As I have mentioned in previous blobs I turned thirty years old in May.  When I look in the mirror I wouldn’t know that I was thirty.  Well, the slight lines or rather wrinkles around my eyes when I smile do scream thirty.  However, my skin surface is a different story because it screams teenager.  When I say teenage skin I mean pimples, lots and lots of pimples.  I developed more of a teenager’s skin type when I became thirty.  I feel like a Proactiv commercial right now.  By the way those commercials are so annoying and long.  When I was in my twenties I tried Proactiv and it didn’t even work for me.  Anyway, I don’t remember having this many pimples when I was in my teens.  Are my hormones confused?  I turned thirty not thirteen.  Every time I look in the mirror another zit has appeared.  Luckily I have some solutions to kill the zits.  I also have sensitive skin.  I know I have already mentioned this in a previous blob.  So many products give me a rash or make my skin itch, or make my skin peel, or make my skin burn.  I’m so fragile and delicate.  I’m serious when I just get a bug bite it looks like I lost a knife fight with someone in a dark alley.  Bug bites turn into big bloody wounds that bleed all the time.  Sorry for the disgusting imagery.

If there is anyone else with my skin problems I thought it would be helpful to list my favorite products that work well for me.  About ten years ago when I saw a dermatologist she recommended some of these products.  I have been hooked to the products ever since.  I should mention that none of these companies are paying me.  I’m being nice and promoting these products for free out of the kindness of my heart.  However, if any of these companies would like to pay me I have a contact button above.  When I wash my face my dermatologist recommended that I only use dove soap in a bar.  There are so many soaps out there for pimples that just dry the skin out making more zits develop.  Dove really has helped me and I have tried so many other soaps!  My bathroom is a lot less cluttered without a bunch of soaps.  I just use a bar of Dove for my face and body.

The face mask I use is by a company called Bette K.  It is a wonderful face mask that can be purchased online.  I will include the link below.  It is the only mask that I have found that doesn’t burn and that works really well.  It is called All Natural New Face Mask.  It has French green clay, powdered lecithin and spirulina and that is it no other ingredients.  In the summer I mix it with water since my skin is oily because of the horrible Virginia humidity.  In the winter I mix it with olive oil.  I have really dry skin in the winter and the olive oil really helps to moisturize.  The lotion I use on my face is Oil of Olay.  Olay feels weightless on my skin.  My dermatologist recommended Cetaphil and I gave it a try.  But, I felt like a clown with heavy makeup on the whole day.  It felt like something was on my face and I kept twitching my nose like a bunny.  I was in college then and people were staring at me like I was some kind of weirdo.  Olay has been my tried and true favorite.  Plus the smell of Olay Complete reminds me of my grandma.  When I’m going out I use an Olay moisturizer that also contains some foundation.  It is Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti Aging UV moisturizer with a touch of foundation.  When I’m not going out I use Olay Complete with UV protection.  I just pick the one for my type of skin.  I love that Olay moisturizers contain UV protection.  I’m a fair skinned freckly girl so I need protection from the sun.  For my other skin care needs I use Clinique products.  So many products say they are hypoallergenic, but have done one of the above mentioned things to my skin.  Clinique works really well with my skin and their line of products are allergy tested and fragrance free.  I use their eye makeup, blush and concealer.  The concealer is their acne solutions line and the one I use is called cleaning concealer that contains salicylic acid.  Salicylic acid is a known acne fighter.  This product is also matched to my skin tone so it blends in well.  If a pimple does leave a scar my dermatologist recommended Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment.  Ever since I started using this product I cannot go without it.  It can even be used on chapped lips.  I feel like Oprah when she does her favorite things list.  Well, I have a lot of favorite things and this is just the beginning.

Bette K link: http://www.bettekbodycreme.com/products_28.html

Poor Bunny she is so mad.  If I was any closer I would have been bitten, but it would be worth it to rub her tummy.

Here it is the end of July.  The summer is flying by so fast.  But,  for those of us who are television junkies the summer is not going by fast enough.  As we all know fall is coming and with fall comes the best new shows and our old favorites.  We see all the previews for what is to come and can hardly contain the giddy feeling.  We are like anxious little kids who wait for Christmas morning to see what Santa has left under the tree.   Even though the summer is almost over there are some good things to watch.  The summer used to be a horrible time for television.  Reruns was all that we could watch.  Well, aside from the news of course.   Or we would (dare I say) spend time with our families or even worse spend time outside.  Now there is great programming.  Some networks really give it their all.  Thanks to some of these networks we can sit in a blank stare fixed to the television all year round.  I have a very interesting taste in shows, so I’m going to give my list of things to check out this summer.  Watching these shows have helped me get through the wait until fall.

Monday

A&E – Intervention

A&E - Obsessed

TRU - Operation Repo

VH1 - The T.O. Show

Tuesday

Bravo - NYC Prep

Bravo - Miami Social

A&E - The Cleaner

Wednesday

Fox - So You Think You Can Dance

MTV – The Real World XXII Cancun

Thursday

Fox – So You Think You Can Dance Results Show

Friday and Saturday

Nothing to Watch

Sunday

Lifetime – Drop Dead Diva

Lifetime – Army Wives

A&E – Gene Simmons Family Jewels

I have decided to start including some of my recipes to my blob.  I love a good pancake.  Sometimes it is hard to find a pancake that melts in my mouth.  A lot of pancakes are bland and taste like round flat cooked flour discs.  I just make my own pancakes now and they are so easy to make from scratch.  So ditch the Bisquick and the little jugs that gets shaken after adding water.  This recipe is also eggless so people allergic to eggs can enjoy these little round pieces of heaven.

Awesome Pancakes

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar or 2 tablespoons depending on my sweet tooth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

a pinch of salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl combine all of the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together.  Whisk until batter is smooth and without lumps.  If for some reason the batter is too thick add a little bit of milk for desired consistency.  If it is too thin add a little bit of flour.  The batter is now ready to  make into pancakes.  Just put a frying pan (my dad loves to use an iron skillet) on medium heat and when the pan is ready just add a small scoop of batter to the pan.  I use an ice cream scoop so all the pancakes stay a similar size.  When bubbles appear on the uncooked side it is ready to flip.

The pancakes can be made into any size and fruit can also be added.  Whenever I want blueberry pancakes I don’t add the blueberries to the batter.  I put the blueberries on the pancake batter (the uncooked side) as soon as I put the batter in the frying pan.  This way each pancake gets the same amount of blueberries.  Try to resist adding too many blueberries to the pancake because it might make the pancake fall apart.