A few years ago, I started a series called “Empty’s” where I revisit an item after it’s been used long term, and decide whether I want to repurchase it.
I checked my Amazon orders and I started using this Vitamin C serum in October 2022 and have purchased it 10 times since then. I love this serum, it’s easy to purchase on Amazon and depending on the day it costs between $9 – $12. I use this daily in the morning (cleanse, then CosRx snail serum, then this, then moisturizer). This one is a forever reorder for me.
Naked and Thriving Renew Resurfacing Night Serum (find it here)
I purchased this serum almost exactly a year ago and just used the last dregs in the bottle. I was influenced by Instagram for this purchase and was convinced that it would be a hero product… but it was just… fine. The consistency was fine, the smell was nice, but I didn’t notice it doing ANYTHING to my face. Other than costing me $69. I will not be reordering this one.
I’ve been using this cream pretty consistently since February 2023 and just finished my latest tub. I like this product because it goes on nice and thick, but then soaks right into my skin rather than making me feel sticky. While I do like this cream, I’m going to hold off on reordering it at this time for a couple reasons. First, the pump sucks. It only works for maybe a quarter of the tub and then you have to unscrew it and dip your hand in to get the lotion. Second, it has no scent. Which is great if you don’t like scents. But my Palmers Cocoa Butter smells delicious AND works well, so I’ll be using that for a while.
Disclosure: Not sponsored.This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.
It’s that time of year again – we just received our class assignments and school supplies lists for the upcoming year. We don’t go back to class until after Labor Day, but according to my social media timelines some kids are already starting to head back!
Here are a few of my tips to help make the back-to-school craziness go a little bit smoother:
I’ve been using them for years on school supplies, lunch boxes, water bottles, plastic containers, ice packs, etc. They are dishwasher safe and hold up really well after dozens and dozens of washes. I even have a water bottle from 3 years ago that STILL has the label on it with Jack’s name. These things are invaluable, so keep a pack on hand!
Tip #2: Throw in a Load of Laundry
Hunt down the backpack and lunchboxes your kiddo(s) used last year, throw them in the washing machine and wash them on cold (add a few towels so you don’t waste any space). Then, let them hang dry so that they’re all ready for the coming year. Even if you bought a brand-new lunchbox and backpack, DO THIS ANYWAYS with the old ones. That way when a container of peaches opens up inside their lunch bag and makes everything sticky, you’re prepared with a backup until the new one is clean again. If you have a hard lunchbox (rather than the squishy kind), stick it in the dishwasher for a nice back-to-school bath.
Tip #3: Reintroduce Shoes
If your kid is like mine, they’ve been wearing sandals, flip flops, or crocs all summer long. However, at our school it is required to wear sneakers on PE days. Well, Jack hasn’t put on socks and sneakers in months, so each August I have him try on his sneakers to make sure he hasn’t grown out of them.
Flow Chart 1: If they’re too small, you now have a couple weeks to find a new pair. Find them, buy them, start wearing them to break them in so they are ready to be worn for a full school day.
Flow Chart 2: If they still fit, reintroduce shoes and socks to your kid. According to Jack, socks are evil and so hard to put on after three months. So, we start wearing them sparingly before school starts to get the whining out of the way early.
Tip #4: Do a Clothing Fashion Show
Yes, I know it’s still 90 degrees in Maryland. However, when you realize your kid grew out of all their pants and long sleeves it will be cold outside and you’ll be stuck sending your kid to school in capris. Do a quick try-on of pants, long sleeves and jackets so that you have a couple months to hunt out sales and gather what you need.
Disclaimer: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.
A few weeks ago, I got caught in a rainstorm while out and about for work. Like a full-on drenched rain goblin. And then I ignored my hair while continuing to do work stuff for a few more hours. And then when I got home and looked in the mirror… my hair looked fantastic.
What the heck with these beachy waves. There was NO effort?! And it turned out like this???
So that reminded me that I’ve gone through phases of wearing my hair wavy over the years and I wondered if I could use the ‘curly hair method’ or ‘wavy hair method’ or just the Reddit rabbit hole to find the perfect product that could recreate this look with little effort.
