There's Sand In My Coffee with Jenzy: 2014

My Bedside Arsenal

Happy March everyone, hope it's getting warmer and brighter wherever you are. In Texas, the weather's a bit on the fritz, cold at night and warm-ish if not warm during the day. Honestly, it feels like the weather is PMS-ing, with all of it's mood swings. Anyways, as I was getting ready for bed and settling under my covers, I looked over to my bedside table and realized there are some items on that table that would cause me great pain if they ever left that table. Thus spurred my creativity to create a blog post about my bedside arsenal to perhaps inspire you to try some of these things to help yourself sleep better, or just for curiosity's sake, to see what is on my bedside table!

When I'm getting ready for bed, there are a few creature comforts that I seek to help ensure a good night's rest. And the list is small, I don't ask for much in life...

Noise Blockers

My boyfriend requires some extra attention. I love you sweetie, but you snore. And when you're not snoring, you're ~~breathing~~ heaving really loudly. Now I'm a light sleeper to begin with, so I won't make it seem as though I'm sleeping next to an ogre. With that said, to ensure I don't rip off anyone's head during the night, I need to have some ear plugs. I'm no stranger to ear plugs (I had to start wearing them in college when my roommates were noisy and I was the grandma who was in her room with the lights off by 11) so I don't mind wearing them now.

Light Blockers

This is something that I've started to use in the recent months. I noticed that my sleep improved noticeably when I started wearing a sleep mask. If you have problems with sleeping (I'm a diagnosed insomniac) an eye mask might help you out in some way. For me, not only does it block the light, but since I associate it with peaceful sleep, I fall asleep easier and stay sleeping longer. Plus, at only 1$ from the dollar store, it's worth a try!

Skin Moisturizers

2 things I need. Lip balm and hand cream. I've talked about my Smith's Rosebud Salve at least twice before, but in case you didn't know, it's my favorite lip balm of all time. And I go to town with this at night, smearing it all over my lips and around my mouth. Hey I may look like a greaseball, but I don't care, my skin loves it. The only other ritual I have is applying a cream to my hands. I've already used up my favorite hand cream over the winter, so now I'm going through the rest of my hand cream collection (check out my Dry Hands Post further down ;)).

Hello Hydration

Last but not least, I must MUST have a bottle of water nearby. Even if I don't take a single sip, knowing that it's there is enough hydration. If I don't have any water near me, I tend to feel thirsty and will even get up out of my cozy bed to seek out water. My boyfriend jokes that I'm always asking for water when I get into bed but in the morning he'll see that it hasn't been drunk at all. It's a habit dear, don't f***ing mess with it! It's probably hereditary, because my dad is the exact same way. Thanks dad, my boyfriend thinks I'm a weirdo.

See? Not many things do I need for proper sleep I have.

All the best, stay warm and happy everyone.

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, by Jenny Ahna

featured

2 cents on: Dry Hands Post

An ode to our hands. The body parts that we sometimes neglect when it comes to moisturizing but that we regret immediately when they're all cracked and bleeding. I think we've all been there (I myself am a repeat offender, sorry hands). And February seems to be the worst month for that! Not to mention I was battling some serious dry patches on my face, but that's not for here.

I love hand creams. The act of applying it, the smell, and the feel of it afterwards. I do not mind applying it all day either, although I obviously prefer one that I don't need to apply often. And I'm sure I'm not alone in this. So I thought it would be useful to show you guys what I've acquired and been using and give you my 2 cents on these dry hand remedies. So, in no particular order, let's begin.

Heavy Duty Hand Cream

I thought I'd get this one out of the way first because I've already mentioned it in an earlier post (Winter Must Haves) and my opinion on it has not changed. It's thick, hydrating, and healing. This cream has obviously gotten a lot of love, from the beat up packaging. Enough said.

Elisabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Intensive Hand Cream

Disappointing. This came in a set with the original 8 hour cream and I had high hopes for it as I'm quite sure it's not cheap if bought on its own. Be warned, it has the same fragrance as the 8 Hour Cream, so if that scent does not sit well with you, don't try this, because it does smell up a 6 ft radius and lingers like an old fart. And it didn't even work! In fact, I think it made my hands even drier. It tricks you into believing it's going to be a miracle worker because it does feel really soothing the moment you put it on. But the only thing that lasts is the stank. And what's up with the 1 oz size? Is this a cream for ants?

