Not Your Mother's Hair...

...except that the whole teased, textured style was definite in through the 80s and early 90s. Looks like bigger is better, again. Good thing my hair is naturally frizzy ;)

Influenster sent me a SweetHeart VoxBox (so sweet!) and in it was a Not Your Mother's product. I'm not big on putting too many chemicals and such in my hair, so it was nice to see something where the first couple of ingredients are pronounceable everyday things.

Courtesy soap.com

I didn't know what to expect. I was worried the salt would dry out my hair. I've used it a few times now (not daily), and can happily report no drying of hair. I have naturally curly hair so the waves don't actually show. BUT this is the first product that has left my hair frizz-free all day and hasn't made it CRUNCHY! Phew! So, instead, I have pretty, soft curls that I can actually leave open (more like half-pin since I'm not used to having my hair down haha).

sorry for the out-of-focusness

At only $5 at walmart, I would definitely repurchase this. HUGE thanks to Influenster for bringing this brand to my attention. Even at the trial size, there's a lot of product (oh yeah, you don't need to spray a whole lot for it to work), so I get to try it for a good amount instead of just once like when you get samples from other places. Sweet deal!

a bit leaked in the box, but still plenty to use and try out

Side note: The brand is huge. They've got a vast variety of products, something for all hair types and needs. At $5 I think they're definitely worth checking out.

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

I glisten..kinda

Because women supposedly don't ever sweat. Well, clearly enough women sweat a whole lot that Secret went and made Clinical Strength Stress Sweat Protection.

Courtesy Pinterest and someecards

I'm not going to gross you out by talking about sweating. I'll just do a quick product review and recommend you try it out yourself to see if it works for you (because everyone's body chemistry is different, etc. etc.)

It goes on smooth, has a pleasant smell (serene citrus, though there are other options) and is REALLY good at keeping you dry. Those are the three things I look for in a deodorant, so points to Secret for each of those. Other brand deodorants, including other Secret products, do a good enough job neutralizing odors and keeping the sweat to a minimum.

The Stress Sweat Protection, though, is like a Tony Stark-grade deodorant. This baby will keep you dry and fresh all day long (maybe not all day at the gym though). Yes, it's still cold out, so how can I really claim that. But see some of the buildings I go to classes in keep it super hot, and I glisten a whole lot. It's also useful against a stressful gym session - once in a while there's a non-stressful gym session. Go figure. So yeah, I've had opportunity to sweat it out.

My own...hence the sub-par quality.

If you're someone who needs to change her shirt after a trip down the driveway to get your mail ... you might want to see a doctor. In the meantime, this is worth trying out.

The only con I have for this deodorant is it's price. It costs something like $8, which is high for a store deodorant. But keep in mind it's prescription strength, so it's worth it. Of course, I'd never have picked it up myself, so thank you Influenster for sending it to me to try out. But I really think it's very helpful for my fellow "glistening" ladies (okay, fine. We have a sweating problem, in that we could sweat in an air-conditioned room).

Courtesy Google and Sunday Comics Debt

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Inner skinny girl: Sorry, but no thanks.

The SkinnyGirl Daily On-the-Go Greek Yogurt and Blueberry Bar didn't do it for me. If you've ever had any Nutrisystem food, it tasted sort of like that. I think whatever they use as substitute for gluten to make it healthier is programmed to come out tasting like cardboard, which is where health foods lose me.

I'm down for making better choices and eating healthier, but at least make it taste good. I'm doing the gluten-free thing (more on that later), but haven't tried any of the gluten-free bread or pasta stuff. After trying the On-the-Go Bar, I'm not so keen.

On the positive side, the Greek yogurt and blueberry (honest to goodness, real blueberries!) bit was good. If they can up the appeal for the base, SkinnyGirl's got a fantastic product.

I will say, it was good to have the bar on hand. I happened to have it on a day when I was actually "on-the-go" and it helped quiet my growling tummy. None of it got sticky or messy, despite having made its way to the bottom of my backpack.

So, over all, points for concept, convenience and real blueberries (this, coming from a girl who doesn't like blueberries), but it's not something I would buy at the store because of the taste, "cardboard" and price factors.


"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Va-Va-WOW!!!

I'd like you to meet my new best friend, the Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid system.

It's really va-va-WOW!

It's a portable mini-massager-cum-cleanser for your face. I always feel refreshed and awake after using this, even without the accompanying Shine Shine Go Away Cleanser. 

My skin feels softer, lighter, tighter and smoother after one use - all excellent reasons for making this part of the daily routine. I like that I can use it with other face washes as well. Or, just with a bit of water for a wake-me-up massage.

Here's what makes it a stand out product:

1) It's compact and light, therefore portable. It's roughly the size of a disposable razor, though a negligible bit bulkier. Heck, it made it into my travel kit within a week of receiving it.
2) It works off 1 AAA battery (first one comes pre-loaded), which minimizes the need for multiple charging accessories.
3) It's not harsh. The rubber tips are gentle, do not irritate the skin, and provide a firm massage & cleaning.
4) Easy maintenance - again, it's basically rubber and plastic, so this pocket-sized powerhouse is easy to clean and use.