Before we get into all the science experiments, my typical hair routine is that I shampoo and condition it in the shower. Then, I put it up in a towel to dry a bit while I’m getting ready. Last, I use a wide tooth comb to comb it out. It is typically tangled from being up in a towel. I’ll sometimes stick a little product in there (maybe Potion 9 or Moroccan oil) and then just let it air dry. It dries mostly straight with a little body or waves. I wash it every 2-3 days, which my dry hair likes.
For my wavy hair experiments, I started with trying to figure out what kind of hair I actually have. Now, with the *wonders* of perimenopause… my hair texture HAS been changing. For the past few years, I suddenly have little curls at my temples and a full-on wave pattern at the back of my head. After a deep dive into hair type charts, I landed on a mix of 2A/2B hair, which is wavy, fine and easily weighed down. It’s not quite straight, not full curlicues, something in the middle.
Once I know what I was working with, I did some research, ordered a few options online, and went into full science mode…
For this try, I washed and conditioned my hair like normal and then combed it with a wide-tooth comb when I got out of the shower. Then, I did “the bowl method”, where you pat on your product with “praying hands” and then dip your hair into a bowl of water and scrunch it. And dip and scrunch. And dip and scrunch. And then I kind of scrunched the extra water out with a towel and let it air dry without touching it again.
This product got rave reviews on the Wavy Hair Reddit, so I immediately hit ‘add to cart’ and waited with baited breath for it to show up at my house. (Fun fact: I actually saw it at TJ Maxx for way cheaper afterwards). For this experiment, I washed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Combed it out while still in the shower with dripping hair. Then, applied the Curlsmith In Shower Fixer with praying hands and scrunched, scrunched, scrunched. I finished up by scrunching the extra water out with an old tee shirt and letting it air dry without touching it again.
Okay, so first of all my hair dried like Ramen (left photo). I “scrunched the crunch” out but I hated the texture of my hair. It felt super goopy and the waves were more ‘grown out 90’s perm’ for me (middle photo). Also, the next morning it felt absolutely disgusting and I had to immediately wash it out of my hair (right photo).
Here is another product that people loved on the Wavy Hair Reddit! I washed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Combed it out while still in the shower with dripping hair. Then, applied the Cake the Curl Whip Mousse with praying hands and scrunched it in. I finished up by scrunching the extra water out with an old tee shirt and letting it air dry without touching it again.
It gave me light waves and felt like no product at all , which I like (left photo). It was nice for a less aggressive wave situation. And the next day hair was really good too, not many waves but really good body and texture without feeling dirty (right photo).
Try 4: Sebastian Potion 9 – The Shower Method AND the Bowl Method
I have literally used this product since I was 15 years old. For this experiment, I washed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Combed it out while still in the shower with dripping hair. Then, applied the Potion 9 with praying hands and scrunched it in. I finished up by scrunching the extra water out with an old tee shirt and letting it air dry. When it was dry, I separated the curls a bit by running my hands through my hair. Results: soft waves, no gunky buildup and I can easily run my fingers through my hair. Next day hair still has some waves too.
Since we were doing this For Science, I tried this exact same set up again, but this time I used the bowl method to see if there was any difference.
And they are basically the same. The in shower method is a lot easier and less messy, but gives similar results.
After the Potion 9 gave me similar results for both the bowl and shower method, I decided to revisit the Mizani Curl Cream. This time I washed and conditioned my hair in the shower. Combed it out while still in the shower with dripping hair. Then, applied the Mizani Curl Cream with praying hands and scrunched it in. I finished up by scrunching the extra water out with a towel and letting it air dry.
Comparison:
Hardly any difference and the shower method is easier and less messy!
What I Learned:
So after all my experiments, here is where I ended up…
Most Like Rained On Waves: Mizani Curl Cream
Less Aggressive Waves: Sebastian Potion 9
Few Waves, More for Body: Cake the Curl Whip Mousse
Bonus: Water spray bottle to reactivate waves for day 2 and day 3. (I love this one https://amzn.to/40KKAVr and use it on my plants too!)
And that’s my final data for my experiments into wavy hair. Of course, in the last week it’s too hot and sticky to wear my hair down without regretting all my life decisions, so I’ve been doing all the braids. However, next time I want to activate my mermaid hair dreams, I know what to do!
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.
