as per request: my rave of faves.

An audience member blessed to be on Oprah's coveted Oprah's Favorite Things episode, where the Queen Mother of daytime TV gifts people cars and peanut brittle and cashmere.

I ain't giving you no minivan.

 

Let me preface this post by saying "stuff" is not important. In fact even the word "stuff" is poo-pooed by most high school english teachers. That being said, there is still some "stuff" that is my favorite, and I would like to "stuff" my post with such "stuff." In fact this post about "stuff" was really a blast to write, I feel "stuffed" with giddiness over my "stuff" sharing. (I started to have a little too much fun with the stuff-train, I'll now disembark and get down to business.)

This post is hereby dedicated to my most beloved products, sparkles, and widgets. Read on.

1. Bare Minerals: My tiny pores squeal a billion tiny exclamations of gratitude over the makers of the most fantastical cosmetics on earth.  My skin is infinitely better and happier with mineral makeup and it makes your skin look so makeup-less.

2. Glitter Nail Polish: Sometimes you just need a little Ke$ha-esque spice in your day and for me that has come in the form of glitter polish. I have one from Claire's via SIL Cam and it is just entrancingly glittery. As I paint my digits I try to figure out a way to gracefully insert a dollar sign into my name. Aubr$y? A$B? too many vowels not enough "S"...

3. Bumble and Bumble's Creme De Coco Conditioner: I haven't purchased this in many a moon because its' cost is about equal to gold per ounce, but for good reason... IT IS LIKE PURE GOLD FOR THE HAIR! Nothing softens my tresses quite like it and it smells like sweet breezes from heaven.

4. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate: No caramel should ever be unsalted again. I don't think I need to say any more than that.

5. Eloise Tanks @ Anthropologie: these tank tops are the perfect undershirt. They're spandexy and feel like a nice leotard. They hold all business in place and come in darling colors. They also market them as reversible (v and scoop neck) although they do have a tag, so I've never been sure about that.

6. Proactive Sulfur Mask- Put it on a trouble spot at night and it works so very hard while you sleep. You can buy it on amazon or at the mall from a kiosk that is hopefully not manned by one of those creepily flirtatious (hedging on molesty) european dudes.

7. Make Up Forever- I love this line sold at Sephora (the mother ship of beauty stores). I especially dig the under-eye concealer and the Mist and Fix face spray which literally seals your makeup to your face and protects it from the elements and pollution and all of that la-di-da.

8. Neutrogena's Grapefruit Line- The scrubby face wash is by far the best face wash I have ever tried and it smells like zesty citrus. Do not eat. For a super-extra-magnificent cleansing, put it on a Wave vibrating face scrubber and power polish your mug.

9. Joe's Jeans- They must be made in Santa's workshop because they are always exactly what you dreamt they would be. Perfect fits, washes, styles, and adorably flattering BUM POCKETS. I only buy them on sale. It can be done if your determined enough to search and be patient, they must be marked up like 200%, so don't be a sucker.

10. Paper Source- I have a crush on this store. Pens, stamps, boxes, cards, wrapping paper, kitschy office stuff, moleskine journals. It's just a delightful place. Their buyers are complete trend-geniuses.

... And while I'm at it let me share one last tip.... search your local discount places (a la ROSS) for good hair products on the cheap. This new discovery just made me the happy owner of some Big Healthy Hair Conditioning Pumpkin spray... for 2 bucks. I paid in change like a hobo person.

As I was writing this post, I giggled inside myself a lot. Have you seen that 30 Rock (speaking of favorite things!) episode where Liz Lemon thinks that Oprah is on her flight because the Lemon has taken too many sleeping pills? No? Well Oprah tells Liz all of her "Oprah's favorite things" including salt water taffy from Rhode Island and sweater capes and paisley. It's really hilarious and I think I just lost my audience with that tangent but I feel like Oprah and I have something in common now... we share our favorites.