or two, and both my husband and I will be glad for it on our heels as well- one of us is always making a run to Walgreen’s for blister blockers by day two of a walking around vacation.

Teva Original Sandal

Another thing I don’t wear often? Sandals. On the beach, it’s either Vans or flip flops for me. This trip, though, I feel like I’m going to need something more… amphibious? I mean, Jurassic Park is a water ride and I fully intend to spend some quality time with dinosaurs, and if it’s hot out, there is also a water park available to us at Universal. Also flip flops on the cruise deck are oddly slippery. Since I’m not a big sandal fan, I struggled with this purchase, but ended up with a pretty inoffensive pair from Teva. They’re basically a flip flop with an ankle strap. I might get weird tan lines around my ankles, but maybe I just embrace ankle bracelets for this trip??

A Jumpsuit (Finally!)

I’m panicking a bit about how many things I need to pack. Aside from needing a few swim suits, day clothes, workout clothes, and sleeping clothes, I also need dinner clothes for the fancy cruise dinners. I have prepared myself to endure one laundry day so that I don’t feel compelled to bring 20 t-shirts (I will anyway), but don’t I also need some versatile day-to-night options? Why yes! A jumpsuit will do the trick perfectly! Admittedly this is still on it’s way to me- it could be terrible! But I’m cautiously optimistic that it will both fit and look ok. It will pack down small, will be casual cute with Vans and a jean jacket, or dressy with a pair of boots and some sparkles. Right??

Ok fam- what am I missing?? Are any of you cruise and/or theme park pros?? Am I overthinking this?? Can I wear the same three outfits over and over?? Help a girl out!!

xo

I spent all of my own money on these things, mostly on Amazon, but a few of them during cyber week sales!

The Great Bathroom De-cluttering!!!

This past weekend, my husband and I had a great Saturday. We slept in, went to the gym, had a long, lingering French brunch with a good friend, then wondered what to do with the rest of the day. It was cold and gloomy, so we tried to rally and think of errands or out-and-about things to do, but couldn’t think of anything. I said aloud “well, if we just go home, I’ve been kind of itching to de-clutter the bathroom…..”  This made it real. There was no going back now.

I regret that I did not take “before” pictures. I was focused; on a mission. Because trust me, it was a problem.

I was drowning in products, collected over the 12 years we’ve lived in this house. Old hair products shoved to the back of a cabinet, old lip colors that had separated or dried out, anything cream-based that was past it’s prime, things I used half of and then decided I didn’t like, random samples collected over too many years of Birchbox and Ipsy (long since cancelled), travel bags, and anything that didn’t have a proper home.

THE PLAN

On the heels of the Sephora 20% off sale (during which I showed a fair amount of restraint!), I had a hard time finding a place to put some of my stock-up items. So I was in the right frame of mind for this task, which was “nothing is precious get rid of it all!!!!”. Ok, maybe more like keep what I love, and ditch the rest. If I haven’t used it (or more likely, was unaware of it’s existence), it was out. I grabbed a box and labeled it “keep” and a paper bag labeled “throw”. I probably didn’t need to actually label things that were different types of containers, but it made me feel more official. Lucky for him, the kitten jumped in the “keep” box. I liked this system because it forced me to touch everything, evaluate it, and make a conscious decision of where to put it back (as opposed to the “shove it over there” method). It also let me wipe down my grimy bottles, shelves, whatever.

Now before we go much further, I want to express remorse for my level of waste here. It was SO MUCH STUFF. And as much I would have liked to make a generous donation to a women’s shelter, very little of what I threw out was actually worth passing on, since it was old or half used. So moving forward, I know I’ll still fall into traps and buy stuff I don’t need, but I’m definitely going to go about my purchases more mindfully.

I had four zones to conquer: the countertop, the cabinet, the top of the cabinet, and the daily drawer.

AND AWAY! WE! GO!!

