Sandwiches of New York #14.

What is it? Ch-ch-ch-chia

Where's it from? No.7 Sub, 1118 Broadway (btwn. 28th St and 29th St).

What's in it? Grapefruit Chia Chicken, Black Bean Hummus and Banana Peppers.

How much does it cost? $12.25 + tax

No. 7 Sub is somewhere that I have been wanting to visit for some time. It's a small sandwich shop in the NoMad/Flatiron district and it's right next to the Ace Hotel lobby. You order your sandwich at the counter and wait for the friendly staff to call your name. As well as sandwiches they have some grain bowls, a few salads and side dishes, chips, along with a selection of sodas and non alcoholic drinks. I came at the height of lunchtime and service was fairly brisk. There are a handful of stools but it's a small space that is pretty crowded and it's kind of dark and dingy. A much better option than eating here is to get your sandwich to go and walk down to Madison Square Park if the weather is good, or stroll nonchalantly into the Ace Hotel lobby and eat there. 

I have to say that I was pretty underwhelmed by my sandwich from No.7 Sub. They have a reputation for unusual and flavoursome sandwiches so maybe I ordered badly... This tasted like a pulled chicken sandwich with salsa and it was pretty dull and bland, thank goodness for the banana peppers that livened it up somewhat. I opted for a wholewheat sub and I found the bread to be very disappointing, it was somewhat dry and tasteless and there was a high ratio of bread to filling. The sandwich was a decent size but it was pretty boring and I thought that the price was a little on the high side. 

I wanted to like this place but with so many other great sandwich shops available to me I won't be rushing back here anytime soon.

Minimal Skincare: What I Took with Me on a Six Day Trip.

I travel a fair amount for work and while I have most of my packing down to a fine art I always end up humming and haa-ing about what skincare to take with me. I usually take far to much thinking hopefully that I will experiment or do elaborate routines and masks to while away the evenings, when what really happens is that I sit in front of Youtube all evening and tumble into bed after an improvised and speedy routine.

On a recent six day/five night trip to Florida I wanted to avoid checking a bag. I didn't need to take any haircare or body care items so it was just my skincare and make up needs that had to fit into the regulation size carry on ziplock bag. I rifled through my samples and minis, a selection of which coupled with some (dare I say it!) wipes and pads, seemed to cover all my skincare needs.

Here's a look at what I took with me.

Cleansers and Make Up Removers.

Sephora Express Eye Make Up Remover Wipes.

I always remove my eye make up separately and these wipes from Sephora are a great travel option. They are very effective at dissolving even the stubbornest mascaras, they don't irritate my eyes, and I love that they come in individual sachets. These are large in size and I find that one is enough to remove everyday make up from both eyes- I just flip it over so that I use a different side on each eye.

NuFace Prep-N-Glow.

These are really fancy just make up remover wipes aren't they? But they come in a pack of five (perfect!) and they contain Hyaluronic Acid along with fruity antioxidants and minerals to protect and refresh skin. They are also alcohol free unlike a lot of other wipes and one side is textured so that you can use it to physically exfoliate your face with if you wish.

TULA Purifying Face Cleanser.

This is going to be my second cleanse and morning face wash. I have never used it before but I've read good reviews although I am a little concerned that as this is foamy it may be drying. I normally steer away from something like this but I'm willing to give it a go as my skin often gets shiny and congested in high heat and humidity.

(However I have a Plan B...)

Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm.

This indulgent (i.e. expensive) balm is the bomb! Even though it is dark grey in colour and has a deep earthy smell which reminds me of potatoes I find that as well as feeling luxurious on my skin it does wonders it as it cleanses. So much so I'm relying on this to save my skin if my other cleansers prove to be too harsh. It's also in my ziplock bag in case I have a long or hard day and feel in need of some extra pampering!

Toners.

F.A.B. Facial Radiance Pads.

These pads are gentle enough to use as an everyday acid toner. They contain glycerine and aloe to add moisture and soften skin along with Lactic and Glycolic acids to exfoliate and brighten. I picked these out as they are another non liquid item that I could actually pack into my carry on suitcase. 

