Bamboo is such a cool plant. It grows like weeds, but it’s so much more useful. In fact, part of why it’s useful is because it grows like weeds. As a renewable resource that can replenish itself at a rate far more fitting for human consumption, it’s a fantastic alternative to a lot of the other materials we may be using. You can make everything from furniture to super soft cloths with it and – oh by the way – you can eat it too. Since it’s so fibrous, it holds together well in many forms. I’ve certainly written about it plenty of times over the years… like my amazing super-flex skateboard, my crazy soft wash cloth, the time I went floating on a raft in Thailand, the time I nearly got myself a bamboo laptop, my set of bamboo chopsticks from my To-Go Ware set of reusable utensils, and of course that visit to the zoo where I watched a panda chowing down on some stalks. Anything that versatile and easier on the planet is pretty great.
Posts Tagged ‘products’
365great Day 213: bamboo
365great Day 212: lip balms
I treated myself to a Baby Lips lip balm today, after eying them for quite some time. While I liked the original ones they have, when I saw the neon line I really wanted one. You’d think at $3 that that wouldn’t be a big deal, but I was really hoping for a coupon or other discount to come around. When Panda showed me a 20% off anything at CVS, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to get the Baby Lips I wanted! But then I went and found that they sell them for $4.19! Sooo it was back to Target where I originally saw them, to get them for the cheaper price point and 5% off for using my RedCard. I am now the happy owner of quite a few types of lip balms, all of which I’m enjoying. Now I can ensure my lips never feel dry by keeping one accessible no matter where I am! Each brings me a little joy when I use them, which is a great feeling.
September Favorites 2013
1. Kia Optima – I love my new car. Every time I go to drive it, I smile a little. The dual moonroof, the heated steering wheel and seats, the keyless entry, and the maneuverability are just some of the features that make it a pleasure to drive. I love the little touches too, like when the lights turn on inside when I get close to it at night. It’s like a nice little greeting, welcoming me back to the car and making me feel safer by showing me the inside is a-okay. I’m having a lot of fun with my car and I know I’ll be enjoying it for many years to come.
2. Kashi hummus crisps – This bag shown was sent to me for free by BzzAgent. I also got smaller ones of a different flavor from Goodies and I’ve gobbled all of them up. I like how they’re so crisp and light – none of that greasiness from normal chips, but still the same kind of crunchy satisfaction. I enjoy the flavor a lot too, which is mild and makes me keep eating more. It also feels like a healthier snack in general, so there’s less of a guilt component to chomping on them.
3. mascara & eyelash curler – I started to use a bit of mascara when I started to work since I want to look presentable and not like I just rolled out of bed. It’s been fun to do a little more than wash my face and put on lotion or BB cream. At first I was trying the Pixi mascara from the August Ipsy bag, but it’d leave me with darker under-eyes by the end of the day. I needed something that could withstand the heavy rubbing I tend to do without realizing. I’m used to touching my face and not worrying about stuff coming off or getting things dirty, so using makeup is not my forte. It’ll usually end up smeared all over the place over the course of the day, which is no bueno. Then came the September Ipsy bag, which had an It’s So Big mascara that I tested and found to be much better! It stuck to my eyelashes like it grew there naturally so now I don’t have to remember to not touch my eyes.
4. UK trip – Our trip abroad was so much fun! Pictured here is Edinburgh Castle, one of the many places we checked out in the four cities we visited on our 10-day vacation. Panda and I both liked various aspects of what we saw, experienced, tasted, and bought. I’m so glad we were able to do that trip and I look forward to all the places we’ll go in the future. For me, it was great to go back to the UK after 5 or 6 years, and for Panda, it was fascinating to leave the country for the first time. I’m glad we got to do it together and I know we’ll be returning.
5. Perfectea brewer – At the office are these two PerfecTea brewers from Teavana. They really do brew a perfect cup/mug of tea and I love using them! It’s always so cold in the office that I am constantly drinking tea – something like 8 mugs a day. That excludes any soda or water I might have around lunch time, so you can imagine how much I’m chugging all the time. It’s so easy to brew my tea with this contraption and I never have to worry about tea leaves getting in the way. Amazing.
6. sherpa blanket – I’ve snuggled up in this blanket every night and enjoyed the coziness oh so much. It’s instantly warm and soothing. In fact, it’s so good at putting me to sleep that I must beware if I crawl in the covers after a shower – I’m sure to fall right to sleep! I really wish I could bring this to work to curl up in, but would be a bit too much. Plus, if I was that snug I might not get much work done. I’m trying to convince Panda to get one more for us (me) to use. Maybe when we move to the new place.