MB was happily immersed in a computer game, so I threw on an episode of The Black Tapes, cracked open a cherry lime Klarbrunn, and started with the cabinet. We don’t have a lot of storage in our bathroom, so we have a cheapie white cabinet in there, which was jammed full of random stuff that would explode out whenever you opened the door. On top of the cabinet, I have a step-shelf for perfume, hair products, and daily use things that was also overrun (which led to things always being knocked over), a smaller set of drawers with makeup I needed to store but didn’t use daily, and a bin full of palettes, masks, hair bands, and pretty much any random thing I needed to shove somewhere. It was out of control, and it felt really great to pull everything out. Here’s the finished, organized product!

I was now able to fit the blue bin inside the cabinet, and that happily houses all the lipsticks, eyeshadows, and skincare products that I use on occasion so I like to keep, but don’t need to have out, at the ready. This allowed me to downsize my palette storage (I didn’t get rid of any palettes!) to a wire basket, which is both smaller and easier on the eyes than an ugly plastic shoebox. The shoebox, as you can see, was re-purposed to the bottom shelf, housing… well, a few things I couldn’t bear to part with, like old perfumes with only 3 drops of nostalgia left in them, or things I use seasonally. Wait… why did I keep all those velcro rollers?? Maybe someday I will learn to use them.

I have a small drawer in the vanity that I keep my daily go-to and frequently used items in, and it was getting to the point where I had to have it configured just so in order to even close it. We all have this drawer, right? I’m not alone? Well, I was able to pare it down quite a bit, and while I still have about 57 too many lipsticks (as if “too many” is even a thing), I can now quickly see and grab what I need on mornings when I hit the snooze an extra time. Or two. I used some food storage containers to separate things out by use- complexion, eyes, lips, and tools, which makes it even easier:

Now look at this clean countertop!

Everything is so tidy! These are things I either use daily or it’s just easier to have them within reach. I don’t use more than a few of those lip/eyeliners, but aren’t they cute all nestled together in a cup??

 

The best/worst thing I did was to wash my brushes. Washing aaaaalllllll of the makeup brushes is oddly satisfying. A few years back, Pamela gave me this awesome brush cleaning mat from Sigma, and it makes the job even more fun! I use lavender Dr. Bronner’s because it is the best, and gentle, and smells nice. Pro tip: always dry your brushes flat- if you dry them stored upright, moisture can loosen the glue in the ferrule and wreck your brush.

Cleaning hair brushes, on the other hand, is a vomit-inducing task. But!! It feels so magical and good to have clean brushes, so suck it up and do it now and then. Pull off as much hair as you can (puke), then soak your brushes in some warm, soapy water (again, I used Dr. Bronner’s) for a few minutes, then scrub any remaining grossness out with an old toothbrush. Later, when your gag reflex recovers, admire your sparkly clean new brushes!! (Check out Kandee Johnson’s tutorial if you need more!)

Here is all the stuff I threw out. It’s a whole grocery bag. RIP, stuff. You had a good run. Except for you Biore pore strips- you were just terrible.

Oh!! I also found $41 cash (??) and rode the wave right into cleaning out my purse. Next stop: the t-shirt drawer. Maybe I’ll wait until the next lazy Saturday rolls around.

xo

What are you cleaning? Do you have any tips to not be a product hoarder? I’m trying to pay attention to how many hot pink lipsticks I have, I swear! What podcasts are you listening to? This project took at least 3 or 4 episodes of The Black Tapes, which I have now finished all 3 seasons of, so I need something new!

Float On: A Claustrophobic Tries Float Tanks

I work in the wellness industry, so naturally, I like to stay on top of the trends. Clients have questions and I like to be able to give them an informed opinion, or be able to make recommendations if I think there’s something else out there that might help. So what’s the new game in town? The new hot thing?

Floatation Therapy.

Motherforker.

What Is It Though?

Floatation Therapy involves laying in a personal-sized tank filled with body-temperature water (only about a foot deep) and 1200 pounds (!) of Epsom salts. Continue reading Float On: A Claustrophobic Tries Float Tanks

Transitioning To Fall…. Kind Of.

Happy first day of autumn!! Ssshhh, never mind that it’s 90 degrees out. Here are some things that I am currently into (or hope to be into!) now that…. nevermind, I haven’t even thought about a sweater or cooking chili in a crock pot or hot apple cider or putting real socks on yet. Here are just some random things!

