And the Sampling Continues, Despite Being Sick & Cranky!

It could be that I am cranky because I am sick again and have missed two days of work because of it. Great way to start the new year, right? I have decided that it is the universe's test of me to determine whether I really will do what is necessary for my personal health this year. Geez louise, though ... does it have to start so soon??? Well, whatever the reason for me being cranky, I feel the need to start off with a product that you absolutely must NOT ever waste your time or money on...

MAC Lip Conditioner Stick: I hate it. Not a word I use often - hate. But I hate it. You put it on and I assure you that in exactly 120 seconds, you will need it again. You are better off with plain old chapstick. It's the biggest waste of $13.50 I have ever spent on a beauty product. Yes ... it's that bad. During these dry winter months, we need more lip care than most other times during the year. But, seriously... this product will not help you at all. One sip of water and it's off. No ... my lips are not that dry or that chapped that they are just soaking up the moisturizer. It's just that the product is crap! Now, I like MAC. I like their lip conditioner in the jar, actually. But something happened on the way to the swivel stick that just made the product fall apart. MUST MISS!

When I'm sick, I prefer to use Skyn Iceland products. They are specifically made for stressed out skin, as I have discussed before. I highly recommend the soothing, soft foam of Glacial Face Wash with Biospheric Complex. The coolness on your fevered face and the soft and creamy way it leaves your skin makes you feel instantly better. Also, the warming Oxygen Infusion Night Cream is spectacular when you need to just rest and not be worried about wrinkles, but let the product do that.

I also decided that, if I was sick and needed Vitamin C, perhaps my face did too. So, I also tried Murad Essential C products - the Essential-C Cleanser, the Active Radiance Serum Featuring Resilient-C Complex and Essential C Daily Renewal Complex. The face wash didn't foam as nicely as I would have wanted it too and I didn't like that there were little orange beads that didn't really "pop" and so I had to wipe them off my face. Weird. It also should have smelled more like oranges and it just smelled like old orange rinds. Yuck. The serum went on smoothly, but didn't fully dissolve, so it felt a bit sticky. The Essential C complex smelled much better, but, as is typical, for Murad products, was just a little too thick for my taste. Overall, I decided I was better off drinking orange juice.

Because of the dryness overnight (and probably because I overslept due to the sickness and Alka Seltzer cold tablets), I felt really dry in the morning. My lip split too (probably because of that stupid MAC stuff I keep trying.) So, I used a luxurious moisturizing cream I have ... DHC EGF Cream. It's $89 for 1.2 ounces and not available at Sephora, but I have several sample packets to try because many of the products are popular in China and you get them in some eBay sample purchases. EGF is a polypeptide that stands for epidermal growth factor. It is supposed to encourage elasticity, glow and cell turnover. Admittedly, more aged skin would really love this product. It's almost too thick for me, but since I was so dry, I did enjoy it. I did not use a serum underneath, as I knew that would be too much, but it does feel very, very soft and smooth. It's a great product for 50+ women.

Lastly, I do try the products I want my man to use, so I gave a go Jack Black's Pure Clean Daily Facial Cleanser. Ummmm... just use Neutrogena or Clairol or something. It doesn't smell good (not even for men, it doesn't lather well (despite it's claims) nor really does it do anything. I didn't have makeup on, but most guys I know won't, so I couldn't tell about it's true cleaning powers. But it didn't really make my skin sing. There's a reason it is only $18 for 6 oz. Definitely a case of getting what you pay for. Must miss.