Product Review: Ron's Picks

*not a sponsored review

I've never been one to believe that you have to spend a lot of money on personal grooming and beauty aids.

Sure, there have been times when I discovered a product that worked amazingly well and had higher price point than I would have liked, but those were the exceptions.

I'm frugal, so I like to investigate products that are effective but inexpensive.

And trust me, there are a lot of good ones out there.

Shown below are four products which I can honestly say that I use on a daily basis and LOVE more than my own life.

And guess what? They won't empty your wallet.

#1 1001 Little Skincare Miracles

This little skincare book is probably one of the best books I've ever come across. And what's really cool is that it contains lots and lots of tips and advice on natural skincare. It's cleverly written and is one of those books you'll want to reference to a lot. Truly a GREAT little gem!

Inside:

-Gives advice for skincare regimes, detoxing and nutrition that will keep your skin beautiful from the inside out.

-Includes an in-depth explanation of creams, serums and cosmeceuticals and the conditions they treat.

-Covers topics on seasonal skincare.

-Contains a special troubleshooting section that shows you how to deal with everything from sunburn and razor bumps to blemishes and allergic reactions.

#2 Olay Sensitive Foaming Face Wash

One of the BEST fragrance-free face washes I have ever used. I have sensitive, normal to oily skin, so I need to use something that will clean my skin effectively but gently. I've been a fan of this face wash for the past 6 years. I use it twice a day: once before shaving my face in the morning to give a closer shave, and then again at night before taking a shower. Olay Sensitive Foaming Face Wash will leave your skin feeling clean and comfortable, never tight or dry.

And for you ladies: it also removes every trace of makeup.

#3 Desert Essence Jojoba Oil

I used this product for virtually everything. Jojoba oil is one of the most effective ways to moisturize your skin (both face and body). I use it on my hair, cuticles, feet, hands, and after I shave. I primarily use it alone, but have also mixed a few drops into my body cream during the colder, drier months as a moisturizing boost. Jojoba oil absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue. It also has a very long shelf-life.

Now that summer has arrived, Jojoba oil is great to use after sun-exposure; keeping skin moist and supple. It also contains an anti-inflammatory; reducing sunburn.

*more info about the amazing benefits of Jojoba oil

#4 Source Naturals Skin Eternal Serum

I like keeping my skincare routine easy. And this AMAZING serum does it all! It's chock-full of antioxidants (DMAE, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and C-Ester) and moisturizing properties that help repair skin and prevent further damage. I've been using this product for the past 10 years (once a day) and cannot say enough great things about it. It gives my skin an even tone and texture; reducing fine lines and firms. If you like using an all-in-one product, then this is the one for you. FAB-U-LOUS.

Enjoy!

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York Peppermint Patties And Sweetgasms

I have the most incredible sweet tooth. If I could live off sweets and ONLY sweets, I probably would.

Oh wait, I lied, with the exception of eating cashew nuts. LOVE them!

My two favorite sweet flavors are peppermint and dark chocolate.

Therefore, when you combined them in one of my favorite candies, a York Peppermint Pattie, it’s like I just had a mind-blowing sweetgasm.

Yes, you heard me right….a  SWEETGASM.

*note: I just invented that word

Perhaps that’s what York means by their advertising slogan, “Get the sensation!”

Often when I eat a York Peppermint Pattie, I have to close my eyes and not speak; allowing the two flavors to stroke my taste buds until my body reaches a peak of shivers and quivers, as a cool breeze blows over my private parts, when at last I cry out…”Oh god! Oh, god!”

Which is why I should only eat York Peppermint Patties in the privacy of my own bedroom because having a sweetgasm in public is just, well, a little embarrassing.

Plus, while eating a Peppermint Pattie, I enjoy listening to a recording of Barry White singing, "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me."

Please watch this quick clip of my favorite York Peppermint Pattie commerical. It's so clever!

While putting this post together, I came across some interesting York Peppermint Pattie items that I never knew existed.

Here, take a look...

Peppermint Pattie Coffee Creamer: OMG...how decadently sinful! And not only would I put this in my coffee, but my cereal, soup and over pasta, as well.

Peppermint Pattie Candle: I fear that if I had one of these, the scent would make want to eat Peppermint Patties even MORE SO.

Peppermint Pattie Earphones: I wonder if when you put these in your ears they subliminally say, "Get the sensation...get the sensation!"

Peppermint Pattie Ice Cream Bars: Two words. MULTIPLE sweetgasms.

