If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Getting your neck firm and ready for the upcoming fall season might not be such a task with a little help from skin-lifting cream that shoppers say makes a “huge difference” on sagging skin. Dermelect’s neck firming lift cream is packed to the brim with skin revitalizing ingredients like avocado oil, alpha-hydroxy acid and green tea extract that hydrate and plump skin so well, wrinkles and fine lines look less prominent instantly. And to top it off, you can shop the brand’s New Year sale with code NY20. Right now, save 20 percent sitewide with free shipping on orders $60 and up, which gives you an ample opportunity to stock up on all of Dermelect’s bestsellers.

“This is THE only neck cream that does what it promises to do,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “My necklines have disappeared and my skin feels much softer. No negative side effects, either.”

With the purpose of being used daily, the cream is meant to improve the overall appearance of wrinkling and sagging skin from across the neck and jawline area. Basically, it gets rid of what’s so lovingly nicknamed “turkey neck.” 

Courtesy of Dermelect.

When you take a look at the product’s main ingredients, it’s easy to see how it’s so effective as an anti-aging, wrinkle-erasing tool.

Avocado oil works to nourish your skin, while the alpha-hydroxy acid evens your skin texture out and the green tea extract aids in UV protection as well as anti-inflammation. One shopper said the product’s a “game-changer” and added that, if “you want instant better skin tone—this is it!” 

Along with anti-aging ingredients, the cream is jam-packed with nourishing ones. Jojoba Oil is also another powerhouse ingredient in this firming cream and helps skin retain moisture. Say goodbye to dry, chapped skin.

This firming cream is a hit with customers who have mature skin problems,  many of whom said it helps them look younger and fixes sagging issues around their necks. 

“I have been using this cream for my ‘senior neck’ for a long time and I can report that my 89-year-old neck looks years younger,” says another customer. “Be consistent, I use it twice a day.” For best results, use your bare hand (or maybe a Gua Sha stone) to massage the cream into your skin with an upward motion until the product is fully absorbed. This can be done when you wake up and before you go to bed. 

Even better: the neck-firming cream is free of mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, sulfates and synthetic fragrances. Along with this, it’s also cruelty-free and gluten-free, making it the perfect product for you if you have relatively sensitive skin. 

So, if you’re in the market for a neck cream that performs wonders and has an ingredient list from the heavens, then Dermelect’s Self-Esteem Professional Neck Firming Cream might be something you might just want to add to your cart.

Do you enjoy packing for a forthcoming trip?
Do you agonise time and time again on what to take or what not to take?

We have been on the road travelling as digital nomads since 2013 and have learned a thing or two about packing. At times, however, we still fall into the trap of taking too much.

These days we travel the world with a carry-on,
and we would like to share our tips with you. The longest journey we undertook
was 18 months travelling through Europe and Central America with our carry-on
weighing in at 11 kilos and our day pack with our technology which weighs
around 7 kg.

Know Airline Weight Restrictions

Although we travel with carry-ons, budget
carriers have weight restrictions. They have become stricter lately with how
much we can carry on board, and in most instances, we now have to check our
carry-ons in.

Ensure that you know each airline’s weight
restrictions and sizes for carry-ons when you book your flights. Fees at
check-in are higher if you are above their regulations.

Compare Prices

When booking your flights compare prices of
budget carriers and their add-ons such as luggage, meals, movies, etc. to a
regular scheduled service. The regular scheduled services may be a better
choice.

Use Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are a traveller’s best friend. They save packing time, and clothes are easier to locate in dedicated cubes. We travel with four each – two medium and two large sizes. They fit neatly into our Osprey carry-on.

Substitute Liquid for Bar Shampoo

If you are travelling with a carry-on there
are size restrictions on lotions. If you are staying in hotels, they normally
provide shampoo but most of the time they do not provide hair conditioner.

We travel with shampoo and conditioner bars as a backup in case the hotel does not provide them. Our favourite is from Lush! The bars last us for around 6 months, saving us $$ and space in our luggage.

Stock Up on Body Fragrance

We find deodorants to be quite expensive when
purchasing overseas compared to prices here in Australia. We usually take two
with us and if need be top up overseas.

Buy Your Body Lotion Locally

Hotels used to provide body lotion, but we are
finding that this is a thing of the past. We like to support local businesses
when we travel.

If we are staying in a country for a few
months we will buy body lotion locally. Otherwise, we will buy a travel size or
decant our favourite lotion in a carry-on travel size lotion container.

Never Forget to Care for Your Skin

Sunscreen is always expensive but a necessity
these days. We bring our sunscreen with us ensuring that it is the right size
for our carry-on.

Try Toothpaste Tablets

Regular size toothpaste tubes can be oversized
for carry-on regulations. We usually purchase them once we arrive at our
destination.

Another option is the Lush toothpaste tablets
which weigh 0.6 grams and come in small carry-on bottles. You pop one in your
mouth, chew for a few seconds, and then brush as normal.

