Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

[rebirth]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

mylife;1045125 wrote: I really am a believer in what you put out into the universe is what creates the reality you live in. It just is so easy to let daily life struggles stand in the way of that vision sometimes!

Mylife I really likes what you said as this describes my new freedom since giving up the alcohol. I am learning to deal with lifes ups and downs without instantly reaching for the bottle. It can be tough but isnt it so empowering when you gop through challenges sober.

Judestir- BUTTT PATTS! I love that! Lol. Vaseline is good as a make up remover but it also stings my eyes when I use it..as well as give me blurred vision. I use a product called Simple. It even removes waterproof mascara.

Blonde- I use to think that the more expensive a product then the better it works. Not true. I invested in the Obagi skin system. Cost me hundreds of dollars and the majority of the time I looked like I had sunburnt skin. My skin did eventuelly regain its glow but that disappeared as soon as I was back in the sun. Not worth all that effort. Perricone is also very expensive and has very mixed reviews on makeupalle so I might skip that one..but then so does Olay.but it’s not so pricey.
And I also love the fact that I cleanse my skin and brush my teeth at night too. I never did when I drank because I didn’t care. Isnt this great!!!

Choice- good luck with tonight. You will feel great when you get back!

Cassia- I used Dermalogica a while back. I have good reviews on this brand. What products are you using? They say you should use moisterizer and a sunblock as early as you can. Infact, sunscreen is considered the best anti aging product because it’s the sun that does the most damage to your skin ( dark spots, dry skin etc)

Molly- can you tell me if your hair gets greasy after a day with moroccan oil? I use expensive serums but find that my hair gets greasy and lanky after 24 hours. Thanks for the stew recipe..it sounds very similar to a traditional english beef stew but without the dumplings. And I have a bay leaf tree and fresh thyme in my garden too! I will let you know when I make it.

Hi ifu, jenny, oney and everyone else who joins this thread.

Another two more weekends and we have all made it!

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Hey judestir,

I use a precleanse by dermalogica. It's a great makeup remove and also works wonders for your skin. X

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Hey rebirth,
I use precleanse, daily microexfoliant but swap that three times a week for skin prep scrub, essential cleansing solution, multiple active toner and smoothing skin moisturiser. I also use the gentle cream exfoliant once a week as a masque. I love all their products.

L x

[rebirth]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Cassia,
How long have you been using their products?

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Over five years...probably close to seven. X

[BlondeAFAmbition]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Hi Jumpers!

Cassia, I haven't tried Dermalogica products before. From what you describe, they sound fab. At 30, you may want to consider a night cream...preventative measures like you say.
I found that my face was much softer after using nightcream, so I think it is beneficial for everyone.

Judestir, I hear you on eye makeup...I have a certain eyeliner that I use that is a bee-otch to get off at night...but it is so sexy on, I have to suffer through it...:H I think I tried Vaseline a long long time ago, but I am a contact lense wearer and it just made my eyes very greasy and got into my eyes like an ointment. Same thing with cold cream, which is also supposed to be good for getting off eye makeup. I would try some makeup towelettes, Neutrogena makes some good ones that are like moist cloths, especially made for eyes. Or a liquid cleaner made for removing eye makeup...most brands make one nowadays. They usually have a little oil in them. I have been using (suprise) Olay Regenerist facial cleaning cloths and they do a pretty decent job, and I walk around with cat eye eyeliner all day, so I've got my work cut out for me! I think that your eyes would do better all night without the mascara sitting on your lashes...that could be making them brittle, not being able to be natural overnight. Try taking off the makeup with a good eye makeup remover and see what happens with the watery eyes.

Rebirth, talk about bad experiences with expensive product lines...I've had my share, that's why I'm an avid researcher before I buy any products to try. I once spent lots of money on Murad in my late 20's. I was having a bad time with adult acne due to stress, and nothing was working. So I bought into Murad's product line targeted for this issue and it nearly burned my face off! The first 2 days were fine, but then the drying product made my skin peel and burn...it was awful. I remember it was right before a sales conference where I had to give talk in front of my whole company...I was so self-conscious! Anyway, for anyone who's used Murad, it is pretty expensive. None of their products worked miracles for me, just disasters! Question for you on the use of hair serums...are you applying it all over your head or just to the bottom half of your hair? If you are applying it to the roots, it may get greasy pretty fast. But just to the ends where the hair is dryer then it is less apt to get greasy. When I apply a serum to my hair, I dispense a coin-sized drop in my palm, rub my hands together, stroke it in the bottom half of my hair (my hair goes down my back) and any left over, I put on flyaways around my face...never on my roots if that makes any sense! I use one by Ion called Silk Drops and it is wonderful.

Mollyka, now I am definitely getting some Moroccan hair oil my next visit to the beauty supply shop...they had a few brands there. They also have some hair tools, like flat irons and curling irons that are "infused" with moroccan hair oil...wonder what those would do? Thanks for posting the raves on that...we're all gonna have silky shiny hair now! Thanks for posting the recipe...my grandmother was Scottish and made a version of beef stew very similar.

