This is the final post of 2017!
Five Recent Favorites I Can't Get Enough Of
1. Winter sunrises
The morning skies in Northern California have been absolutely breathtaking lately. Shades of red, pink, orange, and purple paint the clouds nearly every day. One morning, I dashed outside at 6:30 in my pajamas, down coat, wool socks, and flip-flops to snap a photo because the sky resembled a surreal Van Gogh painting. A neighbor driving to work saw me and I could tell she was amused—hopefully in a good way!
I hope she was laughing with me, not at me, LOL!
2. This “Fleetwood Cat” tee
OH MY GOODNESS. Cat-inspired band t-shirts are a real thing! Did you know that? I certainly didn't.
My world will never be the same.
This one comes from Etsy seller JackalopeClothing.
3. The Real Techniques Contour Brush ($8.59 in a four-brush set at Target)
It's fantastic for blending concealer under the eyes.
I usually prefer using my fingers for under-eye concealer because body heat makes it more pliable, but I recently rediscovered this brush at the bottom of a drawer I was cleaning out (long story—I misplaced it a while back), and now I remember why I loved it so much.
Here it is alongside some bottles of MAC Fix+.
The ultra-soft tapered brush head beautifully feathers out the edges when used with under-eye concealer, creating a natural skin-like finish. It's part of a four-piece face brush set currently priced at $8.59 at Target.
4. Homemedics Total Comfort Ultrasonic Humidifier Warm & Cool Mist ($79.99)
For years, I heard that sleeping with a humidifier nearby could help reduce colds. I dismissed it, but then I finally got one—and wow, the difference is like night and day.
Well, I caught a cold first, then started using it every night while I was sick this week. My nose and throat didn't get sore or dry out, I coughed much less than usual, slept better, and recovered faster.
This is the model I got from Costco.
5. Doing core exercises in the morning
I used to do them in my HIIT class but basically cheated and half-hearted them. Now I actually commit to them in the morning.
If you lack core strength (like me), the first week feels like pure torture—absolutely awful—but now I'm addicted to how good they make me feel. My back feels much better, my hips and hamstrings are less tight, and oddly enough, I've become more flexible, especially when rotating my spine left and right.
I've only been doing them properly for a few weeks, and even my pants fit a bit better. It takes about 10-15 minutes each morning.
Here's one of the videos I follow: a 10-minute Pilates core workout with a different core move each minute.
It's brutal, but it's over quickly, and before you know it, you're drenched in sweat and done for the day.
When I first tried this, I couldn't do half the moves, and I'm still far from doing any of them perfectly, but it's a process…
Your turn. What have you been loving lately? Inquiring minds want to know. ?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