Yes folks, I adore York Peppermint Patties.

So much so that you can call me...Peppermint Patty!

Get the sensation!

Joke: What do you call an orgasm from cashew nuts?

Answer: A nutgasm.

Bwhahahahahahaha!

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Feedback Needed: Alternative To Google Reader

Well, as I’m sure you’ve all heard, Google Reader will be going bye-bye next month.

*insert me screaming, “Noooooooooooooooooooooo!”

It seems like every time you turn around, Google is changing SOMETHING.

I mean I know they own 99.9% of the Internet, but paaaleeeese!

I read about this recent change months ago on a notice they sent out to all their users…

But I just kept clicking on the X and ignoring it because it seemed far away, and figured I would deal with it later.

*actually, if you want to know the truth, I was in complete DENIAL.

It sorta freaked me out a bit because I’ve been using Google ever since I started blogging 7 years ago, and had no idea where to look for an alternative.

However, periodically throughout these past months, I did some quick online research but it only made me more confused because in most of the forums I read, TONS of people were giving their opinion. Someone would say, “I think this one is the best!” Then someone else would chime in with, “No, no…THIS one is better!” Then someone would retort, "No, I've been using this one and I think it's better than ALL of them!"

By the time I finished reading all the comments I felt like Daffy Duck; more confused than ever.

So earlier this week, I got the idea of asking YOUR opinion because I feel like I know you guys better and value your input and suggestions.

I also thought it would be a great idea to post this because perhaps some of you are also looking for a Google alternative.

Therefore…

If you would be so kind as to share any information on a reader that you are using and enjoy, I would greatly appreciate it.

I don’t need anything fancy, just a basic reader, like Google.

Also, I’m looking for a reader where I can import my feeds without it being too involved.

Meaning, EASY.

And if by chance you don't use a reader, how do you keep updated with everyone's posts?

Thanks folks! Hopefully this will help others as well.

Because after all, we only have a few weeks left. However...

Have a SUPER weekend everyone!

X

And Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Update: Thank you so much for your feedback everyone!

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Wondering What Might Have Been

One of the coolest things about blogging is that we often receive inspiration from each other through the topics we share on our blogs. Something that someone might say will ignite something inside ourselves that causes us to share it on our own blogs.

Such as it was after I read an awesomely written post by Jayne, over at injaynesworld.

So thank you, Jayne…x

Last week Jayne shared an honest and thought-provoking post about looking back on her high school years; wondering what might have been had she lived it differently.

Her post sparked a feeling of deep reflection within me that I decided to elaborate more on my comment to her through this post.

It seems that Jayne and I had a similar high school experience – it bored the bejeezus out of us, therefore we were not the most serious of students. And I can only speak for myself, but I really didn't apply any effort to my studies. My only wish was to get through it as quickly as possible and then throw myself into the real world, where I knew I would acquire my own way of education by just living life and seeking it myself.

I think we have ALL looked back to particular time in our life, whether it be high school, a relationship or marriage we had, a friendship, or even a brief encounter we experienced, in which we now think, “God…if I could only do it over, I would have done it differently.”

But would we have?

That’s so easy to say to ourselves, but what we seem to forget is that we had a different awareness back then and didn’t know what we know now. But most importantly, I believe we needed those experiences back then because they are what transformed us into the people we are now.

We also seem to forget that during those experiences, many of our personal strengths and assets were being developed; regardless if we did it the 'correct' way because we did 'our' way.

We often reminisce and feel as though we took valuable time and wasted it by not doing what we should have done, and that our life might be so much different now had we done it some other way. But that’s because we frequently compare and judge ourselves against the manner and timing of how everyone else does things.

Yet I think we all learn differently, therefore we grow and blossom in our own manner and time.

Personally, I don’t believe in regrets or 'if I could only do it over.'

There is really no point in regretting or judging back then, there is just the present.

And the present is where the value lies.

I also believe that everything happens for a reason and the way it’s supposed to happen.

So if we can take what we learned back then and look at the valuable growth we achieved and then apply it to the present, then there is no need for regret because it was all part of our individual process.

Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to back then.

And yes, our lives probably would be different had we done it differently.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean better or easier.

We are all perfect just the way our life was.

And is.

Because we grew through it...

...and now here we are.

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I Heart Anthropologie

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know how much I love the store, Anthropologie.

I could literally take up residence there and call it home.

I’m a very visual person, so I notice things and appreciate the thought, care and energy, that go into creating beautiful store and window displays.

