Daytime Makeup- Simple, But Significant

McKennaRishmawyBareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, beauty, beauty tutorial, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner, cat eyeliner, CK One brow duo, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, contour palette, easy makeup, essence, Kat Von D Shade and Light palette, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, Lush Eau Roma toner, MAC Cremesheen Glass, makeup review, May Coop Raw Sauce, NARS blush, NARS blush Liberte, NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer, natural makeup, no makeup makeup, Still Stay All Day liquid eye liner, Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara Leave a comment

It’s been two weeks since my last post, and I guess I’ll claim the excuse of having my birthday as a valid reason for not writing. But seriously! There’s been plenty going on. And to complicate things just a bit more, my husband and I now use an HDMI cable connected to my laptop when we want to watch TV. So, if we’re watching something, I can’t write. That may sound like a silly problem to you, but I am actually most comfortable with writing if I have a program on in the background. Yes, I blog and watch TV at the same time. My modus operandi usually involves one of my I Love Lucy DVDs playing in the background while I pound furiously at my keyboard. Or my Doug DVDs. Did I just admit I own Doug DVDs?

Anyways, I’m kind of just giving a variation on a theme here today- another simple, everyday makeup look. I don’t have a ton of unique inspiration at the moment so I figured I’d just share the easy stuff I’ve done lately. And frankly, this is my favorite stuff to do on myself or anyone. Easy peasy.

Again, we see that even though this look is “no makeup” inspired, there is actually plenty of makeup that goes into it (relatively speaking). I’ll start from the beginning: I cleansed my face and then gave my face a couple spritzes of Lush’s Eau Roma toner water. I then applied a beautiful essence from May Coop. Other skincare products layered on top of this just seem to make your face glow brighter than a comet. Because it was already near evening by this point I chose not to use any other serum or moisturizer with sunscreen. Instead, I applied Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. This stuff is a little hard to define because it’s not exactly skincare, but it’s not really makeup either. It’s this fun little enigma of a product that makes getting ready feel a bit more glamorous, though! I use it as a primer; I applied a thin layer all over my face and then proceed with makeup right away. It creates a dewy canvas for makeup, and it brightens and blurs the appearance of pores and imperfections. It also feels cooling, and it smells fresh and floral.

After that, I went for the natural-looking BareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream and undereye concealer from NARS (and can I just say that I love my shade names- Buttercream for BareMinerals, Custard for NARS). On my undereye area, I used my new Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder for the first time. I had asked a friend a couple months ago what she used for her undereye area because whenever I see her, there’s always this faint, flattering shimmer around her eyes that seems to mask dark circles and give the area just the right touch. She directed me to this powder, and it really is lovely. I also love that it sets your undereye concealer; I’ve needed something for so long to stop my undereye concealer from creasing. It also seems to prevent mascara from smudging down there, too. I wore Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara (yes, I know *eyeroll*) and while this stuff is amazing at building your lashes, it smears on to my lower lid pretty often. That didn’t happen with the Laura Mercier! It didn’t happen the next day either, when I tried it again. My eyeliner is courtesy of the classics: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner in Black, and Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner. I use a very thin angle brush when applying the Bobbi Brown, and I use it to essentially draw my wing, too. The Stila blackens it, sharpens it, and fills it in. Here’s a look with my hair back (with both of the following pics sans filter).

One thing I’ve noticed is that I’ve gotten so pale out here that most of my makeup is now just a teeny bit too dark. If you see my face compared to my neck area, you can kind of tell. Oi. It is just too dang dark out here, and it’s May!

I chose to use some of the lighter shades in the Kat Von D Shade And Light palette, to help with the color of the Complexion Rescue. This product is beautiful in that the shades can be very helpful and the textures are super creamy and yummy. However, you really don’t need a contouring palette, in my opinion. I’ve had a lot of fun with this one and it’s been worth it to watch a couple YouTube videos to see what others do so I can get the most out of it, but I think you can get away with just bronzer and a shimmery highlighter to get the same basic effect. One thing I don’t like about using the lighter shades in a contour palette is the fact that they mattify things. You know I like a glowing finish, and using the lighter shades in the Kat Von D took all the shine of the Clarins and Complexion Rescue away (and to be specific, I used the yellowish banana powder one on the middle-top). You then need to reapply highlighter on top of that if you still want shimmer, so it can create a redundant process. I prefer the darker shades meant for contouring.

