Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Review

This is hands down the BEST drying  tool I’ve used EVER!  Believe me, I’ve tried everything that’s out there, blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, other brands of hot brushes, hot rollers in every size imaginable, but I’ve never found anything that works like this does.  Think about it,  no more trying to hold a round brush in one hand and a blower in the other hand, no flat iron, just a product that works.

You will look like you’ve had a salon blowout after you use this.  I read about it online and reviewers compared it very favorably to the new Dyson pricey $500 brush dryer.  I read over and over how good it was, I bought it and I was just amazed from day one.  Even long hair doesn’t tangle in the brushes, it gives your hair volume and shine, it’s a time saver, it just works.

I usually let my hair partially air dry, usually to about 80%, or if I’m in a hurry, I’ll blow dry it part of the way, then use this to finish.  I turn my head upside down and blow from the back starting at the nape of the neck first, then I blow dry it in sections.  Most people start at the back bottom and work up, for me it’s easiest to do the crown first, then flip the hair that I’ve dried forward and continue downward.  It’s just what works for you.  I loved this dryer so much I bought it for both daughters-in-law, they too think it’s wonderful.

So, if you want to give yourself a great gift for $60, the link is below.

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Review

This thing is holy grail, trust me on this.  ~ Jan

Below is the video I watched that convinced me I needed to buy this.

Parchment Paper Liners for Muffins

 

 I love all things to do with cooking, and I have a feeling I’m a little late to this parchment paper game, but last month when we were visiting Ryan and family, we went every morning for breakfast at The Dixie Diner, a great little restaurant not far from their house and every morning I had a Jumbo Blueberry Muffin (don’t judge me) in a parchment paper liner like this one above.  I was intrigued, the muffin didn’t adhere to the paper like it does with a regular muffin liner and it was so darn cute.  It’s all about the presentation for this old(er) girl.

So I did a little research and it’s a pretty simple thing to do.  For jumbo muffins or cupcakes you need 6” parchment paper squares and for regular sized muffins or cupcakes you need 5” squares. Now you could cut your own, but seriously, who wants to do that when you can buy them precut already.

If you want the tulip effect like the one above, it does take a little work, but they look so good they are totally worth it.

It’s pretty simple really, just pleat the muffin around an overturned glass the same size as the muffin tin and then plop them in the tins.  I suppose you could just pleat them inside the tin itself, but this is much easier.

You can buy these liners, bleached or unbleached.  I’ll do easy links for you below.  AND since yours truly, who buys everything kitchen related just realized that I don’t have jumbo muffin tins, I’m going to remedy that today by ordering them.  Oh, I am a sucker for Amazon Prime, but aren’t we all.

So, here are the links, happy baking, and now your muffins will look just like the ones in the bake shops. 😋
 

 

The ones I ate were in these unbleached liners, which looked great.  Here’s the link for the 5” ones

And the 6” ones, are actually marketed to use as squares between hamburger patties, which brings up a whole other subject that I will address in another post.

Here’s the link for the 6” ones

And now for those jumbo muffin pans, Wilton sells them on Amazon for $11.99 Prime.  Here’s the click

 

DIY Dry Dog Shampoo that WORKS!

Boy, do I have a great tip for you.  This recipe is floating all over the net so on a whim I gave it a try.  It’s all natural, non-irritating and I pinkie swear, it will make your furry friend smell amazing.  

It takes 5 minutes to make, put it in a shaker jar and you’re done!

1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cornstarch
3-5 drops of Essential Oil, I used 4 drops of lavender

Whisk all together, I put mine in a spice jar, sprinkle it on Maggie, brush her and she smells so good.  The smell doesn’t dissipate quickly either, it lingers on her  fur for a couple of days …  What a find!

Whoosh Screen Cleaner

 

Fingerprints on your Smart Phone, smudges on your tablet, it’s a constant battle and manufacturers tell you not to use anything but water to clean them.  If you’re like me, you end up with oily, smeary screens most of the time.