Anthropologie has some of the most creative and striking displays I have ever seen in any retail store, because their displays draw you in and make you want to look closer at all the detail.

They understand the value of making things inventive and alluring to the eye; knowing that initial impressions are important. When customers enjoy what they see, they browse longer. And not only do they browse longer, but they come back.

And I have to say, whenever I walk into this store it's packed with customers.

They offer clothing, jewelry, housewares, bedding, candles, and much more.

Every couple of months, I relish taking my camera inside Anthropologie to see what delicious displays they come up with. I can spend 45 minutes browsing all four floor levels.

Such as it was on Tuesday, when I went display-hunting in their flagship store here in Philadelphia.

I like to visit Anthropologie as the seasons change because their displays will morph accordingly.

Those of you who used to follow my separate photography blog, when I had it two years ago, know that if I ever became a professional photographer, I would love to specialize in urban or catalog photography. Both of which I have a heartfelt passion for.

Today I would like to share some photos I took of my recent jaunt into Anthropologie. I love the variety of color in these displays because some are bright and bold, while others are soft and muted.

Please enjoy a stroll though one of my favorite establishments…

Extra photo:

This last image is not from Anthropology, but rather, Tiffany & Co.

I spotted it one day this week while walking down Walnut Street and stopped dead in my tracks to get a photo.

The theme is The Great Gatsby.

Talk about a faaaaaaaabulous window display!

Wishing you a GREAT weekend everyone!

X

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3 Things NOT To Get At The Dollar Store

I love me the Dollar Store.

I mean where else can you walk in with $10.00 and walk out with TEN items and feel like you just had a shopping spree at Bergdorf Goodman's in NYC? Except you don't leave with a Bergdorf Goodman's shopping bag, you leave with this....

However, throughout these many years of shopping in a Dollar Store, I’ve discovered certain things that are just not worth spending a dollar on because that’s all the quality you get.

A dollar's worth.

No, wait. Not even a dollar. More like 25 cents.

Shower Curtain Liners

The shower curtain liners you get at the Dollar Store are made of the most FLIMSY vinyl plastic that was ever invented.

It looks like real plastic; smells like real plastic (a Barbie doll head); feels slightly like real plastic.

But what it really is…is TISSUE PAPER.

OMG, if you even LOOK at them the wrong way, they tear.

I bet the longest I’ve ever kept a shower curtain liner from the Dollar Store was four weeks. So if you add up all the $$$'s I spent on Dollar Store showers curtain liners over the years, I probably could have paid for a week timeshare in Cancun; including a butler wearing only a Speedo, who feeds me red grapes one by one.

I just recently had to replace another shower curtain liner (which I had purchased at the Dollar Store) because it was so torn and shredded, it looked as though Norman Bates from the movie, Psycho, tried to SLASH me to death with a butcher knife while taking a shower, through the curtain.

I kid you not. The shower curtain liner had HUGE tears in it. I barely had enough left hanging on the rod to even call it a shower curtain liner because half of it had torn off the hooks.

Yup, so I'm finished with purchasing Dollar Store shower curtain liners.

Two words.

They SUCK.

Can Opener

I made the foolish mistake of purchasing a manual can opener at the Dollar Store earlier this year, because I didn’t feel like walking two more blocks to CVS to get one.

BIG mistake.

When I got home, I tried it out on a small can of Healthy Choice Chicken and Rice Soup, only to discover that when I inserted the can opener blade into the rim and then turned the handle to cut open the lid, the handle snapped off.

Cheap piece of CRAP!!!

Joke: What do you call a can opener that is broken?

Answer: A CAN'T opener.

Bwhahahahahahahahaha!

Scotch Tape

I think the same stuff that the Dollar Store uses to make their shower curtain liners is the same stuff they use to make their scotch tape – TISSUE PAPER.

I dare you to try and start the roll without it TEARING every single time you TOUCH it.

And if you CAN start the roll, I dare you to try and get the scotch tape to STICK. Dollar Store scotch tape has literally no adhesive power. I would probably get more stick power if I just used my own SPIT.

The last time I purchased scotch tape from the Dollar Store, I got so aggravated from trying to start the roll that I opened one of the windows in my apartment and FLUNG IT OUT over the city of Philadelphia, 21 floors from above the ground.

Two seconds later, I suddenly thought...

 “Shit…I hope it didn’t hit a pedestrian on the head.”

Well, at least I finally figured out a way to get it to STICK.

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