Choice, you hot Tamale, you! How did the class go? Is it difficult to make tamales? We have a New Mexican food specialty place down the street that handmakes them. I felt like a dork when I asked if you eat the corn wrapper :H! Seriously, I hope all went well. Bring some tamales on the cruise, will ya?

Best to all Jumpers, I'll be jumping into day 14 tomorrow!

[choice]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Morning jumpers!
My class was amazing. I thought I was just making Tamales- yep Blonde they were HOT! :H I use to think the wrapper was to be eaten as well.. and kinda thought yuck! .. They weren't difficult to make just time consuming. Also learned to make flan, salsa, empanadas, tortilla chips... I ate way to much! I had to skip zumba this morning because I think my tummy needs to just digest all that yummy food and I felt like being lazy. There were three American women. 2 drank beer. One had drank them pretty rapidly but never appeared drunk the other one drank slower and kept drinking a lot of water, she also kept saying "no or not yet" when offered more beer by the faster drinker. Myself and the other women stuck to water. I never felt uncomfortable but I've also never paid so much attention to who was drinking what. When I use to drink I bet I was more like the rapid drinking lady who didn't appear drunk she had about 6 or 7 beers in the course of 5 hours. It's interesting both the drinking women are docters in an ER down here learning medical Spanish. I had a really nice time and since being AF this has been maybe the 4th time I've been offered a drink and said "no". I had so much anxiety about this kind of situation that I avoided socializing completely. SO I'm really happy to be out there socializing again and feeling like I am "okay" without a drink or smoke to mask my shyness.

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Hey choice

Your course sounds awesome! I have got a cookery school voucher here for me and my husband and I definitely need to look into getting signed up for one. I love cooking! Are tortilla chips easy to make? I get homemade ones when we go to some Mexican restaurants over here and they are amazing.

I know what you mean about paying attention to people drinking. When I was 5 days AF I had to go to a wedding and I watched what everyone was having. No one appeared drunk and there were lots of people who weren't having anything. In the old days I would have been like - "yeah, keep it coming" Just goes to show you that it's not that big a deal.

I must admit though that I got a massive pang today when my colleagues all went down to the pub and I didn't. I am just not ready for that yet - I will be in time. Still, I miss that socialising element too - I just couldn't risk it. I had such a good week this week - defo one for celebrating on a Friday night. But alas, I stuck to my guns and came home. I am going to dinner tonight so that is a bit of compensation. The craving is massive right now but I know its just because its Friday and I love my Friday nights out. Just gotta be one day at a time.

l x

[jennyneric]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Cassia, isn't today your 30?

[mylife]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Good afternoon Jumpers! Everyone is so busy already!!

Choice - I am so JEALOUS of your cooking class! I would love to do that! And to be honest, it sounds awful to me to be drinking during a great course like that!! Wow, I guess I'm really changing...these days I think I would just be dulling the experience if I were "chugging" beers alongside the fast drinking lady -- although I know I have been her in the past!

Back on the skin care topic -- I have to say my favorite cleanser is made by Olay -- even though I have access to the expensive "department store" items through my work. I'm really NOT a believer that expensive means better.

Blondie -- I feel like we have our local beauty consultant on this thread since you've been here! Thanks for all the great advice!

Cassie, Rebirth, all others to come have a fantastic AF evening and weekend! I'm looking forward to celebrating my 30 days next week!

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Jenny - yes it is, just keeping my head down though. Looking forward to celebrating with my husband at dinner tonight. He chose a restaurant that doesn't serve alcohol but does do amazing smoothies!

Mylife - its so worth it - getting to thirty days. I look back at how i was this time last month and i am like a different person. I am happier, have so much more energy, getting to the gym more, getting my shit organised to move to the states, re-motivated, and a better friend. it's been AWESOME!

l x

[mylife]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

:yay::yay:

Congratulations on your 30 days Cassia!! And what a Great idea to celebrate with a smoothie!

I agree with you 100%, it is like I'm a different person in a different life. Just wierd how many areas of my life this was affecting that I didn't even realize until I stopped.

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

I know, right! I couldn't put a finger on why i was so unmotivated - i just thought it was work. It lasted three month, right around the time my drinking ramped up again. I hadn't even equated the two. Maybe i am not as smart as i think i am

[choice]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Congrats Cassia on 30 days AF!:banana:

Yeah, the cooking class was really fun! I'd never done that before. I would totally do it again!

Tortilla chips are so easy I can't believe it! Just get the circle corn tortillas (not the hard shell ones and not the soft flower ones..) cut them into small pie shapes then put into a frying pan that is about 1/4 inch filled with hot corn oil. Just fry them up until they are slightly brown and crispy.. shake off oil and place on a paper napkin to soak up excess oil. It literally takes min. And they taste so fresh.

And just say no to alcohol

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

[Cassia]

Jumping through January AF. . . .come join in!

Hey Choice

I am going to try that - sounds so simple.

x