While not a death scene it is going to be another day of no posting. I haven’t been on the scale all week and meals have been only when I feel I can stomach anything. My skincare too has been spotty and so a line up would be rather pointless for the week as well. And so While I feel better, I am going to gave into the exhaustion, thankful that I have been fever free for more than 24 hrs and can once again breath through my nose. I will be back on Monday and hopefully normality will resume. Have a great weekend everyone.
Author: msmimsy
Unscheduled interruption…
Woke up this morning and decided the best thing to do was to go right back to bed. Hopefully normality will be restored when I can actually keep my eyes open. Friday maybe, if not, then Monday at the latest. Symptoms aren’t bad because of the vax I am just exhausted while everything runs it’s course.
The Daily August 3rd, 2022
Today my darlings I decided that I did not want to look like death warmed over. That’s right, I went with makeup. I left of the mascara and the brows because I am still a sneezing watery eyed mess, But I decided that I simply wanted to something normal.
What is interesting is that I feel a lot better than I have, despite the running nose, eyes sort throat and pounding headache. All of my symptoms are less and I feel like I am on the mend. I managed to actually stay awake all day long today, a first this week.
Interestingly enough today was the first test where i tested positive. The lines were very light compared to my babydoll’s, whose lines were dark and bold on the test strip. Still there is no leaving the house until next week. Which is fine.
I miss my walking and exercise but as even thinking about it makes me feel exhausted, I accept that the fitness plan is on hold for a bit. But I did something normal today and that was to put on some makeup and actual clothes. I know, not pajamas today. At least for a few hours. I think I might make it to about for or five before I change. But I wanted to feel like me for a bit and I did. So shall we take a look?
Today’s Look
Primer: Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer
Foundation: Yensa BC Skin on Skin Full Coverage Foundation
Bronzer: Illamasqua Gel Bronze Stick
Blush: Dominique Cosmetics Cream Blush
Eyeshadow: Lunar Beauty Nude Prism
Lips: Elf Sheer Slick in Black Cherry
Okay I’ll be honest, I leaned into products I liked and that took minimal effort to use today, except for the eyeshadow. The tatcha silk canvas (in the balm form) is a log time favorite. The Yensa BC foundation is rapidly becoming my go to product for foundation. it is just beautiful and easy to blend. My tube is almost empty so I will need to replace it soon, but it is fantastic. I was keeping it light so I used the Illamasqua gel bronze. It feels wet when it is applied which takes some getting used to, but it blends beautifully. The Cream blush I really do enjoy. It might be a bit too much considering how washed out I feel today, but it blended out beautifully. And you of course know that I love the elf Sheer Slick. Once again it is nearing the end of it’s life and once again I will be reordering it.
So all fabulous right? Now let’s talk about this shadow.
Its the lunar beauty palette and to be honest I thought I was reaching for a brown shade. The fact that it came out purple was a bit of a surprise to me. I swatched it after i saw it on the lid and the swatch came out brownish with a purple tinge. But it went full Ursula the sea witch purple on the lids. Which was unexpected. It does show off the big flaw in this shadow though and that is the blending. I’m going to try it with a lid primer and see if that makes a difference, but these shadows are on the powder side and don’t tend to blend really well in general.
My eyes also look horrific this close up because I am sick and they are baggy. I think the lines multiplied over night. I am not a fan of that. I’m hoping it is temporary and that I will go back to looking a little less wrinkle-ly eyed and droopy once the sickness has passed.
If you look at the shadow though I started with the application of the shadow on the outside of the eye and then blended in. I ended up with a stripe of Ursula purple on the center and lighter everywhere else. I tried the light pink on the inner corner and then tried to blend out but the shadow wasn’t really having it. I am not a fan of this look or this shadow. Tomorrow there will be lid primer and we will see if that helps, for now, not a fan.
And so that was my look today. i chose favorites for the most part that I didn’t have to think about and then struggled with the shadow. I am also horrified by how bad my eyes look right now and hoping a good nights sleep will help.
I do think that getting dressed and actually putting on makeup did help my state of mind though. I feel a little bit better mentally just for doing it. I will admit though, My pajama pants are calling to me.
