Review: Derma MD's Pink Silk Face Firming Rejuvenating Serum

So...I've got this weird bias against serums. I know, I know, they're all the rage, and they're supposed to work MAGIC on your skin, right? But why, then, do I try millions of them and feel like my skin looks no different three months later, and all that's changed is that I'm out a ridiculous amount of money? It's frustrating, and as a result, I've all but given up on the idea that serums are worth it.

Of course, sometimes a product comes along that makes you feel like a hypocrite, and for all my whining about how expensive serums do diddly-squat, I may have actually found a product I can stand behind. I'm talking about the Pink Silk Face Firming Rejuvenating Serum from Derma MD Skincare. Seriously guys, this is like candy crack for your skin. The first time I tried it, I only got this teeny tiny sample, and after realizing just how awesome it was, I used a q-tip to make sure I was digging out every last bit. Then I begged my PR contact to send me some more.

You may recall that I've previously written a couple of posts on Derma MD: I reviewed their Wasabi Anti-Acne Kit and moisturizers in the fall of 2014, and I worked with them to do a giveaway for you all. Recently I had the opportunity to try a few more things that were newer to their line, and although I liked a bunch of them, this was the one that really stood out.

Here's why: First and foremost, this product is as silky to the touch as you'd expect from the name, but what really makes it delightful is how it smells like a sweet Starburst. As someone who suffers from a major sweet tooth, there's little I like more than massaging a delicious smell into my skin every morning.

Second, DermaMD is top-notch when it comes to choosing ingredients. This serum is made with caviar extract (which may make you feel better about the nearly $100 price tag), and also features red algae and peptides to reduce wrinkles, calm the skin and increase moisture retention. I'd liken the serum's texture and immediate effect to that of the Smashbox Photo Finish face primer - after applying, you'll notice immediate skin smoothing, less noticeable pores and wrinkles, and an overall glow to your face. The directions indicate that the product can be used once or twice a day, but I use it in the mornings only, primarily to make the 1 oz. product last longer (I can get about 90 days' worth from a single bottle).

Typically, I apply the serum before my SPF moisturizer, although I've also used it by itself if I'm washing my face and re-doing my makeup for an evening out. It creates a really nice, smooth base on my somewhat unevenly-textured skin, and most definitely makes my foundation apply easier and less splotchy.

I'll be the first to admit that Derma MD's product line is NOT cheap - the prices are comparable to what you'd find in a luxury department store - but what I will say is that the quality you crave is delivered along with that price point. I've now been fortunate enough to try multiple items from the line, and only one (the Purifying Black Mud Mask) disappointed me. Everything else was of the highest-quality and actually produced the results that they claim.

Although I don't have any giveaways to offer this go around, if you're interested, you can buy the serum directly from Derma MD online, and all sales over $50 come with free shipping (no code necessary)! You can also visit this page and select two free samples to receive with your order -- lots of awesome stuff to choose from (also, I get zero kick back or compensation for your order, so no biased opinions here!).

Have you ever tried a product from Derma MD? If so, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments. And if there are any other serums that actually work, let me know that too! I'm always looking for new things to try. 

FORMULA X - The System XCEL: Review!

A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to be selected for Influenster's Formula X - The System XCEL VoxBox, and boy was I excited. You see, I LOVE nail polish, but with the amount that I type, finger tap on various surfaces and constantly wash my hands, I can't seem to get a traditional nail polish to last more than a day or two. And then I just feel gross as I watch the polish that I painstakingly spent an hour applying slowly chip away, because I'm altogether too lazy to take the 5 minutes it would require to remove it.  I've tried gel polish at nail salons, but with my busy schedule and tight budget, that isn't usually a viable solution. Hence, I spend more time staring at the nail polish collection in my bathroom than I do using it.

I'd heard of Formula X, but didn't know much about it til I started researching it for the VoxBox. The System XCEL - a four-step, at-home manicure system - promises to provide gel-like results without the salon cost or time. It's also sulfate, paraben and phthalate-free (along with three-free!), so it was something I felt good about using on my nails.

In addition to the manicure system, I also received "Delete All," which is the brand's single-step polish removing system. And since I had some leftover polish on my nails when I started, let's begin the review there.

The "Delete All" product is basically a large round tub in which you immerse all five nails into a spongy-substance, leave them there for about 10 seconds, then remove. It's supposed to get all of your polish off in one "dunk," but in my experience, it not only took a couple dunks but took a bit of a back-and-forth rubbing motion to really get all the polish off. I think the way it works is that there's polish remover in the bottom of the tub and the sponge is supposed to absorb it? Even when I was able to get all of my polish off, I was pretty dissatisfied with the results. Listen, I know polish remover isn't intended to be nourishing, but this stuff made my nails (and skin on my fingers) feel SO dry and stripped that I immediately felt like I need to douse my hands in lotion. Yuck.

Once my hands returned from their prune-like shape, I started with the manicure system itself.

• Step One is the "Cleanse" step - admittedly, this confused me a bit, because this was not actually your "base coat," but a pre-base coat step that I guess is designed to prep your nails in another fashion?
• Step Two is the "Prime" step - basically, the base coat I thought I was applying in Step One
• Step Three you use your actual nail polish, and 
• Step Four is the "Shine" or top coat step

Overall, I loved the color I received - a really pretty, coral - and I did find that it dried to that hard, gel-like finish after applying all four steps and waiting about a half hour before engaging in normal life tasks. But the process DID take a while, so even though I wasn't actually at a salon, it wasn't as lickety-split quick as a standard manicure. Perhaps, I thought, the work will be worth it when this polish stays put for ten days.

Well, ten days my ass! My nails looked beautiful on day one, but by the end of day two, we were back in the familiar land of Chips-ville. And by day three, this polish had lasted in no way, shape or form more than normal. Let's all cry together.

At first I was worried that if I wanted to remove what remained of the polish on day four that I'd have to re-dunk my nails in the Delete All chamber of death, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that my standard nail polish remover worked just fine in cleaning everything off. And since then, I've used the base and top coat with non-Formula X polishes to the same effect.

Truly, I DO think there is something a little special about the Formula X top coat, because when I've used it with normal polishes, I do feel like it's stayed on at least a wee bit longer than it did with my regular Orly top coat. But sadly, I don't think there's any product that will truly stay adhered to my nail beds for more than a hot minute.

