Trying New Things: March 2015
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I have something of a weakness for new things. I'm a sucker for a new product to try out (within reason, of course) and if I buy something over and over again, it means that I really, really love it.
I thought I'd try putting this weakness of mine to good use by sharing with you a few of the new things I try every month. They could include food, beauty products, cleaning supplies, kitchen gadgets, apps...you get the idea. They might not all be winners, but hopefully we'll at least enjoy ourselves exploring some new things together!
So let's try this out, shall we?
First up for this month is Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara.
Mascara is my absolute favorite makeup product, and I've been trying out new mascaras for years. I have tried so, so many. In fact, I've tried enough that I've actually settled on two favorites that I'll buy repeatedly (this drugstore mascara and this high end mascara, if you're curious). So I mostly keep it to those two and don't buy many new ones. But a full size of this Rimmel one came in my Walmart Spring Beauty Box, so I tried it out.
I was actually pleasantly surprised!
The mascara gave me good separation and length, though not a ton of volume. It also didn't weigh down the curl, so that's always good. Separation is my number one requirement for a good mascara, so I'd say I'm a fan!
My biggest gripe with this is that it goes on pretty wet, which can make application a little tricky. You can see in my after picture that I even got a little bit on my lash line, even though I was being super careful. It wipes off easily though, even with a dry q-tip...er, cotton swab.
This mascara also claims to help your lashes grow faster. I haven't been using it long enough to say anything one way or the other on that!
Overall, if you're looking for a good, affordable mascara, I'd definitely recommend this one, especially if my beloved LashBlast doesn't work for you (some people hate it!). I'll use this tube, for sure... but I'll probably stick to my LashBlast.
Next, let's take a look at GoPicnic On-the-Go Meals and Snacks
This was about as "impulse buy" as you can get. I literally just saw these on the shelf at Target, thought they looked interesting, and went home with three different varieties. I'm all about convenience when it comes to lunch nowadays, and all too often, that means either a drive thru or an incredibly lame meal at home. So these convenient little boxes, with everything planned and portioned out, seemed like a great fit for me.
GoPicnic's meals and snacks require no refrigeration, and they boast no trans fats, no artificial flavors/colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and no added MSG. They offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, which don't apply to my family, but cool. The calorie count is low, too -- they advertise that everything they make is under 500 calories.
Taste wise, I approve. This salami and cheese variety was my favorite. A cracker with some of the cheese spread and a slice of salami on top? Yum! It also came with a small bag of a fruit/nuts/yogurt mix, and some "chocolate pillows" which were pretty yummy. All pretty small portions, but surprisingly filling. Certainly enough for a small lunch for me, though certainly NOT enough for a small lunch for my husband.
Unfortunately, looking at the nutrition facts, and based on my limited knowledge of nutrition, I'd hardly call these healthy. The variety I liked best was pretty packed of saturated fats and sodium. I guess since it was replacing a whole meal, that could be acceptable, especially if you're not watching what you eat at all (--raises hand--) but anyone wanting an exceptionally healthy lunch might be disappointed. Some of the other options might be better.
I also tried the "turkey slices and cheddar" variety (just okay), and I had my three-year-old try the "peanut butter and crackers" variety. Charly loved the "special lunch in a box" thing, and she liked and ate most of the food, but surprisingly, she absolutely hated the fruit snacks they included. She actually used the word "disgusting." So there's that.
Overall, if you're looking for something super convenient that is probably a better, cheaper choice than most fast food, I'd say these fit the bill. I can totally see us buying these for our kids (or even for myself) for long car trips or future airplane rides. And I might keep some on hand for lunches on busy/tired days, too.
Aaand finally, let's talk about John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Curl Perfecting Spray.
Oh, my hair. In its natural, air dried state, it's weirdly flat at the roots, frizzy/poofy in the middle, and just blah at the ends. It has serious curl in some places, gentle wave in others, and is pretty straight in a few random spots. Seriously, guys, it's a gigantic mystery.
So I end up blow drying and either straightening or curling it into sort of submission, which I'm sure causes all kinds of damage. It also takes waaaay too much time to do. So I've been trying to embrace my hair for what it is, to help minimize the damage to my hair and my schedule. I've been on the hunt for products that will allow me to air dry it and then just touch up with the hot stuff, hopefully ending up with some nice waves.
Well, I've tried an awful lot of products, and I'm pretty comfortable saying that this is the best one so far!
It helps a ton with the general frizz that seems to pop up as my hair dries, but it doesn't ruin any of the natural curl. It doesn't dry crispy (a huge plus for a curly hair product!) and doesn't add any weight to my roots. I also love that it's a spray, which makes it easy to distribute evenly through my hair.
I've used this a few times. In fact, I used it this morning, and it pretty much gave me exactly what I wanted. I let my hair air dry and ultimately spent literally three minutes touching it up with my flat iron and curling wand. I am so impressed!
