**REVIEW** Kevyn Aucoin's Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation

Don't even ask me how I snagged a 58 dollar product for 18. Either I got supremely lucky or I got a fake. Even if this stuff is fake, it's a dang good fake

stole the photo from
Amazon

That is Kevyn Aucoin's Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation in the shade of ef 16 - Deep.

I wasn't even looking for a foundation when I saw this. It popped up on side-advert when I was shopping for shampoo. For real. But once I saw it, I remembered watching a documentary about Kevyn Aucoin. I had been struck by the fact that he was kind of responsible for the makeup industry offering products for more skin colors. Thanks to him, I guess, "nude" doesn't just mean "nude and pinky/peach". Also, he died young, which was really sad.

The documentary really played up Aucoin's natural talent with makeup and artistry. If I never believed his skills before now...

This foundation is so amazingly sheer that it looks sort of sprayed on. And sprayed on in a light mist of color. It's sort of veil-like. The name says it all: ethereal and illuminating. By the way, I just took a peek at the Kevyn Aucoin Beauty site and saw this about the Etherealist line:

...Creates a natural, luminous, airbrushed appearance. The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation blends effortlessly for shine-free, comfortable wear. 

All true and I'll tell you what, for 58 bucks, it's supposed to be this good.

I've tried pricey foundations because I haven't always been this broke. And I get spoiled by family and friends. I remember thinking that Lancome's Teint Idole was awesome (and it is). I even tried Armani and St. Laurent. Borghese would have been awesome but had no suitable shades for me at the time. All of these were amazing but with amazing price tags. Aucoin's only cost me 18 dollars and I still can't get over it.

As I said, this has a very light and veil-like look. I almost feel as if I'm wearing only my moisturizer. The shad, if I didn't mention it, is ef 16 Deep and I have never - not even with the Teint Idole - matched a shade so perfectly.

That's a neck swatch you can't see

This shade matches me so well that the only way I know I'm wearing any is that it softened my features. The website says that this is a "medium" coverage foundation but I think it leans towards very sheer and light coverage. Probably it's because it does match my skin so well that it doesn't seem to be buildable.

Not blended in

smudged

Blended in

So I have decided that I am basically the color of chocolate milk. I have also decided that I love this foundation. The one downfall is that I won't be able to afford it should the price go back up. If it's a fake, I will be looking for more. This will be right up with my favorite Foach bag, Folex watch. No shame to my game. I don't need the real thing, I just like a cute face, purse, and watch. So, for the person on Reddit who bet me that this foundation is a fake, if they are offended, they can always buy me a bottle of the authentic stuff.

Peace
--Free

Quitting Scentbird After a Couple of Months

Scentbird is a subscription perfume service that I had been wanting to try for a while. I love perfumes and the idea of getting a new one every month to test was just too tempting. The cost (including taxes) is $16.00. Each month. That sounded good for about 1 month.

Not worth $16 per month. Nope.

Including a freebie that I got because Scentbird messed up on billing once, I will have received 3 scents as of this month. I have only (sort of) liked one of the fragrances. That was the Pink Sugar scent. And, I really just didn't hate it. Didn't love it though.

Each fragrance spray is meant to last about 1 month. If you like it, then you can purchase full-sized bottles. I haven't yet figured out how to purchase a full-sized but, no worries, I haven't liked any well enough to want to.

There is more though to why I quit Scentbird after trying only 3 fragrances. Lots more.

• It's expensive. $16 a month is not a crazy amount but paying that much for 0.27 ounces of EDP is. More on that in a moment.
• According to Scentbird their vials "equate to about 120+ sprays – enough to apply 4 sprays daily for 30 days." I did not find this to be true. Maybe if a fragrance lasts more than a couple hours for you but, the older you get... Just saying.
• It's kind of shady. Not all the scents listed on the site fall into the $16 monthly payment. For some scents, you have to pay an additional 5 or 10 bucks on top of the monthly amount. 
• You get a free case (to hold a Scentbird vial) with the first shipment - or if Scentbird is apologizing for an error. You have to buy any more after that at (currently) $12.95 each. As far as I know, only Scentbird vials fit these cases. At least, none of my other perfume vials fit the case I have. It's a plastic case. Not worth more than a couple of bucks.
• The site is okay as far as browsing the fragrances but lacks user-friendliness otherwise; the FAQs were seriously old and had no links to the info provided. 
• If you do love Scentbird and are trying to match to a fragrance you might want to try, the "scent quiz" they offer is limited and almost useless. You can't choose more than one Note, Setting, Season, or Mood. So you have to choose between wanting something floral or fruity; for the office or evening; only one season; and whether you feel flirty, sexy, classy, etc. It would be better if they offered a choice of listing scents you already love or just let you choose more than one option during the quiz. I had to keep re-taking the quiz to cover all my bases.

