**REVIEW** CeraVe Healing Ointment

 This won't be a long review. I just wanted to point out what a great product this is.

I got my first jar of CeraVe Healing Ointment from a dermatologist in Anchorage more than 5 years ago. It was meant to be used for my psoriasis breakouts and it does help. However, I learned that the ointment also makes a great daily treatment for dry skin in general. And it makes one of the best night creams for my face during the super-dry winter months here in Iowa.

The active ingredient is petrolatum (46.5%) but it's not as greasy as Vaseline, in my opinion. I cannot use Vaseline on my face as more than a wipe-off type of cleanser or makeup remover. When I leave it on my face, it irritates my skin. The CeraVe ointment doesn't have that effect.

In addition to using the ointment as an overnight mask when my skin is extra dry, I also use it to moisturize my feet. I will apply the ointment and then put socks on for an hour or so until it's all absorbed. I use the ointment as an after-shower treatment on my dry but still-damp skin. I have even used it on my scalp in a pinch when I am out of my regular hairdressing product.

What I like most about using the ointment on my face is that it eventually absorbs so that I don't have an oil slick on my skin. I have used it after using hyaluronic acid serum or in addition to face cream. That might sound overboard but the air in Northern Iowa gets extremely dry during the winter. I have to run a humidifier constantly just to keep the apartment air feeling balanced. Weirdly, the summer months are so humid that I run 3 small dehumidifiers that I have placed around the apartment. Crazy, right?

There's a reason that I'm only just now talking about the ointment after using it for the whole 6 years I've lived in Iowa. Recently, I was considering buying a moisturizer to use as an overnight treatment. The product is one that I got in a subscription box a long while back. When I thought of buying a bottle to use at night, I got the shock of my life when I saw the price.

The product is a melting moisture mask from Dermalogica. It's excellent stuff. I mean, it's really good. However, it costs almost $41 per ounce. No lie. 

I have an app on my phone called Price Cruncher and it showed me that the Dermalogica mask is  372.28% more expensive than the CeraVe cream. That's wild.

But the price wasn't the only reason to choose the CeraVe over the Dermalogica. I'm pretty sure that if I wanted the mask badly enough, one of my brothers would get it for me. But... the truth is, the Cerave works better. Or I should say that the effects I get from the CeraVe last longer.

When I got the Dermalogica, I didn't realize how pricey it was. Thankfully, I never used it on a daily basis - just when my skin was extra dry. By the way, if you have some and think that the can is empty, chances are, it's not. I have been able to coax use after use from what I thought was an empty can. All I do is pump-pump-pump the dispenser and little worms of the cream will come out. That can have been "empty" for weeks! And one benefit to the product is that it takes very little to treat the entire face.

10 pumps of "empty" can

The bottom line is that, if you can easily afford the Dermalogica, get it. It's something that can be used around the clock and it certainly is worth every bit of the positive hype. The CeraVe is something that I use on my face only during the driest weather or as an overnight treatment. 

Would I buy the Dermalogica (in addition to the CeraVe) if I could afford it? Probably. It would be nice to have a mask that works so well that I could wear winter and summer.

Another good thing about the CeraVe is that it comes in a variety of sizes so you can get a small tube to try it out or a larger jar once you fall in love. The Dermalogica is a one-size/one-price deal. I wish I could remember which subscription box that I got it from because I want to write them a thank you note!

For now, I am in love with the CeraVe. I put just a little on my face when I go to bed. When I wake up in the morning, my skin feels so soft and supple that I keep touching my face. 

Peace

--Free

NOTE: The CeraVe is also available from Walmart and other stores. If you ever get any, make sure to compare prices everywhere. I'm going to be getting a purse-sized tube soon.

Disclaimer: I am not paid or compensated in any way for the products I review. Prior to 2018, I did receive some items 9at a discount or free of charge) in lieu of doing a review. However, since then, every single thing I review is bought and paid for with my own money, personal (non-sponsored) gift cards, and/or gifted to me from family and friends and not in return for doing a review. Nothing is sponsored.

Dr. Dray

 As much of a product junkie as I have always been - hair products, beauty products, gadgets - you notice I'm not big on following social media "influencers". It's nothing personal against any specific influencers but I don't trust anyone on social media who makes their primary income from hyping products. 

But I have become a "fan" of a dermatologist on YouTube. She is Dr. Dray, a board-certified dermatologist. (This is her YouTube channel.)

Listen, I pick up so much information from watching Dr. Dray. Just a few days ago, I was considering getting a certain type of product because everyone and their cousin always talks about how great it is. It's not a bad product but, after considering what Dr. Dray had to say, I realized that it's not something I would like so much. 

My favorite Dr. Dray videos are the ones where she goes into stores to look at various products - sunscreens, moisturizers, makeup, etc. She discusses the ingredients and what they are commonly used for. And she doesn't just cover the high-end, bougie stuff; she will go into a Target or Dollar Tree or - and this was my recent favorite - a store in France where she discussed some common "French pharmacy" products. (Remember how I've recently been all about Euro-made skincare?)

I like that this lady has a good sense of humor and that she can explain stuff so well to the layman. For instance, I've been buying and using sunscreen for years (that's good!) without understanding anything about "long UVA rays" What? You better bet I'm going to be watching for that in the future. I've only ever looked at the SPF levels and whether or not the stuff would make me look like I'm wearing the wrong shade of foundation.

