the things i love: witch city wicks

i might be in love with the candles from witch city wicks in salem, ma.

i first learned about witch city wicks last christmas when my friend amy gifted me with one of their small glass jar candles in the "egg nog" scent. i can't remember what she said word-for-word when i opened it, but i think it basically amounted to "i know, a candle, but seriously, these are amazing."

and she was totally right! i love this candle so much that i only light it sparingly unlike my other, cheaper candles that i light and forget about, only to come back and find nothing but a small puddle of sad wax and a burnt and knobby wick. the scent is really strong but not overwhelmingly or sickeningly so, and it burns so evenly! i'm really fussy (hello, virgo!) which means i'm one of those people who will push the wax around if i see my candle melting only on one side, which also means i'm one of those people who ruins candles by messing with them. but i don't have to worry about that with these babies - they burn perfectly evenly, soothing my fussy virgo soul.

i had one of their black series candles on my wishlist (OBVIOUSLY) for months and finally treated myself when they vended at the BBB's union made fair over the summer. i haven't lit it yet (because it's so preciousssss!!!) but every once in awhile i open it, sniff it, sigh, consider lighting it, and then decide to "save it for later". idk, this is just what i do when i love something so much. use it? no, saaaaaaaave ittttt!

i might just give in and light it because witch city wicks will be vending at the BBB's winter event on december 16th and i can totally treat myself again.

in conclusion - their candles are awesome, buy one for yourself, and if you give one as a gift and the recipient happens to give you a blank look, just tell them "i know, a candle, but seriously, these are amazing."

the things i love: elizabeth arden 8 hour cream

i sort of don't know what i'd do without elizabeth arden 8 hour cream.

THE LEGEND Created in 1930 by Elizabeth Arden herself to soothe skin, Eight Hour® Cream Skin Protectant became an instant and overwhelming success. What made it so effective? A combination of petrolatum, a skin-soothing beta-hydroxy -- debuting in one of its first cosmetic uses -- and vitamin E. The apricot-colored balm was so beneficial to her clients that Miss Arden even used it to soothe her famous thoroughbred horses' legs. Even its name came about thanks to a remarkable performance – a loyal client used it to treat her child's skinned knee and "Eight Hour®s" later, the skin was all better.

i am slightly obsessed with the stuff.

i think i fully realized how indispensable this product is this morning when i noticed that overnight it had totally annihilated this annoying rough patch on the top of my cheekbone. i noticed the rough patch a couple days ago when i was putting on blush and thought why is my cheek already so pink pre-blush? i touched it and went oh no not again! i had one of these same small rough patches on the front of my shoulder all of last winter and no matter what i did, i couldn't get rid of it. no amount of exfoliating or cream seemed to do the trick.

so last night while i was sitting around watching tv and applying 8 hour cream as lip balm and rubbing it into my elbows and hands and especially my cuticles (as i often do - multitask!), i dabbed some of the excess on the rough patch on my face. it felt soothing so i applied some more. then after washing my face before bed, i again applied a little more.

this morning when i was washing my face, the dry skin just sort of came off. it's totally un-elegant, but it just kind of rolled up and peeled off like it was a little bit of dried elmer's glue on your palm (you know what i mean). and TA DA, normal, happy skin underneath.

so yes, once again, this stuff rules. i love it so much i've given tubes of it as gifts to friends and always keep some in my bag and on my nightstand by my bed and i LOVE the smell of it (i think it smells like some sort of herbal tea). with the winter coming up, i'm thinking it might be time to stock up.