8.29.2009

Glamping Day Four: The Bear

On our last day in Gatlinburg, I was awoken by Abz yelling, "OMG! A bear got into our trash! It's everywhere!" Like any good sleuth, I immediately put on shoes and ran outside to the scene of the crime. It was there that my father-in-law and I, he in his robe, discovered that our large protective trash bin had been carried from one end of the porch to the other. (These are claw holes from where the bear grabbed the bin.)



Our house happened to have a wrap around porch that went almost the entire distance around the cabin. You could only exit from the one side. The bin had been carried past several chairs that did not give a wide berth, a grill and my wet clothes from Zorbing.

The bear then apparently shook the large bin until the metal piece that kept it closed fell off. The doors then opened, the trash cans fell and the bear dragged the trash bags into the woods. It was everywhere. However, the bear kindly did not disturb the chairs, grill or my wet clothes, which was really nice, all things considered.


Everywhere we went in Tennessee, I saw the same message. Garbage Kills Bears. Being an animal lover and certainly NOT wanting to kill bears, I decided to pick up the garbage. While my mother-in-law later pointed out I didn't need to clean it up (??), I couldn't fathom leaving the trash there.


Picking up the stuff on the driveway was easy. Climbing down the muddy, steep hill in my MBT shoes and a skirt was a different matter. Not wanting to negligently kill a bear, I risked falling in mud to pick up gross leftovers. I continued to brace myself (which always yields a 50/50 chance of falling) on branches and rocks down the short incline to the tree line to retrieve the trash. (It is steeper than it looks here. Trust.)


When I made it to the tree line, I stood up and took a breath, looking back over my shoulder at all of the trash I had cleaned. Feeling proud, I looked down the mountain and then up at the clear blue sky. I was filled with pride from my good deed.



In the next breath, I heard the loud crackle that is only accomplished when something very large and very heavy moves in the woods. Instantly knowing the bear hadn't yet left the very trash I was collecting, I did what any good non-bear killer would do. I hiked my skirt up to my hoo-haa so my legs could take wide steps up the steep hill and I ran like nobody's business back into the house.

I would like to point out a few things:

1. I carried the collected trash with me and left it in the drive way.
2. I pulled my skirt down before running into house, where I almost smacked into my father-in-law, who looked perplexed as to why I was running.

I then hurried around telling everyone what happened. Loxy's bro and sister-in-law actually went outside looking for the bear. Don't ask, I don't know what they would have done if they found it. Perhaps just photographed it, I suppose. Loxy himself saw the bear from an upstairs window, but I was the only one with a close encounter of the bear kind.

What does this have to do with makeup?

After my encounter, I was visibly shaken and looked a little "off". Not wanting to go to breakfast at "Little House of Pancakes" looking disturbed, I turned to my new favorite trick to make your eyes look naturally amazing.I used Mally's Lash Illusion Liner under my eye, just along the base of my lower lashes. Then I lined the inner corner of my upper lash line with the same liner. Here is the key. I used Tarte's Rest Assured pencil on the inside rim of my lower eyelid. Then use the Rest Assured just under the line I already created under my lower lash line with the Mally pencil. I finished off my eye with the creamy shimmer part of Rest Assured just dotted and smoothed out in the inner corner. This makes your eyes pop while looking refreshed, without looking like you are wearing any makeup!

What are your tricks for looking great, despite being almost chased by a bear? (or anything like that!)


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8.28.2009

Glamping Day Three: The Hike

As mentioned, I don't like outside. I like inside. Where there is air conditioning, snacks, my dogs and television. However, my super active brother- and sister-in-law joined us and wanted to "see the Park". I understand this as a reasonable thing to do, but I had yet to make good use of the screening room in the lower level of our swanky house.

Resolved to being outdoors all day, I needed to up my SPF game. I am in the middle of fading some serious melasma (brown splotches from sun damage) on my face and I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. The products I am using to erase my sun damage are finally working, so I don't want to risk a thing.


