We Talk Shop

When it comes to mascara, Maybelline is a leader of the drugstore cosmetic brands, their Great Lash mascara is popular among many celebrities and celebrity stylists, at least that’s what I’ve read in the fashion mags. While I’m a fan of the Great Lash product, I actually prefer their new Colossal Volum’ Express, which has become my go-to mascara for thick, bold lashes.

Going eye to eye with a similar product, Cover Girl’s Last Blast, I still preferred Volum’ Express, the Lash Blast lacked the pop I was looking for; it had minimal impact.

However, Volum’ Express does lack in one area itself, it can get a bit cakey on multiple applications. Consider this a one-coat mascara.

Get it: You’ll find it for around $7 at your local drug or grocery store. For the best deal, keep an eye on the weekly ads at CVS or Walgreens for buy one, get one free offers.

Pet hair and I go way back so when I saw a commercial for this product, I knew I had to try it. Living in a multi-pet household, I’m always on the watch for new products that will make keeping my furniture and floors as hair-free as possible.

I didn’t expect this product to live up to its “quick and easy” promises, but live up to, and exceed, it did. The product is simple to use, just remove it from the (eco-friendly) box, and start sliding it on your fabric left and right in short strokes. One roller removes the pet hair while the other cleans off the first brush and pushes the pet hair into the plastic top.

When the sweeper is full, it will not pick up anymore hair. I’ve been using the product a month or so, and it’s still not full, and at the price, I expect to be able to keep using the sweeper for a few more months before its full. (I’ll update this post mine is.)

Get it: At $5-6 at your local supermarket, it’s a $1 or so higher than it should be considering its disposable, but also considering it’s highly effective, it’s still worth the purchase. And right now you can print a $2 coupon from Pledge’s Web site, which expires June 30, 2009.

I have a lot of problems with mold in my shower so when I saw this product, I decided to give it a try, even with the high price tag. The kit I purchased included the automatic cleaner and two refills.

It was easy to set up, but not easy to hang. The intention is to hook the cleaner on your shower head, but I already had a shower caddy hanging there so I had to improvise. I managed to hang it by twisting the metal hook and placing it over the edge of the shower.

The product is simple to use: Press a blue button and the sprayer spins to cover the four shower walls. Unfortunately though it didn’t actually cover all four shower walls top to bottom, it only covered part of them. Scrubbing Bubbles claims to “work hard so you don’t have to” but apparently we don’t have the same work ethic. If I went to get a spray tan, I wouldn’t expect to have only half my body sprayed. And if I use an automatic cleaner to remove scum from my shower, I don’t expect to have only half the scum removed.

In all fairness, within two weeks after I bought this version, an improved product was released, one including two sprayers that are intended to cover not only all four walls but also target corners. I haven’t tested this product to find out if there’s any improvement, and I don’t plan on shelling out another $20 to do so.

Forget it: After such a bad experience with the initial version of this product, I’m not brave enough to try the second one, but if you decide to take the risk, let us  know what you think. You can purchase the product at most grocery chains for around $20. (Click here to save $7 on the kit.)

Full disclosure, this product was sent to me to review. Another As Seen on TV product, it does what it says it will do - to a point. Simple enough, put the liquid (SoapJet Concentrated Car Wash, comes as part of the kit) in the handle of the hand sprayer, connect a hose to the bottom, turn on, spray on your car. The water mixes with the liquid. The hand sprayer is useful for mixing products, whether it be the provided car wash or another brand, but don’t expect your car to get magically washed. While Soapjet lives up to its “soap suds rinse” promise, you won’t see dirt dripping off your car.

Forget it: $19.95 on Soapjet.com; Only with a lot of elbow grease is your car getting clean, and you can accomplish that with a scrub brush, soap and water.

While on vacation earlier this year, I made a snap purchase at a General Store — three placemats for my son to use at the dinner table. I got one with the alphabet, one with trucks and one with animals. They are colorful, durable and great entertainment at the table.My toddler son has already learned more of his ABC’s by having us pointing out letters on his placemat and I think he feels special that he gets to use something so colorful.

As a Mom, I like the fact that it’s large enough to keep the table clean(er). If I knew where to buy these in a store, I would get more.

Get it: $3.99 from Crocodile Creek.