*A quick, but important note! Sephora has announced that they are discontinuing their Formula X line as of Spring 2017, so right now ALL products are deeply discounted as they attempt to sell off stock. So if you are interested in any piece of this product line, snag it now before it's gone! There are rumors that the line will be re-emerging under a new brand name or with revised formulas, but it's unclear if that's actually true.*

Tell me in the comments: Have you tried Formula X products, and what do you think? What's your favorite nail polish brand, and what do you do to keep your polishes on for as long as possible?

*I received the Formula X - The System XCEL and a Delete All nail polish remover complimentary from Influenster for review purposes. This blog post is not sponsored, and I was not compensated for any of my comments. All opinions are uninfluenced and honest!

Style Haul featuring Tobi ... in the Hamptons!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a clothing brand called Tobi. They were interested in partnering on a style haul for Beauty Babble, and when I looked at the clothing on their site, they didn't have to do much more to convince me to say yes.

I don't talk about my style on the blog too often, but I'll tell you there's one predominant word that describes it: black. I simply love black clothing - I find it sophisticated, easy to wear, elegant and ever-flattering, and after reading Marie Kondo's now infamous book "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up," I feel even more strongly that every item of clothing I put on my body should make me feel nothing short of fabulous.

Of course, Tobi sells clothing in a variety of colors, but when I clicked through their site and saw their devotion to a style aesthetic that was simple, modern, edgy and trendy, I knew I'd have no problem finding items to try.

Ultimately Tobi sent me three pieces of clothing -- two dresses and a blazer -- and asked me to share my lookbook on the blog. Fortunately, the timing was just right, as I was about to depart on a girls' weekend trip to the Hamptons -- talk about a scenic place to take photos. All of the images you see here come from one of my besties and photographer/blogger extraordinaire, Tausha C. of The Globe Getter. Enjoy!

ITEM NUMBER ONE: SHINE ON SHIFT DRESS

My thoughts: This dress is SO comfortable to wear. It zips up the back and lays perfectly on the body, skimming over your curves and highlighting your shoulders and legs. It's short, but not too short, and the beaded detailing on the shoulder adds an immediate element of edge to an otherwise simple, elegant cut. The fabric is light and airy, the garment is well-made.... My only complaint? Wrinkles!

ITEM NUMBER TWO: MISS HIS KISSES MESH MAXI DRESS

My thoughts: When I first tried on this dress, I had a mini moment of panic, as I quickly realized there was no good way to wear a bra with it. Due to the design of the mesh cutouts, any style bra peeks through. I went brave and bare, and thankfully, due to the wide, adjustable straps, I was able to hike the ladies up and feel supported. Note this dress runs long -- even with four-inch wedges I was tripping over the bottom (I'm 5'4" and was wearing a medium).

 

ITEM NUMBER THREE: ANGLES ALL AROUND BLAZER

My thoughts: Of the three items, this was my least favorite. I was expecting a soft blazer based on the images on the website, but the fabric was of a more traditional suiting variety. Also, the sleeves ran really, really long. I ordered a medium and had no choice but to cuff them at least once (they're cuffed twice in these photos). Generally the fit was a bit more boxy than I expected, although the angles certainly made the garment feel modern and edgy. I'd pair with a tight dress or t-shirt and mini skirt next time!

Before we go, here are a few more notes about Tobi and my shopping experience:

1) All new customers get 50% (yes, 50%!) off their first order -- normally customers can return/exchange items (I couldn't since I received them for free). This means there's very little risk to giving the site (and their clothing) a try!

2) I don't think their sizing chart is super accurate. According to their measurements, I should have purchased a large in everything. I got mediums and probably could have fit into a small in the blazer and possibly the shift dress. So take things with a grain of salt and think carefully about the construction of the item and how it might lay when you pick a size.

3) Tobi is an online-only boutique based in LA, but they ship to 150+ countries worldwide and publish 20-30 new arrivals every day. Beware, shopping addicts. :)

Overall, I'm happy with the items I received, especially given the affordable pricing, and I could certainly see myself shopping with the brand again in the future. Have you ever purchased anything from the site? If so, let me know how your experience was in the comments section below!

Some items pictured were provided complimentary by Tobi, but all opinions are my own!

One-month IUD update!

Photo credit: http://www.mirena-us.com/about-mirena/see-mirena-up-close.php

So, yeah, time flies, eh? I feel like just yesterday I was sharing the experience of my IUD insertion (click here if you missed that post), and now I'm back, detailing how the first four weeks of having a foreign object lodged in my uterus have been. :)

I'll get to the punchline quickly for those that don't care to read the gory details: I still don't regret getting it, and no, this experience has not been nearly as terrible as I expected.

Now for those who want the details, here's the rundown:

The morning of my insertion was a piece of cake, although in retrospect, I attribute some of the lack of cramping to the fact that I had taken 600mg of Advil prior to my appointment, and that glorious, inflammation-reducing drug likely shielded me from some of the pain I would have felt otherwise. I say this because as the days and weeks progressed, I most certainly did have some cramping. It was definitely off and on, and it wasn't crazy severe, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't go through my fair share of ibuprofen.

The worst of the cramping came during what I assume was my ovulation period (I don't track my cycle, so I'm not sure, but it was about 7-10 days before my "period" -- more on that in a second). There were some isolated moments where I felt like I'd have stronger than normal cramps -- for me I had a bit of nausea, which is unusual, as I've never really had that as a PMS symptom. I also found myself microwaving a hot pack one night to rest on my abdomen.

Now that I'm a month in, the cramping has backed off significantly, although every once in a while, it'll come back for a few minutes, almost like this little reminder that the device is still there. (Interestingly, the cramps almost always showed up in the afternoon...I have no idea why, but since we're being really transparent here, I figured I should probably share!)

Let's talk about the bleeding. It's a real thing. I want to say I've worn a pantiliner pretty much every single day (with a few exceptions) since insertion, and for almost all of those days there has been some level of spotting. Sometimes it's literally the smallest little dribble and other times, I'll wipe after going to the bathroom and see bright red on the tissue. Very rarely was it enough blood to warrant a tampon, and the few times I put on a pad to sleep in they were totally clean in the a.m. But it's definitely worth noting that this is NOT the time to wear your favorite fancy underwear, and more the time to invest in some Always.

What about other side effects? I haven't noticed many of them. I was convinced that I was gaining weight for a few weeks, but I actually think that had more to do with the fact that I just felt like I was in a perpetual state of PMS (again, since my "period" that's kind of backed off). I felt kind of bloated, moody, gassy, and I most definitely had more cravings than normal. I haven't noticed anything else at this point -- my acne is the same as it's been, no better or worse, and I haven't started growing hair in weird places or anything.