True Blue Shea Cashmere And Sick Hand Cream

This cream is from the True Blue Spa line at Bath and Body Works. To me this smells exactly like the L'Oreal Cleansing Conditioner. To the T. And honestly, that's the only thing that stands out about this cream. It's not bad, it's not great, it's just okay. I'll use it, because I like the scent, but I'll probably enjoy it more in the warmer months, because it doesn't really cut it for me in the winter (even though it's got a warm wintery scent). It also leaves a false sense of security because it's so greasy and silicon-y but the back of my hands still feel chapped.

Camille Beckman Glycerin Hand Cream

For a product that has glycerin in the name, this cream didn't feel very abundant in glycerin. Glycerin gives a slippery feel and a translucent look to lotion, neither of which is a characteristic of this cream. It smells good, but is too thin to do really do anything. If anyone is still interested after reading that, can find them in little boutiques and online. But really, don't bother.

Simple Pleasures Lavender Vanilla Hand Cream

Another dud. Smells like a sweet lavender, which I love, and its purple, which is aesthetically pleasing. But it is so thin, there is no way it would do anything for the hands. It wouldn't even moisturize my body during the summer months. Don't like it. You can get this at Target, it's the cheapest out of the lot at $1.99.

Natura Siberica Hand Cream

My lovely boyfriend gifted this to me as a souvenir from his travels just before the holidays. It has a masculine scent which I rather like. This lotion feels good going on, and stays on your hands for a while, not the most healing if you have severely dry skin, but will keep it moisturized otherwise. All in all, it's a fair hand lotion, but I did expect it to be a bit more intensive coming from a country that cold and dry. Oh well...maybe its their "summer lotion".... for all I know that's what it says on the tube.

Hope this was helpful to some. To recap this long post,

Most Loved: Heavy Duty Hand Cream

Most Unique: Natura Siberica Hand Cream

Biggest Disappointment: Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Intensive Hand Lotion

All the best.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Empties

Empties [Vol. II]

Hi empties lovers,

Just a quick post on what I've finished up this month. Finally, after months of hard work, the Alberto VO5 shampoo and conditioner are now gone. I would buy the shampoo again, but not the conditioner. I have low maintenance, manageable hair, and I can get away with using a $0.75 shampoo (yes, it really is that cheap!) but the conditioner is too watery for my taste. This particular pair has a very sweet strawberry ice cream scent, FYI.
Down in the corner there is a tube of La Biosthetique conditioner I received in a gift bag from Canada. Worked horribly, smelt like baby vomit. I used it as a shave cream for my legs, and that's as useful as it got.

For body I used up my Olay Moisture Ribbons body wash and my Fruits and Passions Monoi body butter. The body wash was just alright but the body butter was one of the best I've used (it's up there with my Trader Joe's pumpkin body butter). I'd buy the body butter again, but I'd only buy the body wash if it was on sale or something.

I used up my Softsoap Foaming hand wash. I feel silly putting it in there, but I really like the foaming type of hand soaps, and this one was a dollar at Target. Would buy it again. The other hand related item is this OLD BBW** Handibac Anti-bacterial hand lotion in Fresh Lemon. I just wanted it out of my life. It didn't smell like lemons or anything resembling a citrus. And it didn't moisturize. I'm not sure if it even killed any bacteria. Would not buy (but I think it's discontinued anyways so don't matter!).

For home scents I burned up 2 mini candles from BBW, neither of which I enjoyed the scent of - Pineapple Mango and Acorn Fig. And a Scentsationals wax cube carton in Apple Guava. Now this I loved the scent of, and worked really well in the living area (I like apple scents in the house. It's very fresh to me).

That's it for January! Now I'm going to be a good girl and throw it all away instead of keeping it for 6 months like I did last time. Oh lord.

Stay warm and be happy everyone!

**BBW: Bath and Body Works

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Winter Must Haves

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, by Jenny Ahna

Empties

Holy Canolli Empties [Vol. I]

I have a hoarding issue... with empty bottles. Bottles of shampoo, mouthwash, body butters, cleansers, all empty...and all still in my house. My boyfriend found my "stash" under my sink and I knew at that moment that I could not keep it a secret anymore. He's threatened to throw it away when I'm asleep, and I'm not certain he's joking. I'm living in fear. So, before anything happens to my precious collection of empty beauty and body products, I will document every item. [Also, it's accumulated to the point that the drawer under my sink won't close, and I should really just say goodbye....and start a new stash for 2014 muahuahua.]

