Grace Murphy

Adding to that and Arizona’s air is so dry that humectants like hyaluronic acid or even glycerin can feel tight unless you seal them in. Try applying your moisturizer to slightly damp skin then “cap” the driest spots with a thin layer of petrolatum or a ceramide balm, and use a gentle non-foaming cleanser with lukewarm water to avoid stripping. Also check if denatured alcohol is high on the ingredient list - swapping to an alcohol-free, richer formula often solves this.

I’d grab a small student-grade set (6-12 colors) with true primaries (cyan magenta, yellow), plus burnt umber and yellow ochre, and a big tube of titanium white; you can skip black at first. To fight the quick-dry issue, make a cheap stay-wet palette: shallow tray, damp paper towel, parchment on top, and mist occasionally; tubes also last longer than tubs if you close them snugly. Fewer, better tubes mix cleaner and will beat a 24-pack padded with neons or kids washable paints.

Good point - I’d add to that: look for a hybrid build - soft TPU bumper with corner air cushions around a polycarbonate back or an all-TPU case with reinforced corners - and skip all-hard clear shells since they crack from short drops. Make sure there’s a 1–2 mm front lip, a recessed camera ring, grippy textured sides, and molded button covers, then pair it with a tempered glass screen protector but then if you want clear, pick a UV-coated polycarbonate back with a TPU bumper so you get impact absorption at the edges without fast yellowing.

Along with switching to a single focus point double‑check the lens and camera are both set to AF, not MF. Try this quick test: if it focuses well in live view but misses through the viewfinder, you may need a small AF microadjust or a service check. For wiggly grandkids, use continuous AF and bump the shutter to around 1/500 or faster to rule out motion blur.