Later, Bronzer
While I am forever grateful to Lyn for turning me on to the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer (it’s seriously the best!!), once Labor Day came and went, I haven’t picked it up. I didn’t even make a conscious choice about it- it’s like, once I saw yellow school buses back on the street, bronzer time came to a halt. Instead, I’ve been favoring a romantic, mauve-y blush. I really love Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty, which you can get for free as your birthday present this year as a Sephora Beauty Insider! These blushes last forever, so any time you can snag one free or in a discovery set, do it. Anyway, this shade is a perfect soft rose without being too dreary or vampy. Aces.

I absolutely adore Kristen Bell. Did you guys see her singing to a group of nursing home residents and calling bingo when they all got stuck in the same hotel during hurricane Irma?? It was the best. I missed this show last fall when it originally aired, but recently caught up via Netflix, and it is SO GREAT. My husband just watched it too- he also found it laugh out loud funny- and he was all “why are we the only people in the whole world watching this?? It is the best!” I agree. The basic premise is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) wakes up to learn that she is dead and in the afterlife, but not to worry, she is in “the good place”. She quickly realizes that there has been a clerical error and she doesn’t actually belong there (because she’s kind of a jerk), and hilarity ensues as she tries to fake her way through it. Ted Danson and the other supporting actors are top notch, the laughs are rapid fire, and it is forking hilarious. Why is this an almost fall thing? Because season 2 just started, and it is brilliant!
Back to Matte
Similarly, I have started gravitating back toward matte lips. Why does this happen during the season of dry lips?? No one knows. But it does. I recently picked up a lipstick from the Sephora Matte Rouge Collection in the shade No Superstar, which is a gorgeous rose-nude that flirts with being greige, but not enough to make you look dead. I find the formula to be a little drying, but it’s not terrible, especially if you prep your lips first with a little buff and chapstick. One weird thing though- it smells like grape bubble gum. The scent goes away pretty quickly, but dang, it is WEIRD.
Practical Vans
Lolololol- all Vans are practical! But I needed some legit comfy actual sneakers for work and for walks on these (ahem, soon to be) crisp mornings. I used to be faithful to Nikes for when I have to be on my feet all day, but my last pair (the Flyknit Free) made me angry- sure, they were super soft and light, but they were so flexible that I would just slide around in them. Someone at Vans must have heard my laments, because they came to the rescue and released these super rad Ultrarange sneaks! They weigh nothing (I thought the box was empty), they have the right level of squish with the right amount of structure, and they look like cool skate shoes while being sneaky practical and go with everything. Oh! They are also made out of a really light mesh, which is nice. I think these will be a good vacation pick if there’s going to be a lot of walking.
Pretty soon, I will be in full fall mode- I’m dying for jeans and jackets and boots and spooky nights and crunchy leaves and having scary movies on nonstop. But until then, these things will ease me in while still hanging on to summer, a little bit. Maybe.
xo
What are you transitioning into as the season shifts? Are you watching anything good right now? I bought all of these things with my own money but I did happen to buy those Vans while Dick’s Sporting Goods was having a random $20 off shoes sale so obviously they were meant to be!

Am I Getting Up?? A Challenge Check-In

Hello friends! Question: are September Resolutions a thing? I feel like they are, but in a secret way. Like, every year, after Labor Day, I think “well, summer play time is over and now I need to lock it down and stop having ice cream for dinner.” You?

Remember about a month ago when I set myself on the path of becoming a morning person? You may be wondering, “hey Jess, how is it going??”

Overall, I am happy to report that it has been trending successful. High five!! Go me!! But alas, I am human, so I have made some… improvements? Changes? Compromises?? Let me explain:

First of all, I have to say that I found I really enjoy getting my workout out of the way first thing in the morning. Even though I might be dragging myself to the gym, potentially with crusty eyes, unbrushed teeth, and amazing morning hair, but I am looking forward to getting my workout in and done for the day. It used to be so stressful to think about where (if??) I could wedge it in to my schedule. Bonus: the gym is delightfully empty this time of day, so I don’t have to fight for a squat rack. Plus, it feels really good to get my body warmed up (the first thing I do at the gym is roll out on a foam roller and crack my back- yay!), knock the rust off, and have the “fitness” box checked off my daily to-do’s. 10/10 would recommend.