Now, let's get back to the price. That's really the main deciding factor for me. There is a guy who did a really good video breaking down the numbers in detail. You can check that out but all I needed to do was browse a couple of other fragrance sites to know that Scentbird is not worth it.

ScentSplit (which I have used in the past) sells decants of fragrances. Cost varies but if you know what you like but can't afford a full bottle, this is the real deal. By the way, just Google for similar sites for buying decants. 

FrangranceNet - Just pricing a couple of items, I realized that I could get a 0.33-ounce rollerball of Viva la Juicy Gold.for (currently) $14.99 or, with a coupon $9.74. There is also Perfumania where I can get a 1.7-ounce bottle of Jessica Simpson's Fancy for $19.95. And shut up. I happen to like Fancy.

You can also shop Perfumania, FrangranceX, Fragrantica, and even find sellers on Facebook or Reddit. It kind of depends on your taste in perfumes. Or, you can always scope out Amazon, Overstock, etc. If you are into niche perfumes (a boutique or artisanal perfume, not usually with a lot of retail presence), try finding more sites like Fragranceline. I've not used them, but I did sample a box from Olifactif, which was another pricey and not-worth-it (in my opinion) subscription service. With Olafactif, you can find codes to try them on the cheap. I got to try 3 niche scents and didn't like any of them.

There are cheaper and smarter ways to get hold of perfumes - even if you just want small amounts to test. If you shop online at places like Ulta, Macy's or Sephora, you can usually request perfume samples. If you actually go into such a store, you might walk away with enough samples to last a while. I once hit it off with a Sephora sales clerk and left with a $10 product I bought and 4 small bags stuffed with samples of lipsticks and perfumes. They made great stocking stuffers that Christmas.

The bottom line for me is, if I want to get something in the mail on a regular schedule, I can throw my money at Scentbird. It's just kind of a ripoff, in my opinion. I mean, kudos to the chick who owns it because she has a money-maker, for real.

I don't get to spoil myself often so I need to be picky and price-conscious at all times. Scentbird is for people who can afford to pay a ridiculous amount of money for teensy amounts of fragrances. Matter of fact, let me just post that video of the math dude. It's an older video but still made sense to me. As far as numbers make sense to my brain.

Even if Scentbird sweetened the pot with, say, a free case included with every order, I wouldn't stay. What I have figured out is how to just shop cheaply for what I want when I want it. I don't have to tie myself to a gimmicky subscription fee once a month. Now, if someone came up with a sub for buying full bottles of perfumes at a discount - either because they are overstocks or returns - I might look at that.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: I recently used a gift card to get a Vica la Juicy Gold 0.33 ounce rollerball from FraganceNet for $15.00 and used a code to get free shipping. Adding in tax, I paid a total of $16.04. Now, I won't be committed to spending another 15 or 16 dollars next month unless I just want to.

UPDATED **REVIEW** Mira Nova Creamed White Honey (& Arashan Brand)

UPDATE:
The original review was only for the Mira Nova brand. See the bottom of the post for a tiny review of the Arashan brand of honey. Both brands reviewed are wildflower varieties.

Mira Nova Creamed White Honey

Y'all know how I love honey. Floral, bush, Manuka, etcetera. I like putting honey in my tea, smearing it on bread, or just eating a little spoonful.

Since so much of the honey on grocery store shelves is fake or diluted (or even possibly polluted), I try to buy local or look for organic and trusted brands. I like unprocessed honey and raw (with pieces still in it), but I really like creamed honey. I've been wanting to try white creamed honey and I finally got some courtesy a gift from my public wishlist. (That's a hint for more of my family!)

This is the one I tried and it is so good that I cannot stop eating it. It is a "creamed wildflower mountain honey from Central Asia".

I've got some loaf-sliced brioche from Aldi's that's been sitting on top of the fridge for a minute. I have been spreading it with cream cheese topped with some of this honey for my breakfast or a mid-day snack. It's been tough but I limit myself to 1 (maybe 2) slices a day. When I was a little queasy last week, I had nothing for a couple of days but the cream cheese & honey brioche and tea with honey. I could live off the stuff if I had to.

I was impressed at how well the seller packed the jar for shipping. Also, I like that the jar was sealed with safety tape.

I've never had the Mira Nova honey before and it was just on my Wish List because I was curious about it. Now I am a little bit hooked.

The consistency is about that of processed peanut butter and just that spreadable. It's quite a bit sweeter than Nate's raw and unfiltered honey, which is what I typically keep around. In my opinion, there is a slightly milk-cream undertaste to it. (By the way, for more daily-use and "regular textured honey, Nate's is awesome.)

It has a very smooth texture

This Mira Nova would be too pricey for me to buy for myself on a regular basis but it's a beautiful thing to have around to treat yourself. I can't even explain how good it is. I am going to have to get some regular creamed honey to see what else I have been missing.

