Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Self Care Meets Planner

October 5, 2023

I’m needing an overhaul peeps – yes indeedy – but I knew that. Hell, we ALL know that. But what to do about it? Well, I finally got an idea – why not use my planner for tracking my self care/health basics! I have an Erin Condren Life Planner with a vertical set up and split up into three areas. So I put headers on each of the sections like so – Schedule, To Do, Self-Care, and Meal Plans at the bottom shaded area. Schedule is for appointments, grocery pick ups, kids activities, and even tv shows I want to see. To Do is for things I need to do – shopping, changing out my music, a prompt to keep up on routines, etc. Menu is for what we are eating for dinner each day. And here’s my list of things in my self-care section that I want to be doing each day:

Meds, Vitamin, Exercise (10 minutes at least), and Water

Okay, how do I set them up? I actually write down Meds, Vitamin, Exercise, Water in the self-care section and then add in squares after each of them as checkboxes. For meds I have two check boxes (one for each) and six check boxes after water to hit at least six cups. That’s it? That’s it – I do not need to use fancy stickers or anything else. I just write in what I want to do and then do it and check it off when it’s done. So far this has been working really well and even if some days are better than others, I can see where I’m at and what I still need to do.

The beauty of this is the simplicity of it – writing down on paper with a pen – and it’s right in my planner where I see it every single day. I tend to have too many different planny things, so I wanted to get as much down in my personal planner as possible to simplify.

So, that’s it – I finally have my planner set up for the way I function and reminders for me to do those things I need to do on the daily. I don’t need to write in my housekeeping stuff as I have a separate notebook for that. Again, keeping things simple and when this year comes to a close I may get really simple and chuck the fancy planner (and maybe my control journal) for a smaller notebook and a pen and keep track of everything that way in one place. We’ll see. I love planners but at the same time, I kind of don’t. And no, I will NOT be going digital. I think I already covered that in a previous post.

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Beauty Update Part 2 – Makeup

October 3, 2023

Now for the makeup I’m reaching for lately. As with the skincare – I’m keeping it simple. I do have a back stash of products but for now I’m sticking with these ones as they are easy to use and make me feel pretty damn good.

Foundation – I have 3 foundations that I’ve had on rotation awhile: 1) The Tarte Powder Foundation which is really good, but I need to try the lightest shade as I think it would be a better match. It can be slightly drying but overall it is really good. 2) IT CC Cream in Light Ivory – it’s okay but it is heavier so taking the lightest hand in applying is the key. Also the higher SPF is drying and difficult to remove. 3) Cover Girl Smoothers Aqua Smooth Foundation in Ivory is a new find. The color is a good match and it has SPF 15 in it so I like that too. I’m shuffling them around using them with or without sunscreen and trying to find a balance. Overall though, I’m looking for something new and that I can live with a while.

Blush – I had been alternating between Beautycounter’s Cheeky Clean Blush in Chai and Rose Inc’s Cream Blush in Heliotrope. Both are great colors, but the Chai blush seems dry while the Heliotrope is much creamier. Then I saw a Beautycounter holiday set at Ulta’s website and bought it. It is one from last year and has a lip gloss in Pomegranate and a cream blush in the color Nectar. The blush is much creamier than the Chai and is a sheer soft red/rose color. As long as I don’t overdo, it is very nice. All in all – these three should do me for awhile. Don’t remember the last time I owned three blushes. :P

Eyeshadow – Beautycounter also has a wonderful cream eyeshadow and I’m currently using the color Aura – a nice basic beige color just to even out the skin tone on my eyelids. I also have Twinkle but it’s a little glittery so it’s not for everyday wear. Update – I’ve used the Twinkle a few times now and it’s really not that bad. I also bought Luster (a light pink shade) and am thinking of adding Sepia as well. As with cream blushes, cream eyeshadows are quick and easy to apply – kind of like finger painting – and with aging skin a little more forgiving. I’ve used cream shadows since I was about 11 or 12 and have always preferred them to powder shadows.

Mascara – You guessed it – my tried and true Cover Girl Professional in Black/Brown. However, it is almost gone, so next in rotation is the Maybelline Total Temptation in Cocoa that I found over the summer at TJ Maxx. Unfortunately, I think it’s a discontinued product so will probably not replace it when it’s gone. Benefit makes a lash primer in a brown tint so I may look into that but it’s $28 and Cover Girl is $5 so we’ll see. Mascara is just one of those products I don’t splurge on.