Happily, according to a lot of the Dr. Dray videos I've watched, I'm doing a lot of the right things - even if I could be doing them better. I have always put on antiperspirants and deodorants at bedtime; I'm wearing sunscreen and I'm using appropriate products in my cleansing routine (mostly) and I'm keeping it pretty simple.

Some of what I plan to do better after watching Dr. Dray are:

• Looking more carefully at sunscreen labels.
• Being more consistent in my skincare routine I don't always pay as much attention to my torso as I do my face & I can be a bit slapdash at all of it.
• Rinsing after using the micellar water I recently started using. 
• Watching out for fragrances in products.

As I said, the sunscreen and "long ray" issue is something I was totally ignorant about. After all those years of living in Anchorage, I thought I was the black sunscreen queen! 

I went back and looked at my shopping history online and started to notice something. Many of the face moisturizers that didn't work out for me usually had to do with them using fragrance or an ingredient that irritates my skin (lanolin and some others just don't work for me).

Another thing that I appreciate about Dr. Dray is that she is up-front and honest in her videos (and text information underneath them) about any sponsorships. I mean, I don't begrudge anyone monetizing their social media but I hate when they try to hide it or be sneaky about it.

Can you tell how much I like watching Dr. Dray's videos? I became aware of her channel at just the right time - when I became determined to stop being such a product junkie. I'm trying to assemble a range of products that work and stick with them.

She has a lot of videos. Here are some of my favorites of hers or ones that I have on a Watchlist:

• Ingredients that work
• Dermatologist's tips
• TJ Maxx skincare deals
• The Olaplex suit
• Sunscreens she used up
• Are silicones bad? (as an afro-natural hair chick, I hear SO much about the 'cones...)

So, yeah, I have a person on social media that I feel is putting out honest and useful information about personal care products. And not that I have a big online presence but, for anyone reading this, I do recommend checking out Dr. Dray. I bet you will learn something.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** NUXE Rêve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm

 Okay, folks. I slid out of my K-beauty phase right into a French Pharmacy obsession. 

First, there was the Embryolisse cream for my face. Then I tried the Ebryolisse lip balm (I sent that back), and now there is this - and I will not be sending it back!

I love, love, love this lip balm (or "blam", as my fingers keep typing...). It's the NUXE brand Rêve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm.

Now, here's the thing, this is not the cheapest balm. It was $19 but went on discount for $15 (still not cheap - not for, hehheh moi) but I used some of my Amazon Shopper Panel (ASP) funds and ordered one. I loved it so much that I used some more of my precious ASP rewards to immediately order another - just in case it sells out or the price goes back up. (And I usually try to keep my ASP rewards balance at a certain level before I spend more.) This was too good to pass up though.

Most balms soothe or moisturize my lips for up to an hour before I am having to reapply them. I did have one lip treatment that worked really well and was cheaper than this one but I ran through one jar in less than a few weeks. With this one, an itsy-bitsy dab is all it takes to keep my lips soft and chap-free for at least 6 hours (yes, I went ahead and timed it).

Not only does this one keep my lips moisturized but it is seeming to heal them. I think that it's one of my medications that causes my skin and lips to be so dry. I handle the skin problem easily enough but my lips get to the point of scaling up, cracking, and feeling like something that slithered out of the desert. And I've had many basic balms that help - short-term. Other than the one lip treatment I was running through too quickly, this is the first one that works this well.

Never mind that I had to look up how the heck to pronounce the name (shut up!), I fell in love with this the first time I applied it. (BTW, it's pronounced as nooxa rev da- mel, and "reve de miel" means "honey dream" in English.)

Again, I'm impressed by the ingredients. I could actually pronounce most of them. LOL!

Another thing I like about this is that it's invisible. I don't see it or feel it until I rub my lips together. Doing that, I just feel a sort of light and creamy texture. There is very little smell but what I do smell is really pleasant and reminds me of warm sugar donuts (?) or maybe cinnamon cereal milk. Weird, right?

As I mentioned, I tried the Embryolisse blam  (good heavens!!!) balm and it was okay. But just okay. That surprised me because I like the face cream so much. The balm wore off really quickly and, honestly, was no better than (and maybe not as good as) the Nivea I've used ($8.35 for a pack of 4)

Since I got this balm, I won't be buying any more of my previous beloved favorite (Jack Black) as this one is a hundred times better and is, per ounce, actually a bit cheaper. 

I think that other than how well this works, the main thing that's won me over is that I don't have to take it out to use and reuse it all throughout the day. The other day, I went to an appointment and didn't even notice that I'd forgotten to put it in my purse. It didn't matter because my lips remained moisturized the entire time. 

Now I won't be rushing to buy and try some of the other NUXE products I've noticed. I learned my lesson with the Ebryolisse balm. I might put the NUXE skin butter balm on my Camel price-watch list though.

By the way, I've mentioned that I use the money I get from the Amazon Shopper Panel app to buy little goodies like this balm and some of the other beauty products I can't normally afford since I can't use the rewards anywhere else. I do not know if I've ever linked to the app (as I did earlier in this post). I use ASP on Android  and here is how much I've earned - $10 at a time - over a couple of years:

You might have to get on a waiting list because it's a really popular app, but it is worth the wait. You are sharing information by uploading receipts (I don't care because I have no privacy left!) from anywhere but Amazon. You can accumulate as rewards as you want before spending. I choose to get mine paid into an Amazon gift card balance and parcel the amounts out for certain purchases. You can also choose to donate your earned rewards to certain charitable organizations. I selfishly keep mine and between this and a couple of other rewards apps, I rarely spend my own money to buy the "wanna try it" beauty products I review here. You're welcome.

