Catch Up, Ketchup!

Since I don't have a whole lot to rant/rave about today, I thought I'd do a little catching up on some of my favorite things, old and new, curiosities, and everything in between.

Let's start with some of my favorite things, that just might be in your top ten list too!

• Lululemon sweatshirts. These pricey body tents make me feel like a hot, organic-loving jedi
• Flower decorations that light up. I have a set in room at home, a string of flower lights in my dorm, and a jewelry stand that is more like a tree but hey it's close to a flower and it lights up
• The book "Go the F*&% to Sleep". One page reads, "The owls fly forth from the treetops. Through the air, they soar and they sweep. A hot crimson rage fills my heart, love. For real, shut the fuck up and go to sleep". I'm sure this is Kate Gosselin's favorite book as well.
• Whitney Port. Love that girl.
• The elderly couple who wed on the morning of July 24 in New York. The two women were well over the age of 70 and had been dating for more than 20 years. They reminded me that marriage is not just a piece of paper.

Because I still have some time on my hands I also want to talk about my favorite topic, more than anything ev-er: skin care. Right now I'm in the middle of a skin regimen crisis, due to the extreme summer heat and my inability to stick with one type of product/brand. What I love right now are the following:

• Elemis Tri-Enzyme Facial Wash. This is amazing simply because it does not dry out my skin and comes in such a pretty, practical package. No frills here.
• Kiehl's Midnight Recovery. I only use this once or twice a week, but it makes my skin feel so soft, doesn't cause breakouts and fakes 10 hours of peaceful sleep.
• Lush Brazen Honey mask. I only use this once a week since it is such a strong product, but I love to use this fresh mask when I feel like my skin is congested or a little "thick" (with sweat and grime, thanks NYC). **Also, whenever I use a mask or exfoliator, I always boil some water and let the steam open my pores for a couple minutes before. I find this to be the most effective method when I really need to clean my blackheads.
• Clinica Ivo Pitanguy Toner. Unfortunately I got the cleansing set as a gift, and I wasn't too crazy about the whole system, but the toner works nicely. That's about it. I might try it again though, just because.
• Peter Thomas Roth Oxygenating Mask. This mask is nice just before a party or night out, when I want my skin to glow a little. I really don't think this mask can do a whole lot besides brighten, but it is certainly nice and it has lasted me over 8 months.

As far as facials go, I don't get those too often seeing as they are expensive, very expensive in NYC to be exact. But at the beginning of each school year I usually splurge on a facial at Bliss because the spa's amenities are so amazing. I tried a $55 half hour facial at the Elemis counter recently. They had a nice massage chair and a wonderful skin expert, but it really just felt like a car wash. I was cleansed, toned, wiped down, and that was it. I am excited to try the $50 facial at the Dermalogica academy, mostly because it is an hour long, extraction included facial, the catch being that it is performed by students, in a room with other women getting facials. But from what I understand, the Dermalogica academy is sort of a grad school for serious skin therapists, so I'm not worried. When there's a budget involved, some standards are lowered. Hopefully I can afford to experience this facial soon, at which point I will make an update to let everyone know how it goes! I am going to go catch up on some Teen Mom right now, and for the record, Farrah scares the crap out of me.