Now let's talk about this "period" I've been referencing, because this was perhaps the most confusing part. I think I had a period in the last week. But it was the strangest flow I've had since the first time I bled as a teenager. For a few hours, I'd have enough liquid to fill a tampon -- sometimes so much that I'd actually leak through it in an hour. But then just a few hours later, I'd go to replace the tampon and ache because it was just sitting in there totally dry. I've normally worn pads at night (because I always find that tampons leak overnight) and not once did I wake up to a pad soaked in blood. But then I'd think my flow was over and a few hours later, I'd get a sudden, intense cramp and find blood in my underwear again. It was almost like a faucet that was really confused as to whether it was on or off, and this odd pattern continued for about 3-4 days -- my normal period duration. My OBGYN warned that things might be a little off for a few months, but I was still expecting to get a regular period just weeks after insertion. I guess not!

A few more things to mention:

• Yes, I have had sex since insertion, and no, it did not hurt, feel strange or affect my libido anymore than normal. Although I didn't directly ask, my partner didn't mention being able to feel the strings during intercourse or foreplay, which I'd read was sometimes an issue for some women.
• I can hardly feel the strings myself! My doctor had talked about how most women like to check for the strings every month to make sure everything's still in place. I've tried reaching up my vag, but I can't find anything...yet I'm 99% sure I would have realized if the thing just decided to dislodge or fall out of my vaginal canal. This is something I plan to check on with my doctor when I go for my annual in October, although she mentioned that feeling for the strings wasn't an absolute necessity.
• I'm cancelling my one-month check-up (something my doctor told me I could do if I felt fine). Sure, I may be having issues feeling the strings, but I don't feel like that's anything urgent, and I'm not in significant pain or discomfort. Since I'm heading in for my regular exam in the next month anyway, it's not worth the extra co-pay in my point of view.

As promised, I'm going to continue providing updates every so often for those who are interested, but if you have specific questions in the meanwhile, feel free to pop them into the comments section below. Til next time!

Me and my friend, Mirena, the IUD: Part 1, Decision & Insertion

Image courtesy www.mirena-us.com

When I was in college, I started taking Yaz birth control pills. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I was taking them more because I thought it was cool than because I really needed them -- goodness knows I was anything but sexually active, and my periods weren't nearly as crampy or heavy as I made them out to be. Looking back, I recognize that wanting to feel like I was part of the "in crowd" is not the right reason to add unnecessary hormones to your body, but I was young and dumb, and I know this now.

Three years later, while I was interning in D.C. for the summer, I finally found a gastroenterologist that sympathized with my complaints about years of stomach pain -- constant gas, bloating and overall upset that other doctors said I was "making up" -- and during a CT scan (in which they discovered I might have Crohn's Disease, which would explain my symptoms) they also discovered that I had a new little friend: a liver tumor.

The tumor was small -- 2 cm X 3 cm -- and they were 99% sure it was benign, but it was there and they blamed it on the estrogen in my Yaz. I had to immediately stop my hormonal birth control, and after discussions with my doctors, it was decided I'd have the tumor removed (although it would not have harmed me in the immediate sense, they advised that blunt trauma to the abdomen could make it burst, and an eventual pregnancy could make it grow, and both of those sounded awful).

The surgery was painful, and I was in the hospital for a week. I also left with a 7" scar and a warning that I was never again to take any hormonal birth control, lest it might cause another tumor to grow.

It's been 6 years since I had that tumor removed, and this entire time I've steered clear of any birth control pills, patches, shots and the like. But then, as all of my friends started procreating in their early 30s, it hit me that I still really, really did not want a child. So I called my OBGYN and re-opened the conversation. She suggested the Paraguard IUD. It's a hormone-free, copper device that's implanted in your uterus and creates an environment in which sperm can't survive. But when I did my research, I also learned that it can cause heavier, longer periods with more cramping, and let's face it, that sounds pretty bad.

Then I discovered Mirena. Mirena IS a hormonal birth control, but it does not contain estrogen and the progestin is very low dose compared to other options. Many women have lighter, shorter periods on it, and many stop having a period altogether after a year. It lasts for 5 years and you can get pregnant immediately after removal. I called my gastroenterologist to discuss risks, and after he consulted with his hepatic (aka liver) specialist, they all determined that since it's not estrogen-based, I should be fine. I did some more research, made an appointment and then got scared shitless.

When I made my appointment, the nurse was very clear in saying that insertion was painful. She said I should take 600mg of Advil before my appointment (that's three pills), eat a good breakfast so I didn't pass out and wear comfortable clothing. I mean, usually doctors minimize the pain associated with things, so when someone proactively tells you it's going to hurt, you really believe them.

I went onto Facebook to crowd-source some additional opinions and got a mixed bag. Half of the women that responded to my post sung Mirena's praises -- "It's the best decision I've ever made," said one friend. "I love it!" said another. And then there were the horror stories. Non-stop bleeding for months. Intense cramping that felt like labor pains and lasted for days or weeks. Insertion pain, that while brief, was so strong they got light headed. Yikes. Supposedly, it's less painful for people that have had a child or pregnancy. I've had neither.

Let me tell you that I almost canceled my appointment four times. They tell you to get your insertion while you're on your period, and the research says this is because your cervix is already partially open and you're already feeling crampy and gross, so adding on top of that isn't so bad. But of course, my period came three days earlier than expected, and my appointment was no longer lining up. I called to reschedule, but was told, nah, you'll be fine, being on your period is just a recommendation. Damnit. My excuse was snatched right out from under me.

Then I got the automated reminder call where you're supposed to press 1 to confirm your appointment, and I was so scared that I couldn't even press the button on my phone. I just hung up and secretly hoped they'd tell me, whoops, your appointment was accidentally canceled. No dice.

Let's be real. I've had 8 surgeries, including said liver tumor removal and spinal surgery at 13 to correct for scoliosis. I'm no stranger to pain, and in fact, I'd like to think my pain tolerance is higher than most people's. But I still don't like it (few people do), and the reports about the intensity of this pain in a very sensitive region just had me spooked. I kept trying to tell myself that I didn't really NEED this, that it's so hard to get pregnant at 32 anyway that I'd probably be fine with just condoms. But then I remembered that an abortion is expensive and something I don't desire to experience either.

