archives: Oldies but Goodies
In what is perhaps the least-glamorous item to ever grace the pages of LiveWellSpendWell, I’m here to sing you the praises of…..epsom salts. Yes! Like your grandmother used to use! The ones that come in a large four-pound container that looks like a milk carton! Sexxxay.
I first discovered the joy of epsom salts when I got an incredibly gnarly ingrown toenail. After paying a doctor an absurd amount of money to hack it out (with what I later realized were $5 ingrown toenail scissors), I asked him if there was anything I could do to make it hurt less and to keep it from happening again.
“Well,” he said, “obviously you’ll want to use epsom salts.”
Huh. That would not have occurred to me. Advil? Sure. Neosporin? Absolutely. Some sort of prescription-issue painkilling ointment? Bring it. But little crystals of magesium sulfate that you dissolve in water and then soak your foot in? Sounds old fashioned and silly.
Well it may be old fashioned, but it ain’t silly. Magnesium sulfate has anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s excellent for soaking sore feet, and it made that toenail feel waaay better. My husband, who is prone to sprained ankles, dissolved two cups of the stuff in a bucket of warm water and reported a dramatic improvement in ankle pain and swelling. And since I’ve been training for a half marathon, I’ve started taking epsom salt baths after particularly grueling long runs and my hips, which are prone to soreness, feel WAY better. Miraculous.
It’s got other uses too- tofu binding agent (not kidding), natural laxative, broken-lava-lamp reviver (apparently it makes things more buoyant and can help merge the flecks of wax in a lava lamp that’s been shaken back into a cohesive mass). Really, you should check out the wikipedia page. Fascinating. In short, it’s a pretty screaming deal for a couple bucks.
Epsom Salts, available for $6.99 for a 4-pound box on drugstore.com, and substantially cheaper at your local drugstore.
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.
I am a bit of a fanatic when it comes to my cuticles. I refuse to allow them to become dry and flaky and I am religious when it comes to moisturizing them. I once saw a greeting card with a woman holding out her hand to show off her engagement ring. And my eyes were immediately drawn to her cuticles which were DISGUSTING! I may have convulsed in the card aisle because c’mon! If YOU knew you were going to go on a modeling job and SHOW OFF YOUR HANDS wouldn’t you at least put some lotion on? And don’t even get me started on the quality control factor. Who approved this photo? Are they not well-versed with Photoshop? GAH. *shakes mental image out of head. On to happier thoughts* I like to think that having nice cuticles detracts from my ability to get a manicure in a timely manner, but moving on. . .
I used to use random cuticle oil before bed every night and it worked fairly well but stained my sheets. It also got all over whatever book or magazine I was reading before I passed out in a mouth-breathing coma. When perusing the Burt’s Bees section I noticed they had Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme and was excited to give it a try.
I’ve always been a big Burt’s Bees fan so I knew this was a product and company I could trust. What I immediately liked about the creme was how it smelled. I’m sensitive to strong scents and this is light and fresh, with the slightest hint of lemon. It smells clean, and doesn’t detract from any other scent I may have on which is fabulous. I put it on prior to bed, pawed through my People Magazine, and didn’t have any newsprint on my hands. Thumbs up. I also woke up with noticeably softer cuticles and no oily residue, all after a single use. After using it every day for a few weeks I had stronger nails that didn’t split as much. That’s like extra credit!
This product is listed as 94.91% natural on their website (ya’ll KNOW how important that is to me) and they explain their qualifications:
“At Burt’s Bees, we label every product we make with what we call a “natural bar.” This bar discloses exactly how natural that specific product is. Our products average 99% natural, with half being 100% natural. We will continue to strive for 100% natural on all our products, investigating all ingredients and the latest technologies to create the best products for your greatest well-being.”
I’ve been trying to go as Green as possible when selecting beauty products and I like knowing that their cuticle creme is as natural as can be (or bee. HA!). I don’t want nasty chemicals and petroleum-based products on my nails that can get in my eyes and mouth if I’m not careful. Not that I exhibit toddler-like behavior and stick my fingers all over my face, but I wear contacts so yeah, my fingers do go into my eyes at least twice a day.
A .6 oz tin is around $6.00 (total steal) and lasts for-evuh! I’ve had this thing for months and it’s not even close to half gone. It’s way easier for me to invest in something when I know it has longevity, which this product clearly does.
Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme, drugstore.com (and others) $5.99
Oh, and don’t forget about our Lands’ End reuseable lunch bag giveaway. Pack a lunch and save money while going Green: http://bit.ly/tw29n (ends tonight!)
I have probably tried and put my faith in every single product under the sun to help control breakouts spanning my adolescence, college years, and roaring twenties. They usually work for a short amount of time then fail me miserably. Or even if they do work, they burn the skin off my face or dry it enough to make the Mojave look like a cool and refreshing tide pool. Not only do I hate what sampling all these products ends up doing to my skin, but dropping a pretty penny on a myriad of potions drives me insane. When I find something that works that also doesn’t make my checking account weep, I get tingly.
As much as I’d like to take full-credit for discovering Safeguard Bar Soap to combat breakouts, I can’t. My mom did and was kind enough to pass a bar along for me to try. At first I was all, “Pshaw, Mother. I’m expected to use this cheap and common bar of soap to transform my skin? Puh-LEESE.” (Insert dramatic eye roll here. /scene). But I used it and gee wiz willikers it really worked! (Thanks Mom!)
Picture this: an early twenty-something (*coughmecough*) with a spattering of bumps on her forehead region from excessive sweating over the summer. Clogged pore central. This is clearly unacceptable, as this young woman is trying to find a boyfriend who isn’t a jerk that only cares about her when he doesn’t have anything else to do, though he swears and swears she’s a priority, no really! So she must get her skin under control for the sake of her dating record. Being a spinster with thirty cats isn’t in the Life Plan, so thus enters Safeguard.
I didn’t want to use it on my entire face and off-set the delicate pH balance I had worked so hard to achieve, so I only used it on my target areas, in this case my forehead. Sometimes I needed it on my chin or around my nose, but getting a lather on my hands and applying it wasn’t difficult. Wash off and you’re done. At first I only used it once a day before bed just to see how I responded and it was enough to do the trick. Some might need to use it twice a day, but in case of drying I’d start with once and take it from there. The rest of my skin care routine stayed the same so I didn’t have to alter anything. Once everything was back to normal I lovingly placed my Safeguard in the medicine cabinet, sort of a “Break Open In Case Of Emergency” type situation.
Added bonus: this stuff can make your pits not stink and your feet less raunchy. Talk about the little engine that could! I actually haven’t had to buy this in a store for awhile, as a bar only used for breakouts lasts a long time. I did find it online a few places and it averages a little more than a dollar a bar.
Safeguard Bar Soap, Box of 4 on Amazon.com $5.49.
This morning while I was wrestling a very pissy 15 month old, Husband comes into the nursery and says, “Hey! I have something for you to put on your blog.” Lordy.
“What’s that?” I say. Meanwhile wishing he’d just contend with his son who recently decided I’m chump change and his father is King of All That’s Better Than Mom.
“You should talk about name brand things versus generic!”
(Blank stare from me.)
“You know that deoderant I used earlier in the week? Well, that was a store brand and I was stinky by 2pm. The other stuff is fine through the day and I’m not rank.”
And there you have it: one man’s experience with Old Spice deoderant v. jenky store brand.
I’ve been mulling it over all day and have decided to not do a review today, but simply put it out to the masses for you to tell us what’s been better in your experience: generic or name brand?
Leave your feedback in the comments section and be sure to mention a specific product and let us know whether you thought the generic or name brand version was better.
No one likes swamp mouth, right? And no one wants to fork over wads of cash at the dentist right? RIGHT! Hey, even if you have dental insurance anything other than a routine cleaning is going to set you back something fierce so why not take care of those pearly whites on a daily basis? There are tons of fabulous and spendy electronic tooth brushes out there that can run over $100. I have no doubt that they get the job done, but for those of us who can’t or don’t want to spend that kind of money, there is the rockin’ Oral-B Pulsar toothbrush
The Oral-B Pulsar is not rechargeable. It runs on a battery and once it dies you throw it away. In a perfect world you’re supposed to replace your bristles every three months anyway so it’s almost like it has a timer! A happy, friendly timer that never lets your mouth down. Or. . .something like that. Moving on! All you have to do is push a button and this thing vibrates and cleans your teeth like crazy. No amount of elbow grease comes close. Once I started using this I honestly felt the difference, and I thought I was doing a good job before with my non-fancy brush. Comparatively I wasn’t so I like to look at this as extra credit. I’m a dork like that.