I was told we would be hiking up a portion of a mountain, to a waterfall and then back down. The beauty of this is (sadly) lost on me, but I used it as an opportunity to seriously test out some products. My products would have to withstand the sun, sweat and brow wiping for an extended period of time.

Here is what was on tap for my hike:

Jan Marini AntiOxidant SPF 30
Tarte Smooth Operator SPF 20 Tinted Moisturizer
Tarte Eco Cheek Natural Cheek Stain
Tarte Four Day Stay Lash Tint
Tarte 24/7 Lip SPF
Frederic Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Zero Humidity Frizz Control

Halfway up the hill, we found this sign, which made us laugh at my mother-in-law, who was panicking and constantly asking us to practically walk on the side of the mountain trail that wasn't the edge.


I was laughing so hard at Abz, I accidentally snorted in a fly, only half of which came out of my mouth. Hilarity ensued. Also, it was gross.



We finally reached the small area where the waterfall was located. It was pretty. I don't know about the rest of the country, but in Baltimore, we have railings everywhere to make sure we don't fall off of things. On this park trail, at the waterfall, there were only faded signs asking us to step back. One woman fell three times, on slippery rocks where there was falling water. As klutzy as I am, I took this as my clue to go back down the mountain.



So how did my products fare after hours of sweating in the great outdoors?Jan Marini AntiOxidant Face Protectant kept me looking positively pale. I love this stuff! Plus, it never felt thick or looked white-ish, which is a huge plus in my book. And it's waterproof and sweatproof to boot!


Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer assisted in my SPF goals and truly made my skin look radiant and glowing. I love how fresh my skin looks with this and it held up pretty well, despite the fact it isn't waterproof or sweatproof.

Tarte Eco Cheek Natural Cheek Stain gave me that perfect Evangeline Lily creamy cheek flush I was hoping for. This color is gorgeous, dries down nicely and lasts and lasts. Plus, it is a build-able color, so you are in control of how soft or bright your cheek color can be. It has a nice sheen that isn't too much, but isn't too subtle. Perfect!
Tarte Four Day Stay Lash Stain didn't run or flake. My lashes were not crunchy and didn't look like I was trying too hard, which is a good thing when you are in the wilderness, even if you are glamping.Tarte 24/7 Lip was lovely as ever, its bright color a nice change from my usual no-color lip protection.


Frederic Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Zero Humidity Frizz Control is a complicated product. I spent a lot of time researching a product that used a real sunscreen to protect my locks. Apparently, it's illegal for hair products to list an SPF rating for hair products, so I had to do some real research to find a product that had an actual proven (to my satisfaction) SPF ingredient (in this product, it's Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, which is listed as the fourth ingredient). My hair color did not suffer, but I am not sure I can suggest this product wholeheartedly. While it did protect my hair, it also made it crunchy. My hair protectant quest continues.

Check back tomorrow, for my last day of Glamping, where I met a bear.


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8.27.2009

Glamping Day Two: Zorbing in Pigeon Forge

Sent for review.



Day Two of my Glamping in Gatlinburg extravaganza was unique. We started the day hoping to go whitewater rafting and when we had called on Wednesday, we were told the river was dam-controlled and Thursdays were a no go. We excitedly called on Friday to schedule our rafting tour. Turns out, Friday was a no go because of the dam as well. When we asked why were weren't told this on Thursday, it was because we didn't ask specifically about Friday. Ugh.

Not off to a great start, I insisted on Zorbing. Why I wanted to do this, I have no earthly idea. Basically, Zorb is the "sport" of rolling down a huge hill in a hamster ball, with or without water. It started in New Zealand and it just so happens that Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is one of the only places you can officially Zorb in the US. I don't like roller coasters and I generally dislike fun (my co-workers will agree, as I have almost never gone to a happy hour in 13 years). But I wanted to Zorb!