Arashan White Honey

This product description of this one reads: "Wildflower/Clover Honey From The “Mountains Of Heaven”.

Of the 2 brands, I have to admit that this is the best. It's even smoother in texture (which I didn't think was possible) and it's less sweet. I cannot get over how this one will run - even after being refrigerated. That makes it easier to spread on bread and to mix into smoothies. Before I did refrigerate this, I could literally pour it from the jar and spread it with a plastic knife. When I refrigerated it overnight, it took on a slightly - very slightly - thicker texture. But, get this, it still spread almost as easily as when at room temp.

This is video of the honey's viscosity straight out of the door of the fridge:

And this is the same honey after warming on the counter for about 30 minutes:

As I mentioned, this one is not as sweet as the Mira Nova. If on a sweetness scale, this would be a 5 compared to Mira Nova's 7. Also, the Mira Nova was so much thicker that I didn't even bother filming it.

The Arashan one is also not as pale. It's not even what I would call "white" honey.

Even though I chose the wildflower variety in both brands, there are options for the Arashan brand.right on the product page; you have to visit the Mira Nova storefront to view their options. Arashan has only a couple of other items that I randomly found on Amazon.



Peace
--Free

P.S.: I am not a person who is fearful of the future or for society but... If people start panicking and cleaning out the food aisles the way the did with toilet tissue, I will be glad that I always have honey around. It does not spoil or go bad. Ever. It's nutritious and, if you have some that is of good quality, it's healthy and can be used on wounds and to deal with sore throats and coughs.  Maybe I do need to stock up on more of nature's medicine.

**QUICK POST** Empty Gloss Tubes (for work or travel)

This is for anyone who likes keeping beauty products on hand - in your purse or car or carryon luggage - without carrying around the whole container.

Try these inexpensive empty tubes:

They are super cheap and you can use them to hold so many products. I personally just like having a little bit of my facial moisturizer and foundation in my purse. I happen to use sunscreen and 3 different products on my face. You know us ladies with our moisturizers and serums. And don't get me started on my DIY cosmetics again.

One of the vials I've been carrying around in my purse for weeks now has some of the Manuka honey I use to treat cuts, cold sores, scrapes, etc. I think I told you guys that I have not bought a tube of Abreva since I discovered how fast Manuka works on cold sores even before they break all the way out.

The next time I travel (if that ever happens), I plan to tote along a bunch of these in my carryon baggage. I love having different lotions, creams, and sunscreens with me to use even if I can't get into my bagged luggage.

By the way, I got these in a bag of 30 pieces for around 10 bucks. There are other types - push-up cylindrical tubes, powder jars, and compacts - that you can find with a quick search. With these squeeze-type tubes, I can even use them for liquidized coconut oil and such without leaks. Just be careful to hold them upright when you open them.

Making Cosmetics has items similar to these tubes and various other types of empties for spraying, aerosols, etc. Amazon has tubes that are smaller (and cheaper). Making Cosmetics empty containers tend to be higher priced than what is on Amazon though and I didn't think the plain ones were any better quality. However, I would get any aerosol or special kind of dispensing tubes from Making Cosmetics.

Anyway, now you know.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** As I Am JBCO Water

The full name of this product is As I Am Jamaican Black Castor Oil Water but I see it advertised in some places as just JBCO and JBCO Water. Whatever you want to call it, this stuff is kind of amazing.

Though you can find quite a few of them on Amazon, I am not super familiar with the As I Am product line. I always get a little dyslexic with how they print the brand name to look a little like AsIAm. For a long time, I pronounced it as a single word: Az-zi-yam until a clerk at Sally Beauty looked at me like I was having a seizure.

Oh well.

I got my first bottle from Amazon and the product description is what hooked me:

Introducing this magical refreshing system to fight dry hair, As I Am️ JBCO Water uses nano-technology to evenly distribute Jamaican Black Castor Oil with Vitamin C & Vitamin E, onto each hair strand, boosting and locking-in the moisture needed to maintain healthy hair. Our special nano-formula allows better penetration of JBCO with Vitamin C & Vitamin E into the fiber, increasing hair fiber strength. Include JBCO Water in your daily styling regimen to add sheen and prevent frizz. May also be used for Wash n Go’s & Twist Outs. Detangles fibers and reduces combing damage while repairing & restoring hair for better growth. Directions After using JBCO Leave-In Conditioner, spray JBCO Water thoroughly to wet the hair for maximum moisturize and strength benefits. Use daily to rewet dry hair or use before styling to refresh moisture content, strengthen and detangle fibers. Terrific for dry skin and hands. Spray generously and shake well before use. (my emphasis)

All the talk about refreshing dry hair! And the 16-ounce bottle was 6 bucks. Also, Amazon has that awesome return policy on most items. I decided to give it a shot.

