Shoppers High

Day Two:

I’m a stereotypical girl in that shopping makes me feel better, especially when I’m anxious about something (read: MY FACE).  Talk about a catch-22 today, as the item I ventured out for was skin related.  The product on my agenda was obtaining a face shammy.

At my facial, Elle had mentioned how positive face shammies were.  My first reaction to this bit of advice was “Seriously?! They make a shammy specifically for your face?!?!” (re-enter judgy-mcjudgerson).  She then informed me that the shammy was made out of an anti-microbial material, and that it would help prevent me from tearing my face to shreds every time I cleansed.

I HAD TO HAVE IT.

When I got to the store, I was immediately overwhelmed with ALL OF THE PRODUCTS, OH MUH GAW.  Things I ABSOLUTELY didn’t need, especially after my recent purge.  Things that made me feel sad because I knew there were others out there that would fall for their marketing trickery.  I almost had a moment where I felt like shouting “DON’T BUY THESE PEOPLE!” similar to those AWESOME people who throw paint on fur-coat wearing folks.  I held back my urges, bit my lip, and searched out an associate for help.

When I was shown where the shammy was, I was walloped with a buy 2 get one free sale (this product is RARELY on sale, it was a definite YAHTZEE!)

On my way to the check-out counter, I was side tracked (surprise, surprise) by more skin products.  This time..make-up.

If you’re a girl like me, (an acne ridden adult who has tried hiding her acne for YEARS via face lacquer cover-up) then you’ll understand how intriguing make-up can be.  I tried the product, and was extremely pleased (albeit it was the PRICE OF GOLD)….and was sold.

Not only did I walk away with the shammy, but also an exfoliating brush (which holy WOW is it ever soft and heavenly), new make-up, brush conditioner, and some scrumptious lip stuff that makes my lips feel like silk in the dry torturous winter weather.

I’d say it was a successful shopping trip!!

Closet Purge

What can I say?  I’m a sucker for buying cosmetic products…face clearning/cleaning stuff INCLUDED.  With my new found confidence to take control of my face, I went home from the spa and opened up my product-filled closet (yup, you read that right…instead of a linen closet I had a product closet).

I pulled everything face-cleansing related and set it on my bathroom counter.  When all was said and done, half my bathroom counter was filled with this cleaner or that.  A “miracle product: that failed me miserably, but I couldn’t throw away because I had a delusional idea that I might try it again…and maybe next time it would work.  HA!  RIGHT!!

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m sure those products have worked for someone but they’ve never worked for me.  Who was I kidding holding on to them?!

I threw every last one of them in the trash.  They represented my defeated way of thinking.  They represented my failure for a clear complexion.

Instead of a closet full of useless products, I now have a 9×11 basket. 

• My basket is simple.
• My basket is sleek.
• My basket is my new best friend on my journey to a clear complexion.

Not only that, but now I have room for actual towels in my linen closet like every other normal person in the world!!  (YAHTZEE!!)

Day 1: A Day at the Spa

I HATE when people touch my face.  There, I said it.  I don’t care if you’re Joe Mauer, just.don’t.touch.mah.face.

A few months back, I was introduced to a local spa via a discount card program.  As a single mom, I couldn’t remember the last time I was pampered.

• The card was affordable (yessssssssssss)
• The card included four salon/spa services; a haircut, manicure, massage and facial (double yesssssssssss)
• The card HAD TO BE MINE (and it was…)

In a nutshell, for roughly $70.00 I would receive the four services listed above.  The only small catch was you could only redeem one service per day….a small inconvenience for some, but a GREAT reason for me to go to the spa/salon FOUR TIMES within a  year.

After redeeming three of the services, I knew I had to bite the bullet and schedule my facial (which, by the way, makes me giggle EVERY TIME I say “I’m getting and PAYING for a facial”…yes, I’m juvenile like that).

People, people, PEOPLE!  What I’m about to say is something I NEVER imagined would come out of my mouth….

FACIAL’S ARE AH-MAZ-ING! (insert giggles here…)

When I was first brought back to begin my facial, I’ll admit I was judgy-mcjudgerson.  The person who would be touching my painful, acne-ridden face had perfect skin.  My anxiety level shot through the roof.  Talking about my acne was something I hardly did with my mother, let alone a complete stranger.  When I get nervous, I tend to have verbal diarrhea.  I bluntly spewed “I’m going to be honest, I have never had one of these before an dI need all the help I can get” (come on people, I never said I was RUDE…just that I talk and talk and talk). Elle, the esthetician, looked slightly taken aback by my statement, and was EXTREMELY cool with me.  I could tell her “let’s help this chick out” wheels were spinning…and at that moment, my facial began.

Elle asked me questions about the products I had tried, and honestly, I’ve tried almost everything (and have the closet cluttered with half empty bottles to prove it).  Throughout the 60 minutes of bliss, here’s what Elle shared with me:

• I learned that my skin was actually dry.  Yeah.  I had always walked around thinking I was oily, hence the acne, but I guess I was wrong. 
• I learned that what my skin looked like today was a result of what I had done 90 days ago. 
• I learned that a true face toner comes in a spray bottle, and is meant to neutralize your face…unlike the mass quantities of toners sold at your local convenience store, which she kindly referred to as alcohol in a bottle.
• I learned that oil-free products aren’t necessarily good for me because some oil gland in my skin actually NEEDS the oil, and when you strip the oil away without replacing it your glands go into overdrive and produce even MORE oil.
• I learned that for the past 10+ years of trying to clear up my complexion I had gone about it bass ackwords.

Of course I sunk more money into new face p rocuts…but this time, I did so with a new heir of confidence. 

Fate, luck, timing, God…or a combination of all the above.  Call it what  you want.  Up until today, my quest for a clear complexion had never brought me to an actual esthetician…WOW was I missing out.

Mood:  Positive

Skin: Moisturized with many blemishes