I understood from the Zorb website that I would get wet. Really wet. I also knew my family had no plans for me to take the time to retouch my makeup, so I tried to plan a day that would allow me to not look like a train wreck while not getting sunburnt. After Zorbing, we were planning on spending the day at Dollywood, where I had hoped, but doubted, they would have large breast themed attractions. Rides or no rides, I didn't want to look like a drowned rat, so here is what I was banking on to help me maintain some kind of decent appearance:

Tarte Eco Cheek Stain: a gorgeous creamy peach stain.


Jan Marini Skin Research AntiOxidant SPF 30: Waterproof UVA/UVB SPF 30, my new fave sunscreen.



Tarte Lights, Camera Splashes Waterproof mascara: the waterproof version of their amazing mascara.

Once I saw people leaving the Zorb, I realized that getting wet wasn't really what was happening. It was more like being put in a washing machine. I left my hope of not being a hot mess in the red van that took us to the top of the hill. I got out of the vehicle, into the ball, and went down the hill.

Two fun facts before you watch the video:

1. If you crank the audio, you can hear me screaming the whole way.
2. My shorts fell down.




After my trip down the hill, how did I fare? My eyeliner was almost gone, my mascara stayed put, and my cheek stain held its own, although slightly worse for the wear. I did reapply my sunscreen, as I am not willing to risk burning my skin for my blog. All in all, I would say Zorbing is the ultimate test for makeup (and the closest thing you can get to actually being put in a washing machine). And while my slightly made-up face held up ok, it didn't matter. This is one of those times my inner beauty took over and out-shined my makeup.


Check back tomorrow for my day of hiking, which fulfilled my outdoorsy quotient for the rest of my life.

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8.26.2009

Glamping Day One: Conquering My Fear of Heights

On our first day in Gatlinburg, we discovered that the rivers to go White Water Rafting are dam-controlled and that we could not raft on Thursdays. Determined to find some other kind of outdoorsy thing to do, we opted for the next best thing, Ober Gatlinburg. Ober Gatlinburg is perhaps a German-based "amusement park", best known for its snowflake logo and its tram, which goes to the top of one of the mountains. My sister in-law Abz and I decided to go there because we wanted to Alpine Ski.

In order to prepare for the day, I would need serious sunscreen, eyebrows that lasted all day, some light foundation to even out my skin and some kind of lip protection. Considering my average day includes 23 products, NOT INCLUDING SKIN CARE, this is asking for me to leave out quite a few things I consider essential. But back to Ober Gatlinburg.



In order to Alpine Ski, our goal in going to Ober Gatlinburg, you have to trek fairly high into the mountains. The first leg involves taking a 15 minute tram ride up one part of a mountain. The tram ride itself was terrifying because it:


1. Held too many people.
2. We saw a bear, so
3. Everyone rushed to one side.
4. It goes so high off of the ground.

Once you get to the main section of the park, you then take a ski lift to a higher section of the mountain, in order to dry sled down again. Abz and I considered backing out of this Alpine Ski because it looked like it started at the top of the mountain, which was so high we couldn't really see it. We both realized we were more afraid of heights than we thought. However, we convinced younger sis-in-law, Jojo to go with us. We got in line for the ski lift and then almost chickened out again because:



1. The ski lift was an open car.
2. It went too fast when it started.
3. Your legs dangled a schmillion feet off of the ground.

Once we got on the lift, me by myself and Jojo and Abz in their own car, I defaulted to singing L'cha Dodi, a shabbat song. I had hoped my fearless sisters in-law would join me in voice from the next car and calm my nerves. Alas, they just yelled, "Why aren't you waving back?" My eyes were shut as I sang about the bride of shabbat and hoped this leg of the trip would be over.

When we finally reached the top, hopping off at our stop, we grabbed our Alpine Ski Sled and waited nervously to go down hill. Since we could control the speed, it felt very safe. Indeed, it was. The 8 year old with one arm in a cast went down in the sled next to mine. I could no longer view this as a "challenge of wills". In fact, it was a semi-slow ride down a concrete channel in the side of a mountain. Oh well.



