This is the next installment in what I hope will be an ongoing series of decluttering, paring down and organizing my life and belongings.

Earlier this week I decluttered my purse (which was very much needed!) and took a load off my shoulders.

This time around I went to work on my makeup drawer *shudder*

I didn’t remember to take a before photo… but it was getting pretty bad. At one point I tried to organize it a little by placing baskets in the drawer in an effort to wrangle in all my products… but at the time I didn’t really make much effort in going through everything or thinking out the most effective way to organize.

Not so, this time! My drawer went from mountains of makeup products and tools haphazardly strewn about to neat, clean and organized. I went through my collection of stuff and organized it into the three classic piles: Keep, Toss and Donate.

Obviously all the old opened stuff hit the circular file, but anything that was only gently used (still safe to use) or unopened is going to go to the Need Table at one of my monthly Pagan pub moots (it’s a table where you can place donations of anything and folks have the opportunity to take what they need for themselves or others) and also to one of my friends who is going through a tough financial time right now but loves makeup.

Knowing that all my lovely products may be going to someone who would appreciate them really helped me get through it all. I am loathe to throw things out, but with this goal in my mind I was able to be ruthless.

I still have quite a bit of stuff, but now I have it organized into 6 baskets: stuff I use everyday, lip products, eyeliners, loose eyeshadows and other miscellaneous pots and finally a basket in the back for random stuff that needs a home. I use MAC eyeshadows almost exclusively so I keep the majority of them in a professional palette which sits on the side of the drawer. As for all my brushes and other tools, I have a pro roll-up case for them I keep elsewhere. The brushes I use regularly are in a cup on top of my desk for easy access.

It’s been a week since I organized this and so far its working really well for me. Before the basket for everyday stuff was too small, so things overflowed. Now that I’ve upgraded it to a large basket everything stays in its proper place.

Now I just need to stop collecting makeup!

Bonus makeup tip: Did you know that you are allowed to request up to 2 samples of any product at MAC to take home with you? It’s a great way to try out their pigment collection–I’ve got about half of the colours now! LOL

I’ve been meaning to write about for this for a while, but I’ve been having quite a busy week!

I wanted to talk about something just wonderful that happened to me about 2 weeks ago.

I was on the subway, heading to the train station so I could go home to my parents’ for a doc appt and pick up the car for my drive to the festival I was attending that week. I had just gotten out of a big long meeting at a partner company’s so I had a dress and my cute flowery wedge sandals on. I don’t think this really has anything to do with what comes next… but enh.

Anyway, I got on the subway car and found a seat and was just minding my own business; I was a bit tired from the long meeting. At the next stop a bunch of people got in the car, one of them (I guess) was this sort of nerdy, sweet-looking guy (Think Elijah Wood as Frodo in LOTR). He was hanging onto the pole in front of my seat as the subway pulled out of the station.

As the subway was slowing down before the next stop, he looked at me and engaged me thus:

Him: Excuse me, but I just wanted to say that I think you’re incredibly beautiful.
Me: *blink blink* Uhhh… thank you? (I was kind of stunned by this of course)
Him: Have a nice day (as he exited the subway car)

The thing that struck me the most was that I believe he was completely sincere in his comments. Genuine, not a lick of scumbag-behaviour.

Wow. How often does something like that happen? It was totally out of the blue, and while it caught me off guard it didn’t creep me out or anything, because it was the real deal.

And let me tell you that it really meant something to me. To have this confident-yet-not-a-jerk guy give me, a complete stranger such a wonderful, well timed and much-needed compliment was a huge pick me up. I’ve written before about my lack of lovelife and dates, and some of my self-image issues, so this unsolicited comment really made like, my whole week! I think it was a gift from the Gods as this was not the first time messages come to me in this way.

I’m sort of keeping it my mind like a tiny little jewel that I can bring back out to look at when I’m feeling sad. Writing this entry will help me remember it even more.

So thank you, random sweet guy on the subway. You really did a good thing for me and I appreciate it.

To my readers: has anything like this ever happened to you before? I would love to hear your heartwarming story in the comments.

Whether you prefer hot pink, French or natural, most of us are getting our hobbit feet cleaned up, if they haven’t been already!

But did you bargain for that foot fungus with your new feet?

How do you avoid bringing something nasty home with you on your feet? It’s pretty easy.

I’m a spa junkie, and over the years I have picked up some tips from spa professionals as well as doctors and nurses on how to protect yourself from infections at these types of places. I’ve compiled a list for you to use as a guide. Ain’t I great?

Inspect the foot baths/whirlpools

Check to make sure that they are well-sanitized in between uses; the technician should be using an antibacterial solution to wipe them down in between uses, and the tubs should also be rinsed thoroughly. Each night they should also be deep cleaned and disinfected.

Inspect the tools

If in doubt you can always ask the spa about their process for sanitizing tools and footbaths.

