Today I want to review a face mask I’ve had for a while but just haven’t had the time to sit still for ten minutes and try it. On a good day I make time for self pampering but with stress and life it can take a back seat. So with the quarantine in full effect I thought what better time to try this out then now.
The face mask I used is Generation Clay. It’s their ultra violet brightening purple clay mask. (If you want to try it you can grab it off Amazon for $22.). Since this is the first time I’ve used it I can give a pretty good description of what the process was like and the immediate effects but for more long term use you’ll have to check back.
The mask claims to restore your face to help with aging, boost hydration and collagen, brighten your skin and refine your pores. Here’s hoping right now. With the world as it is I’ve been feeling pretty stressed out so reducing pores would be terrific.
When I first opened the bottle it smelled nice. It’s more of a natural earthy smell; definitely not over powering. I put a little in my hand and it was very cooling to the touch. Since I’d just been hustling I needed something cool and this was definitely it. When I applied it over my face it had the same cooling feel. It’s also purple so you can clearly see where you’ve put it on your face or where you’ve missed.
The instructions say to apply an even layer over your skin, to wait ten minutes or until the mask starts to tighten. Then use water to gently rinse off the mask in circular motions. I applied the mask in an even layer and then relaxed with a book waiting for it to dry. When it was drying it did feel a little chilly and I could feel the mask drying as it began to tingle slightly. It wasn’t painful and just felt tightening as the mask was drying.
After my ten minutes was up it was time to wash my mask off. Especially since I couldn’t really move my face.
It washed off really well and with minimal work. (I’m a little lazy when it comes to those. I got burned by a charcoal mask that you had to peel off quite painfully I might add.) I washed mine off in the shower so it would be easier to make sure I didn’t make a huge mess all over my bathroom. It was really easy to just wash off.
When I got out of my shower my face felt really nice. I’m not sure if I look younger and more radiant but It seems like it feels nicer. I’ll add a picture of my face but their is absolutely no judging allowed as I’m fresh from the shower with no make up.
Okay. I’ve either hit rock bottom or had to knock at least one item off my to do list. Today I attacked my makeup table and began the tedious process of cleaning my make up brushes. I don’t know about y’all but I hate doing this. I know I love doing my make up and I’m all for good hygiene so I know I have to do this but I procrastinate hard and just don’t do it for as long as possible. (Full disclaimer, this is a do as I say not as I do and I know it’s hypocritical but everyone should clean their make up brushes.)
I’m always looking for a better way to clean my brushes and make the process easier so I bought a few supplies a while ago and now is the perfect time to try them out. I used two different set ups; one a budget friendly option and the second was a designer recommended cleaner.
The Target is from the dollar section. It cost me three dollars and it’s called the silicone brush cleaning mat with securing suction cups.
In total it cost me three dollars. (Okay, maybe like $3.21 with taxes.) I really liked that it just suctioned to my sink and went on easily. For the price I paid I can’t beat this one. That being said it’s fully manual and you have to scrub the brushes and dry them yourself.
Then there is the Zoe Ayla Revolutionary Electronic Make-Up Brush Cleaner & Dryer. I got mine as an add on to a Fab Fit Fun Box so I had to look up the normal price. It retails for about $99. This one is supposed to make it easier to clean your brushes and should leave you with clean dry brushes in about thirty seconds.
I followed the step by step process and it did exactly what it said it would. It removed the make up from the brushes and the majority of the water was removed. Although when I looked over the brushes they still had traces of some make up on them. I don’t think I would pay almost a hundred dollars for the level of clean I got.
Overall if your looking for a quick clean the Zoe Ayla is the option for you. It was really simple to use and left my brushes clearer than when I started. If you want the deep clean you want to go with the more manual cleaning pad from Target. While this process took me significantly longer it left my brushes much cleaner.
I actually combined them both and felt like I got the best use of my time. I washed them manually with my Target pad then used my Zoe Ayla for drying. I think combining the two made the process feel faster and left my brushes really clean.
Overall: I expected Birchbox to win as it did last month; however, that wasn’t the case here. I felt like Ipsy did a better job of meeting my wants and needs.