When business hours ended last Friday, it hit me that there was no backing out, and when I woke up this morning knowing I was actually going through with it, the nerves hit...and hard. This is sort of dramatic, but it was a solemn, silent morning in my apartment. I dressed in my baggy Star Wars sweatpants, ate a good breakfast and then, heart pounding the whole way, made the journey to the doctor's office. When I arrived, I think I told every person I encountered how nervous I was, and when I put my feet up into the stirrups, I tried my best to remind myself I was brave.

Spoiler alert for those who don't want to get the nitty gritty details: It hardly hurt. And I was shocked.

Now for those details.

The doctor had spoken to me about what would happen before anything happened, and I stared at the ceiling the entire time because I didn't even want to see the device or the insertion tube. I thought that if I saw how big it was, I'd freak out more, even though I had read that it was just over an inch.

The speculum always hurts (why, I couldn't tell you). Once I was open to the world, she cleaned me out with some iodine and then, as she mentioned, used some sort of instrument to measure my cervix. This was probably the worst of the pain, but it lasted for a second (literally). I took one sharp inhale and then, as she put this clip on my cervix to hold everything in place, it felt as though I was experiencing a moderate period cramp. Nothing horrific at all. It certainly wasn't comfortable, but I used my yoga breath and just kept taking deep inhales and exhales. I felt a little tugging, but the pain never accelerated beyond that moderate cramp, and then within 30 seconds, the doctor said she was done.

I literally said, "Really? That's it?"

When she took the speculum out, the nurse handed me a heating pad, and I felt the lightest of period cramps, but nothing more. She gave me a giant, thick pad to put in my underwear and warned that I might have some bleeding off and on for a while. She suggested that I could lay there as long as I wanted, but I really felt completely fine so I got dressed and left within 5 minutes. I did notice that I could feel the strings a bit when I was walking back to the train station (they hang down into your vagina for eventual removal and you're supposed to feel for them each month to make sure everything's still in place), but I expect that sensation to eventually go away, just like you can no longer feel your contact lenses once you've gotten used to them.

Other women I've spoken to have said that in addition to the insertion pain they had horrific cramping for days. Granted I'm only 4 hours out from insertion, but I seriously feel completely fine. There's a teeny tiny bit of cramping, but it's a 1 on a scale of 1-10. I did pee once and had a bit of blood on the pad, in addition to in the toilet, but again, not nearly as bad as I expected. A few friends have said the cramps were so bad that they felt akin to labor pains, so I keep sitting here waiting for this flood of discomfort to hit me, but nothing has happened. Of course, I can only hope it stays that way. (I also had a friend tell me that apparently this means I have an "accepting uterus" -- something she suggested I add to my dating profile. ;))

I have an appointment scheduled for a month out as a check-up, but my doctor said that if all continues to go well, I can cancel it and that giving it a look-see will just be part of my annual going forward.

I totally get that everyone's experience can, and will, be different. And maybe I am just lucky or really good at dealing with pain. But I'm walking away from the experience pleasantly surprised at how easy it was (although perhaps expecting worse is better than expecting no pain and finding it).

In terms of the hormones and my liver, my gastroenterologist will have me start back on liver ultrasounds in 6 months, just to make sure the progestin isn't doing anything funny to my system.

If you find these posts interesting and/or helpful, stay tuned! I plan to check back in with some additional write-ups over the next several months, as I want to make sure I'm painting a complete picture. If you have any questions you'd like to ask me, please don't hesitate to pop them into the comments section below, or if it's personal, you can send me an email one on one (see the contact me page for details).

I hope that this was helpful! Til next time...!

P-S: I was able to get the Mirena with absolutely no out of pocket costs. Most insurance plans cover IUDs at 100%, so check with your provider if cost is a concern!

Making periods chic, safe and socially responsible with Cora

There are lots of ways for women to add a bit of finesse to their lives -- freshly-polished fingers and toes can give us an air of je ne sais quoi, a new pair of pumps can help us walk with an extra pep in our step. But somehow, our confidence erodes during that time of the month, and if you're anything like me, you find yourself stealthily reaching into your purse, deftly sliding a tampon into your sleeve and gazing at the other faces in the room as you walk to the bathroom as if it's just another "I drank too much water break." Am I right or am I right?

There's a larger statement in here about period shame and how we shouldn't feel embarrassed about managing a natural process, but today we're going to talk about a company that's not only making periods chic, but also safe and socially responsible. This company is called Cora.

One of Cora's founders, Molly, reached out to me about a month ago after noticing Beauty Babble's focus on safe, non-toxic products, and she offered to send me some of her organic, fragrance-free tampons to try. Her timing was great, as I had just wrapped up my period and had tried another brand of organic tampons (called Natracare) that I did NOT enjoy (let's just say they were super long and gave me worse cramps, plus they leaked...no thanks). I was anxious to give another brand a shot, as returning to bleached cotton, perfumed and otherwise non-regulated tampon ingredients was NOT something I was looking forward to (and throwing out underwear every month was not a viable option).

After I gave Molly my address, I knew I was getting tampons in the mail, but when I got my Cora box, I got just as excited as I usually do when there's a Sephora or ULTA box on my stoop.

Cora makes your period feel special -- the packaging is sleek, modern and oh-so-sophisticated. In your "Signature Kit," which comes free with everyone's first order, you not only get your tampon supply, but also a vegan leather carrying case, a black storage box and a handful of "stowaways," which we'll get to in a minute. It's all fit perfectly into this custom box, and really, it feels like some sort of VIP treatment. For the first time in my life, I couldn't wait to get my period, just so I could crack out my fancy tampons. Hey, there's a first for everything, right?

By now you've gotten the point that Cora knows how to market their products and create something you can feel safe putting into your body, but then the company also has a socially-conscious component. For every month's worth of tampons that you buy, Cora donates a month's worth of sustainable pads to a woman in need. We've all heard the sad statistics about how many women and girls miss work/school each month because they don't have access to reliable menstrual products, so Cora's doing their part in making this problem more manageable.

But let's get back to the actual product for a second, because I'm just finishing this month's period and putting these babies to the test was perhaps the most exciting thing that's happened to me in the last 5 days.

Cora tampons come in a softer plastic wrap than your normal Tampax. Are they completely silent? No. But compared to the usual excessive rustling sounds required to remove your tampon from the packaging, there's definitely an improvement. Second, all Cora tampons are those mini, pop-out-the-applicator variety, which means they're much more convenient to carry around and stash in even the smallest of purses. If you recall, I mentioned earlier that Cora members get a "little black clutch" to carry their tampons in, but sometimes you just want to stuff one in a purse and be good to go (and you can!). I found the application to be easy, although I'll admit that on occasion I was too forceful in popping out the applicator and it dislodged from the top -- with some maneuvering I was able to get it put back together and didn't ever waste a tampon, but it's a warning to be gentle.