That being said, morning, in the broad sense, is still a challenge. My initial goal was to get up at 6:30. For about a week, I totally did it! Then I started rationalizing (when my alarm went off, of course), that I really didn’t need to be up so early, that I could push it back a bit and still have lots of time to get a load of laundry done or whatever. So, I’ve been playing with that to see what feels best. It seems like a 7ish wake up is feeling better, but I would still like shoot for a little earlier, since I was enjoying having lots of time to myself in the morning to catch up on TV shows, read a little, go for a walk, go grocery shopping in a quiet store… mornings are pretty neat.

The weather has also been a bit of a wrench- it cooled off quite a bit for a few weeks, and man, snuggling under the covers with snoozy kittens in the morning is haaaaard to tear yourself away from!!

Another thing I discovered (even though I *knew* it already) is that planning is key. I skipped one Friday morning workout along the way, simply because I hadn’t planned for it. I didn’t have my gym bag packed (Friday is the one day I have to shower/get ready/go to work right away from the gym), didn’t have my workout planned, didn’t have a lunch packed. So now I know that, no, I will not get up 5 minutes earlier to do that in the morning, but if it’s ready to go the night before, I can pull my shit together.

Also, coffee. COFFEE!!! The pre-workout of the gods. I have gotten my night-before coffee prep on point, and it is THE BEST to hear that little “coffee’s ready!” beep, which can usually convince me to roll out of bed. The caffeine usually kicks in right as I’m getting going with my main lifts, which is super helpful. I’ve also been preparing a second cup in a travel mug so that I still have a hot cup of coffee to look forward to relaxing with when I get home. Aces!

Overall, I haven’t been perfect- I’ve given myself a few outs based on the aforementioned un-planning, a wicked migraine, my body just needing a break. But I would say that I have a 90% success rate in this challenge, and I feel pretty proud of myself!

xo

Do you have any September resolutions? What goals are you working on?? Am I actually sleep walking at the gym? Maybe!

Diamonds and Pearls (and Kittens)

Most of my junk mail gets pitched without a second thought, but my Ulta mailers always get at least a casual flip through. Earlier this month, I was perusing while waiting for my toast to pop up, and this magical thing caught my eye:

I mean, come on. Kittens! Disco!! Diamonds?!?! I needed to know more. So I hopped on the interwebs and learned that this mask (a pearly-chrome peel-off type) is kind of trying to be a dupe for Glam Glow, I think? Which has always been too expensive for me to even care if it’s worth the hype. This cool cat has a bunch of crazy ingredients in it, like ruby and tourmaline and diamonds and pearls and a bunch of flowers. What do these things do for your skin? Who knows! But the claim is that it will illuminate lackluster skin, smooth it out, and even skin tone. In.

But of course, this cleverly named, highly instagrammable mask listed at a reasonable $23 was sold out. For the second time in a month. *Sad trombone*

Never fear! It came back in stock (and is, currently, available on Ulta.com– I don’t think it’s available in stores yet, but I hear it’s going to be at Urban Outfitters this fall) and by some miracle it happened during a 20% off sale. Woo!

On a recent Friday night after a few cocktails, my husband and I decided a mask was in order. Since this is a peel off mask, I was a little scared- I’ve tried some painful ones (like the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask– ow!!)- so I prepped my hairline and eyebrows with a little Alba Un-Petroleum Jelly, which is the first product YouTube ever convinced me to buy (thanks Kandee Johnson!). My husband, on the other hand, went to town and scrubbed the mask all up in his eyebrows and hairline. Dudes are weird.

