Goodebox #2

When I decided to get the limited edition Goodeboxes being released for the A Night for Green Beauty event this year, there were a few brands I really wanted to own!  The second Goodebox had one of them.  I tried May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon a few months ago and really liked it, so I was happy to see it was going to be in box #2.  It really does just melt into your skin and a little goes a long way (which is good, because it's not cheap)!  I think it will be even nicer in the colder months when my skin gets really dry.  I also was eager to try the Alima Pure mascara in this box since I've been on the hunt for a natural mascara.  I'm currently using Pacifica's Stellar Gaze and I like it well enough (I've never had a mascara I couldn't live without, natural or otherwise), but it's very wet and sometimes ends up on my glasses if I don't let it dry long enough.  The Alima Pure is definitely a dry mascara.  I've only worn it once so far, but I can see myself wearing it everyday once my Pacifica runs out. 
Awhile ago, I got a travel kit of some of the One Love Organics products and Skin Savior was in it.  I use this mostly in the winter for dry patches on my face and also on dry lips.  It's really a very versatile product and lasts a long time!  I still have a good bit of the travel tub so now with this full size tub, I'll be using it for years!

sorry for the dark photo!

 

 

Inside the box:

 

Sheswai nail polish

May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon

Josh Rosebrook hairspray

Gressa Skin Rejuvenating Mist

Zoe Organics Cream

One Love Organics Skin Savior

Alima Pure mascara

 

 

I've been using the Gressa mist and the Blue Cocoon a bit, but still not as a routine.  I haven't tried the Zoe Organics cream (again I feel like 3 of the products in this box serve similar purposes and don't want to use them all at once), the Sheswai nail polish (I'm currently wearing a color I really like and I'm not ready to change it) or the Josh Rosebrook hairspray.  I don't really use hairspray ever, so I'm not totally sure how much use I'll get out of this, but I heard it smells great and if I ever get around to buying a curling wand, I'll be sure to try it!

I may not have used all the products yet, but even if I only used the May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon it would be worth it!  That product alone is $160 and this box was only $110 and you get 6 other full size products.  Such a good deal!  This box sold out in 15 minutes, so I am lucky to have gotten one!  I just ordered box #3 and I'll write about that once it comes.  I'm excited to get my hands on A Night for Green Beauty presenter La Bella Figura's Modern Radiance Concentrate!  I'm hoping it really helps my old acne scars.  Most of these products are things I couldn't afford normally (or really feel comfortable splurging on) so these Goodeboxes are definitely a way to try some luxurious products at a discount.  And I haven't mentioned that the proceeds are going to the Baby2Baby charity, a great cause to support!



Monumentour!

Keeping up with the Year of Fun in 2014, I went to the Monumentour the other night with my husband and siblings.  I got the tickets back in February and have been looking forward to it since.  Well, sort of.  I was looking forward to the concert, not so much looking forward to the Pit tickets I foolishly purchased.  I must have temporarily forgotten that I am old now and even when I wasn't old, I wasn't into standing in the Pit at a concert.  I don't like standing (seriously, ever) and I also have crap balance so I like to avoid occasions where there are large masses of people and potential for me to get knocked over and trampled!  So, while I was looking forward to the concert, I was dreading the getting tampled part.  Luckily, I managed to find a spot at the back of the Pit, by the rail, with a little step/bench that I could rest on if I needed to.

First, New Politics played.  I don't really know this band, except maybe one song they play on the radio and I can't say I'm going to run out and buy their cd now, but I have to say, they were really fun to watch!  They just seemed to really love being there and performing.  The lead singer even did a bunch of breakdancing/yoga moves and at one point, stood up in the crowd, trusting people to hold him up.  It was a nuts.

Then came Paramore.  This was the second time I saw Paramore, the first being only a few months ago at the same venue (seats were really far back then), and I would totally see them again!  They also seemed to be really happy to be there and performing.  Hayley Williams runs all over the stage, jumping around and singing.  They were great and the confetti they shoot at the crowd was fun.  I was bummed I didn't get a balloon though.

By the time Fall Out Boy came on, I was ready for bed.  Yeah, I'm that old.  It got really crowded and I was no longer very comfortable, I was ready to go home.  But, we stayed until the end.  Maybe it was me being tired or maybe it was them, but FOB didn't seem to be as into it as the other two bands.  It was a little surprising since they kept saying how they were so happy to have gotten this tour together (and this tour just started), but they have been doing this a long time, maybe they're over it.  Maybe it's just a job now.  They weren't bad, they just didn't seem that excited.  Ha.  But, I guess anything can start to get old if you do it often enough and they have been doing it for awhile.

