Puffy eye remedies

I was in kind of rough shape on Monday morning before I had to go to work, but I really wanted to go to work for the distraction it would provide. I managed to pull myself together a bit, but my eyes were bound to betray me. The weekend cry-a-thon made it look like I'd had a hearty shot of Botox directly into my eyelids and around my eyebrows. Although my face isn't in the best shape, I'd like to think I'm not ready for Botox.

Anyway, I did what any blogger would do. I mentioned on Twitter that I was looking for a remedy for puffy eyes. And of course, I instantly had several. I haven't had a chance to try any of them out, mainly because I haven't been to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients. But, I thought I'd share with you the input I received. You never know when they may come in handy.

• Cold cucumber slices
• Cold teabags
• Cold spoons (I think I sense a trend)
• Preparation H
• Cold washcloth (This is what I used, and it worked fairly well)

What would you add?

Lisha Lynn giveaway results

I really enjoyed reading everyone's makeup horror stories. It sounds like many people had some misguided experimentation coupled with public humiliation.

I put everyone's names into a list on Random.org (Heto got two entries for commenting and blogging about the contest) in the order of which I received your comments. And Random.org rearranged that list randomly for me. So without further adieu ...

There were 11 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Playful Professional
2. Deanna
3. Emily
4. Allison M.
5. Heto
6. CelticBuffy
7. The Giveaway Diva
8. Heto
9. mio
10. Vanessa
11. Courtney

Timestamp: 2008-12-18 06:25:45 UTC

Congrats, Playful Professional! I'll send you an e-mail soon to let you know how to redeem your $25 gift certificate to Lisha Lynn Mineral Cosmetics.

Thanks everyone for participating. I'll be having another (non-makeup) giveaway soon, so stay tuned.

Get excited about giveaways

Tis better to give than receive, right?

Well if that's the case, Jamie Lovely is doing it right. She's having an awesome holiday giveaway, chock full of cool items from several of the websites she features at her shopping blog, Oh! How Lovely Shops. She's not saying exactly what she's giving away, but because she has a knack for finding the best sites on Etsy, I wouldn't worry too much.

Enter the Oh How Lovely Shops Big Holiday Giveaway!

And while we're on the subject of giveaways, I've got one myself. Remember Lisha Lynn Mineral Cosmetics? I'm offering a $25 gift certificate for Lisha Lynn products provided by owner Alicia Redding as a holiday gift to you, my Modern Friends, for being so wonderful! This will give you a great opportunity to try out her products.


To enter, leave a comment on this post about your silliest makeup experience: Were you attached to an awful color of eye shadow as a teenager? Did you once use your mom's lipstick as body paint? If you absolutely cannot think of anything, then just tell me your favorite makeup product. You have to tell me something about yourself in the comment, or you're not counted toward the drawing.

You can get two bonus entries by either blogging or Twittering about the giveaways and then posting the link to your blogpost/tweet in a comment on this post.

I'll leave the contest open until midnight on Dec. 16. Lucydog will supervise the drawing at Random.org.

More about Lisha Lynn

After testing out Lisha Lynn mineral cosmetics, I wanted to know a little bit more about owner Alicia Redden and how she got involved in the cosmetics business. As it turns out, she's quite the modern gal, and I wanted to share with you a Q&A I did with her, which you'll find below.

Also, if you'd like some more specific information about the contents of Lisha Lynn mineral makeup, check out this post on Allie's Answers.

And I may just have a Lisha Lynn giveaway in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for that.

The Modern Gal: How did you get involved in selling mineral makeup?
Alicia Redden: I began my mineral makeup journey 5 years ago after moving to a much more humid climate. I hated the feeling of gunky liquid foundation halfway through the day and after using minerals for a week, I was hooked! I was disappointed with the customer service of the online company I was buying from, so I decided to quit buying from them and see if I could make it."How hard can it be?"