I thought I'd try putting this weakness of mine to good use by sharing with you a few of the new things I try every month. They could include food, beauty products, cleaning supplies, kitchen gadgets, apps...you get the idea. They might not all be winners, but hopefully we'll at least enjoy ourselves exploring some new things together!
So let's try this out, shall we?
First up for this month is Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara.
Mascara is my absolute favorite makeup product, and I've been trying out new mascaras for years. I have tried so, so many. In fact, I've tried enough that I've actually settled on two favorites that I'll buy repeatedly (this drugstore mascara and this high end mascara, if you're curious). So I mostly keep it to those two and don't buy many new ones. But a full size of this Rimmel one came in my Walmart Spring Beauty Box, so I tried it out.
I was actually pleasantly surprised!
The mascara gave me good separation and length, though not a ton of volume. It also didn't weigh down the curl, so that's always good. Separation is my number one requirement for a good mascara, so I'd say I'm a fan!
My biggest gripe with this is that it goes on pretty wet, which can make application a little tricky. You can see in my after picture that I even got a little bit on my lash line, even though I was being super careful. It wipes off easily though, even with a dry q-tip...er, cotton swab.
This mascara also claims to help your lashes grow faster. I haven't been using it long enough to say anything one way or the other on that!
Overall, if you're looking for a good, affordable mascara, I'd definitely recommend this one, especially if my beloved LashBlast doesn't work for you (some people hate it!). I'll use this tube, for sure... but I'll probably stick to my LashBlast.
Next, let's take a look at GoPicnic On-the-Go Meals and Snacks
This was about as "impulse buy" as you can get. I literally just saw these on the shelf at Target, thought they looked interesting, and went home with three different varieties. I'm all about convenience when it comes to lunch nowadays, and all too often, that means either a drive thru or an incredibly lame meal at home. So these convenient little boxes, with everything planned and portioned out, seemed like a great fit for me.
GoPicnic's meals and snacks require no refrigeration, and they boast no trans fats, no artificial flavors/colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and no added MSG. They offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, which don't apply to my family, but cool. The calorie count is low, too -- they advertise that everything they make is under 500 calories.
Taste wise, I approve. This salami and cheese variety was my favorite. A cracker with some of the cheese spread and a slice of salami on top? Yum! It also came with a small bag of a fruit/nuts/yogurt mix, and some "chocolate pillows" which were pretty yummy. All pretty small portions, but surprisingly filling. Certainly enough for a small lunch for me, though certainly NOT enough for a small lunch for my husband.
Unfortunately, looking at the nutrition facts, and based on my limited knowledge of nutrition, I'd hardly call these healthy. The variety I liked best was pretty packed of saturated fats and sodium. I guess since it was replacing a whole meal, that could be acceptable, especially if you're not watching what you eat at all (--raises hand--) but anyone wanting an exceptionally healthy lunch might be disappointed. Some of the other options might be better.
I also tried the "turkey slices and cheddar" variety (just okay), and I had my three-year-old try the "peanut butter and crackers" variety. Charly loved the "special lunch in a box" thing, and she liked and ate most of the food, but surprisingly, she absolutely hated the fruit snacks they included. She actually used the word "disgusting." So there's that.
Overall, if you're looking for something super convenient that is probably a better, cheaper choice than most fast food, I'd say these fit the bill. I can totally see us buying these for our kids (or even for myself) for long car trips or future airplane rides. And I might keep some on hand for lunches on busy/tired days, too.
Aaand finally, let's talk about John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Curl Perfecting Spray.
Oh, my hair. In its natural, air dried state, it's weirdly flat at the roots, frizzy/poofy in the middle, and just blah at the ends. It has serious curl in some places, gentle wave in others, and is pretty straight in a few random spots. Seriously, guys, it's a gigantic mystery.
So I end up blow drying and either straightening or curling it into sort of submission, which I'm sure causes all kinds of damage. It also takes waaaay too much time to do. So I've been trying to embrace my hair for what it is, to help minimize the damage to my hair and my schedule. I've been on the hunt for products that will allow me to air dry it and then just touch up with the hot stuff, hopefully ending up with some nice waves.
Well, I've tried an awful lot of products, and I'm pretty comfortable saying that this is the best one so far!
It helps a ton with the general frizz that seems to pop up as my hair dries, but it doesn't ruin any of the natural curl. It doesn't dry crispy (a huge plus for a curly hair product!) and doesn't add any weight to my roots. I also love that it's a spray, which makes it easy to distribute evenly through my hair.
I've used this a few times. In fact, I used it this morning, and it pretty much gave me exactly what I wanted. I let my hair air dry and ultimately spent literally three minutes touching it up with my flat iron and curling wand. I am so impressed!
(got to love the weirdly backlit, at-the-office selfie, taken seconds before your husband walks in for a work meeting. #winning)
So there you have it -- three new things I tried in March! Did you try anything new? Anything I should check out?
