Wassup, my livin’-life-on-the-cheap hotties? I really don’t talk like that, but sometimes, I have to get things like that out. Let’s all take a deep breath and move on.
My name’s Sarah Lena, and I write at The Anvil Tree and you can see me at Southern Fried Snark. When the lovely Samantha asked me to do a guest post, she did so for two reasons: 1) she loves me and that feeling is TOTALLY mutual and not just because we’re both married to a man named Bryan and 2) she knows I am a cheap product HO. And then I was all, Gah, how do I narrow down what products I want to tout?! I couldn’t, so I decided to narrow it down to a line. I? Am John Frieda’s lovah.
We’ll start with this: I have curly hair. It was curlier before the kids, but still has a lot of natural wave to it. Also.. get ready .. I don’t wash my hair. A lot. I maybe wash it twice in a seven day period. Judge if you must, but with curly hair? Dude, it TOTALLY looks best after two or three days of grit and oil.
Back to mah man, Mr. John Frieda.
His Curl Around ($5.99) line is a GODSEND for ladies with curly hair. Or, quite frankly, even if you don’t but you plan on adding volume to your hair. (Hot rollers, teasing, what have you.)
Also, his Luxurious Volume Root Lift Spray ($5.99) is a staple in my army. It totally gives you Texas-big hair. Spray it in while your hair is drying (DO NOT TURBAN WRAP YOUR HAIR and DO NOT PUT ANY HEAT INTO IT UNTIL IT’S ALMOST DRY) and trust me. Great lift.
Lastly, the piece de resistance (please imagine me saying that with a french accent):
This produce is aptly named. John Frieda’s Secret Weapon Finish Creme ($6.49) is THE BOMB. After your hair is finished, styled, whatevs, rub a tiny bit of this between your palms and just kinda scrunch your hair. Make sure your tips are hit by this. Amazingly moisturizing, not at all weighty, and your hair looks salon-perfect.
So what’s totally awesome? I just gave you a complete hair routine for about $20 that you can find at places like Target and drugstore.com! You’re very welcome!
(Many, many thanks to the ladies of Live Well, Spend Well for having me!)
One of my best friends has a great story about going on a date with a guy who was an annoying know-it-all all night, acting like he was much more sophisticated than she was, bragging about where he’d traveled, boasting about his foodie pedigree, that kind of thing. At the end of the insufferable evening, he topped it off by ordering the “pot de creme”- pronounced “paht dee creem,” rather than the more traditional “poh duh crehm,” thus redeeming the awful date by giving her a fun story to tell for all eternity.
So yes, pots de creme may seem a little…fussy. But I cannot get over how cute these little pots are. They have the classic lion’s head accent, and each hold two ounces. They’re dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and oven safe to 350 degrees.
And at $13.96 for a SET OF TWELVE, I will FIND reasons to use them. Chocolate pudding! Creme brulee! Really tiny portions of soup! Serving dips and condiments at a party! Heck, I’d use one on my bedside table to hold my rings at night.
If, like me, you’re eying the upcoming wedding season with some trepidation, I’d also note that they’d make an excellent classy-looking, not-too-expensive shower gift.
Set of twelve pots de creme pots, $13.96 on sale at Sur La Table.
Hey there, friends of Live Well Spend Well. Samantha, Katie and Kori were kind enough to let me take over this space for a day. What were they thinking, right? Oh wait, you don’t know me? Therefore, you don’t know the stink I am capable of causing? Well, maybe that’s a good thing. In any case, my name is Nilsa and I have my own little life blog over at SoMi Speaks.
Growing up, I adored my grandmother. I looked forward to the annual trips from St. Louis to Washington DC, where she would dote on me for a week at a time. We’d go to the many museums downtown. We’d visit my grandfather at his liquor store, mere steps from the Capitol, where I was always put in charge of lottery ticket sales. I played dress-up with her jewelry. Watched while she put on her make-up everyday.
One memory emblazoned in my mind from that time is her bottle of Oil of Olay. She used it for as long as I can remember.
When I finally graduated college, I decided it was time to be a grown-up. That included beginning to care for my skin. Since I really didn’t know where to start, I started with what I knew. Oil of Olay. Throughout my 20s, I used this moisturizing cream. Day and night. Not realizing I was supposed to be using something different depending on whether the sun was up or down.
During those years, to be honest, I had great skin. Well, after that little acne attack that I took care of through lethal drugs from my dermatologist. But, I’m not here to talk about that. That time of my life gifted me with smooth, supple skin. It was never dry. It always felt smooth. Little did I know, it’d all change in my 30s.