I read about Whoosh on Flipboard and decided to try it.  Wow, does this stuff ever work.  It’s safe to use, cleans everything perfectly, gives your screens a glossy shine and helps protect from smudges coming back so quickly.  Whoosh had great reviews, it will last a long time and it’s definitely money well spent.  There are several sizes, I’ll give you a link and if you want a smaller size just scroll down and you will see several options.  This is a 4 Star product for sure!  ~ Jan

Here’s the Whoosh Link

Perfect Panera Bread Black Bean Soup

 

I was thrilled to find the perfect dupe for my very favorite Panera Black Bean Soup.  You can make an entire pot of soup for what one serving in a bread bowl would cost.  And its SO easy. 

Ingredients

1 Onion finely chopped

4-5 Cloves Garlic minced

2 Ribs Celery finely chopped

1/2 orange or red bell pepper

1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

3-3/4 Cups Chicken Stock (this is the remainder of the 32 oz. box)

2-1/4 Cups Water

2 Cups Black Beans dried

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles 10oz

2 tsp Mexican Oregano, I didn’t have Mexican Oregano, I used 2 tsp. of Italian Oregano

2 tsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Pepper

Directions:

Finely chop onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper and add to Instant Pot.  Saute veggies using SAUTE MODE until they are limp, using 1/4 cup of broth to saute them instead of oil

Stir in Oregano, Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt, and Pepper.  Slowly add remaining 2 cups of broth and the 3-1/4 cups of water and stir well.

Rinse 2 cups of dried Black Beans, removing any debris, and add to pot.

Pour the Rotel Tomatoes into the CENTER of the soup and DO NOT STIR.  The Rotel Original gives this a little kick, not a lot just a touch, but if you don’t want the heat, use Rotel Mild

Attach lid, make sure vent is set to SEALING, and set timer for MANUAL MODE for 50 minutes.

Allow to naturally vent for10 minutes before CAREFULLY releasing whatever steam is left - I just make early in the day and let it set for awhile

Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the beans & veggies and set side.  Using a immersion blender (or regular blender) carefully blend the remaining soup until smooth.

Add the beans & veggies you set aside back in and stir well. 

Notes

Jan's Notes - these were AWESOME.  Next time  think I will use Vitamix instead of Immersion Blender to get smoother consistency.  I followed recipe exactly, used regular oregano, didn't have the mexican..  Fantastic Recipe - SO GOOD! 

Garnish with Salsa, Lime Wedges, or Green Chile Sour Cream if desired. 

This is so simple to make in an Instant Pot.  I have the new 8 qt. Plus size, even for two people it’s not too big.  They’ve been out of stock everywhere in this new version, but you can find the 8 qt. Duo on Amazon.  Same pot, the newer version just has a couple more settings.

Here’s the link if you’re interested, this 8 qt. is a better price than the plus.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, soak beans overnight and cook on low all day in slow cooker...

If your hair is thinning, you need this!

Okay, sharing my very favorite finds from this past year.   Yeah, I’m a little late to the game, I keep forgetting (it’s age related) 🤨  We can’t be like Maxine and wear a ball cap, there has to be a better way, well there is and I found it!

First is dry shampoo.  This stuff is seriously, seriously awesome.  I first started using it last fall when I purchased Herbal Essence Dry Shampoo.  I was using it on day old, or two day old hair since I no longer shampoo my hair daily like I have all my life.  Shocking, isn’t it, but now that I’m older, it’s dryer, the texture is different and I just don’t have to.  When I started using dry shampoo  I immediately noticed my hair looked thicker and it smelled wonderful.  I have tons of hair in the back, it’s just the top and the sides that are thinning.  You know how it is, your part just keeps getting wider and wider.  And you think it’s hopeless, but it isn’t.  Read on...

We were on our way to Lexington to visit Ryan’s family and I realized I had left my Herbal Essence at home, so hubby took a quick detour, I ran into CVS and they didn’t have it.  So instead I grabbed a bottle of Beach Babe and it was a total game changer.

It smells like coconut, and at first it was overpowering, and like perfume, use it a few times and you barely notice it.  But using this dry shampoo gives you so much oomph, yep, thats the only way to describe it, your hair looks thicker and it has oomph.  I quickly went from using it the next day to using it on wet, freshly shampooed hair.  Then I dry it and I spray even more on it.  And wahlaa, no more limp straggly hair, I use a root booster first on my wet hair, then spray the front and sides liberally with Beach Babe and my first day hair looks decent, the next morning I spray again before styling and it looks even better.  The third day, spray again and it’s FANTASTIC!