Tarte Ready Set Radiant Facial Mist.

This is my second toner, and general facial spray to be used if I I feel the need for something to refresh or hydrate tired looking skin. Another new product for me, it smells lovely and feels plumping, I've a feeling I will use it up rather quickly!

Serums.

Dr Denis Gross C+Collagen Serum.

Even a short flight such as the one I took has the tendency to leave skin looking dull and grey so I thought that a daytime serum with a big dose of skin brightening Vitamin C such as was ideal to bring. This is a weightless gel and it is perfect for warm and humid days. As well as working over time to address pigmentation issues and smooth fine lines it adds an instant glow to skin. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. 

Taking care of dry skin, fine lines and dullness this multi purpose night time serum targets a variety of concerns - just what a minimal skincare collection needs!   

Moisturisers and Treatments. 

The Ginza Moisturising Emulsion.

This lightweight lotion is light enough to wear under make up on even the hottest of days and I find that it packs enough of a moisturising punch to be used as a night time cream as well. It's a basic moisturiser so it can be layered with pretty much anything and it always leaves my skin looking plump and dewy.

Derm Institute AntiOxidant Hydration Mask.

Packed in single dose sachets these gel masks are simple to use and very effective. Apply a whole pack to clean skin, wait for it to absorb, no rinsing required. These are very soothing and calming and provide a mega burst of hydration. I have two of them with me - one to use after flying on my first night to help my skin recover from the recycled air on the plane and one to use on my last night here to prepare my skin for the aggressions on the flight home. 

Eye Cream and SPF.

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm.

The versatility of this multi tasking eye made it an obvious one to pick out from my jar of samples. Not only does it hydrate and smooth the skin around the eyes, it brightens dark circles and minimises any puffiness. It's great for use at night or in the morning and it can even be used as an eye shadow primer.

Lancome Bienfait U.V.

This broad spectrum lotion has SPF 50. I find it very comfortable to wear and it isn't greasy so it works well under make up without leaving my skin feeling clogged. Even though I'm indoors for the majority of the day I find the sun is so strong here that I am even more diligent about wearing SPF than usual. 

I'm looking forward to experimenting with a few days of minimalism and I think that I have all of my basic needs covered but I know that I'm going to be excited to get home and get back to my own bathroom and a larger choice of products!

TonyMoly Changing Magic Foot Peeling Shoes.

I have been curious about foot peels ever since seeing them on YouTube, there's something gross yet compelling about watching footage (haha!) of these products. 

The most well known feet peeling socks seem to be 'Baby Foot' from Japan which cost around $25.00. I get regular pedicures so as my feet aren't in terrible condition and I didn't want to make a big investment, I was mostly interested in using such a product for the sake of trying something new rather than using it to address a cosmetic problem. When back in the summer, on my first trip to Ulta, I saw a pair of TonyMoly Changing Magic Foot Peeling Shoes which only cost $6.00 I picked some up to try out. 

The Product.

Packaging was similar to a sheet mask with instructions on how to use printed on the back. Also on the back was the rather embarrassing blurb 'Steps that can transform an average looking woman into an attractive lady'. I'm hoping that something was lost in translation here because I find the phrase very peculiar and a little offensive.

Inside were a pair of paper/cellulose booties the inside of which were again reminiscent of a sheet mask. Active ingredients included glycolic and salicylic acids, alcohol, urea, various fruit extracts and aloe. The smell of these was very reminiscent of Pixi Glow Tonic.

There were also two pieces of tape to secure the booties. I didn't find the tape to be that sticky and I needed to wrap some masking/painter's tape around my ankles to secure them properly. (You could also slip a pair of large socks over the top to keep them securely on your feet).

How to Use.

These were easy to use. You simply needed to slip them onto clean dry feet, wait one and a half to two hours until the serum/liquid had absorbed into your feet, rinse your feet well and then sit back and wait for your feet to peel over the next couple of weeks. 