Communicate with your technician

Techs should also be washing their hands inbetween clients, and/or wearing disposable gloves during your pedicure. This protects you AND them!

• Don’t shave, wax, or otherwise epilate your legs for 48 hours before getting a pedicure. These procedures can cause small cuts and tears in the skin, and when you’re soaking in the footbath and getting that leg massage, microorganisms can be introduced to those openings.
• Same idea: if you’ve got an existing cut, bug bite or scratch on your legs or feet you shouldn’t be getting a pedicure
• A lot of technicians will try and trim your cuticles, but this is also risky business. Littls slips of the snippers happen quite often, which can again leave you with small (and sometimes large, ugh!) cuts in your toes. Nobody wants that!
• Your toenails should also always be cut and filed straight across–this will prevent ingrown toenails (it happens on the sides a lot!)
• If you have diabetes, you need to be extra careful of the massages and any type of cutting tool used around your feet. Speak with the technician beforehand about your condition
• Don’t get a pedicure if you’ve already got some sort of infection! Warts count too, ladies! You don’t want to catch anything, so why would you subject some other innocent woman to your virus? lol
• Never allow your nails to be cleaned out with a sharp instrument that may puncture your skin. Duh.
• Make sure your toes are completely dry before you leave, extra moisture can cause fungal growth
• It’s always ok for you to bring your own tools, and even your own polish! Better safe than sorry!

Now, looking back it seems like there might be a lot to be worried about when you go to get your feet done. But really, it’s not that bad! Much like any situation, use your common sense. Most nail bars and spas are happy to answer any questions you have about their maintenance or procedures; and want to make your experience as enjoyable as possible!

I personally love getting my feet done and with a little common sense and the tips above I have avoided getting any kind of infection from the spas I frequent.

With that said… Get out there and beautify yourselves, ladies!!!!

Wow. Today is officially the first day that my skin has been clear enough for me to go without makeup.

I spent a good 5 minutes this morning debating whether I should put a little makeup on or not. It was a bit of a surreal experience.

I’ve written before on how my skin has been persistently bad since I hit puberty. My derm recently put me on Accutane as a last resort. Thank the Gods, it’s actually working!

After one month on it the clarity of my skin really improved. I still had the occasional spot or two, but they were showing up less and were decidedly smaller than before. After the second month my derm bumped me up to a slightly higher dose, which I am on right now, and my face is finally clear!

I can’t say I enjoy the chapped lips, dry eyes, monthly blood & urine tests or the stress this is putting on my liver, but I am definitely loving my baby-soft face that doesn’t have a single spot on it! It’s just…incredible!

Anyway, I don’t want to sound like an ad for Accutane, but I am SO glad that it’s working. If this didn’t work, then nothing would and I’d be stuck with terrible skin for the rest of my life. I still need to deal with some of the redness from rosacea but overall I’ve had a huge improvement.

Next up (and the final task!) on my list of physical self-improvements: lose some weight!

Help!

To all my beauty-junky readers, I need your assistance!

I am on Accutane. The main side effect of this drug is intense dryness of everything. I can deal with dry lips, skin, nails, eyes… but I can’t seem to win the battle against dryness on the scalp.

My scalp is so itchy now, when I scratch it it looks like there’s snow falling from my hair! Ick!

It’s not dandruff (which is a fungus that requires treatment of a different kind) merely dry skin, but it is getting the best of me!

I’m not so up-to-speed in the hair department. I was blessed with some incredible blonde tresses that look great natural or in a ponytail, so I’ve never learned how to do my hair. I wash, I brush. The end.

So does anyone have any recommendations on how I can hydrate my scalp and stop the flaking? I figure some sort of oil would be good, but which one and how do I apply it? Are the specific dry scalp products I can use?

Remember, it’s not dandruff so I can’t use anything like Selsun Blue, Head & Shoulders, etc. And I’m not sure if I need a hydrating shampoo/conditioner since those usually focus on the hair strand itself and not the scalp.

Save me from the flakes of DOOM!

Well, I’ve taken the plunge and after trying everything under the sun for my skin, the derm has finally put me on Accutane.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this drug, Accutane is essentially a highly-concentrated form of vitamin A. Taking this drug causes your oil glands to dry up a bit and also causes your skin to renew itself faster. It has a high success rate (about half of the people who take it are “cured” of their acne) but also carries some rather unpleasant side effects.

I’ve been taking it now for a little over a week and have started seeing a few of the side effects already—primarily dry, chapped lips, mild nosebleeds and drying skin. Right now it’s not too bad, but I am a little scared that it will be much worse. I’m already pretty dry as it is.

I’ve stocked up my room and purse with everything that could help me; heavy-duty moisturizers for face, body and hands, Vaseline, special lip and nose moisturizers and even cuticle balm! I’ve started early too, in an effort to get good habits going and hopefully to give me a leg up on the dryness that is sure to come. Accutane makes your skin more fragile, and that worries me a little bit.