This is the root booster I’ve been using, it’s a good one, I’ve tried a lot of them and when I use this with the dry shampoo I think it’s magic.  But wait, I forgot a step.  When my hair is freshly shampooed the first thing I do is to apply Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oi & Restore Leave-In Conditioner.   
 

I did a review of this, and here’s the link for you.   You might want to click on my link and watch Elle’s video, she explains it really well.  At first I only applied the Shea Moisture to my ends, thinking that if I put it all over it would make my hair flat like conditioner tends to do, but one day I took a walk on the wild side and applied it to the top of my hair and sides as well.  And it didn’t make it  flat at all, it just made it feel thicker.  After doing this I used the root booster and my holy grail Beach Babe Dry Shampoo and it looked even better than when I didn’t use it.  So now that’s the first thing I do, and I apply it liberally.  This Shea Moisture might not work for you if your hair is very fine, but if it isn’t, give it a try and see what you think.

I know, this is a lot of product to put in your hair, but it’s totally worth it.  Be realistic, this isn’t going to make your hair look like it did when you were young, but it will make what you do have look noticably thicker and not be limp and flat.  Hubby took a new Facebook picture of me yesterday, and you can see that the top of my hair doesn’t look too bad.  But if you could see my hair without any product in it, you would quickly understand what this does.  This is second day hair, I didn’t do much with it, just twisted it up, and also my hair is really long. Middle of my back long, and I debate daily as to whether or not to cut it.  I would never wear it down, I look like a hag, but it’s so quick and easy to just put it up and go, and it’s off my face,  I look at pictures of myself from five years ago when I had a bob and I realize that this makes me look older, it’s not trendy, but I am older now. And that bob with bangs didn’t look so great either, Abby would always tell me, “Grammie, your hair is floppy.”  Out of the mouths of babes...

These products are very inexpensive, you can purchase all of them for under $25.  If your hair is driving you crazy, too, give this a try, I bet it will work for you, too.  ~ Jan

Oh, links, I have links for you.

Beach Babe Dry Shampoo

John Frieda Root Booster

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner 

Berkshire Blankets

Time to share the good stuff.  I was at my friend V’s house and she had this Honeycomb Blanket on her bed.  I ran my hand over it and I was SOLD!

This is the softest, body hugging blanket I’ve ever had.  It’s the perfect weight, not too heavy, and it’s affordable.  So, if you’re in the market for a new blanket, you can’t go wrong with this.  It’s a total winner, hall of fame worthy.

Here’s the link.  Amazon has many styles to choose from, but I wouldn’t even try one of the others, this Honeycomb style is just perfect.

Think of me when you snuggle into this, trust me, if you buy it, you will love it.

~ Jan

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Review

 

Is your bathroom cabinet like mine?  Is it filled with products that promise to be the latest and the greatest but do absolutely nothing for your hair?  Well, ladies you are in for a nice surprise with this inexpensive Shea Moisture Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Smoothie.  This stuff really does add body, elasticity and moisture to your hair without weighing it down.  AND, it’s inexpensive, so it won’t break the bank to try it.

 

I learned about this on Elle Is For Living’s YouTube channel, and I’ll link her video below.  A word of caution though, tread lightly with this when you first use it, she uses a huge glob of it in her video and unless your hair is extremely dry you will end up with an oil slick like someone who shall remain nameless did 😳 A little dab’ll do ya to begin with.  I also use it between shampoos on the ends of my hair, this is something I will purchase again and again.

 

Grab it on Amazon here -  it’s a large container and it’s under $11.  You can’t beat that and it smells good, too.  It has over 1800 reviews, and the majority are excellent.

 

And now for Elle’s video, the lady knows what she’s talking about, just be careful with the amount you use until you find your rhythm with this.

 

Citi Cash Rewind

 We just got back $499 from Citi Cash Rewind!!!!

We’ve had a 2% cash back Citi Double Cash Back Card for a couple of years now.  We like it because there is no cap, you get 1% on anything you purchase and another 1% when you pay the bill.  We put everything on it, monthly expenses, utility bills, insurance, we use it instead of a debit card and pay it off at the end of the month and the cash back adds up really fast.

But the best part is the Price Rewind, if you buy something using your card and find it cheaper within 90 days, you mail them proof of purchase and they give you the cash back.

