NONA has Arrived!

Back in 2003, a friend of mine was talking about this band called The Format. Over the years, I downloaded tracks and added them to mixes. With all of my music ventures, I'm surprised I never saw them live. In 2008, The Format parted ways, and I haven't really thought of them much, unless I listen to a mix of mine, which has Time Bomb, from their album Dog Problems. Earlier this year, I heard the song "We Are Young," by the band, fun. Realizing the voice was familiar, I Googled the band. Lo and behold, fun. frontman is Nate Reuss from The Format! I also found out that Sam Means, who co-founded The Format with childhood friend, Nate, was also working on his solo career. I went over to Sam's site, to check out his tunes. I was excited about what Sam had created, and I could not wait til his EP, NONA, was released.

NONA is named for Sam's daughter, Lola, who had trouble pronouncing her name - hence the title of the album. The EP contains five tracks, most of which fall under the three minute mark. Have no fear though, Means created some quality tunes. All of the tracks showcase a variety of instrumentation, which are tastefully arranged. Means is a talented musician, and it shows in his work. My favorite track is "Will You Hang Around," but I truly love the entire EP. Its not often that I find new releases that I listen to from start to finish, but NONA is definitely noteworthy. 


As of yesterday, NONA is now available on iTunes. If you'd rather go the independent route (which I highly suggest), you can download it from Sam's site by clicking here. If you go to the aforementioned link, you can listen to the EP in its entirety before purchasing. If you're a collector like I am, you can also purchase the exclusive Record Store Day release 7" NONA vinyl, which includes the digital downloads. Either way, you can't go wrong.


Here is Sam performing an acoustic version of "Will You Hang Around." Happy listening!

Will You Hang Around? (Acoustic) from Means on Vimeo.



You can find Sam Means on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Image and video via Sam Means.

Baby Brother is Blogging!

The other day, as I was just getting out of the shower, my phone rang. It was my younger brother, Vincent-Michael. I call him Finster, or Fin, for short - that is our father's nickname for him. Why Finster? One night, when he was a toddler, my parents were watching the Looney Tunes short, Baby Buggy Bunny. It featured a tiny gangster, Baby Face Finster. BFF was climbing something, which apparently, was a favorite activity of my brother's, so the nickname stuck. Now that you know a random tidbit of information about him, this is how our conversation went.

M: Hello?

V: Oh hi*, my child.

M: Oh hi.

V: Guess what I did?

M: Oh lord, what did you do? In my mind, I'm thinking either he bought a motorcycle or tattooed his throat. 

V: I started a blog.

M: Oh. Relief, with a bit of surprise. Really, where?

V: On Wordpress.

M: Oh. Make a new one on Blogger.

V: Why?

M: Because I said so. Its what I use, and it connects to your gmail. Plus, I know how to work this one, and I'm sure you're gonna call me and ask how to work it.

V: Oh, okay.

M: What is it about?

V: I don't know, stuff.

M: Well, you should have an idea of what its going to be about. Don't think I'm being a bitch, I just want you to set the right tone for it. Give readers an idea what they're looking at.

V: Okay. I gotta go make a new blog. 

M: Sounds good, let me know when its up.

V: Okay. Love you, oh bye.

M: Love you too, oh bye.

*Oh hi, oh bye and my child are phrases we started saying about fifteen years ago, due to our good friend, Sean. I call it Seanspeak. There are a handful of phrases/words that we only use with or parental units, Sean, and a select group of people who utilized Seanspeak when we were in high school, but I will spare you for the moment.

Since that phone call, I've gotten a few more from him - asking how to fix the layout, making sure its working, and to see if I like it. So far he's doing well, and I've given him a few pointers, because thats what big sisters do. His blog is called stolencandy_tastebetter, and its a culture/lifestyle blog. Its still a work in progress, but check it out. 

Halloween, 1986. Weren't we the cutest?

Currently.

Reading: High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby. I've reread this book on more than one occasion, and I love it. I'm only three pages in, because I have things to do such as school work (which I should be doing right now, but of course, I am procrastinating). In a week, I will give this book my undivided attention. I speed read, so it should only take a day or so to finish it. 