For blush, I dusted NARS blush in Liberte all over my cheeks. I used my trusty-and-now-discontinued CK One brow duo for my eyebrows. I still am not sure what I’m going to use as a replacement for this, but I’ll probably just sell out and go the Anastasia route. And lastly, for my lips, I just used my longtime favorite- MAC Cremesheen Glass in Strictly Plutonic. It’s a peachy-pink neutral, and the formula is so much less sticky than the classic Lipglass. I love it so much, but of course it’s from a limited edition collection so never again!

This is kind of the makeup I do on a more regular basis. I’ll switch out the type of foundation, or change the shade of blush, or perhaps play around with eyeshadow (that’s getting serious), but this is a pretty straightforward look for me. I do give myself props for continuing to improve my cateye, but in the future I’ll continue working on making things pop a bit more. I mean, I like simple things, so simple makeup really is my jam. In the words of Don Draper, I like to keep it simple, but significant. xo, MR

April 22, 2016the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Skin stuff.

#EmptiesChallenge Update 3

McKennaRishmawy#emptieschallenge, Acure night, Alterna Caviar CC Cream, Aveda salon, BeautyBlender, Becca Mineral blush, Burt's Bees Sensitive facial towelettes, Chicago hair salon, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara, Davines Momo conditioner, Denman brush, empties, empties challenge, Glossier Boy Brow, junior hair stylist, Justin Kamm, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, Kerastase Elixir Ultime conditioning mask, Kerastase Masquintense, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, Lush Eau Roma toner water, Ole Henriksen Empower Foaming Milk Cleanser, Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster, Orange County hair stylist, Sally Hershberger Hyper Hydration Super Keratin Spray, Shiseido Ultimune, UNITE 7 Seconds Conditioner Leave a comment

Yes, I am still trying to keep this up!

However, you could probably drop the “empties” term from the whole thing and just call it an “empties update” from now on. Because there really was no particular end goal in mind for this, my so-called Empties Challenge has developed into more of a general tracking and analyzing of spending habits. So, this may be a little boring for you as a reader, but I’m basically going to lay out what my beauty spending has looked like for roughly the past three months and discuss what can be improved and what expenses lie ahead. I’ll also match it against what I’ve used up and finished at home.

My last update was on January 29th, so I’m just going to focus on purchases and empties for February through April.

I’ve only had five complete empties for this entire time period, and they don’t amount to much: a mini Kerastase Masquintense, Davines Momo conditioner, Burt’s Bees Sensitive facial towelettes, another CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara, and finally the Sally Hershberger keratin spray. I am still almost out of a lot of things, like my Acure night cream, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, UNITE 7 Seconds conditioner spray, my first Glossier Boy Brow, and my Shiseido Ultimune serum that I use at night. My NARS concealer is still holding on for dear life, too.

It’s frustrating how slowly I manage to go through things (except the Shiseido- I manage to go through serums like water). Part of what’s happened though is I’ve been trying to use other, lesser-used items in my possession, so that’s put some of the almost-finished ones on hold (especially in the hair department). I’ve also been going through lots of samples like Kerastase’s Elixir Ultime conditioning mask, but I couldn’t abide the scent of it so I discarded it after one use. Nevertheless, going through samples has slowed things down too.

This right is here is what a full, daytime skincare routine consists of for me if I’m firing on all cylinders. Three of these items were gifted to me, two were purchases of the past few months, and one has been with me for a while and is nearly finished. It’s just a mix of stuff I have going on, so getting through some of the bigger products without being wasteful is a challenge.

Now, let’s look at what I’ve purchased. And I’ve kind of blown it. Or at least, it feels that way.

February was the worst. I bought a BeautyBlender, cleanser for the BeautyBlender, a Becca Mineral blush, and a new Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick. That may not sound like much, but it adds up. I also bought my husband a fancy new beard oil to replace the nice IPA one that my mom got him for Christmas (Go Mom, and yes, IPA beard oils exist!).

March was a little better. I got a bang trim and a blowout (booked an assistant stylist for a much cheaper price!), but I walked out of the salon with a new Denman brush. Now, that brush has been exactly what I’ve needed for my bangs, but it was still something like eighteen bucks. I also purchased the Phase 2 Glossier kit on the day it debuted. Curse you, Glossier!!!

This month in April I’ve purchased an Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster, and that’s it. Whew. My mom and I went out for birthday mani-pedis while she and my dad came out to visit, but I don’t really count that toward this challenge. Beyond this, I’m declaring a full moratorium on all unnecessary expenses for three weeks (beginning with this past Monday). The moratorium will end on Monday, May 9th, just in time for … my dental appointment.