Hubby found these red garage cabinets, they were exactly what they wanted but they were sold out online EVERYWHERE.  You could get them in grey, but not in red.  I called the factory, talked with their sales rep, he checked his computer and told me the only place that had stock in the USA was Menards, and since LC is not known for his patience, he didn’t wait to see if anybody had a better price when the red was restocked, he went ahead and bought them.  $1499, free shipping, no tax.  BUT,  he had seen them online at Costco earlier for $999, same exact cabinets, but of course you couldn’t get them, they were sold out.  So I kept watching Costco and sure enough, they popped up for sale again for $999 a few weeks ago.  So I sent all the necessary documentation to Citi Cash Rewind Department via the post office, registered mail, called them a couple of times to make sure the order was being processed and a couple of days ago, our account was credited for $499.

That’s a chunka change, and you can do this with anything you buy using their credit card.

Just a heads up, who doesn’t love a good deal and this is definitely one . good . deal !

Here is a link if you’re interested in their card

And here is the Costco link for the cabinets

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and remember it’s not about the picnic...

~ Jan

Good Seasons Italian Dressing, Revisiting an Old Friend...

I grew up on Good Seasons Italian Dressing.  It was mother’s favorite, so we had it weekly.  Finely chopped lettuce, diced celery, onion and tomatoes, all tossed with Good Seasons Original Italian Dressing.

Fast forward to now, we have a favorite Italian restaurant, Angelo’s, we go there often and they immediately bring you their house salad, black olives, lettuce, onions and tomatoes, tossed with Italian dressing.  Oh, and a basket of warm garlic knot rolls, can’t forget those!  Anyway, I love their salad, and my buddy V and I decided that it tasted like Good Seasons.  

A few weeks ago when we were there, I asked them if I could buy a bottle of the dressing, and they poured a wine bottle full of it and gave it to me, which was very nice. Then the server proceeds to tell me that it’s just Good Seasons Italian Dressing!

I knew it, V and I were right!  No wonder it tasted so good!  And now that it’s salad season, some of you might like to revisit this great dressing as well.  Sure you could add some fresh herbs to it, chives, parsley, oregano, but I think it’s perfect just the way it is.  They have several varieties now, but I like the original Italian.

Fresh made salad dressing is always better than bottled I think, so pick up a cruet kit when you’re at the grocery, give it a try, I think you will enjoy it, too.  

It’s a good thing ~ Jan

You don't have to pluck or wax your eyebrows

 

Now don’t go freaking out on me, somehow the thought of shaving your eyebrows is a scary thought.  Okay, so I don’t shave my eyebrows, I  now shave under my eyebrows, and the first time I did it I was a little apprehensive, but it’s not a big deal and wow, it’s so much easier than plucking, which we’ve all been doing our entire life or going to a salon and coughing up the bucks for a wax.  I have used hot wax at home, I don’t really suggest this is you are slightly ditzy like yours truly, who one time had the wax drip on my eyelashes.  Oh, that was a fun look until they grew back out.  Who doesn’t like to go around with a chunk of missing eyebrows, not something I would suggest you do...

So, it’s another YouTube tip.  Quit rolling your eyes, I know you are, thinking, “here she goes again!”  These are such great ideas, and I always share the good stuff.  So order these little beauties from Amazon, only $4.39 Prime and in two days, you can have awesome results with just a few strokes of this little shaver.  I put a dab of foam on my eyelids, pull them taut, and carefully shave at a slight angle in an upward motion.  No pain, none, nada, no teary eyes either. Wipe off the foam, gel, lotion, whatever you use, but please use something to make your skin more pliable  and TADA, you have perfectly smooth underbrows.  I just touch up a bit directly under my brows with tweezers and I’m good for a few days.

Here’s Tammy’s original video, she shaves the peach fuzz off her entire face, oh the joys of post-menopausal women.  I don’t have to do that, but some of you might want to give it a go.

And I’m not finished yet, I have lots more ideas for you, I’ll be back in another post with more.  Oh, quit rolling your eyes.  Stop it right now!  You know I always give you great tips :-)

The Amazon link is below, now hop over there and order these pronto, these are cheaper than a trip to Starbucks!  They have other brands in your local drugstore, but according to Tammy, these are the best and this lady knows her stuff.

