I don't splurge on facial cleansers because you're washing it off your face anyway. I can't really say what it is I want in a cleanser, but I know what I don't: foam, irritation, dryness.

My love affair with Philosophy's Purity Made Simple one-step facial cleanser started out with sample sachets/foils from Sephora. I liked it so much that I really debated on whether to include the remaining samples in my last giveaway. But back then I had my Celeteque and I wanted to share Purity's goodness, so away the samples went. Fast forward to here and now, where there is no Celeteque, and drugstore brands like Neutrogena and Aveeno dry me out. So I caved and got a couple of travel sizes of Purity. Consider this a splurge.

I recently signed up for a free trial of Amazon Prime because hey, it's my last few weeks here! The service gives you free 2-day shipping on most items and unlimited streaming with Prime Instant Video. I am loving both features. If I lived in the US subscribing to it would be a no-brainer.

Anyway I was looking for a brainless comedy for background noise when I saw Betty White on the logo of Hot in Cleveland. And who can resist that silver-haired grandma? Read on for mild fangirling and more information on the series.

I've read rave reviews about the Shiseido Ibuki line but balked at the hefty price tag. Luckily, I spotted this starter kit at Nordstrom! It includes the Gentle Cleanser, Softening Concentrate, and Refining Moisturizer.

The Ibuki skincare line is formulated to be super-hydrating, enhancing skin's resistance "to UV rays, dryness, pollution, and stress" so as to prevent roughness, breakouts, dryness and flaking. It doesn't claim to be anti-aging, so it seems to target my demographic: the active student or the working woman. Read on to find out what happened to my skin after a month of use.

Dear readers,

When I'm not making my own postcards I'm looking for fun designs to send friends. Where's Waldo? The Phenomenal Postcard Book fit the bill perfectly. This is one of the best postcard books I've seen.