Choose the Easy Seasons

We “chase the sun”! We escape the Australian winter
and then return to escape the Northern Hemisphere winter and enjoy the
Australian summer. Travelling with summer clothes makes it easier to travel
with carry-ons.

If we do happen to travel during Spring or
Autumn in cooler climes, we may have to purchase warmer clothes. In this
instance, we will gift the clothes to those who need them in the streets or
donate them to a thrift shop.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What items do you prefer to pack when you travel? Which ones do you buy locally? Please share any tips that come to mind!

Today’s economy has us all searching high and low for some extra streams of income, right? The latest stock market volatility and interest rate skyrocketing makes us feel like we are on a daily roller coaster ride that has no end in sight! Looking at owning rental property for extra income might be right up your alley or maybe not?

Own a Property – Earn Money

Owning an income producing property can be a great way to earn extra income in your retirement years! Income producing properties can actually be quite lucrative if you have plenty of patience, determination and resilience.

Being a landlord isn’t for everyone and can be a nightmare or it can be quite rewarding or even both! The best advice I can give you is to first educate yourself with your local landlord tenant laws, carefully purchase income producing properties that make sense moneywise, and last but not least treat any and all tenants with respect.

Being a Landlord Can Have Its Pros and Cons

The pros of owning rental property:

• you get extra rental income,
• depreciation tax benefits
• possible appreciation of the home value over time.

Now the cons:

• you really need to make the numbers work (rents charged vs expenses of owning),
• tenants may not always pay their rent or pay on time (prepare for negotiations, excuses, evictions,
• and last but not least, your income producing property may suffer damage from a tenant’s misuse.

Commercial Properties

What about commercial income producing property for extra income? Easier or more difficult? I’ve actually owned both residential and commercial income producing properties and though they are quite similar, they are also different!

Commercial income producing properties typically require a larger initial investment and have different landlord/tenant laws. They do, however, reward you with a larger return of investment. Like everything in life, being a landlord has its ups and downs and experiences can range from wonderful to bizarre. Below are three true landlord/tenant stories that may help give you a brief look at the ups and downs of being a landlord.

The Case of the Unreachable/Missing Tenant

A punctual tenant paid timely rent for almost two years and then just disappeared with no forwarding address. I received no rental income for over three months and was unable to reach the tenant via phone, mail or email.

My only recourse was to enter the tenant’s unit (per lease I had the right to do so due to abandonment), remove their contents, store them, and re-rent the unit to someone else. Nine months passed by, and the mysterious missing tenant resurfaced. The tenant noted personal life issues and asked for leniency. I ended up accepting a payment for storage fees and bid the tenant a gracious goodbye.

A Tenant Passes Away

A mini-storage tenant in a commercial storage facility I owned unfortunately passed away during his tenancy. The local police department, based on information they had obtained from the tenant’s apartment, contacted me for access to the tenant’s storage unit believing possible explosives had been stored in the unit.

The authorities had to obtain a court order to remove the tenant’s lock as storage unit owners have no access to any tenant’s unit. The police department obtained a warrant to remove the lock, removed the tenant’s lock and found enough explosives to create significant damage to a large area surrounding the storage facility.

The tenant apparently enjoyed collecting various vintage explosives he had purchased from local gun shows (hand grenades, shells, various ammo, etc.). The explosives were removed immediately by local police and nearby military experts.

A month’s rental income was lost, but I was extremely thankful that the explosives were discovered before they could have created a hazardous situation. Lesson learned is to be more informed of what tenants are storing in their rental units. Every tenant typically signs a lease noting no chemicals or explosives will be stored on the property; however, landlords or property managers rarely inspect rental properties for such.

The Perfect Tenants

Decade-long tenants of a condo unit I owned gave notice to terminate their lease due to family caregiver needs. Upon examination of the condo unit, I found the condo’s condition amazingly better than when the tenants took possession 10 years prior.

Walls had been freshly painted, appliances were in good repair, and the condo was move-in ready. Elated, I asked the tenants out to a lovely local restaurant to thank them before returning their full rental deposit given to me 10 years prior.

Hopefully, these stories will give you an idea of some of the ins and outs of owning rental property. Every rental is truly unique. Remember to research properties in your area before purchasing, determine the current demand for rentals, and study the current landlord/tenant laws. With proper due diligence you could be an awesome landlord before you know it!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you thought about being a landlord? Are you looking for safer ways to invest your savings? Have you got some good or bad landlord stories to share?

When winter rolls around, it usually triggers a wistful feeling, a sense of completion and a sense of loss.

The mornings are cool, the days are short. It’s hard to avoid the feeling of shrinking away! All of Nature seems to be saying, “Stop, listen, think about what you have been, and wonder what you will become.”

Nostalgia Whispers the Passage of Time

At the same time, memories of other years come forth, whispering to us of the passage of time, and somehow we find ways to call forth comfort.

The season creates a vulnerable feeling and we want to find shelter from the storms of too much information, too many calls to action. Coziness is very appealing. Getting away from the hustle and bustle has a distinct allure!