One Month of My Fitness Pal, the free Version
Regardless there was a spate of time where the weight was put on. And it didn’t come off. It stayed. Then I decided to go on a weight loss journey. The reason was simple, I woke up one morning and got out of bed and couldn’t remember when my feet didn’t hurt at some point throughout the day. I decided that was not a good thing and that it was high time I did something about it.
I know, not as sexy as wanting to look good in a bikini or getting ready for a class reunion or even running a marathon, but it was my reason for losing weight.
the problem was where to start. while I am a full time writer now, I went to school for (and still write about) Architectural History. It means I can tell you a great many sociological reasons why American banks were designed to reference Roman architecture, but I can’t tell you squat about the human body aside from a third grade song listing the bones of the skeletal structure.
So I dove into the world of dieting and fitness.
I don’t know if you have been, but it is a terrifying place. It is also full of very opinionated people.
What I wanted sounded simple in my head. I wanted to shave some weight off of my body so my feet didn’t hurt shortly after I got out of bed. I wanted a program that I could maintain for a life time rather than a quick fix. As at my heaviest I weighed 246 lbs, I knew there wasn’t going to be a quick fix. I was in for a long haul. Crash diets weren’t going to work. Cutting out a single food group wasn’t going to work. i had over a hundred pounds to lose and I needed a long term solution.
What I landed on was portion control and regular exercise. I know, like ,making my feet not hurt it isn’t the sexiest of diet plans. There is no cool name or concept backed by pseudo-science. it is no magic fat melting pill. I just needed to balance my calories in and calories out. As simple as it sounds I have tried many ways to do this. The simplest way for me is a food diary. I have used a notebook and pen to record what I eat and how much activity I got, but then I had to look up the calories and while it was helpful, it is just plain easier to use an App for that.
My problem with a lot of the apps is that they seem to assume that I am purchasing pre prepared foods. While this works for a few things, I tend to cook most of my meals. One of the things I really liked about the My Fitness Pal is that I can build a recipe. I can type the ingredients in and then tell they system how i portion out what is created. Then it tells me how many calories I consumed.
The recipe builder and food diary are the two elements of the My Fitness Pal app that I use the most. One of the things I like is that it lets me keep the regularly used items in the list so each morning I don’t have to input coffee I can just check the box and have done with it, easy peasy. I am sure most of the apps do that, but it is the recipe builder function that is in the My Fitness Pal app that I have found a lot better than most and the most helpful. It takes a bit to add the recipes in but once you have then you are done.
While I have used these features for years at this point (off and on), this month I committed to using it and building the habit of logging in every day. For me, keeping track of the food keeps me on track. I also enter my exercise so I can figure out my calories in and calories out. Oddly enough the checking in section has been hugely beneficial. While I weigh in once a week officially for the Friday Weigh in, I really like the habit of getting on the scale each morning and just typing the info in to the system for a chart. I know there are going to be some points (like the holidays) that I don’t want to do that, but there is something i really like about seeing the chart grow and build. I think it is because while there is a degree of up and down in my dieting, I can look at the chart and see that even if this week I gained half a pound, the chart still shows an over all downward trend. I find that encouraging to see. It really helps me not get caught up[ in minutia.
The blog function has also been useful for me as well. It has been a way to just add quick thoughts about what is going on. New foods I’ve tried, things that go well or don’t go well. I have also found inspiration in the news posts about various exercises and foods that come up on the site. Overall it has been a really good tool for me to use and after a solid month of use, I am now in the habit of using it. It has become routine to log in and input what I am eating and to log in my work outs.
the version I have been using though is the free version. I have found that sometimes I use a free version of a program and love it, and then dislike the paid version. On the other hand, sometimes once I try he paid version I find there are parts I really don’t want to let go of and remain with the paid version. There are several items on the paid listing that are intriguing to me;. There is a greater depth to the food logging app and a guided nutrition plan. There are also recipes targeted towards my nutritional goals. As I am always looking for new recipes to try out, I am very interested in that. The paid version sounds like it would actually be a benefit. So now that I have gotten used to the free version i am going to give the paid version a trial and then do a side my side comparison to see if it is the right plan for me or if I was fine with the free version of the app. So shall we see if the paid version has elements that I really need, or if the free version is all that I need? I think we shall. Let the trial begin!