MG: Is this your full-time job or something you're doing on the side?
AR: I started this company with a toddler and a baby. Now my children are both in school full-time, so this is my full-time job. That's the beauty of owning the business, I can schedule when I want to work! I spend many hours a week researching new marketing methods or preparing company materials as well as working to stay stocked on packaging, labeling, materials, etc. It takes alot more time to do that than to actually make the make up! I have started from scratch, so there are many things to create and prepare as I expand. There is always something else to do!!

MG: How did you learn how to formulate your own makeup?
AR: I did weeks of research, because at the time it was difficult to find the top secret "recipes" to make the foundation. I finally found general recipes and a place to buy the basics. I bought the ingredients and started mixing at home. The first batch was perfect for my skin tone. I was thrilled! After that I had months of learning color to make different shades of foundation, blush and then eyeshadow. I had no background in color theory or anything of that nature. It was all trial and error. And I'm still learning!

MG: Why should people consider switching to mineral makeup if they haven't already?
AR: Mineral makeup is a much healthier option for your skin. True mineral makeup is preservative free. It's also a much more natural makeup than traditional liquid or cream makeup, that tend to contain chemicals for adhesion, preservation, emulsion and so on. Lisha Lynn mineral foundation also has built in sunscreens! And don't assume you can't wear them because you have dry skin! They actually work well with dry skin, I just recommend a really good moisturizer before application (make sure it has time to absorb into the skin first.) For those with oily skin, I recommend the primer powder before application of foundation to extend the wear of the makeup and keep you fresh-faced much longer!

MG: What should people know about your company?
AR: I want to please the customer every time. If that means sending several samples and mixing your foundation shade for you, then I will do that. I also try to prepare the customer for success with minerals by supplying information on proper application techniques. Many people who aren't happy with minerals are not applying them properly. You have to start with clean, well-moisturized skin every time. I also am looking for consultants to join my team! There is information on the website on how to join. Best of all, there aren't any monthly quotas!

MG: Do you have any special promotions or offers for new customers?
AR: I run monthly specials available in my newsletters. I also have Try-Me sample kits for those new to minerals who need a few shades of foundation, blush or eyeshadow to try. You can sign up for the newsletters on the website: http://www.lishalynn.com/

Thanks, Alicia!

Lisha Lynn Mineral Cosmetics

For my 2008 New Year's resolution I pledged that this year was going to be the year that I learned how to properly care for my face. For the first few months, I tried improving my skincare routine, purchasing all new makeup and new lotions and goo to use.

It worked a little bit. My skin wasn't quite as rough as it had been thanks to more than a decade of acne problems and sun damage. So, I proclaimed it a mini-success and moved on.

I didn't think of my resolution again until Alicia Redden, owner of Lisha Lynn Mineral Cosmetics, asked me about reviewing some of her products here at The Modern Gal. I've never really given mineral makeup a passing thought, mainly because I've just always stuck with the same old Cover Girl products. But I thought, why not. I'll try her stuff out for a few days and just see how it works.

Well, forget a few days. I've been wearing Lisha Lynn's mineral foundation for several weeks now and am hooked. It. Is. Awesome.

I've always worn liquid foundation because it seemed to give the best coverage on those days when the stress and PMS pimples are in full force. No one had ever been able to convince me otherwise. But I noticed how well the mineral foundation covered a small zit one day, so I tried using it when my job caused a big-ole honking one. Of course it didn't cover it perfectly, but it certainly minimalized its appearance.

The foundation is so super-light that you hardly notice you have it on, and yet it covers your face so smoothly an evenly. The big bonus is that after about two weeks' use, I noticed my skin was feeling softer than ever. Less acne too. (This may be a coincidence, but it seems more likely that my skin is less stressed out by the mineral makeup than regular drugstore makeup.)

Lisha Lynn's eye makeup is fun too. It has the same benefits as the foundation -- light, smooth and good-for-your-skin -- and has a little bit of sparkle to it that catches the light and highlights your eyes. There are tons of colors too. Ditto on the blush.

