Showing posts with label December. Show all posts
Showing posts with label December. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

My 2020 Quarantine Skincare Routine

Hello lovely reader! Happy almost New Year! I put together a little summary of my "Quarantine Skincare Routine" aka the products I have been using and loving over the past few months. The great thing is that the majority of them are drugstore brands meaning you definitely don't have to break the bank to create a nice little routine. As far as a skin type, I have a very oily t-zone, and deal with blackheads on my nose. My forehead I would say is the least sensitive part of my face and my chin is definitely the most sensitive. So if you can relate to any of that I would highly recommend giving any of these products a try. I have also provided links (which are not sponsored or affiliated) in case you want to check anything out!



Soap and Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash
This product is great for getting some exfoliation into your routine. It leaves your face feeling fresh and smooth, especially if you use it with some type of spin brush. It also has a great scent to it!
Dermalogica Clear Start Foaming Wash
This face wash is a bit more of a splurge but I have found that it really works well with my skin type. It definitely helps to control the oil on my t-zone and is also great to use as a follow up to the Soap and Glory wash. 

PMD - Personal Microderm - Classic
This was my quarantine "self-care" splurge. I ordered it in the spring and can honestly say that it is worth it! When you factor in how much Microderm facials cost and the fact that a lot of places are closed right now it actually is a great deal. I have found that using this once a week has helped with the redness/scars left behind by breakouts on my chin area and the oiliness of blackheads around my nose. I will say that this doesn't suck out blackheads but removes layers of dead skin cells, so if you use if consistently it can help with appearance of black heads but will not remove them all at once. It also makes your skin super smooth and helps it to absorb any product that you apply afterwards. A lot of places carry this product too and I have seen it go on sale a lot so keep an eye out if you're looking for a deal.

Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner
This is a great product to try if you are looking to introduce a toner into your skincare routine. It is extremely affordable and I have found it to agree with the sensitive areas on my face which was my main concern. They do offer an unscented version which I would recommend over this Rose Petal one (bought it by mistake) and even offer it in little travel sizes if you don't want to buy a big bottle to start. 

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme
This product would also fall under the splurge category in my book but again it is definitely worth it. The cream has a great scent and texture to it. It gives you a glow for those days when you don't wear makeup (everyday since March) and really does feel hydrating when applied.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
It's a classic and it works! This moisturizer is great for the winter because it is a bit heavier and I don't know about you but since turning the heat on, the air in my house is dry!! It also has SPF in it which is important to wear year round.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque
This mask is perfect to use if you feel like your skin needs a moisturizing boost. Even for someone who has oily skin this is great to use every so often, the next day I can totally notice a difference and it doesn't cause breakouts for me in my more sensitive zones when is a huge plus. I would recommend using this once a month if you have oily skin and if you have more balanced skin every few weeks.
Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask
Tried and true, and much used as you can tell in the photo, this mask is great for detoxifying your skin. I can tell for even for a day or two after as I have less redness in areas that were previously irritated and again it doesn't aggravate anything either. I try to use this once a week, typically at the end of the week.
Feeling Beautiful Facial Polishing Masque with Charcoal and Black Sugar
This mask is great and I actually use it in the shower. I'll apply it right about halfway through and then scrub it off at the end. This is also a great option to bring some exfoliation into your skincare routine especially in the winter months! Great to use a couple of times a week!


And that is my routine! I hope these reviews were helpful and maybe inspired you to try out some new products! Xx




Friday, December 23, 2016

"Not the Gumdrop Buttons!" | Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Hi lovely readers! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Are you ready? I know I am. I love all the personal traditions that these next few days will bring and look forward to them every year. One of those traditions is to bake gingerbread cookies! I started at about 10 and have been mixing, baking, and icing since then. 

The recipe is simple and the cookies delicious. They are great to set out for Santa, put at guest's places at the table at your holiday party or put them in a cute little tin and give them as a gift!

You will need:
2/3 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons molasses
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Icing (of your choice)
Candy to decorate (M&M's, chocolate chips)
(This recipe makes about 24 cookies)






In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in the buttermilk and molasses.

Now in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix them.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture.