My skin this decade has been more challenging. Granted, I’m not as diligent about washing and moisturizing twice daily. Shame on me. But, my skin, it’s gotten dryer. Some creases have begun to show. It’s no longer smooth and beautiful the way it once was. I varied my washing and moisturizing routines, but was having trouble finding one that worked. One where I really noticed a difference, an improvement in my skin.
A couple years ago, I got a good tongue-lashing from the woman I was using as a make-up artist for my wedding. My skin was DRY! She gave me a very expensive, designer moisturizer for the months leading up to the wedding with strict instructions to use it every night. Wanting to be a beautiful, glowing bride, I followed her instructions. For months. I even purchased the $70 tub of cream when her donation ran out.
And you know what? I didn’t really notice a difference. And so, about a year ago, I was done with the expensive treatments. I wanted the ease and inexpense of over the counter. And more importantly, I wanted a product that worked. So, I returned to that handy jar of Oil of Olay (though, now I think they’re calling it Olay Complete).
It’s taken some time, but I really have noticed a difference in my skin. It’s not as dry as it once was. And while some of the wrinkles are here to stay, I have noticed a slowing in their growth. So long as I continue with my daily morning routine of Oil of Olay (and my night routine of a moisturizer made specific for night), I truly believe my skin will continue to improve.
Olay Complete. $8.49 – $10.99 for 4 oz at local drugstores and Drugstore.com.
This is a cookie scoop:
It is used for, among other things, scooping cookie dough into nice even balls and then releasing it onto baking sheets.
If you had told me five years ago that I would own a cookie scoop, I would have scoffed. Had you told me that I would be writing to sing its praises to other people, I would have guffawed.
Yet here we are.
A cookie scoop is one of those things that seems unnecessary and ridiculous. How hard is it to use a spoon to scoop up cookie dough and make it into nice-shaped balls? Use a soup spoon! Heck, use your tablespoon measure if you want! Who would waste $14 on a device like this?
Well, full disclosure: I didn’t, and I probably never would have owned a cookie scoop had it not been for a spot of good luck. I got mine for free from a restaurant that was going out of business. We knew the owners and after the place closed, they let us come in and take some of their old kitchenware before they sold it for pennies on the dollar at an auction. This is also how I came to own: my favorite pot (All Clad!) my offset spatula, two frying pans, and oil and vinegar cruets. Should you be lucky enough to know the owners of a going-out-of-business restaurant, I highly recommend telling them earnestly that you’re sorry the business didn’t work out, then raiding their kitchen.
And after I got the cookie scoop (which, by the way, would also make a very nice ice cream scoop for making small-size portions, if one were into that sort of thing, which I am not,) I let it languish in my drawer for many months, not thinking to use it even when I was making cookies.
But then I discovered the New York Times Overnight Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe From the Heavens. People, have you tried these cookies? Oh my stars, they are THE COOKIE. If you haven’t made them yet, I highly recommend you do so immediately. Ignore the part where it says you need $8 feves instead of chocolate chips- I use the Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips and they are AMAZING.
Well, this chocolate chip cookie recipe requires you to refrigerate dough for 36 hours. And after 36 hours, dough is really hard to scoop. Plus, the recipe requires huge portions of dough- the size of a golf ball. I struggled and complained as I tried to do it with a spoon, and was about to give up, when I remembered my large cookie scoop…voila! No more wrist-breaking effort and misshapen cookies.
So, if you are making large cookies, particularly those that spend a lot of time in the fridge before scooping: you might want to invest in one of these. If you are looking for a “signature recipe” for bake sales and the like, I highly recommend that this be it, and that you buy a cookie scoop.
So, do I need a cookie scoop?
Verdict: if you want to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, yes. If you hate perfect cookies, you can probably skip it.
Oxo Large Cookie Scoop, $12.99 at amazon.
(Hey! It seems those gift guides really wore us out! It’s mid-January already! How the eff did that happen? Moving on.)
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At this time of year, I always feel ready to scale it back a little, food-wise. I try to eat more fresh food to make up for the holiday gorging on cookies and candy (this year I made approximately 842 salted caramels, of which I gave away approximately 300 and ate approximately 542).
But let’s be honest, shall we? While there are days when I want to lovingly chop hand-selected organic vegetables for a brown rice and tofu stir fry, there are other nights when I get home and I really want to order a pizza.
For those nights, I find it’s good to have a few shortcuts and tricks at the ready. I’m not talking Sandra Lee’s semi homemade (shudder) – just some pantry staples that make it possible for me to step away from the takeout menus and make something relatively healthy.
This is one of my best weapons:
This is Frontera Tomatillo Salsa, and it is insanely delicious. It tastes bright and acidic and almost citrusy, with a gentle bit of heat. I get it in the “international foods” aisle of my supermarket. (Frontera is a well-known Mexican restaurant in Chicago run by Iron Chef Master Rick Bayless, so it’s possible this is easier to find in the Chicago area. But if you can find it, I highly recommend you buy it immediately.)