Peace

--Free

***Experiment*** 'Washing' My Hair With Oil

 Okay, before I start this, let me admit that I think the idea of "washing" your hair with oil sounds a bit weird. However, I will try almost anything once if it might help soften, moisturize, and add sheen to my dull-looking hair. Let's just get right into it.

I did the oil wash - massaging in the oil/shampoo mixture for about 5 minutes while in the shower. I made sure to work on the scalp, roots, and ends of my hair. (I did forget to warm the oil as some folks suggest doing. Oh well...)

This is what I used for the oil wash:

No matter how I tried mixing these, they separated - of course?  (~sigh~ Yes, I do know better, I just brain-slipped!)  I ended up pouring the oil into a separate cup &  putting the oil in my hair first, then the shampoo. 

nope, nope, nope

just bubbled a bit...

This is my dirty hair prior to the oil-washing (you can see why I wanted to try this washing method!):

Time for a dye job.

This is my towel-dried hair afterward - with no other products added:

These are the products I used after the towel-drying:

This is my hair after all the products except for the VERB Ghost Oil:

This is my hair after the Ghost Oil. (I wanted to wait until my hair was bone dry before trying the Ghost Oil. I've tried it before on wet hair & it just... ghosted my hair! LOL!)

By the way, the VERB Ghost Oil did not do much for my hair in the way of shine but, oh baby, did it pump up the softness! All the softness from washing with oil was gone the minute my hair was totally dry. (I've told you all before how easily my hair dries out.) I applied the VERB ghost oil (the serum/liquid version, not the dry), once my hair dried out after the shower and... the stuff is amazing for softening 4C hair. I'm still not sure if it's amazing enough to pay 10 bucks an ounce for but, if you've got the dollars, I'd say go for it. It's so good that I might have to admit that it is worth 10 bucks an ounce.

My thoughts on oil-washing?

• It was not as messy as I feared. Maybe because I used sunflower oil? I didn't feel like I had a coating of oil on my hair while I was "washing" it.
• The good: I didn't see a big difference after oil washing but my hair did feel much softer than it normally does. The bad: The softness only lasted until my hair was completely dry.
• Oil washing is not something I'd want to do on a regular basis but more like a special conditioning treatment. I'm sure it did more for my scalp than it did for my hair.
• I worried that the oil might have repelled some of my after-care products. I'm not sure though.
• I might do a sort of warm-oil treatment by soaking my wet hair with oil and a conditioner and wearing a heat cap for 10 minutes. I've never been a fan of hot-oil treatments. Maybe I should become one.
• And, finally, I'm realizing that my hair color is the problem. I have dark brown hair that is dusty/sandy tending-toward-auburn (hashtag: just like my mama!). And because - unlike my mom who had naturally red and straight hair, as some black folks do - my hair is not only this color but also very kinky-coily. I don't think the light reflects the same way on my hair.

Anyway. That is how my test of oil-washing my hair went. It's not worth the trouble. I need my sunflower oil for cooking!

Peace

--Free

Great Website for The Roots Naturelle Products (free shipping)

 This is gonna be a quickie. I found a new place to buy my Roots Naturelle products. The site is called Black Panther Strong (don't be hating on the name, folks!) and I was really impressed after ordering the hard-to-find (at a good price) Bouncy Curls Hydrating Creme.

Number One, the shipping is free - on all orders. Let's just applaud that from a business. When is the last time you saw free shipping without a bunch of restrictions and small print walk-backs?

Number Two, the packaging and shipping were awesome. I ordered (and was able to pay via PayPal) and received tracking information for my package which arrived 4 days later. Shut. Up. That's almost better than a lot of Amazon orders these days...

When I opened my package, I was surprised and pleased to see that a sample of another product was included. The sample was not simply tossed in like "Here ya go!"; it was in a plastic bag so nice that I'm going to re-purpose it.

I have shopped a lot of online sites for my hair products and this is the first time that I felt so valued and respected as a customer. It's as if good service, good pricing, and pride in product presentation are so rare that I was shocked. All that should be standard but it's not. And this is a family-owned business - so that's another positive point in my book. The family also runs this site carrying The Roots Naturelle products and a larger variety of items.

I am now going to be getting as many of my hair products as I can from this site and I wanted to pass along the link for anyone else.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I've reviewed Bouncy Curls back in 2015 but that was when I got the product free via Tomoson so I won't re-post. Instead, I will do an updated review. For one thing, my hair is different now. For another thing, I got that product free of charge and I no longer do those types of reviews. 

My 5-Star Product List

After reviewing items for years,  I am finally compiling a list of products that I love, love, love. The best way to do this was to make an Amazon list that I could link to - not for you to buy from Amazon, but for you to see the list. Always shop around for the best prices. I purchased some items from Walmart, Target, mom-and-pop shops, and beauty supply stores.

NOTE: I am NOT an Amazon affiliate and I DO NOT get any compensation if you click on the link or buy any of the products. 

The things on the list are items that I have been using for a long time (at least a year and as long as 5 years). There is one exception and that is the Embryolisse cream that I recently reviewed (and it's so good I added it right away!).