Watching: The Big Bang Theory. I know, I'm a few years behind on the Big Band bandwagon, but when I caught it last year in syndication, I fell in love. Now, I don't watch it religiously, but whenever I catch it on the tube, I am glued to the screen. The relationship between Penny, Leonard and Sheldon is hilarious. I can't choose which of those characters is my favorite, because they all bring such great aspects to the show. I could write more, but I'll spare you. If you haven't seen the show, watch a few episodes. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Working on: a better workout routine. Liz and I were so concerned with running, we didn't really work out anything else. However, two weeks before the run, we both purchased Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. At the end of the workout, I was dripping sweat and wanted to die. I was so sore for three days after, too! Liz had the same results, and we decided if we wanted to make it through the 5K, we were going to put Jillian on the shelf until after we ran. Tonight, we will both be working out with our "BFF Jillian" - or "that bitch," as we reffered to her as we worked out on the elliptical last night.

Thinking about: the future. Work, school, relationships (family, personal, etc.) - this has all been on my mind. In order to not stress about it too much, I decided that I will only think about what is currently in front of me. Why put my stomach in knots for no reason? Its pointless!

Anticipating: the arrival of my Neon Yellow Jeffery Campbell Lita's from Nasty Gal. Erich had promised these to me months ago (he owed me a pair from Christmas, but the ones I had wanted sold out before he could get them), and he finally ordered them for me. They were the last pair in my size - nothing like the last minute, right?

Listening to: Maroon 5 - Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa). I have been a Maroon 5 fan for years, back when they had just signed to Octone Records. I remember when they could wander the street outside of The Downtown (a popular venue on Long Island that closed a few years ago), and they weren't recognized by fans. Those were the days! Even though they are huge now, I don't think I'll ever stop loving them.




Eating: clean! After a weekend of indulgence (I ran my first 5k, so I allowed myself a pig out weekend), I am eating clean for three weeks. The only packaged goods I will be eating are nuts/grains. I'm also going to try and cut caffeine out, or at least to a minimum. I've cut caffeine out before, but its super hard. I have some Teeccino that I got for a blog review, so I will use that to help curb the cravings.

Wishing: the end of this semester would get here sooner than later! The spring semester always seems to drag on for me. I think its because of spring break - having so much time off from classes makes the remainder of the semester seem like an eternity. Although I'll be stuck taking summer classes, I am ready for this semester to be done with.

Acure Organics Review.

Back in March, I had mentioned that Acure Organics had sent me a cleansing gel to try with a few other products from their line that I had purchased. I didn't want to rush the review, because skin can be finicky, especially when switching to a different regimen. After using these products for six weeks, I am proud to report positive results! As I have normal to oily skin, these were the products suggested for my skin type. If you have a different skin type, you can email Acure's esthetician at esthetician@acureorganics.com regarding products and/or developing a regimen.  


Here is a breakdown of the regimen I used, and my review of each product. All photographs via Acure Organics.


Acure Organics facial cleansing gel superfruit + chlorella growth factor

Ingredients: Organic Curoxidant Blend (Organic Acai Berry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Rosehips, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Calendula officinalis, Organic Chamomile, Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Rooibos, Lauryl Glucoside (vegetable derived), Decyl Glucoside (sugar soap), Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Olive Oil, Organic Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorella Growth Factor), Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented sugar), Potassium Sorbate (food grade preservative), Lemon Essential Oil, Citric Acid


I use this cleansing gel in the morning and in the evening. It has a nice, fruity scent to it, but isn't overpowering. It produces minimal lather, which I like, and doesn't make my skin feel overly dry and it doesn't leave a film on my skin. It also doesn't leave a strong scent lingering on my face, which is a plus. On days when I ran, I would use this on my whole body, because I feel this works really well, and it gentle on skin. Acure Organics donates $1 for each bottle purchased to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.