The instructions recommend using a silicone spatula or mask brush to apply the mask, and I bet that would work really well! I didn’t have one, so we just used our fingers, which was fine. The mask is like a liquid pearl in the tub, and has a light floral scent, but nothing too offensive. Then, we watched some TV while we waited for it to do it’s thing, and it turned a little more chrome:

We both started feeling a little trapped and frozen-faced, which is always hilarious but then you can’t move your face to laugh about it! So then we were on to the peeling phase, which actually ended up to be pretty fun. Remember when you were a kid and you would put Elmer’s glue on your hands, let it dry, and then peel it off? It’s exactly like that. It was a little spicy around the baby hairs on the edges of my face, but otherwise, not too bad. And yes, my husband still has eyebrows. WHEW.

I have to say, though, my life was completely unchanged after this mask. Aside from it having a cute name and being pretty, I’m not entirely sure what the hype is all about. Maybe I expected too much from it- like, what, it would be a giant Biore strip and clean out every pore on my face? Or leave me sparkly like a Twilight vampire? Maybe I should have listened to Prince instead of watching TV while it dried. Maybe I didn’t use it at the right time. Like, maybe after coming home from a long flight when you feel like a french fry, or maybe during the winter when your skin feels like a snake it will feel like it does something. I will definitely try it again in those instances, but for now, I give it a solid meh, though I’ll also admit that it was the most fun mask I’ve done in a while.

xo

I purchased the I Dew Care Disco Kitten Mask with my own cash money and my own coupon. What masks are the most fun for you??

Get Up Already!! (A Challenge…. I’m Scared)

I am about to embark on a personal challenge, and, if I’m being honest with myself, I am terrified.

Remember a few weeks ago when Lyn told us how she struggles with going to bed? Well, most of the time I’m pretty good at that part (though I am super guilty of dicking around on the interwebs for way too long doing nothing at all). My challenge is the getting up part.

For many of you, this might not be hard at all. Pamela, for example, is a professional morning person. Even on vacation!! But I am nowhere near. I am basically Garfield when it comes to mornings.

The Struggle

I have a few things working against me in life. For one, my work schedule is consistently inconsistent. I work at a clinic three days a week, each shift starting at a different time. At my private office, sometimes I start in the morning, sometimes I start around noon, sometimes I have awkward gaps in my day. See? I’m already off on the wrong foot.

I hate waking up early so much that I tell myself I get to sleep in on the days I don’t need to be anywhere right away. I never make it past 8:30, so it’s not like I’m a college student snoozing until afternoon, but it does give me an excuse to waste the morning, drinking coffee, watching TV, because “I don’t get to be lazy ever”. But I do. Like, all the time. And I’m pretty sure this wibbly wobbly sleep schedule is doing me absolutely no favors.

And what is this: somehow, in the 20 minutes before I need to get up, this is when I find the perfect, most comfortable Goldilocks position. Sleep becomes the best thing ever. Angels sing. All my good intentions and pep talks get squashed by a voice saying “NO!! YOU WILL NEVER FIND COMFORT LIKE THIS AGAIN!!”, and I can’t break free of it. I’m really good at snooze button math, and will give up a fair amount of logic (like how long it takes me to actually get ready) to keep sleeping.

The thing is, I actually really like mornings. Sure, the getting up part sucks- for some reason it takes me a while to shift into gear- but mornings have a bit of magic to them. It’s nice to get started on your day. One of my favorite things in the world is to walk through a city on a crisp morning, the day starting fresh, the smell of concrete warming up, the sun coming up over the buildings, and a world of possibilities. Lyn and I used to get together once or twice a week at early o’clock and catch a yoga class or go for a run. Every single time, I would wish to wake up to a text saying “never mind! Can’t go today!” so I could curl back up in bed, but honestly those early morning workouts (and the delicious juice/coffee/gossip to follow) were the best. We got it out of the way before we even knew it was happening, and set the rest of the day up to win.

The Challenge

So, I’m trying to recapture this magic and get myself on a better schedule overall. I have been working hard this past year on my goal of getting to the gym to lift, consistently, three times a week, and I’m too the point where I start to feel twitchy if I’m going to miss a workout. Yay! Goal achieved! Thing is, sometimes I go at 2:00 on a Tuesday, then 9:00 on a Wednesday, then maybe I can catch a Friday afternoon but if I’m booked with appointments I’ll probably talk myself out of going because I’m hungry and/or tired so hopefully I can grab a Saturday morning deadlift session.