The major drawback I found to using these was fitting them into my schedule. Firstly I needed an uninterrupted couple of hours, but the real difficulty was that as I didn't know how (or when exactly) my feet would peel I needed to wait until the weather cooled down enough that I was certain that I wouldn't need to wear sandals etc. I knew my feet were going to get ugly looking for the duration of the peel so I wanted to be able to wear socks for all that time.

I also wasn't sure how they would affect any nail polish I might be wearing so I didn't want to put them on when I had just had a pedicure (FYI they didn't remove or dull my week old pedicure of Essie polish and top coat). 

What Happened?

My feet became a little chilly wearing these so I was happy to finally remove them. After rinsing well I didn't notice that my feet were any different than from before so I calmly waited.

Day 4 (after wearing). Until day 4 nothing had happened at all and I was beginning to think that nothing would... then, as promised, I noticed some small blistered looking areas beginning to 

appear on my feet.

Day5/6. Largish pieces of skin began to peel off on the softer parts of my feet such as my instep and the bottom of my toes. My feet looked terrible! There's no way you could do this if you needed to have bare feet or wear open shoes.

After two weeks. Everyday I had been taking off my socks and they were full of flakes of skin. I took to wearing socks in bed at night it was so bad. If I went anywhere without wearing socks I left a dusting of skin flakes in my wake. It's kind of disgusting and I've been hoovering daily - at least the apartment is clean! I noticed that the bottoms of my feet were somewhat softer but some hard skin still remained. I'd say maybe 50% of my hard skin flaked away but I was really in need of a proper pedicure though as my nails had been neglected.

After three weeks. The last week the bottoms of my feet finally stopped shedding skin... And then the tops of my feet started!

Day 22 My feet finally stopped flaking and I went for a pedicure - hoorah! I was a little disappointed that the foot lady didn't said how soft and attractive my feet are (joking), she still attacked the skin on the balls of my foot and around my heals quite vigorously with a foot file.

Would I do it again?

It was fun to try out a foot peeling treatment, but honestly, I can't see myself repeating the experience. It was difficult to find the right time to fit it into my schedule and I really didn't enjoy having my feet shed flakes of skin everywhere for two weeks - I'd much rather commit to having regular pedicures!

I wouldn't recommend these, but if your interest has been piqued and you want to try out an inexpensive pair of foot peeling shoes you can find the TonyMoly ones that I tried at ulta.com

Product Love: Kiehl's Hand Cream.

Having lived on both sides of the Atlantic I have to conclude that one thing that Europeans do better is hand cream! All of my favourites are European: Caudalie, Clarins Jeunesse de Mains, Crabtree and Evelyn, Molton Brown and even ones from The Body Shop.

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is the one American hand cream that I have found to be very good indeed. Although it's aimed at severely dry active hands*, don't let that put you off, it's really an excellent hand cream for almost anyone. It is a thick rich cream that instantly absorbs making it moisturising yet not at all greasy and it is one of the few hand creams that leaves no residue at all on hands so you can handle papers or use a touch screen straight after use. 

Kiehl's claim that it creates a 'glove like barrier' on hands that draws and absorbs water from the atmosphere, I don't know if it does, but I do know that this is one cream that you don't feel you constantly need to reapply. My hands always feel soothed and don't itch at all when I use it.

Active ingredients include Glycerine, avocado, sesame and aloe and while it does have quite a strong (but not unpleasant) eucalyptus scent when first applied this soon fades. The tube has a flip top which is something I like in a hand cream and the tube is sturdy enough to transport about in your bag, the smaller tube (it comes in two sizes) is perhaps a little too large to be truly considered a handbag size but it's not overtly large.

It is a Kiehl's product so it doesn't come at a rock bottom price. Having said that it isn't wallet emptying expensive and a tube lasts a fairly long time as you don't need to use too much.

A 2.5fl oz tube costs $15.00 and a 5fl oz tube (which is huge) is $22.00.

I'm suggesting kiehls.com for online purchases as they often have online promotions and gifts as well as generous samples and a loyalty program for Kiehl's lovers but it's also available from most larger US department stores and Sephora.