In terms of absorbency, I was impressed, but also realize that no tampon is perfect. I once forgot to change my regular absorbency one (I got very absorbed in work, no pun intended), so yes, I leaked. And on one particularly heavy evening, I put a pad on in addition to a super tampon, and had some spotting in the morning that the pad had caught. Right now, I don't see that Cora offers super-plus or light absorbency tampons, so you're limited to what the regular and super can do. Generally, I felt confident that these tampons weren't going to leak unnecessarily, and they were easy and comfortable to wear and remove.

Let's hop back to the "stowaways" that I mentioned, because they're cool on multiple levels. Firstly, the packaging (surprise surprise) is chic and sleek. It looks a bit like a lipstick container, only there's a magic tampon surprise inside! If you're still not quite confident enough to whip one out in plain sight, but also don't want to bring the "little black clutch" to the restroom, these stowaways are a great way to hold something incognito in your hand. They're also made of a crush-free cardboard, so even if it's tossed into a giant purse along with your other must-haves, it'll stay in one piece.

Stowaways are also cool, because they're Cora's way of helping you refer your friends to the program. Each one has a little bitty code on it, so when you pass one underneath the stall to a friend and she uses it to sign up, you BOTH get a free month's supply of tampons. Win-win.

Are you sold yet? Because I've got just a few more things to mention.

1) If I didn't make it clear already, Cora is a subscription box. I know, it sounds a bit weird to sign up for period products, but it can also be nice to know that you've always got a supply on its way.

2) The pricing is reasonable. Depending on how many tampons you need each month and your preferred absorbency, the average prices hover around $12-$18 per month (there's a $9 plan but it only gets you 6 tampons per period, which really isn't a lot). If you sign up for a yearly payment plan (rather than monthly), the price knocks down to $9.50-$14 per month. So it's certainly more than buying a box of Tampax, but I also believe you get what you pay for, so paying a little more for something safe for your body can be worth it.

3) My only gripe with Cora is that their product assortment is limited. As I mentioned, they only have regular and super absorbency tampons available, and I tend to prefer having a few lights and super-plus ones in my rotation. I'm also a big believer in pantiliners and sometimes like having some pads for nights or really heavy days when I won't have easy access to a bathroom -- neither of these are available right now. Obviously, this means that the slightly higher prices I'd be paying for period products wouldn't cover all of my period needs. But who knows? Maybe if enough people are interested, they'll expand into these verticals too.

If you think you want to give Cora a try, Molly was kind enough to offer a $5 off coupon code, just for Beauty Babble readers. You can cancel and/or adjust your subscription at any time, so you could give the service a shot for the cost of a box of regular tampons. Just use the code CORA5GABRIELLE at checkout, and you'll be good to go.

If you've tried Cora, I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below. And if there are other organic period products that you'd say are a go / no-go, please share those thoughts as well. Have a happy period!

*I received a 3-month supply of Cora tampons for consideration, but was not compensated for my review of the product, nor will I be making any money off of sales referred from this post. I simply want to share great products with people to help them live safer, happier, more beautiful lives. :)

Review: Ole Henriksen's 3-step Power Bright At-Home Facial System

As much as I love skincare, I have to admit that I can be a bit of a curmudgeon. Why, you ask? Because so often skincare lines promise you the world and simply don't deliver. And when you spend bazillions of dollars on products waiting for them to do things that they, well, don't, you start to become really tight-fisted with your money, and dare I say, even afraid to shell out and try new things.

Since I'm a part of the Influenster community, I sometimes get the opportunity to sample products for free, and I recently qualified for an Ole Henriksen VoxBox, which I was excited, but you guessed it, also skeptical about. I had heard of the Ole Henriksen brand, but couldn't remember having tried anything from them.

When I got my box, I was pleasantly surprised to not only see two deluxe sized samples, but also this nifty little 3-step, at-home facial system called Power Bright. 

Now technically, ALL of the products I was sent are part of the Power Bright "system" but truthfully, I found the serum and moisturizer to be similar to any other serum or moisturizer I might use (and by that I mean, nothing too out of the ordinary). That said, I was sort of blown away by the magic stored within those three little pods.

According to their literature, the system is supposed to be "brightening." Truthfully, I didn't really notice much of a brightening effect, but what I did notice was this: touchable, smooth and REALLY soft skin without any added moisturizer AND visibly reduced appearance of pores. 

So how does the system work?

You start with Step 1, a brown-sugar colored polishing scrub with a light citrus scent. After applying it to clean damp skin, you let it sit for ~10 minutes, then massage with warm water and rinse. The scrub is pretty chunky, and interestingly, I noticed an immediate warming sensation when applying it (although there was no caution around this in the pamphlet). It wasn't bothersome and dissipated quickly...I actually enjoyed it...but something to be aware of. 

Rinsing off the scrub, my skin felt really smooth, although I'll admit that I found the "massaging" instructions challenging, because most of the sugar bits that you'd use to create a massaging sensation had dissolved after the 10 minutes and use of warm water on my hands.

Step 2 was the "brighten" step, and here I sort of felt like I was slathering my face with cake icing. It had the same sort of color and consistency, and even the scent reminded me of cake batter. You only leave this on your skin for 2-3 minutes, so it's a much faster step, and even though the mask starts to dry and set a bit, your face doesn't feel hard (like with some masks), nor do you feel like you're covered in a goopy, uncomfortable mess.

Step 3 involves applying a "glowing" cleanser (they call it a melting cleanser for some reason unknown to me) directly on top of the vitamin C concentrate from the last step. The instructions say to blend it in evenly over your face and then leave it on for ~15 minutes. Here they mention to expect a gentle tingling sensation, but I didn't experience this at all. After your time is up, they suggest using one of the provided complexion sponges or a warm wash cloth to swipe away the product.

Let me say that I had one of those childlike, pleasant surprises when I dunked the itty bitty, basically flat wafer of a sponge into the water and saw it puff up into a real, full sponge. As someone who has used sponges before, I shouldn't have been so surprised, but I was, and it made me happy. However, I will say that the sponge was not really all that effective at completely rinsing the product from my face. I swiped several times using warm water, but still felt like there was some residue, so I also splashed my face with my hands. Frankly, that didn't do a perfect job either, and I still felt like there was a film leftover on my skin, so I just turned off the water and patted dry. 