Let’s talk tea…
As you know from previous posts this week, I have felt a bit under the weather this week. While I am feeling better, when I feel badly I gravitate towards tea. Now it isn’t my normal tea. When I am feeling well I tend to go for flavored blends, usually from the Art of Tea. They have so many mixes that I absolutely love. However those are the relax and savor sorts of teas.
And that is not what today’s post is about. Not that these two teas aren’t absolutely delicious and nice to drink on a cold winter’s day when you are curled up with a book. But they are the teas I reach for when I am feeling under the weather and need something comforting while I fill my body with fluids.
You will notice that one is caffeinated and one is not. I am used to a certain amount of coffee in my day, but when I don’t feel well coffee can be a little bit acidic. Still sometimes, a little boost of caffeine isn’t a bad thing.
The first tea I reach for though is the Twinings Lemon and Ginger Herbal tea. With just a drop of honey it is the perfect beverage for when you feel under the weather. The lemon is bright and the ginger is just a bit sharp which means that I can actually taste it even when my nose is clogged. Adding the honey makes it feel both comforting and slightly medicinal. (My grandmother used to but a lemon slice with honey in hot water for me to drink when I was sick as a kid).
Now the Blackberry Tea from Impra is a new addition to my pantry. I came across it in a store and thought, I like blackberry. I decided to take a chance on it. Usually I find blackberry teas very disappointing. Most of them are herbal blends and they feel more like a generic herbal tea that might have once seen a blackberry. The Impra is a little different. It is good quality black tea that tastes very strongly of blackberry. Not only is the flavor really nice, but because the black berry has a slight sweetness to it, less sugar or honey needs to be added to the cup. In fact I just steep the bag in water and don’t bother adding anything else. In addition, it is really great as Iced tea. When serving it cold though the natural sweetness dims so you need to add it back in a bit before you chill it.
The blackberry tea from Impra is also good for making sun tea. With that, I do add sugar and a few slices of lemon. It makes a fantastic summer treat. Right now, these are my top two teas for when I feel bad. The Twinings does see a lot of winter use, and I am sure the Impra will this winter as well, but it is also a fantastic summer blend. If you are a fan of blackberry, I highly recommend it. Good black tea and a fantastic blackberry flavor, it is hard to beat.
The Daily August 2nd, 2022
Good afternoon my darlings. I hope you are all doing well. We got my babydoll to the pharmacy, officially confirmed the positive test and now have him on the appropriate medication. He is on the mend.
My summer cold remains and my tests remain negative. I am hoping they stay that way. I will say though that around ten this morning i went to the bathroom and thought I could put on makeup today as long as I avoid mascara. Then I came out of the bathroom, looked at the bed and thought that a nap sounded like a better idea. I laid down for a short nap and woke up about twenty minutes ago. I was still in the same position I fell asleep in so I think my body just took me down. I hae creases from the sheet on my face, but I am not worrying about makeup today.
As I am already contemplating another nap, I think it would be pointless.
I know it is not a fun Daily post today. I slept rather than doing, well much of anything.
I did have a dream where a monkey kept trying to steal a bag of sand. It was an ordinary looking bag but the person I was with was adamant the monkey not steal it. It was as if he thought the world would end if the bag of sand was moved. And that is the highlight of my day. I hope yours followed along a bit more predictable lines.
Or someone at least told you why the bag of sand was important.
Diving into the July 2022 Glossy Box
Oh Glossy Box. This is one of my favorite subscriptions. It has bee for quite some time now. I always find something I love inside and it rarely disappoints. Until a few months ago I never had a problem with their customer service either. It was always spot on and quickly addressed any issue. For the past two months I’ve actually had to fight to get my box. I still think it is worth it but i am running out of patience with their customer service department. I only hope that whatever issues they have going on they work out soon.
