Adding Convenience to My Life and Other Life Hacks

I received the following products in exchange for an honest review on my blog. The opinions expressed are 100 percent my own.This post contains affiliate links. 

Ever since I broke my foot, I've been extra kind to myself by staying off my feet as much as possible. While doing so can make life seem a little boring at times, I've learned to be more creative. Here's how.

Quick Touch-Ups with Blotting Paper

When someone comes over to visit, my first instinct is to head to my vanity to put on makeup--at least concealer and mascara. When that visit is last-minute, I can't exactly run upstairs to do my makeup. This is where Day by Day Beauty saves the day. Their blotting papers do a good job of de-shining my face, giving me the appearance of using light powder. While it doesn't erase my blemishes, the blotting papers help me look a little more put together. The packet is small and fits in the little bag in which I keep my cell phone charger, so it works out well.

Quick Perk-Up with an Eyelash Curler

When I am able to use mascara, I use an eyelash curler and mascara to make my eyes look livelier. LiveWIRE Beauty's eyelash curler has replaced my old eyelash curler. It has the classic metal, scissor-like design, but the pad is made from a rubbery material, not foam. This means that you never need to replace the pad. When I use the curler, it doesn't pull on my lashes at all. I give it bonus points, too, because it curls my lashes correctly on the first try. My old curler sometimes made my lashes bend at a 90-degree angle.

Cell Phone Arm Band

Now that I can't carry anything around because of my crutches, I am eternally grateful for pockets and small backpacks. One of the essentials that I carry with me all the time is my phone. In addition to making calls, I often use to check my email, take pictures and start blog posts. If I don't have a pocket, the cell phone armband from Red Star Tec is great. My phone fits perfectly in the pocket, which has a hole for a headphone jack. The band also has a small pocket for a house key (not a big car key). Right now, I use it to tuck in my ear buds. The plastic over the screen doesn't interfere with the phone's touchscreen capabilities. 

Reflective Safety Vest

Because of my crutches, I am a slow walker. I mean s-l-o-w. In the little group of townhouses where I live, people aren't always as careful as they should be when they drive, especially at night. If I have to go out to get the mail at night, I wear Flex Active Sports' reflective vest. The genius of the vest is that it isn't a traditional vest. It's a series of reflective ribbons sewed together, so they appear more like suspenders with a belt. This takes away the bulk that comes with other safety vests. It fits perfectly over my big sweaters and coats, and makes me feel safer when I'm out at night.

Secret Body Pouch

I LOVE to travel. I am also paranoid about people stealing things from me. Valhalla sent me a Neck Pouch to review, as it's a travel essential (according to some) and I didn't already own one. The fabric on the pouch is light and breathable. The straps are accommodating in that you can stretch them to a great length to fit around your body.

Why does a person like me need a secret pouch right now? Remember my love for pockets? Well, the pouch is my go to item when I need to carry small things around the house. The problem with regular bags or cross-body purses is that they dangle too much and get in the way while using crutches. The pouch stays close to my body and the straps extend long enough to fit around my sweaters. The little pockets inside the pouches are great for small items, like lip gloss, a pen, slips of paper and so on.

One feature that I don't understand about the pouch is the way that you're supposed to wear it when you travel. One strap goes around your waist and the other crosses your body, so it's around your neck and under an arm. When you wear it properly, you can totally see the strap. This feature isn't very "secret" unless you're wearing a turtle neck.                                               

New Hair Brushes

I'm pampering myself. Remember? I've had the hair brushes in my drawer since college, making them over 10 years old. They were clean and in good condition, but really old. It was time for a change and Hair Symphony was kind enough to send me their detangling and soft hair brushes in a cosmetics bag. The black hair brush is the detangling brush, as the bristles are stiffer. It works well and the handle feels strong. The pink brush is the styling brush. It fits in the palm of your hand and the soft bristles feel heavenly. I brush my hair for no reason now because the bristles feel so good, like a head massage. The cosmetics bag is a nice touch because it's large enough to fit both brushes, making it ideal for traveling.

Eye Cream

When you're in pain, tired, sleep deprived or anything else, it shows on your face. You can help erase the evidence with a good eye cream. I recently tried the Poppy Austin eye cream. It lightly moisturizes your eyes, and has a light green tea and citrus scent. While the cream didn't perform miracles, it provided adequate moisture around my eyes. I also used it to moisturize my face sometimes. I like that my skin quickly absorbed the product.

One Hack that Does Not Work

Long lashes are something I covet. While I don't use false eyelashes (I don't even know how to apply them), I did try the eyelash growth serum from LashIQ. This serum does not contain any sulfates, parabens or chemical preservatives. The company states that it will increase my eyelash density by up to 82 percent in four weeks. I used the serum every day for four weeks and nothing. I did not notice any difference in the thickness or length of my lashes. The serum also made my skin feel a bit itchy. Unfortunately, this product is a no-go.

