2017 Christmas gift guide under $25

Trader Joe's did it again, they brought some wonderful items back that you can gift.

1. Trader Joe's Mask Trio for $6.99

2. Trader Joe's Rainbow of Honey $9.99

3. Scarf are an amazing gift always in my opinion. When purchasing a scarf to gift I would look for something that someone can use while they are out that means not too casual. The best scarfs for women would be the following styles

If you're going to choose a pashmina, be sure to choose one with short tassels like this one:

Also, knit scarfs in neutral tones are wonderful:

4. Socks are always a wonderful gift for under $25. When purchasing socks to gift, be sure to get some that someone wouldn't get for themselves as in they are more than practical. Please don't get white cotton sock. Get something that maybe all wool like these from Amazon:

By Jiye

https://www.amazon.com/JiYe-Thermal-Winter-5-Pack-Ripple/dp/B076HMHD4S/ref=sr_1_42?ie=UTF8&qid=1510813370&sr=8-42&keywords=wool%2Bsocks%2Bwomen&th=1

You can break these socks up (since they often come in packs of 4 or more) and gift them individually. The wool socks are so comfortable and warm as well as stylish and I've gifted many throughout the years.

5. A very nice gift to give someone is a few of the Trader Joe's goat milk and camel milk soaps. These soaps are very luxurious and wonderful way to care for the environment. It's $1.99 a bar so you can give a few.

6. Bundle gifts like coffee and a french press; tea and an electronic tea kettle (some ethnic stores have really inexpensive ones); mugs with fun messages. 

Fossil Fuel Diet

Conserve gas not because there's more of it but because it's a fossil fuel and the method in which it is extracted (fracking) is very bad for the environment.

Here are my observations on some ways to conserve on fossil fuels:

1. Walk more.
2. Opt to take public transit a few times a week - I feel like there should be better incentives for this and in many big cities where people already have cars taking the public transit is just another expense and this very very sad.
3. Park and walk more. I understand that there are places where people aren't near grocery stores as such hey are forced to drive but limiting the time spent in the car is always great.
4. Stay home more.
5. Eat more salads and cold soups because they don't require cooking.
6. Limit the number of lights that you keep on.
7. Wash cold; hang to dry
8. Shave your legs less often because that would mean you'll spend less time in the shower. And, wash your hair less often too.
9. Buy less, toss less.
10. Reuse, recycle, hand it down.
11. Pick up litter around you. It's okay no one will frown upon your neat behavior. Litter less.
12. Exercise to warm up.


Please add if you know of any good ways.

Basics: Setting Powder

Setting powders allow your foundation to stay put and not run off.
In the day time I set my foundation with Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Translucent powder with SPF 30. 

You don't get a combined SPF 15 plus 30; you just get 30 if you wear the Translucent powder on top of the foundation but you can reapply translucent powder, easily dusting it on your skin with a powder brush. This step tends to build up powder on your face and thus making the skin look cake which is a phrase that's referred to too much apparent product on the skin but to me I would rather my skin stay protected throughout the day. With SPF you do get a white cast so it will make your skin look whiter than usual so please note that if you are under certain lighting or taking pictures. If you don't want to use this powder and maybe get a bit more color out of your setting powder you may research and find a foundation type powder (that can be used as a setting powder) with an SFP that  can be use throughout the day.

In the evenings I like to use a setting powder that doesn't normally have an SPF. For that the best drugstore setting powder that I've enjoyed are the Sonia Kashuk setting powders (both the loose and illuminating one are great and very comparable to high end ones).

Basics: Foundation

After applying a primer I have chosen one foundation which I think is a good value and is pretty close to my skin tone (albeit a bit dark, but since most foundations oxidize on me I've learned to live with it). The foundation that I like that is light to medium coverage is the Elf Flawless Finish Foundation and my tone is Sand:

Makeup: Primer

I've always had hormonal acne. It flairs up around that time of the womanly month for me and it will clear up with time and sometimes it gets bad and sometimes it's more forgiving. I haven't always worn makeup. Before my 30s I would use just a light layer of concealer for spots and then some blush and that would be it.

Lately, I've been using more makeup. I went on a long and exhausting search for a foundation and had to consider a list of things. Is my skin oily, dry, combination? Do I need medium coverage or full? Do I want matte or dewy? Oh and the list went on.  I will say that one foundation doesn't fit all. And, my skin changed from month to month. My skin produced more or less oils from month to month. It became a roller coaster so I had to be patient.

Like I've written before. Your skin will age and the sun damage that you exposed it to in your young years will begin to show up on your skin. What will happen is that your skin will have spots, discoloration, patchy areas of light and dark, scars. You should use sunscreen on your face and remember to reapply every two hours. You should use sunscreen even indoors because indoor artificial lighting will expose your skin to ultraviolet rays.

That being said I do like the idea of now having a foundation that has UV protection and a setting powder with UV protection.  