As my husband put it, “damn, I don’t think I could do it without a strict schedule”.

You know what? He’s right. Also handsome. So I’m going to take his advice and stick to a schedule. And, wouldn’t you know it, the time I have open almost every single day during the week? 7:00 in the damn morning.

Starting tomorrow (Tuesday, so hopefully I haven’t failed already by the time you read this!) I am going to get up at 6:30 and my ass to the gym by 7:00. In the morning. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

It’s going to be painful, but I think, overall, it will be a good thing.

The Plan

I’ve come up with a few strategies to try to overpower my strong gravitational pull to my pillow in the morning, and the first is coffee. If I have to tear myself from the grasp of sleeps, then the sweet sweet sounds and smells of coffee brewing away is going to be the thing to do it. Seriously, is there anything better than having hot coffee just ready and waiting for you? (Yes, there is, and that is someone bringing coffee to you while you stay in bed, but I’ll save that for Sundays.) I just have to be on top of prepping it at night and setting the timer. Easy! I’ve already checked this one off the list for tomorrow.

Next, I will work to convince myself that even though I’m getting up earlier than I historically have, I’m still getting a solid 8 hours of sleep. This means I have to go to bed by 10:30, which is pretty normal for me most weeknights. I discovered that a new feature in the iPhone’s clock app is “bedtime”, where you can set yourself, um, a bedtime on days that you choose, and it will sing a cute little lullaby and remind you to go to bed. Adorable! Lyn, you should probably look into this, too.

On the same tip, I have also disabled the snooze option on my alarms (much to the delight of my husband), which I have set for 6:15 and 6:30. I figure the first one will piss me off, but then I’ll be happy when I realize that I can sleep another 15 minutes before I really for reals have to get out of bed.

I will not be sleeping in my workout clothes, as so many “become a morning exerciser!” articles advise. Come on now. No one should sleep in compression leggings. But I will put a pile of my clothes in the bathroom the night before so I just have to stumble to the bathroom, brush my teeth, change, stumble downstairs, down some coffee and peanut butter toast or a banana, and be out the door.

So, ok you guys, I feel really good about this. Scared AF, but positive. I’m trying to remind myself how good I will feel to get it done, every day, and how having a schedule will be good for me. Plus, this will free up my random afternoon blocks of time for things I’ve been skipping in favor of the gym, like pedicures and getting my oil changed.

And naps.

So, pray for me. I’m already late for bed.

xo

Are you a morning person? How? Why?? Help!

Summer, We’re Not Over You Yet

Summer is the only season that has a distinct beginning and end, and the weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day zip by entirely too fast! We are scrambling here, as we enter August, to squeeze every last drop out of the remaining dog days of summer. Here’s what’s left on our lists:

Pamela:

How is it already August??!!! While I admit that I do look forward to back to school at our house, to get everyone back into our routines, summer is flying by way too fast. There is a lot I still want to do! Starting with Mile of Music, which is Appleton’s very own music festival in it’s 5th year, and it starts tomorrow! 70 music venues with 900 live music sets. Sound overwhelming? Yeah, it is. Luckily they have an app for the whole thing that conveniently lets you plan out your itinerary if that’s how you roll…. or if you are more of the wandering type, there is literally music everywhere…. If you don’t dig an artist at one venue, there is someone playing next door that you probably will!

Almost every year we get to a county fair, and this year won’t be an exception. I want to eat corndog and a giant ice cream cone, look at some poultry and cows and if we can make it happen, see some monster trucks. I’d settle for a demolition derby or some tractor pulls, but definitely would prefer a monster truck show!

Labor day is my favorite holiday. What’s not to love about a three day weekend? Sure, it’s slightly bittersweet as it signals the end of summer in many ways, but I prefer to think of it as the last hurrah! The last summer holiday to soak in the sun! My requirements for this holiday are a lake to swim in, some cold beverages, burgers on the grill with a campfire and s’mores to follow. We will be camping with friends this Labor day weekend and it should be pretty awesome.

