May 28, 2021
Dr. Sturm goes south anatomically and geographically, a sustainable lip balm and a vent about breast reconstruction.
Dr. Sturm is heading south (in 2 really good ways)
So apparently it’s safe to indulge in spa treatments again, and my biggest quandary is where I’ll go first and what I’ll get done. Do I go for a full-body sensory experience (as if the past year+ hasn’t been one in its own right), or do I treat my face to some much-needed pampering and rejuvenation? Fortunately this very difficult decision got a lot easier this week because Dr. Barbara Sturm just opened a spa and boutique in Miami’s Design District!
All of the treatments (ranging from the Signature SturmGlow and Super Anti-Aging Facial to the Revitalizing Scalp Massage) sound divine—but I have my eye on the Summer Facial (which is exclusive to Dr. Sturm’s Miami and L.A. locations). Featuring frozen cubes of her legendary Hyaluronic Serum (how decadent!), this treatment focuses on calming irritation caused by environmental aggressors while deeply hydrating a reviving the skin. Sign me up!
This grand opening isn’t the only Dr. Sturm development that’s going down… This week also marks the debut of her V Collection. Yes, your V (as in vulva) can get the top-shelf topical skincare treatments that your face has come to love so much. In true Dr. Sturm fashion, there’s legit science behind the new V Drops and V Wash.
With pre- and probiotics to maintain a balanced microbiome along with a complex of plant-based ingredients that cleanse, soothe and hydrate this oh-so-delicate area, these gynecologically-tested products definitely take personal care to the next level. P.S. The V Drops also contain ruby stone powder (she deserves it) and it just may help inhibit hair growth thanks to Gurmar plant extract.
This seems like a good place to leave you for the week… There’s still time to get a Dr. Sturm facial on the weekend’s agenda, and remember to do something nice for your V!
Let's save the planet one lip balm at a time
If there’s one product I blow through more than any other, it would definitely be lip balm. (In fact, I just finished Rooted Beauty’s Restorative Lip Treatment and cracked open Hurraw’s Almond Lip Balm today.) To put my consumption in perspective, let’s say I finish 12 a year for approximately 70 lip-balm-wearing years. That’s 840 empty lip balm containers that will most likely wind up in a landfill.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the current shift toward refillable products—and it’s about time. (Even Dove, which is owned by one of the largest personal-care conglomerates in the world, is offering this more-sustainable deodorant option.) Which brings me back to today’s featured product: Re.Fil Beauty Balm.
More than just for lips, this clean, vegan, moisture-packed bullet will smooth any rough, dry skin that crosses its path thanks to a blend of natural oils (like argan, coconut, macadamia nut, etc.), hyaluronic acid, barrier-reinforcing ceramides and squalene to seal in hydration. The tube itself is made of 100% recyclable post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic—and when you finish one you can simple pop a refill in there! (They come in sets of two.)
No effort for cleaning up our acts (and the Earth) is too small—so why not start with your lip balm?
I'm cranky, so a vent is in order
“If you don’t have anything nice to say…” You know how the rest of that goes, hence the lack of posts this week. PMS is a distinct possibility (although I’m not 100% sure since I’ve been taking tamoxifen for two weeks now and had what I think was my first hot flash on Saturday) but I can definitely say I’m just annoyed at, well, everything right now. In hopes that getting it all out will make me feel just a wee bit better, here we go.
I saw my plastic surgeon yesterday and I can’t get my implants until August. This means I have to live with these rock-hard, oddly-shaped expander-boobs for at least two more months.
Living with my expander-boobs also means I’m unlikely to get a good night’s sleep for at least two months. I have to sleep on my back, and I wake up several times throughout the night with numb hands because I instinctively keep my elbows on the mattress and let my hands hang down. (It’s bizarre, I may need to bring the post-surgery wedge pillow back.)
After barely sleeping, I literally can’t get out of bed in the morning. The soreness and chest-crushing pressure I feel whenever I get up from lying down is insane. (The good news is it dissipates fairly quickly once I’m upright.)
I’m sick of wearing a sports bra ALL. THE. TIME. (Except when I’m in the shower.) I love my four Everlane Perform Bras because they are not racerback, which means I can step into it and pull it down to get out of it, but I’m totally over them.
I’m getting really tired of walking around my neighborhood for exercise. Why? Because I can’t really do anything else. As I watch any arm definition I may have once had fade into oblivion, I ordered a set of two-pound Bala Bangles this morning. I plan on wearing them on my wrists while I walk, and on my ankles every other minute of the day.
My surgeon says I’m still really swollen—I’m hoping this includes my ass and thighs—so I’m trying really hard to eat a mostly plant-based diet and avoiding salt at all costs. (That’s enough to make someone cranky.)
I can’t open a freaking child-resistant pill bottle, or even my baby oil for that matter. I can’t cut a watermelon or spaghetti squash. Jars? Not a chance. If I lived alone I’d be in big trouble.
I think that’s it for right now—and I actually do feel a little better. But I also have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be updating this post throughout the day. (Feel free to chime in and share what’s irking you!)
Update #1: The weather is yucky today. (Just rain already!)
Update #2: I desperately need Botox. Looking at myself in the mirror isn’t helping my mood one bit.
Update #3: Now I feel guilty for complaining because I’m healthy—and that should be enough, right?