There is one thing that I could not add because I did buy it from Amazon and it is no longer available there. It is the  Next-Shine VS6610 Vacuum Sealer Machine. I wanted to share it because I've had mine for over 5 years and, after using it at least once a week, it's still popping along like new. Comparing it to an expensive fancy machine that I was given (one that never worked and was returned), the Next-Shine kicked butt. I got it on a lightning deal for a great price. So, yeah.

Once again, I am only sharing this list because I find it fun to tell you about things I like. I don't get paid or compensated in any way if you click on any links here. That goes for all the reviews I do.

This is the link to my "FreeBeing's 5-Star Items" Amazon Idea List. This is the link to my Amazon profile so you can see my other lists if you'd like.

Peace

--Free

Best Multipurpose Beauty Product EVER

The best product I have in my bathroom pantry is also one of the cheapest. Back in the day, my mom used petroleum jelly but it's much too heavy for some uses. I have gone a better route.

Anyway, I'm not going to tease you with a lot of lead-in jibber jabber. The product is a bottle of glycerin that costs me about 50 cents per ounce. I'm not sure if the brand matters but I have used this one from NOW Solutions for about 5 years or more (since I moved to Iowa where the winters are harshly dry).

Just glycerin*. That's it.

One bottle usually lasts me about 6 months (I do Subscribe and Save) and I never have paid more than $10 for a 16-ounce bottle. Depending on how you use the product, you may go through a bottle faster. (Keep in mind to test that you are not allergic to glycerin. Use your common sense.) Here are some of the ways I use my glycerin:

• Relieve dry skin or cool down from heat - Add it to water - I use about 5 parts water to 1 part glycerin - in a spray bottle. I spritz my face and hair throughout the day to relieve dryness in the winter or cool myself down from the heat in summer. I have lately begun to add rosewater to glycerin for this.
• Skin & hair spritz - Add a few drops of glycerin to rosewater for my hair and skin. I can use this all year round to help with dryness.
• Boost hair products - For my hair products that are not as moisturizing as I like, I will mix some with a bit of glycerin. 
• Boost cheap lotions - As with hair products, the same goes for cheap lotions except I tend to add a lot more glycerin to lotion.
• Soften scented lotions - When I buy a scented lotion and want to tone down the fragrance - or make the lotion last me longer - I will add glycerin.
• Hair mask - If I don't have any conditioning masks handy, I will make some using regular conditioner and glycerin. I have sometimes added yogurt to this mix and I recently tried adding powdered goat milk. You have to choose and adjust any additions depending on your hair type, texture & needs. My hair tends to be dry so, often enough,  just adding the glycerin will work.
• Dry feet - For dry feet or after a nice pedicure, I slather on glycerin and put on some socks for a few hours or overnight.
• Perfume boost - Instead of petroleum jelly, rub glycerin into your damp skin & let it rest before applying perfume. This only works so-so for me but other people say that it helps a lot with the longevity of their scents.

cheap little sprayer

• Lip balm - Add a little with a drop or two of water or another oil to a small container to dab on your lips. Glycerin does have a sweet taste so you may or may not like that. I have added food flavoring to these balms to help with the taste.
• Lip scrub - in place of coconut or other oils, use glycerin in your homemade lip scrubs. I like to use glycerin and water with a small amount of baking soda.
• Cuticle care - rub some into your dampened nails and cuticles. After I do remove any gel polish, I use glycerin for several days to treat my nails.
• Face wash - On the rare occasions that I use anything other than oils to clean my face, I use glycerin. This is especially when I use any soap product. Also...
• For a face & neck wipedown - if you are on the go and cannot properly wash your face and neck, use a baby wipe and glycerin with water to clean away oil, dirt, and sweat without drying out your skin.
• Body wash - Add a few drops to your body wash. I tend to use "moisturizing" body wash but if I do use any other kind, I add a little glycerin.

There are probably several more ways to incorporate glycerin into your personal skin and hair care - just like with some of your favorite oils. My most-used formula is probably the water-glycerin-rosewater mix. And don't bother buying the pricey rosewaters made specifically for the skin or hair. The cheapest and best rosewater I have found is the Cortas brand which is mainly used for cooking and baking. I like it best because it's just rosewater and nothing else.

Just rose water. That's it.

By the way, when I was writing this, I decided to look up how other people use glycerin and randomly found some sources and am surprised by some of what I learned:

• WebMD - always points out cautions. This is not a substitute for checking with your doctors, folks!
• From Very Well Health - I did NOT know about wound healing or laxative effects. Wow.
• Homesteading - You can treat mouth ulcers with it???
• Bellatory - explains how to make bath bombs and soap. I've seen glycerin soap. I'm too lazy to make my own!
• Lifehacker - There are ways to use glycerin around the house. (I'm leery of anything with the word "hack" in it but...)

Basically, you can replace - or boost -  a lot of products with glycerin. You're welcome.

Peace

--Free

* Vegetable glycerin is usually made from some type of plant source (vs animal). The label does not indicate the source for this brand's product, and neither does the NOW website as far as I could tell. However, this is the detailed description given about halfway down the Amazon product page: 

Pure vegetable glycerin is an outstanding moisturizer and skin cleanser that also provides softening and lubricating benefits. It’s easily soluble in water, making it suitable for use in all of your favorite cosmetic applications. Pure vegetable glycerin has a long shelf life and does not easily oxidize. It is derived from non-GMO palm, grape seed, or coconut oil. Ingredient: Glycerin. (my bold)

**REVIEW** Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré (Hidden Beauty Gem)

 Those beautiful French women have been holding out on the rest of us! I see you, Marciella!