Now, this is huge. I mean, 6 months worth of empties huge. I had collected empties since the start of 2013, but then moved to a new place and just could not justify lugging the empties with me. So, like a crazy person, I started building my empties pile from the beginning again, slowly and surely.

I cut out all the "boring" stuff like toothpaste and mouthwash (yes....I kept those too. There's shame...) and will present the things worth talking about. I plan to continue this segment, but in monthly increments, because not even the most avid empties lover can handle 6 months worth of empties without getting bored. But I had all these things to share first and finally purge my bathroom (and my life) of.

I've also taken the liberty of highlighting my favourite products in pink so you can't miss them!

First off, face products. Clockwise starting from the top:
1. Forever Luminous Face Wraps - these are sheet masks I bought from TJ Maxx. Very affordable (5.99$ for 3 sheets) and I enjoyed using them. Would buy them again.
2. Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Refreshing Citrus Scrub Cleanser - basic cleanser, smelt like oranges, good daily exfoliant, didn't blow my socks off. There's nothing wrong with it, but I probably won't buy it again.
3. Mario Badescu Enzyme Face Wash - Really did not like this stuff. It looked shimmery, smelt weird, and I didn't feel like it cleaned my face at all. Would not buy it.
4. Clean and Clear persa-gel 10 - benzoyl peroxide zit cream. Worked well for big and small zits. Would buy it again.
5. Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Anti-aging Eye Treatment - can't really say if it did anything to anti-age and it didn't moisturize my eye area as well as some other products have. Would not buy it again.
6. Trader Joe's Natural Facial Cleansing Pads - these were tea tree oil pads that you wiped on your face and then rinsed off. I loved these! I used them twice a day. I felt they helped with oil control, acne control, and the texture of the pad gave a mild to medium exfoliation. Would buy it again!
7. Lush Let the Good Times Roll - the tub in the picture is in French because I bought it in the French part of Canada. Most people will say the best thing about this cleanser is the fragrance, and they're right. It smells like brown sugar cookies, and is a lovely treat in the winter. Does leave a residue, but that comes off with toner if you don't want it to stay. Really liked it, but didn't like the fact I had to stick my fingers into the tub and introduce bacteria and water. Would buy it again nonetheless.

Hand Wash L to R:

1. A La Maison de Provence Lavender Aloe - got this from TJ Maxx, really liked it, smelt good, moisturizing. Will buy this again.

2. BBW Iced Gingerbread - Really liked the smell of this, I had it in my kitchen. Would buy it again.

3. BBW Twisted Peppermint Antibacterial Deep Cleansing - Liked how this smelt, but it was goopy and always stuck to my sink. Would repurchase the scent but in the foaming formula.

Body Lotions/Butters, from L to R:
1. BBW Aromatherapy Sleep Body Lotion - came in a fancy glass jar (heavy as f&^% though). Smells really warm and soothing, definitely a light moisturizer. I have a back up of this, but I probably won't buy it again.
2. Body Shop Blueberry Body Butter - I liked the scent at first, but then it somehow gradually smelt like B.O. on me. I still used it at night (hehe) and the scent was gone by morning. Good, thick, hydrating butter. Will not buy again because of the scent issue though.
3. Body Shop Passion Fruit Body Butter - This one smelt wonderful, same texture as the blueberry body butter. Will buy this again.
4. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Body Butter - a stand out butter of 2013 for me. A really interesting, thick texture. Extremely hydrating. Probably my favorite out of the three. And so cheap! TJ also makes a coconut one that I'd like to try. This scent was only out in the fall, but I would buy it again.