Lastly, the thing that should probably be firstly – I really need to refigure my budget. In April I moved into my own studio space to practice aesthetics and massage out of, after working for someone else for 12 years. Being on my own and working independently has been so great so far…. some days can’t believe how much happier I am. But having said that, I am having to watch my spending much closer now, and in the past few months with having acquired new business expenses as well as some new personal expenses, I really do need to have a sit and recalculate my budget so I have a very clear idea of what’s to come as I head into the rest of the year.

Lyn:

August is the month that causes me panic. All the glorious dreams of hot days by the water and warm nights…also by the water start to feel like missed opportunities. But not this year–I am committed to ending the summer with a bang–or at least a splash.

I haven’t been standup paddleboarding yet. That must change. Jess and I tried to get up on the water at the start of summer but the wind had other ideas. But all is not lost and I will make it on a SUP sometime this month. (jess—what’s your schedule look like in august?)

I have two nieces that I adore and one of my favorite things to do is take them swimming which hasn’t happened, but it still can. I will be poolside at least one time before this month is over, if not more.

Speaking of said nieces, I took my eldest niece to a drive-in movie two years ago and we had a blast! I was super bummed that it didn’t work out last year. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake this summer and yet, we still haven’t gone. Mosquitoes be damned, I am going to the drive-in this summer!

As weird as it sounds, I want one day to just walk around Madison this summer, without any plans and enjoy all the things I love about the city. I’ve only done the market once this year. I’ve been out to the terrace but you can never go too much. I haven’t put on my headphones and set off seeing where the day takes me. I want this to happen. And it will. Soon.

Jess:

At the beginning of summer, I was ready. June started out solid, and I had a few great pool days, some long morning walks, an amazing NYC weekend, and a lot of rosé. Then it got cold. Then July was crazy stormy. Lately, I feel like I am just going from one freezing cold air-conditioned building to the next. So here we go- full stop, let’s reclaim summer with the following:

Just like Lyn, I need more time on the water. I even bought a membership at a nearby boathouse this year, thinking it would give me a “no excuses” outlook on running over to paddle around randomly throughout the week. Well, turns out I am not that person, but I still need at least one (or two?) good, solid hours paddling and/or floating around on a lake. In previous years, we’ve also done a day trip kayaking down the Wisconsin River- I don’t know if that’s in the cards for us this year, but I hope we can figure it out! (ps- I’d also like to join Lyn on that meandering walk!)

I have not been to the Memorial Union Terrace AT ALL this summer, and that is a mistake!! I could go for a Sunday afternoon with nowhere to be, hanging out with a pitcher of Spotted Cow, lively conversation, and maybe some card games. Who wants to join me??

Just in general, I feel like I need to slow. down. Summers are notoriously busy for me, so it’s easy for it to slip on by. I need more bike rides around the arboretum, visits to the zoo, ice cream stops, and street festivals. Basically, I need to take a month off work! 😉

What’s your favorite season? Do you have any musts left on your list for summer?? Tell us in the comments!!

 

Wash That Body (Naturally)

While we’re pretty lazy about washing our hair around here, I think we are pretty good at, you know, cleaning our bodies. Most of the time. Maybe not on Sundays. Anywhoo, there was a request a while back for us to review some of our favorite body washes, preferably “natural” ones. BTW- we love your requests, so keep ’em coming!

Many years ago, I took an aromatherapy class. It was neat! I learned that when you first smell a thing (say, a rose), your brain makes a specific “key” to fit in the “lock” marked “rose”. So when you smell an artificial rose, your brain is trying to jam this ill-fitting key into the rose lock, and that’s why you might get headaches from artificial scents. Also, perfumes and fragrances are chemically altered to have tenacious staying power, where essential oils will fade and change over the day. So, sure, I do own some regular perfumes, but I tend to be drawn to things that fall into the “naturally scented” category more.