So now that I have finally received my July Glossy Box, let’s see what is in it. This month’s theme is Dive in and the box itself is a dark blue with coral decorations that I actually quite like. In opening the box the first item I saw was the Verso Eye Cream #5. At the moment I am actually using this eye cream. It too is a deluxe sample but it is also now almost completely empty. So I am going to rotate this in almost immediately into my skincare line up so that I can possibly get a month of use out of the eye cream. Plus it is a really good eye cream so I am happy to keep using it. Surprisingly though this looks to be a late addition. It isn’t mentioned in the brochure but a Farm X serum is. This is an Avon brand and while I always like bakuchiol serum, I am not entirely comfortable having an avon product in a subscription box. (I still haven’t tried the moisturizer that came in one month). I live Avon actually. It was a big part of my childhood, but if I am going to purchase it, I am sure one of my neighbors sells it.
The second item I thought was also in the skincare realm. It turns out it is not. It is the Sunstone Hair revive elixir from Earth Harbor. I have several skincare serums from Earth Harbor and they look pretty much like this, so I am going to keep it in the box until I use it so that it doesn’t get jumbled. There is a delightful scent of Jasmine wafting from it so I am looking forward to seeing how it performs and if the scent remains.
There are two makeup items in this month’s box. The first of these is the Give them Lala Beauty Mascara. Normally I am not too thrilled by the arrival of mascaras, but as several of mine are nearing the end of their lives, I am actually in need of more mascara so this was actually really good timing.
The second makeup item the Peach Blossom Eye shadow Palette from Bellapierre Cosmetics. I like the size of it as it looks like it might travel well. It has a hard plastic case and is rather petite with big pans. I’m never really thrilled by Coral colored eyeshadow as it never looks right on me, but it does go with the theme and who knows this time it might prove fabulous. We shall see.
The next item is a cleo coco charcoal deodorant stick. It is about the size of a Milk Makeup Mini Stick, except that it is deodorant It is supposed to be full size which I find an odd size for a deodorant, Especially one that retails for $12. When I looked them up at Target, I found that this is not a full size. The size in the box is 16 grams The full size is 50 grams. That seems far more reasonable.
I received the scent Unscented and it is supposed to have all day odor control. While I will happily test it out, the size of it makes me doubt it will last the month. Perhaps I am wring and a little bit goes a long way, but I am withholding judgement until I try it. I am happy to try it out as I am always looking for new natural deodorants, but I do find the size concerning, especially as Glossy box listed it as full size.
And finally we have a canvas bag from Authentic Beauty Concept. It is a set of metal straws. One thin and straight, one thin and bent and one that is thick enough that I could use it for Bubble tea. There is also a brush to keep them all clean. I really like metal straws actually. I was using reusable plastic ones for a while but over time they collect scents and off flavors through repeated use. The metal ones don’t have that problem and they can be put in the dishwasher. Plus the set I am using right now are all thin and straight. It will be nice to have some options in sizing. I also needed a new straw cleaner. My old brush has seen a lot of use and needed to be replaced. So now I have a replacement.
Over all this was a good box this month. Even if it is July and it arrived in August. The only down side was in arguing with customer service to actually get the box to me in the first place. Without that, this would have bee a simply fantastic month. I have my fingers crossed that they sort themselves out soon.
First use of the Depology Matrixyl 3000 Collagen Boosting Serum
Depology recently sent a box of products to me to try out for the purpose of review including Depology’s Matrixyl Collagen Boosting Serum. while these were gifted to me, as always my opinion is my own. As Depology is a brand that focuses on anti aging skincare I am thrilled to be able to test out some of their products. They are a Korean Skincare brand and according to their mission statement…
Years of experience in the fast-paced Korean beauty industry has made us highly ambitious to be as innovative as possible and continuously discover new ways to contribute to the ever-evolving world of beauty and skincare. Our hope is that we can help people feel comfortable and confident in their skin using effective and non-invasive skincare solutions.
I am all for non-invasive treatments. And since I just finished the serum I was trying, it seemed like the perfect time to roll in the serum they sent me to begin it’s trial. *I’ll be adding in some of the other products as we go on so that I can not only try out the products, but get a feel for the brand itself as these are the first items I have tried from them.
While this is a first use post, it is mostly to record my first impressions and a little bit about the brand. The biggest benefit to the first use posts, especially with things like an anti-aging serum, is that I can put up the photos of my skin before I start testing the product. I find it much easier to not lose the before pictures if they are posted with the first use. I also know that no matter where I save them by the time the month long trial has gone through I will have forgotten where I actually put the photos if I don’t.