As you all know, I have been going through a cycle of trying-loving-ditching face moisturizers. Mama did not tell me that my skin was going to go through this many changes as I age...

For the record, I am still using my homemade goat milk-glycerin lotion as my go-to body moisturizer. I am still using German Nivea as a night face cream and foot cream. But, for taking care of my aging (dry, sensitive, and tap-dancing on my last good nerve) facial skin, this is what I have landed on. 

I love this Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré and still have to Google how to pronounce the name. Shut up. (BTW, it sounds like  "om-bree oh-leese lay crim". You're welcome.)

I'm sure that in 6 months or a year, my skin might do an about-face and possibly need a change-up but this stuff satisfies all my facial skincare needs - including price. And we all know that for my broke self, that price is the deal-breaker.

Here is what I like, love, and crave about this:

• The texture. It's like a wet cream. It's light, non-oily, not thick (or too thin), and very spreadable.
• There is no scent. 
• The first ingredient is water.
• The main ingredients (other than water) are shea, beeswax, aloe, and soy.
• It's affordable at $14 a tube. (And a dot the size of a baby aspirin treats my entire face.)
• It's not made in China.
• It doesn't break out my skin - nor make it shiny.
• It makes my skin feel supple & it immediately soothed it and cleared up any dryness.
• It's multi-use & can be used on the face & body; as a mask; as a makeup base & remover; and as an aftershave.

It's been since before the pandemic that I've even thought about wearing makeup. If I'm feeling pippy, I might put on some lip gloss. To be honest, I was thinking about getting a tinted moisturizer though because my face has been so dry and dull-looking. The Nivea and my oils work to make my skin feel better but I'd lost some of the natural natural-ness if that makes sense. 

I'm not mad. That's just my regular face!

About two days after I started using this, I noticed that my skin was looking back to its old self - "old self" as is healthy, not as in "I'm 30, y'all!" I mean, this stuff is good but it's not magic!

In addition to what this does for my skin, I have to add that I'm impressed with how well-packaged the product is. It's been a long time since I've used a beauty product that was very clear and detailed about ingredients and manufacturing. Our French brothers and sisters are on to something.

Anyway. Unless something drastic happens, you all won't hear me talking about another "holy grail" moisturizer for a long while because I did a subscription to this.

So now, I have this, my oils &  homemade goat milk body lotion, and the Nivea for my feet. I'm done.

Peace

--Free

By the way, unlike the TikTok and YouTube folks who tout "holy grail" products, I do NOT get paid, sponsored, or compensated in any way for the items I review. I don't even have an Amazon page that I link to for affiliation or compensation. So there.

Bottom line: I only review products that I actually buy & use. #just saying.

**REVIEW** Uncle Funky's Daughter Travel Kit

 Since I've tried Aunt Jackie, Miss Jessie, and Carol's Daughter, I figured I'd give Uncle Funky a shot. The first thing I can tell you is that getting a trial kit or samples is best. The full-sized items tend not to be cheap...

The first thing I did was text one of my nephews to tell him that I was going to try some hair products by "Uncle Funky". After we got through laughing about it, I did actually give all 5 products in the travel kit a test.

By the way, I'm being silly. The product line is Uncle Funky's Daughter, and I (kind of) love the name. But it's a long 'un so I'll tag it as UFD from now on.

First I have to admit that I only got the travel kit (with some Google Rewards money) because honey chile! The individual products are priced as if they are Uncle Funky's Gold... You can take a peek at the UFD Amazon storefront or go to the official UFD site.

The kit is nicely presented in a little plastic zip case. There was even a security zip tie on the zipper when it arrived. I appreciate that because we've all gotten products that were wrapped in cheap, stained plastic.

The insert cards give an overview of the key ingredients for each product. As when trying any new hair product, I first did a wash and condition. I began applying the UFD products to my towel-dried/damp hair in the order suggested on the insert. I will use that order to give my take on them. The descriptions are from the Amazon product's "About" section.

(When ordering via the UFD official site, shipping is free on orders over $49 & customers can earn "reward points".)

Step 1 - Midnight Train (8oz) Amazon: $18.54 ($2.32 / Fl Oz)  UFD: $10.99 

Lightweight, herbal conditioning mist. Strengthens dry, weak strands. Adds softness and pliability for comb-out. Works best on curly and kinky textures. Mist generously on hair strands.

Me: 4 .5 stars for the effects and pricing. This smells good - Has a very light, soapy-green scent. It is moisturizing and I think it's what kept my hair from drying out for a few hours after washing. That moisture did not last and I can tell that I would have to re-use the spray more than once a day. It does make my hair feel very soft while it is working. As with the next product, this worked better on my day-old hair.

