All Eyes On Her

I can’t believe how long overdue this is. A recent Daily Candy newsletter pinged 3floz.com, a new website that only sells TSA-approved toiletries. For months now I’ve been scratching my head when I see 2- or 4-ounce bottles of “travel” shampoo at the drugstore — didn’t anyone get on this and think, gee, maybe we ought to capitalize on TSA’s restrictions?

The main thing I love about 3floz.com is that they carry higher-end stuff that can be much harder to track down in travel-friendly portions. That and the little travel-friendly quirks, like shipping your stuff internationally to have it waiting for you, or waiving the overnight fee if you prove your urgency with an itinerary. So cool!

My only complaint so far is that they ONLY carry the high end stuff — sometimes a girl just wants a (travel-friendly) stick of Secret, ya know? Hopefully they will continue to expand their offerings as they gain popularity… especially since TSA has made it clear they plan to keep the restriction on for the foreseeable future.

Two pairs of Spanx. And no eating. Heh, I had you all excited for a second there; don’t deny it!

Ever since I grew up, I haven’t been able to wear headbands. Fabric ones like we rocked in the ’80s, perhaps — but not the cute hard plastic ones that other girls can sport. Why, you ask? Because I have a giant head.

Yep, hats almost never fit me unless they’re adjustable or made for men, and headbands just don’t work on me. I even bought one a few months ago and dipped it into boiling water to try and re-mold it into a head-friendly shape — all I got was carcinogenic-smelling water and a misshapen headband that still didn’t work on my head.

So imagine my joy when I came across this nifty new headband with flexible tips, designed so that the bottom bits can be bent so that they don’t stab into your giant cranium behind your ears. I think I giggled out loud in Target, I was so delighted. But guess what?

IT DOESN’T FIT. The part BEFORE where the tips become flexible is still too tight on my skull. CURSE YOU, GOODY! Please don’t ever consider making a line of plus-sized clothing — I hate to think of what you’d do to a gal’s self-esteem in that department!

Grant and I got engaged last month, and since then everything has been a whirl!  We’ve kicked into planning mode, largely because we’re both really enjoying the planning process thus far.  But of course, one part of the plan is to lose some weight before the big day, so we both look and feel our best.

Along with the weight-loss goal comes a set of skincare goals for me.  And much like losing weight, for me these goals are things I’ve been meaning to do in or out of wedlock, just to keep my skin feeling and looking its happiest and healthiest.  And now I have a really good excuse to make it official! So I’m writing myself a set of skincare vows to follow while leading up to the big day and beyond.

1) I vow to use my Clarisonic at least once per day, with no more than one lapse per week.  (I mean, I paid enough for the thing, and I love the results… when I actually take the time to use it!)

2) I vow to at least remove my makeup before going to bed, no matter how tired I am. (A very bad beauty habit of mine — I always tell people that I’m full of great skincare advice that I have lots of trouble following!)

3) I vow not to skip lotion/body oil after more than one shower per week.  (Taking care of dry skin needs consistency!)

4) I vow to file my nails BEFORE they break and tear from getting too long.  (I’ve been carrying a top-notch nail file in my purse since January 1st, but I have yet to use it once this year!  And I notice my ragged nails much more now, every time I show off my ring… it feels wrong to have crappy cuticles and crooked nails next to such a beautiful heirloom.  I should give the rock the respect it deserves and take care of my manicure!)

5) I vow to be consistent in the application of my topical actives.  (No more starting things like Retin-A but skipping it six nights a week — no good will come of it, and I hate getting perpetually stuck in the dry flaky phase!)

Hopefully the fact that I made these vows public will mean that I actually follow them, to some degree.  I’m also going to post them on EDS so that my pals online can help egg me on.

I was very excited to pick up this month’s ELLE magazine, even though it’s not one of my typical reads. On page 111, there’s an article on do-it-yourself skincare, and ELLE writer Maggie Bullock quoted me twice (including an ending quote, yay!).

Unfortunately, the article doesn’t appear in the online mag, but I’ve uploaded a PDF (with permission) here, in case anyone wants to check it out. (And no, it wasn’t printed that way — my boyfriend ever-so-subtly highlighted the parts with me in it.)

It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve updated this page, but I think we can finally officially say we’re out of the “Under Construction” phase. This is thanks in large part to my awesome new web hosting company, Dreamhost.

Many of my reviews and tips need a bit of an updating pass, but at least the pages are up and the theme works and the whole things is finally converted to WordPress! What a relief. Now I can finally go back to writing about skincare instead of editing php files, hooray!

Welcome to All Eyes On Her, my site for skincare-related queries, product reviews and recommendations, and some custom-made personal care items. This site is under construction, but it will be up and running shortly. Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

–Virginia