And that's when the miracle happened. Maybe it was just the film left on my skin, but I'm telling you my skin felt baby's butt soft. And as someone who routinely deals with acne and those annoying, rough, under-the-skin clogged pores, this felt amazing. I was tempted to skip my evening moisturizer altogether because my skin didn't even feel like it needed it (although I caved and applied, just for good measure). I was also impressed to see that I had enough product left in each of the three steps to be able to give myself this fun facial again later this week (you can use up to 3 times a week).

All in all, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience and the products, and I was also surprised to see that this is not shockingly expensive. For $55 at Sephora.com, you can get 6 of the 3-step system packages, and if you consider that you can get two uses from each pod, that's 12 facials or roughly $4 per facial (I dare you to try to find a salon that can beat that price). Just for good measure, I'll also mention that this product is free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates, so it's something you can use on your skin with confidence.

Have you tried the Ole Henriksen Power Bright system and did you enjoy it too? Any other products from this line that you'd recommend? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Til next time!

*Note: I received these products complimentary, courtesy of Influenster. I have not been compensated for this review.

Introducing Beautycounter's Lengthening Mascara!

When you switch to using all-natural, toxin-free makeup, you start to notice that some categories are easier to replace than others. Powder products, like blush, bronzer and eyeshadow? Almost always a cinch, with the natural products performing just as good as the traditional ones. Foundation and other liquids? Slightly harder, as sometimes the consistency and color range can be altered when certain emulsifiers are removed. Mascara? Probably the single most difficult item to find...if you want something that works.

I've tried LOTS of natural mascaras, and after much testing, I've found just a few that I can bare. Pacifica has a "volumizing" mascara that isn't bad and 100% Pure's lengthening mascara smells delicious, which makes it a little more enticing. But seriously guys, I think I may have found the holy grail now that Beautycounter -- a brand you know I love to support -- finally released their take on this makeup staple.

When I was first introduced to Beautycounter I thought it was interesting to see that, despite having a full-range of skin care and cosmetics products, there was no mascara on the menu. My consultant, Kerry, told me that it was because the CEO was dedicated to only bringing products to market that really performed, and to-date, they hadn't found a mascara formula that they felt was both effective AND safe.

A few weeks ago, I got an email saying they were finally releasing a mascara, and I about jumped for joy, although I'll be honest that I had my doubts about how it would perform. It's not that I don't have faith in Beautycounter, but more that past experience a) has shown me that Beautycounter products tend to favor a more natural/subtle look and b) it's just really, really hard to nail a good natural mascara.

Yesterday my tube arrived in the mail, and this morning I gave the product a whirl. And guys, I think I'm in love.

I wasn't sure what to think when I took out the wand and saw that it was really, teeny tiny -- like, probably the smallest mascara wand I've ever used (hard to get that across in the picture). But now I'm thinking the shape is probably part of the reason this stuff works so well. Within a swipe or two, my lashes had achieved significant length without a clump in sight -- and that was without the incessant back and forth swiggle swiping I usually do. When I added a second coat and a little more maneuvering, this stuff really performed, and I'm a big lash kind of gal, so when I say that my lashes met my length expectations, it means a great deal.

The color was a nice, dark black, which I like, as my eyelashes are on the lighter side, and after 5 hours of wear, I don't have a single flake under my eyes, even though I've been sweating from the blistering, summer-like temperatures in Philly today. As you would expect from Beautycounter, the packaging of this product is sleek and modern, although I will say I was hoping it would come in that gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent-esque gold metal that their concealer's in.

Of course, this wouldn't be a Beauty Babble blog post if I didn't talk to you a bit about the cons I've noticed (because let's face it, every product has pros and cons).

Firstly, the formula is a wee bit sticky. Granted, I've only used this mascara once, so it's hard to tell if that's because it's brand new or because there are a few different kinds of wax in the ingredients. It does worry me a little, because mascaras tend to get stickier as they dry out, so this could mean that this product will dry out and become unusable faster than normal.

Secondly, because the wand is teeny tiny and they want to still give you a good amount of product, the stick part of the wand is pretty long and can be a little bendy, which can make the application a little harder. This wasn't a huge issue for me, but I did notice that as I was trying to drag the wand up my eyelashes, the stick part bent, meaning I needed to exert a bit more effort to move it along my eye.

Overall, as first impressions go, I have to give this product pretty strong reviews. At $29 a pop, it's not cheap, although the price is pretty comparable to other high-end brands. You can also snag a three-pack and save a few bucks. For that you'll shell out $78.

If you're interested in learning more about Beautycounter or want to stock up on this or other products, you can swing by their website, reach out to my consultant, Kerry, or find a consultant in your area. And if you've tried this mascara, or any other Beautycounter products, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

THEY CALL IT SWEATx FOR A REASON

I've never done CrossFit, and I'll tell you why. Firstly, it intimidates the heck out of me, and as much as I like having my ass-kicked in a workout, I don't like to be pushed to the brink of vomiting or passing out. Secondly, the workouts always seem very tailored to men's preferences. That's probably me stereotyping, but I personally just don't get a lift out of lifting really heavy weights -- I'd much rather slap on my ballet shoes and do fouette turns for an hour.

So when I arrived at Sweat Fitness in Queen Village for our PHL Bloggers exclusive SweatX workout and one of the trainers jokingly told me I'd be pushing a massive tire up a ramp with my friends, my insides screamed: "Shit, why did no one tell me this was Sweat's version of a CrossFit workout?"

Of course, I had already trekked to Queen Village, and seeing as there were only four of us bloggers there, I didn't feel like I could turn around and say thanks, but no thanks. So I stuck it out. And you know what, it was actually pretty awesome.

SweatX is a new workout type that's recently debuted at the Queen Village location of Sweat Fitness, although I hear there are plans to roll it out to other locations soon. The workout involves splitting up an already small group into even smaller groups and having those groups work 10-minute circuits (with 2 minute breaks in between) under the supervision of an instructor. I thought this was pretty unique, as usually the instructor to student ratio is something like 1:25, but here we had three ripped men coaching our small group of six. (My understanding from my research is that the groups can get as "large" as 10 students, so even then you'd have much more individualized attention than in a traditional group exercise program.)