Well, this request is right up my alley. Since I can’t deal with heavily perfumed products (like Bath & Body Works- seriously, who wants to smell like a Jolly Rancher??), and I realized I have about 5 options in my shower, allow me to introduce you to some of my current go-to’s:

Aveda Shampure Hand and Body Wash

I have a huge place in my heart for Aveda products. When I was young, buying Rosemary Mint conditioner was a special treat between me and my mom. Later in life, I worked for an Aveda spa (where I met Pamela!), and then another one when I became a massage therapist. There is something about the smell of Aveda that feels like home, and their flagship aroma for Shampure is just perfect.

When fall rolls around, I usually reach for Shampure body wash- it’s lavender based scent calms down the stress of the days getting shorter and colder, and just feels like a hug in the shower. I mean, not a creepy hug. Anyway, this body wash has a nice lather and doesn’t leave you feeling filmy or dry, plus a little goes a long way.

EveryOne Coconut Lemon Body Soap

*Shrug*. I picked this body wash up at Target, and it is fine. I mean, the best part is that it is reasonably priced and has a pump on the top- why don’t all shower products have a pump?? The ingredients are very mild, so I do like this one in the winter if my skin is feeling irritated. But overall I feel kind of meh about it. The scent is light, but it doesn’t really make you feel like anything happens when you use it. I give it a solid “good enough for the guest bathroom/better than no soap”. I don’t hate it. It’s fine.

Lush Shower Gel- Beautiful

A few years ago, I got a sample of Lush’s Gorilla Perfume in 1000 Kisses Deep, fell in love, declared it my number one scent, and then obviously it got discontinued. So when I was in the Lush store, lamenting that none of their new perfumes are even close to being as good, a helpful employee tipped me off that this shower gel, in Beautiful, was the same scent!!! I immediately bought a bottle, even though it was like $25 for a dang body wash. So yeah, this is not my every day body wash. This is my need-to-feel-fancy, off-on-a-hot-date-with-my-husband, need-a-luxurious-bubble-bath body wash. This smells divine, and lathers up like crazy, so it’s perfect for a bath. I am rationing it though… and I should probably hoard more because they are probably going to discontinue this too. WHY, LUSH, WHY?????? (They have other scents too- so, maybe you’ll like one that isn’t on the chopping block)

Dr. Bronner’s All One Pure Castile Liquid Soap

Ok, back to the land of reasonably priced things that will literally go down your drain. Hello, Dr. Bronner! This is a staple in my shower- I don’t always use it, but when I do, I’m like “why don’t I always use this??” Probably because it doesn’t have a pump on the top. I could probably rig something up. Anyway! Is this a staple in your house?? It should be. You can buy it anywhere (Target, the grocery store, even TJ Maxx!), it’s made of great ingredients, and the label provides hours of entertainment. It comes in a bunch of different scents, but I like the classic peppermint, especially in summer when it’s hot and humid and you need a little cool relief. It’s also great if you’re stuffy or tired or foggy- the scent clears the cobwebs in your head. Plus you can use it on everything! Even pets! Even floors! Even dishes! Even everything! And it’s the OG natural/vegan/fair trade/not animal tested soap. Go buy some!

Ivory Original Bath Soap

You know, sometimes, you just gotta bring it way back down to basics and buy something that’s under $4 for 10 bars. Enter the classic Ivory bar- so cheap! So unscented! It kind of dries you out a little, but it that “now I really feel clean!” way. Did you know that it floats because someone mixed it for too long and the company was like “….eh? Sell it anyway!” Do you have the “99.44” song in your head now? Sorry. Anyway, we keep Ivory in the shower because, well, it just gets the job done. Kind of like the soap Kermit helps to write an ad for when he gets amnesia and wanders into an advertising agency in The Muppets Take Manhattan:

So, there you have it, at a variety of price points and frothiness levels. What am I missing? Is there a naturally scented body wash that you rely on? Tell us in the comments!

xo

As always, no one ever sends us anything for free, so these are all in my real life shower and purchased with my real life money. Also: perfume headaches are the worst. Keep it natural, peeps!