Every Friday, I will be listing 5 of my favorite products and/or brands that I use and discussing their pros and cons in a series called Fav Five Friday. Let me know if you have tried the products before and what your personal experience has been with them. If you purchase from the Amazon links I may receive a small compensation.
First up is my ICESHAKER 26oz Tumbler, Flex Bottle. I love this tumbler. It is double-wall vacuum insulated, so it keeps my ice water incredibly cold for hours - which is a must when I am at a pop-up event, and I am unable to leave my booth to grab a fresh drink. The size of the cup helps me drink more water throughout the day - I just fill it up in the morning and take it everywhere I go and then refill it as needed. I love that it has the space for a straw, but it also has a plug for the straw hole if you'd prefer to drink directly from the pop-top lid of the cup.
My only complaint is that the silicon seal in the lid that seals the cup from leaking can get dirty fast (aka moldy) if you tend to put in any other liquid other than water and aren't diligent about cleaning it every day. I use my tumblers for water, but my fiancé, Josh, will use his tumbler for coffee/tea/juice, and I have to use a toothpick to remove and clean the seal. I even bought a pack of replacement seals from Amazon, but it's not quite a perfect fit. It works well enough, but I would recommend buying the seal directly from IceShaker to ensure a snug fit; otherwise, your beverage might drip on you.
PROS:
Double-wall vacuum insulated
Holds ice for up to 30 hours
Straw hole
Pop-top lid
26oz - helps keep me hydrated!
Fits a cupholder
CONS
You have to be diligent about cleaning the silicon seal if you use anything other than water.
When I first heard of pimple patches, I wasn't sure how I would like them. Because despite being long past my teens, I still get acne now and again. I tried a couple of brands at first, and Rael was the one I liked the most. The patches come in two different sizes and they sit flush to the skin and are very discreet... well, as discreet as can be with a huge pimple on your face. I've noticed that they work best when you already have a white head showing and after a couple of hours it is absorbed into the patch. Sometimes when you remove the patch, you may see a hole where your blemish once was, but don't be alarmed. I just make sure it is clean and then dab on some vaseline to help protect it. It usually heals quickly and I'm back to blemish-free skin in no time.
PROS:
2 different sizes
Invisible coverage
Works fast
Stays in place
Vegan & Cruelty-free
CONS:
Sometimes won't work as well if there isn't a whitehead
Can leave a hole once the blemish has been absorbed
I have a lot of hair. I have only had one haircut since the pandemic started, so my hair is now the longest it has ever been in my lifetime. It is thick, unruly, and often has a mind of its own, so no matter how many times I brush or style it - it always ends up as a pile of knots at the end of the day. Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum has been a blessing to help me manage getting rid of stubborn tangles without painfully ripping out hair from my skull. I massage the oil into all my stubborn knots and then gently brush them out until I can run my fingers through my hair without them catching on anything. I also use it when styling my hair to keep the flyaways and frizziness at bay.
PROS:
Works on the most stubborn hair knots
Easy to find online and in retail stores
Smooths away flyaways and frizz
A little goes a long way, so you get the most bang for your buck.
Affordable compared to other brands. I used to use Bumble & Bumble hairdresser's oil, but it became too expensive. Garnier Fructis works just as well at a fraction of the price.
CONS:
Can leave your hands feeling greasy after use.
If you have made it this far down the list, then you already know that I have a lot of hair. Josh also has long hair, so our bathroom drains have a lot of stray hair to deal with. Our bathtub/shower drain was constantly being clogged and I got tired of always having to snake it and try to free the clog. I purchased 2pc of the MSLOVE Bathroom Sink stopper - one for our bathtub/shower and one for our bathroom sink. I wasn't sure if I got the right size or if they would work, but to my pleasant surprise, they fit and are doing a great job at catching hair before it goes down the pipes to create any blockages. They didn't come with any instructions, so it took me longer than I would like to admit, to realize that I can unscrew the middle part to remove any blockages. It seals nicely, so I am able to take a bath and the drain pops up easily to let water escape. My main complaint is how quickly it fills up with hair, so I have to clean them out at least once a day. That may just be because my household has so much hair, so if you don't have as much hair, it may not need to be cleaned as often.
PROS:
Seals well
Catches hair and builds up before it clogs the drain
Comes with different-size seals so it is able to fit different drain sizes
Easy to remove and clean
CONS:
The trap fills up quickly, so I have to clean it frequently.
There are a lot of look-alikes for this product on Amazon, so I'm not sure if they are all the same quality.
I started a new medication several months ago and one of the side effects is constipation, so my doctor recommended that I start taking Magnesium supplements. That led me on a deep dive down a rabbit hole of information about Magnesium and all the different types of supplements. I had no idea there were so many different kinds. I also learned that despite the importance of magnesium in the human diet, most adults do not meet the recommended daily intake (420mg) from the US Food and Drug Administration. After trying a few different brands of magnesium supplements, I found that I like this one the best as it combines magnesium citrate (helps with constipation), magnesium malate (replenishes magnesium levels), and magnesium glycinate (has calming benefits and is often used to treat anxiety and depression). I am not a medical professional, so please do your own research and always have a discussion with your doctor before you consume any new supplements. This is only what works for me; it may not work for you.
PROS:
No constipation since regularly taking this supplement - yay!
The pill size is not too large, so it is easy for me to swallow
I have not experienced any side effects
Easy to find on Amazon and at Whole Foods
CONS:
Can be a little pricey depending on where you purchase it