The Morning Haze

My hair has always been difficult and at the same time I have made it my mission to make it even more so. Easily tangled, frizzy, medium but with lots of volume potential, and chemically processed to oblivion. I have gotten a pixie cut/shaved my head twice in the last three years because I was so exasperated with it.

I decided to chemically relax my hair back in April to loosen the curl and quite simply because I always wanted wavy hair. Never a fan of the way my curls made me look like a child, I went to my mom (who is a licensed cosmetologist) and asked her to do it for me. Afterwards, my hair took its time to adjust to the way I wanted it to, but alas, with any chemical processing there is a price to pay. In this case, my hair became a bit brittle, dull, and with horrible split ends. After a much, needed haircut, I wanted to find new products that would work well with my new hair type.

For years I used a leave-in treatment from Pantene but unfortunately it was either discontinued or it was just not available in the US. After that I kept rotating through brands and lines, never finding something that worked adequately and did not leave my hair frizzy or worse, crunchy.

A few months ago I was subscribed to a beauty box called Petit Vour. The affair did not last long, but one of the boxes led me to find one of the best hair products I've used in a long time. A deluxe sample of EVOLVh SmartStart Leave-in Conditioner + Uber Detangler gave me the confidence to brush my hair without feeling like I was going to tear it from the root. It smells delicious, to boot. My waves were defined but not heavy, and in the short month I was wearing this I felt my hair was looking better than ever.



When my sample was, sadly, empty, I did what I almost never do: go buy the full size product. I also ended up purchasing their Ultimate Styling Lotion because I find often products from the same line tend to work best together.

I have been enjoying these two a lot, and find my hair does not get greasy as easily which is an added bonus, since styling products often leave my hair heavy and my scalp mortified. Mid-range and definitely effective, I highly recommend them if you are looking for something organic, simple, and that works.

- Linda

A little over a month ago I took the big leap and moved from Texas to Oregon. My parents were kind enough to drive with me in my tiny but reliable car. The trip was surprisingly enjoyable, as it was my first in all of the states we passed through. I got to visit and enjoy two amazing restaurants; Sophia's Place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Red Iguana in Salt Lake City. Colorado and Utah were probably the most beautiful states we drove through because of the beautiful landscape and the national park. I feel I needed a trip like this in order to soothe and prepare myself another chapter in my life: attaining my graduate degree.

But driving through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho had its adverse effects on my body--most specifically my skin. Even though we tried, eating well and drinking water was something we (and when I say "we" I really mean "myself") did not achieve that every day. Not only were my feet swollen, my back locked, and my shoulders tense, but my skin started rebelling from the lack of proper nutrients and the harsh change in climate from one day to another.

By the end of our four day trip, my skin was in severe distress. My cheeks were flaring up with red and painful patches of blemishes and I was oilier than ever; interesting enough my skin was also very dehydrated--I started peeling on my cheeks as well as on my forehead and chin. Another layer of exhaustion was added by moving in all of my belongings into my new home, which in turn made my skin and overall appearance to become dull and weary.

I believe there are other several factors that went into my skin flaring up, including the change from hard to soft water, as well of lack of quality sleep and my inconsistency when it comes to travel skincare.

In the panic of it all, I took all of my skincare products out of their not-so-perfectly-packed boxes and proceeded to do some damage control.

Besides only applying my prescription acne medication, PocketDerm, every other night instead of every single night, I performed some restorative care on my nights "off." It also gave me the opportunity to use a couple of products I had stashed away because my skin was seldom suffering from peeling and dehydration.



1. Juice Organics Pompeptide Facial Moisturizer. I use this as a general moisturizer because it provides needed moisture without the heavy feel.
2. Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Oil. Since the winter this facial oil hadn't been touched and now I apply it about twice a week for deeper treatment.
3. Baking soda + Coconut Oil Scrub. My dear friend Liz made this for me after I expressed my concern with peeling areas of my face. This also contains lemon oil I believe so the smell is simply delicious.
4. Josie Maran Infinity Cream (deluxe sample). I got this as part of a Sephora purchase a while ago and never felt the need to use it. It makes a wonderful sleeping mask for even more hydration.

So far, my skin is reacting slowly but reacting after all. The Infinity Cream and the exfoliating have definitely helped the most--my skin is little by little feeling smoother and I can see progress.