By the way, here is a list of the ingredients from the product page:

• Aqua/Water/Eau
• Betaine (Naturally Curly has an interesting writeup on this ingredient)
• Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
• Tocopherol
• Ceramide NG (for this one, let's go back to that wonderful Naturally Curly for some info!)
• Glycerin
• Phenoxyethanol 
• Caprylyl Glycol
• Sodium Benzoate
• Laureth-9
• PEG-400
• Fragrance (I don't smell much other than a faint coconut scent)
• Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
• Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA
• PEG-3 Distearate
• Citric Acid
• Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
• PEG-100 Stearate
• Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
• Ceteareth-25
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine
• Piroctone Olamine

Well. I don't even know how to start describing what this did for my hair. The first time I used it, my hair was about 5 days out from the last wash and twist-out. It was dry and just kind of blah. (I sure wish I had a photo!) I had been using plain water sprayed on with my Groom fine mist sprayer. Water is great for reactivating any leftover styling product that might still be in the hair but, to be honest, it's just a temporary measure.

The JBCO felt like water going on. The sprayer produces a fairly fine and consistent mist and that was a nice surprise. Usually, product sprayers are too heavy or they don't work well at all.

What I like most about the JBCO is that it's not heavy, greasy, or sticky. And it actually does hydrate the hair. (I have either already talked about or will be talking about the Pantene that I was so not happy with and the BioSilk that I love.)

The JBCO is, as the kids used to say, the truth. This "water" was like a miracle to my thirsty hair. As I said, my hair was in rough shape that first time. The JBCO allowed me to get another couple of days' wear out of my raggedy twists.

My hair is always at it's dryest the first day after it's been washed. No matter what I do, the first hours after it has completely dried, my hair seems almost resistant to moisture. To speed up the healing, while my hair is still damp, I will use a cream moisturizing product and sit with a warming cap on for 10 to 15 minutes. That helps, but... these naps are still a bit parched feeling the next day. This is why I always say that second-day hair, jeans, and greens are the best. Now though, if I used the JBCO water after taking down my twists, the first day is so much better.

Crunchy and dry doesn't show up well in photos of my hair. I wear it too darkly colored, I think. Recently though, I posted photos of my hair on a very dry day and on a day when I had used the JBCO (along with other styling products) and the difference is sort of visible.

This is what my hair looks like when it is really dried out and at its worst.

NOT a before pic to the one below

My hair after having been very dry (and you see what "very dry" looks like up there!)

but after I used JBCO (and other styling products)

Now those photos are not "before and after" shots. I just dug out a photo to show what I mean by "very dry" hair. That's about how bad my hair was on the day I first used the JBCO. I wish I had taken a "before" pic... The bottom photos show how the JBCO revived the other products that were already in my hair. I still need to do a wash and condition, but I was able to get by as is for a minute.

After I used the JBCO that first time, I rushed back over to Amazon to order more before they ran out. Too late. It was already (and still is) showing as "currently unavailable". Next, I went to Walmart. They carry the water but are out of stock. Finally, I checked Sally Beauty. They had it - for 7 bucks. I ordered 2 bottles to have some on hand, just in case. It wasn't until a couple of days later that I noticed the bottles from Sally are the 8-ounce size. Basically, I paid way more than I wanted. Still, I am happy to have some spare products until Amazon gets back on its game.

Once I had ordered more, I texted one of my nieces who has gone natural in the recent past. I sent a photo of the bottle and told her she needed to grab some. Of course, she lives in a bigger city and will probably be able to find some at a beauty supply store. I really miss being near a black beauty supply store!

I am using the water every day now, either to soften my hair for styling after taking down twists, to rejuvenate my curls after a few days of wear, or just as a morning hair moisturizer. I really do use it the same way I use the toners and creams for my face - as a daily treatment to keep my hair soft. I will be looking at more of the As I Am line.

If you have a local beauty supply, I would look for this JBCO there first. Make sure you compare prices.

Peace
--Free

**SIFO** UPDATE Amazon's Solimo Brand

UPDATED: Go to end of post for mew pics/items

You all know that I am an Amazon fanatic. I would like to stand on my moral high ground and hate them for the way they allegedly treat their employees and conduct internal business. I am too broke and carless to be that pious in my shopping habits. Therefore...

Have you noticed the Solimo brand of products while on Amazon? If not, you need to take a look.

I can't vouch for anything but the paper towels - which have disappeared off the face of the earth along with toilet tissue, baby wipes, and common sense. However, those paper towels were pretty good. I can't remember what they cost now, but I know that they had to have been cheaper than or about the same as what I usually buy (Viva and Bounty).

Looking at the customer ratings, most of the products get good marks. I will just show you some comparisons of common items I shop for. I took screenshots of the first Solimo brand items to come up un a heading (not sorted) and screenshots of other brands that came up first in the search ( sorted by the highest star rating).

For the coffee Kcups, there is quite a bit of difference. I am picky about my coffee but I might give Solimo a try after I read some reviews.