What gadgets do you use to simplify your life?

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.  

 

Spring Gear to Add to Your Collection

I received the following products in exchange for an honest review on my blog. The opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The weather is warming (at least in my area) and I can't get my mind off all the things I want to do this spring. The items I recently tested will aid these efforts. This is what I have on my to-do list so far:

Spend more time outside

After my foot heals, I hope to spend more time outside hiking and geocaching. There is a wildlife sanctuary near my home and a bald eagle recently moved in and built a nest. There is also a park that has 10 geocaches that I need to conquer.

The texting gloves from iGotTech will keep my hands warm as I use the GPS and geocaching apps on my phone. The gloves look similar to a cheap stretchy glove, but they're sturdier, bigger and warmer. I appreciate the extra insulation that makes the gloves soft. I also like that the first three of the fingertips on each glove allow me to use the phone. If I could improve one feature, I'd add extra insulation in the fingers.

Hango has a cute set of pink insulated lunch boxes. The outside has a canvas-like material and the inside is like a mini-cooler. These will be perfect for taking my lunch to the park. The two boxes came in a fabric bag for storage, so they stay clean and together. The larger bag is a good size for my lunch, but I'm not sure how I'd use the smaller bags. Maybe I can use it for packets of condiments.

One of the thing I hate about riding my bike is having to walk it home because something is loose or flat. CLD Brands helps solve this problem with its 10-in-1 bike wrench. Made from galvanized steel, the wrench has different cutouts to loosen and tighten nuts, bolts and screws. The wrench is small enough to fit in a small bag or a large back pocket. It would be cool if it were magnetic or had a strap, so I could easily secure it to part of my bike.

Because it still gets dark early around here, I keep a flashlight in my bag and car. The XP-E 3-in-1 car flashlight from AYL. Is one of the best flashlights I've used. It has a magnet on the bottom of the body, allowing me to stick it to the underside of the hood of car, a metal sign post, the side of my car or the metal poles on my tent. In addition to having a traditional torch light, the body has LED lights in it, so it's like a lantern. The think I liked the most is the ability to turn the light into a flare. With the push of a button, LED lights in the body and around the top bezel flash red. The only thing I didn't like about the flashlight is the fact that it didn't come with batteries.

Take Better Care of Myself

2015 has kind of had a rocky start. I've already had a freak accident that caused me to roll and dislocate my ankle, fall and break my foot. The doctor gave me an Aircast that I can remove when I shower (when I feel strong enough). After the swelling in my foot and ankle go down, I plan to do a foot soak with the Indian Healing Clay that I received from Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals. The clay is 100 percent sodium bentonite that's supposed to heal bruises and cuts, and draw out toxins and metals through the pores. I've already used the clay on my face as a mud mask and experienced good results. Because I have sensitive skin, the mask makes it feel tight and itchy when the clay dries. 

I have a sweet tooth that doesn't give up. I was interested in trying the xylitol sweetener from Morning Pep, but felt a bit apprehensive. The last sweetener I tried was stevia, which I don't like much. Xylitol is the same sweetener used in gum, so I didn't know what to expect. So far, I'm a fan. You can use it in place of sugar and have less guilt. Xylitol has about 40 percent less calories. I like to use it with cereal, tea, yogurt and no-bake cookies. The sweetener doesn't really have a taste. It makes your food taste sweet, but the sweetness is like an afterthought (in a good way).

Lately, I've been treating myself to hot chocolate. To mix it consistently, I've been experimenting with MatchaDNA's matcha milk frother. I fill the mug about a quarter of the way with water, add the hot chocolate mix and use the frother to mix it. The motor isn't very strong, so it struggles a bit through the thick parts of the mix. The result, however, is a creamy hot chocolate that has a bit of chocolatey froth at the top.  

To help me not burn off my face, I've started using a fireplace bellows from the SKG Group. This is particularly helpful for stoves because you can stick the bellows inside without risking your eyebrows. If you like your eyebrows, I suggest using something like this.

To help me eat more veggies, I am totally into the new spiral slicers and julienne peelers on the market. Kitchen Supreme sent me a spiral slicer that's kind of like a grater. Instead of raking vegetables along a piece of metal with serrated openings, you twist the vegetables in a clever contraption to create long strips. This slicer lets you choose between two widths and comes with a finger guard. It did a great job with a carrot and cucumber, and made eating them fun. After an accident with a mandolin, I protect my hands whenever I can when it comes to sharp edges. When I used the finger guard that the spiral slicer came with, it mangled the vegetables more than protect my hands. I ended up not using the guard.

The Nikkouware julienne peeler creates the same effect as a spiral slicer, but the strips don't end up as long. The peeler is double-sided -- one side is a regular peeler, the other makes julienne strips. The thing I appreciate the most about the item is that it is sharp. The only tricky thing about it is figuring out how to clean the bits that get stuck between the "teeth."

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.