I’m not blogging about feelings or health tips or travel or inspiration today.  I’m just coming to you on a hot summer day with five products I’m loving these days.  And these aren’t five products I found at unique shops, purchased from a small business, or discovered from an artisan at a local farmers market.  Nah.  It’s just stuff you find at the mall and spend your whole paycheck on.  But these were the ones that I felt like were worth the splurge. . .

*****

Clinique Redness Solution:  Apparently, mid-thirties is when a girl can expect this rosacea-type of glow on her face.  Lovely.  So if you’re familiar with such things, you know the hundreds upon hundreds you can spend on creams to cover up the fact that your mom was right and you should’ve taken care of your skin back in your twenties.  In any case, this stuff feels great on the face.  I’m not going to lie, if I go sans make-up then people will think I was out in the sun too long or they know my secret that my skin isn’t perfect even with using this face-cream. . . but I do feel like it’s helped the redness somewhat and it feels very nice on the face.

Athleta La Viva Pants:  Before we went to Maine, I felt like I needed pants for hiking to look somewhat official.  I found these at Athleta and they are a dream.  A real dream.  I wore them on the plane, I wore them hiking, I could even wear them with a decent shirt if we were heading to a restaurant.  They are one of my best purchases in awhile (I say “they” because I splurged and bought two pair).  The best part about these is the fact that they can go all the way down and cover your shoe laces, but if they’re too long you can use the strings on the sides and cinch them (as seen in the photo) so they don’t drag on the floor.  I got super lucky that the length was perfect.  I am considering buying a third pair if there’s another color.

Orgain Organic Protein Shakes:  I learned about Orgain Organic Protein Powder from a friend, and when I stumbled upon the pre-made shakes I felt like I hit the jackpot.  Everyone will oversell you on how great a protein shake tastes, so let’s all remember this is in fact a protein shake, but, it’s the one I’d claim is the closest to tasting like chocolate milk so I actually can drink the whole thing without too much “blech, ew, gross” type of comments.  I understand protein powder is better than pre-made shakes, and I understand whole foods are better than protein powder, but I also understand my weekdays are filled with a meeting every hour and this can save my coworkers from seeing a hangry side of me they didn’t even know existed.  I buy these at Whole Foods but you can order them off Amazon.

Cover | FX Cover Click:  You guys, I’ve never worn concealer in my life.  I like a simple make-up routine and that just seemed so. . . so. . . involved.  But reference above on the rosacea situation — I found myself strolling into Sephora with no make-up on one Sunday and this magical girl appeared and asked if she could help me.  I said, “look at me, just look at me, help with the redness.”  She walked over, grabbed the color that matched me perfectly, handed it to me, and told me to put a little under my eyes/upper cheeks and just pat it on to blend it in (I was rubbing it like lotion like some sort of fool).  It adds just a perfect little touch of lightened look to the top of my cheeks but isn’t so heavy that I notice it otherwise.  I’m loving it!  I’m hating that it stuck to the cap and broke while en route home from our last vacation. . . but I am loving it otherwise.  And to that girl in Sephora, thank you and may God bless you with a lifetime of perfect skin for your good deeds.

Lenovo Yoga 910 Laptop:  Why not end this list with a super expensive item.  Santa brought me a Lenovo Yoga 910 Laptop for Christmas and it has been AMAZING!  First, it helps me feel like a real writer.  Second, the laptop itself is SO nice.  The picture below shows how you can bend it back (which I actually never do) since I’m always typing on it, and it’s touch-screen too.  I ordered the brown portfolio pictured below that is made for it and it’s so thin and just nice.  I just love sliding my laptop in and out of that thing.  I just feel very fortunate to have it and I just love it and it brings me so much joy because I can write and blog on it.  If you’re on the market for a laptop and you’re not going the Mac route, I highly recommend!