*There's something about the wording and the design of the packaging of this that is quite masculine and I think that it is designed in such a way to make it appealing to the male market. Kiehl's sell a lot of product to men across all their ranges and I find this particular packaging is very reminiscent of that of the Facial Fuel range which is marketed to men. 

Cheap Thrills: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rosewater

I'm a big fan of facial sprays and spritzes, indeed it is rare that I encounter one that I don't like, so when I find one that I love that also comes at a bargain price I have to share!

Mario Badescu is a widely available face spray that comes with a wallet friendly price tag and is often featured in those 'Products I Can't Live Without' type of articles in magazines.

I first used this when I had a sample in a goody bag (no surprises there!) some years ago and ever since then there's almost always a bottle of this somewhere in my bathroom either in use or as a back up.

A base of water contains Aloe, Rose, Gardenia and Thyme in a handy spray bottle and it's suitable for almost anyone (excepting people with highly sensitive skin obvs). 

It's rose scent is an instant pick me up and it is wonderful to use as a refreshing, hydrating spritz at any time. Not only does it gives skin a quick burst of hydration, the aloe feels soothing (keep it in the fridge to make it even more soothing and refreshing) and it's a particularly nice spray to grab after any sort of sun exposure (although it isn't a total substitute for after sun lotions). 

Mario Badescu suggest you use it as a spray for hair, which I haven't done, but I can imagine it coming in handy for refreshing or restyling hair on the go. 

It's a versatile product to have to hand when applying make up. A quick spritz of this before applying make up preps and primes skin, making make up appear softer and skin healthy and glowing. Lightly sprayed over make up it helps to set it and makes it last a little longer. I also find this great to spritz onto brushes, sponges and beauty blenders to help seamlessly blend make up.

Skincare wise I like to use this as a toner, either by itself in the morning, or as a second toner at night after an acid toner. I like to layer this between products (serums and moisturisers) especially those containing Hyaluronic Acid as it helps my skin's hydration levels and makes skin look plumper and juicier.  And I'll use this if I'm going to apply a mask as they will spread out better on slightly damp skin. 

Honestly, there are just so many uses for this!

I gripe a lot about Mario Badescu's terrible packaging but this actually comes in a rather good sturdy bottle with a pump spray that works like a dream - one that actually sprays a fine mist rather than spurting out product. So far I've not suffered any spillages or leakages with this and it even looks pretty attractive compared to a lot of other MB products.

Oh, let's not forget to mention the price! 4fl oz is $7.00 and 8fl oz is $12.00. Cheap thrills indeed...

You can find it at mariobadescu.com  

Cleansers: November 2014.

It is hard to believe that four months has passed since I last talked about my cleansers in any detail. I've been away from home a fair bit since then and I have also been trying to use up samples. This, coupled with the milder weather we have been having until very recently means that these aren't a full on Winter/cold weather edit. This cleanser selection is somewhat random and it's either what I am enjoying at the moment or trying to use up.

Without further ado here's a look at the selection of cleansers that I am currently using on a daily basis.

May Lindstrom The Pendulum Potion.

This small bottle of cleansing oil has been around since my Spring round up of cleansers!

It's intended as a cleansing oil and although I do very occasionally use it as a second cleanse I mostly use this as a treatment oil to balance my skin. Once or twice a week I press a few drops of it into my face before I step into the shower where the steam helps it absorb. (I find a facial oil used in this way to be very beneficial if my skin feels at all congested.) This oil leaves my skin softened and cleansed and as an extra benefit I enjoy the aromatheraputic effect of it's comforting herbal/cocoa scent.

Lately I have been mixing this into a gentle physical exfoliator once a week as well, to make a gentle scrub even more gentle.

Repurchase?

Hmmm, perhaps.

I do like this - it is expensive but when I use it in this way it lasts a very long time. However, another cleansing oil that I like to use as a treatment is MV Organics 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic. This is even more expensive but it suits my skin better and gives even more impressive results than The Pendulum Potion does. When I do finally need to replace this I think the extra splurge on an even more expensive cleansing oil will be worth it.

Rodial Glamtox Balm.