We started with a simple warm up -- a few passes back and forth with high knees, butt kicks, shuffles and sprints, spent a few minutes stretching and then immediately broke up into groups for our circuits. The motto was AMRAP, which was a new term for me, and apparently means "as many repetitions as possible." So rather than shooting for a specific goal, you were literally invited to trust in, and listen to, your own body, pushing to your personal limit.

My first circuit was pretty darn easy: 10 wall balls with a 6 pound ball (it involves a deep squat and throwing the ball against a high target on the wall), followed by 10 mat sit ups. Maybe it's just because I have strong legs from dancing or because some of my other fitness classes torture me with lots of squats routinely, but I felt like I could have done those wall balls all day. With my spinal issues, the sit-ups were somewhat harder, but I still completed the first circuit with energy to burn.

Circuit two got a little tougher, but was still really fun and challenging. It involved five passes running up and down this fairly steep, long ramp, followed by 10 kettlebell swings. I surprised myself here when I realized, once again, how much power I actually possess in my legs. I've always thought of myself as a bad runner, but I really enjoyed running up (and shuffling down) the ramp. Kettlebells aren't my favorite, simply because I'm terrified of either dropping the thing on my head or it flying out of my hands and killing someone, but I managed to do my reps with the 20-pounder without injuring myself or others, so I count that as a success.

About mid-way through this circuit, I started to feel a bit winded. After the second running pass on the ramp, I found myself reaching for my water bottle more frequently, catching my breath for a few seconds before breaking into the swings and repeating the circuit. Even though I finished feeling a little tired, I had reserves of energy and was prepared to hit the final rotation hard.

Elizabeth accurately portraying how I felt during burpees.

Then things kind of fell apart, because the third circuit involved my nemesis: burpees. I don't know what it is about this particular exercise, but it wreaks all kinds of havoc on my body. Something about the change in blood pressure from going from standing to horizontal and back again repeatedly just messes with my head, and I find myself getting those funny black and white fuzzies in front of my eyes within a few reps. Here we were supposed to do box jumps for a minute, followed by five burpees, and as expected, by the second set of burpees I was already a mess.

It's times like these when the individual attention actually becomes a burden, because now I had our instructor Shawn watching me fall apart, and although he kept encouraging me to continue, it didn't feel great to "fail" in front of an instructor. I got through the circuit by taking way more breaks than they probably liked, but I wasn't about to pass out on account of trying to prove myself. Maybe I should have asked for another exercise, who knows.

Of course I was the first to dig in to the food.

And then, just like magic, the workout was over, and it was time to FEAST! Although this isn't a standard part of every SweatX class, we were fortunate enough to be treated to a delicious selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses and salami after, plus cocktails, compliments of Stateside Vodka (a locally produced liquor!). I quickly scarfed down some cheese and salami to get in my protein, and the strawberries tasted so sweet, they were like candy. Technically, there was a stretch session that happened after that third circuit, but when you put food in front of four starving women, somehow they only see what they want to see, and we accidentally missed it. Whoops. (Don't worry I stretched myself out when I realized my own mistake.)

After re-fueling, I left the gym feeling pretty great, and this morning, although my shoulders and legs are a wee bit sore, it's nothing too extreme.

Would I go back and do SweatX again? Maybe, as I can definitely see how the high intensity workout can aid in your athletic performance. And even if you're not aiming to be a better athlete, this workout seems like it would give your body and fitness level a jump start if you feel like your regular routine's leading to a plateau. Plus, with the small group format and awesome instructor to student ratio, it's kind of like getting a personal trainer for just $125-$149 a month (prices vary based on whether you're a Sweat member or not) -- that fee gives you access to all 8 Sweat locations around the city and unlimited SweatX classes.

Overall, I'm glad I tried it and thank our instructors Shawn, DeLonne and Chris for pushing us!

*I received access to a SweatX class for free, as part of a collaboration with the PHL Bloggers group. 

5 Lessons Learned from My First Professional Makeup Artist Gig!

As you've seen in previous posts, I'm kind of a fan of this non-toxic beauty and skin care line called Beautycounter. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail about the products or mission in this post, considering I've talked ad nauseum about them previously, but I bring the brand up because it was thanks to my friend and "master" rep, Kerry, that I got to experience the life of a "professional" makeup artist for the first time.

Now, considering I've been writing a beauty blog for nearly 6 (!!!) years, there's no doubt that I love makeup and have done my fair share of experimenting with products. And sure, I did find myself being roped into doing bridal party makeup for two of my friends' weddings, but I also fully admit that neither of these things is truly a substitute for the rigorous training that professional makeup artists go through. Either way, I was pretty darn excited to have the opportunity to put my skills to test in a professional setting.

The place? A restored barn in Newtown Square. The event? The Saint Katherine's School Fashion Show. The mission? Do a full-face of makeup on up to 10 women in less than 2 hours (phew!).

I'd say at the end of the day the mission was indeed accomplished, but the experience of it taught me a lot about makeup, application techniques and the responsibility that one holds when you're in charge of making someone feel beautiful. Here are my top five lessons learned from the night:

1) There's definitely a formula to doing a great, standard face of makeup, and once you know it, you can repeat it on almost any face.

I worked on women with long faces, round faces, high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, light skin tones, dark skin tones...you name it, I saw it. And yet, the basic principles of makeup application were simple to use across all of the women. Sure, on some I dabbed on a bit more concealer to cover spots or dark circles; others needed almost no foundation and just a light dusting of powder, but nearly everyone looked good with strategically placed blush on the apples of the cheeks, bronze contouring under the cheekbones and a subtle smokey eye with dark colors on the outer V.

This is great news for women who feel a bit "afraid" of makeup or aren't sure what they're doing, because it means once you get the basics down, you can adapt them using different color palettes in your makeup collection to create hundreds of looks without actually having to vary your technique.

2) The Beautycounter products performed WAY better than even I expected.

As you know if you're a consistent reader of this blog, I'm big on honesty, so when I review products I'm not afraid to talk about things that don't meet my standards. I've had the opportunity to use a number of Beautycounter products on myself, and there have definitely been some I've loved and some I wouldn't buy again. But let me tell you, I was SHOCKED to see just how well all of the products performed on my models, even in spite of the huge variety of skin tones, skin types and skin textures.