I’m kidding; a dental appointment isn’t exactly a frivolity. What I’m really saving for is my birthday in the middle of May; specifically, the hair appointment I’ve been thinking of gifting myself with once I’ve saved a little. And because it’s now about that time, I’ll be needing to book for color, and that has got me a wee bit terrified. Justin Kamm is the only stylist that has ever colored my hair and since he’s back in CA, I’ve been researching all kinds of options in Chicagoland for weeks. We’ll see what actually happens within the next couple months, but it’s worth it to nail down a salon out here that I can trust either way.

There aren’t a ton of Davines salons out in this area, so I’ve been looking into a couple Aveda ones since I really love and trust the brand. Then there’s the question of Do I go big and book a high-end salon in the city? Or is it more a thing of Trust the junior stylist that did a great job with your bangs/blowout and just say a few prayers? The junior stylist’s prices will obviously be much more reasonable, but there’s also the fact that if it doesn’t turn out the way I’d hoped, the loss wouldn’t feel so detrimental. It’s one thing to have a junior stylist in the next town over make some boo-boos with your hair that you can easily have corrected, and that you paid a discount price for; it’s another thing to book an expensive salon an hour away, have crazy high expectations, pay a ton of money, and then, if the worst happens, have to awkwardly try and tell these highly-reputed folks that you don’t like what they’ve done. And then if I had to make a second trip back into the city for corrections? Quelle horreur! But like I said before, we’ll see what happens.

All that to say, I’m still attempting to plug away at my current stash of goods and put off appointments when I can afford to. Even though it’s hard and purchases have cropped up here and there, it’s going to feel good to get through these next three weeks without buying anything. Along with the hair appointment, I’m hoping to save for Alterna’s Caviar CC Cream, Laura Mercier’s Secret Brightening Powder, and perhaps a lighter fragrance for summer. You feel the sunshine coming out from hiding in such a powerful way out here; you can’t help but want to celebrate with all five of your senses! xo, MR

April 6, 2015the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

An Autobiographical Top Shelf

McKennaRishmawy#ITGTopShelfie, aveda, Bare Minerals Original SPF 15 Foundation, beauty, best balm stain, best black eyeliner, best curling iron, best drugstore makeup, best drugstore skincare, best gloss balm, best mascara, best moisturizer with SPF, best natural moisturizer, best natural shampoo, best nude lip color, best powder blush, best powder foundation, best texture spray for hair, bob haircut, Bumbleandbumble Cityswept Finish, Bumbleandbumble Dryspun Finish, Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum, Christian Siriano for Victoria's Secret, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, davines cutting team, davines momo, davinesus, Desert Essence Daily Defense SPF 15 moisturizer, Dior Addict lipstick Tulle, Emily Weiss, graduated bob, hair trends 2015, Hot Tools, Justin Kamm, kerastase conditioner, Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation, Living Proof Instant Texture mist, loreal colour riche balm, MAC Eye Kohl Feline, MAC eyeshadow Embark, MAC eyeshadow Sketch, NARS blush, NARS velvet matte lip pencil, oil cleanser, Old Town Orange, Orange County salon, oribeapresbeach, Origins A Perfect World, Origins Clear Improvement, r&co, r&cojackpotstylingcreme, Rahua shampoo, Salon 9, uniteeurotherapy, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Vice, www.intothegloss.com, Yes to Cucumbers facial wipes, yves saint laurent rouge pur couture rebel nudes 1 Comment

This post is done in the style of Into The Gloss’s Top Shelf feature, which I’ve been obsessed with for about five years now. So basically, I’m pretending I’m being interviewed by Emily Weiss on all the products I love, in my own home, complete with “professional” photos/selfies. Fake it ’till you make it, right?

My routine is hard to explain briefly. I’ll say this, though- I am not low maintenance when I don’t have to be. There’s no shame in that. I’m addicted to haircare, skincare, makeup, all that, but I really don’t afford myself much time to enjoy it on a daily basis. I either want to spend an hour getting ready just the way I like, or I want to be out the door in five minutes. All or nothing. It’s part of how I appreciate beauty- I hate doing any of it halfheartedly. One of my least favorite things is when I try to quickly wiggle on some mascara in the morning on the way to work and then it turns out all sloppy and incomplete by my standards. It’s not worth it. I’d rather bite the bullet and go bare.