Here’s the click, go for it!

And here is Crazy Miss Tammy and her defuzzing video.   

I’m thinking I need a sign-off tag for these posts.  Tammy’s is “Be happy, be healthy, be beautiful, but most of all be lovable"  Mary Ellen’s is “It’s all good, it is ALL good”  So what could mine be, hmmmmm, how about “Old age is kicking us all in the ass, don’t go down without a fight.”  Uh, maybe I better work on that a bit.  Have a good day and give this a try, it’s a pinkie swear good tip.  ~ Jan

Anti Aging using Retin-A, Vitamin C Serum + More...

 Okay ladies, let’s talk skin care this morning.  My ongoing obsession with watching the Mature Ladies of YouTube has led me to Vitamin C Serum, and I ordered from Timeless, 20% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum, Hylauranic Acid and Hylauranic Acid Eye Cream.  I’ve used Retin A for the past 28 years, I’m going to link to Melissa55, one of my favorite YouTube ladies, she’s 61 and looks 35, and she’s also used it for the exact same time, 28 years.  I read about it years ago in Women’s Day, that’s why I asked my doctor for a prescription.  I often wonder what my skin would look like had I not used it, and now I’m going to add these Timeless products to help even skin tone, build collagen and brighten my face.

 Its hard to believe that Melissa is sixty-one years old, she is just the sweetest southern woman.   I enjoy watching her so much, she’s like a gentle breeze, flowing through your life.

I say often that the horse is outta the barn with me trying these new products, I’m sixty-six years old, but then I look at another one of my very favorite ladies, Mary Ellen from Mary Ellen After 60, and if you watch her skin care videos since she started using these products, you can see the improvement, her skin just keeps getting better and firmer.  She has a lovely complexion and often videos with no makeup, only her permanent eyeliner.  I’m just amazed at how clear and wrinkle free her skin is, she just glows.  No Mary Ellen, you glow, you don’t shine (after all, you use Mally’s Face Defender religiously for that shine) you glow from within :)

 Mary Ellen also uses The Clarisonic on her face, this did not work for me, my skin is too sensitive.  I think her skin looks lovely, it’s so smooth with no wrinkles or discoloration and she’s had no cosmetic procedures.  Go Mary Ellen!!!!!

The products from Timeless are very inexpensive, and there are coupon codes on their main page, I ordered three products and got 20% off.  Order four and you get 30% off.  Educate yourselves about the Vitamin C Serum, it’s sensitive to light and oxidizes after about 3 months, A lot of these ladies store half of the serum in a dark bottle in the fridge (some going so far as to wrap it all in aluminum foil in the fridge to keep out all of the light) and this extends the life of the serum, enabling you to use most of it, some women can use it all of it, before it oxidizes. Keep the bottle that you’re currently using in a drawer, so that it’s always in a dark environment to help keep it from oxidizing.  They all say, don’t be stingy when you use it, because it takes such a small amount, put it on your neck, your chest and the backs of your hands, Angie from Hot and Flashy also uses this serum from Timeless, others, like Tammy from UppiesBeads59 and Patti from rckstrmom make their own weekly, Elle from Elle is for Living makes her nightly.  So many women have had such good results with Timeless that I don’t want to bother with making it like some do.

They also say to always buy directly from Timeless, not Amazon, as it is fresher.

Here’s what I bought from Timeless, total cost was $43.08, including shipping using the coupon code 3bottles, since I ordered three products, I got a 20% discount.  These products will last for several months, so it’s very inexpensive.

Vitamin C Serum + Ferulic Acid 

Hylauranic Acid Serum 100% Pure 

Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream 

I would show you a before picture of my skin, but I’m not as gutsy as the other women, but I am going to take pictures, maybe in a few months if it looks better I will post a before and after update.

Don’t be scared of the word Hylauranic “Acid” - it’s very good for your skin and moisturizes it. Here are videos and several links.  If you’re interested in skincare, grab a cup of coffee or a cup of tea and watch these lovely women, they are all are seriously awesome.
 

 Angie also has a video about how to make your Vitamin C Serum last longer, her video for this is below.  Angie posts a lot of beauty videos and I’ve gotten lots of good tips from her, especially about brushes, she always seems to have a good buy with brushes.  I’ve bought several she suggested on eBay, and they’ve all been very good for the price.