Wasn’t it simpler before? Didn’t things make more sense ‘back then’? It’s easy to think so now, as the small trials of everyday life are forgotten, and what remains are the images of the things that brought satisfaction.

Work was simple. You did your job, and nobody expected it to be easy, but you knew what was involved and could know you had done your work. If you did your job well, you could reasonably expect that you would keep it.

We Are Living in New Times

Relationships were defined differently then, too. Many of us grew up expecting a certain set of rules would always govern our lives. As we have matured and lived our lives, we’ve seen those rules disintegrate, leaving us to figure out how to live in the new times.

The children… weren’t they really good, and so sweet – unlike the ‘brats’ of today? Or then again, perhaps they were not. Looking a little deeper brings back other memories, too.

Many nights were spent in a state of exhaustion, looking after a screaming child. We were always performing that juggling act that every mother does while working to satisfy the demands of the whole crew, hoping she will have the time to do something for herself ‘someday.’

Nostalgia Creates a Sense of Beauty and Satisfaction

This is that day. Nostalgia is a sweet thing, and a sad thing – at the same time. We look back and create a story that suits our needs today. It’s not the same story about the day we are looking back on, as the story that we were living on that very day.

No, it is the story that serves now. A sense of beauty and of satisfaction can come from nostalgia. It’s a nice place to visit, once in a while. It can help to create new awareness that in some cases, things can be simple again, that buying into the rat race mentality is not truly a necessity.

What was it about that time that appealed to you so much, as you remember it? Is there a way to express that same feeling today? That is the true function of a healthy sense of nostalgia. It gives a sense of continuity to experience. It is a doorway to meaning, and a way to create a story that is healthy.

Feeling the inevitable sorrow that accompanies memory gives a sense of completion to life. Once felt, the little – or not so little – tang of sadness can be let go, leaving behind the memories of what we have treasured.

Disregarding the petty – or significant! – irritations of the past serves a function for our emotions, too. It gives a sense of strength and of hope that we can get through this time. The light will return.

We Must Face Winter

Some things that we have treasured will not return, except in memory. Let your memories give you a sense of completion and comfort, as the winter season dawns upon us. Once we have gotten this far, the turning point is becoming visible.

Rain, snow, wind, cold… they are already part of every day. All of them are simply part of the turning of life, the vast dance in which we find ourselves.

Every journey around the sun brings us to the remembrance of the last time the season came about. And, we remember that this, too, is a time that is passing through; that we are passing through along with it.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you have memories of the past that bring back strong emotions? Do you think that nostalgia can enrich our present state of mind? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

I know multiple people who have had their stubborn acne completely cleared by Curology. It used to work by taking a photo of your skin and uploading it to the Curology website, where skilled dermatologists examined the type of acne you had, and then put you on a Curology regimen that’s tailored to your skin’s condition and type. Of course, that method of care is still available, and today, you can even get prescription-only tretinoin, azelaic acid, and more. But now, you can pick up Curology skincare essentials like pimple patches, moisturizers, and more at Target.

You can still get customized acne-fighting formulas that get shipped directly to your door at Curology, but the essentials you’ll always need a restock of have officially launched in stores and online. Each of the moisturizers, sunscreens, and more are non-comedogenic, phthalate, paraben, synthetic fragrance and dye-free, so they automatically aid any acne-fighting routine you’re already on. If you’re on prescription acne medication that’s outside of Curology, these make a great addition to your routine that will naturally help replenish the moisture-loss caused by the harsh acne-fighting ingredients typically found in prescriptions. Here’s everything you can pick up now that we’re loving from the Curology launch at Target.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Target is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Courtesy of Target.

Curology Emergency Spot Patches – 40ct

Even as you’re on an acne-fighting skincare routine, you could still be dealing with lingering zits for weeks. Put these emergency patches on to fight off your remaining breakouts. Plus, $9.99 for 40 patches is a serious steal.

Courtesy of Target.

Curology Gentle Face Cleanser

This daily cleanser is made for all skin types, even the most sensitive ones. Since it’s free of any harsh chemicals, fragrances or dyes, you’ll just get the pore-clearing cleanse you’re after and nothing else you don’t need.

Courtesy of Target.

Curology Cream Face Moisturizer

This ultra-creamy moisturizer helps repair the skin barrier without clogging pores and working against your acne routine. Of course, it can be used on anyone who needs a boost of hydration, acne or not.

Courtesy of Target.

Curology Micellar Makeup Remover

I can’t tell you with how obsessed I am with the fact that Curology makes a makeup remover. I mean, seriously, what’s better than knowing you’re getting rid of everything you piled on your face throughout the day with a clean, vegan formula? Pick it up for just under $12.

Courtesy of Target.

Curology No Clog Sunscreen

When you have acne, you want to keep your routine as simple as possible, but SPF is one thing you can never skip out on. Get this Curology sunscreen that’s made specifically not to clog pores for just $17.99.