Step 2 - Supercurl (8 oz) (or Extra Butter) I used Supercurl first. Amazon: $21.99 ($2.75 / Fl Oz) UFD: $19.99

Smooth, lightweight, no-hold formula; Adds amazing softness and moisture, Stretches tight curls to aid in comb-out, Works well on all curl patterns and styles, Rub in palms or on strands and style;

Me: 3 stars for the effects and pricing It smells okay - like a basic rinse-out conditioner. This added more moisture and softness on top of the Midnight Train. My hair does not love coconut oil products for some reason. this did not help my newly washed hair. It works much better on my "day-old" hair and it really boosted the moisture. If I use this to freshen my hair after having used my usual products (StaSofFro), it's wonderful. I like that it softens my hair without adding a heavy or greasy feel. I don't like it enough to pay what it costs...

Step 2b - Extra Butter Curl Forming Creme (8oz) Amazon:$19.99 ($2.50 / Ounce) UFD: $19.99

Thick, creamy, whipped formula; Fortifies curls with natural shea butter, coconut, and palm kernel oil. Elongates curls, detangles & deeply moisturizes to aid in comb-ability. Provides residue-free style ability with this moisturizer. Apply evenly through damp or dry hair, then style.

Me: 3.9 stars for the effects and (mainly) the pricing Another light, clean and unobtrusive scent. This is a product that I would think about getting in spite of that ridiculous price. My hair is a mix of curl patterns - some strands are really curly/coily, some are straight and some are just slightly wavy. This crazy hair of mine is also resistant to curl creams. The only ones to work best are the eco-styler types and Taliah Waajid's Curly Curly Cream. This one is somewhere in between those types. It's not super thick like Curly Curl and it's not a "sticky styler" like the eco gels. I like it the most out of the products in this kit. The downside is that this works best on day-old hair after I have used other softening products. There's not a lot of reason for me to switch from the Curly Curl by Taliah Waajid. On the other hand, if someone with a more consistent curl pattern asked me, I'd recommend this.

Step 3 - Curly Magic (18 Fl Oz) Amazon:$24.99 ($1.39 / Fl Oz) UFD: $24.99

Aloe-based formula; natural fragrance.  Firm hold provides lasting curl definition. Delivers unmatched frizz-fighting ability. Defines curls in curly, wet hair. Finger comb thru soaking wet hair.

Me: 2 stars for the effects and pricing (and smell) I hated the smell of this one (like Eau de floral gasoline) and the texture is of an almost obscene slimy viscosity. I guess some people would say that at least it has "good slip"... Ugh. To be honest, I think I used this one wrong. The product page says to use it on soaking wet hair while the insert says wet or damp hair. By the time I tried it, my towel-dried hair was only still damp from the other products. I just can't with this one - because of the smell and that price.

Step 4 - Thirsty Curls (8 fl oz) Amazon: $14.99 ($1.87 / Fl Oz) UFD: $14.99

Lightweight, coconut water-based mist. Revives the bounce in frizzy, fallen curls. Aids in comb out and styling. Great for day-after Curly Magic use. Spray generously and fluff style.

Me: 3.5 stars for the effects and pricing The smell of this one is neither bad nor good, but it is odd. In my opinion, this is a decent product but, like the others, it does not play well by itself. It was good on my day-old hair but, as I mentioned, by then I'd had to use some StaSofFro. This did help refresh the moisture but I have several cheaper products that do the same.

So, overall, what do I think about these products? 

I have to tell you, nothing really wows me enough to pay the current prices. I'd be more inclined to dish out for the Midnight Train at $10.99 and the Extra Butter at a much lower price (if I didn't like my current and more affordable products better).

Eh...

The main issue for me is that these don't really work well as stand-alone products. Also, they don't solve my dry-hair issue without my having to supplement them with something like StaSofFro. That's not a big problem because I find that to be the case with several other products. But these are much pricier. If I'm paying 15 to 25 bucks for a hair product, I don't want to have to spend more money to boost its effects. 

On the other hand, I can see that for some hair types, UFD products would be really good. As I mentioned, my hair doesn't like some of the key ingredients and my nose obviously hates some of the smells. 

I have one niece with a 2b hair type and I think I'm going to send her this kit. As for me and my nappy naps, I will stick with my current regimen - which now includes a hairdressing cream I'm loving. I will review that soon (or have, depending on how I schedule the posts!).

Peace

--Free

If Sellers Noted "American-Made"...

 Look, I'm trying really hard to buy American-made stuff these days. Maybe I should be totally honest and say that I'm actually trying hard not to buy China-made stuff. But, as I've said more than once, that's tricky.

If sellers of non-China-made products wanted to rack up more sales, they'd be smart to make sure that the country of origin is prominently marked. I know for sure that if Amazon sellers displayed the country of origin more boldly, they'd get more sales.

Right now, when I'm browsing for something (the latest thing was a bowl scraper), I have to play detective to find out where the item is made. Often, I have to contact the seller or put in a question for other shoppers to tell me. 

A few weeks ago, after I got my Christmas present (another stand mixer, y'all, to replace the one that I killed), I wanted to get an Anchor Hocking measuring cup. My mother always used A.H. cups and cookware (along with Corningware and another brand I can't remember right now). I remember that the measuring cups were really accurate and sturdy. You could throw that glass across the room and it wouldn't break. (I won't tell you how I know that!)

Let's take a moment to talk about prices, shall we?

I went to Amazon (of course) but the prices were outrageous! One 4-cup measuring cup was priced anywhere from $18 to $35. I'm not kidding. Well, that's a big old Not For Me. A couple of days after I saw those prices, I was ordering groceries from Walmart and happened to see the very same Anchor Hocking cup - for $5.17. I almost broke a finger putting in the order. To make it better, for $3.90, there was a 2-cup size. Yep. Got it.