Ipsy:
The first product I want to talk about is the Luxie Beauty Brush. It’s a tapered precision brush and it’s really cute! It’s a periwinkle color and it feels really nice and soft on my skin. I thought it picked up a good amount of product but didn’t feel heavy. Like I didn’t think it picked up too much product. I would probably buy this on my own. I really like it.
The next product was Illamasqua’s eyeliner. I texted this on my hand and, OMG, it felt like it glided on like a warm knife through butter. It didn’t feel clumpy or hard to navigate. While I love my tarte eyeliner it may have some competition. I’m really loving this!
One product that was included in Ipsy was the Tarte Sea Quench. It’s a hydrating primer and I can honestly say it felt really good on my face when I put make up on over it. I thought tthe primer really held nicely and kept my makeup from creasing. I’m all about Tarte products and I think I could easily be adding this into my everyday routine.
I’m not a floral fragrance person all the time but I really liked Kenzie So Pretty. It smelled really light and fun. It has hints of tangerine and apple. It would make a great summer perfume both light and fun without being overly heavy.
Wander Beauty Eyeshadow in Blossom is so cute. It’s a soft pink with sparkles and when I applied it on my eyelids I thought it went on really smoothly and held up. I would highly recommend this color as it had just the right amount of sparkle without being overly sparkling! It’s a great spring color to make it feel fun and energetic. I’m really glad to have this color!
The last product was Honey Jarret Clean Whip Cleanser. I felt like it was a really good cleanser and didn’t dry my face out. I really like my Clinique system so while I won’t switch currently I would keep this as a back up for if I wanna switch up my face wash.
Birchbox:
The first product I tried was the Floss Beauty Lip Gloss in my new favorite lip gloss color and while I like it, it is really cute, I’m not loving it. The color is really nice. It was a clean glossy shine; however, it felt really heavy and sticky on my lips I’m not sure I would have bought this on my own. I’m going to say this is a thumbs down for me.
The next item I tried was Wander Beauty. Their Double Date Lip and Cheek Color Rendezvous. The color is really cute. It’s a deep pink and has a nice shine to it. I put a small sample on my hand to start with and it really looked good. The pigmentation was perfect and I felt like it lasted a long time before I washed it off.
I also received another Davines product (Liquid Spell Reinforcing Bodifying Fluid) and I don’t have a review for this one. I didn’t love the last sample I got from them because of the smell and this had the same smell so I’m skipping this sample…
Then there is Alterna, a moisturizing CC cream. I tried it in my hair and really felt like it made my hair feel richer it made it feel silkier and smoother. I’m really happy I tried this sample. It did have a slight chemical smell but it wasn’t overpowering I’d use it again.
The last product I received was the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil. This felt really heavy but the instructions do say to only use a few drops and work up to it. The oil didn’t have a smell one way or another and I feel like it felt nice on my face but I’m not sure how much of a difference it made after only using it a few times.
Review: I think this time Ipsy won out over Birchbox. I felt like the products in Ipsy were closer related to what I use or would be likely to use in the future. I liked the bag Ipsy provides better than just a box as Birchbox uses. I think this means I’m going one more month to see who will win since currently it’s 1 v. 1.
I just got my spring edition FabFitFun box and I’m super excited to use everything and try it all out. I gave a review below along with the retail price so everyone can see what came in the box; what I liked and didn’t like.
Murad Resurgence: it’s a rapid collagen infusion. It goes into your face, neck and chest. It went on really smoothly and felt really nice. I’m not sure if it has made a difference but it smelled nice and went smoothly onto my face. It lists in FabFitFun that it retails for 78. Here is for hoping it makes my skin look less wrinkled and more youthful. I would be okay if my skin looks twenty one again! Again, it retails for $78.
Deep Sleep Body Cocoon: OMG I love the smell. I have their pillow spray now and I really like it. When I smelled this and put a little onto my hand it felt really nice and thick. It felt very moisturizing. I’m a big fan of a sleepy time lotion as it is but I really like this because it makes me feel really relaxed and like I could apply this and melt into bed for a full nights sleep! Retails for $40.