Mix well. Then set the dough aside in the fridge to chill for several hours. I would suggest using wax paper and putting some flour on it before transferring your dough to chill, to prevent the dough from sticking. 

After the dough has chilled you are ready to start cutting out shapes and baking! Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. For rolling out the dough, I usually make mine about 1/8 of an inch. This again is really up to you, just be sure not to make them to thin because it make them harder to transfer to the pan. Another tip is to dip the cookie cutters in flour before cutting out the shapes, again, prevents sticking. Bake the cookies on cookies sheets for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Place the cookies on wire racks and allow them to cool completely before decorating. Then decorate!

Perfect little gift or keep them all for yourself! Do you have other favorite holiday cookie recipes? Xx

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Christmastime Goals | Happy December

Hi lovely readers! The holiday season is officially here and I hope your first few days of December have been good. I have been quite busy lately as I'm sure many of you University students can relate to as well, with the semester wrapping up! Winter break cannot come soon enough as I am ready to relax and enjoy this lovely season. I am definitely one of those people who gets a great deal of satisfaction from making lists and then crossing things off, so when this time of year comes around and there are tons of things that I want to do, I sit down and write them all out. I love reading and hearing what other people are planning on doing to be festive and it usually inspires me to add to my own list. I thought it would be fun to share my "Christmastime Goals" with you all and I would love to hear what yours are too! I also plan to have some posts centered around these "events", so stay tuned!
Do we have any of the same goals? Any suggestions of other fun and festive things I should do?


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

10 Things I Want To Do In December... | Blogmas 2015

Hi lovely reader! "It's the most wonderful time of the year",



Happy December! The other day I visited my cousin and her house was in full Christmas mode, with a spruce tree scented candle burning, the tree up and sparkling, holiday decor everywhere you looked, and christmas music playing. It was perfect! I then came back to my apartment this weekend to find an adorable little christmas tree set up, the couch staged with holiday pillows, and the aroma of a holiday candle burning. It truly makes me so happy. This is without a doubt my favorite time of the year and am beyond excited for Christmas. I plan on doing all things festive throughout the month and thought I would make a list of the things I want to do!



1. Make a holiday playlist on Spotify and listen to it while driving home

2. Bake gingerbread cookies

3. Decorate a gingerbread house

4. Decorate my house with my family while a fire burns and Christmas music plays in the background

5. Make paper snowflakes

6. Go ice-skating

7. Drive around and look at Christmas lights

8. Make homemade hot chocolate

9. Watch Christmas movies (most importantly Elf)

10. Spend time with family and friends

Bonus: Participate in Blogmas as much as possible
(I did blogmas last year (Blogmas 2014), and loved it, I especially love going back now and looking at all the posts from it. I also know that I will probably be getting quite busy, so I may not be able to post everyday of December up until the 25 but I am going to try my hardest!)

What do you want to do this December? Xx

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Jars Decoration: Blogmas

Happy Holidays and happy blogmas! Today's post is about these adorable little village decoration jars. They are a bit more detailed to make but I think it is well worth it! I plan on making two or three and displaying the on my desk. The little scenes are absolutely ridiculously cute! You could also put lights in the jars to give them a nice glow at night. So, if you are looking for a nice Christmas decoration to make someone or just want to make them for yourself, have a look at these!! Have a nice weekend! Xx



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

December!

Hello lovely reader and happy December! I am so excited that this time of year is finally among us! Christmas/winter are definitely one of my favorite things ever!


 I realize that it is already the third of December, but I think I am going to attempt blogmas! This means that each day up to Christmas, there will be a new post on anything from Christmasy pics to gift DIYs and definitely a post full of songs. I have been watching Youtubers vlogmas videos and it definitely makes me want to be festive, so hopefully these posts will give you the same feeling. 


So be sure to check back each day to see what festive Christmasyness is taking place! Are you doing blogmas or vlogmas? Feel free to leave your link below! I'd love to see it! Xx P.s. If you're looking for nice Christmassy pics, try Pinterest I personally don't have an account but I just use it to search instead of google images, I could scroll for hours! 

Cheeky Quote Tuesday