I would most definitely be willing to try the laundry detergent if I had a family to wash for.

These are just some of the things that I typically search and shop for. There are also sections for Baby, Vitamins, Pets, etc. If you are shopping for a family, check out the Value Pack section. It's a little like Costco-mini, I guess.

I was going to do shampoo/conditioner, bandaids, etc, but I got wiped out. You get the idea though. While it's more often true than not that you get what you pay for, cheaper alternatives can sometimes be worth it. I have not used name-brand bleach in forever. I also will usually get the store brand of dairy and bread. Every saved penny adds up. Eventually.

If I end up using any more Solimo items (that coffee might be the next thing), I will surely let you know how that works out.

Peace
--Free


P.S.: Speaking of coffee...There is a cheaper Kcup coffee that I tried a couple of years ago. I got it at Menards and couldn't find it anymore until recently when I spotted it on Amazon (of course). If you like Yuban (dark roast), this Founding Fathers French Roast is awesome. and 50 percent of the profits go toward supporting military families.

UPDATE:

It's been quite a while since I composed this post. Since then, I have tried the pantyliners from the Solimo brand. They are just as good as the Always brand (long length)  that I have preferred for such a long time but every now and then, I have a problem with them bunching up right after I put one in place.

The Solimo liners are the same length (and maybe an itty-bitty smidgen longer?) and they are most definitely sturdier, which I am loving. I like Always liners because the ones I use are thin and very comfortable. The Solimo liners are the same in that respect but they don't have the tendency to bunch up.

Here's the thing though: in comparing prices, the Solimo liners are $5.30 for the 68-count box of liners (at $0.08ea) against the $6.99 for the 108-ct box of Always liners (at $0.06ea). There is a $9.99 ($0.08ea) 120-ct box of Solimo long length liners that is cheaper than Always. Now that I know how much I like the Solimo brand liners, I will probably get those next time.

Since I like the non-bunch factor with the Solimo, they are a better buy for me. No use having more liners if I'm not happy with the way every last one of them fits.

DAE Have Hair Texture Confusion?

(NOTE: The next several posts might be a bit out of order. Sorry but I've been saving up so many posts that I got mixed up. Hang in. All will eventually make some sort of sense.)

There are so many reviews on this blog for hair products. There are so many hair products out there to be reviewed. And I am talking just about the stuff for natural hair types. I can't even fathom how big the market is for every hair type. So, Reddit-style, I am asking a DAE: does anyone else share my frustration?

(By the way, this is a little bit of a gripe post. About hair. And hair texture.)

I am not sure that hair can be properly typed. Trying to identify my own hair type is a nightmare. I have been told that I am a 4C. Okay. First, let's look at just some of the hair charts that are out there:

I am nowhere in any of these ranges! All of these match some of my bi-racial nieces

Not quite any of these fit. I think hair length might have something to do with it

Depending on moisture levels, I might fit between 3B and 4A????

Now, let's look at a couple shots of my hair. I had to do dig around to find these. This first one is where my hair is at its driest (and un-dyed-est!). It's still shorter from a clipping:

~sigh~ Now I'm just confused ...
maybe I fit on the 2 outlined areas? Maybe.

Looks a little 4A-ish???

This is one I found where my hair is holding onto some moisture. Also, it's more grown out than in the other photo.

Looking at all of these, and then looking at my own hair, I think that I am between 4B and 4C. Some of my hair is totally 4B and some is all 4C. So, again, I don't think that it's easy for everyone to "type" their hair texture.

As you can see, I am very confused about how to type my hair. It depends on so much from day to day, If I twist my hair overnight, it comes out looking a whole other kind of way. And if I do Bantu knots overnight, it comes out different from the twisting. I prefer twisting or doing knots over a wash and go style.

I am beginning to think that it doesn't matter what "type" hair you have. As long as you understand your hair's behavior - how water and various products affect it - that's the important thing. Look at any product that sounds as if it should be perfect for your hair type, then read the reviews. There will be at least a couple of people who have your hair type who disagree about how the product works (or doesn't).

In the next post, I will do a quickie review of a couple of products I recently tried - okay, it's 4 products. It was time for me to re-stock and I decided to try some new things. I will be doing photos to show how 3 of those products affected my naps.

Peace
--Free

Reading (Labels) Is Frugal-izing

So. A while back, I wrote a post on using MSG in food. I also wrote a post on the various ways I use citric acid. I don't know if those hit home with you all the way I intended so...

If you have ever used these 2 products -

$3.77 for 4.5oz at Walmart

Look at the only ingredient

$3.63/ for 12oz at Walmart

Again, look at the ingredients













- you should know how much cheaper it is to just buy the main ingredients for yourself. I actually forgot I had noticed this about the Booster. You are paying for not reading the labels!