I've been using this almost every night to remove make up and sunscreen, sometimes doubling up and using it for a second cleanse as well. It's a brilliant product for a first cleanse and removes everything effectively leaving my face feeling soft, clean and comfortable. This balm is a perfect consistency for facial massage as it is very easy to move across skin without any pulling or tugging and it warms up a little on the skin which ups my enjoyment levels no end! As you would expect it is super effective at dissolving make up and everything rinses away easily leaving no trace. The pump bottle cleanly dispenses exactly the correct amount you need to cleanse with each time so there's no waste and it has a refreshing light fragrance.

Repurchase?

I would get this again in a heartbeat if I could but it has been discontinued. I have a back up bottle in my stash but once that has gone that's it I'm afraid.

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser.

This is the same bottle from my last cleanser post and it's probably my favorite cleanser of all time! The Purifying Cleanser is a lightweight non foaming gel with an uplifting grapefruit-y fragrance which contains fruit enzymes to exfoliate oh-so-gently. I like to use this as second cleanse or as a morning face wash. It leaves my skin feeling very clean and fresh but not tight or dry at all. This isn't the cheapest cleanser around but you only need to use a very small amount so a bottle doesn't work out as expensive as you would think.

Repurchase?

Hell yeah!

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel.

This wallet friendly cleanser is an old favourite of mine. It does a pretty good job of removing make up but really comes into it's own as a second cleanse or a morning facewash for me. Like Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser this contains gently exfoliating fruit acids and I swear that my skin looks brighter and clearer whenever I use it. Don't let the fact that this comes in an ugly bottle, is bright green, and smells like an old lady's handbag put you off - this actually is an excellent cleanser at an unbeatable price.

Repurchase?

Yes.

Dr Dennis Gross Colorsmart Cleanser and Mask.

I bought a couple of tubes of this to use when traveling as the packaging was so practical and it worked as both a cleanser and a quick skin brightening mask. I recently pulled this out of my travel bag to try and use it up before it goes off. It's a nicely textured cream but it's an oddly beige colour which becomes bright orangey-yellow when you massage it into your face and neck. 

I don't find that this does all that good of a job as a make up remover and so it is better suited to being used as a second or morning cleanse. My main gripe though is that it is simply very messy to use and it is terribly difficult to remove every last trace of it from my hands and face (it leaves a terrible stain on flannels and towels).
One good thing about this is that it does leave my skin looking bright and clear so I'm trying to use it up as a morning in-shower face wash but it's a cleanser I'm reaching for with great reluctance...

Repurchase.

No, I'm thankful that I bought this on sale rather than paying full price however.

I've some very nice balms and oils waiting in the wings at the moment and these will be what I will be opening to replace empty cleansers over the next few months, as we head into colder weather and my skin needs more nurturing and moisture...

Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool.

Gloria Grahame was a star of the golden age of Hollywood and an Oscar winning actress. Twenty years later, suffering from cancer, she travels to England to star in a play where her health takes a turn for the worse. Days away from dying and refusing medical treatment, Gloria telephones Peter Turner, an ex lover who is also an actor. Peter and Gloria were an unlikely couple, he is thirty years younger than her and at the time that the book covers he is staying with his colourful working class Liverpudlian family. His family take Gloria into their lively home and pitch in to take care of her until her children arrive from America to fly her home to New York where she shortly dies.

This is a brief memoir of not only these few days but also of the couples' unusual love affair which is recounted in flashbacks.

  Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool is an strange little book that has recently been revived and made into a film. It's quite touching and it's surprisingly amusing considering that it's subject matter is so grim. The style of writing is rather odd, it feels very flat and reads almost as a script would but as the author is an actor rather than a writer maybe that's not surprising.

I didn't love this and it's not the sort of book that I usually read, but it is a touching story and the warmth of Peter's family is very apparent. I'm not much of a film buff and prior to reading this I hadn't heard of Gloria Grahame, but if you are a fan of either Gloria or old Hollywood movies I'm sure this will be of interest. If, like me, you aren't then you may want to sit this one out.