Silicone Straws: really cute and bright plus I love that they don’t have that metallic metal taste. I love the idea of a reusable straw, it’s so much better for the environment and I don’t have to worry about a restaurant forgetting my straw! The colors are too cute as well! Retailing for $15.
Amber Sceats: this coin necklace is to die for; I’m absolutely loving it. It’s two necklaces in one. It looks dainty and delicate As well as adorable! I can easily see myself wearing this all the time! Retails for $50.
Jaboneria Marianella: this is a body oil and smells a little strong to be honest. It’s really nice. I put a small drop in my hands and gently rubbed it into my skin. It made me feel really nice and hydrated. Retailing for $68.
Eau Thermale Avene: a thermal spring water and it’s smoothing and not irritating. They recommend using it after shaving or after removing make up. I tried it on my face and it felt really nice. I’m not sure I’d use it on my face all the time but it did feel soothing. It retails for $14. While I like the idea I don’t think I’d buy it over again for myself.
AG Hair Care “Fast Food,” oh my lanta, it smelled heavenly. I haven’t used it yet but it smells really nice. I can’t wait to try it on my hair and see how nice and shiny my hair looks. It’s supposed to retail for $24.
The last item in my FabFitFun box is a Donni ribbed sweater coat. It’s really soft and I love the texture of it. It’s oversized and would be a great piece for lounging around the house in. I don’t think I’d have bought this option for me and I don’t see me wearing it out a lot but it’s nice for lounging around in. It does have pockets and I really love that it’s like the perfect cell phone pocket! It retails for $99.
I’m really glad I got the spring box. I’ve really enjoyed opening it and I can see myself using some of the products and ordering them again, especially the deep sleep body cocoon. If you haven’t used it before the box is just under $50 per box. I did ultimately choose to discontinue my subscription because while I liked a few products I didn’t love the options in this box as much as I wished I had.
Okay, so far I don’t love Ipsy. To be honest I’m giving this a 3/5 stars and mainly because they sent me a sample of the eyeliner I already use and love. (Sex Kitten eyeliner by Tarte. It is smooth and just glides right on to my eyes giving a nice pop. I love the black color. It’s my go to for eyeliner. I really liked the ease of opening the packing and I really like that it comes in a cute makeup bag each month. This one is a cute mauve color and has a really soft texture. It will be really cute with lipglosses for packing.
They included a Highlighter in the bag. Iby Beauty in Prosecco. It’s a cute color but doesn’t really pop on my face. Like it, looks nice but it feels like it needs more pigmentation to really highlight the features on my face. I’m keeping the highlighter because I really do like the color. I’m going to keep it in my car make up bag. That way I can use it in a pinch and still have the cute color even if it’s not as much color as I’d like.
Ipsy added in a blush by The Balm Autobalm. The color is Houston. It’s a cute pinkish color with orange undertones and while I like the color it didn’t work for me. It’s too much for my face. That being said I don’t usually wear a lot of blush. I feel like I have a more pink complexion and don’t necessarily want to add to that.
There was a nail polish included in the Ipsy bag. Pretty Women in ex’s and oh’s it’s a purple/plum color. To be absolutely honest I don’t like it. The color is free to a good home. I don’t really paint my own nails all that much so if I’m going to paint them myself I have to absolutely love the color and I don’t. It might look good for others but it doesn’t work for me.
The last sample in my Ipsy bag is Merci Handy Hello Sunshine. It smells really nice, a bit like cucumber. It’s a very light smell and I really like that when I use a lotion all the time I need something not overly strong or after a while it gives me a headache once it’s instantly on me. This is a light refreshing smell. It went on initially feeling a little greasy but after about thirty seconds or so on my hand it didn’t feel greasy and just felt really hydrating. I’m thinking of throwing this in my purse as my new go to purse lotion.
I’m on the fence here. I was relatively happy with my Ipsy bag but I didn’t love it. I think I’ll give it another month and see how I feel going from there.
