Currently using to take care of my skin

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People often ask me what I use to take care of my skin.  Below is what I use daily (yes, every single day, 2 times a day. As they say in the DR "el que quiere mo~nos bonitos, aguanta jalones"). Soon I’ll share what masks and scrubs I use when I give myself a weekly or bi-weekly steam facial at home! :)

  1. I take off my makeup each evening with a cotton pad and some of Koh Gen Do Makeup Remover.  This remover is AMAZING and the bigger bottle lasts a long time: http://www.sephora.com/cleansing-spa-water-P294007?icid2=Koh_Gen_Do_Must_Haves%20_P294007_image
  2. I then cleanse my face with facial soap.  Right now I’m using Ole Henriksen On The Go Cleanser: http://www.sephora.com/on-the-go-cleanser-P42336?skuId=1522622
  3. Instead of using my hands to get the cleanser around my face, I use a Clarisonic Mia 2.  This is a must!  http://www.sephora.com/mia2-skin-cleansing-system-P296898?skuId=1382407
  4. Now here is my secret weapon, SKII’s Facial Treatment Essence.  I started using this January of 2011, and for the first few days, my entire face broke out into these small white dots at each pore.  I freaked out and went back to the beauty counter to (1) have them help me so this would stop and (2) return this crazy product!  The sales woman assured me…wait it out…for the next week or two “your skin will purge all the toxins it has inside, wait it out and you will see the difference”.  Well  3.5 years later I can tell you this product does AMAZING things for your skin. I’ll let you read the product description, just know this is the one product I cannot be without: http://www.sephora.com/facial-treatment-essence-P375849?skuId=1448612
  5. I always use a serum before I moisturize.  Always! Using Lancome’s Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector and am really liking it: http://www.sephora.com/visionnaire-advanced-skin-corrector-P296833?skuId=1374149
  6. I always use a moisturizer.  I’m using Algenist’s Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Gel Moisturizer but am feeling that the gel format is not moisturizing enough for my dry skin: http://www.sephora.com/multi-perfecting-pore-corrector-gel-moisturizer-P377370?skuId=1490226
  7. So I just got the Clarisonic Opal.  I’ve had the Clarisonic Mia for about two years now and have loved my experience.  Not sure how I feel about the Clarisonic Opal yet.  I’ll have to use it with different eye serums and creams to give a final verdict. I also use it around laugh lines and brow frown lines: http://www.sephora.com/opal-sonic-skin-infusion-system-P257102?skuId=1347038
  8. I ALWAYS use eye cream.  I’ve been using eye cream since I was 19 years old and I don’t think I started early enough!  Using Lancome’s Visionnaire Eye Cream, but am feeling it’s not moisturizing enough for me: http://www.sephora.com/visionnaire-eye-cream-P382549?skuId=1562347
  9. I’m using Latisse!  Your lashes grow like crazy!!  I used it once before, about a year ago, and it was crazy to see how long my lashes got.  Started doing it again J http://www.latisse.com/
  10. When all is done, I finish with a few spritzes of Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir. It’s great for your skin and transports you back to the spa: http://www.sephora.com/beauty-elixir-P6025?skuId=1231182
  11. For daytime I ALWAYS moisturize with an SPF.  I’m using this Kate Somerville product, though I’m not liking it very much (too watery, not moisturizing enough): http://www.sephora.com/daily-deflector-waterlight-broad-spectrum-spf-50-pa-anti-aging-sunscreen-P381034?skuId=1496819
  12. For daytime I always use eye cream with an SPF.  I’m using Supergoop Advance Anti-Aging Eye Cream SPF 37 and like it quite a bit: http://www.sephora.com/advanced-anti-aging-eye-cream-broad-spectrum-sunscreen-spf-37-P382079?skuId=1561166

Phewwww!  Well there it is :)

Lots of love,

Judith

Chicken Burgers with a kick!

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When I made these last week, they got quite the attention!  Here’s the recipe, from where else but “It’s All Good” which I’m blazing through cooking…they were AMAZING

1 lb ground chicken (dark meat for all the flavor)

2 garlic cloves, very finely minced

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 shallots, very finely minced

1 teaspoon very finely minced red chili

2 teaspoons fish sauce

½ teaspoon sea salt (or kosher)

½ teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

Mix the chicken with the garlic, cilantro, shallots, red chili, fish sauce, salt, and pepper.  Make 4 patties, ¾ of an inch thick.  Heat a grill or a grill pan over medium heat (I used a grill pan as you can see from the pic!).  Rub the burgers on both sides with the oil and grill until firm to the touch (had to grill mine for 10 minutes on each side).  Enjoy!