My insurance covers certain OTC items ordered through Walmart. So the other day, I was getting some vitamins and... happened (yes, happened) to see an Anchor Hocking 5-ounce measuring cup. For under $2.50,

Just because I was curious, I tabbed over to Amazon to price the same cup. The prices were all over the place. Some were as low as 9 dollars (the same as the non-sale price at Walmart) and a couple of them were as high as $25. A couple of the cheaper ones were not Prime so the shipping was crazy high.I snagged the one from Walmart.

Okay. Back to the country of origin thing...

Now, here is my gripe about the beloved Anchor Hocking brand...

When I did a quick "where is it made" search, this kind of thing came up more than once:

Anchor Glass Container has manufacturing facilities in China; Tampa, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; Warner Robins, Georgia; Lawrenceburg, Indiana; Henryetta, Oklahoma; Shakopee, Minnesota; and Elmira, New York.

Huh?

I checked the Anchor Hocking  website and saw this:

LET’S SUPPORT AMERICAN JOBS

CRAFTED IN THE USA SINCE 1905

We’ve been making Anchor Hocking glassware right here in the USA for more than a century. For all that time, our products have remained a staple in kitchens around the world by staying on the edge of craftsmanship and in the center of American-made quality. 

Supporting American jobs is a source of great pride for us, and it’s important to our customers too. They appreciate our dedication to the workforce here at home. And abroad, “made in the USA” means something else – quality.

Well, that... reassuring???

Anyway, I love the Anchor Hocking brand for the same reason I love Lodge and the original-made-in- New York Corningware, and hot grits with butter: my mama did. (By the way, I think modern Corningware items are made in France.)

So I've got my set of Anchor Hocking cups and I've got the beautiful uh, made-in-China Cuisinart mixer the kids got me for Christmas so I'm good. (I'm still mad that I thought Cuisinart was made in the USA and that they put the c/o in the smallest font possible on the bottom of the box!)

Apparently, I can't afford any more measuring cups, no matter where they are made so it's a good thing my set is now complete... Hopefully, my glass cups will last as long as Mama's did. Hers never did break but I have no idea who I gave them to when we were moving house. I do still have a couple of the good old glass bread pans from her ❤.

Anyway. I wish there was a way that I could get word to a lot of sellers. If they could help the customer out by letting us know that their items are NOT made in China, that would be a big help to us and a boost for them.

In the meantime, I literally have "Is this made in China?" pinned to my PC clipboard. That way I can just plug it into the question box for Amazon products. Yeah. It's like that.

Peace

--Free

YSK: How To Contact a Seller on Amazon

 This is  something I shared on Reddit's You Should Know sub and wanted to share here also:

Why YSK: Because you might want to deal directly with the seller about any issues before contacting Amazon.

As far as I know, this works best with items you've bought (that are not "sold by Amazon") There are 2 ways to contact the seller of something you've bought:

1. On your Orders page, find the product and go to the Order Details. Click on the "sold by" link to see the seller's storefront, or click on the "Ask Seller" link.

2. Go to the Seller Feedback page, find the specific product & click on the "View Seller Profile" link. 

The first way is best because there are times when you may not be able to offer feedback. 

I didn't know about these ways for a long time. It's the best way to let ask any questions of the seller or to let them know if you had problems. Otherwise, try contacting Amazon with the chat/phone call option. I prefer chat because I can copy/paste the convo for reference if needed.

(Honestly, I do try to always buy items "Sold by Amazon" because it's much less hassle.)

This is on the Orders page. Find the "view order details":

Order Details has 2 links you can use to contact the seller:

This is found on the Feedback page. 

You can use the "view seller profile" to get to the contact/ask a question page:

Whenever I have contacted the seller, I (usually) get better results than trying to go through Amazon's chat. Also, your email is protected because the emails are routed through Amazon and not directly to your email address.

By the way, I did the Reddit YSK post because, apparently, a lot of people don't know how to contact a seller when they have problems or questions. Half of the  "Can you answer this question" emails I get from Amazon involve queries that only the seller can answer. One recent question had to do with whether or not a product is kosher. That's really important for some people but only the seller can be responsible for the answer.

Peace

--Free

Quick Rant (and when brands cheat on pricing)

If you want, you can skip the rant and go straight down to the list of money-saving tips. They are things I've learned about that save quite a bit of money. Or you can keep falling for marketing hype and making greedy people rich...

The Rant:

I was shopping for some more of the Root Erase permanent hair dye I've used in the past. It was $9.97 when I bought it for the first time a couple of years ago. I was able to get multiple uses from it because I only need to touch up my temple hairs (mostly). I ran out and don't want to deal with the henna process right now. What does the same product now cost? $19.99 - and that's with the current 33% markdown... It's typically $29.99. 

 Now, this is where the rant really comes in: all the other similar products are in that high price range. I could find single-use products for cheap but... Just when I gave up and was resigned back to doing henna, I decided to check one more thing. What, I wondered, do men pay for dye? Answer: $8.52 for a tube that I can use over and over and over.