When I was younger (before I discovered the wonders of lotions and potions!) I would get really, intensely dry skin that would crack and bleed and never heal. My lips and hands were the worst, and I would get eczema everywhere else. It was not a good time to be me. Eventually I learned more and gained access to the proper creams and lotions and began a regular regimen to combat the dry skin. So far my regular maintenance has kept all the intense dryness and all but the smallest patches of eczema away. But will it hold up to Accutane?

I am also not looking forward to the multitude of blood tests and doctor’s visits over the next few months. Just to be considered for the drug I had to give an unholy amount of blood and urine to be tested, got an ultrasound and even a pregnancy test on the side. Just to be considered. Accutane is a heavy-hitter and not a drug to be messed with, so I appreciate the safety precautions around it, but they sure are annoying!

Because of the effect that Accutane has on your liver and the horrible birth defects it can cause (I have to use a minimum of 2 forms of contraception—ha! As if this boyfriendless gal is going to get preggers anytime soon!) I had to sign some legal papers to get the damn stuff and will also have to have blood & pregnancy tests and a doctor’s appointment every month.

It’s shaping up to be quite the investment. But after years and years of persistent and painful acne thanks to my Pops, it’s my last option. If this doesn’t work, I don’t think anything will.

Here’s hoping that all this pill-popping, blood-taking and lotion-rubbing for the next 4-6 months will pay off in spades for me.

Have you ever taken Accutane? What kinds of results did you get? Are you currently considering taking Accutane? (Good info link)

Hey y’all!

I am happy to announce that I’ve got 3 winners for the Hydralicious give-away. Random.org selected comment numbers 1, 2 and 5:

Amy
Flirty*almost*30
Michelle

These lovely ladies will be receiving two full-value coupons for the Hydralicious product of their choice!

Thanks to everyone who participated! I hope you all stick around because I am working with a big company right now to bring an even cooler contest/give-away to my readers here at Ginger Won’t Snap. We should be launching it soon!

Stay tuned!

I’m a member of the Toronto edition of ChickAdvisor.com; which is a really great review site for my area (and now across North America, too!). I love going there to scope out reviews on restaraunts, spas, salons, products, you name it! I also contribute by writing some reviews of my own. (Check it out! My username is gingercorsair)

Anyhoodle, Chick Advisor held a Shopoholic event last night at the Varsity theatre in TO that me and my friend MR went to. It was my birthday present to her

For 20 bucks we got a ticket to the show, a cocktail of our choice and a really nice swag bag. Y’all know how much I love my swag! I thought it was a pretty good deal.

It was a pretty good bag, even in comparison to some of the ad-event bags that I get. I totally dig that there were no ad-sales pitches included

I was going to take a photo of my bag but it’s exactly the same as Lowe’s of cocoandlowe.com, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night. So I’m using her photo. Hope she doesn’t mind!

For your viewing pleasure:

What you’re looking at there is:

• Clorox disinfecting wipes in a super-cute dispenser!
• Maybelline eye makeup including a liner, 2 mini-palettes and a single shadow in a lovely purple
• Maybelline’s Lash Stiletto mascara (read my concise review here)
• Maybelline bronzer
• Maybelline lipstick & lipgloss
• Dermalogica sample pack (with my fave microfoliant!)

Not a bad haul, eh? I traded the lipstick, liner and mascara with MR since I already have those items and she wanted them for her sister. Now I just have to find someone to give the Maybelline stuff to… I’ve already got all the colours in higher-end products so I don’t really need them. I guess the only things I’m keeping are the microfoliants from the Dermalogica kits and the Clorox wipes! Oh well, you can’t win them all!

Another nice feature at this event was the Dermalogica skin bar. I went to get a little skin consultation. The girl was great and very knowledgeable, but since I’m a beauty junkie already I didn’t really learn anything new.

As for the Shopaholic movie itself?

I thought it was cute

It was totally different from the books, but I think the same spirit was there. Of course its just as frustrating as the books; I wanted to reach through the screen and shake some sense into Becky Bloomwood; but overall it was a nice, enjoyable chickflick–perfect for my girl’s night out!

Well, I had a good time of it, so if they do another one you’ll probably catch me there! Who knows, maybe one day you might even bump into me!

I’m running low on moisturizer and had a chance to stop by Wally World this weekend, so I thought I’d give that Olay Quench lotion a shot.

FB seems to really dig it, and I like the idea behind it so I bought a small bottle of it. So far I like the smell (smells coconutty like my J&J baby lotion) but it applies kind of weird. I need a lot more of it to cover the same amount of space. It might just be thicker, though.

Also kind of surprised to see my skin covered in minute sparkles… can’t say I was expecting that.

Anyway, I’m going to try this sucker out for a little bit and let you know what I think! I usually don’t like using ginormous brand names out there if I can help it (always gotta be a little bit different…) but I wanted to try out the technology.

Stay tuned!

I’ve recently come into a large number of oh-so-lovely OPI nail polishes.