Allow me to share with you its ingredient list:
Ingredients: Tomatillos, tomatoes, filtered water, onions, serrano chiles, cilantro, garlic, salt, evaporated cane juice, spices.
Look at that! I can pronounce all of those things! I could buy them all individually and make this myself! Except I don’t have to, because Rick Bayless has done it for me!
I use this salsa a zillion ways. One of my favorites is to stir it in at the last minute to a bunch of scrambled eggs, then serve with tortillas (or wheat toast) for a quick Mexican breakfast-for-dinner. Or I sautee an onion and carrot and celery, add a can of drained black beans and 4 cups of water, simmer it for 45 minutes or so, then swirl in a huge dollop of this stuff. Voila! Soup! I’ve even been known to spread it on sandwiches with cheese and avocado and tomato and pop it in the panini press for a super delicious twist on grilled cheese. Or I whisk together a dollop of this with a dollop of fat free greek yogurt or sour cream to make an awesome salad dressing for a taco-style salad.
Sometimes, I like to make my own salsa. For dipping chips, there’s nothing better, in my mind, than a freshly-chopped pico de gallo. But for a super-versatile, delicious, and healthy way to season foods quickly, this salsa is well worth checking out.
Frontera Tomatillo Salsa, $4.95 for 16 oz, at grocery stores and at FronteraKitchens.com
Is there a beauty products junkie in your life? She’s sure to appreciate any of these classic, useful beauty gifts. They make great stocking stuffers, too! (Since we’re getting down to the wire, from here on out the gift guides will feature items that are easy to find in-person, not just online, so you can run out and get one on your lunch break. You’re welcome!)
Clinique Quickliner for Eyes
Line with one side, smudge with the other. Comes in amazing colors, and much nicer quality than a lot of those drug store brands.
Quickliner, $14.50 at Clinique counters
Rosebud Salve
I put this magic product in my mom and sister’s stockings one year, and now they get mad if I don’t do it every year. A perfect lip balm that also works great on dry skin, and to tame flyaways, and a million other uses.
Rosebud Salve, $5.59 at Drugstore.com and drugstores everywhere
Tweezerman Mini
Tread carefully or you risk of sending a “wow, your eyebrows are super bushy!” message with this one. But if you know she plucks already, you can’t beat the gold standard of tweezers.
Tweezerman Mini, $10-$12 at Ulta, Sephora and elsewhere
Fancy Hair Minis
My sister once got me a bunch of travel-sized bottles of fancy hair products I would have been too chicken to try myself. GREAT gift. Recommended: Ojon dry shampoo (pictured); Fekkai products.
Ojon travel-sized dry shampoo, $10 at Sephora
Laura Mercier Hand Cream
Everyone needs hand cream at this time of year. This is way nicer than the stuff she buys herself. It goes on smooth, absorbs quickly, and smells divine. (I recommend the Almond Coconut scent.)
Hand Cream, $15 at Bloomingdales and at department stores
There’s one in every family- the person who has hard-to-predict taste, who already has everything, the one who is just impossible to shop for. If you can’t give them something that will make their life complete, you can at least try to make them smile.
Gin & Titonic Ice Cube Trays
Hah! Gin and Titonic! Get it? TiTONIC? Hilarious! (Jokes aside, these ice cubes are pretty cute. And if the family gathering gets a little stressful, you can put them right to work.)
Ice Cube Trays, $6 at Perpetual Kid
Presto Cheese Slicer
Elegant, useful design is ALWAYS a welcome gift. Perfect for cheese lovers, design-lovers, and those who will feel gratified that you thought they’d appreciate a gift that’s also featured in the permanent collection at MOMA. Bonus: many, many opportunities for “who cut the cheese” jokes. Presto!
Cheese slicer, $5 at MOMA Store
Please Please Me (Remastered)
The newly digitally-remastered versions of all the Beatles albums really do sound different- clearer and crisper- than the original cd releases. Start someone off on collecting the new versions with the great 1st album- or pick what you think might be their favorite. Who can object to the Beatles? No one, that’s who.
Remastered Beatles Albums, $12.99 on Amazon
Dog Costume
Does your impossible-to-buy-for someone happen to have a small dog? Will you please buy them this? Please? And then send me pictures? Thank you.
Dog Rudolph Costume, $10 on etsy
Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
These are so unexpected and so, so lovely. Put one in the bottom of a glass of champagne for an elegant, delicious daytime cocktail. Unusual items like this are perfect for hard-to-shop-for folks. Plus, they’re tasty.