7. Dunkin Donuts free drink Mondays – Starting 9/9 through 10/14, Dunkin Donuts in the metro DC area are offering a free iced tea or coffee drink! I’ve taken advantage of this every Monday that I’ve been working so far and I’m sad that there’s only one more left. I always get the peach iced tea, no ice, half sweet. Yum. Sometimes if they still have powered Munchkins or chocolate glazed ones, I’ll get some, but lately I’ve gone after work and by 7 pm they’re out of most Munchkins.
8. baths – It’s been years since I took a bath, but since I’ve gotten so much bath stuff in boxes over the past couple of months, I decided I would start using them. I liked it so much that I’m doing one bath a week now. It’s such a wonderful way to relax, clear your mind, take care of your body, and enjoy some peace. Each time I try a different bath salt, bubble bath, or bath soak. It’s been a ton of fun and my skin is loving the extra attention!
9. Biba purse – I got this cool purse in the UK on our trip and it’s been my daily bag ever since. I love the design and the quality of it. I do wish it had hooks for a shoulder strap, so I might try modifying it since I happen to have a strap that matches it pretty well. I don’t want to ruin it though, so we’ll have to see. For now I just hold it between my arm and body and for the most part it’s not inconvenient.
10. walking to lunch – The majority of lunches at work have involved us walking to the Reston Town Center and choosing whatever sounded good at the time. I like that it gets us moving and out in the fresh air for at least half an hour a day. Certainly better than driving somewhere, though I am going to start wanting some more options after a few weeks of that selection. Whenever someone wants to go get Starbucks or a dessert, I try to go so I can stretch my legs and catch up with them. Now that the weather’s cooling, it might not happen as much.
11. sugar scrub – Related to the bath thing, I’ve been using the sugar scrub that I made with Brandy of MommySplurge and it’s fabulous. After soaking in a bath, I rub it in until the sugar granules melt and I’m left with super-soft skin enveloped in a layer of coconut oil. I don’t even need to lotion after drying off! I’m all about keeping my routine as simple as possible – while I love trying products I generally am too rushed to go through a 273521-step skincare routine. So one product that will exfoliate and hydrate my skin in one fell swoop gets an A+ in my books.
365great Day 211: heating
We’ve had quite a few wet days this week and a few more to get through before the skies clear. Temperatures have fallen and I find myself very happy I have heated seats and steering wheel in my car. It’s allowed me to thaw out much faster as I start my drive to work and I know it’s going to be fantastic come winter. It’s so satisfying to have heat exude from the steering wheel and seat rather than just waiting for the hot air to bring up the cabin temperature. I love getting all toasty, whether it’s using special heating equipment like those or things like heating fans, electric blankets, and heated pads. There’s nothing better than being dry and warm in cold weather; it feels so great!
365great Day 210: face masks
I’ve really gotten into face masks recently. They’re a nice way to get a deep clean and intensify your normal routine. I tend to get ones that are detoxifying and help draw out impurities, with ingredients like kaolin clay, mud, etc. Then I got a couple of paper masks from Ipsy in the last Glam Bag and I loved those! They’re drenched in a serum solution that made my skin so soft and very well-hydrated afterward. I totally took advantage of the deal being offered on the whole line of those face masks and got two each of their 16 types (plus one free as a bonus). While it’s not the most cost-effective to get the individual packs, this will allow me to try out all the formulations and see which ones I like the best. Variety is the spice of life, no? So over the next couple of months I’ll be testing these out and looking silly most nights. It’s totally worth it for the relaxation and skin conditioning I get from them. It’s a great feeling.
Blissmobox: Body Bliss
Still catching up on my Blissmoboxes (only 3 more after this I think). I got this box back in early April – it was offered as a spring special and since I missed it the first time I decided to snag it on sale.
blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.
The three choices for the spring blissmobox sale.
This spring sale caught my attention with the first two choices, but since I already had half of the beauty bundle II option I went for the body bliss. I wanted to try the Own brand and getting that Pangea Mask is a great deal!
Tree Hut, Coconut Lime shea body butter – This turned out to be my absolute favorite item from this box. It also ranks pretty high among all products from all boxes I’ve gotten. I was surprised since I’m not usually a coconut person, but the combo of that with lime is an amazing scent I really enjoy. I also love the texture, which is firm and somewhat elastic. You barely need any of this to get a lot of results and it applies so well. I plan on trying many of the other scents they have.