So let’s first look at what I should be expecting from the Matrixyl 3000 Collagen Boosting serum, shall we?
A supercharged serum formulated to hydrate the skin, counter the visible signs of aging and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Apply after cleansing and toning the skin every morning and night. Optimal to use before the application of micro-dart patches, to boost effects of the patches.
Depology’s Matrixyl Collagen Boosting Serum
Now Depology did send over some of the Mirco Dart Patches which I am very much looking forward to trying, but I want to get a feel for the serum on it’s own before I start having it work in conjunction with something else. That way I know what item did what and if they have some sort of Wonder Twins Activate kind of powers.
As you can see from the photo, the serum is clear. It is slightly thicker than water. It has a certain viscosity to it when dispensed from the dropper. I worried that the viscosity might cause it to be a little sticky. When applied there is a slight stickiness, but as soon as it dries down and is absorbed the stickiness is gone and the skin just feels smooth.
The absorption takes about thirty seconds. So it is really quick. Which I appreciate especially in the morning. This is a twice a day serum, and while I don’t mind taking more time in the evenings, the mornings can get pretty rushed. So no delays to wait while serum absorbs is a good thing.
There is no scent to the serum. I don’t know why I expected there to be, but there isn’t. Which means it doesn’t compete with any of the other products in the skincare line up. Many of which do have scents at this time. In general I don’t mind scent in my skin care, but I prefer to keep them light. Having no scent is actually a bonus sometimes.
So as I move forward with this serum the things I will be looking out for are a reduction of the fine lines and wrinkles. As you can see, there are many on which this serum can work. I will also look at an over all reduction of the signs of aging. For me that means better skin tone, plumper firmer skin and that sort of thing. some of that may show on the photos. I am guessing that a lot of it is going to be something that is more noticeable by touch but there could be some in the photos, which is why I have taken both over all pictures as well as close ups.
The products themselves look really interesting and I can hardly wait to give them a try. While thee is the newness aspect of course, I am really hoping that they show some effect. I always root for any kind of skincare to be effective actually. I hate to see them fail. And this serum has a pretty good ingredients list to get it started.
Water, Butylene Glycol, Matrixyl 3000, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1 ,2-Hexanediol, Coconut Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Allantoin, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum.
Matrixyl 3000 is a considered a “synthetic peptide.” that basically tells the skin to start replacing collagen that is lost. For a more detailed and scientific version this article from MiamiMD can break down all of the details for you in a much more concise way. I just know it is used in some anti-aging skincare items. I came across it with Timeless Skincare a while back and my skin really responded well to it. Thee are some other favorites for me in the ingredient list as well. Aloe is always my friend and you know I love hyaluronic acid. Grapefruit seen extract tends to help brighten the skin and fade age spots so I am pleased to see it here.
I can’t say that I’ve ever had cactus extract in my skincare so i will have to take a deeper look into that as well as see how it works with my skin. Most of what I have found about cactus extract involves preventing hair loss and reducing sebum. I’m guessing it is for it’s sebum reduction properties it is used here. But I suppose if I start sporting a full beard we will know why. I am also pleased to see coconut oil, rosehip oil and sunflower seed oil, all of which my skin has responded to positively in the past.
Over all it is is an ingredients list i can get behind and I can’t wait to see what a month of solid use of Depology’s Matrixyl Collagen Boosting Serum looks like. And once I get a feel for it on my skin, I will start to incorporate the micro dart patches to see how the products work together. So stay tuned and let the testing of the Depology’s Matrixyl Collagen Boosting Serum begin.
The Daily: August 1st, 2022
Today my darlings I am exhausted. Last week my babydoll had dental surgery. Asper procedure he was tested before he went in for surgery and was negative. A few days after his surgery his allergies seemed like something other than allergies and he tested positive. Interestingly when he called in to let the surgeon’s office know he was told that he was on the list to notify that morning as the office was temporarily shut down due to infections. So at least we know from whence the contamination came.
It has been a miserable weekend for him, but I think he is coming out of it. The fever has been gone for about 24 hours now so hopefully we are through the worst.