Verdict: Buy it! I was lucky enough to get this in a Influenster VoxBox. Now that I've tried it out (and had the rest of my family try it out), I can say this is something I would definitely spend $15 on. In fact, I've got my sister asking for one, and she's not super into beauty maintenance routines. In case mine ever dies, it's one of those things I would re-purchase, and I don't say that about many products. The Fresh Effects system isn't a gimmick, it really is that awesome.

(ps - for the few reviewers who've noticed an increase in breakouts, keep in  mind everyone reacts differently to different products. Try the va-va-Vivid with your regular face wash and see if that makes a difference)

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Sweetheart VoxBox Pre-Review

'Free' is one of my favorite words, and Influenster delivers. Influenster gives me a chance to "try the latest and coolest products catered towards [my] lifestyle", in exchange for giving reviews and getting other people to take notice of these products. Sounds fair to me.

When I got the email that I'd been selected to receive a VoxBox (finally!!!) I literally squeed.

*squee* Finally getting an @influenster #voxbox - the valentine edition. SUPER excited! #happydance
— Simi Sinha (@SimTara) February 15, 2013

Waiting for my box to come in was agony. A white box was sitting on my porch on Feb 26. At first I thought it was something for my dad, but then I picked it up and saw a pink heart sticker.

Look at all the goodies I got inside. 

The Secret Clinical Strength deodorant is timely, since I'm about to run out. At 1.6oz, it's one of their regular sizes (not the bitty, travel size). I will use and review soon-ish, so watch this space for a link to the review.

I'm a little iffy about the Not Your Mother's 'beach babe' spray. My hair is naturally curly and dry, plus this weather is killing my scalp health, so I'm not sure how smart it will be to put salty water in. I know getting in the ocean water hasn't been good, and I'm assuming the spray will react the same. Anyone have any feedback? If you've used this/something like it, let me know. Now that my hair has finally grown out to all natural (I had chemically relaxed it), I'll give it a go in the spring season and review.

Unfortunately, this bottle leaked a bit into my box. See:

 

Fortunately, it seems to have stopped leaking, so I'll have enough to actually try out.

I'm REALLY looking forward to trying out the Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid cleansing system, but anything that helps exfoliate and cleanse my face is awesome. Especially in this crappy, drying winter. Is it spring yet? I haven't actually gotten around to using it, so hopefully that'll happen some time this week. *fingers crossed*

Aaand lastly, I was excited to get a Skinny Girl On-The-Go bar, because I like the concept of the brand and I've liked what little of Bethenny I've seen on TV. I've tried it. Let's just say, it's a healthy bar. I'll post a full review soon.

Right, well. That was my box. Free stuff, all basically full size. For the record, here's the disclaimer: "I've received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes." Which is basically what I said in the beginning, but I don't want to end up in trouble, so there you have it.

If you're active online and will recommend products if you like them, you should definitely request an Influenster membership (only open in North America). Have questions? I may have answers. Or I'll be able to point you in the right direction at the very least. 

Ta!

The Best Books!

Books specifically. Here's a list of books I grew up reading and think every kid should read.

1. The Giver
2. Number the Stars
3. The Phantom Tollbooth
4. The BFG
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
6. The Boxcar Children (series)
7. Little Women
8. Eight Cousins
9. Rose in Bloom (sequel to Eight Cousins)
10. A Little Princess
11. Hatchet
12. Constance
14. A Wrinkle in Time
15. Fahrenheit 451
16. Mountains Beyond Mountains
17. Charlotte's Web

The top three are, in fact, my absolute favorite. The rest is a non-preferential ordering.

It shocks me when I come across people - not just kids - who haven't even heard of some of these books, let alone read them.

I plan to re-read my way through this list (barring the Boxcar Children books) and post reviews, so watch out for updates every now and then.

What are your favorite books? Do you have any "staple" childhood books that you would have your kids read?

eta: post title is changed because I'll be putting up another post with the same title and don't want to create confusion.

Have you heard the story about the Donkey the Father and the Son?

The short version: a father and son have a donkey and all three go from town to town. In each town they are criticized for the way they are traveling, whether it's the father on the donkey and the son leading, or the donkey tied to a stick and both father and son carrying it between them. (The expanded version)

To paraphrase the moral: you can't please everyone. But don't let this become your problem.

People are going to have opinions. Some will love everything you do. Some will hate everything you do. If they are sane, they'll react in moderation. Praise is nice and non-constructive criticism sucks.

None of this should matter, but of course it does. It's taken me forever and then some to realize I just can't take it all to heart. That kind of habit is destructive; it only breeds lots of self-doubt and in an effort to make everyone else happy, you end up displeasing yourself the most.

Bottom line. It's just not possible to do the "right thing" by everyone, and when you run around trying to do just that, you end up looking like the poor donkey in the story: never had a say, was contorted in all sorts of ways.

via Wikipedia

Without getting preachy now... do what you want to do, because it makes you happy and it works for you. If it bothers someone, it's his/her problem. If it really bothers someone, it might indicate that they don't really have your best interest at heart. Those who really matter and understand you will accept that it's what's good for you and leave you be.