Birchbox: (Cost with taxes $15.90)
Okay I’m thinking honestly that Birchbox has a 3/5 review as well. The packaging didn’t hold and the shampoo leaked inside the box. It led to a bit of a sticky situation for me to clean up as I was trying to unbox my Birchbox. It left a bit of a sour taste for me. That being said mistakes happen, I get it.
The first item I used was the Davines Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. The Shampoo was not a huge sample. It would probably last three washes so it’s basically a travel size. It went into my hair really easily and had a nice lather to it. However, it had a smell. It was a bit of a chemical smell, not bad but not something I love smelling. The Conditioner was pretty similar. It felt nice and worked well in my hair. After I dried my hair it felt really nice and looked shiny. It stood up to second day really well with minimal signs of greasy roots. (Please note though,the conditioner was a one use packet.) I like the way my hair looked after I used it but not enough to want to smell the chemical smell in my hair everyday.
They did include a product in my Birchbox that I already know and love. It’s Orbie! I got their dry texturizing spray. It’s a nice hold without my hair feeling stiff. It has a good flexibility to it. I’ve actually purchased this at a salon before and have never been disappointed so I’m a very happy camper to have received a trial size.
The Dr. Lipp moisturizing color tint made with sweet potato pigment really doesn’t have a huge color to it but I feel like it gave my lips a shiny hue. It feels nice on my lips, maybe a hint sticky but not too much and the longer I had it on the less sticky it felt. I really like that it’s made with natural ingredients. I don’t know about you but I eat with lip gloss on and knowing it’s made with sweet potato pigment instead of harsh chemicals makes me feel better. I’d probably wear this as a moisturizer but it didn’t have a lot of color to it for everyday use.
I also received a highlighter in this box as well. It’s a liquid highlighter and I really like the color. I did a sample on my hand and the color was fantastic. It was like a liquid gold. I should probably stop and tell you the name. It’s The Beauty Corp Glow Milk in “Just Dew It.” It’s a warm shiny color that also hydrates. I’m still on the fence but I’m really contemplating buying this and adding it into my everyday routine. (Plus, side note, it came in a really cute milk carton container!)
The last item in my Birchbox was a moisturizer. it’s Air Repair and it felt nice on my face. I applied a small test patch and it felt well on my skin. I like that it felt cooler to the touch and made my face feel softer. It also didn’t have a really greasy texture when I applied it to my face which is a huge plus for me as normally the really rich moisturizers have a greasy feel when you first apply them. I didn’t get a good chance to smell this one. I gave it a good attempt but have a stuffy nose which can sometimes get in the way. When I smelled it I didn’t get a really strong smell and since it’s on my face I can’t do a huge smell; it’s too overpowering for me.
Overall I’m happy with my Birchbox and I will give it another month try before making my final determination Birchbox is leading but lost points for a product spilling in the box before I could open it.
Oh boy, where do I even begin. To start with last night. Wait maybe I’ll start from the beginning yesterday. I had this amazingly sexy and sophisticated idea for an outfit in my head. It was this sheer white blouse with a black lace body suit and skinny jeans. If you’ve seen the pictures from last night then you know that outfit didn’t workout as planned! That’s life though right? Thank goodness for my girls Bridget and Kandace. They saved the outfit. Bridget helped me search my closet for the right next idea, then Kandace and I FaceTimed and she helped me put the finishing touches on the outfit. I went with black skinny jeans, a black top with lace on the upper half, chunky heeled boots, a black blazer. (I have all the sizing and details on my insta, check it out!)
Grant came home from work, threw on a pair of jeans and was ready to go, Bridget had gotten ready earlier with me and looked fantastic. The three of us were planning on an Uber but at $100 a ride we couldn’t justify that so Grant, being my true super hero, offered to drive for us. (Side note, I don’t know what in the world I would do without this boy. He is my rock and my wings all at the same time.)
When Grant, Bridget and I got in the car we were off to Mutiny Bar in Detroit! It should’ve taken us about 30 minutes but with the closing of 75 people got confused. One thing led to another, there was a four car accident that were all totaled and traffic was; lets just say hell. The good news. After some minor annoyance on my part (I didn’t handle that set back well) we blasted the Spotify and just kept on trucking.
