My Mad Mind is starting a new meme. It’s a photo meme. This weeks theme is “Weathered” and photographers choice.

I can’t think of a place that I personally have been that is more weathered than St. Augustine, Florida. I took this picture of Castillo de San Marcos on a field trip with Tara’s class in 4th grade (when we still lived in Orlando). Construction started in 1672, so it is pretty darned old!

Photographer’s Choice – this is not a photographic masterpiece, but something from this past week that made me laugh. This building is in our town, and I love it because of it’s color, but that is not what made me take the picture. We were leaving the Farmers Market across the street, and the opened windows caught my eye. I then realized that there was something moving in the one window. Next thing the bird is perched on the window eating a tree. I love that he was way up there with a real “birds eye view” of town!

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

You may (or may not) know that my new “career” since retiring from AT&T in 2009 is working for Walgreens as a “Senior Beauty Advisor” in a local Walgreens store. When I started working for Walgreens it was a job, the extra money I needed to pay the bills. Since I have moved to the Sr Beauty Advisor position, I feel like it is a new career. I enjoy reading about new products and trends, and find reading business news about the companies that the products come from.  I enjoy trying new products for my own experience. If I have used a product, I can better make suggestions to my customers as well.

I thought today for Thursday Thirteen, I would share my favorite 13 beauty products. All of these products can be purchased at Walgreens.

1. Olay Pro-X Clear – this is a new skin care regime for acne prone skin. I don’t really have acne, but occasionally I have breakouts. I received this kit of three products for an Olay event we had at work, and I decided to bring it home and give it a try. I have been using for about 5 weeks now and my skin feels awesome, very smooth, and I have not had any breakouts.  I especially love the way the 3rd step – Hydrate and Renew – makes my skin feel so soft & smooth.
2. Revlon Age Defying with DNA Advantage – there are SO many foundations to choose from, it is so hard to figure out what to buy, especially in a “drug store” since most times there are no testers. When a product does come with a tester or sample, I will always check it out. The display introducing this product came with a tester (that was in my shade), so I knew before I purchased it that I would love it. This foundation has great coverage, and keeps my skin feeling hydrated all day. It also has SPF20.
3. Cover Girl Natureluxe Silk Foundation – This is another new foundation. I was hesitant to give this product a try. Taylor Swift is the cover girl for this line, and well, I’m a bit older than she! I couldn’t resist trying it out when we received coupons with samples in two shades. This is a natural make up line for CG. The foundation comes in a tube. Ingredients include cucumber water, jojoba and rose hips extract. The first time I tried it was a very humid day, and it felt rather “sticky” on my skin, I think it might be the jojoba, and I was thinking it was not the foundation for me. I did give it another try, and on the day, I did not have the same stickiness. I liked the product enough to purchase a tube. It has great coverage and a little goes a long way.
4. Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor – this stuff stays on FOREVER. Lots of great colors.
5. Revlon Top Speed Nail Enamel - Great colors and it dries FAST.  It is advertised to set in 60 seconds, and they are telling the truth! I can put a coat on right before I walk out the door to work, a short six minutes away, and it is dry enough to jump right in to work when I get there.
6. Garnier Skin Renew Anti Dark Circle Eye Roller – I don’t have a big problem with dark circles and “bags” under my eyes, but there are some mornings, especially when I work close/open shifts at work and am home less than 9 hours, that my eyes are looking a little tired. This product is great as it not only has the roller to apply the product, but it is also tinted to help hid the darkness.
7. Gold Bond Sheer Ribbons Body Lotion – Gold Bond has come a long way from just making medicated powders! This new body lotion in a can is awesome! It is a unique packaging. This lotion is thick and smells great!
8. Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara – I hesitated trying this mascara (until I got a sample tube I was able to try) because of the way the brush looked. Every time I have purchased a mascara with a “newfangled” brush I have not liked it’s application. I don’t wear much eye make up on a daily basis, but I must have mascara. Once I tried it I loved it. It thickens, lengthens and separates. It also stays on great. I don’t use the waterproof, and I don’t look like a raccoon at the end of the day1
9. Jordana Easy Liner Eye Liner – Jordana is an inexpensive line of cosmetics that Walgreens carries. We don’t carry the entire line, but the eyeliners I would have to say are one of the best sellers in my store. (Tara helps with those sales, she LOVES the liners and never leaves home without her black liner.) We sell the pencils for $1.99. They have lots of great colors.
10. Angel by Thierry Mugler is my FAVORITE perfume. I don’t splurge on too many things for myself, in fact my bottle of this is empty right now, but it is awesome. If you aren’t familiar with it next time you are in a perfume department, take a whiff. They also make Alien which I like too.
11. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – as much as I love the Loreal mascara, Great Lash is an old classic. (Did you know it just turned 40 – it was my first mascara, I remember buying it at Woolworths when I was in 6th grade)
12. Studio 35 Dual Tip Cosmetic Applicators -One end is pointy the other flat “paddle” like.  I love these for putting shadow on and taking stubborn eyeliner and mascara off. The pointy end is great for cleaning up smudges.
13. Veet Ready to Use Wax Strips for Face – I love these for a quick easy clean up of my upper lip, I’m over 50 and have dark hair, those pesky hairs are inevitable. These strips are easy to apply and easy to remove!

That wound up being quite a list.

What is your favorite product?

Thanks a latte for stopping by!