Hair, L to R:
1. Boo Bamboo Shampoo and Conditioner - sulfate free, paraben free, vegan (I believe). These products smell so good (kind of sweet smelling, like sugar cane) and they lathered and cleansed so well! Definitely would buy again.
2. Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine conditioner - smelt like passion fruit, felt like a standard hair conditioner. Did a good job, nothing to write home about. But yes, I would pick it up again.
3. CHI Silk Infusion - I used this product for years (5 to be exact) as a leave in conditioner when my hair was wet out of the shower. Smells really good, and never made my hair look greasy, but kept it super soft. I'm totally sick of it now, but I would recommend it.
4. Moroccanoil Oil Treatment - I liked how this felt, it was very similar to the Silk Infusion. I would buy it again.
5. Garnier Fructis 2 in 1 - Has the standard fruity Garnier scent (which I love and makes me nostalgic). Good shampoo/conditioner. Would buy the full size.

Almost there. Body washes L to R:

1. Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub - I bought this to use on my back when I had back breakouts for the first time in my life (no shame!). Then I started using it all over my body because it did such a good job scrubbing, lathered well, and had a nice clean feeling. Not moisturizing, so maybe not a day to day product for dry skins. I would buy it again.

2. Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction - oh lord I have a bunch of these to go through. This is my 2nd favorite scent. But I probably will not buy these body washes again. I don't find them very hydrating, nor extremely lathering (I've learnt I like cream body washes better). No, will not buy it again.

3. Wash With Joe CoffeeMint Body Wash - smelt so weird, and did not lather well. Will not buy.

4. Pure and Basic Bath and Body Wash - pump dispenser is very useful. Smelt nice, good lather. Indifferent. Will not buy.

5. BBW Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Wash - same thing with the VS body washes, not very hydrating. Smelled very good though. Might buy it again for that.

Makeup. 2 Covergirl Lash Blast mascaras (my favorite of all time probably), 1 Physcian's Formula Organic Wear (hated this, will not buy ever again), Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara (did like this, would buy it again), and a Revlon Colorstay blue eyeliner that dried out (would buy it again though) and a Rimmel shimmer eye stick (I don't think they even make this anymore, and this one smells like plastic and dirty socks, so I'm chucking it).

Lastly, Randoms, from L to R:
1. Skintimate Flirty Mango shave gel - good shave gel, but the last one I'll ever buy. I've gotten into using cream body washes or hair conditioner for my shaving needs.
2. Soft and Dri Aerosol Antiperspirant/Deodorant - I liked this but wanted to use it up. It works well, but takes up a lot of storage space, and I've decided not to use any more antiperspirants and just stick to deodorants. Has a powdery scent, if you're into that (I am). Will not be buying it again.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide - lolz. I use this in my laundry to keep my white sheets bright. I toss about a half cup in with my sheets about once a month.
4. 3 Bath and Body Works PocketBacs - I love these, they smell great and are a good size for my purse. Would buy these again (although I have enough to last me a long time).

So there you have it. I'm already building up a mini pile of January Empties, which I will write a blog post about, and hopefully a video. I actually enjoyed going through all my junk, remembering how I liked it or didn't like it, and also feeling accomplished for going through the items. Which I think is what people search for in doing empty hoarding...satisfaction. I definitely feel satisfied in my 2013 use up. Although I haven't gone through much makeup...maybe this year. I've decided to not buy any more makeup until the next holiday season. Wish me luck!

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

2cents on | LORAC Pro To Go Palette

Hi Everyone,

I'm kicking off 2014 with a review and "my 2cents" on a product I discovered in 2013 and really fell in love with. I have not seen a palette this well executed in a very long time. Meet my PTG (Pro To Go, see how I'm trying to be cool there).

Coming in at 4.6 inches tall and 7.7 oz, what this contender lacks in stature she makes up for in absolute versatility, quality, and reliability. No, she is not a used car, at least not my lemon of a vehicle (seriously, I'm surprised I've still got 4 tires on there).

But seriously, the size is probably the best part of this product. It is very compact which makes it very travel friendly. No excess packaging here, yet it still houses a useable mirror, 6 eye shadows, a bronzer, 2 blushes, and 2 eye brushes. But it all fits in the palm of a hand! Pack this in your travel bag and you can get away with bringing ONLY your foundation, powder, mascara, and lipstick in addition.

It also goes without saying that it has the same great quality people have come to expect from LORAC with the Pro Palette (you might have heard of it).