All in all, we had a great time!  My brother and sister had fun, my brother even slapped Pete Wentz's hand because he got so close to the stage.  It would have been nice to get that close, but I saw all the "enter at your own risk" signs, I wasn't moving!  Afterwards, my husband and I went to Wawa to get food.  I felt like I was back in high school with our late night runs for a Wawa hoagie!  When we got home, we ate our hoagies and watched the new Girl Meets World and officially knew we were old.

me and my baby

me and my brother

me and my sister

Goodebox #1

I've talked about trying to change my skincare and makeup to more natural products and so when I heard that Goodebox would be releasing 4 limited edition boxes to go with the A Night for Green Beauty event in August, I knew it would be a great way to start!  The boxes have at least 5 full size products from leading green beauty brands and cost $110 each.  There are only 50 of each box, so when they go on sale you have to move fast!
Here is the first box:

 

 

Inside:

 

African Botanics Neroli Infused Marula Oil

Odacite Ac+R Concentrate

Kahina Giving Beauty Serum

Juice Beauty lipgloss

Lurk perfume

Province Apothecary Regenerating + Stimulating exfoliator

 

I think the box ends up being worth close to, if not over, $300.  So far, I've used the Neroli oil a couple times, the Odacite (the first time I didn't mix it with a lotion like they instruct, and it really didn't go far, so now I mix it with the Pollen & Wax Velvet lotion I bought a while ago, much better), and I've used the exfoliator twice, once mixed with water and once with Manuka honey (I swear it smells like foccacia, but my friend thinks I'm nuts since it's made with nothing that resembles foccacia).  I haven't tried the Kahina serum yet and forget to use the perfume or the lipgloss.  To be honest, I'm not sure about mixing all those different oils.  I kind of wish each box had one of each type of product, otherwise I just get confused about which to use.

I haven't noticed any crazy difference in my skin.  Well, actually, my skin is awful right now, but that totally has to do with my crap eating for sure.  I haven't used any of the products religiously enough to notice a difference.  I'm not one of those girls with a regimen.  I'm working on it.  The problem is, I like to sleep.  I'm lucky if I manage makeup.  I read about people with their morning routines of yoga and mediation, or even just coffee and some quiet time to reflect on the day, one woman even said she takes BATHS in the morning!  Who has time for that?!  This morning, I managed to inhale some freezer burnt gluten free waffles, and take my black coffee to go!  I threw on some CC cream and concealer at my desk and hoped for the best!  But, maybe one day I'll have time for a skincare regimen after my leisurely coffee and meditation session.  Maybe all these new products will push me into it!  #agirlcandream

Current State

I feel like I need an intervention. I spent the end of 2013 on the Candida Cleanse; no sugar, dairy, grains and pork, among other things and by some crazy miracle, managed to become pregnant naturally after 6 failed rounds of IVF. Unfortunately, this didn't last and I had my second miscarriage at the end of April. Now it's July and I feel like I'm in a downward spiral. I didn't really react too much to my second miscarriage, except to assure myself and everybody around me that I was not giving up, that this miscarriage was not going to break me, if anything I was even more ready to fight for a baby of my own! This worked for a few weeks, I did research, I got back on a bunch of supplements to raise my progesterone naturally since that seemed to be my issue with both miscarriages and then I just kind of flopped. I stopped taking the supplements, I stopped going to the gym (again) and I started to eat anything and everything in sight. I've gained back a lot of the weight I lost on the cleanse, my stomach problems are back full force and my skin is broken out worse than it has been in a very long time. Yay me!

 

I'm struggling with this idea that I should be able to balance the good and bad foods, the working out and the couch sitting but it seems to be a whole lot of all or nothing with me. Am I destined to either be on a strict diet for the rest of my life or have stomach problems, no baby and acne? The thing that gets me the most I think is the resentment I have for all of it. Why do I have to do this when other people who are clearly not healthy have babies all the time? And even better, why when I did all that I was supposed to and finally got pregnant on my own, was that baby taken from me too?

 

I'm trying to create a life where I manage my stress effectively, but the questions and resentments swirling in my head are not helping. On top of all this, I sort of hate my body and know I need to lose weight (more weight) but I guess the part of me that relentlessly believes I will be pregnant again soon wonders what the point of losing weight is, if I'm just going to gain it back when I'm pregnant? Let's be clear, I am not obese, I am just a little more plump in certain areas. I'm sure there are some ladies who would be totally fine with my size, but I am not. This is probably because I was underweight most of my life. Not so much anymore.  Of course, even back then I wasn't happy with my body.  Does that ever change?  I sure hope so.

 

I guess ultimately I'd like to be at peace with myself, like on a regular basis and for longer than 2 seconds.  At peace with my current state.  Mind, body and soul?  Yeah, that sounds good.