The Oil Cleanse Method. Proven.

And we're back!

I mean, we were back three days ago.  But it was hard enough dragging myself back to work, let alone write something up.  Sometimes the sunny Vegas weather just clogs the creative flow.  BUT! I have something awesome for you today.

Have you heard about the Oil Cleanse Method?  Lacy first introduced me to this face cleansing technique about a year ago, and I scoffed and scorned her for ever about it.  And then.... we made the leap.  One night, we decided we'd do this crazy thing and risk oily skin and breakouts galore.

 

 
Lo and behold, it ended up being the best thing I've ever done for my face, and I haven't looked back since.  If I ever use a different cleanser for even a few days, I notice a marked difference.  I use the oil cleanser every night, and typically no other cleaner in the morning.  Just a rinse of water, and that's it.  My skin has never looked better.  Even my mom was like, What have you been doing?!

So, here it is.  Make a mix of half castor oil and half olive oil.  I cleaned out an old travel-size antibacterial container for my mixture.  And got to mixing!  (Side note: can we talk about how hilarious it is that Trader Joe's likes to use fancy monikers like 'Trader Giotto's' and 'Trader Jose's'?  I'd probably think it was just the teensiest bit un-PC if I didn't think it was so funny.)

Anyway.  That picture up there is my 50% olive oil.  I just eyeball it.  Like I do in pretty much all of my cooking as well.

And then I fill it the rest of the way with castor oil.  I love watching it sink through the olive oil and settle in the bottom.  But be sure to shake it up well to mix it before you use it!  (I'm not going to pretend it's okay that I'm posting a giant picture shouting LAXATIVE on our blog.  I only use this for cleansing! I mean, FACIAL cleansing!)

After your mixture is made, all you need is a good wash cloth!  And steamy hot water.  First, I rinse off my make up.  I do this by using soap and water. Preferably liquid hand soap.  I KNOW, I know, that's the most terrible thing I could ever do to my face... I'm not buying it.  I've never noticed soap to mess with my face, unless it's the really cruddy $1 bar soaps.  And then those dry out my face.  But to be fair, those dry out my hands and body as well.

After my makeup is off--this doesn't take much more than a 20 second rub of soap on eyelashes to remove the mascara* since I don't wear much make up anyway--I pat dry my face as completely as possible.  Then, I pour somewhere between a nickel- and quarter-size circle of oil into my palm, rub it on my other palm, and go to town rubbing my face.

I give a good 30 second massage all over every part of my face, sometimes with a little extra focus on problem areas like chin or nose.  Then I wet my washcloth in the hottest water my hands can stand.  You want the wash cloth hot (but not burny.  come on.)  Wring out the excess water, and plop the cloth on your face to rest and steam out your pores.  Like a mini facial every night!  Once the wash cloth cools.  Rinse it out in hot water again, wring, and gently wipe your face.  But don't wipe off ALL of the oil.  Leave that there for your moisturizer!

Firstly, I promise I'm not naked in that picture.  But it was either you get a glimpse of bra strap, or I crop it out.  I couldn't decide which looked more modest...    Secondly, I'd normally never be like, look at this picture of my face!  But I feel like a cleanser post requires it.

Anywho, I've found that in the winter, I typically have to use a bit of additional moisturizer, and I use Clean and Clear.  I've been using this for years and it is my favorite.  I can't stand heavy things on my face, and this is the best moisturizer while still being thin.

My face has seriously never been so clear of acne or red marks.  I have such pale skin that redness from zits is more of a problem than the zit itself.  That red would stick around for a week or so!  But with the oil cleanse method, it clears up in just a couple days.  So amazing.

Disclaimer:  I know some of my friends haven't had quite the same kind of results as I have with this method.  All skin is different!  But if I can convince someone to at least try this, and they get the same results as me? they'll love me forever.  And that's all I want.


*Whilst in Vegas, I mystified Lacy on how I could put liquid soap on my eyes without getting it IN my eyes.  Years of practice, maybe?  Or... I'm somehow magical.  My eyes are impervious to soap burning!  What a power to have.

Friday Favorites

Happy happy Friday!

 

We'll see you on the flipside (what does that even mean?) when we return from sinful Las Vegas.

In the meantime, enjoy our favorites!

This gif I found whilst blog-stalking Lacy's tumblr.

(Ha, her face is priceless...)

 

This brilliant idea to use angel food cake for french toast.

A gorgeous pop of blue in this white washed kitchen

A nostalgic RV that makes me excited to road trip (even if we're not cool enough to have an RV)

An inspiring comic. (I want to write this on everything)

And this AVClub feature, HateSong, that cracks me up when I need a vitriol release.

Especially Kyle Kinane's take down of 'Little Drummer Boy'

...

i don't know about the rest of y'all but i am ready for this week to be over. i've found work is waaaaaay worse when i actually have a ton of work to do. who knew? i'm ready for road-tripping and wearing shoes that don't require socks.

this week i've been loving...

this adorable packing tape.