Maybelline has already defined themselves with their pink and green tube, but they define a lash in a whole new way with Define-a-Lash mascara. The unique, flexible brush glides along your lashes, leaving just enough color to lengthen without clumping. It’s not as bold and thick as Great Lash or Dior’s DiorShow, but it’s the first mascara I’ve used that adds just the right amount to your lash.

Get it: It shouldn’t be the only mascara in your arsenal, but it should be one of them. Look for it at in the cosmetics aisle of any grocery or pharmacy chain for around $5.

We typically don’t write about toy recalls here, or any product recalls, but as a mom I’ve been faced with keeping up with the latest bombardment of information so I thought it would be only fair of me to share some important links with our WTS readers.

Yesterday I learned about a scary recall of the Aqua Dots toy — it’s linked with the same chemical found in the date rape drug. Yes, shocking. For me, this solidified my mom instinct to now really look at all toys that come into my home. It’s a wake up call. Check out the CPSC Web site for current recall information. You can’t rely only on the TV or newspaper to report on recalls, there are far too many for them to mention in a 30-minute newscast so they limit the reports to severe recalls. But, let me tell you, there are tons of recalls. See for yourself.

Related links:

• CPSC email list sign up
  
• Aqua Dots recall information from the CPSC site
• Aqua Dots recall information at Aquadotsrecall.com (at the time of the writing of this post, the Web site was down, most likely because of heavy traffic)
• My reaction to all of the recent recalls, on my Mom blog, Balancing Motherhood.

So winter is upon us (at least in some states) and thought I should start writing about a couple of things I’ve tried to keep dry skin away. One of them is Nivea creme, the blue tin ones you see practically in every drugstore. I bought the small tin for $0.99 cents and I’m so glad I’ve finished this creme. I’ve been using it on my hands, elbows and cuticles because unfortunately for me and my husband, that’s all it’s good for. I bought it because we get random dry patches on our skin especially in the winter. However, when he used it, he complained about the greasy feeling on his skin by the end of the day. It doesn’t sink in the skin and it just clogged up his pores.

Perhaps this creme would be more suitable to use for cuticles or elbows, or maybe if you have dry heels, because it just doesn’t work at all on the face. Too bad, because I love the classic blue tin, but I can’t justify buying this even for $0.99 cents just for that.

Fergit it: Unless you’re traveling and in desperate need of some heavy moisturizer, steer clear of this creme, because it’s not suitable for the face. But if you must try, get the smaller tin which is available at Walgreens, CVS, and most drugstores.

I love chocolate, and I can’t say I’m the most discriminating when it comes to what kind I buy. I’ll eat your popular at-the-counter variety or I’ll splurge on gourmet. I use to be a fiend for milk chocolate, but in the last few years I’ve developed a vicious craving for dark. Recently I discovered a new favorite - Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s in Extra Dark Chocolate with Cacao Nibs. The mix of 65-percent cocoa with bits of cacao nibs is a perfect blend - more semi-sweet than bittersweet.

Most gourmet chocolate bars will cost more than $2 to $3, but Cacao Reserve is a great value for $1.99. (If you live near a Super Target, check for the smaller four-square package on clearance for 68 cents. You’ll find it by the register.)

Get it: Great taste, excellent value, if you love dark chocolate but not the price, try Cacao Reserve. Look for it at your local grocer.

I was skeptical of this product at first, but really like it now that I’ve used it. I have a problem, sometimes, with mix colors in the laundry. I’ve pulled out new shirts that have purple stains on them because I washed something read with something blue. I thought all dark colors can go together.

So, to save my sanity and not have to wash 10,000 loads of laundry every week, I purchased the Shout Color Catchers. They look like dryer sheets, but they go in the washer. As your clothes are washing, and those mystery colors are floating around in the water just waiting to cling to the wrong garment, the Color Catchers absorb the color from the water.

When you move your clothes to the dryer the Catcher sheet will not be white. It will turn whatever color it picked up from the water. Now, sometimes I find that there is nothing on the sheet, but other times it is red or purple. Sometimes blue. It’s always a faint color, but there is ink on the sheet. Ink that I suppose would have ended up on my husbands new colored shirt I just bought for him. This sheet saves me a lot of worry. I still sort my clothes, but if I’m in doubt, I toss a sheet in for extra assurance. It’s been working so far. The only downside to the sheets is the price. It’s about $5.00 for a box of $24. It’s not outrageous, but not cheap either.

Get it: Most stores, in the laundry aisle.