Find your nearest bakery and do this!

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Every Sunday morning, my husband and I head out to our local bakery.  We are very lucky it also happens to be one of the best ones in SF :)  During the week, things are so busy, it's hard for us to connect and talk about, well, whatever comes up in our heads.  During the week, a lot of our focus is on execution: What in the home needs to get done, who is going to the grocery store, when should the dog go out if neither of us is home, where will we meet up with friends, etc., etc., etc.

Our Sunday breaks are moments of total peace.  Just the two of us, with lattes, croissants, and pastries…And no agenda whatsoever.  Some of our best ideas have come from our Sunday mornings!  We bounce off plans and dreams, and many times 2+ hours have gone by and we have to peel ourselves from our chairs in order to continue the day.  When we got married, my husband said one of the things he loved about me was that I was a true partner in his life (I feel the same way). Sunday mornings help us deepen our partnership and take it to the next level.  What are you doing this Sunday morning?  Grab an almond croissant with the most important person in your life, whether your partner, a family member, or a friend.  Oh the conversations that will result!

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Sunday night cooking - Tuna steak and seaweed rice

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After going to the De Young museum to see an exhibition on Modern Art (see my tab "Spirit"), Hari and I came home to relax and cook.  This meal can be prepared in 45 minutes, so an option for weeknight cooking as well :)

One change in the future: Fresh tuna steaks.  I got the Whole Foods frozen steak the day before, because I didn't know when we would be able to make this meal (Sunday night, Monday night?).  Next time I will splurge on the sashimi grade ahi tuna steaks.  I would have felt much more comfortable just searing these if that had been the case.  Instead, I felt a bit uncomfortable doing that, and cooked them almost all the way through.  A good meal, but it can be much, much better with this simple change.

Here are the great ingredients for the rice: sesame oil, soy sauce, shredded nori, green onions, and sesame seeds (inside the nori, so you can't see them)

Here's the rice, ready to be eaten! It was GOOD :)

Seared tuna

And guess what, today I had the leftover tuna with a simple salad of greens and sesame oil, lemon, sesame seed dressing.  That was really yummy!


Saturday Night Cooking - Chicken and Syrah

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Saturday night cooking...one of my favorite things to do.  Am trying to deplete my wine stock (so I can have another reason to go to wine country) and decided to cook something inspired by this Syrah.  It's from the Russian River Valley, so I knew it would be a lighter body Syrah...What to make?

I had started to read Gwyneth Paltrow's "It's All Good", so why not go there for some inspiration?  I found a chicken and broccoli rabe recipe that could be a good fit

Let the cooking begin!

My half chicken browning.  I was surprised a half chicken only cost me $6.50 at Whole Foods.  Yipeee!!

These will go into the yummy chicken with some chicken stock

So I had broccolini in the fridge already...so why not use that?  I actually modified GP's recipe with some helpful hints from the Barefoot Contessa.  Barefoot recommends adding lemon zest to this dish.  Done.  And guess what, I probably doubled the amount of garlic...I love garlic.  I love garlic!

Here's my chicken one hour later.  YUMMMMMMMMM. 

I made some couscous and we were ready to go!  Couscous is not part of GP's "Clean" diet, but I forgot to pick up quinoa...and again, I had it in my pantry, so why not use it up?  Everything was delicious.  This is a recipe that I will repeat again.  Instead I will do a full chicken and get a bigger pot :-) Lots of love to you all!

 

Tuesday night cooking - Salmon and cauliflower

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Just because it has to be quick, doesn't mean it has to be bad or unhealthy :). Salt, pepper, and olive oil one head of cauliflower, which you've broken up into florets with your hands (as much or as little as you want; I usually do two pinches of salt, three pinches of pepper and about a tablespoon or so of olive oil).  In the oven for about 25 minutes.   Pepper the top of the salmon (I completely cover the top of the salmon with ground pepper) and put it under the broiler...I can't remember how long I leave it there for, but I'll remember to keep track next time I make this dinner and post the time here!