 Angie gets these cobalt bottles from Specialty Bottle, I ordered from them as well, I had tried to find locally with no luck, it’s so much easier to sit here with Maggie on my lap and order than to drive all over town and get frustrated because I can’t find them.  Here’s the link, she ordered the 1/2 oz, one with a cap and the 1/2 oz one with a dropper, so of course I did the same.   

 Tammy from Uppiesbeads59, the very first Mature YouTuber I started watching,  makes her own every week, I just don’t want to do this, but some of you might.  However, she does use a facial scrub made of coconut oil and baking soda, I love this, and always use it before I shower.  So even if you don’t want to make your own serum, it’s worth watching the video to see how she makes the exfoliater.

 

 This is Patti from rckstrmom, she’s a lovely 72 years old, I enjoy watching her so much, and like Tammy she makes her own.  Check out her channel, she has some good videos.  I just have this thing for women with southern accents, it’s so charming...

 

 And finally, this is Elle from Elle is For Living, she makes her Vitamin C Serum daily,  Wow, I’m impressed that she takes the time to do this, I would never have that much discipline.  Check out some of Elle’s other videos, she uses a lot of drug store/dollar tree products and I’ve found several products from her site, one of which I’m going to post about soon.

So, watch these ladies, subscribe to their channels, they all have wonderful videos about life, health, cosmetics and skincare, and they’re all living proof that aging can be done with grace and beauty.  ~ Jan

 

Betty Crocker Lemon Drop Cake, It's Amazing!

I posted this recipe today on Jan Can Cook.  Super easy to make and absolutely yummy.  This is seriously good.

You might want to hop on over to that board and take a look at.  I made it for Easter, it was a huge hit!  ~ Jan

Click for recipe...

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Review

It’s time to share more good stuff. I’ve been on a kick lately, haven’t I? But every evening I watch the “mature’ ladies on YouTube and they have such good ideas, I want you all to share in the great things they’ve introduced me to.

Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel.  It’s $5.59 at Walgreens for an 18 oz. bottle.  Don’t spend big bucks for a small bottle of toner from the department store, this is just as good.  It works absolutely wonderfully, not irritating, doesn’t burn, a squirt on a cotton pad and you will be amazed at the residue that you get off of your face.

I’ve been using this for a few weeks and it’s wonderful.  Just another one of those products that have been around for years that are as good as the pricey new stuff...

S'well Bottle Review

Okay, 

Okay, I did it, after contemplating over this for weeks, I coughed up the big bucks and bought this water bottle.  It was $35, way beyond my threshold of pain for a water bottle, but I have four friends that have it and it’s a hit with them, so I jumped on the band wagon, too.

S’well’s claim to fame is that it keeps cold drinks cold for 24 hours, and hot drinks hot for 12 hours.  And does it, yep, sure does.  If I put ice in one morning and don’t drink it all, it still has ice the next morning.

But, who doesn’t drink it all in one day, I refill it multiple times, and since I’m not a water drinker, I squirt liquid flavor enhancer in it.  My brand of choice is Crystal Light Liquid, favorite flavor seems to be Strawberry Lemonade.  I’ve tried them all and like them, but I reach for the Strawberry Lemonade more than the others.  I started with Mio, they’re both made by Kraft, the hype is Crystal Light appeals to the older generation, Mio, the younger.  Need I say more...

So once I made the monumental decision to spend $35 on a water bottle, for some reason that price just seemed excessive, next came color choice.  I got opinions from my girlfriends, waffled back and forth between this color, Blue DenimOpal Marble and Lily Wood were all in the running.  The problem is that they have a badzillion fifty-seven choices.  I finally decided on Birds of Paradise, pretty melon color, catchy name, I ordered it (free shipping, no tax) it arrived, I took it out of the box and whoa doggies, was it ever bright.  NEON MELON DAY GLO BRIGHT.  I was horrified at first and was going to return it for a more subdued color, but then I realized I was just being silly and the color is now growing on me.  It is definitely a summer color!

Would I purchase it if I had to do over?  Sure I would, I’m a bells and whistles girl and this meets all the necessary requirements.  In fact, I’m such a fan I’m thinking of ordering hubby one in Teak Woodgrain.  So that would be $70 dollars for two water bottles.  I just won’t think about the cost, seriously, it’s well worth the money, I’m a huge fan.