Thus far I have tested negative, but my allergies left me open for a summer cold. I am sniffly and puffy eyed. As I had to switch to my glasses because contact were problematic, I opted out of makeup today. Since we sort of locked down the house in quarantine, there is no one I am going to see. All of my communication is by e-mail at the moment so I don’t even have to look good on video this week. I am hoping he gets better and that my summer cold passes without spilling into something else. It throws my exercise and meal plan more or less up in the air as we are simply going to work on clearing up the pantry, freezer and fridge rather than going out grocery shopping this week. And I have to say I am glad that our Vital Source order is coming in. There is salmon in the order and I am looking forward to it. Protein and all of the good things fish deliver to the body. All in a delicious package, who could resist?
I’m hoping that tomorrow I will feel more like myself and wanting to put on makeup, but I am going to take that a day at a time for now. I might just focus on skincare this week.
It is going to be an interesting week here. I am going to aim for a normal-ish schedule. We’ll see how that ends up working out.
Unboxing the July Bookishly Subscription
This is my second month receiving this Bookishly subscription and I have to say it is rapidly becoming one of my more anticipated subscriptions. Bookishly is, as the name implies, a book based subscription. They are based in the UK. There are different types of subscriptions, I signed up for the vintage book and coffee. they do have classics, science fiction, fantasy and various crime/mystery options. You can also choose tea instead of coffee. I have to admit I was curious about what books they would choose for vintage. So that is the subscription i went with. The subscription charges on the first of the month and ships out on the 20th. My package arrived on the 28th.
Each month I get a book, with a bookmark and a bag of coffee with two pots worth of grounds inside. At least it is two pots the way I make coffee. The company for the coffee is PerkuLatte Coffee Co. That is the same as last month. The type of coffee is different. This month we have a Guatemala El Boqueron with flavor notes of Blueberry, Cranberry and rose. I have not tried this particular type yet but it sounds interesting. I very much enjoyed the last one as it was good quality coffee. I like that they put the roasted date on the bag as well.
Shall we go on to the book?
I love that the book itself comes wrapped like a present. It somehow makes this subscription just a little bit ore fun to open. This month’s book is The Sea and the Jungle a travel and Adventure Book by HM Tomlinson. I have to admit, I have never heard of the book or the author (which is one of the reasons I wanted to try out the subscription, to bring books I might not find on my own to me).
According to Goodreads…
Considered a masterpiece of travel literature for nearly a century, The Sea and the Jungle is a wise and witty book of firsts: ostensibly a lighthearted story of a Londoner’s first ocean voyage, it is also a carefully crafted journalistic account of the first successful ascent of the Amazon River and its tributary, the Madeira, by an English steamer. First published in 1912, The Sea and the Jungle remains one of the most popular accounts of a traveler’s experience in Amazonia. As Peter Matthiessen observed fifty years later, ” The Sea and the Jungle is one of the few level-headed works in the literature of this region. . . . accurate and difficult to improve upon.”
Goodreads
I am looking forward to curling up in my reading chair and reading. One of the reasons that I wanted to try pout this subscription was because a lot of my book choices have become stale. I find myself looking at the same books and same authors. Part of that is the situation. While my local library has gone through phases of being open and closed, most of the books I’ve taken out have come from their electronic lending library. Which is fine, but whenever I get in a rut with books, at the library I tend to just pick an aisle and wander slowly looking for something interesting that I’ve never checked out before.
I have found some of my favorite authors and books this way. The library system does have recommendations but their recommendations rely on running an algorithm based on what you have checked out from their system before or are based on what books are popular in the area. If you base it on an algorithm then I just get more of the books like the ones I’ve already read. If you base it on what everyone else is reading then I just realize that my tastes tend to differ from many of my neighbors. At least according to the computerized system.
So for me this is a really good way to try out something completely random and from a different country entirely. I found this subscription by poking randomly around on Cratejoy and I am really glad I did. I also like that it reaches me at the end of the month. It lets me sit and read the book and about the time i have finished and am ready for a new one, the subscription arrives again. So for August it looks like I will be exploring the Amazon with Bookishly and sipping on Guatemala El Boqueron while I do. I’ll have to let you know how the blueberry, cranberry and Rose notes work out for me.
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Ms. Mimsy Reviews 