Acure Organics brightening facial scrub sea kelp + chlorella growth factor 

Ingredients: Organic Curoxidant™ Blend (Organic Acai Berry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Rosehips, Organic Elderberry, Organic Nettle Leaf, Organic Cranberry, Organic Goji Berry, Organic Raspberry, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Blueberry, Organic Calendula officinalis, Organic Chamomile, Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Yerba Mate, Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Emulsifying Wax NF (Vegetable), Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Cocoa Seed Butter, Organic Safflower Seed Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Glyceryl Stearate (vegetable derived), Lauryl Glucoside (vegetable derived), Decyl Glucoside (sugar soap), Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Olive Oil, Organic Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorella Growth Factor), Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented sugar), Potassium Sorbate (food grade preservative), Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Essential oils of Sage, Lavandin, Lemongrass, Spearmint. I was using this scrub before I began the entire Acure regimen, and I love it. You only need a little bit - squeeze out a pea sized amount, and add a drop of water. The scent is hard to explain. It reminds me of my backyard, which probably only makes sense to me, but this is another product that does not leave a lingering scent on the skin. I use this 2-3 times a week, usually on days that I run. Like my face wash, I will use this on my entire body on running days. I've also used this as a foot scrub, and it works wonders. I've had this bottle for two months, and there is still some left. Acure donates $1 to the BCRF for each bottle purchased.


Acure Organics facial toner rose + red tea

Ingredients: Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Rooibos, Organic Calendula, Organic Chamomile, Organic Witch Hazel, Organic Bulgarian Rose Water (Hydrasol), (NOP Cert. Organic) Glycerin*, Organic Chamomille and Calendula flower Extracts


The last time I used a toner, it was Sea Breeze. It smelled horrible, stung my skin, and dried my face out. This toner is nothing like anything I have used before. I actually enjoy spritzing this on my skin! Every morning, after my face is washed, I spritz this 2-3 times on my face and neck area. It feels fantastic. I let it absorb as I get ready. It smells delicious and reminds me of  a cool herbal tea. It can be used as much as you'd like, but I only use it in the morning, mostly because I never remember to spray it throughout the day. Acure donates $1 to the BCRF for each bottle purchased.


Acure Organics oil control day cream 

Ingredients: Organic Curoxidant Blend (Organic Acai Berry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Rosehips, Organic Elderberry, Organic Nettle Leaf, Organic Cranberry, Organic Goji Berry, Organic Raspberry, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Blueberry), Organic Calendula officinalis, Organic Chamomile, Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Yerba Mate, Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Emulsifying Wax NF (Vegetable), Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Cocoa Seed Butter, Organic Safflower Seed Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE (vegetable derived), (Vegetable) Glycerin, Organic Sunflower Oil, Infusion of Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower in Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Olive Oil, Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented Sugar), D-Alpha Tocoperyl Acetate (Vitamin E), CoQ10, Organic Chlorella Growth Factor, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Essential oils of Sage, Lavandin, Lemongrass,Spearmint. 


I use this moisturizer in the morning, after the toner has absorbed into my skin. Like the face wash, it has a faint fruity scent, and 2 squirts is more than enough for liberal application to the face and décolleté (a fancy term for your neck/neckline/chest area, which has thin skin that often gets neglected). I don't get greasy throughout the day with this, although I did for the first few days when I started using it - like I said earlier, my skin needed to adjust to the new products. The only downfall to this product? No SPF! For each bottle sold, $1 is donated to Bright Pink, and Acure also donates 5% to provide free mammograms to at risk women.


Acure Organics argan oil 

Ingredients: 100% Organic Argania spinosa (argan) oil.


Out of all of the Acure products, this is my absolute favorite. I use this on my face every night after I wash with the cleansing gel, but this has a plethora of uses. I use this thrice weekly as a body moisturizer, I use this in my hair to keep frizzies at bay, a cuticle moisturizer, and bug bite soother. My skin and hair have never looked and felt better, and I attribute it to argan oil. While argan oil might smell a bit different, it reminds me of a faint version of olive oil, but have no fear - the smell goes away. I'm almost done with my bottle, but one ounce over a six week period isn't too bad! For each bottle sold, $1 is donated to Bright Pink, and Acure also donates 5% to provide free mammograms to at risk women.

The Acure Organics products are inexpensive, especially for an organic line ($3.99 - $29.99). If you only buy one product of theirs, I urge you to buy the argan oil. Its only $14.99 a bottle, which is a steal. Josie Maran charges $14 for a 0.5 ounce bottle and John Masters Organics charges $38 for a two ounce bottle. Plus, you will also be helping a worthy cause. Acure also has a hair and body line, which I'm dying to try out. I own their unscented body lotion, which was my first Acure product, but I'd love to sample their other scents.




Do you use natural and/or organic beauty products? Have you tried argan oil before? Any thoughts and feedback are encouraged!