You interested?  Here’s the click, go for it, see if you can decide which color you want. :)

Sharing the Good Stuff

 

 

Sometimes I’m a little late to the party, but thanks to the ladies of YouTube, I’m finding all sorts of things I’ve never tried before.  Case in point is this e.l.f. Smudge Brush from Target or e.l.f. online. It’s the best eyeliner brush I’ve ever used.  I was always a fan of the pricey little MAC angle brush, but this one beats it hands down.  It’s stubby, stiff, and it not only lines my eyes, but smudges and softens at the same time.  And the cost of this bad boy, $.99, yes, that’s right ninety-nine cents.  Crazy cheap, huh….

 

But I’m not finished yet.  See these baby wipes, they’re from Aldi’s and a pack of 72 costs $.85.  Yep, that’s right eighty-five cents.  You may be thinking that I’m using these to remove makeup, nope, I use baby oil on a warm washcloth for that, Martha Stewart shared that tip, but I may give these a try.  What I use them for is to clean my hands while I’m putting on makeup.  I always have foundation all over my hands, which transfers to drawers, door frames, you name it, I seem to smear it everywhere.  Sometimes I keep a wet washcloth at my makeup table, but I’m old(er), I forget and don’t want to get up and get the washcloth, so I wipe my hands on a Kleenex and that obviously doesn’t work.  But these do work, really well, and they’re in a little flexible pouch, handy dandy, right next to my makeup, unreal that they cost just a little over a penney each.  Great deals, huh...

I’m normally not this cheap, we don’t even want to discuss the pricey water bottle I’m going to buy if I can ever decide on the color, but that’s for another blog entry.  Just sharing the good stuff with you, that e.l.f. brush is so awesome and to think that I paid $32 for that MAC brush that doesn’t work nearly as well, and I bought two of them over the years.  Silly me…

I also just paid $3.50 + free shipping on eBay for a blush brush that Elle is for Living on YouTube recommended.  I’ll let you know about that if it’s a goodie.  Oh, I got another one, too, same brush they sell at Ulta, this little tip was from Hot and Flashy on YouTube, and I got it for under $5.00, too.  It's a big fluffy brush for loose powder, just waiting for both of these to arrive in the mail.  I also bought a great set of brushes for $25 to travel with, higher end than e.l.f. and they’re wonderful - I’ll tell you all about these products soon.

Here’s the link to the e.l.f. brush, I’m very surprised at all of their products, I’ve always been such a snob, thinking that you have to pay a lot of money for these things, but boy did those women ever enlighten me.  You wouldn’t think e.l.f. brushes could be good because they’re so inexpensive, but they are.  Lots and lots of videos on YouTube about e.l.f. products.  When you register, you get free shipping on your first order, you can get quite a haul for $20 with on their website.  Enjoy ~ Jan

http://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/smudge-brush

Boomstick Color

I’m a YouTube junkie these days.  Night after night, I watch “Mature Ladies” and their take on life, cosmetics, aging, these women talk about everything.

Yesterday I linked from Facebook to a product called Boomstick Color.  Initially it peaked my interested because Jennifer Aniston uses it.  I know, stupid, but it made me click through.  Then there is this older model that looks so much like my buddy V, it’s amazing the resemblance, but she developed this inexpensive product called Boomstick Color, it’s light, easy breezy, you use it on your cheeks, on your eyes, your lips, your neck, it’s very sheer and yours truly is very interested in this. The cost, $27 - not a huge tube, but not a huge cost either.

Here’s Cindy talking about her trio of products and applying them to an older model, and below it is another reviewer, KimTV, on YouTube talking about it.

If this interests you, here is a direct link to her website with videos for all her products.

 

 

 And this is totally off the subject, but here is a tour of of Cindy’s 115 year old Dutch Victorian house.  See what I  mean, you watch one of these videos and then you subscribe to the person’s channel and then you just keep going and going like the Energizer Bunny

 

YouTube videos are so much fun, especially on these cold winter nights.  I’m so over television, except for The Girlmore Girls on Netflix, I seldom even turn it on, instead I sit by the fireplace with Maggie tucked beside me and Boo-Boo Kitty on the back of my chair and watch the lovely older ladies of YouTube videos.

