Clinique's 3-Step System

So I’ve been using Clinique’s 3-Step system for probably over a month now. I just want to let it be known that I do have some adult acne and I’m well aware that this system is not intended to treat that. My skin is very strange in that I have the acne but it tends to dry out very easily so it’s very hard for me to find something that won’t dry me out but will have an effect on the acne. I was using Neutrogena facewash twice a day without moisturizer (hard to find one that doens’t break me out). But my skin is so rough when I use it. I’ve been using it for years though because it’s just so frustrating spending all that money on products that won’t work. I believe my acne is hormonally driven so I’ve come to the conclusion that I may never find anything that works because it’s not treating the root cause.

Anyway, I decided to try this in the travel size. I sarted with a number two, step two but have since switched to a number three because I didn’t feel like it was cutting the oil enough. I still break out on a daily basis. Nothing has really changed as far as that goes. I’m thinking about switching again to a number four because I still get pretty oily. Some things that have changed is my skin is oilier but I don’t get that flakiness by the end of the day. Also makeup application is smoother. I noticed right away when I forgot to follow the last two steps the other day. My skin is not nearly as rough as it once was. I don’t know if it’s worth the money that I’m paying right now but I think about how much I could be spending just on trying other things. I am contemplating on trying Clinique’s Acne Solutions system. I’m just just worried it will be too drying.

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner

First let me start off by saying that my hair is curly (and wavy in some parts), dry, frizzy prone, and color treated. I don't know what prompted me to try something different for my conditioner, but I thought I would go ahead and give this a try. I've heard argan oil is supposed to be wonderful. I'm thinking that usually this is referring to the more pure forms of the oil. Not necessarily a hybrid of very little oil and a bunch of other ingredients. This conditioner is average at best. I find myself having to use a ton to even begin to make a difference on the smoothness of my hair. If I don't use gobs of it, my hair feels like dry straw. I should have stuck with what I normally use, which is good ol' Pantene or Garnier. They're not only cheaper but much more effective on my hair. The only good thing about this conditioner is that it smells phenomenal. I wish there was a perfume in this scent.

Medium & Large Vera Bradley Cosmetic Bags

I'm not going to go into too much detail with these as I've already pretty much covered the main features in my Small Cosmetic review. Everything is the same; same plastic lining inside, zipper enclosures, pull tab. One thing that I did find to be a bit surprising to me was the fact that the medium is so much smaller than the large. I have the large completely filled in this image. I like to put my Bath and Body Works sprays and lotions in it. I had originally bought the medium to hold my makeup but when it arrived, I realized that was going to be impossible. I have since ordered another large that I got on sale. Instead I use the medium for my hair ties, bobby pins, some hair serum, and Pocket Bacs. I don't regret buying this because I found a great use for it. But buyers beware, it is much smaller than you are probably expecting (in fact, the medium and small are much closer in size). As a positive, the pattern that the medium is in is very impressive. I have to say that this is my favorite pattern, so far, to look at. It's just so vibrant and beautiful. It's just too bad that it's not practical for my wardrobe. And I feel it's a little too tropical for the winter months. The large is in Lemon Parfait and I bought it because it was on sale but when I finally got it in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the colors went together. 

http://www.verabradley.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&keyword=medium+cosmetic&x=7&y=13

http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/Accessories/Large-Cosmetic/154771/defaultColor/Lime%27s+Up/c/638/sc/645/p/154771.uts?fromSearch=1

Vera Bradley Lanyard

I bought this to go with all of my Rosie Posy items. What I love most about this lanyard is that it makes finding my keys so easy. I'm constantly losing them but with this colorful lanyard hanging from them, it's not a problem even in my equally colorful Mandy. It's also pretty neat having the typical key ring but also the clasp part. It's easy to attach my keys to the lanyard key ring and then a Zip ID Case onto the clasp part. I find myself putting this around my neck when I have to run in somehwere quick and don't want to be digging around for my keys. It's actually much safer. Another thing to note is that despite it's strictly fabric make up, it's sturdy. It does not feel flimsy at all. It's priced at $12.00. But you can get select colors on sale. The cheapest I've seen on the VB website is $5.00.

http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/Accessories/Lanyard/154945/defaultColor/Va+Va+Bloom/c/638/sc/645/p/154945.uts?fromSearch=1

Vera Bradley Smartphone Wristlet

Finally the Smartphone Wristlet! An updated version of the Phone Wristlet. There are some major improvements with this. For starters, and probably most importantly, there is a compartment large enough to fit your phone with the case. More specifically an iPhone with an Otterbox! Imagine my elation when I saw that it would be debuting in a couple of weeks (of course after I had already placed an order for other things). As you can see in the picture, the Otterbox fits like a glove. I really have to hand it to the team at VB. It's amazing how it fits just perfectly, not too tight or loose. This is held secure with a fold over, snap closure. Very secure. It also has a zip around section with a zippered part inside for change and three card slots. Behind these slots is a place to put bills and just behind that is where you insert your ID to show throw the plastic window through to the outside. That's really nifty; often times the pocket for it has a way to the outside. Lastly there is a partially detachable wrist strap that I like to hook my keys onto. I used it for the first time last night and found it to be very handy. I was surprised at how well the strap actually stayed on my wrist. I think it will be great for taking to work.   

