mr. clean magic eraser

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are pretty darn magical in their scrubbing power.  I their bath scrubber does a fine job, but not any more of a job than the original would. Because of the spongy texture of the erasers, I didn't feel that the added grooves in the sponge really provided any more cleaning power. It's a "fine" product, but no better than the original erasers (which cost less). So I'm sticking to the original erasers from here out. 

Price: $4 for a pack of 2 bath scrubber erasers. $4 for a pack of 4 of the original erasers.  

Would I repurchase? The original erasers: yes. The bath scrubber erasers: no. 

How I use this product: The Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are very good for getting marks and discoloration off of stainless appliances. They are also good for wiping down showers and sinks in the bathroom. They are an over all good product for cleaning off things that are pretty stuck on. I don't use these every day, but they are good for doing a thorough cleaning when you want to really get appliances back to their original shine.

websites for coupons

The Sunday paper really is the best place to find some really good coupons on products you may actually purchase. Almost every Monday I kick myself for forgetting to pick it up... Occasionally stores will still have them the next day, but more often than not you're out of luck.  Thankfully there are a few websites where you can find some pretty decent coupons. None of them carry the exact ones from the paper but, more often than not, I have been able to find some great deals through these sites. I hope this helps. 

Walmart & Target have manufacturer coupons on their websites; but Walmart definitely has the better assortment of coupons between the two.

http://coupons.target.com/
http://coupons.walmart.com/

Coupons.com and GroceryCouponCart.com both are good sites for finding a variety of coupons. They generally carry the same coupons, but every now and then they vary from each other.

http://www.coupons.com/coupons/
http://www.grocerycouponcart.com/grocery-coupons/

CommonKindness.com has a variety of coupons that are never listed on the previous sites I just mentioned. Some of their coupons are for brands I am not as familiar with, but they also have a lot of great coupons I do use.

http://www.commonkindness.com/coupons

Another good place to check for coupons is on the specific websites of brands you often use. Here are a few that often have a good selection of coupons on their sites:

http://www.stonyfield.com/user?destination=coupon
http://www.hormel.com/updates/coupons/
http://www.simplyorganic.com/simplyorganic/documents/coupons.php

burt's bees almond milk beeswax hand creme

Sticky, Waxy, Somewhat Icky... but the most wonderful smelling and oh so moisturizing hand creme I've found. It's labelled hand creme, but I seldom use it on my hands except in the winter if they are really going through trouble. I often use it on my feet and it is the best moisturizer I found to really soak into my skin. I never wear it during the day, because it is just SO thick and waxy, but it is perfect as an overnight moisturizer.

price: $8.99

Where to Buy: http://www.drugstore.com/burts-bees-almond-milk-beeswax-hand-creme/qxp45513?catid=182927

maybelline color tattoo eyeshadow

For those of you that follow the beauty blogs, I'm sure you've seen this product mentioned dozens of times.  It's become one of those products that I have yet to hear anything bad about.  The most popular color around the blogs is the one I have shown, Bad to the Bronze or I think in the UK it is called On and On Bronze. I was a little skeptical of this product, considering I haven't worn cream based eyeshadows since jr. high.  After hearing SO MUCH praise about this product, I figured I'd give it a go.

First impression: It came out of the pot smooth and sheer. It was extremely blendable but dried almost immediately... which I liked about it; it was workable, but not overly creamy. Because I have dark eyes and a light complexion, dark eyeshadows look extremely harsh on me... I know it isn't a VERY dark color, but I was a little worried that this would be too dark for me... but No Ma'am it was thankfully very flattering. 

In my excitement over this product, I bought two additional colors. I'm not sure if the formula is just different on those two or what... but they definitely are a little harder to work with. I purchased the colors Barely Branded and Too Cool. It may have just been the one I bought, but my Barely Branded is so much creamier than my Bad to the Bronze. I used the same amount of product and it just went everywhere!!  I'm doing better with it now, but I have to barely touch it to get the right amount. The Too Cool I have doesn't spread as well as the Bad to the Bronze. It's extremely dry immediately after applying and therefore is a little difficult to work with.

In Summary: In my experience these products have been very inconsistent in their formulation. Yes, the Bad to the Bronze is a favorite, but the other two I have are alright. They are a little more difficult or at least different to work with.

Price: Around $5... depending on where you find them. Look for sales. Drugstore.com often does buy one get one 1/2 off.

Would I repurchase? I would repurchase Bad to the Bronze, but hopefully this one will last me a good while.

covergirl eyeshadow in cafe au lait

Covergirl Eye Enhancers 3-Kit Shadows in Cafe Au Lait

I think this is one of the very first eye shadows I ever bought (which has to have been around ten years ago now), and I have always come back to this. I must have repurchased this half a dozen times. The lightest color in the set works as a great hightlighter under the brow and the darker colors are very flattering as well. From day to day, I seldom where any other eyeshadow. This little kit is just so handy dandy!

Price: $4.69
Where to Buy: Local drugstore or, of course, drugstore.com 

fels-naptha

I had come across this product a couple years ago in a women's magazine article. The article listed products our grandmothers' had used that are still great for "today's woman"... or something along those lines.  I have no clue what magazine it was, but Fels-Naptha was listed in it as one of the products. Fels-Naptha laundry bar soap has been around for over 100 years, but it is a product you seldom hear about. I've been using it for over a year now and have found few other stain removers that are its equal. I've used it to remove all sorts of dried in stains and it has always done a great job!

In Summary:
Price: $1.99
Where to buy: Fels-Naptha can be found in most grocery stores and online.

clorox2 laundry stain remover

There are SO MANY different stain remover products out there that it can be a bit overwhelming to know which ones actually work.  I've tried so many that I've not been impressed with. With most stain removers I have had to respray multiple times, really rub the product in, and even rewash the garment a few times. This Clorox2 stain remover SO EXCEEDED my expectations! I got this for the first time right after my child was born and it just dissolved all of the stains from her clothes. I would spray the stain, leave it and by the time I got back it would be gone before I even washed it. O how I love this product! This stain remover almost always gets the job done.  On the very rare chance it doesn't get the job completely done, I bring in my big gun, Fels-Naptha, which I'll talk more about tomorrow.

my april go-to makeup

These are my go-to beauty basics... a few little make-up essentials that I keep on coming back to. With the exception of the Clinique blush, all of them are drugstore products and generally easy to find. 

Covergirl LashBlast Length Water Resistant Mascara in Very Black
I've read mixed reviews on this product, but personally I have had a lot of success with it. I have not had problems with it clumping whatsoever and have been using this product for the past few years.
Price: $7.79

Covergirl Fresh Complexion Under-Eye Concealer in Classic Ivory
I really like this concealer. It is fairly thin but covers and blends well.
Price: $5.29 for .37 fl oz

Physcians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer in Ivory to Fair
I do not like to wear a lot of foundation... So this is generally all I wear day to day.  It provides some coverage and has SPF 15.  Before buying there are a couple things you should know... (1) They have four different shades of this, but most stores only sell two for some reason. So you may need to shop around or order online to get the best color for you. (2) The SPF smell is very strong when you're applying it, but that smell fades as soon as it dries.
Price: $10.99 for 1.5 fl oz

Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Powder Palette in Translucent Pearl
I use this on top of the upper part of my cheeks to brighten up my skin a little.  It shimmers in the light but not in a sparkly-vampire kind of way...
Price: $13.95

Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in New Clover
This is another product I have used for YEARS. My mom bought this for me when I was in high school, and I've used it ever since. Good product. Lasts all day.
Price: $21.00


Where to Buy:
http://www.clinique.com/
http://www.drugstore.com/