Around 7:15 we finally were parked and settling in Mutiny Bar. Sarah and Karen made it there before us and grabbed us a table. This bar is on the smaller side but we had an absolute blast. The drinks were all themed tropical, they were a bit strong with lots of rum! Plus they had the cutest decorations on their drinks. I was a really big fan. It felt like a tropical escape in the middle of February. Priya met us there as well to have a fun drink then the group of us headed to dinner.
We had reservations at El Barzon which is a Mexican Italian Fusion restaurant where Nikki, Sasha, and John met up with us. The food was fantastic I had a trio special with pasta and steak. It was fantastic! The food was really good but I think my favorite part was the group I was with. That also included our waiter Alfonso who had me laughing hysterically and even borrowed my tiara!
After dinner we moved the cars over to Cork Town to do some bar hopping! We started over at Punchbowl Social where Priya, Nikki, Sasha, Bridget, Karen and I played Uno. I am very saddened to announce I lost tragically and I never lose. It was on my birthday too! Oh well it’s life. We stayed there a little longer jamming out to their tunes and drinking our drinks.
After we finished our drinks we headed over to the Candy Bar. It’s in the Siren Hotel and it was fantastic. It is old fashioned and pink with a chandelier plus a disco ball! The cocktail I got there was fantastic it was a perfect picturesque place to end our evening surrounded by people I love!
After we finished our drinks at The Candy Bar we headed to Ubers and Cars to drive home and cuddle under the covers having dreams of the adventures we all had together. Some nights are just perfect!
On Saturday we had Grant’s mom Sherree and little brother Zach up with us for the weekend. The main attraction was we were going to the Detroit Opera House to see Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
It was really awesome to have them come up and to be able to go out to the theater with us.
On Saturday around 4:30 pm we decided to take off and head downtown. We all piled into Zach’s car and we’re afoot. Oh my lanta I can’t even begin to describe the traffic we encountered. It takes about 35 mins to get downtown but on Saturday it took about an hour. (They had four pretty big events going on in Detroit at once it was a bit packed….) Mind you we sat in the turn lane for about twenty minutes just waiting to move but it was actually fun. We got to just hang out in the car chit chatting and catching up.
We finally were able to get a parking spot. We were about a half a mile from the opera house and it was a good lot. They did charge us $50 for parking but what can you do, city parking is at a premium!
After we parked we walked around to all the local restaurants and bars but it was bad news bears for us. They were all on a two plus hour wait or out of the majority of their food. (Do not panic we eventually did get dinner.) When we couldn’t get a table or food we headed into the opera house and just hoped for the best.
When we were in the opera house we looked over at the pop up shop for the Peacock Room and ran into their fabulous owner Rachel who pointed out how cute my tiara was. (Full seriousness, I love her. She’s great and is just so full of life and energy!) She also told us about a cafe attached to the opera house.
Unfortunately they were packed. Hey when live gives you lemons make lemonade. We went up to the concession stand and grabbed Carmel Popcorn, White Cheddar Popcorn and Chocolate Covered Potato Chips. It might not’ve been the most healthy dinner but we had a great time just hanging at the table.
Before we knew it the show was now seating and we were able to grab our seats and get settled in for the show. When the curtain went up and Charlie came out he was fantastic, especially for a child actor. I really enjoyed the scenes and the actors all performed magnificently. The actors felt like the characters and made you really not like the specific qualities, plus Willy Wonka was either crazy or brilliant but it was great!
It did lead to an interesting conversation between us Did the children survive the factory? I don’t think they did but Grant is more optimistic and believes the kids lived. I have serious doubts; what do you think? Sherree seemed to be leaning along with the kids dying but wasn’t officially declaring her vibes.
After the show ended we headed back towards the car and to say the least we got there in the nick of time. It was slowly starting to get busy with people wanting their vehicle back. Oh man their was one group whose car was fully boxed in and they wanted out now. It would probably take thirty minutes or so to get their car out. They were not very sympathetic or understanding about the situation.
