.recipe for relaxation.

So, I just have to say, I am the queen of relaxation when it comes to being frazzled. I am currently taking a full course load and working about 20-25 hours a week. Might not sound like much, but if I add up all the time I am on campus a week, it would add up to about 60 hours or more a week. Craziness. I feel like I live here! 

Needless to say, when I get home, I feel like doing nothing. So, this past Saturday, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision... I got my MacBook, brought up episodes from this season's edition of Project Runway, got out a body mask and a bubble bar from LUSH and just laid in the tub. It was amazing! Never under-estimate the power of a bubble bath or a hot shower... sometimes I put on Pandora and switch it on to the jazz channel or whatever mood I'm in too... or the shower can just be a good time to pray. I highly encourage taking the time to relax and treat yourself! I'll list the bubble bar and body mask I used below. Enjoy!

This product is called Glorious Mud. It's $5.95 for a block of it and it's totally worth it! I didn't use mine all at one. I crumble it into a tupperware and use as needed. I mostly use on my face, neck and upper body. It's made of Rhassoul Mud from the Atlas Mountains and it's a deep cleansing wonder! It also contains Aloe Vera to soothe and Vanilla and Sesame to moisturize. I'm always nervous about masks because I have sensitive skin sometimes and they cause me to break out, but this has been so good for my skin. I love it!

 

This is the bubble bar I used and you can pick it up for $9.95. It's called The Comforter and is very relaxing and soft containing sweet blackcurrents and cypress oil. The thing I love about LUSH's bubble bars is that they infuse your bath with all kinds of goodies for your skin, but also produce a luxurious bubble bath, which is really fun :)

I feel like I constantly talk about the magic of LUSH, but you just need to see for yourself! Please look for a store near you or check them out here!

Also, for the Runway fanatics... what is up with Michael C??? I'm a few episodes behind, but he is a lucky duck. I can't decide if I like him or not... plus from the episode I watched last night, I have no idea how his garment won.. if you aren't watching, check this out:

I guess I have no clue about what fashion is... ick.

.clinique.

Hello beautiful friends! So, I just wanted to share some little cosmetic products that I am LOVING right now. I haven't blogged much about how uneven my skin is, but let me tell you, it drives me crazy! For the longest time I just wanted to be able to wear really sheer foundations like tinted moisturizers... I mean, who wants to wear cakey, heavy, oily foundation when they are in their twenties? Not me! So, after years of searching I have found a foundation that works so well for my skin. The coverage feels pretty sheer, but it covers all the redness on my skin. The foundation is from Clinique's Acne Solutions line. It covers well and also has acne treatment built right in!

You can get this foundation at major department stores and Sephora for $24.50. It sounds kind of pricey, but it lasts for a long time because a little goes a long way, my friends! 

Also on the Clinique train, I just picked up some of their liquid or cream eyeliner, which I am in LOVE with! Unlike other liquid eyeliners I've found at most stores, this one comes with its own little application brush which is super precise. These babies go for $14.50 a piece and also go a long way! I got mine in deep brown :) 

Last but not least, I also love some of Clinique's lip glosses! I always look for a make-up that can multi-purpose, so this one is great. These lip glosses are called Long Last Glosswear with SPF 15. I got mine in a color called Tender Heart and it has a little bit of color, lots of gloss, and no shimmery glitters or anything which was a must for me! 

This image is a bad example, it's not the color I bought.. I need to get better about taking my own photos for the blog, my apologies!

I also wanted to add in a couple of things. I know that not everyone likes Clinique, so I did want to list a couple alternatives to these products... first off, the SPF lip gloss: I actually recently bought a brand new tube of SPF lip gloss from Neutrogena which is my favorite! It got thrown into a trash can when I took it on a beach trip, so the Clinique gloss I bought was the replacement. The thing I like about the Neutrogena brand is the lip gloss is cooling and it's not too gooey. I love taking lipgloss to the beach, so the cooling affect in this one was great! They are called Moistureshine Lip Glosses. Here's a pic:

The nice thing about these is you can snag one from Target for like $6 and change... they are amazing!

Another alternative, would be with the foundation I have. The only downside to the Clinique foundation that I am currently loving is that it does not have SPF in it. Prior to changing over to Clinique's I was using a tinted moisturizer by Sephora. It was so great! I bought it for a friend's wedding because the coverage is buildable! You can either wear one coat for every day wear or you can apply two to three coats for more coverage. It was great!

The other upside is the cost. You can get this from Sephora stores for $21. So it's a couple dollars cheaper with different benefits! This one would be great for someone who is not really struggling with acne problems, but still needs something oil-free. I highly recommend it!

Well, my friends, that's all for today! Have a happy Sunday!

.LUSH.

Ok, so how can I not blog about one of the most fabulous, fragrant, delicious soap stores I've ever been to? So, maybe like a couple years ago, my mall got a fabulous new soap store called LUSH. Ok, I will admit, I was hesitant at first... it's one of those stores that you can smell from the other end of the mall.. it seemed terribly obnoxious! However, I was pleasantly surprised when one of my good friends started working there... let me tell you, it's addicting!

So, here is my own little review of their lovely products...

My all-time favorite, can't live without bar soap:

Sexy Peel Bar Soap

This bar soap is super citrusy and deep cleaning! I feel in love with it since I have had a couple semesters of Printmaking in college and let me tell you, ink is NOT fun to get out from under fingernails... but this soap helped keep me feeling squeaky clean :)

Best smelling shower gel:

The Olive Branch Body Wash

This body wash is so lovely smelling :) Yum! It makes you SUPER soft and the scent lingers most of the day! I loved using it around Christmas time... it was just nice during the winter.

Best pick-me-up:

Sunny Side bubble bar! Oh my gosh! It's like a party in the bathtub! You just throw one of these suckers in the bath tub and it bubbles up so nice! It's like taking a bath in liquid gold! It makes the water all swirly and beautiful... I highly recommend this after a long, hard week.. it's just so fun!

Well, I could go on and on about these wonderful products... but I won't! Go try it out! All of their products are eco-friendly and super fun... oh, and did I mention highly addicting?