The Tips & Tricks (some are repeats from prior posts):

• Don't buy women's razors, shampoo, dye, etc., without checking what's on the shelves for men... And when comparing chick products against our wonderful male counterparts, make sure you are comparing ingredients and not just the marketing labels & hype. Results are what matter.
• Don't you dare spend a lot of money on those Lemi Shine "dish detergent booster". The full product description on most retail sites is "Lemi Shine Dish Detergent Booster, Citric Acid Cleaner, Pre-measured Tablets". Right now, you can spend about $10 for 15 tablets. Meanwhile... I often buy citric acid by the pound for less than that. I mix some citric acid with water to put into my dishwasher's rinse cycle and I add the powder when washing clothes or doing any other cleaning with this hard as metal tap water.
• I have stopped using Zzzquil to battle insomnia when my magnesium oil's not working. I recently discovered that Benedryl and Zzquil have the same "active" ingredient: diphenhydramine. One of my infusion nurses almost fell over laughing when I told her. She thought I always knew this - otherwise, why do I go into such a doze coma after taking Benedryl prior to infusions?
• I cut way back on buying pricey lotions, conditioners, etc after I learned to boost the cheap stuff with guar gum and/or powdered goat milk. I had no idea that guar gum was so good at softening the skin and conditioning the hair! I thought it was only good for giving my Ninja Creami creations better texture.
• Speaking of hair and beauty products, years ago, I learned about buying and using base ingredients to make cheap versions of my favorite staples. I don't get into the complicated ingredients that I'd need a science degree to use but buying the same oils, emulsifiers, and such things that are in the store-bought stuff... genius.
• Another reason I shop at suppliers like Making Cosmetics is because of the quality of carrier oils and other ingredients. I do like Majestic Pure's oils but I can often get my jojoba and such cheaper at cosmetic suppliers. Piping Rock has bad customer service but I will shop there for cheap stuff that I'm not as picky about. I often get my Marula oil from them.
• Back on the magnesium oil that I use to help induce restful sleep. After using it that way for years, I learned that applying it to the underarms makes for a good deodorant.
• Maybe the simplest way I started saving money a long time ago was by not buying purse/pocket-sized grooming products. I can buy (in bulk) cheap little containers - again from the same place you can buy cosmetic ingredients if you want to avoid Amazon. I have a baggie full of little squeeze tubes, and small bottles with lids and dispensers. I use them to hold small amounts of whatever I like to have on the go or in my purse/pocket and for traveling. The tubes and bottles come in plastic that will safely hold lotion, vaseline for the lips, and even perfumes. They come with sprayers and droppers, etc and you can get them in glass if you prefer. The same goes for not buying both full-size and travel-size perfumes. There are cheap little roller bottles available to transfer perfume into. I think the first set of empty glass perfume sprayers I bought was at Perfumania back in Anchorage. Using the spray nozzle on a perfume bottle, you can aerate small amounts into cute and handy purse-size sprayers. If you want to really be cheap, you can order empty perfume sample tubes (with sprayers) from Amazon or a cosmetic supplier. 
• When it comes to cleaning products - think Lysol Greased Lightning, etc. - buy the big refills and fill up some of the cheap (but good) empty sprayers. I will buy empty spray bottles from Menards or Amazon for cheap - as long as they have both the "stream" and "spray" options - and slap a sticky label on them. (Make sure you get the kind that can hold cleaning liquids. I will ask the clerk or go online and read reviews first.) Also, I have bought concentrated odor neutralizers from suppliers to save money. It is cheaper to add water with it in a spray bottle than it is to buy premixed products where I am, as usual, paying for marketing and packaging.
• Speaking of cleaning products, one huge ripoff is the Mr. Clean "magic" erasing sponges. Those are literally just melamine foam cut into convenient sizes. You can buy that stuff almost anywhere and save money. I wouldn't even start on Amazon looking for it. Sellers have figured out that buyers have wised up and are buying basic melamine. Check local hardware stores for the best prices.

When shopping for anything, try not to be influenced by labels and marketing. Look at ingredients when comparing something like a dandruff-fighting shampoo. Sometimes, it's not that products have the same ingredients overall but where on the label the ingredients fall. Being higher up or lower down on a label tells how prevalent or potent that ingredient is in the product formula. I like to use INCI Dedoder to decipher product labels and compare products. 

the pure citric acid has no fragrance/additives

pure citric acid


The LemiShine has fragrance added

Sometimes though, you just like what you like. For instance, all dark roast coffees are not the same, even when the beans are from the same region. I prefer Yuban and Lavazza to many other brands of coffee. But when it comes to, say, a hair product, I want whichever one does what it says and that usually has to do with ingredients - period.

Here are some examples of the types of products you can use to save:

(and sorry but Blogger is not letting me format photos placement!)

About $3

Concentrated funk-killer! LOL

I share perfume
with my SIL!

I blend this with oils (&
guar to thicken)

For cleaning products
industrial plastic

1st kind I ever used to carry 
perfumes on planes

great for essential oils or perfumes

I use it straight

find at local hardware & paint stores

So there you have some ideas for ways to save or stretch your dollars.

By the way, I am not recommending that anyone go messing with ingredients and chemicals. I am telling you what I have done and used to save money. I am always careful to ask my brother or someone to help me research and understand what I am dealing with. Use your head. Use common sense. Be responsible for what you do.

As far as that hair dye fiasco, I can't be mad at brands for trying to milk us for as much money as possible. I'm just mad at myself for not being savvier. I usually catch this kind of trick. Live and keep learning, I guess. 

Peace

--Free