The second great feature of this palette is that the shadow colors are truly basic, which doesn't have to mean boring. It fits all skin tones for that reason, and can provide a minimal look, a day look, and a night look. The other amazing thing that must be noted about the eyeshadow selection is that it really has everything people look for in an "all encompassing palette". By that I mean, a palette that does not need to be supplemented with additional colors:

1. A matte black (to use as an eyeliner or to darken an eyeshadow look)

2. A matte cream highlight (to wear on the eyelid as an allover color or as a highlight)

3. A "transition" shade (a little brown guy that takes your blending problems away).

L to R: Pearl, Chai, Mink;

Shell, Cafe, Black

Now, how many palettes in your collection actually have all of that? It's something a lot of brands overlook, the necessity of these shades to create an appealing look. That alone should be enough of a reason to have this palette around, to travel with or even to use at home.

L to R: Bronze, Pink, Coral

The last thing I wanted to touch on was the cheek colors. For reference, I am an NC25 skintone, and all the cheek colors look great on me and I can see them looking great on paler tones to darker tones. I even use them on a day to day basis at home because they are just that easy to use. I also sometimes like to use the pearl eyeshadow as a cheekbone highlight. Works well in a pinch, and saves you from having to take another item with you on your travels.

This palette costs 38 USD and can be purchased from Sephora, Ulta, and lorac.com.

2 comments

, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Beauty Brands I was Introduced to in 2013

Hello world,

I came to the realization this year that I haven't really tried that many makeup brands. When I first started wearing makeup, back in high school, I was all about the M.A.C. M.A.C. foundation, powder, eye shadow, brushes (oh god, those were expensive), and pigments (who really uses those??). Then in university, I got more into watching youtube videos and reading blogs and I started to realize that I didn't need to spend a lot of money on makeup, so my purchases were primarily from Walmart and Shopper's DrugMart (Canadian Walgreens for those of you who live furthur south).

This past year, however, I got to try some brands that I always heard about and knew the most popular/standout items from the brand, but never tried for one reason or another.

Nars
It started with the Laguna Illuminator, which I really enjoy to add color and luminosity to my foundation. Since that purchase I've come to own a Larger than Life eyeliner, an eyeshadow duo in Bellisimo, and the limited edition One Night Stand Blush palette from the end of this year.

Lorac
Lorac's hit product, hands down, is the Pro Palette that has rivaled the popularity of the Urban Decay's Naked Collection. I do not own the pro palette (soon perhaps!) but I did pick up the Pro To Go palette they released last year with a bronzer, 2 blushes, and 6 eyeshadows (3 mattes). A standout product of 2013 for me, I really loved it for travel, and even found myself using it at home, especially the cheek colors.

Bare Minerals
I hovered around the Buxom station in Sephora a few times this past year but never picked anything up. And then the holiday collections came out and bam. I now own my own little collection worthy of its own stand at Sephora. I picked up the Convertible Ready eyeshadow palette (which I have yet to use), and the Bring on the Night set (a FANTASTIC deal, again, haven't tried it yet). In addition, for Christmas, I received a Buxom Passport Collection set from my boyfriend. And no, I haven't tried that either.

Tarte
The only product I had ever used from Tarte before this year was the Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara I owned back in university. Around the holidays I picked up the Tarte of Giving "Collector's set" that was probably the best deal of the holidays. An eyeshadow palette, 8 mini lipglosses, a mini blush, a cheek stain, a mini mascara, and a couple skincare items, this makes the perfect thing for me to dip my toes into Tarte.

So yes, I did alot of makeup shopping over the past couple months. And alot of the stuff I haven't even tried yet. But I have all year! I do not plan to make any other beauty purchases in 2014, save for either the Lorac Pro Palette or the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Luxe Palette. I do realize that I went a little overboard in the past couple months, so I need to take it easy and start using the things I bought/received.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Pages

My Bedside Arsenal

2 cents on: Dry Hands Post

Empties [Vol. II]

Winter Must Haves

Holy Canolli Empties [Vol. I]

2cents on | LORAC Pro To Go Palette

Beauty Brands I was Introduced to in 2013

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My Bedside Arsenal

2 cents on: Dry Hands Post

Empties [Vol. II]

Winter Must Haves

Holy Canolli Empties [Vol. I]

2cents on | LORAC Pro To Go Palette

Beauty Brands I was Introduced to in 2013

About Her

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recent posts

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Search Me!

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