Same thing with makeup. I've told you guys how I've been doctoring the shades of foundations that weren't right for my color. Recently I have been struggling to come up with a moisturizing sunscreen that a) doesn't turn me ashy-looking and, b) that moisturizes without leaving a shine. Once again, I will be going to the source to save money.  They have the info, recipe, and most of the ingredients I want. (They have lots of recipes and formulas. Here are some.)

Just in the past few weeks, I've stopped buying the ready-made vape juices and started buying the base and adding flavor concentrates.

When I was having trouble finding hand sanitizer, I mixed 70% alcohol into some generic aloe vera gel that I added a touch of glycerin into. This is stuff I already had in my bathroom pantry. And, AND, I was just guessing and didn't realize I was using the same recipe shown here and other places!

You let me figure out a way to make my own toilet tissue...

Seriously, I just think it's important that we realize what we are paying for when we buy the more expensive branded products. Right now, I have been refilling my Booster jar with the cheap(er) citric acid I van get in bulk. By the way, citric acid is also known, for some reason, as "sour salt" so you might see it labeled that way when you are looking to buy some.

 By the way, before I sign off, I did find this video about, uh, making your own toilet paper. Folks, I was just joshing!

Peace
--Free

RESOURCES Teaching & Learning At Home During COVID (will update often)

I have done these types of posts before but a conversation I had last night reminds me that this is the perfect time for an update.

God bless the parents and child-carers out there trying to do be parent and teacher. Hang in there.

Whoever did this is genius-level funny!

Here are some educational resources for you or for your children. I gathered these from around the internet and from some of my older postings. This is a great time for all of us to "school up"!

Old Blog Posts (links for all ages and activities)

• Life-long Learning Links All kinds of links here for everything from online universities to math learning, etc.
• Speaking of Learning A very old post worth mentioning because of the links for coding and app development. 
• Apps, Videos & Tutorials Mostly for adults and older teens. Links to "learning-tainment", online academies, and some why & how resources.
• The Lazy Intellectual Link to a book that older teens and adults might enjoy.

Resources Suggested by Others

Videos

• This page from  Kids Activities Blog suggests 10 educational YouTube channels for kids. Notice that there are other articles on the site with a breakdown by each stage of childhood. I have not perused the site myself.
• This particular Feedspot page does regular updates on a "learning, discovery, and educational" video roundup. This seems to be a site where YouTubers can submit their content so it should be a rich source for browsing.
• Medium has this interesting list of videos. I like how they break the list down into categories of educational interest. 
• This from CollegeInfoGeek is a long and random list of sites that I didn't peruse. Looks juicy full of rabbit holes though.

My YouTube List

For younger kids

• Math & Learning 4 Kids This channel sorts playlists by grades (Pre to 5th) and includes learning time.
• Mathantics - supposed to be for kids but some adults will use this one!
• Khan Academy Early Math (Be sure to also check out Khan Academy for free online classes in just about everything  Right now, they have a schedule of classes for ages 2-18 to help during COVID)
• Homeschool Pop - I don't know much about this channel but there are lots of playlists for you to check out

For older kids and adults

• How Stuff Works This has videos that are just random and run. 
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZDpC3RjbbcsQMV3iIb_lXQ/playlists - because I love stuff like this!

For Christians/Bible believers

• Science Confirms the Bible - this is a good video for the family
• 10 Top Scientific Facts in the Bible - I have not watched this but it's on my to-do list
• The Ultimate Proof of Creation - by a favorite teacher. I consider this to fall into the Science/Physics realm.

I'm really wiped out today, but I'll keep working on this list, adding things as I find them.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Moosoo Cordless Vacuum 13kpa

When you have enough dust or debris, you'll pull out the big boy vac, right?

Big, bad Blue!

But if you have small amounts of debris, you don't want to wait for it to build up enough to pull out the big vac. At least, I hope you don't. 

What if you had a vacuum that was as light and easy to use as a broom? Would you spot-vac every day? Several times a week? If you had the Moosoo Cordless Vacuum, you could vacuum easier than you can sweep.

Neither the Vac nor its box are very

big (compared to box of Kleenex)

 This is what's inside.

Takes about 10 minutes for a smart person to put together.

It took me 30 minutes.

I love this vacuum. I think of it as an electric broom because it's so lightweight and easy to use. It's actually easier than using a broom because, well...

Preach!

The hardest thing about this little vac is getting used to holding the handle so it doesn't twist loose. Once I mastered that, I fell in love. In LOVE.  Let highlight the Pros:

Lightweight/Easy to use

This thing is so freaking light that it feels like I am handling a broom handle minus the brush. That was the first thing I liked. My Bissel is a beauty but it's a pain to pull out of the closet for things like cleaning up the area around the writing desk where there might be some eraser shavings. Or whipping out to go over the sofa after I been eating bread there (like an animal). Because I have a lot of plants, I am always cleaning up tiny specks of potting soil. And I won't even bring up the shedding that my poor fern is doing since the weather can't be consistent.