We got very lucky. Zachs car could just be backed out we just needed the keys. Grant and Sherree went to the car while I arranged for the keys. Zach and I might’ve sweet talked the attendant to let us in the booth to grab his keys and we could be on our way!
Since we were a little ahead of the traffic we were able to get on the highway fairly quickly and miss the majority of it. We did end up grabbing Wendy’s on our way home to make sure we had food in our tummies. We had a great night that ended with me eating a frosty! I mean come on who doesn’t love ice cream?!
Close your eyes and imagine being in a Disney movie wearing the long ball gowns, the sparking jewels and the fantastic tiara on top of your head, dancing the night away truly living your best life. Now open your eyes. How did it feel? I get to experience that feeling every year on my birthday.
In full disclosure I might have five or so tiaras hanging around the house. There is always a reason to need one in my opinion. The majority of them are from icing or Claire’s and they are great. I get the full Royal feeling anytime I wear them.
However, over Christmas I discovered a spectacular store when down in the Fishers Building. (If you wanna read more about that adventure I suggest you check out the post titled Fishers Theater.) I was beyond excited. I knew I needed to go there to get my tiara this year!
I grabbed Grant on Sunday and we went to Detroit with our sights set on the Peacock Room. When he and I first entered the building we had to stop and marvel at the building itself. It’s absolutely breathtaking; the Art Deco style just really humbles you.
We slowly began our stroll over to the store. As we enter it feels almost like going back in time, getting ready for a party in the roaring 20s. We’re immediately greeted by friendly workers and asked what they can help us with. I explained what I wanted and began my search.
As I was standing there awestruck the owner of the store, Rachel, walked over. She reminded me that it’s okay to try them on and find the one that works best for me. Oh boy, if only she knew who she was talking to lol! I did take her advice though and slowly began trying on different tiaras and crowns. They even had a replica of Princess Diana’s crown. I love that one to be honest but it’s not necessarily me so while it was fun to try on it didn’t win.
Rachel reminded me heavy is the head that wears the crown so whatever one I decided should be something that truly speaks to me. I had come down to three choices and needed to decide which one is the best for me.
The first was perfect I loved it but it didn’t fit my head perfectly. It was a hint baggy on the sides which wouldn’t be a big deal except the current birthday plans call for us to go to Detroit for a night on the town and I didn’t want it to come lose.
The second was really cute. It fit perfectly but wasn’t right. It was high crown with lots of one offs and points. While I will admit it looked amazing it wasn’t perfect. Grant was a perfect sport about it. He reminded me that I don’t pick the tiara it picks me so that one didn’t win.)
The third tiara though was perfect. It had one point and all flowed together building up and leading for greatness. I put that one on my head and it fit perfectly. I can’t wait to wear it out for my birthday. As I told Rachel of my choice she congratulated me and agreed it would make a marvelous birthday crown.
We then proceeded to the check out where it was wrapped with love and care into a cute bag with a ribbon tied around the handle to show how loved it truly was. I couldn’t have had a better time if I’d tried. The tiaras were on point, the staff were fantastic and I absolutely love the tiara I picked.
Okay, this might be a bit spontaneous but what the hell. On Sunday Grant I we’re running an errand in Detroit. After we’d run the errand it was sunny and maybe a hint warm although I dare say it was warm for February in Michigan. (Okay stop right there. I know what your think and I’m not saying it was warm. Honestly I froze my butt off but the sun felt nice.)
We started by just kinda driving around downtown. We passed LCA (Little Caesar’s Arena) then went through Campus Martius before winding up by the Renaissance Center. Kinda out of the blue Grant asks if I wanna explore the waterfront more. Sure, why not. I’ve been on the Canadian side a million times. There is tons of parking and a great boardwalk but never the Detroit side.
This started us on an adventure. Do you how hard it is to find a place to park along the Detroit River front? That isn’t event priced parking, sheesh! No wonder I always went to the Canadian side. We didn’t give up though; it’s not our style. After a while we saw families walking around and a parking lot.