 

 joy the baker's homemade cat toys. (i want a fluffy orange cat someday)

 

 this striped top to add to my collection.
i wouldn't mind pairing it with this.

these mint chocolate cheesecake popsicles that i want to eat RIGHT NOW.

calvin is such an inspiration.

also this post on expectations by unconventionally beautiful.

and the av club is doing a classics rewatch of gilmore girls! anyone else excited?

have a lovely weekend all! hopefully we're not too hung over to post on monday!
(i'm kidding...probably)

Packing - Vegas

vegas!! i am so excited to get out of salt lake, get some sunshine on my pasty white skin, see brian for days at a time (he's been living at the library lately), and most especially go on another trip with ashmond (we dubbed them that waaaaay back when they were only boyfriend/girlfriend. oh how times have changed).

 

 i also get excited to pack for a slightly different climate. it's going to be in the 70's this weekend, and while that's nowhere near tropical temperatures, it's going to be a noticable change from our recent utah weather.

 

i'm an overpacker by nature, but i've really been working on it. mostly because overpacking never really worked out. i'd pack a ton of outfits and still not want to wear any of the stuff i brought when i actually arrived at my destination. that all changed after i packed for my honeymoon. instead of coordinating specific outfits, i picked out a bunch of separate pieces that could work together.

vegas. by lacy-walker featuring a pocket skirt

this is my packing wishlist, but i think my actual bag will look preeeeetty similar. my wish of all wishes is to find a similar striped dress. i've also recently decided i want some distressed jeans. my family will give me an unending amount of crap for buying "already worn" pants, but it might be worth it.

this style of packing might not be big news to anyone, but it has really changed my life. keeping things in the same color family, and having a good mix of solids and prints makes it super easy to throw an outfit together and head out to the strip. i also like having a few different layering options, so i don't get suuuuper sick of the singular cardigan i packed. and since we walk a ton in vegas, comfortable shoes are really key.  

i don't know about you guys, but i'm ready to go home and fill up my traveling bag with clothes. unfortunately i have a job that doesn't let me leave on such whims.

until next time...

Travel Planning - Vegas

Lacy and I are both so excited to be heading out to Vegas this weekend!  With our husbands.  It's kind of a tradition that we began at last year's Spring Break, when we were all just dating.  We joked a countless number of times about getting married in Vegas chapels.  Six months later, we were all married.  But not in Vegas chapels.  How life surprises us sometimes!  But anyway, travel.

When it comes to traveling, I'm a planner.  I read recently (I think on Cup of Jo) that the anticipation and planning of travel brings nearly more joy than often the actual trip itself brings!  Now, I'm not on board 100% with that statement, but I sure do find that travel research brightens up my day.

So much so that I find it almost impossible for me to not be planning SOME kind of trip, pretty much all the time.  It's a sickness.  A lovely, lovely sickness.  That I don't plan on curing any time soon.

My favorite place to start for any trip planning is Expedia.  They consistently have the cheapest flights, lowest fees, and largest amount of options, at least that I've ever found.  I don't believe I've ever booked a flight without Expedia.  And that's saying something, because I've been on quite a few flights in the past five years.  If you have a site you've found that's better, let me know!


TravelZoo is my second favorite secret travel weapon.  You have to sign up with a TravelZoo account in order to see their site, and that's not a bad thing!  I've never received spam email through TravelZoo.  Only good things here.  I receive a once a week email called the Top 20.

 
It's a list of current killer travel deals.  It's rare that I get to take advantage of these deals, but it makes for a perfect few minutes of wanderlusting every Wednesday morning.

And I actually found a perfect deal for a Vegas hotel for us this weekend!  At a place I've been dying to stay at for years, by the way.  At nearly 50% off the normal price!  What I'm saying is, sign up for TravelZoo.

Nextly on my planning list, what to do while we're there!  For me, what restaurants to eat at is just as important as what sites we'll see.  I like to look at TripAdvisor for both of these.  They have extensive lists of restaurants, hotels, things to do, what to see.... and all are rated by the vast community at that site.

And without TripAdvisor, how would I have ever found out about this hiliarious "theme park" called Dig This; where you get to go and control heavy equipment and "re-live our sandbox days."  It's apparently the #1 attraction in Vegas!  I thought I'd seen everything in Vegas, but I'd never heard of this.  And now I really want to check it out.

Among their top-rated restaurants in Vegas, many are a bit too pricey to consider.  But one place is called Crepe Expectations.  With a price of $6-12 and a location nearby our hotel, it definitely got added to the list.  (And yes, I do use Notepad.  Its basic format, and ease of saving to Dropbox so I can always have the file on my phone, makes my life easy.)