I promise I'm not being paid to review Lisha Lynn products, but I do plan on buying more of the foundation and possibly some additional eye shadow colors. Everything Alicia offers is very reasonably priced. Lisha Lynn offers concealer, finishing powder, eyeliner, lip balm, makeup brushes (you will need them to apply most of the products) among other things. I have NOT sampled any of these products, so I cannot vouch for them.

I'll be sharing more information about Alicia and Lisha Lynn and about mineral cosmetics in a later post, so stay tuned.

Jeepers, peepers

I know this is going to be hard to believe, but it takes a team of makeup artists and hairstylists for The Modern Gal to achieve the look you see in the top left corner of this blog. Every other day of the week, The MG is fairly normal looking.

The only especially distinguishing feature God gave me was my shortness, and really I'm not that short. I have brown hair. I have medium-toned skin. I'll never win any beauty contests. No one is going to covet my hair or my nose or any other feature of mine. Well, maybe my butt ... which once upon a time was dubbed a "ghetto booty."

I think the fact that I find nothing interesting about my appearance is why I've become so attached to wearing glasses.

It wasn't an immediate friendship. When one of my middle school teachers -- I think it was seventh or eighth grade -- caught me squinting from the back row to see the chalkboard, she called my parents who then shuffled me off to the optometrist. I hated everything about the process from having a light shined in my eyes down to the big round gold-rimmed glasses I ended up with as a result. I only broke those out when my life depended upon me seeing the chalkboard in class. The rest of the time they stayed in my backpack.

My parents let me try out contacts as a freshman. I was hooked as soon as I could successfully get them in my eyes: I could see and I didn't have to wear my ugly glasses! A string of eye infections my sophomore year and my crazy optometrist telling me he wanted to try a procedure that would plug my tear ducts so that my eyes could handle the daily wear of contacts ended that little experiment. I went back to my wear-glasses-only-when-absolutely-necessary routine.

That was until I discovered the tortoise-shell frames eight years ago. Sure, they're ubiquitous now, but they were something of a novelty then. And it was love at first sight. The shade of the frames complemented my hair and skin and my tendency to dress in earth tones perfectly. The rectangular shape of the frames were just distingushing enough. They said 'kinda nerdy/kinda hip,' which I like to at least pretend I was. They became a part of who I was, so much so that I know I have friends who wouldn't recognize me without them.

Three pairs of tortoise-shell frames later, it seems like everyone and their mother has a pair, which means it's time for me to find a new style. The problem is, choosing new frames stresses me out to no end. Selecting a new car? No sweat. A house? Piece of cake. Glasses? It's like one step away from getting plastic surgery for me.

I stopped by LensCrafters after work today to get an idea of the current selections. I wasn't overly impressed, but am mulling a few distinctly different frames before dragging the Modern Beau back to help me make a decision. Perhaps a two-toned pair with blue trim? A shade of my favorite color? Red? Something with a bit of embellishment?

Seriously, I need help.

Retail binging

You know how they tell you when you're trying to lose weight you shouldn't deprive yourself of all the goodies you like? Because when you do deprive yourself, you usually end up binging on something making matters worse?

I'm pretty sure the same theory applies to me and shopping. I had spent quite a bit of money trying to get my house prepped for sale (Spend money to make money, right? Probably isn't going to work in this case.) My knee-jerk reaction to first seeing my credit card balance was no more spendy money, Modern Gal!!!!!

In practice that only worked for a couple of weeks. Yesterday, I went to the mall to finish off my my Mom's Day shopping for the Modern Mom. The plan was to go just barely inside the mall to this story that should have had exactly what I was looking for her. But of course, when it didn't have it I went farther into the bowels of the mall, and it's power sucked me in as I feared it would.

I resisted the powers of The Gap, instead falling victim to the jCrew sales rack. Here's what I got:

I actually got this in a khaki color. It's so thin it's like a shirt, but it's totally a jacket. And I always need jackets during the summer to keep me from freezing my elbows off in the office when it's 98 degrees outside. Plus, it can make the trip from work to post work very easily.