Brows – I tried Beautycounter’s Brow Gel in Light but it was way too dark and they discontnued the clear one, so I went back to my Anastasia brow powder and Brow Freeze. Then I found Covergirl had a brow pencil in a light blonde shade (Covergirl Easy Breezy Brow Fill and Define Brow Pencil in Soft Blonde) and it’s the perfect match! They come in a two pack with a sharpener for well under $10 – can’t go wrong there. I also have Anastasia’s Brow Gel (the one in the tube) which is a brush on product and it’s okay, but I don’t like it as well as the Brow Freeze. Update – I decided to re-try the Beautycounter Brow Gel and wipe off the applicator like I do with my mascara and it applies much better and is easier to control how deep I want the color. Phew – saved that product!

Lips –
- Lipstick – I’m using Beautycounter Sheer Genius Lipstick in Terra and it’s pretty good. The color is a perfect neutral pink shade and can build from sheer to fuller coverage. I’d like to try a couple of the other colors as well down the line.
- Lip Balm – I’m currently using Beautycounter’s Lip Balm in Nada for under lipstick, but it can be dry and hard to apply when the product gets cold. Since it’s been warmer, application is easier, but I’m not sure I want my lip balm to be that fiddly. That said, this balm also comes in some pretty colors that I’d like to try. I also have Blistex Deep Hydration Lip Balm but I don’t really love it. I also am using Sun Bum Lip Cocobalm in Mint at night and while it’s a clean formula and moisturizing it’s got a gritty feel to it at first which isn’t great. Last but not least, I recently bought a set of pink lip balms from Fresh and I like those – nice sheer washes of color. So, while I’m still on the hunt for something as good as my Bite Beauty products, I’ll be okay with these.
And that’s what’s in my current makeup lineup. Some days it’s just foundation and lip balm, others a full face but whichever I choose I have products I really enjoy using so the decision is easy no matter what.

I want to add here that I do have a makeup setting spray and two primers that I’m going to play with l to see how they work. I’m really not much into those things, but want to see if they make a difference in makeup wear. I really want to try Beautycounter’s primer and it’s coming out in a mini in a holiday set – will probably be getting that. :D

All right, that’s how things stand as of today and I’m probably going to be sticking with these products for a while. I want to get everything down to basic products for skincare and makeup and just use those on an every day basis for the long haul. As much as I love makeup and skincare I really want to get it simplified and I seem to be moving in the right direction.

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Beauty Update Part 1 – Skincare

October 2, 2023

So, it was a summer of a lot of trial and error and tossing out of products that did not work for me. And I want to emphasize those words “for me” because, as with most beauty and skincare products, your mileage will vary. What works for one does not work for all. And I’m 60 years old and not 20 so let that inform what you read here. With those caveats in place, let’s roll!

Cleanser – I found two Milk Makeup Vegan Cleanser minis at my local TJ Maxx, snapped them up and have used them since late July early August. I’ve used this cleanser before and really liked it so I decided to revisit it. It’s gentle, rinses clean, and takes off a good amount of makeup. That said, I’ve also been using the Garnier Micellar Water (regular formula) for a first cleanse at night when I wear makeup. Edit – my Garnier got used up and so I bought the Bioderma Micellar Water with the pink cap. I actually like it better – rinses cleaner.

Toner – Still using the new Alcohol Free Neutrogena Toner that I picked up earlier this year. It’s basic – finishes cleansing and doesn’t leave my skin dry or stripped. No alcohol, no actives, and no fragrance. I also have a mini Laneige Cream Skin Toner that I’ll use when it gets colder. It is pretty moisturizing and you can use too much so it’s a little trial and error there but overall it works well.

Moisturizer – I finally used up my Drunk Elephant La La Retro Moisturizer last month and I’ve bounced around with a couple of sample items that didn’t work, so I decided to crack out the Farmacy Honey Halo moisturizing cream that a daughter in law gave me. I used it a little earlier this year and figured it was time to actually use it on the daily to see how it works. I wasn’t sure at first that it moisturized enough but after two weeks of using it morning and night it was working okay. So will be using this until it’s finished. Edit – the Farmacy is now gone and after bouncing around again, I’m trying the Aveeno Calm and Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer.

