Saturday, March 27, 2010

Top of the mornin to ya

Good morning and happy Saturday - By this time next Saturday, I will be thankful for the weekend, since I will one again be part of the millions of people who go to work Monday through Friday :) The thought of working doesn't make me smile, but the $2 pay increase (and money in general), going into my bank account will make me smile. I calculated it and I'll be making about $300 more a month than I was at the last job. Not too shabby if you ask me. Nick and I will be stashing that money. As I have mentioned in a previous blog, Nick is a penny pincher and I LOVE IT! He is always checking our bank account, paying things off as soon as we get money in and we have more money in our account than we have had in MONTHS! Muy bueno!

So get ready to once again hear about another NEW job and it's adventures and quirks. And honestly, I prefer jobs that I have found on my own and not through a hiring agency. Although, my last job in CA that was like that was the CPA firm where my boss turned out to be an embezzler...hmmmm......Update on that though - the local newspaper and news have reported that he is currently on a house arrest sorta deal till his trial, whenever that may be.

Oh and I have to review 2 products for you all (*I was not given any of these products for free or was asked by the companies to do a review- these reviews are based on my own trial and error)

My lower chin, jaw has been breaking out like it's going out of style and I can't figure out why. The only thing I could think of, was I had quit fake and baking (due to money and the whole wants vs. necessity's convo with Nick), and the tanning usually dried them up once they popped up. My diet has not changed in the least bit, and according to one of my good friends who is an Esthitician, it's due to my hormones (I guess that area of your face is connected with them). Since I have been off birth control for about 6 months now, she thinks my body is still getting used to having to produce it's own hormones. My answer to this? Whatever- just want them off my friggin face! It's gross, and I never really have had anything but clear skin. I wanted something that was going to dry those bad boys out and make them wish they never popped up on my face. I remember when I worked at a day spa in Raleigh, there was a product line called Murad, created by a Dr. Murad. They have an acne line that the girls there used to recommend, so I headed to Ulta ASAP. I walked away with:
Murad Acne Clarifying Cleanser



The rating: 9 out of 10. I have only been using it for about 5 days and I can already see a difference. It has a cooling effect when you rinse your face that calms irritation and my face feels so clean afterwards. I use it 1x in the morning after the gym, and 1x at night when I wash off my make up. I will do another review of it in about 2 weeks. This bad boy runs a bit on the expensive side, if your like me who is used to paying $6 for Neutrogena, but this was an emergency and I felt like a hormonal teenager and something needed to be done quick!

Then there is this little gem:

Murad Acne Spot Treatment




I have used this little baby for years whenever a pesky PMS zit would pop up, and it did really well frying the sucker and erasing it from my face in no more than 3 days flat (with continuous use). So about 3 times this week, I have dabbed a bit on my problem areas and slept with it on, and it's done wonders! The zits I've had have gone down noticeably and the redness is disappearing. I'm giving this product a 10 out of 10 because I have used it for so long and know it works.

A few blogs back I was looking for a sunless tanner and Kristen recommended Arbonne Sunless tanner (she sells Arbonne products just FYI) and I thought why not? There was a money back guarantee and it's gonna be a whole lot better for my skin and the whole aging process.

I am rating it a 8 out of 10. Unlike other sunless tanners, I have no experienced the orange tint or the spottiness. It goes on evenly (if applied and rubbed in like you would lotion), and the color last for a good week (I applied it twice over 2 days). My knees, elbows, and ankles have had no issues with the "Darker orange" effect brought on by most sunless tanners. Not only that it, is safe when you are pregnant, which is great for me because I am not one who would do good with being one with nature and going au natural for pregnancy (I know, it sounds vain, but I promise, I'm not THAT vain). The only reason I am not giving it a 10 out of 10 is because it takes a good 40 minutes (At least that's what I experienced), for it to be completely dry. I normally just get out of the shower and spray it on so it has about an hour and a half to dry before I head out to work.

So there you have it ladies - my new favorite products :) Do you have any products you think I should know about? C'mon ladies, whats your favorite must have product?

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3 comments:

Heather said...

i am definitely gonna try that face wash! like you, i stopped my birth control a few months ago and my skin is breaking out like never before! its horrible and my current regime doesnt seem to be doing the trick... thanks for the tip, can you get it at any normal drugstore?

californiadreamin said...

Hey Heather - I actually heard you can buy it at Walgreens and possibly CVS :) Also check Amazon if you can't find it at those places. Its really works! I will warn you, it dries the skin in that area, but for me, it's worth it and not that big of a deal.

Unknown said...

I am really glad you liked it and that I am not the only one. I was just thinking about you and wondering how your testing phase went. 8 out of 10 is great!

I love Murad products. I worked at Serenity Spa in Roseville and We sold Murad products. I love the acne and pomegranate line.