SKINCARE

So, what I do depends on the day. If I have time, I start from the bottom layer and work up, though I try to make the skincare thing happen every day. I typically begin with a serum, and I’ve decided Caudalie’s S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum is the best. I tried Shiseido’s Ultimune, but I like Caudalie’s better for the money. It feels so fresh on my skin, sometimes I forget to put on moisturizer afterwards. It’s been hard to pin down a great moisturizer for me because I’m always looking for something natural, but effective and with SPF that doesn’t leave a weird residue. I’ve been using Origins A Perfect World Moisturizer these past couple months. It smells amazing and has SPF 25. I’ve also like Desert Essence’s Daily Essential Defense Moisturizer from Sprout’s or Whole Foods, but it wouldn’t absorb well when it was hot out so I continued my hunt. When I checked out Origins, the lady helping me gave me a quick facial and she talked me into the toner from the same line. I haven’t used toner in forever because I feel it’s unnecessary and drying, but this stuff felt tingly and actually left my skin moisturized. There’s a lot of white tea in it. We’ll see if I keep it up.

For face wash, I alternate between Origins and Desert Essence, which is entirely made of oils and some castile soap. It sounds basic, but there’s a ton of random stuff in it like bladderwrack extract and goldenseal root extract that I hadn’t even heard of before using it. For a night cream, I’ve been using Acure’s for a couple years and it’s really rich with lavender and chamomile. It’s very calming. I think they sell it at Target now, but it’s been at Whole Foods forever. For zits, I’m pretty faithful to Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion. My husband loves it too. I try to just leave zits alone for the most part these days; I find that doing anything to try and “heal” them just aggravates them or doesn’t quicken their disappearance. Sometimes I’ll do a mask if I’m just watching Netflix late at night. I’ll use Lancome’s Hydra Intense Masque. It’s super cooling and smells amazing; I love putting on some I Love Lucy and having a late-night snack when I do a mask. Best ritual ever! I’ll also use Origins’ Clear Improvement charcoal mask for porous areas; the lady who gave me the facial at Origins gave it to me for free! I like face wipes too, and my favorite are the Yes To Cucumbers kind. I can’t tell you how many packs of those my mom has jammed into my Christmas stocking over the years. I buy them in bulk at Target.

The one thing that’s still sort of a mystery to me is eye cream. I like ones that are cooling and depuffing, and I like rollerball kinds best because they’re more sanitary than dabbing your finger into a jar of cream and then putting it on your eye. Simple Skincare makes a good one, as does First Aid Beauty, but I don’t know. I’m just not there yet.

HAIR

My hair stylist knows I’m a major product addict. The funniest thing has been when I’ve asked him about products from lines that he uses before they’re even out yet or before he’s heard about them! I read about hair stuff in magazines and then I want to go out and try it. New hair products are what I get most excited about, so I’ve tried a lot but I can finally say I have favorites. I wash my hair every three or four days, and I alternate between two shampoos. I’ve been using Rahua’s shampoo for over three years now, and it’s pricey but I feel absolutely no guilt using or purchasing it because it’s so natural. There’s really no soap in it. It’s another product made up mostly of oils. I’ll use another shampoo every other wash, typically an Aveda one like their Color Conserve or Dry Remedy. I’ll try anything for conditioner. I’ve been obsessed with conditioners since my late teens because I was always trying to find ones that would make my hair grow or repair it, but I don’t really believe conditioner does that anymore. I’ve used one from Davines for a long time called Momo; I love it. I’ll also ask for Kerastase samples from my friend who works at a L’Oreal salon because I can’t afford Kerastase, but their deep conditioners have the craziest reputations so I’m always desperate to try them. I also like Alterna, mostly their treatments from their Caviar line. They’re good for when I want to grow my hair out. I use Unite’s 7 Seconds Leave-In Conditioner to detangle with a wide-tooth comb after I wash, but I think I like Bumble and Bumble’s Prep spray better for this. I’ll go back to it after I run out of the Unite. The Prep spray has hops and rosemary, the latter of which is good for lice prevention. I work around kids, and lice is one of those things that you can’t really avoid if you’re in that environment. It’s part of life, so you just have to do what you can. Tea tree oil works well for this too, by the way.