The translucent powder, which bugs me in real life because it makes a crazy mess, was a huge life-saver when doing makeup on women with varied skin tones. The powder brush was perfect for applying it, and that stuff sucked up the oils on these women's faces with ease. The eyeshadow colors, while still mostly subtle and natural, were buildable and glowy, and with the black/dark gray shades, super easy to transform into a more dramatic look. The semi-sheer lipsticks, combined with the peony/clear lipglosses made for an absolutely beautiful lip combo on everyone -- I was really surprised to see just how different some of the same shades looked on different women! I was also pretty impressed with the quality of the eyeshadow brushes -- several of the women commented on how soft they were, and they were great multi-taskers.

The only negative commentary I can offer is on the brow and eyeliner pencils. The formula is just a bit too dry. I did my best to warm the pencils up on the back of my hand before applying on the women, but I still felt like I had to do quite a bit of tugging and repeat application to get a consistent payoff. I know this is a tough thing to get just right, as I've used many eyeliners that are TOO soft, but I do think a reformulation to either increase the pigmentation or reduce the dryness would be helpful.

3) Applying mascara on other people is HARD

I made the women curl their own eyelashes, because there was no way I was getting close to them with that medieval torture device, but applying their mascara was by far the hardest step in the process. You could totally tell who wears contacts and who doesn't by how twitchy/untwitchy each woman was, but getting that wand in there and really distributing the mascara so that it made their lashes long and lush was a challenge. Interestingly, applying mascara on the lower lashes was WAY easier.

4) Women are so beautiful (but they don't realize it!)

I wish I had a remedy for this one. I can't even tell you how many women sat down in the chair and felt the need to vomit out all of their dislikes about their face. It was almost as though they felt a compulsion to confess all of their skin sins before I got started. I heard all about how people were self-conscious of their dry skin or oily skin; their dark or puffy undereye circles; their wrinkles or their acne spots. But the funny thing is that ALL of these women were absolutely stunning, with or without makeup. Beautiful, mostly flawless skin. Amazing bone structure. Gorgeous, clear, bright eyes. Perfectly arched brows. Every woman that sat down should have been so incredibly confident in herself, yet she spent lots more time picking apart her features than celebrating them.

5) Being a makeup artist is a fascinating, but certainly challenging, job

You really have to be comfortable getting up in people's personal space. You can't be afraid to touch them, move their hair, get all up in under their nostrils, around their mouths and near their eyes. I was constantly thinking about whether or not my breath was fresh, not wanting to torture anyone with rank smelliness. I didn't stop to drink any water in two hours. I easily lost track of time. I wanted to be a perfectionist, but had to curb my urge. I felt great when someone looked at herself in the mirror and immediately smiled or lit up. I felt guilty when they looked and seemed to see something that didn't make them happy (and especially so when they gave me a fake smile after or didn't ask me to fix/change something, which I would have happily done). There's a lot of pressure to perform (and perform well), and it's super important to really know your products, how they work and what colors look best on whom.

Overall, I had a really great time and would love the opportunity to do it again in the future. But more than anything it helped me realize just how giving it is to be a makeup artist -- although you're just highlighting and shading features that already exist, you're unlocking a woman's ability to feel confident and beautiful, and that's the greatest gift of all!

*NOTE: I was not compensated by Beautycounter to write this post, nor did they ask that I write it. I was compensated for my appearance as a professional makeup artist at the event. 

The importance of stretch - featuring Philly Power Yoga & Thrive Pilates

Why yes, that is me sitting in the center of the floor trying to take a picture as inconspicuously as possible. Gotta do what you gotta do.

So I'm no expert on the biomechanics of stretching, but what I can tell you is this: when I started working out 7 days a week, I noticed that my body was getting all kinds of crazy stiff. Sure, I'd follow along in the 2-3 minutes of "stretching" that most fitness classes cram in at the end, but somehow that was doing little to ease my aching muscles, which only seemed to grow tighter with each progressive workout.

I knew I'd need to start making stretching a more regular part of my routine, but let's face it, I'm lazy. Maybe that's a hard thing for you to believe after I've just stated that I workout every day, but the truth is that I'm motivated by being in the presence of others, hence the reason I have ClassPass and get my fitness nearly 100% through group exercise. When it comes to stretching, unless I'm actively being told to do it, I tend to forget, or I simply succumb to the less healthy, but more tempting desire to just take a nap on the couch in my free half hour.

Then I discovered "Stretch & Restore" yoga at Philly Power Yoga & Thrive Pilates (20th & Walnut in Center City), and it's become a life-saving part of my Sunday routine ever since.

I didn't know it at the time, but I now understand that this is a form of yoga called "yin," essentially a passive practice that's focused on restoring the mind and body rather than increasing your heart rate or strength. Although some of the poses will be familiar from typical yoga classes (things like frog, pigeon and my perennial favorite, shavasana), you'll hold them for longer than normal - typically 3-5 minutes - allowing you to really get deep stretches into the muscle tissue. Some of the poses will likely feel easier than others, depending on which of your particular muscles are more flexible, so while I personally could lay in half pigeon for half an hour, the 5 minutes we spend in frog routinely feels like torture (even though I know it's good for my ever-tight hip flexors).

The first time I took this class, I literally almost fell asleep during a shoulder stretch, which is how I knew this was a keeper. And if falling asleep during a yoga class seems totally crazy to you, here's some more mood-setting context: the class is led by a wonderful instructor named Colleen, and she has this amazingly soothing voice that has a way of bringing an aura of relaxation and calm to the space. Her playlists are almost entirely made up of croony, Indie music from The National, and the class is performed in the dark with just the flickers of some LED candles strewn across the floor. Put all three together, put me in pigeon pose, and I'm literally yawning because I feel so darn relaxed.

And that's the real reason why I love this class as much as I do. I leave feeling like zen jello. Colleen routinely asks us what areas of the body we want to focus on before we begin, so if I come in with particularly tight hamstrings, low back or shoulders, I know she'll set me up in a posture that will ease that tension. Regardless of the lineup, I always feel better leaving the building than I did when I came in, and that goes for my body and my mind.

The class I take is 75 minutes and starts at 6:30pm on Sundays, but in looking at their schedule online, it seems that Colleen also teaches this class on Wednesdays and Fridays during the day (although those classes appear to be just 60 minutes, and you'll miss out on the candles, since it'll be daytime!). In totality, this stretch & restore yoga is only one of MANY types of classes offered at the studio, but since I use ClassPass and can only go there 3x a month, I use my allocation solely on stretching. If you head over for another class type, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you've liked!

Outside of this particular studio, tell me your thoughts on stretching in the comments below! Do you do it regularly enough? What are some of your favorite stretches?