When it comes to saving money and making wise decisions, sometimes you have to think outside the box. Clipping coupons and cutting back on non-essential items are great but you can’t stop there. There are a bajillion articles online talking about oral health being super important for the rest of your body. Infections can spread and mess up everything. That means medical bills which means time off work, and means foreclosure which means living in a box. And do you want to end up living in a Kenmore box down on the tracks all because you neglected your teeth? No, that’s not a good story.
So if you’re not looking to part with Benjamins on a fancy schmancy electric tooth brush or fund your dentist’s next trip to Cairo, give the Oral-B Pulsar a try. It retails for $6.99. Clean teeth FTW!
You know, sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Sure, there might be a newer, sexier wheel out there but the original still delivers. And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it so on and so forth.
I feel this way about toner. Luckily my skin isn’t crazy and high maintenance, demanding the essence of a freshly picked flower atop a mountain in the West Indies. No. I just need a little extra swipe of something to control the oil and get rid of any flakey bits that might be lingering. Enter Sea Breeze (dun dun DUN!) .
This toner got me through my high school years, which I don’t want to get into details but my face? It was angry. Sure, I dabbled into something a little more expensive and oh-la-la in college but when the funds ran out I came crawling back and you know what? Got the same result. It does the job. No need for specially timed trips to the department store when I can get hooked up on my weekly jaunt to Target.
I run a cotton ball over my face in the morning after I wash and at night before bed. It keeps the oil under control and gets the last remains of make-up off. My break-outs are few and far between and very manageable when they do come out and play. And is it just me, or do you also get some gunky crud around the crevices of your nose from time to time? (And if it IS just me then please play along for the sake of my feelings. Kisses!) Well, Sea Breeze gets rid of the build-up and really honestly and truly smoothes and evens out my complexion. I shall never stray again.
A 10 oz. bottle is around $4.99 and lasts a few months. In my opinion (and isn’t that what you came here for?) you can’t get any better for your money. No need for fancy schmancy brands–this totally works and very well at that.
If you fancy yourself a skilled home cook, as I do, you have doubtless heard chefs, food bloggers, and that annoying guy down the street sing the praises of cast iron.
“It’s the original non-stick pan!” they’ll tell you.
“It adds flavor and gives great sear!” they’ll say.
I call BS.
Well, not entirely. Do you remember that scene in “Meet the Fockers” where Dustin Hoffman, who plays Ben Stiller’s dad, talks about how he has used the same skillet since Ben was a little kid, and has never washed it? I have no doubt that, with that level of long-term heavy use, you’d get a sweet, well-seasoned frying pan that would do you right.
The theory goes something like this: the cast iron is porous, so as you use it, the oils from the food you cook actually change the chemistry of the iron, and over time it develops a patina of built-up oils and becomes nonstick and amazing and we love it and tralala. To accomplish this, you’re not supposed to wash your cast iron pan- and definitely never use soap. Instead, you wipe out the food after you use it, wipe in a little salt to get rid of any food bits and a bunch of shortening to help build up the non-stick coating, and over time, you develop an heirloom-worthy piece of cookware, all for under $15!
But I’ve had my cast iron frying pan for three years now and I’m still struggling to figure out how to get it to get that amazing seasoned interior without, you know, leaving a bunch of gross food particles in there after I use it. I cooked a frittata in it once, and hoo boy was THAT a bad idea. I spent over an hour (literally) going at it with salty Crisco to try to get the caked-on eggs out of there.
But I do like the idea of the thing, and I like the piece itself- sturdy, holds heat well, it can go from stovetop to oven no problem- all good things.
So when I saw that Lodge was releasing a line of pre-seasoned skillets, which come with that fun patina of non-stick already installed, I thought: FINALLY. Enough of this “doing it like our grandparents did” bs. I want the quick fix!
I have only tested the tiny version of the pre-seasoned skilled, but I can say: it’s cheap, it’s sturdy, it looks good, and it’s a heck of a lot more non-stick than my sad-sack home-seasoned version. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet yet, start with the 12 inch size- it’s practical and plenty big enough and would make an excellent weapon in the event you’re ever robbed while you’re cooking.
I would still recommend not putting too much faith in that “pre-seasoned” claim and start by cooking things that take a lot of fat or oil- like frying hash browns, or caramelizing onions- so you don’t end up permanently melding your food to your pan. And if you’re ever tempted to cook a frittata in the thing: reconsider.
Lodge cast iron frying pan $12.99 on amazon.
