Wanted: A New Skincare Routine!!

My perfect skincare routine is nothing but a sweet (and slightly bitter) memory.  Since I like to stockpile skincare products when they go on sale, I don't notice a discontinuance until it's too late.  Last night, I discovered that everything that I use (well...everything but two products) has been discontinued.  WTF??  It took a lot of time, effort, and money to find my perfect skincare routine.  And now I have to start over.

As I was going through the motions of my evening skincare routine yesterday, I finished off my last tube of Kiehl's Light, Nourishing Eye Cream and my last bottle of Kiehl's Lycopene Facial Moisturizing Lotion.  When I checked Kiehl's website, I was surprised to find that the Light, Nourishing Eye Cream had been discontinued.  I already knew that the Lycopene Facial Moisturizing Lotion had been discontinued, but I have been in major denial.

I've tried the majority of other eye creams from Kiehl's (Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado, Abyssine Eye Cream +, Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment and Imperial Repairateur Moisturizing Eye Balm) and none of them work for me.  Maybe La Prairie's Cellular Eye Contour Cream?  But I'm not feeling the jump from $23 to $125.  KWIM?

After reading about the much hyped CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion, I purchased the evening version, CeraVe PM.  I hope it lives up to the rave reviews.  If that doesn't work out, I'm going to revert to Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer...a good but not perfect alternative.  (I know that everyone has been loving Kiehl's Acai line but I just can't stomach its strong scent.)

With discontinuance on my mind, I decided to check the status of my day moisturizer, La Prairie's Cellular Moisturizer SPF 15 (aka The Smart Cream).  And surprise, suprise...it has been discontinued!  You can still purchase it in the "Final Call" section of LaPrairie.com, but I'd rather find a new day moisturizer that has not been discontinued than stockpile the discontinued one.  Stockpiling at this point just feels like counter-productive procrastination.  (And yes, I believe that there can be productive procrastination!)  

For me, The Smart Cream has been the PERFECT summer day moisturizer.  It's a light cream that doesn't clog my pores and doesn't make me "shiny." Despite the built-in SPF, it's neither sticky nor smelly.  It actually absorbs beautifully and has a soft, barely-there scent (a very important thing to me).  Hmm...maybe I should procrastinate and stockpile?

So what are the two beauty products that I use that have (yet) been discontinued?  Kiehl's Moisturizing Eye Stick SPF 30 and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15.  But the discussion of these two products are for another post.

I'm going to have to make a trip to the beauty counter SOON and sample the eye creams and the face moisturizers.  I'll keep you posted on my progress...

Video Review: Hayden-Harnett's Biblio Bag

I finally finished the video review of Hayden-Harnett's Biblio Bag in grape shine!  This a GORGEOUS leather bag that would make a perfect travel bag...thanks to its many interior and exterior pockets.  And grape shine is a beautiful deep purple.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:  AsterAlice.com

Here are some pictures for you:

• Front View: The Biblio Bag is a large satchel at 19.5" wide and 13.5" tall.  It weighs 2.5 lbs...not the lightest bag but not a bad weight for its size.

• Secret Pocket View: I know the color is a bit off from picture to picture.  This picture is the truest to grape shine IRL.

• Close-Up View:

Kitchen Renovation Update...

Helloooooo!!  I know I've been remiss in updating Sale Therapy.  I've been swamped with my kitchen renovation project.  I cannot wait to show you all the before and after pictures (and possibly video??).

The thing I miss most?  Ice!!  I am without ice for the next four weeks and it's utterly frustrating, given that we are getting hit with heat wave after heat wave.  I can't make sweet-tea!!  And I live on sweet tea during the summer.

I will say one thing:  Price check EVERYTHING - both on-line and in-store!!  My kitchen contractor has referred me to great specialty appliance, granite and fixture stores, but sometimes, the same thing is cheaper at your plain old Home Depot.  

Here's a great example: InSinkErator's 1hp garbage disposal 

• $395 at the plumbing store (as referred by my kitchen contractor) 
• $319 at HomeDepot.com
• $299 at Home Depot in-store

I'm not sure why there a price difference between the on-line price and the in-store price at Home Depot but I'll be buying the InSinkErator 1hp garbage disposal in-store for sure!

Stefanibags.com: 25% Off Sale - NO EXCLUSIONS!!

Stefanibags.com is offering the best kind of promo code...a code that has NO EXCLUSIONS!  Use code "GLAM25" (expires 07/27/10) to take 25% off your entire purchase.  Here are my four picks: (Note:  Prices reflect 25% discount.)

• Olivia Harris Zip Pocket Clutch ($131.25) in violet:  Ooohhhh...soft, slouchy, smooshy purple clutch with a wristlet chain.

• Treesje Crimson Clutch ($291) in black:  This a fab rocker chic clutch (here's my video review:  Video Review: Treesje's Crimson) made from super soft leather!

• Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag Mini ($412.50) in black:  For all you RM fans, if you want (or is it need?) another black MAB-Mini, get it now (here's my video review of the MAB-Mini: Video Review: Rebecca Minkoff's MAB-Mini)!!

• Tano Mix Master Hobo ($149.25) in fuschia:  Thanks to a lovely shade of dusty fuschia, this hobo can take you from summer into fall!  And I love that this hobo has a zip top.

[Images Courtesy of Stefanibags]

Neutrogena: pure & free baby sunblock stick

Sometimes, you find something great unexpectedly.  You don't realize it until after a few days of using it or trying it.  This is how it was with me and Neutrogena's pure & free baby sunblock stick.  (I realize that SPF 60+ is a bit much, but that's the only choice.)

I dislike putting layers upon layers of creams/lotions/make-up on my face.  I try to keep my beauty routine as simple as possible.  I like the idea of my skin being able to breathe.  I'm not sure if that's scientifically or medically accurate (probably not) but that's how I like to think about it.  Too many "layers" makes me feel like I'm suffocating my skin.

As a result, I like to use a day moisturizer with a built-in sunscreen.  It's one less layer and one less step in my beauty routine.  I remember reading somewhere that it's not as effective as using sunscreen separately, but for me, it's better than not using sunscreen at all.  I'm also rather picky about the kind of moisturizer with built-in sunscreen that I use because the sticky consistency and smell of sunscreen is a huge turn off for me.

Last week, I had the scar below my lower lip lasered (I'm hopeful that it will significantly improve the appearance of the scar).  I was told by my doctor to wear sunscreen because that area would be sensitive and would darken if it came into too much contact with the sun.  So being me, I freaked and went looking for sunscreen with the highest spf+ possible for my face.

I found Neutrogena's pure & free baby sunblock stick.  It's GREAT!!  It's not sticky and it doesn't smell. It glides smoothly and is absorbed easily.  The consistency reminds me of a stick deodorant.  Right now, I'm only using it on the lasered area below my lower lip, but I'm thinking I may try it for my entire face, particularly around the eye-area to help prevent crow's feet.