After my terrifying ski lift ride and not so terrifying dry sled down the mountain, how did I look?



My eyebrows stayed in place, despite my furrowed brow and constant sweat wiping, thanks to Tarte's EmphasEYES Brow Pencil. The color looks more natural than the powder I was using, and the tiny pencil strokes looked totally natural, especially when I combed them out with the brush on the other end. My brows are very thin at the ends and this beefed them up without looking fake. This held up all day so, considering it's the one thing I will never leave the house without, yeah brows!


My Jan Marini Antioxidant Waterproof SPF 30 protected my face from the sun all day, which is ultimately the most important thing you can do to stop aging in its tracks. The formula is really light and non-goopy. It has one of the best sunscreens available to combat UVA and UVB rays, Parasol 1789, and it dried quickly to an oil-free matte finish that worked well with my tinted moisturizer. Plus, it's waterproof and perspiration proof. I am not sure I can go back to using any other sunscreen!


The tinted moisturizer I decided to put to the test on this trip was Tarte's Smooth Operator. This tinted moisturizer, provides a 20 SPF (but please don't count on your foundation to protect you!) in a creamy, slightly tinted base. This tinted moisturizer is sheer, but provides a little coverage - I had the Evangeline Lilly radiance I was hoping to achieve. It also stayed on and looked fresh for about 8 hours. Not too shabby for all of that activity.


Finally, I turned to Tarte again for their 24/7 Natural Lip Sheer to protect my lips. The color it added was nice and bright and the SPF 15 protection was great. This isn't glossy, so if you are looking for a glossy balm, this isn't for you. If you are looking for a lightly colored balm to help your lips retain moisture while you're outside, then this is your stick. I wore this all day and it had great staying power and superb lip protection.

Check back tomorrow for one of the coolest things I have ever done (and can't wait to do again!).

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8.25.2009

My Vacation : Glampin' with My In-Laws


For my summer vacation this year, Loxy and I took a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with his dad, stepmom, two stepsisters and his brother and sister in-law. Now, before I tell you anything further, I have to tell you how this trip came to be.

My father-in-law turned 60 this year and decided he wanted to do something as a family we wouldn't normally do. Somehow, this turned into camping. While I grew up camping, both in a tent and in a camper, I couldn't fathom that they wanted to CAMP. See, my in-laws aren't camping people. They winter in Florida and take spinning at the Club. They eat out more than they eat in and have Help to manage their lives while they are out and about being busy. They are awesome, but they are not camping people.

When I first heard of this birthday plan, I was horrified. Not because the idea of camping isn't for me (although it's not), but because camping is NOT for Loxy's family.

Thankfully, camping to them means electricity. It also meant a five-thousand square foot house, with a sauna, hot tub and built-in movie theater. We would all have private bathrooms and they would be nice. This trip went from camping to glamour camping or "glamping" in the bat of an eye.




Realizing that my sanity would remain intact, I decided to put my glamping trip to use and see what beauty products could live up to my glamping activities. While we are all admittedly "inside kids" (minus my Israeli Army bro- and sis-in-law, who kayak in Alaska for fun), I decided to stretch my comfort level and venture outside.


So what was on tap for my glamping trip? Zorbing, taking a tram up a huge mountain and dry sledding down the other side, hiking up a mountain to a waterfall, visiting Dollywood and running from a bear. (By the way, you shouldn't run from a bear, you should make yourself look BIG and back away slowly.) But more on all of that later.

My beauty goals? Find products that can hold up to the heat, humidity, sun and sport while keeping me looking as "Evangeline Lilly on Lost" as possible. While I know I don't look like Evangeline on her worst day, I just want to look fresh, cute and naturally gorgeous. That's not too much to ask, is it?

Find out tomorrow what held up and what gave out.


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