A Few More.....

Every so often I feel the need to write a post about a product, brand, restaurant or just something that makes my every-day easier, my soul happier or my life funner (for the billionth time, yes funner is a word). Today I have 3 things to write about and perhaps if you try them as well then they will make your life a little better too!

1) Covergirl's No Clump Mascara: Clump Crusher. This sounds like a strange item to discuss on a blog but if you're a woman and you wear mascara on a regular basis, I highly recommend this product. I have been using the same mascara for years and years and after trying several other brands and designs, I always go back to the same one. But then I got this item for Christmas (stocking stuffer) and I feel like my mascara world has dramatically changed.

I was hesitant to open the package because I thought, "Why open this when I'm never going to use it?" I loved my same-old brand and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Right? Plus the Clump Crusher has one of those curved brushes (was never a fan) and the brush is also made out of that hard plastic material that tends to be uncomfortable to apply with. Skeptical from the beginning is never a great way to approach a new beauty product.

But now that I have used it, I'll admit that I am officially a converter. It is not the most comfortable product to use (still not a fan of the material that the brush is made out of) but I have yet to have any form of clumping at all on my eyelashes. My eyelashes have never looked so perfect in all of my life. It's a friggin' Christmas eyelash miracle! Plus it's relatively inexpensive which is a bonus. I've used really expensive and really cheap mascaras...and this one falls in the $7 range which is an excellent deal for exquisitely separated and clump-free eyelashes.

2) My new ultra-speed cable jump rope. I was ecstatic to get a speed jump rope for Christmas. I have been working really hard on my jump rope technique and speed but my old jump rope simply couldn't keep up with me anymore. I have out-jumped my old rope and frankly, it was holding me back.  This new rope is simply a thin coil of wire wrapped in plastic. It's really light-weight and goes like a bat out of hell when you get your momentum going.

What I thought was really cool about this rope is that when you buy it, it's super long but you can cut it to fit your height and jumping comfort. Using a rope that is too short or too long is very inconvenient when you're trying to break world records.

There are pros and cons to any kind of jump rope, whether it be a speed rope, weighted rope or plain old traditional rope. Speed ropes are best for speed, coordination and practising your fancy footwork. They aren't the best for building strength because there is no weight to them so you won't have to use your shoulders and arms as much as say, a weighted rope (those definitely cause your upper body to work hard). Plus they are really easy to tangle and really leave a mark when you whip yourself in the back or arm. Ouch! I've left the gym with a few good slashes on the back of my arm. You never really realize where you hit yourself with a jump rope until you use one made out of a plastic covered cable. But the speed rope is so fun and my workouts with it are much more enjoyable. I highly encourage you to try one if you've never used one before.

3) Gardener's Hand Care - Intensive Therapy Hand Cream. I first found this product while aimlessly wandering around the gift shop while aboard one of the BC Ferries on my way to Vancouver. Stopping and sniffing every single body product in the gift shop is a good way to kill time and I am always looking for a nice hand lotion, especially one for my sister who has notoriously damaged hands from her job. While my hands aren't as bad as hers, they take a beating as well considering I work in a hospital and wash my hands about 100 times each day in hopes of avoiding the next deadly strain of H1N1 or the black plague.

With most lotions I just enjoy the fragrance of the testers, but this one I actually tried. Surprisingly enough I went with the lavender scented one which is a scent that I generally detest. However, I think that because of my fast approaching old age, the smell of lavender has become comforting and I find myself enjoying it more and more. Anyway, I immediately loved the way this lotion felt and as with most lotion and tester products, I tried the product and walked away. My theory is that if I still like the way it smells and feels and hour later then I will go back and buy it. And yes, I still enjoyed it very much.

Now I have a tube of it on my bed stand and slather my hands up every night before bed. My hands feel better than they have in a long time and I wanted to send a shout out to Upper Canada Soap that makes this lovely item. Thanks for bringing letting me know how much I actually enjoy the scent of lavender and how nice it is to wake up with softer hands.