Tis the season!

 It’s in the air: the nostalgic sound of carolers & jingle bells; the familiar scent of gingerbread & evergreens; and the feeling of crisp, snow filled air. The pleasant thoughts of what’s to come leaves us in anticipation. Many of us are stressed this time of year though. We’ve got long lists of things to check off, and we can’t wait to hurry up and relax on the couple of days we have off. Along with the glossy magazines that show us how to achieve the “perfect” Christmas in every way, there are oh so helpful articles suggesting we take time to really enjoy the holidays, which includes not putting so much pressure on yourself. I’ve always liked the image of curling up on a snowy December afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate and a Christmas novel. But with so many things to do, starting a full length book isn’t realistic. Luckily I discovered short Christmas novellas, which are a nice little thing you too can give yourself this season. You can escape for just 15 minutes a day with a sweet Christmas story.

A Christmas Kiss is part of author Susan Hatler’s Kissed by the Bay series. Busy divorce attorney Harper Avery spends all her energy on her clients, and has no time for romance herself, due to her cynical nature. Last minute Christmas plans find her snowed in at a cozy cabin in Lake Tahoe.  She planned to be alone, but discovers also there is her worst nightmare – or is it her secret fantasy?

Christmas in Kissinger by Misty Simon is a look at the lives of several friends in a small Pennsylvania town. There are three stories featuring independent women who aren’t looking for love, but find themselves swept away by captivating men. The narratives are told from both the women’s and the men’s point of view, which is refreshing. And, what’s this? A couple even get raunchy, which was an unexpected spicy surprise for a Christmas novelette!

These books are ideal for the holiday – under 150 pages, easy, feel good reads that can put you into a cheery Christmas spirit. I received both books from NetGalley.

Until next time,

Kara

Washing up with e.l.f.

I treated myself by ordering something different, e.l.f.’s new Hydrating Bubble Mask.  I was intrigued by the description of a gel that transforms to a bubble mask, with bubbling foam cleansing the skin. My curiosity won, I just had to try it! So did it deliver?

Luckily, dispensing the gel is easy, and that small amount of gel produced all these bubbles for my face and neck.

These are the bubbles while foaming. For the first application, I kept it on for 10 minutes, and the second time, the bubbles were long gone after 5 minutes, and my skin was left with the gel remaining, which I massaged in and rinsed off. The results are a sleek, smooth feeling face.

At a cost of $18 CAD, the Hydrating Bubble Mask is more of a mini luxury for me. I use it once a week and anticipate it coming in handy for the dry winter months ahead.

The Daily Face Cleanser was part of our surprise Halloween Treat. It gives me a light refreshing wash, and the clean scent is pleasant, not perfumed. My face isn’t left tight or dry, but soft and a bit moisturized. I don’t need to use much either, and it lathers up nicely. This would be a great cleanser for those with sensitive skin.

These cleansers have delivered on what the details stated for me, and I would easily recommend them.

Until next time,

Kara