I tried so hard to talk myself out of this one. It's really freakin cute and was very cheap by jCrew standards, but I really didn't need another purse. I bought it anyway, hoping my senses would kick in and tell me to return it. They haven't.

The Modern Gal waxes about skincare

I'm three months into my resolution/determination to clear up my acne-prone skin once and for all and I think I may have stumbled upon a routine that actually works ... for The Modern Gal, anyway.

I raided the brand-new Sephora store that popped up in our local mall a month ago, desperate to find something that would both keep my face from breaking out and smooth out my horribly uneven toned skin.

Astonished by the prices of some of Sephora's assorted facial products, I settled upon two items from Philosophy, mostly because they didn't carry three-digit prices. They were actually kind of reasonably priced when you forget that there's a Walgreens across the street which sells moisterizer for $4.

But the thing is, they actually have been working for me. I've been using Philosophy's mini peel pads and moisterizer at night combined with my twice-daily Cetaphil wash and my morning Neutragena moisterizer w/sunscreen and amazingly I've had maybe two zits this month (minor victories here, minor victories) and my skin has softened significantly.

But the conclusion I've reached is that the reason there's so many freakin' options on the market when it comes to skincare and the reason that the 500 other different skincare suggestions I've tried didn't work is because we're all snowflakes. No one skin care regiment works for two people.

Yes, that's right, we're all snowflakes.
It's been a long day.

What's not to like about solid shampoo?

This weekend's bachelorette party was like a meeting of the minds, because I learned about some great stuff to pass along to my modern peeps.

Like LUSH organic handmade cosmetics. Specifically what I love is their solid shampoo. It's like a bar of soap that you lather. The beauty of it is you can carry it onboard a plane and you can store it in your bag without fear of it exploding because of high pressure. Oh and the one that modern gal MC was sporting smelled really freakin' good.

You can order it online, but they also have a pretty long list of stores in most of the usual suspect cities.

Face off, 2008

Ok, it's New Year's resolutions time, and The Modern Gal is making a weird one this year. Oh, I'll definitely be pledging the annual "lose weight, get healthy" resolution, but since that one's a given, I try to make another pledge or two each year just to keep it interesting.

This year, after netting two speeding tickets within a two-month window last year, I managed to quell my habit of going 10 mph or more over the speed limit at all times. The year before I cut back on the number of F-bombs dropped, though I think I may need to revisit that resolution sometime soon.

But I've decided 2008 is going to be the year I kick my acne problem in the arse. Or face.

I know that's weird, but I've been battling acne for about half my life now, and I'm sick of it. I get zits like a 14 year old. The big, painful kind. And I get skin infections, and it's just not something a modern gal likes to be worrying about. I wash my face. I go to the dermatologist from time to time. I use certain creams and washes and this and that, but nothing I do works.

So now I mean business. I'm going to try several different regiments as recommended by various doctors/experts/famous people until I find something that works.

I've stumbled across a NY Times Fashion and Style article about taking care of one's face. And to kick things off a day early, I've raided a nearby Walgreens and replaced all my cheap Cover Girl makeup with new cheap Cover Girl makeup.

Here's to hoping 2008 is a clearer (and thinner/healthier) year than 2007.

Resolve to be healthy

Now is the time to be deciding on your New Year's resolutions, and since most people resolve in some way to either lose weight or get healthier, I thought I'd point out this article from Real Simple which illuminates the habits of people who are skinny. I don't particularly like the title "Secrets of Thin People" as it seems to encourage the stereotype that thin people hold some sort of secret knowledge and, therefore, are better than the rest of us. But, the habits described in the article are good practices. So just remember, skinny shouldn't be your goal, but rather HEALTHY is what you should aim for.

Real Simple also has a nice article on tips in caring for your skin during the dry winter months that's worth a look.