I have definite favorites, and every time they post new videos it’s like a chat with a girlfriend.  I’ll blog about this soon, this is enough for you to absorb today.

Enjoy and think spring, it won’t be long now.  XXo ~ Jan

 

 

Stop Gaping Buttons!!!

There is nothing worse than a gaping blouse.  I’ve struggled with this since I was a teenager and remember Mother sewing snaps between my buttons to stop the gape.  It didn’t work very well, because then there was a small gape between the snaps.

Such is the plight of a busty woman, and the struggle continues.  I’ve tried a lot of quick fixes, including straight pins that always managed to stab me, but you can always tell that you’re trying to remedy the situation, it doesn’t look natural.  But thanks to the Internet, I might just be on to something.

The solution is Hollywood Tape.  Are you familiar with this product, it’s what celebrities use to tape their boobs to their low cut tops so they don’t fall out.

From what I’m reading this stuff works great, it’s double sided, you just cut off a piece, stick it between your shirt placket and buttons, smooth it down and it instantly stops the gape!

Worth a try isn’t it.  You can usually find Hollywood Tape at your local Steinmart in the accessories department.  Or you can order it on Amazon.  It’s worth a try… ~ jan

Ya, here's the click - go for it!  ~ Jan

Beauty Blender, is it really worth $20

 

You bet your bootie it is!  It’s worth every penny.  If you’re not familiar with a Beauty Blender, it’s a makeup sponge, and you’re thinking, "Jan, you’ve lost your mind, no way am I going to pay $20 for a little pink egg sponge."  Okay, hang onto that $20 but you’re missing out on something really great, you know I always share the good stuff, and trust me, this one is a winner!

 

I researched this extensively, cause that’s what I do, the majority of the reviewers say to not even try buying a knock-off, the foam isn’t the same, the knock-offs are hard and stiff and don’t absorb the makeup like the Beauty Blender, so you don’t get the same results.  C’mon ladies, it’s like going through Starbucks four times, just cough up the money for this.

 

What it doesn’t do is turn back time.  There is no way that we are going to take our aging skin and make it look young again.  You still have the sags, the wrinkles, oh aren’t I Miss Merry Sunshine this morning.  But what the Beauty Blender does is blend your makeup flawlessly.  I’m attaching Kandee’s video below, I did just what she did.  Got it wet, squeezed it dry with a towel and got started.  The only thing I didn’t do was apply the foundation directly to the Blender, I think you get more control by putting it in your palm and then dabbing the blender in it.

 

So I stippled on my foundation like she did in the video, wow, it did to go on smoothly, just like she said, no lines of demarcation, no unevenness, it worked amazingly well.  But did I quit, oh heck no, I just kept going.  I dabbed my concealer in it, put it on, went on smooth as silk, then I dabbed my loose powder in it and did the same.  And I still kept going, I used it to apply my powder blush and I actually dabbed it in my beloved MAC eyeshadow and applied my eyeshadow with it.   Smooth, smooth, smooth, totally blended, easy, fast, it’s a winner.  This thing rocks!  I didn’t spend more money for their cleanser, I just used baby shampoo to rinse it in, and yep, it immediately stains, but  who cares.  The reviewers also say it works great to rinse it in Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.  They also sell it in white and red.  White, I don’t think so, and I’m not a fan of red, pink works for me.

 

This thing is a staple from now on for this old makeup junkie.  Do you want one and not leave your house?  Get it from Nordstroms, free shipping, it will arrive in a few days.  Why not Amazon?  Because reviewers say that sometimes they are knock-offs from Amazon, and I didn’t want to chance it.  I didn’t want to wait, so I got mine at Sephora, don’t try Ulta, they don’t have it. But it’s a cold day,  it’s snowy, it’s winter, just order the darn thing.  You can get it from Beauty Blender’s site, too, but they don’t have free ship like Nordie’s does.

 

Here’s the click to order, take a deep breath, fork over $20 for a sponge that’s hideously overpriced and you too can have flawless makeup.  Some things are just worth the money.  Know what I mean, Vern...

 

Oh, you can email me and thank me after you buy it, you’re gonna love this one, trust me.  ~ Jan