As for the pattern, I must say that when I first saw the new Fall 2012 patterns, I was not really impressed. I don't know what happened but that seemed to change very quickly ( I guess they grew on me). Va Va Bloom struck me as so practical, with it's multi-colored blooms and neutral black background. It is truly a versatile pattern. I wear a lot of solid colored tops in brights/pastels and it can literally go with everything I have. I'm really liking Paisley Meets Plaid now too. Maybe I will have to get something in that pattern as well.


http://www.verabradley.com/product/Smartphone-Wristlet/1001713/defaultColor/Indigo+Pop/p/1001713.uts?fromSearch=1

Vera Bradley Small Cosmetic

I bought this in the pattern Rosy Posies. I really just needed something for my "girly supplies" for my Mandy bag because as I've stated before, it does not have a zippered compartment. I'm able to fit quite a bit in this bad boy. It's fully lined with plastic (not the clear kind, it's the dulled out kind if that makes any sense. It seems a little classier actually). It also features a loop on the side ( I suppose for... well I'm not really sure. Don't know why you'd want to carry it around like that.) and the signature pull ribbon on the zipper. It's machine washable, like a lot of Vera's products and of course you can wipe clean the interior. There's actually a special going on for a few of the patterns this weekend online. The cheapest you can get this is for $11.00 right now in Viva La Vera. Normally it is $22.00

http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/Accessories/Small-Cosmetic/154770/defaultColor/Island+Blooms/pc/638/c/0/sc/645/p/154770.uts

Vera Bradley “Mandy” in Rosy Posies

I bought the Vera Bradley "Mandy" in Rosy Posies a few weeks ago. It features one outside slip pocket and six interior slip pockets. I was a little disappointed that the interior didn't have a zippered pocket. I like to store my girly supplies in there. I ended up buying the small cosmetic for that purpose. I was a little worried that the pattern Rosy posies might be, well, obnoxious. So I went to my local retailer and checked it out. It was perfect. I figured pink is a fairly seasonless color and they didn't offer any other multi season friendly patterns that I liked at the time. The strap drop is just perfect. I had read reviews that it was too long but that's not the case at all. The straps are a whole other awesome feature of this bag. They're so comfortable. That's something that I'm not used to with all of the other bags I've purchased in the past (and that's a lot!). They're a decent width and made from the same quilted cotton as the rest of the bag. It's lightweught and has a removable base so you can machine wash it. It's the perfect size, not too big or too small.
The bottom line...
Pros: Lightweight, machine washable, vibrant, soft, high quality.
Cons: No interior zip pocket.
http://www.verabradley.com/product/Color/Rosy-Posies/Mandy/1001149/defaultColor/Rosy+Posies/pc/639/c/0/sc/868/p/1001149.uts

Vera Bradley- I Approve

I had always considered Vera Bradley to be ridiculous and quite frankly senior citizen-esque. I couldn't figure out why in the world girls/women would want to carry around these hideous bags and accessories. One day recently, my views on such changed. I kept getting these customers that would come into my workplace with these stylish and functional bags and wallets. All Vera Bradley. So I stopped into my local VB retailer and checked out their specially designated Vera section. Since then I've been hooked. I realized that the dowdy, grandma bags that VB once sold were no longer the norm. They've since been replaced with fresh, colorful, youthful, classy, fun, and of course, colorful patterns. Their designs are also simply amazing. So practical. Even the feel of her quilted cotton is something to relish. She has something to fit your every need. While the price may be a bit much for some, I still feel it's worth it. Especially when a lot of the bags are machine washable. The prices still beat popular brands like Coach and Dooney and Bourke in the outlets. Speaking of which, BV has outlet stores. I have yet to visit one (I need to go fully loaded with cash before I do hehe) but I've heard prices there are extremely resonable, offering retired patterns and designs.

The Otterbox Defender For iPad 2/3 (Alpenglow)

So I've had this case for about 2 months now. I bought it in the color Alpenglow. It matches my iPhone 4 Otterbox Defender in Thermal. Not sure why the name is different as they are literally the exact same colors. The iPad case retails for $89.95 on the Otterbox website. I originally had the Smart cover that first came out with the iPad second generation. And while I loved the sleek feel of it, the protection it offered was a joke. I really wanted something that I didn't have to worry about taking out with me. I feel like the Defender could withstand a fall on cement and be just fine. Ok, so it's not waterproof (like you'd think an otter would be) but it handles minor splashes and such with no problem. One of the things that always atttracts me to the Defender series is the built in screen protector. I will say that I still got that oily mark (it's pretty extensive) underneath it. But when the screen is lit there's no indication that it was ever there. It doesn't bother me and I feel it's definitely worth the protection that the screen protector offers. Also, the website mentions it being compatible with the second and third generations. I can only attest to the second and it fits like a glove. I might also add that it does add some considerable weight to the device but I actually prefer that (maybe I'm just weird).

So the bottom line...

Pros: Durable, sleek, appealing to the eye, does not deter from screen resolution.
Cons: Heaviness may be bothersome to some, not completely waterproof, pricey, oil mark.

http://www.otterbox.com/New-iPad-and-iPad-2-Defender-Series-Case/APL2-IPADD,default,pd.html?dwvar_APL2-IPADD_color=M4&start=1&cgid=ipad-2-cases