Most days, I spend sitting either at the writing desk or on my bed. On my bed days, I tend to keep everything in reach - water, snacks, medicine, reading material, mail - and you can tell. The carpet next to my bed and the desk are the two places that get vacuumed the most. I know just keep the Moosoo next to wherever I am.

It comes with two types of cleaning heads - one for the floor and one for crevices and tight spots. I tend to use the floor head several times a day. I use the crevice tool when I am getting ready to mop the floors or when I need to get in between the couch cushions.

The tube is retractable so in the shortest position, the vac stands from the tip of the handle to the base for the attachment about 34 inches. It can be extended to stand about 43 inches.  I use it in the fully extended position to clean the carpet and then switch it to mid-length to deal with crevices. The machine maneuvers very smoothly and, as I mentioned, just don't twist the handle lock and you will be fine. Again, that is the only thing I had down as a negative until I trained myself!

Oh, and this is super easy to clean. You just pop the debris basket from the hand and dump it.

Suction power

I have no idea about "kpa" and all that  (and reading the page at that link gave me a brain shivering headache) but I know that this vacuum picks up the crumbs and loose grime from the kitchen floor and it easily gets up any loose hair from the bathroom tile. The Moosoo runs at 2 power levels - low and high - and the power button is right at the top of the handle so it's easy to find.

The biggest thing I deal with for the kitchen in spilled coffee grinds or crumbs from the toaster. The Moosoo has no problems with that. It even picks up the bigger crumbs from crackers and chips. Now that I have the vacuum, I pretty much just sweep crumbs from the countertops onto the floor!

For the other areas of the house, the only thing I had to roll over and over to get up was some hair that stuck to the carpet fibers after I trimmed my hair and dusted my shoulders in the bedroom. Still, the Moosoo didn't have to spend much time even on that. The section is dang decent. My brother told me he is going to borrow this to clean out his truck because it has so much more suction than his handheld.

For this video, I sprinkled down some small pieces of styrofoam and some kind of white debris from a small packing box I was throwing out.

The vacuum sounds loud because of the way I was holding the phone while recording but, to be honest, I have run it at night in the bedroom and I don't think it was that loud. I would never run the Bissell in the evening out of respect for the neighbor on the other side of the bedroom wall.

Space-saver & Recharges

A lot of people have very small apartments like I do. Even folks with plenty of room will like how little space this takes up. Like I said, I tend to keep mine near me during the day just because it's so small. It does come with simple installation so that it can be stored against a wall.

 I keep mine in the tiny, tiny entry-way closet with the big vac and other handy items.

This charges via a little wall adapter. It charges fairly quickly and then it lasts a long time. I didn't time it, but I was using this every day for 4 days after it first charged and it worked at full power. I haven't let it die all the way down so I can only say that it does last and last.

Now, I saved what I think of as the best for last. This uses a HEPA filter. A washable  HEPA filter. And you might get a goodie in the box that helps you score a spare filter.

Maybe by now you realize why I love this vac. It comes with a 1-year warranty and the people are really super helpful (I had questions).

Peace
--Free

**Quick Post** Duping It For Myself

I could have sworn that I posted this a few days back, but according to Blogger,

that's a big nope. So here it is.

Here we are, at the tail end of the saga of my makeup journey. I told you all that I was going to make use of all the foundations I've tried. I used one of my good brain days to practice making dupes. Thanks to the color pigments I picked up at Making Cosmetics, I was able to pretty much dupe the Nars Sheer Glow Khartoum shade that is discontinued (and too expensive).

My very own
"Fars Near Glow" LOL

I got some cheapo lip balm containers and I already had some cheapo empty cosmetic pots that I had been using to blend my own lip gloss colors. There were 50 of those things and I only have 1 pair of lips and about 7 glosses to work with. So.

I managed to dupe the heck out of that $47 Sheer Glow. 40 + 7 dollars, people. For some face paint. Listen, I was sitting there at the table, singing "Sisters are duping it for themselves" and  Aretha is probably going to haunt me for messing up her song.

Since I had been on that adventure of trying to find an OTC foundation that works for me, and since I already had some foundations lying around, I had a lot to work with. Most of my foundations are in the same shade ranges - with a few of them being either slightly too light or too dark. There were 2 that were WAY too light or dark.

For the ones that nearly matched my tone but was lacking some depth, I added the M.C. pigment for my daily use. For the lighter/darker shades, I added a little bit of my face cream and will be using them to contour/highlight. For the shade that was way too light for me, I added a different pigment and will use it on the rare occasions that I wear color on my eyelids. The shade that was way too dark is one that I am using to tone down the other slightly lighter shades.

