Kirkland Signature Makeup Wipes

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Kirkland Signature makeup wipesKirkland Signature makeup wipes

A few months ago I shared that I bought a gigantic pack of Kirkland Signature makeup wipes. I’m a good way into the pack by now and feel like I’ve used them enough to speak to them.

First, the packaging. The thickness of the Kirkland Signature makeup wipes’ packaging isn’t quite as substantial as some other wipe brands, but that doesn’t bother me – it still retains moisture in the wipes. It is slightly more convenient to open and close the full sized packs (as compared to the Ponds and Simple wipes I used previously) because it has a hard plastic lid.

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Remington WDF4840 Smooth and Silky Foil Shaver

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Hair removal is neither a glamorous topic nor a task many of us relish – even being a fan of the results, the process (and, occasionally, side-effects) can be tedious. Although I’m using the Silk’n Flash and Go Freedom to minimize growth elsewhere, I have yet to start using it on my legs. I haven’t forsaken conventional razors for this purpose, but using them too often wreaks utter havoc on my skin. Needing something that didn’t make my skin hate me, I picked up the Remington WDF4840 Smooth and Silky Foil Shaver a little over a year ago to replace a basic Panasonic model that much to be desired.

Remington WDF4840 Smooth and Silky Foil Shaver
Remington WDF4840 Smooth and Silky Foil Shaver

Two years ago, I didn’t know much about these. I didn’t know any ladies who used them! So here’s the run down: Electric foil shavers work by drawing hairs into small holes in the foil as you guide it over the surface from which hair is to be removed. Those hairs, momentarily secured by the foil, are then sliced by a blade that shimmies back and forth. To achieve a close shave with such a device each area usually requires multiple passes; with the Remington WDF4840, I find 2-4 passes sufficient to shave my legs, with the final pass being the firmest pressure I apply.

If you’re new to devices like this, there may be a bit of a learning curve for you. In addition to the foil, the Remington WDF4840 features (in the housing as the foil) a metal trimmer to trim hairs that are too long to be caught in the foil; you should use the trimmer before the foil if it’s been more than a few days since your previous shave. In all, it’s easy enough to use.

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Meeting Expectations

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This is going to come across a bit rant-y, and that’s because it is. This was inspired by recent events but is not exclusively in reference to them.

When content creators (bloggers, vloggers, etc. for whom such creation is what pays their bills)…

  • fail to meet the expectations that they set for their readership, viewership, subscribers – whoever consumes their content
    Maybe they stopped publishing consistently. Maybe they are heavily deviating from their schedule. Maybe they promised content by X time and didn’t deliver.
  • subsequently make (shoddy) excuses for not doing so
    Especially when a pattern of not meeting expectations develops
  • get upset and play victim when someone (gently) questions the excuse
    Such as perhaps claiming a thing happened or did not happen (when that is not necessarily true), but that thing is readily available, public information.

…it vexes me.

As a part of that consumer base, do I feel personally insulted or cheated? No, but I do think it is lame to make a pattern of failing to meet the commitments you set for yourself for, you know, doing your job. Acting like a victim and getting defensive is never professional.

So, before I continue, let me explain what this is not. It is not:

  • Saying people cannot have lives or adjust their publishing schedules or expectations.
    If you need to adjust those expectations, do it! If you published content twice a week but could only manage three times per month simply state that due to your workload, this is what will be going on for the foreseeable future. You can share the reason if you wish to, but you don’t have to. We all have busier or more-stressful seasons of life!
  • Applicable to those who have other careers. If your blog is a hobby, side- or passion-project, yeah; other things come first. The job that keeps a roof over your head and its workload, your health, etc. come first.

Moving on – then, when fans go, “Wait, the reasoning you (voluntarily) provided doesn’t quite add up, am I misunderstanding?” Others defend these individuals say, “They don’t owe you anything! You aren’t paying them!”

Au contraire.

Allow me to cure you of your naïveté.

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Plus White Gel – Inexpensive, EFFECTIVE Teeth Whitening

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Plus White Whitening GelPlus White Whitening Gel ($5)

You don’t need to spend hundreds on teeth whitening with a dentist, or with Dial-a-Smile gimmicks, or famously sensitivity-inducing, hard-to-use strips; instead, Plus White gel is inexpensive, easy to get your hands on, and works for those of us with less than perfect smiles. Heavens – I’m in rare form, I’m pretty sure Plus White was featured as an As Seen on TV item; I never actually saw it on TV myself, but this is one of those things, like the Turbie Twist, that works.

Eons ago, I used Crest Whitestrips. They worked well enough on superficial staining from dark beverages, but when used as directed, they left my teeth (which were not as fussy, then) sensitive; cold things were occasionally intolerable. On top of that, I admittedly have what I snarkily refer to as a, “creatively arranged,” smile (read: my teeth aren’t straight. Most people’s aren’t. I’m not losing sleep over it). Unfortunately, strip-based whitening products (not just Crest’s – Rembrandt has a few, there are some private label ones, etc) aren’t ideal for people whose teeth don’t line up like they’re answering to a drill sargeant; although they can be folded in and pressed to the surface of the tooth, it isn’t as easy as it sounds, and adhesion isn’t as consistent to those uh, “nonconformists,” as is needed. Therefore, my results were uneven and inconsistent.

Before my wedding two summers ago, I revisited Crest; I specifically got the Crest 3D White Luxe Whitestrips ($35+)…but remembering my experience with them, I decided to seek a backup option in the form of Plus White Gel (only $5 at Wal-Mart). I gave Crest a shot and found that it is definitely better than it was, doing better job with my staining and with strip adhesion than their decade-old counterparts, but I still have the issue of incongruity of my teeth.

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Why Cuticle Oil Is Important

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Cuticle Oil

I don’t share many anecdotes on the blog, but this was a little funny and bizarre – so here’s a bit more on why we should make a practice of regularly using a cuticle oil. Although my skin, hair, and lips are expressing their dismay at the cold, dry weather, my fingers and nails have actually seemed fine with the level of care I was providing.

I’m at work a week or two ago, typing away. Definitely, “in the zone,” as far as being productive. My finger slips off a key – odd, but whatever. I keep typing.

It happens again. I look down and notice there’s blood on my keyboard.

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January 2016 Favorites

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January 2016 Favorites
January 2016 Favorites
1. San Francisco Bay Single-Serve Coffee, varies* / 2. EOS Blueberry Acai, $4
3. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, $18 / 4. Remington Smooth & Silky Foil Shaver, $30

Okay, one month down. Three until pleasant weather. Here’s what I distracted myself with through the bleary first month of 2016; my January 2016 favorites!

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