Skincare

Melanoma Monday – Skin Cancer & Melanoma Awareness

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This legacy post has been given a facelift but content remains the same. I will be a broken record on this topic until forever and a day.

Melanoma Awareness Ribbon - Melanoma Monday

I’ve talked about my pursuit of a good facial sunscreen before (I’m liking it, btw!) and have mentioned here and there that my Mom received a (super early) Melanoma diagnosis.

Given today, specifically, is Melanoma Monday (first Monday in May), designated by the American Academy of Dermatology, I’m sharing my mom’s melanoma story to help raise awareness.

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Mom

Growing up in the 70s and early 80s, few people gave a damn about sunscreen and fewer people made their children wear it. Kids played outside not only more frequently than they do now, but more often (which, in itself, is not a bad thing). During her youth, she managed to get some fairly intense sunburns – to the point of agonizing sun poisoning. I even recall her telling a story about using baby oil while tanning; she burned, of course, and learned her lesson about that much, but still didn’t really employ sunscreen. As an adult, her skin would still burn when we’d spend any considerable amount of time outside, but I recall her being red for just a day or two, then peeling and having a decent tan. She thought, “Eh, no big deal. I’ve had worse.”

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Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream

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Skinfix Ultra Hand CreamSkinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream

Looking for the One Hand Cream to Rule Them All? For me, it was Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream.

Thankfully, it is now (technically) Spring. Dry winter air made drier by home heat was already too kind to our skin. Add in increased hand-washing to stave off the ravages of cold and flu season and you’re doing a number on your hands. Even diligent home manicurists find themselves struggling to maintain comfortable, healthy skin on our hands.

A few years ago, I received a tiny little baby of a sample tube in one of those free gift with purchase pouches from Ulta. I haven’t looked back. Since then, I’ve purchased and repurchased this hand cream four times. Now, why do I love it so?

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Chatter: January 2019 Favorites

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Chatter

I cringed as I typed the title of this post. Seriously. And then I had to stop and think – hell, what were my favorites last month? I had to chew on it. And then, life prevailed and I had a hard time coming up with things, I put it on the back-burner, and here we are at nearly the end of February with no, “traditional,” favorites post.

Sigh.

So instead of the usual spread, here’s a brief, bulleted list:

  • Vaseline. I am not a seasonal pedicurist. Vaseline is inexpensive and unscented; slapping it on under socks immediately after showers and again before bed has kept my feet in great shape in between pedicures. Plus, it has other uses – makeup removal if you’re into that (I’m not), lip balm, addressing extremely disobedient dry patches, etc. (Target)
  • Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. At one point, I tried to switch to Biosilk. But after a calamity, I reverted to Super Skinny. It smells better, feels better on my hair and my hands. (Target, Ulta)
  • Dyson Supersonic. I mentioned buying one of these around the holidays. And, wow – yeah, it’s good. Review coming … well, when I come up for air. (Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta)
  • Bliss What a Melon De-Stressing Overnight Mask. I don’t do a ton of masks, but picked this up in a recent haul. It applies easily, does not feel gross, and dries down quickly enough not to cover your pillowcase in goo. At $13, it’s inexpensive, too. (Target or Ulta).

Clarisonic Mia 2 Review

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This legacy post has been given a facelift for clarity and readability. Updates have been marked in line. Enjoy! Unfortunately, the Clarisonic Mia 2 is generally not for sale any longer (though I did see a set at Costco recently), but I can confirm that the results I experienced tend to follow several of their other devices. :)

Disclaimer: The following Clarisonic Mia 2 review was written by me and originally published over at the now-defunct Skincare Addiction Blog.

I tend to face ultra-hyped products with a certain degree of skepticism. After all, we’ve all plunked down money for something that just couldn’t live up to the marketing and was too good to be true. That doesn’t mean I am not interested in trying them, but it does mean I take a little more than two-days-worth of convincing before I dub something, “game changing,” or, “holy grail.”

Clarisonic Mia 2 Stock Photo

I wanted to try a Clarisonic for a a while but could not bring myself to shell out for it. I had an Olay Pro-X which was a mere fraction of the price, and when it comes right down to it, how many buttons and internet* and whatnot do we really need in our skincare routine? Eventually, the motor in my Pro-X began to falter – even with fresh batteries and a fresh brush head I had to use it longer to achieve the same level of clean that I was accustomed to. I started looking into the Clarisonic Mia 2, as I tossed around the idea of replacing my 2+ year old Pro-X device. To my delight, my now-husband gave me a Clarisonic Mia 2 as a very early Christmas gift last year (so Clarisonic doesn’t know me).

My Skin

I wasn’t seeking a miracle worker in the Clarisonic Mia 2; I neither believe in miracle beauty products nor have any severe skin conditions to contend with. That said, let’s talk about my skin, about which I have few complaints (back in December 2014):

  • Normal/Oily T-Zone. Cheek dryness during winter
  • Larger pores throughout T-Zone
  • A few Hormonal (cycle-related) blemishes around, “that time”
  • Sebaceous filaments on and just to the area just below and next to my nostrils
  • Occasional flakiness around nose & odd texture (not dryness) between eyes and across the upper-bridge of my nose
  • Not sensitive

The Wait

Although I wanted to gush about it right away, I decided to be patient. I know I tire of reading/hearing how life-changing this new-fangled (and often expensive) product or gadget that the reviewer has had for oh, three days. It may be, but some things deserve a greater level of scrutiny (this isn’t drugstore lipstick, after all) before being published.

Considering that a Clarisonic is an investment item for many consumers, I decided to use it for a whole year before talking about it.

First Impressions

Clarisonic Mia 2 - UnboxedClarisonic Mia 2, unboxed

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December 2018 Favorites

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December 2018 FavoritesDecember 2018 Favorites
1. Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy, $20 / 2. Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash, $5 /
3. St Tropez Tan Build Up Remover Mitt, $6.50 / 4. Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer, $8 /
5. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey in Double Rich Chocolate, $50

How ’bout that, we survived another trip around the sun. In spite of not feeling remotely enthused about the holidays, December was a blur; it started with a business trip, ended with a brief break from my day job and a visit from a dear friend. Today, I find myself back in the saddle of my normal routine. Details on my December 2018 Favorites after the jump.

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