Thoughts on 13 Reasons Why...

Just finished 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. I had the time to binge it, but couldn't bring myself to. It was too rough and emotionally draining. It was perfectly imperfect, and should be required viewing (including the Beyond The Reasons feature) for anyone with or who works with teenagers. High school can be an unforgiving place, and this series captured the essence of it so very well.

There are a lot of tough-to-watch moments in this series, and I'm sure some will argue that these things don't need to be seen on screen. Their reasons are definitely understood, however, I'm wondering now if it wasn't a good thing that the creative team covered them in such a graphic way? By their very nature, these events are terribly painful. I think it's good to feel that once in awhile - that uncomfortableness, the rawness -  of those moments. It changes you.

I was horrified, then sobbing. But, as the credits rolled I was left with one feeling: Be kinder.

What would our world be like if we were all a little nicer to others and a little less self-serving? I'd be willing to bet we'd all be be better off. At the very least, I think we owe it to ourselves to try.

Deciem Skincare Is Pretty Much The Greatest Find Ever

I had been hearing rumblings online about this skincare company, Deciem, for quite awhile before I placed an order in January. They are an umbrella for 16 (from what I saw on their website) different brands and let me just tell you, I now want to try every single item they offer!

I ordered three products - one from Niod, one of the more expensive brands, and two from The Ordinary, which is much more budget-friendly. All three are in very sleek, clean packaging. None have crazy scents or made me break out. And, most importantly, they all work insanely well.

I love the philosophy behind The Ordinary - "Clinical Formulations with Integrity." Their products are full of tried and true ingredients. Nothing too out-of-the-box, just simple formulas that produce good results. The retinoid I bought (for $10, btw) is the same level as prescribed by my dermatologist, and the moisturizer (around $6) is chock full of lipids and hyaluronic acid.

 I ended up buying Hydration Vaccine ($55) from Niod, the more clinical and "fancier" brand in the range. I loved to see that it was vegan and a had neutral pH, but put it in my cart because it claimed to help skin look 20 years younger :) No joke - I stopped reading the description at that line and didn't see that it had some silicone in it. Because of that, I use it in the morning and it is seriously is the best priming moisturizer ever. It's just perfect. I literally find myself touching my face after I use it because it feels so... nice? I can't describe it but it's so good!

Now that I'm in my 30s, I'm obsessed with skincare and cannot say enough good things about these products. I don't know about you, but cutesy packaging only does so much for me. I mean, it's nice to look at and I like it a lot, but I want things that actually live up to their (mostly self-professed) claims.   Deciem is so worth it. You get so much bang for your buck. Definitely check them out!