TLC

I am finally back to blogger after a two week trip to China! The combination of heat, humidity, sweat, and 15-hour plane rides left me in need of some serious pamper time. 

After going for a well-needed eyebrow threading, I gave myself a manicure with Essie's status symbol and a pedicure with Orly's lemonade. I love the yellow on my toes, it makes my already tan feet look even tanner and is the perfect tribute to summer.

Nothing makes me feel more polished than freshly painted nails. 

My skin was feeling especially congested, but luckily I've discovered a few new products to help the situation.

The No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser is a really great cleanser. In combination with the muslin cloth that comes with it, this works to keep my skin smooth and clear. It is really gentle yet every time after I use it, my skin looks refreshed and glowing. You get a decent amount of product, but I seem to be going through it relatively quickly. I am dying to try the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser after I am through with this one. 

The St. Ives scrub is an old product, but a new tub of it - the blemish and blackhead control version, which I'm not really sure is any different from the original, but it sure sounds good. After two weeks without any exfoliation, this felt heavenly on my skin. 

To give my body a good exfoliation, I used the Sephora sugar body scrub. This product is okay - it smells good and leaves the skin with a slick moisturized feeling, but its not amazing. It's my first time using a sugar scrub, so I'm not sure how it compares to others out there. 

The Origins skin diver body wash is a shower gel that claims to draw out pore-clogging debris and dissolve surface impurities that cause breakouts. Yes, it is marketed for men, but if you get bacne or breakouts on your body, this is a must-try! I am prone to getting breakouts on my back and they are a pain in the ass to get rid of, but this really works for me. It is $15, which is pricey for a body wash, but I don't know if I could live without this now!

Finally, I lathered myself up with my Origins Ginger Souffle body cream and put on my favorite mask, the purifying mint masque by CVS. I found the Queen Helene version at walgreens today for buy 1 get 1 free, so I now have an extended supply of this mask. 

I am almost out of the ginger souffle, but I probably will not repurchase another one. It's just a little too pricey for a body moisturizer. 

I never really feel at home after a vacation until I've gone through some sort of grooming routine like this. 

Now that I feel refreshed and energized, I am ready to tackle my next obstacle - a move to the big city. 

~Vida