For styling, I’m a sucker for anything to do with texture. Living Proof’s Instant Texture Mist is great for giving that pliable “chunk” feel that I love for hair, and I also like Bumble And Bumble’s stylers like their Dryspun Finish and Cityswept Finish. If it mattifies, gives texture, or extends a blowout, I’ll try it. Anything for the second- or third-day hair look. I like Oribe’s Apres Beach Wave And Shine Hairspray too, though my hair does “beachy” really well on it’s own. I love Oribe’s products for their scent. And the best dry shampoo in the world is Klorane’s, hands down. The non-aerosol kind has stretched out so much time between washes for me. It can make your scalp itchy if you put too much on and don’t brush it out, but it’s still the best. The drugstore kinds suck. If I want a smooth or blown-out look I’ll use R&Co’s Jackpot Styling Creme. The scent is intense but it stretches out my hair beautifully, and the effect lasts around three days.

I got into the R&Co stuff because my salon started carrying it. I go to Salon 9 in Orange, and I’ve been going to Justin Kamm for nearly ten years! He’s a genius. He teaches workshops and is part of the cutting team for Davines. We finally, FINALLY cut my hair past my shoulders just this weekend. I’ve always had my hair long or mid-length, because I love long hair and I love playing with it. I miss topknots and ponytails and long waves, but the bob that Justin gave me feels so right. It’s good to do at least once, and I’m surprised at how comfortable I feel with it. I feel reeeeeally French. And the best part is, all those texture products work so well with this cut. I still put a bit of wave in it with my Hot Tools iron, but roughing it up with some kind of product gives it that grit that I’m always after.

MAKEUP

Makeup is tricky. I’ve tried a ton, but over the years I’ve come to find that I’m actually really picky and haven’t tried quite as much as other people (which is encouraging). Makeup is expensive, and I take forever to run out of anything so buying too much is a really wasteful choice for me. I don’t use primer much, but I like BeneFit’s The Porefessional when I do makeup for brides. It feels silky. I like to use Clarins’ Beauty Flash Balm on myself and then immediately put on powder or foundation once it absorbs. I prefer this to primer. It sort of gives skin a brightening effect. For foundation, I love Bare Minerals’ Original SPF Foundation because it still leaves a glow. I don’t like a matte skin finish; I’m all about dewy skin and mattified hair. The opposite feels too Vegas or Miss America for me. If I want a liquid foundation, Lancome’s Teint Miracle is nice but I still haven’t landed on a favorite. I just don’t think I like liquid foundation. I even have a BB Cream that I like but I just don’t use it too often. You can’t escape the feeling of liquid makeup on your face, which I hate. I immediately want to take it off. Concealer is nearly always Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Eclat in Luminous Vanilla. I used to hate it, and I’m not sure why. It’s the most lightweight formula I can find that still gives coverage. However, I’m not too concerned anymore with getting rid of dark circles anymore because for some reason, I like them now. They seem to give a touch of character. A heavy concealer under the eyes looks too finished for me. You need that bit of wear in your face.

NARS Bronzer in Laguna is pretty standard, and I’ll try almost any blush. NARS has the best ones. I’ve liked their creme formula in Lokoum for a long time but I think it’s discontinued. Their other powder shades are bonkers; I love Exhibit A and Liberte. MAC has a gorgeous one from their Mineralize line called Warm Soul. It super pretty for everyday, but mineral blush on top of mineral powder it can make your skin look funny. I like it on bare skin. MAC’s Plum Foolery is also good; I wore it for my wedding day and my mom wears it, too. I have a couple Chanel blushes too, but I hate to admit that I bought them because they were honestly just too expensive and frankly, MAC and NARS make better ones. The Chanel ones have perfume in them. You feel glamorous putting them on, but they’re a murderous, stupid splurge. Spend that kind of money on groceries or not at all, for God’s sake.

Eye makeup is a journey for me. I take forever to decide what I’m going to do with my eyes. Eyeshadow feels like such a commitment, which is probably why I wear it the least out of anything. It’s takes me a lot of time and concentration, and I always need to put shadow primer on if I’m going to do it because it makes such an undeniable difference. I think I like purple shadows on myself best. It’s just enough of an interesting color to feel special, and it does wonders for brown eyes. MAC’s Sketch and Embark are good. I bought the Embark because it’s the closest thing I could find that matches this special edition Victoria’s Secret eyeshadow I have. Christian Siriano from Project Runway did a collection for them a long time ago and it included this eyeshadow that is literally perfect. It’s matte, smooth, has amazing concentration, and is this deep purple-brown shade called Royalty that, of course, ended with the collection. I’m going through it really slowly, but I love using it for smokey eyes. A lot of that stuff with a ton of MAC’s kohl liner in Feline, and boosh- I feel like Catwoman. If I’m really going for it I’ll use Urban Decay’s eye pencil in Vice, too, and smudge it out. The best is when a smokey eye looks sweaty and sparkly, like a hazy night at Studio 54 in 1978. This pencil does that. Oh and my mascara is pretty much exclusively CoverGirl. I swear, theirs are the best.

