Bloganuary, A Review

We made it. We did a whole month’s worth of writing based on daily prompts. Thank you to all who commented on my musings here. I met terrific bloggers and hope to keep in touch.

Today, we all got email that included a survey. I hope you all use it. To me, that is not enough though. So, I am hoping to get a discussion going here about your experiences with #Bloganuary.

Personally, I found the daily routine to become a burden but I didn’t want to quit. Not every prompt challenged me or, I felt it was too self-centered.

What I missed:

*challenges that included flash fiction (but those cannot be a daily prompt at least for me due to work)

*bloggers sharing blogging tips

*bloggers helping out newbie bloggers

*an automatic sharing of all our posts (after we upload to P2) on social media which should be easy to do for WordPress. This would have enhanced not just our visibility but also #bloganuary.

In general, I wish the challenge was less about each individual blogger but more about the blogging community.

Your thoughts?

Review: Belif Cream Bombs

Some of my favorite cosmetic products come from the Korean brand Belif. Their products do not have paraben, sulfates, phthalates or synthetic preservatives. Nor do they have synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances, mineral oils, and animal origin ingredients. I have asthma and scents trigger attacks. I can use this entire line without problems. They scent is mild, not too sweet, and to me, it has a calming effect. The two creams that I use year-round are the moisturizing bomb and the aqua bomb.

Belif Aqua Bomb/AdS The aqua bomb is the lighter of the two, it is blueish, and has a finer texture. I use it in spring and summer.

It is a light gel that cools instantly. It refreshes my entire face. It feels like Clinique’s Moisture Surge. It is, however, not creamy enough to keep my skin moisturized through fall and winter.

Belif Moisturizing Bomb/AdS The moisturizing bomb is ticker, white, and has a firmer texture. I use this during fall and winter.

It may feel thick when you apply it but it doesn’t leave my face shiny or greasy. I wait a few minutes before applying powder.

This cream is also my year-round night cream. It is described as comforting for dry, flaky skin. This cream keeps my skin moisturized during winter.

When I travel, I buy one of their mini sets. The jars are small but they do last. You don’t need a lot of the cream so these kits easily lasts me 6 weeks. As every jar is small, it all fits in your handbag. I keep them in my emergency bag (with a change of clothes, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, etc. all in travel sizes) in case my suitcase gets lost. It has saved me many times.

A word of critique: no UV protection, no SPF. You have to add that or, use a different moisturizer when you go out.

Review: Leuchtturm1917 Jot Book

Leuchtturm1917 Jot Book Cover

One of the big advantages of having a personal blog aside from the professional website is that I can now post any review that I want.

On the professional site, I feel bound by the theme. It is self-imposed, I know, but I feel it all should remain appropriate and respectful tot he victims and there families. But here, anything goes. Well, within limits.

One of my addictions is stationery. I recently found this jot book from leuchtturm1917. I am probably late to that party. I have used their bullet journals for a long time now but never used their jot books. And now that I have, I love it!

The jot books have a unicolour, soft cover. There are only sixty pages but aside from that, it has the coveted index and numbered pages. At the top of each page is room for the date. The paper feels the same from the bullet journals. My fountain pen has no trouble flowing smoothly over the pages and the bleeding and feathering is kept to a minimum.

What I really like is the sixty pages.

The traditional bullet journals have 251 pages. For a personal journal or a long-term project, that is perfect, preferred even. Keeping information together is very practical. However, there are all these smaller jobs, projects, and tasks that do not warrant their own 251 page bullet journal. I’d be wasting paper as the smaller projects do not fill the whole book.

Writing down smaller projects in my personal journal is not an option either. For example, during committee/work related meetings, etc. I don’t want anyone to see my personal journal notes. So, that’s where these jot books come in handy. I use the jot books for smaller projects, household notes, making holiday plans, short online courses, etc. Anyone else tried these?