The blending and mixing are pretty easy. It's messy as all get out but... My tools are simple: the makeup spatulas I told you all about, some toothpicks from the kitchen, and patience. To protect the bathroom floor from getting stained, I put down some of the many, many news flyers that are always lying on my mail pile. I cut up an old t-shirt to wipe off the spatulas and I kept small dishes of soapy water and some alcohol around to keep everything as sterile as I could. As I finish each tube, I am trying to label it with the date on a piece of tape.

It took only about 5 minutes to mix up the first tube's worth of makeup. The best thing of all is I have barely used up any of the teaspoons of the pigments.

Here is me wearing the first batch of what I am calling my Fars Near Glow B.T. (Fake Nars Sheer Glow by Trudy!)

I used the flash to
show every part of my face

Not too shabby, right? And the finish is more what I like because I had a mix of matte, sheer, and dewy textures to work with. The pigment has a little drying effect so everything really balanced out.

Here are the finished batches that I have ready to use in tubes with pump dispensing (also from Making Cosmetics).

So, I managed to do it. Now I just have to work on making more batches and getting them tubed up. I want to do some blush with the red pigment I got. By the way, I am getting most of my red tint in the foundation with the brown pigment, not the red. Weird, huh?

I will be making a little hobby of DIY cosmetics. I want to work on some lip gloss and body butter. I will, of course, keep you guys posted.

Peace
--Free

**SIFO** USPS Informed Delivery

NOTE: I got wiped out halfway through writing this so it may read a little weird. Apologies. You can find any missing info by following the links I did manage to provide.

Even though I have complained about the Postal Service, I don't want the USPS gone. And I am not sure about privatizing the service... I didn't plan this post at the time that there is talk of getting rid of the USPS but, here it is.

Thanks to someone in the Reddit community, I learned something pretty useful about USPS mail and packages called Informed Delivery (ID). I will include here what I already knew and what I learned for those of you who might be interested in keeping track of anything coming to you via the U.S. Post Office.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE knowing what's in my mailbox before I go check it. Also, I like being able to flag something I was supposed to receive and didn't. That's handy, right? So, keep reading.

You can, of course, track items. With ID, you get more tracking features than with the standard tracking lookup. There is a Postal Store where you can buy stamps, supplies, get personalized stamps and envelopes, purchase collector items, and more.

Here is the link to the USPS site and I will post a bunch of photos showing toolbars. That way, you can see what's offered in each section. For now, here is how the ID service has been useful for me.

I get a lot of packages because I do almost all my household shopping online. I like knowing what is coming and when so that I know when a package is late or perhaps lost.

This is where you will start and then just select Quick Tools from the menu at the top. This is what you will see:

When you select Informed Delivery, you will have to set up a USPS account and then sign into the account in order to use the ID stuff. I have had a USPS account for a while so I don't remember what all you can use without an account other than the basic tracking.

Once you are in the USPS site, there are all sorts of things you can do. It's probably really handy for someone trying to work from home these days and there are sections of information and services for Business and International sections.

Of course, there are some people who might prefer buying stamps and other supplies online. You can even purchase personalized envelopes and collectors items and gifts. Just like you see in a USPS lobby in lots of places.

Now, I mainly use the basic services for tracking and keeping track of mail and packages. When you use the "plain" tracking service - you know, putting the tracking number into Google which takes you to the USPS page - you only get the information for as long as you are on the page. I used to do this and then, every time I wanted to go back and check on the same package with the tracking number, I had to start all over again.

With the plain tracking, you can at least sign up for notifications about the parcel using your cell number (for text updates) or your email. I would use the text and right now, I still have probably a thousand old texts on my phone about old tracking numbers. Informed Delivery lets you store tracking numbers to a dashboard. You can even nickname parcels (ex: from Amazon, or Target, etc.). That's handy for someone who does most of their shopping online and has things coming from various people or vendors.

Notice that my "dashboard" shows a section for mail and one for packages. When I select one of those packages, I got to more detailed tracking info.

I don't even have to track mail that doesn't have a tracking number (and most doesn't, right?); the post office scans mail and all items addressed to me will show up this way:

Notice that under the envelope, there is a box I can select if I didn't receive the letter.

Of course, I redacted my personal info but, basically, that is an actual scan of the letter that was in my mailbox. I can know what's there without checking the box. This is nice when you are away from home and maybe really anxious to receive a piece of mail. Or when you are away and have someone checking your mail. You can tell them when something important needs to be picked up right away. I like it because there are days when I don't feel well. I will sometimes only bother going to the mailbox when there is something from the bank, clinic, or some kind of bill.

(I was going to post even more screenshots but am getting a little tired this evening. You can see everything mentioned in this post by going to the USPS site and checking the menu and sub-menus. Sorry about the lazy lag here, folks.)

I know that there will be concerns about saving your signature for ID but, think about it, if you ever signed for a package on one of the USPS devices, they already have it somewhere.

Again, I am tired so I will stop here. At least now you know about all the online services available from the USPS. Let's keep those people working and show them some support.

Peace
--Free