When the weather gets cold I cover my head. Hats are my thing. I bought quite a few in my favorite cut? from TopShop. They are thick, warm, soft, and so cute with the little bobble at the top. I already look very young. People think I am 15 years old and these hats just fit: my style, my personality, my look. People always laugh and say “Monica, if anyone could pull off the puff, it’d be you!”

Strangely enough, I hate gloves. I do not like covering my fingers, but my hands get super cold and dry. My happy medium is the fingerless glove! Love love love it! On top of that, my nails always look cool so why cover them up! I only have one pair right now but I ordered a few more and I hope they are what dreams are made of.

My eye make-up remover is Johnson’s Baby Oil with Aloe and Vitamin E. I prefer it over the original formula because of the aloe. It is harder to find as I only get it at Giant Food Store. Before, I applied it to a cotton round and gently rubbed the eyeliner/mascara diagonally down towards my cheekbones. There was too much tugging and I was not removing the eyeliner wedged between the lashes. This technique made my eyes puffier. Now, I apply the oil directly to my fingers and, in a circular motion, rub until all the makeup has run down. There is more slip and my fingers do not tug at the skin.  My eyes are less puffy in the morning, they are less dry and I have no residual makeup! The condition of my eyelashes and skin are better since I am rubbing the oil into that area.

Purpose Cleanser is my in-shower face wash. Whenever I take a shower I always remove my make-up and wash my face. I just want a general plain cleanser to take care of “day-dirt”. I use this on my eyes without stinging but it is not great at removing makeup. I have turned quite a few people on to this cleanser. It is the definition of “non-irritating”.

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub is part of my routine. I use this for body exfoliation every four to seven days. I love this scrub. It is simple and effective. I only need a little amount per limb. If I use too much product it scratches at my skin but the ratio of cream to scrubbing grains is good. I do not care for the smell but it does not linger. I love the idea of fancy scrubs but for a product that stays on for a couple of minutes, it just seems a waste.

There was a sale at Rite Aid so I decided to try Gillette Satin Care with a Touch of Olay. W.O.W.!! My legs are soft and smooth, even without moisturizer afterwards. I can barely see my pores! It foams nicely and I do not need a lot to cover my legs! The smell is non-offensive as well, very fresh. I do not need to press hard for a close shave and older razors do not drag!

Even before I go outside, my first clue to topsy-turvy weather are my lips. In one night alone they crack, peel and harden (Is it sad the first thing I thought about was the Pokemon, Kakuna???). Nothing fixes them and I have to wear Aquaphor like a second skin to keep them from bleeding. I slather on C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint and it not only protects my lips but repairs them as well! It is a life-saver at work (the climbing gym is not ventilated and the massive amount of hand chalk zaps all moisture as well). The tints come in different colors but there is very little difference between them. However, the lighter color (Magenta Mint) seems brighter when on. The balm is very sticky but does not budge. It is also amazingly shiny and I do not need a lot to coat my lips. By the way, it smells and TASTES awesome. Most of the time I am licking this stuff right off. Beware, there is a bitter aftertaste!

A lot of these favorites are part of my regular routine. I just re-kindled my love for them in new ways!

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.