Lastly, I follow quite a few people on Reader.  And if any of them live nearby, or have traveled to, the destination I'm headed to, I like to take their notes.  Like this:

Lottie + Doof found an incredible used book store, Amber Unicorn Books, and it was also added to the list!

All of that being said, I use all my plans as guidelines, and I have no problem throwing everything out the window in the name of exploring and spontaneity!  The thrill of travel is finding something you never expected and doing it with the ones you love (even if that happens to be yourself--yes, I do recommend solo trips!)

Happy Travel everyone!  And wish us fun and luck in Vegas!

P.S.  I hope this doesn't read too much like a commercial!  None of the people at these sites know anything about our little blog here.  I just like them.

peeeeeeeanut butter!

when i got married, i knew the biggest issue brian and i would have would be what kind of cookies we baked. i die for chocolate chip and brian loves peanut butter. peanut butter cookies have never been a thing i've enjoyed. i just think of the flat dry ones served to me by lunchrooms and well-meaning babysitters. they seemed like a waste of a cookie and i could not see the appeal.

but then! i found this recipe and it might just be the thing that helps us stay married. (i say, a couple who eats baked goods together, stays together)

firstly, these are ALL the ingredients. easy.

 

secondly, you get to chop chocolate. which is one of my favorite things to chop. especially when it's dark chocolate.

 

thirdly, this recipe is so easy. and it doesn't have any flour or white sugar! brown sugar is healthy, right? even if it's not....look!

look at how beautiful they are! these cookies are so chewy and moist. (i think i'm one of the few people who doesn't have issues with the word moist) and look at those hunks of chocolate!

word on the street is that we made a dozen cookies and only two lived to see morning...but i can't verify if that's true or not. (it is)

recipe found on averie cooks. click it, make it, eat (ten of) them.

 

lacy, out.

Indoor Garden

I woke with the sun Saturday morning.

And before you think that means I woke up at 5 a.m. or something ludicrous like that, let me change my opening sentence.

I was woken BY the sun on Saturday morning.  Just a few minutes before eight in the morning.

It struck me that I had croissant dough in the fridge, and that was enough to pull me out of bed.

(Oh, and also the fact that I take my birth control at around 8.  Precautions, you know.)
 

And the croissants, boy, were those a lovely Saturday morning breakfast.

(I'll show you the recipe for those later!)

But what I enjoyed just as much were the 15 minutes or so I spent with my basil plant.

With my first steps in the kitchen, I opened the blinds and watched

as the sun hit the green leaves.  I imagine the leaf pores just ecstatic from the light.

I sat over it and ran my hand through the deep, flat leaves;

that sweet and fragrant unmistakable basil smell wafted up.

The basil plant took a refreshing shower in the sink,

and overgrown leaves were gently pinched off.

I wrapped them in a paper towel to be delivered to my sweet sister later.

Because when you have something this beautiful... it's worth sharing.

There's nothing quite like an indoor plant to take you away
from the cold winter breezes and directly into summer sweetness.

I recommend it.

What plants do you keep watch over?

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!

Husband and I have no plans for this weekend, which feels strange.  However, we're looking at high 40's temperatures here in Salt Lake!  Time to bust out short sleeves, cropped pants, cruiser bikes, and popsicles!  Okay, maybe not really.  But I am hopeful to spend some time outside soaking in the (minimal) sun.

Here's this week's favorites!

This room is killing me. I love a good, dark accent wall.

At a recent church activity (a chili and chocolate cook-off, yum!), someone brought this chili.  It's a delicious pork tomatillo twist on the old classic.

I have a soft spot for old-timey battle gear, pirates, flags, maps, and the like.  This real-life battle ship flag, flown in the Battle of Trafalgar, makes my heart happy.

And it's GIGANTIC!  So cool.

This gif that my best friend sent me with the caption, "I shall play you the song of my people!"

(sorry, don't have the original link!)

And this goofball attempt to re-create Mary Poppins' umbrella flight.

I'm sorry, sir.  Did you really think that was going to end any differently?

Welcome to physics 101.

..............................

hey guys! it's lacy and i'm as excited for the weekend as ashley is. brian and i's weekend plans are also pretty minimal, but include searching salt lake for a ukelele and a new camera lens. (guess who go their tax return back this week). i also plan to let oskar roll around outside to his heart's content. that cat really appreciates itching his back on cement.

 i want some pretty crewel work sooo much. and i figure buying it is a lot faster than learning how to do it myself. find this one here, and go ahead and check out their whole shop while you're at it. it's incredible.

 did anyone else almost shed a tear when ben affleck won another oscar? just me?
i've loved him since 8th grade (even through the j-lo years) and i really relish in his success.

this is pretty spot on. except now i go to my room voluntarily.

 i can't pretend i don't want a pair.

i would live here and eat "downstairs" every night.
and oh my goooosh i just noticed the hammock. wanty.

also "evolution of mom dancing." check it out.
you won't be sorry.

happy weekending!