Lips are simple. I do very little, unless it’s something like a red lip. I like lip colors that look like just a bit of something, because I usually like to focus on my eyes. A lot of times it’s just a few swipes of Burt’s Bees. Everything I like tends to be pinky-nude. I’ve liked Dior’s Addict lipstick in Tulle, L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Balm in Nourishing Nude, and Yves Saint Laurent’s Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in Nude Provocateur. I guess I gravitate toward balm stains, or gloss balms, or all those hybrid formulas we see these days. Nothing too lipstick-y. An exception would be NARS’ lip pencils. Those are brilliant.

Oh! I almost forgot about brows. I use one thing- CK One’s Brow Pencil and Gel Duo in Crafty Raven. I like thick, groomed eyebrows, but I hate how many rules and standards there are with them these days. They have to be perfectly shaped, tapered, filled in, not too thin, all that. I’m not into it, and same goes for the contouring craze. It’s just too much, too Kim with all the banana powder and shading and all that. I’m not into tricks that transform your face into another face, though it’s cool that it can be done. I like to look like myself, but with a bit of a wink I guess. That’s the best for me, at least. xo, MR

December 9, 2012the Magazine stuff., the Me stuff.

On how I once saw my face in a magazine.

McKennaRishmawyAdam Lambert eyeliner, Amanda Seyfried magazine cover, Aubrey Organics, beauty rest, beauty rituals, best black eyeliner, Clarins, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, face mask, hair mask, Inspired by InStyle, InStyle magazine InStyle magazine January 2013, MAC eye kohl, McKenna Rishmawy, meaning of beauty, natural body care, peace, rest, Sachajuan, smudgy eyeliner, Weleda, Weleda Wild Rose 3 Comments

Confession- it has been a gnarly week. I mean like, knots-and-glue-in-your-hair gnarly. Family in the ER, intense encounters with students dealing with mental disorders, nightmares about said students, friends dealing with scary situations, hostile customers at work, random disappointments here and there- enough to keep you feeling like painting your nails is pretty meaningless. But as I reflect on this past week, I’m reminded that small things like painting your nails are blessings that do have meaning. They’re rituals. They’re routines that we go through to jog our memories of what we love and how much we have to be thankful for. They’re routines that remind us of beauty and joy, and that we need to peace and order to function. Things like that center us and give us rest.

So, I came home on Friday from a long week in much need of that kind of rest. I was able to wash and blow out my hair (not two things I frequently do together), and draw on some serious Friday night eyeliner (MAC eye kohl in Smolder, and in case you’re wondering, Adam Lambert uses the same stuff so you get the picture). My husband and I went to a new restaurant in one of our favorite hoods (downtown Fullerton) that did not disappoint, spent time (laughing, belching, sometimes swearing) with a couple of our favorite people over dinner, and watched some It’s Always Sunny. I ate mac and cheese and played with a cat. It was good night and I was provided with the exact kind of rest I needed. But here’s a little somethin’-somethin’ that made coming home yesterday really good … I found this little gem in our mailbox:

Yes, it was the January 2013(!) issue of InStyle magazine with Amanda Seyfried looking the Grace Kelly kind of classy on the cover. My heart skipped a beat. And not only because finding new mags in my mailbox is definitely on my top five list of favorite things ever, but because I also knew that this was the issue that would, in fact, be featuring my face. And there I was, on page 20, victory rolls and all. Remember that post that I um … posted? I know I called them “liberty rolls”, and I suppose their true name, at least according the Andrews Sisters and every Rosie the Riveter out there who kissed a WWII vet, is actually “victory rolls”, but who cares when you’re wearing them in a magazine. Here I am wearing liberty, no, victory, I mean, here I am wearing WHATEVER ROLLS!

And so I have found my relaxation for the weekend. Even today, I was able to spend some time catching up with a friend wandering around my lovely neighborhood, and for me, relaxation naturally also comes in the form of stuff like this:

Face mask, hair mask, completely natural body wash that I (finally) found on sale, and Clarins’ uhhhhh-mazing brightening energy mask known as Beauty Flash Balm that has garnered a cult following of its own. That’s some ok-now-that-you’ve-rested-let’s-wake-you-the-frack-up beauty routine going on for a Saturday. And now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to paint my nails. Because it’s important. xo, MR