Hibiscus Flowers, $11 at Wildhibiscus.com
Hopefully, next year, these people will give us some suggestions or a wish list or something. This is exhausting.
Someone in your life home for the holidays? Give them something that will make them the hit of the dorm when they go back for second semester.
Spilt Milk Cereal Bowl
This adorable bowl looks like it has milk spilling over the sides. But it’s not just clever- is nice and deep, perfect for late night bowls of cereal or microwaved macaroni and cheese. Plus, it’s silicone, so it’s easy to clean and won’t break when its thrown in a box for storage over the summer.
Silicone cereal bowl, $13.99 at Perpetual Kid
Pick your nose paper cups
What’s better than cheap beer in your dorm room with friends? Cheap beer consumed out of ridiculous paper cups with hilarious noses! I call dibs on one with a mustache!
Pick your nose cups, $10.75 at Amazon
Red Vines Tub
I ate an unholy amount of these in college. A tub of these in your room = instant visitors. Probably best reserved for those traveling back to campus by car, so as to avoid overweight bag fees.
Red Vines 4-lb Tub, $10.66 on Amazon
Wood Grain Magnet Strips
Those quilted flower-fabric bulletin boards are SO 1990s. Try something sleeker and more modern for hanging those embarrassing pictures of her Saturday-night antics.
Magnetic Strips with 6 super-strong magnets, $8 at Velocity Art and Design
Caladium Bowl
This lovely bowl is just made for sitting on a dresser. Perfect for storing rings, hair bands, or quarters for the laundry.
Caladium Bowl, $7.95 (on sale from $16) at Anthropologie
Aw, teenager. You’re so sullen. Cheer up! Here are some presents!
We Love Colors Tights
Would you have wanted it in the 80s? Do the pictures of you wearing it in the old days mortify you now? Perfect. That’s what she wants. These tights come in 51 amazing colors, including neons. Get a couple, secure your “cool aunt” status.
Tights, $8 each, at We Love Colors
Mixtape Headphone Winder
Use this little gadget to keep those pesky headphone cords at bay. Sure, he never owned a cassette tape, but that doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate irony.
Headphone Winder, $8 at Fred Flare
Acoustic Amplifier
This super-cool contraption amplifies the sound from your iPhone just by the shape of the plastic, using good old-fashioned physics. Excellent as a speaker for carrying with you in a backpack, or for those who are battery-phobic. (Via Maggie)
Griffin Acoustic Amplifier, $14.99 at Amazon
Sharpie Mini Marker Set
Allows her to doodle her initials with those of her crush in many delicious colors. Everyone loves new art supplies.
Sharpie Mini Markers, $11.73 at Amazon
DIY Duct Tape Wallet Kit
Imagine how cool she’ll feel when someone inquires after her badass wallet and she can say nonchalantly “oh, this old thing? I made it.”
Duct Tape Wallet Kit, $9.99 at Amazon
They ARE difficult- to shop for, to relate to, to endure- but we do love them, don’t we?
You know what would be really great? If someone I didn’t know that well, or who was at a loss for what to give me, skipped the slippers and just got me something really delicious instead. Some suggestions:
Vosges Minis
Vosges chocolate comes in outrageous and crazy-delicious flavors like Naga (with curry and coconut) and Bacon (with, um, bacon). I highly recommend the Barcelona (with sea salt and almonds). With this, you can create your own set and give someone 6 different flavors for a very friendly price.
Mix n’ Match Minis, $12.50 for 6 at Vosges
Quince & Apple Shallot Confit
“Onion jam?” you ask? Oh yes. Spread this on some bread with tomato slices and sharp cheddar cheese for the most insanely delicious grilled cheese sandwhich of your life. Or, if you’re a traditionalist, serve with a big bloody steak. Either way: delicious.
Shallot Confit with Red Wine by Quince & Apple, $5.99 at Foodzie
Moravian Spice Cookies
Crispy, spicy, and addictively delicious. No one will care one bit that your signature Christmas cookies aren’t homemade.
Moravian Spice Cookies, $13 at Amazon
Passionfruit Vinegar
Oh my god. This vinegar is insane. Make a light vinaigrette for a salad of greens and fruit, use it to dress some fresh strawberries or, my favorite, drizzle it straight onto some grilled fish. Interesting, unusual, and delicious (and, at this price, a STEAL.)
A L’Olivier PAssionfruit Vinegar, $14.97 at Amazon
Beeline Honey
This honey has it all: great packaging, small-batch production, and the knowledge that you’re supporting a great cause. (Beeline products are made by participants in a workforce training program for ex-offenders who are trying to reenter the workforce. Cool, right?)
Beeline honey, 12 oz jar, $9 at Beeline Store
Yum.