I think I might invest in a couple of masks (my beloved Origins mask was left behind in Texas) in order to get more in-depth care.

- Linda

I remember when dry shampoos started making their way through multiple hair care counters, and honestly the level of both bafflement and eyebrow-raising on my part was almost hilarious. Who doesn't shower everyday? I could not go more than a day without washing my hair, one of the many dermatological gifts from my father's side of the family. When I decided to skip washing my hair, well, it showed. 

For the longest time I thought it was just that well, since my skin was very oily it made sense my scalp was as well. Then, as I hit puberty (with all the marvels that come with it) my body decided it was not only enough that my face was covered in pimples and everlasting shine, but that my scalp would be getting those as well. Now, imagine me having to wear a slick back ponytail every weekday in middle school (I went to a very strict institution). Kids will not hesitate in pointing out my "dandruff," and it was mortifying. How could I tell them it was not really dandruff, but that I was getting balls of solidified grease attached to each of my follicles? Of course, at the time I did not know that instead of dandruff I was suffering from seborrheic dermatitis.

It took many years, over-the-counter shampoos and treatments for me to finally find an adequate option to treat my condition.

I currently hold a subscription to PocketDerm* for dermatology services and products. I was assigned Dr. Lortscher and hold a great relationship with him and his team. Besides prescribing my regular acne treatment, he has advised me through every rough patch in my skin care journey. I had mentioned to him how my scalp was still bothersome even with my birth control, and he recommended the DHS Zinc Shampoo. I bought it about three months ago and, when used as directed, it has greatly improved the appearance and feel of my scalp.



Surprisingly, this lathers rather well--which is something to applaud. I usually find shampoos like this tend to feel dry and detergent-like, but this one does not tangle or make my hair feel rough nearly as much as other products I've tried in the past. I follow the instructions to the bottle almost by the letter: applying a liberal amount and letting it do its thing for five minutes straight. Rinsing thoroughly is key, as you do not want any unwanted residue that could potentially dry out your hair. Using this two to three times a week has been wonderful to my poor scalp.

It doesn't have an overly chemical smell although it does possess the characteristic orange color that most shampoos that treat seborrheic dermatitis have.

Now, can I use dry shampoos as everyone else? Surprisingly, sometimes they do seem to work for me!

- Linda

*Affiliate Link

For the past couple of years cosmetics marketing has been gracious and effective at targeting customers--from Instagram sponsorships to sending Youtubers absurd amounts of makeup in order to get "randomly" featured in a Favorites video. Social media has been especially powerful in feeding this idea that you definitely have to have it right now. In turn, there are many makeup collection videos around that not only are fascinating but can make a professional makeup artist blush.

But not all of us are famous bloggers or jet-setting makeup artists. Some of us end with a huge selection of beauty products--lots of them used maybe twice, a few tucked away in boxes because of their sheer cuteness and only a few staples that we use every single day. About a year ago I found myself in that place, overflowing with lipstick that I seldom wore and eye shadow that was only used on special occasions. I realized it was all too much, and decided to take action. I started by giving away the items I realized could no longer be a part of my kit or else would go rancid. My sister, cousins and roommates got the better end of the deal here. I had three purges throughout the year, my collection was reduced to a quarter of what it once was.

Then, I discovered tags like #projectpan and #projectfinishit where people were determined to use the makeup they already own instead of going starry eyed and throwing money at whatever was new at the moment. The collective effort to not only save money but to be more mindful of the stuff we have was definitely refreshing, and it was clear cheering each other on was one of the best parts of it. I started partaking in the challenge, trying to get through two lipsticks, my beloved e.l.f. brow kit, and a NYX concealer. I finished all of them but one, and it has taught me about the real added value of things we put on our face everyday. It also reminded of why I bought each of these products in the first place.

Now I am here to document another hopefully successful attempt at "shopping my stash" and finishing what I own.


1. Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. I have had this for a very long time and I am more than halfway through, so it makes sense to bring it in to the challenge. I absolutely love this shade of blush, it is just gorgeous.
2. Clarins Instant Concealer. I got this last year for my graduation makeup and it is good for undereye concealing but I think at one point the bottle got a little bit too warm and now it seems inflated and liquid oozes out every time I open it. The quality is the same, I just want to move on from it.
3. MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation. I got this only last November and it has gotten quite a lot of action. I like the coverage and finish but oil-control is still not the best.
4. Sumita Beauty Kala Color Intense Pencil. I got this in a subscription box some time ago and like it a lot for the staying power and the pigmentation. Looking forward to finally finish it!
5. Tarte LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint. This was part of a kit I got as a birthday present and I like to wear this for everyday because I like the feel and it keeps my lips moisturized. Not a huge fan of the color.

I'll be checking in next month to see how I've done!

- Linda

Over the years, I have gone from a very intricate routine of face makeup that involved full-coverage foundation, concealer, and lots of face powder. Thankfully for my complexion those days are long gone, and now my makeup routine is relatively simple and I have found products that work in harmony with my very tempestuous skin type.

I have three products here that are pretty much the same in terms of what they do, but one of them is being marketed as a BB Cream (although I think of it as a very lightweight foundation). When concealing alone just will not do, I rotate through these depending on what finish I want and what my skin needs at the moment.



1. Rimmel London BB Cream Matte. Even though it is marketed as a BB Cream, as I said I feel this works better as a very lightweight, sheer-to-medium foundation. It controls my oil rather well and instead of flat-out matte it seems to set as a satin finish instead. It has SPF 15, which is a big plus. Love to wear this in the colder months when my skin is looking a little bit dull.
2. Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation. I was lucky enough to get this from Influenster ages ago, and fell it in love with it ever since. It has a thick texture and a little bit goes a long way, providing great coverage and a true matte finish. Beware of not exfoliating or moisturizing while wearing this, as it can cling to dry patches. Not a big fan of the shade range since my face looks a bit lighter at first when I apply it, so I might get the next darker shade and mix the two.
3. Clarins Ever Matte Skin Balancing Foundation. I just found out this was discontinued in the US! My heart just broke and it makes me want to hold onto this forever. I bought this last year as graduation pictures started to roll around. Even with SPF 15, my face did not have a white cast in the pictures, and my skin looked incredibly natural for the amount of makeup I had on. Not such great oil control but still a lovely foundation to use.

My Clarins foundation is usually reserved for special occasions and knowing I will not be able to repurchase opens a new door in the realm of high-end foundation search. Not going to lie, I am excited about it. Who knows, there might be a whole post devoted to it in the future.

- Linda

Recently I read an Into The Gloss article about facial mists and, being relatively new to the concept it was definitely intriguing and fascinating. I currently own only Avéne Eau Thermale spray that I use mostly every day after washing my face. Even though I love it and will continue to use, I find it does not set my makeup as good as I want it to.

One of the items from the ITG article that caught my eye instantly was the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary ($28). Supergoop! already has an impressive range of effective sunscreens and I've been using their Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil for a long time. On my last trip to Sephora I picked this up among some other repurchases, such as the Sephora brand cotton pads and the Clinique eye makeup remover.



This setting mist has SPF 50, which I believe is incredibly important. Over the last few years I have been incorporating sunscreen religiously into my skincare routine and have seen vast improvements. The slightly-strong scent of rosemary and mint is my favorite--although it does have a sunscreen-y aroma to it.

It is described as a "matte finish three-in-one: sets make-up, controls oil and delivers UV photoaging protection." Now, ever since I moved to Oregon the thought of using sunscreen every day was sort of an eyebrow-raising thought, but the summer is still here and with that, lovely Oregon sun and seemingly perfect temperatures. I like to walk around a lot and even when I am not wearing makeup I will spritz this on my face.

My nose turns red easily when I am not wearing sunscreen and when wearing this did not happen, so I can speak for its effectiveness in the sunscreen department. My makeup seemed to stay in my face and not my belongings, which was a nice change. Oil control was also a pleasant surprise. My face is usually horribly oily by the 1-hr mark but with this it was not until after five hours that I started to see significant shine.

Even with the ever-present sunscreen smell (that thankfully disappears after a minute), I am pleased to say I was right in my intuitions and will continue to use this whenever I am having a long day of meetings and classes. This works quite well, and I'm even considering getting the travel sized version.

- Linda

Leaving Tumblr certainly feels refreshing.