Exfoliation – I found Pixi’s Clarity Tonic To Go wipes at TJ Maxx on clearance a few months ago and picked them up to try them out. The formula wasn’t harsh and I think they worked ok. I used them twice a week but they did make my skin sensitive the day after using them even when using sunscreen so I dropped them. I’d been hearing a lot about Aveeno’s Calm and Restore Nourishing PHA Facial Exfoliator and decided to try it since it has received very high marks. And it is really good! It uses very gentle chemical exfoliation – what is called PHA – and it’s really subtle but it does work. My skin is smoother and there is no irritation from this at all. I use it 2 to 3 times a week and will probably continue using it since my skin is tolerating it very well. This step is one I really need as my skin gets drier and sloughs less on its own now.

Sunscreen – I had been using a sample of Dr. Dennis Gross All Physical Lightweight Wrinkle Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen and went ahead and ordered the full size because I love it so much. A few years ago Sephora had a different version of this in a sun safety kit and I liked that one too so decided to get it again. This one is lightweight and it smooths into the skin very well. It plays well with my moisturizer and makeup as well which is a bonus. I will say I only use a small amount to cover my face which works for me. I tried using the 2 or 3 finger method for SPF with another product and dried the crap out of my skin. So, I’m going back to using the smallest amount that works for me and I’m fine with that. Oh, and it is a zinc oxide product with an SPF of 30. I will say that the zinc oxide seems to be more drying than titanium dioxide so I think I might test that theory out.

And so that is it – yep, those are the only skincare products I am using right now. Keeping it very simple and my skin is doing well with it. I am playing around with dropping my sunscreen and using my makeup with sunscreen to see what the differences are. And, as stated above, may play with zinc oxide vs titanium dioxide sunscreens as well to see if one is more drying than the other. Tomorrow I’ll post about what makeup products I am using but, again, I’m keeping it simple. It just makes life easier and keeps decision fatigue at bay when you have favorites you love and a simple routine. I enjoy wearing makeup, but I just don’t need a lot or desire a lot anymore.

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Books Read Jan-Sept 2023

October 1, 2023

I don’t think I’ve mentioned anything I’ve read this year except for maybe two quick mentions so I thought I’d list what I’ve read so far. There won’t be any commentary because I just don’t have the energy for that today, but I wanted to see at a glance what I’ve read and how much I’ve been reading lately.

I have nothing recorded between October 2022 and February 2023 when I kinda woke up and realized I needed to have something to read. Probably because it was cold and gross and February. I’m trying not to let that happen as I’ve got a to be read list a mile long. Those books are books I’ve bought sitting on my shelf and I really need to read them. Okay, here’s the list.
1. Faithful by Alice Hoffman
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
3. The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn
4. Cash The Autobiography by Johnny Cash
5. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
6. Art of Homemaking by Daryl V. Hoole
7. Joys of Homemaking by Daryl V. Hoole
8. The 40 Day Feast by Wendy Speake
9. Our Lady of Fatima by William Thomas Walsh
10. The Home Edit – Life by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin
11. The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin
12. The Good, The Bad, and the Barbie by Tanya Lee Stone
13. The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure
14. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
15. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
16. How To Be Fine by Jolenta Greenburg and Kristen Meinzer
17. The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
18. The Little House Traveler by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane (just started)
19. The 40 Day Social Media Fast by Wendy Speake (just started)
So just for easy math – almost 20 books in 40 weeks this year so a book every couple of weeks. Not too bad. As much as I love books I’m not a prolific reader apparently. I take a lot of books out of the library, scan through them when I get them home and then act as if I’ve read them I guess because I forget about them after that. I also start books and then decide I don’t really want to read them and read something else. Lately though I’ve decided to actually read the books I’ve bought over the last few months to jump start my reading again. And I’ve bought A LOT of books per usual – new and used – so it’s time to read them before they get shelved.

OK – that’s the reading update. Maybe this week I can get to the beauty update. Better late than never right? Happy October!

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» 2023 » October » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Self Care Meets Planner

October 5, 2023

Beauty Update Part 2 – Makeup

October 3, 2023

Beauty Update Part 1 – Skincare

October 2, 2023

Books Read Jan-Sept 2023

October 1, 2023

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