Does that make me a selfish person? Not really. If I'm happy, I'm a better version of myself, and so a better person for/to others. I used to spend so much time and energy trying to please everyone and it didn't actually work out. Now that I focus on myself, life runs more smoothly. If it bothers some people, maybe they are the ones being selfish?

What do you think? Do you tend to feel like the father? The son? The donkey? Whose expectations are more important, your own or others?

ps - Thanks to @msbudgetbeauty for reminding me of this story and, in turn, inspiring this post.

2013 Check In #1

Life is hectic. I had forgotten how demanding undergrad was. Or maybe it's the years that have changed my perspective and priorities. It's out of the house from 7am to 5pm, back in just long enough for tea, then gym, them home for shower & dinner & barely enough time to do readings and homework (woah! I really didn't think I'd be doing homework at this stage in my life). Somewhere in there I manage to squeeze in sleep. Weekends are left for taking care of the house, catching up on school stuff and trying to keep up with an online course I'm taking.

Not sure what possessed me to join an online course, but I couldn't pass up on something called Learning Creative Learning, especially when it was free. It's a MOOC (massive open online course) offered by MIT via p2pu... and this is all very new to me, so I'm completely geeking out over the new words and concepts ;) That should neatly cover Resolution #5 - to learn a new skill.

School takes care of #2 - keeping up with reading. The rest of my 2013 resolutions are all giant WIPs, much like the household DIYs I've got lined up. We'll get into that later. Maybe. If I make any progress at any rate.

I've got a few reviews coming your way. Hopefully I'll get them written up & posted more frequently than this last post took to get out. That just goes to show, I'm that tied up with "life". Lately, my idea of taking a break involves cleaning a room in the house or learning some new housekeeping trick. I'm growing OLD! REALLY need to get to #7 - take a vacation with Mishal - ASAP!

ps - I just had to watch Forbidden Planet for a class. I don't think this kind of sci-fi is my cup of tea, which is too bad since I'm taking an entire class on SF writing (not the class I had to watch this movie for... the Gods are laughing). On the other hand, Hunger Games is on the reading list, so it can't be all that bad ;)

I'll leave you with my current motto in life ... really trying to live by these words:

1 Year Anniv with iDoneThis

It's my one year anniversary with iDoneThis. *does happy dance*

(I mentioned them last year in my 10 Tweeps You Should Follow post ... and they'll always be on that list!)

My buzzwords since last year have been accountability and self-improvement. Considering my always long lists of resolutions (2012 and 2013), iDoneThis is a particularly handy app: I get an email every night at 8pm asking me to "take 30 seconds to write out what [I] got done today."

(You can, of course, tweak it so the reminder comes at any other time of day you prefer.)

And see, iDoneGood!

Ok so I fell off the grid for a bit from end May to beginning October, but picked it back up when Ginni - the Chief Happiness Officer - reached out to me via email to check in. How cool is that!? I don't know about you, but gestures like that really make me love a company.

So I don't know whether to call this a cheat, a side benefit or just abuse of an opportunity available to me, but I also use my iDoneThis updates as mini-journal logs. I like to journal and would love to do more of it in general, but most days I either forget or am too tired/lazy. When iDoneThis asks me what I got done, I take it as an opportunity to jot notes of the significant and trivial bits, creating a weird collage of moments. Some of these jots are elaborated into proper journal entries, but some just stay as little sticky-note reminders of life.

Anyway, I haven't missed a day since October 2, 2012 (woah! My brain remembers that it's Gandhi's birthday...absolutely bloody useless information unless I'm ever on Jeapordy). I have the best intentions to not miss a day again ... but no promises.

Thanks for keeping me on track with my goals and helping me hold on to random memories iDoneThis!!!

To those reading: try iDoneThis out for a week and tell me what you think. It's free and good for you, so you have no excuse ;)

In Which I Discover British Television

I've only just discovered Sanjeev Bhaskar and Ayesha Dharker. They're both brilliant.

Not my Image - from The Telegraph

Have you seen The Indian Doctor? It's a sweet little British series about an Indian doctor (who'd'a thunk :P) who moves to Wales with his wife. It's a fascinating look at what assimilating to the UK must have been like in the 1950s (ish). Actually, I imagine it depicts what it might still be like for any foreign family that moves to a small town in the UK or the US.

If you're into off-beat or indie things, check out the series. While you're at it, check out Anita and Me. It's a gem of a movie that would speak to most first generation Indians at some level.

Somebody, put them in more shows and movies! Preferably together!!!

Fortunately, Sanjeev Bhaskar is going to be in The Zero Theorem, which stars Matt Damon... which just makes the whole thing even better!

And you can also see Ayesha Dharker as Asha in Outsourced (the movie) - which was far better as a movie than a show - and as Tara Mandal in Coronation Street (HOW has it been going on since 1960!? I'll add it to my long list of shows I want to check out).

Right. Done squeeing like a fangirl. For now.