If you have oily skin you probably have larger pores than usual.  Applying a primer first will help to fill them in and make your foundation last longer. 

Matte primers that I like are the Rimmel Lasting finish primer:

I've heard that the Hard Candy Sheer envy primer is a great product:

Some days I like an illuminating primer.

My favorite are the L'oreal Magic Lumi primer:

And, I really enjoy the NYC Smooth Skin primer:

How to take care of: Cashmere and Wool clothing (not coats)

Cashmere and Wool are among the most delightful articles of clothing that one can own aside from silk. They are fine, delicate, and luxurious, however most people don't know how to wash them and take care of them to make them last.  What makes these fabrics so fine is that they come from animals and with everything that comes from animals, we need to learn to treat it with a lot of gratefulness, rather than abuse and misuse. We can all learn to connect with the natural world around us like the Native Americans did in the way that they recognized and were thankful from what they got from animals.

So I know that caring for cashmere can seem like a hastle. It's actually much simpler than you might think. You don't have to dry clean ONLY your cashmere and wool sweaters, shirts, skirts, and dresses (this exludes your coats).

You will need a plastic bin or storage box shaped like this (it doesn't have to be clear and no lid; plastic because you will be putting water in it):

Cold water

Heavyweight plastic clothing hangers

And one of the following

Salt, Woolite, or white vinegar

Directions:

Take the cashmere item and place it in the bin. Add cold water (ONLY!!!) to cover the article of clothing fully. Add about one teaspoon or so of the cleaning agents (woolite, salt, or vinegar).  Swish your clothing, gently scrub the areas that need attention like the underarms, the neck lines or any stains. If there are heavy stains it may require some soaking (if the stain is an organic stain like coffee, tea, wine) in order to lighten or remove the stain. Keep checking on the stain if you are soaking it to remove it because sometimes prolonged soaking may be required. Finally, dump the dirty water, refill the bin with more cold water and submerse the clothing in there for a rinse. DO NOT ring out the water from the clothing. You will hook it on the hanger wet and hang it over the shower rod to let the water run down the clothing naturally. If you forget and ring it, you will need to resoak it in cold water. Now if your cashmere or wool has shrunk at this stage you can gently stretch it in areas where you need it. You will pull and tug gently extending the arms of the length as the water runs down and as the article of clothing begins to shed the water. Leave the article in the shower to dry until no more water drips out, then you may move it, still leaving it on the hanger, to another area in the house, where you should leave it on there until it dries completely. 

To store it, be sure to have small sacks of Lavendar in between so moths don't get to them. I have sacrificial cashmere so that moths too may enjoy them (but these are wholier than art thou snacks lol). Or ceder chips to keep moths away. NEVER EVER EVER please never use Moth balls -they aren't good for you nor are they any better for the environment. Personally, I think that they should be banned. 

Please take care of these wonderful gifts from animals. And I don't want to see another one end up at Goodwill (yeah right! :))

Beauty of Adulting

Being an adult is having to deal with issues that require us to Adult.

So what is Adulting and how is it done? When ambiguous situations present themselves that require thought about etiquette, morals, and ethics Adulting helps adults decide how to apprach the situation, what to say and how to say it as to keep an open dialoge and an open possibility while at the same time not offending others and even trying to learn something.

Adulting may require putting your personal feelings aside to address issues in a constructive way as to not upset anyone (be mindful and sensitive with regards to other people's feelings).

Adulting is hard, but it's necessary. My models of good Adulting have been my parents, friends, peers, colleagues, and some awesome people I've never met but have watched on YouTube namely emilynoel83.  Emily is a model of the same southern grace that I experienced when I traveled to Missouri last year. She, too, expresses her thoughts about the subject matter that she is interested in calmly, decidedly, and without vulgarity. It's refereshing to see this type of mannerism. When I watch her videos I'm reminded of how nice it is to refer to the subject matter back to the "I" as in "I enjoy this" and "I don't find this does anything for me" instead of "This isn't good; don't buy this."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teK4HSNxeN4

Adulting is admitting to our vulnerabilities and being honest, but sincere. I'm writing this blog post about Adulting because it's as much about beauty as is about external issues. Adulting is beauty from inside out not only for the person who is Adulting but also for the receiving party for the examples that they set. 

I like emilynoel83 as an example of Adulting because I watched one video of her where she's applying makeup on a snowy day and she's enjoying something that makes her happy. I think that everyone can find something that makes them feel happy. Adults figure out different strategies and methods to deal with things unlike children who are limited by their desires and teenagers who want to exert their point of view. They ask people to think about things.

Adulting is accepting that everything is not perfect and still there are things to work with, make work for them, make work for others or find something to love about something else.

Adulting requires the following phrases 

"You need to..."

"I am (insert any number of discriptive adjectives like diligent, tense, eat)"

"You can find something to love about it"

Adults don't mind being assertive when they tell someone what to do, but they also know that there are options out there. 

Let me know what you think.