Own Skin Care, Dual Protecting Day Lotion with SPF 30 – I’m still saving this one to use when I’m low on my current face lotions. It’s a brand I’ve wanted to try so I’m really glad I got it and I wonder how effective the bio-activating formula is. They’ve got a cool concept. I wonder what’s going on with their site though – it’s down for me and I can’t tell if it’s temporary or if they shut down?
Pangea Organics, Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Goji Berry Facial Mask – I got a sample of this in another box, so I decided to trade this for some other products. It’s a wonderfully large size that would last for a long time. This is another brand I’m interested in so I definitely love getting their products, especially since they’re a bit pricey for me. Yay for saving on the retail cost of this item!
Scharffen Berger, Extra Dark Chocolate bar – This is a nice dark chocolate bar that isn’t crazy bitter. It’s got a smooth texture and I found this size to be super cute. Who needs a giant bar at one time anyway? I think I’ve seen these in Whole Foods but I haven’t bought any yet. At 82% cacao, it’s their highest concentration of cacao so if you’re into something less strong, you can opt for many other options.
100% Pure, vanilla bean nourishing body cream – I have a bunch of these packets that I’ve yet to use. The name is simple and the branding makes me feel like it’s a green product. The small packets are great for throwing in a bag for use when you’re out and about. I can see this being enough for my full body or many uses for my hands and arms.
What do you think of this selection? Have you tried any of these products? What’s your favorite?
365great Day 209: new
That fresh out of the box look of any product is quite satisfying. We have an obsession with new in many cultures and I’m certainly not immune. Still, there’s something wonderful about opening a box and taking out new items for the first time, treating them so gently in those initial encounters. Tonight I spent most of my time setting up my new laptop to keep everything I still want about how I did things on my old laptop while discarding some things I had accumulated without intending to. New is the perfect opportunity to transition to another phase, carrying over what you want to preserve and letting go of what you don’t want anymore. It’s a fresh start and a way to alter your course. That’s why I liked moving a lot as a kid, because each time I got a chance to rework my room and find some things I’d been missing. New is also a chance to discover what you haven’t encountered yet for a great learning experience.
New laptop time
I finally, finally pulled the trigger on my new laptop today. 🙂 I can’t believe I’ve been building up to this moment for two and a half years. It feels like five. Ever since pretty much day 1 of getting my current laptop, I’ve been annoyed by the loud noise it makes. I thought I could make do or make it better, but it never happened. So, thank goodness I can finally move on.
Awhile back, I decided I wanted an ASUS (and when I choose a brand, I pretty much always get the one I intended). My initial search this summer led me to crazy expensive ones because I convinced myself I should get one with a solid-state drive. After putting up with excessive noise for too long, all I want is quiet. As silent as possible. But after looking around and talking to various sales personnel, I decided to get a laptop with a normal hard drive and change it to SSD if I find the need to. Anything’s got to be better than my current situation though! This one has the main features I preferred: touchscreen, backlit keyboard, and 3 USB ports. The weight isn’t too bad, but I sure did hope for a super-light ultrabook.
Now excuse me while I go enjoy setting up my brand new ASUS!
It came with a microfiber cloth to wipe off fingerprints!
Yay, my new toy!
365great Day 206: pore strips
These are such a useful way to get rid of nasty blackheads and whatever else is lurking in your pores. For someone like me with an oily t-zone causing all kinds of issues, they’re pretty amazing. It’s just what I need to stop picking at my face and feel better about my skin. Plus, there’s a morbid satisfaction in seeing the gunk that gets pulled from my pores. It’s really rewarding to see how much smoother my skin looks afterwards and not feel the need to try to squeeze out the blackheads. Certainly not pretty business, but great when it comes to functionality.
365great Day 202: The Homegrown Collective
I just got my second Homegrown Collective greenbox yesterday and I cannot wait to do an unboxing video and get pictures. Once again, I just love the theme and all the cool products they helped put together. It’s exciting having mini projects that aren’t too hard or time-consuming, but can make a good impact in how you do things at home. There’s really no easier way to start greening your household, with everything from skincare to snacks provided for you. I also really enjoy the materials that projects come with, like mason jars and muslin bags. I will most certainly be reusing them! The Homegrown Collective is a fantastic subscription box service that is a great blend of going green and DIY – so much fun!
[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]