They actually have a park/harbor and free parking for two hours to enjoy the park! It felt like a miracle! Grant and I parked the civic and got out of the car to explore. They have this really cute pavilion with a carousel and concessions stand plus bathrooms. It was closed for the winter but the bathrooms were still open.
If you walked away from the parking lot toward the city you were able to get a pretty good view of both Windsor and Detroit with the bridge connecting the two cities. I took a million pictures and enjoyed seeing the sun in the background of the pictures.
After we looked over the waterfront for a few minutes we decided to walk in the other direction. This is actually a pretty cool park. It has wetlands and a historical dry dock.
We are walking along the path when we see a lighthouse and aren’t quite sure how far it so we decided to start walking and see how far we could get before we got too chilly and had to turn back. We follow the path and go along the street for a minute or two because there is in inlet and no bridge.
We’re starting to get pretty chilly but the lighthouse is right in front of us so we keep going. We make it to as close to the light house as possible on our side and grabbed a million pictures. We did see a bit of a daredevil stunt with two people walking on the ice but I’m not going to attempt to do that. No death defying stunts on this adventure.
Once we are done taking pictures we started the walk back to the car. I decided I wanted to cut through the grass by the inlet and thought, “that’s a statute you should be able to see” so we did. That’s actually when we learned that this was a historical dry dock for Detroit. It was kinda cool to be able to see the plaque and embrace the history.
After that we were officially freezing and the sun was setting on us. We hustled our butts back to the civic to blast the heat! (Had we known we were going to go exploring I’d have worn a thicker coat and grant would’ve worn his jeans instead of shorts, but hey lessons learned.) I’ve never been as happy as I was in that minute when the heat poured out of the vents and I could feel my face again. I admit Michigan may have impressed me with this one I’d highly recommend checking it out.
How many people celebrate this holiday? I’m not sure but based on my Instagram and Facebook it’s 99.9% of my friend group. I’m all for it. I think it’s fun and silly but I also want to make sure my person knows he’s loved every other day of the year as well.
This year I honestly decided to skip Valentines. It’s not that I’m not in a stable committed relationship with someone I love, it’s that every year there is so much pressure that when something inevitably doesn’t go as planned it makes the whole thing feel ruined. If you didn’t get the perfect gift or receive it. If you wanted flowers and you got chocolates. If the restaurant screws up your order. There are too many variables and the pressure is unreal. It has to be the perfect day. Well I hate to be the negative one but it’s never perfect. So this year Grant and I decided to stay in, watch a movie on the couch and order take out, no presents, no pressure, no expectations.
We both worked during the day. I was off before Grant so I grabbed a bath bomb and headed to my bathroom for a little self care because why not love yourself on Valentines Day. (Full disclosure I used the intergalactic lush bath bomb and it was heavenly.) Then I deep conditioned my hair. I got out of the shower and I felt fantastic. Really relaxed and ready to enjoy my night.
When Grant got home we decided to grab Red Lobster take out. (Maybe a bad idea in hindsight, their website was down and we waited on hold for twenty minutes before we placed our order.) then a solid hour later we were in our PJs deciding what movie to watch. We picked Two Weeks Notice. Grant has never seen it and I think it’s a perfect rom com. As we go to unpack the food we realize they forgot an item or two. We did try to call them and get it fixed but after twenty minutes on hold we got “disconnected”. Now previous years this would’ve killed me. It would’ve ruined my image of a perfect valentines. This year it was just fuck it. We’ll call them tomorrow.
We ate our seafood and watched Two Weeks Notice laughing and enjoying it. After dinner we had three different Bundt cakes to share ( marble, peanut butter chocolate chip and white chocolate raspberry) paired with a nice bottle of wine. Grant went with red and I had white. We’re munching on dessert so why not just pick what we wanted.
After that the three of us got all cuddled on the couch and just watched other tv and relaxed.
It wasn’t a typical Valentines for us. It was downplayed and just enjoyed. (I did get my fill on Valentine’s candy when I ran out on Saturday and bought a bunch for 50-75% off!) I’m not sure if this will become our new norm or not but for this year there wasn’t unreal expectations and pressure. I must admit I loved that.
The Real Elle Woodz 