Really old blog...

I'm always kind of looking for neat little things online, and I noticed this today. It's about a year old (oh, so much detritus on the internet!). It's sweet and inspirational, though, and that's why I've linked to it: Finding Your Passion.

This was part of a Cosmo series (although it may have been Cosmo Philippines). It's just her views on how the activities she enjoyed as a child have been reflected in her career choices. What an interesting reflection activity!

When I was seven, I loved playing dress-up and house. I'd always pretend to be the mom. I also loved to write when I was a kid. My parents gave me an old typewriter and I'd sit upstairs writing "novels." Sure, they didn't really have a plot or make sense, but I enjoyed writing them and making up characters.

Now I'm a receptionist... oops!

Working on the Legs!

One of my goals for this weekend is to get onto the Grouse Grind. It'll probably close for the season soon (does anybody know when this happens?), so I'd better make it up there quick.

There are a few things I love about the Grouse Grind:

1. Passing tourists in flip-flops or dress shoes. Actually, passing other hikers is much more satisfying...

2. The satisfaction that I did it. I find it so hard to motivate myself to even get to the bottom of the mountain, much less the top! So when I actually make it up there, I'm super-proud and post my (not very fast) time to facebook immediately.

3. I heard it burns like a thousand calories. This justifies a feast and a couple glasses of wine with dinner.

4. There are grizzly bears up there!

5. Getting out into nature. It smells nice (like trees and dirt) and it's beautiful. Last time I went in the afternoon and watched the sun set from the top of the mountain. So gorgeous!

What are your favourite workout or nature activities?

Shiny Shiny Hair

I stumbled upon this glowing endorsement for Moroccanoil in the National Post last week. Have a look!

Moroccanoil really is wonderful stuff. I use it every time I wash my hair to keep the ends moisturized and shiny. It smoothes right in without being greasy and doesn't leave any gross residue on your hands. Also, it has a nice smell that's not overpowering - I can smell it while I'm putting it in but not really after that.

I've also heard that you can use Moroccanoil for your cuticles. Has anybody tried this? I have terrible, disgusting cuticles, so I may just try it.

Cutest EVER!!!

You don't know this about me, but I have a cute little dog.

This is NOT my dog: www.facebook.com/boo

That dog is cuter than my dog. This makes me a little sad, because I wish my dog was that cute.

But Boo makes me grin, and while I'm at work, that is worth a lot.

Check out Boo's Halloween photos, and have a happy halloween!!

Question for the Ages...

I have a question for you:

You know when your mascara smudges or runs? And you end up with those little clouds under your eyes?

My question is this:

How does the mascara end up there? I have a full gap of half a centimetre or so between my lashes and the smudge. How does it get over that. Whenever I notice these smudges, I spend a few minutes making faces at myself in the mirror trying to see how the smudges got there.

I have tried squinting, cross-eyed, squinching up my face as much as I can... How does the mascara get there? It must leap off my lashes and down onto my face...

If you know, please tell me so I can stop wasting time thinking about this!

More! More! More foundation!

I seem to be on the theme of foundation lately - so I may as well continue!

One that I tried that I mostly liked was the Clinique Superfit makeup. I liked the way it went on, it was good for my skin, and it looked good. For awhile. But I found that through the day the colour seemed to change a bit! Which is really frustrating. So I probably used about half the bottle and then gave up on it.

I am quite pale, so it might be better for someone with darker skin. It seemed to darken on me, but maybe if you started with a darker colour it would not be so bad? Not sure. If you've used this, let me know! I'd love to hear about it!

I would give Clinique Superfit Makeup three stars out of five.

Take it Back!!

I take back everything I said about that L'Oreal True Match Foundation I was trying!

It's terrible, terrible stuff that made me break out like a 15-year-old again. Which hasn't happened to me in nearly 15 years!!

It looked good on, but I think due to the oil-base, it made me break out like you wouldn't believe (unless you have oily, sensitive skin like I do, in which case you probably know what I'm talking about).

If you've had a better/worse experience with L'Oreal True Match Foundation, I'd like to hear about it!

Thursday Afternoon Activity

Every Thursday afternoon on my way home from work, I pick up a Georgia Straight and check out my horoscope.

When I was a kid, my mom used to read me my horoscope in the morning before I went to school, and this is something I've always enjoyed doing. I only half-believe in horoscopes, and it's because they are just so accurate sometimes.

