Thursday Thoughts - Call it morning driving through the sound and in and out the valley

1. Happy second birthday, Bruce Springsteen The Dog. You are funny and super sensitive, you believe you belong everywhere and all seats are yours (including the front seat in the car), you still get into everything, you are happiest tearing ass around the beach, you love coffee, you make the weirdest noises, you are a hilarious sleeper, you love to give kisses, and you jump higher than any dog I have ever seen.

2. When you walk into the Suburban Station Post Office and there are zero people in line: hashtag blessed.

3. I had a Peppermint Patty this week. They always make me think of my grandmom. When I'd go over to her house for dinner, she'd say "we'll have just a little dessert" and give us each a peppermint patty.

4. Feeling very smug adult by upping my face mask usage to twice a week like everyone in the world recommends.

5. Most of this week has been spent on the couch, reading, and taking blurry pics of dogs. I did cook a few nights and picked up around the house. How can there be so much shit to pick up with only two people here?

6. I’m playing chicken with my laundry. How long can I go without doing it? Stupid.

7. I'm feeling like I need a format change on Thursday Thoughts but after eight years and a few different incantations, this requires more thought. August 4 was the official eighth birthday for this blog.

8. The news continues to beat on my soul daily, and yours too if you have one, I imagine...the man getting deported to Iraq who has never even been in Iraq and then dying there; the acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration services says the inscription on the Statue of Liberty is for people coming from Europe (read: mostly white); republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa in favor of rape and incest because that's how the world population has always been done; and the White House Occupant significantly weakened the Endangered Species Act. Whatever I'm tired of everything. And that is the point. It's easier for me to vent this shit out in Instagram stories, so if you like commentary, find it there. I don't have the words to expound on it in long blog posts anymore - how many times can I write about the inhumanity of people in charge, and the oceans between regular citizens who care and those who don't?

9. Reminder:

10. Ecards:

What appears after the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts is a song lyric to whatever I'm listening to when I start to write the post. This week is Roundabout by Yes, who I don't even like, but the rules are the song that's on is the song that's in the lyrics

About Face

Friday is the day:

Mood lighter, weekend in sight.

Remove stick from ass.

It's been a while since I've done a haiku, and also a while since I talked about my face regimen so I decided to combine those things today.

It has not been a while since I was glad it was Friday, and surprise! I'm glad it's Friday today. The day started with Gus falling out of bed at 5:41, Bender escaping the yard into the street where my neighbor was thankfully standing at 7:59, and telling the train conductor to have a good night at 8:47 (the man behind me repeated me then we all laughed).

I never talk about any facial product unless I've been using it for at least a month, but preferably three. All of these are over the three month mark unless noted. Nothing pisses me off more than people who use facial products for five minutes and are like omg life changing use this. No.

For reference, my skin is a combo of normal to dry and very sensitive. My skin changed when I turned 38 or 39 and I spent a while adapting to that. Product-wise, I like to keep the price low where I can, but after a few hellish incidents I stepped away from a lot of cheaper products I was using, started doing my research and am much happier with calm, mostly behaving skin to boot. The extra money is worth it to not be kvetching about my face all the time and most of my products last a long time. Amazon links are affiliate links.

Morning

Cleanser: I typically just rub my face with water in the shower but if I was a lazy a-hole who did not wash the night before I get some SkinLab Micellar Cleansing Water out.

Serum: Kleem Organics Vitamin C Serum for Face. I love this. Like, love love never gonna give you up 10 out of 10 would marry love. It's great on my skin and in warmer months I sometimes skip a heavier moisturizer in the morning and am fine with just this. For around $20, that is great.

Eye: Kleem Organics Anti Aging Eye Cream. I love this except for how it comes out. You have to practice control and I'm not always careful so there’s user error. If you are not a wild animal like me, you should be fine if you buy it.

Moisturizer: MAC Complete Comfort Creme. Throughout my life my most troubling skin care component to figure out has always been moisturizer. This feels great, does not clog my pores, does its job keeping my skin flake and dry patch free, and does not make me break out. I did a lot of research before I found this and bought it. If you're like me, when this shit costs like $30 for moisturizer you have to scour the ends of the earth before investing and be ruthless in returning what does not work.

Sunscreen: After moisturizer, all year, every day regardless of forecast. I change my sunscreen up a lot. Right now it's Clarins. Regardless of the brand it's SPF 30 or 40. My face does not respond well to 50.

Evening

Eye makeup remover: Camomile Gentle from The Body Shop if necessary, otherwise micellar water. My eyes are super sensitive and most eye makeup removers are not good for me.

Cleanser: The Body Shop Drops of Youth Gentle Foam Wash. Not drying, does the job.

Toner: The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner. Once upon a time I was obsessively toning my skin and stripped off its outer layer. What an idiot. This is effective and gentle.

Anti-aging serum: The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion. This is cheap as hell. I was using a Kleem Organics Retinoid cream which I also liked but I swapped it out for this. I love it.

Eye: Kleem Organics Anti Aging Eye Cream. Love story as seen above.

Moisturizer: MAC Complete Comfort Creme.

Sometimes

Exfoliate: Either belif Pore Cleanser Bubble Foam or The Body Shop Drops of Youth Liquid Peel, 2x a week, usually at night

Mask: Once a week. I'm into Saturday night sheet masks lately but they are not the best for the environment so I should wean myself off of these.

Jade roller: I used Debbie's that she got in her FabFitFun box (Sherrie Matthews Acupuncture) then bought the same one for half price on Poshmark. I love it but I was not paying $45 for it. If you want one, check Poshmark or Ebay. I’ve only been using this for about three weeks.

Always

I have a set of flannel cloths from Etsy (those of you who can do these things could make them at home, I ordered mine on Etsy here) that I use for eye makeup remover, micellar water, toner, etc., so I'm not using and tossing facial wipes or cotton balls. I love them, they just go in the wash with my towels and not into landfills.

This concludes my Not a Beautician, Only Doing What Works For Me and Always Interested in What Works For Others Also Use Less Single Use Items TED Talk.

Have a great weekend!