Owala FreeSip

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Owala FreeSip

Welcome to the latest installment of, “How is the Editor going to try to trick herself into drinking water consistently?!” Yeah, recurring theme here. I’m bad at doing the thing that you’re supposed to just do. I’m certainly better than I was when this blog started – by leaps and bounds. I still need to set myself up for success, and the Owala FreeSip is getting me closer.

Over the years I’ve tried – and shared here, on this blog, a few different water bottles I’ve tried and liked. They’ve all helped, but they haven’t been my version of perfect. (Previous posts on the matter: previous posts on the matter: Contigo Chill, PSA: Drink More Water!)

Quick Aside:

Did you know that cats can be finicky about water? It isn’t their fault, it is evolutionary biology. It’s why so many of them are drawn to running faucets. Over time, they’ve come to understand that running/moving water = safe(r) and therefore more appetizing water, and it is why cat drinking fountains are so successful – because it tricks them into drinking more.

The Common Flaw Lies in the Straw (or lack thereof, or mouthpiece)

I like the convenience of a straw. In general, I find I drink more water if it is in a vessel with a straw. I don’t know why this is; I speculate that there’s a mindlessness in execution that appeals to me on a subconscious level. That was a long way to write, “I’m lazy.”

However, most water bottles with a straw or similar functionality are atrocious to clean. Sure, you can pop the straw itself off, but the mouthpiece? I mean, sure, you can, but its surgery.

If I can’t easily take care of it, I don’t need it. So, most of the time I want a straw, and I don’t want cleaning it to be a nightmare.

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Brands Going Out of Business Since 2020

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Since I’ve been more-or-less off the beauty reservation for a while, I missed a LOT of news about brands going out of business since 2020. As in, I had no idea that as many brands closed down in the past two years.

Here’s a summary of companies that have closed since the start of the pandemic. We’ll address the timing, too – because there’s a myth that the pandemic caused these closures.

Clarisonic

During the lockdowns of 2020, I wrote about Clarisonic’s sudden shutter because, well, I was a customer. Although my opinion of how it was handled remains the same, I’ve come to think that the end-result isn’t a bad thing. After all, even if I really liked the product, it’s now not as easy to spend money on disposable plastic and e-waste, right? Net positive for the planet.

But it isn’t just Clarisonic.

Coastal Scents

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Why I Quit Buying Dry Shampoo

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Somehow, I forgot to mention in this post that I quit buying dry shampoo. That doesn’t mean I wash my hair every day – which is both time consuming and often times too much for our hair and scalp.

Why I Quit Buying Dry Shampoo

I’ve used several dry shampoo products in the past that I’ve enjoyed. Unfortunately, my favorites were discontinued or changed to be a totally different product with the same name (such is my shitty superpower).

After trying a couple others that either met my low-or-no fragrance requirement but not my effectiveness requirement, or were effective in absorbing oil but choked me with fragrance (looking at you, special edition Grapefruit Mimosa Drybar Detox!), I was fed up.

Unfortunately, dry shampoo is one of those things that I can’t just push myself to use up if it is overly fragrant; it’ll make me sick smelling it all day.

What I Do Instead

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Checking In: Billie Razors

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Billie Razors

Several years ago, I switched from Gillette razor products to Billie Razors. But it’s time to revisit!

Do I Still Use Billie Razors?

I do! Now that I’ve concluded my laser treatment, though, I go through blades extremely slowly. When I say extremely slowly, I mean I haven’t had blades shipped to me since April 2021 I was already going through them slowly back then and had several on hand. That April 2021 shipment gave me four more and I’ve just been working off that stockpile.

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Worth it? Rui Smiths Cuticle Nippers

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Quality tools are something I will spend money on so I can do the job right and not replace them due to premature degradation. Since I do all my manicures at home (and have many years, pre-pandemic!), I’ve tried a lot of nail tools. I’ve tried various tools to work on my cuticles: slide-style cutters, jaw nippers, chemical solutions, and more. After a pair I had been getting by with broke, I did some research to buy a pair I wouldn’t need to replace for a long time.

Enter Rui Smiths Cuticle Nippers

I’ve owned my pair since January, now, and can’t recommend them enough. Their spring action is buttery-smooth and they cut cleanly and deftly. Just like a normal pair of nail clippers or scissors, a smooth, clean closure of the blades is key to ensure a tidy (and SAFE) cut.

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WTF? Beauty Retailers Now Sell Adult Novelties

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First things first – if a frank discussion of an adult-adjacent topic bothers you, its best to skip this post. It isn’t going to get graphic or gruesome, but still.

I happened to be on Musings of a Muse the other day, and, well, the title says it all. I never would have seen it at Ulta, who is apparently the latest beauty retailer to join the fray, since I’ve stopped doing business with them. But I had no idea about Sephora – although I am still a Sephora customer, I haven’t browsed much this year.

ANYWAY. Isabella expresses some discomfort at seeing the novelties there despite having accepted their place among the sexual wellness and hygiene items at stores like Wal-Mart and Target. She shared that just doesn’t really want to be shopping for beauty items then BAM – vibrators.

What do you think?

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