Check yours out at the link above and let me know if it's accurate!

My horoscope for the next week says that after Sunday, romance will be pleasing! I'll have to let you know if that's true...

Best Facewash EVAH!!

I decided in the summer that since I'm nearly 30, I want to finally banish my acne, no matter what the cost (almost!).

I've tried Proactiv in the past, I didn't find it particularly worked for me, and it bleached out all my towels and most of my pyjama tops.

I've tried a vast array of other products from drugstores, but decided once and for all that I would google until I found something I thought would work.

So I ordered two things from the good ol' USA! Thank you, interweb!

The first is the No Zit Sherlock kit by Bliss that I ordered from Sephora. This kit was fine, but it had three steps, and I'm far too lazy for that. I liked the creams, but the facewash was insufficient for me.

The second thing I bought saved my life. It's the DermaDr Wrinkle Revenge I with glycolic acid, and it's so amazing!

This is a cream wash that you just massage into dry skin and then rinse, which is a type of facewash I've always hated in the past. They never feel like they're really getting your face clean, and I always still feel dirty/oily afterwards. But this is different. My Wrinkle Revenge makes me feel lovely and clean, make-up free, but not dry or overwashed. As well, for the first time in my life, my acne is pretty much under control! I still get candy-induced breakouts (anytime I have a large dose of refined sugar...) and period breakouts, but most of my acne is gone and my face looks great!

DermaDr Wrinkle Revenge I star rating?
5 stars outta 5! Nice work!

My Horoscope...

My horoscope on Sunday night called for mussels in a white wine sauce...

I headed to the Libra Room on Commercial Drive with some friends quite by accident. We were actually looking for the Reef, but apparently we parked in the wrong spot. Unwilling to lose the money we'd put in the parking meter, we walked until we heard music coming from one of the local eateries.

That's how we ended up at the Libra Room, where I enjoyed mussels & fries and a couple of glasses of a lovely red wine (unfortunately, I can't remember which red wine it was now!!).

They had a live jazz band, which worried me a little when we arrived because I'm not a big jazz fan. But this band was mellow and unobtrusive, and conversation carried on throughout the restaurant during their performance.

I finished off the night with a piece of cheesecake, which had pomegranate and some other berries on it, and it was absolutely delicious.

Star rating for the Libra Room?
5 outta 5 for food
5 outta 5 for service
5 outta 5 for the live jazz (from someone who doesn't really like jazz!)

Nice work!

New Foundation: L'Oreal True Match

I decided to try a new foundation!

Usually, I use the MAC Select Foundation, because I have oily skin that is prone to break-outs. It's the best one I've found: it lasts quite well all day, it doesn't make me break out, and it looks good on.

But I thought I'd try a new, cheaper foundation after I read some rave reviews about L'Oreal True Match foundation online.

The first thing I noticed when I tried this foundation was that it went on very well. I applied it with a foundation brush the first time I used it, to see how that would be. I actually usually like to apply my foundation with my hands. I'm well aware that this is not recommended, but I find that it gives the lightest and most natural finish, so I apply it with my fingertips and then blend it with a giant, fluffy brush that I got from the Body Shop. I love the look this gives because it looks quite natural. For special occasions or if I decide to go for heavier coverage, I find that the foundation brush is great.

The second thing that I noticed about my L'Oreal True Match foundation was that it was oil-based. After I had applied it and blended it with my hands, I had to use about four pumps of soap and scrub, scrub, scrub to get it off! This was confirmed the second time I used the foundation, when I applied it with my hands, because it took even longer to wash it all off.

I was worried about the oil-base because I do have oily skin, and I do tend to break out. So far, I've been using this foundation for a week and I have had a couple of small break-outs. I'm not CERTAIN that these are from the foundation, because I haven't been eating great lately and sometimes that also makes me break out.

Overall, this foundation has been fine. I would use it in a pinch, but I still prefer my MAC foundation over the L'Oreal. The True Match foundation blends well, stays on well and has a natural-looking finish. However, it's oil-based and there are fewer shades to choose from than with MAC.

Star rating for the L'Oreal True Match foundation?
3.5 stars out of 5

Making Some Changes!!

I'm making changes!

I've been on hiaitus for nearly a year, but I'm back now!

I'm going to switch this up, so instead of focusing on local events, I'll be looking at doing some product reviews (beauty products) and looking at some local deals, etc.

So you'll be seeing me here again soon!!

Michelle