Birthday Wrap Up

I took it nice and easy and even took a day off for my birthday. Which meant that I've been buried in work to catch up since I got back (it's that time of year--but honestly, it's always that time of year in PR). So instead of blogging, I've been working off cake and a week of decadence.

But here is the long overdue recap of the wonderful, awesome, super relaxing birthday that I got to share with Chef.

Nothing says party like some bubbly on the actual birthday. 

It sparkles so nicely. Champagne went well with the dinner he cooked me.
Apparently I ate that too fast to take a picture. 

The beautiful flowers he also surprised me with. 

This was not about cat CPR, but a book on screenwriting I've wanted forever. Good call by Chef. 

I managed to work in a much needed root touch up. Gotta keep red on the head.

I used my Sephora gift cards to do my annual "on my birthday" Sephora trip.

But the birthday just kept on going! I took off Friday to have some fun and we celebrated on Saturday too. That's how we roll in our household.  Below are more spoils from being spoiled (that included a two hour massage--somehow I've managed to tighten up again). I'm a lucky gal! Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone!

How I Deal With Beauty Products Now That I'm Older

When I was younger, I would try just about any new beauty product out there that had lofty promises and a good before and after picture. But now that I'm getting older, I'm getting wiser. I've learned a few things that I think have inevitably saved me tons of money and made me a lot happier with the products that I buy. Here's what I've learned:

• Products only do about 25% of what they claim to do. That number is higher for some people and lower for others. For me, I've found that if I take the claim on the box and adjust my expectations to 25%--and still want to buy the product, that I'll be happier in the end.
• Wait a week before being excited about something. I've had quite a few things that I loved after the first day or two to find out that I wasn't so excited a week in when my skin, hair, body or whatever got used to it. The rule of diminishing returns, I guess.
• Buy the product that smells the best to you. I've bought perfumes because Chef liked them and I was only so-so on. Turns out after a few wearings, he wasn't so excited about it and I was stuck with a perfume that I only tolerated. If you have a product that makes you happy when you smell it or that you love the smell of, it can only work 5-10 percent as well as it should and you don't feel like you threw your money out because at least the smell makes you happy.

What got me thinking about this? I did a mini-at-home spa day this morning. It's raining, I had just worked out and our plans of going to Culver City for pizza was traded in for basketball and movies at home with delivery Chinese food. (a good swap, I'd say). So, I took a long steamy bath and rub, scrubbed, and lotioned up with some of my favorite products (not that you don't know this, but I clearly don't get paid to mention these things):

• bumble and bumble true red shampoo: Recommended by my stylist for keeping the new red hair looking red. Smells okay (kinda like patchouli) but works pretty well and is really mild.
• bumble and bumble golden blonde conditioner: Again, not the greatest smell, but works to make my hair not TOO red.
  
• Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body wash and body butter: I got it in a gift set from Sephora. It smells like coconut frosted cupcakes which for me spells WINNER in a product.
• Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish: Smells delicious and the sugar fades away. A little oily for some people, but my skin drinks it in.
• Morrocanoil Restorative Hair Mask: My poor damaged hair drinks it in. I only use it once a week (same for the body polish) but I can always tell a difference for two days after I use it.
• The original Morrocanoil Oil Treatment: I put a few drops on my hair every morning before I blow dry. It actually does do a couple of things for me: 1) it makes my poor, damaged, dry hair look shiny and have moisture. 2) It takes me less time to dry my hair when I use it. Seriously. A noticeable difference.

So, that was my morning of relaxation. The next one will be in a few weeks when I get another massage. Why another one? Well other than the obvious, I also have a coupon for a 90 minute massage for the price of a 60 minute one. Not too shabby!

Hope your Sunday is just as relaxing. I have to get back to doing little to nothing but cheering on basketball teams of my favor and catching up on this week's TV shows.