Happy 4th!

~

Foulard de la semaine

Happy Fourth!

Une femme recommends...

I'm always thrilled when someone turns me onto a product that really works and might help make life a little easier. So here's some Stuff™ une femme has discovered recently.

La beauté:

I apply a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to beauty product claims, especially claims of anti-aging products. But Bliss "thinny thin chin" lotion which claims that it "instantly tightens, while firming, hydrating and improving the appearance of neck lines, crepiness and hyper-pigmentation over time," actually is pretty effective. I noticed a difference within a couple days after I began using it, and love the citrus scent.

If you have fine hair like mine that tends to oiliness, the choice is often between shampooing daily and ending up with dry, damaged ends, or walking around for a day or two looking like the Brylcreem guy. About a year ago someone recommended Leonor Greyl Lait Lavant Banana Shampoo for Oily Hair. Latherless, and more the consistency of thin milk than shampoo, it gets rid of the oil without drying the hair, even when used daily. (I've been told it's the lathering agents in most shampoos that strip the hair and dry it out.) Lait Lavant Banana is kind to hair that's been colored too, and doesn't seem to accelerate fading. Yes, it smells like banana, very nice.

Les vêtements:

Want to save on dry cleaning bills? Dryel Fabric Care allows you to dry clean right in your dryer. Put the items to be cleaned in the cloth zip bag, add a sheet of the biodegradable cleaning agent, close and tumble dry on medium heat for 30-40 minutes, and you've saved yourself a trip to the cleaners and un peu d'argent aussi. I've found it works best on items that don't need to be pressed, and use it mostly for sweaters and scarves. I haven't tried the stain removal products included in the kit yet.

Between my intermittent clutziness and the continental shelf that resides on my upper torso, I've been known to wear some of my lunch, or on really bad days, splashes of the crappy office coffee. The universe has taken pity upon me, and provided the Tide To Go® Instant Stain Remover. In a pen form that has become one of my purse essentials, it's great for removing non-greasy stains like (ahem!) coffee. It's also supposed to be great for removing ketchup, wine, and chocolate syrup stains. Not that I'd know anything about those, either.

White vinegar is another item I've started buying in The Big Sizes™ at Costco. Not only is it great for descaling coffee machines, but adding a cup to the final laundry rinse helps soften clothes and removes minerals that make clothes dingy. (Also help keeps your black items from greying over time.)

Les chiens

Some breeds of dogs tend to have eyes that weep, and on lighter colored dogs this can result in red staining beneath the eyes. Angels' Eyes is a dietary supplement that eliminates the systemic yeasts that cause the staining. I've been using this for over a year on one of my dogs, and it has eliminated probably 95% of the staining, providing much better results than I ever had with any topical applications. It's made from beef liver, and mes chiens seem to enjoy it. I sprinkle the powder on their kibble and just add a small amount of water to dissolve.

One of my dogs was an unrepentant leash-puller. I didn't want to use a choke chain or other painful collars, and a trainer recommended the Sporn harness. This harness has two straps which go under the dog's front legs, and tighen there (not around the neck) when the dog pulls against the leash. It's humane, and extremely effective; my dog's pulling stopped almost immediately after I started using the harness.

In the next installment, some great products and a company that provides Ultimate handbag care and restoration...

Funky Friday - Pampered Pooch Edition

Oh. My. God. When I first saw this product line, I thought it was a joke. Don't get me wrong, I love my dogs; we even let them sleep in the bed with us. One of my dogs doesn't like walking in the rain so I got him a rain poncho ($9 at Target). But this is just too much.
Juicy Crittoure.

Pawfum, $60.

Pawfection Softening Paw Balm, $28.

Polished Paws Nail Polish, $14.

Doggy Jet Set, $55.

o_O

The mind, it reels.

Dog Bob

Poor Coco! She's been chewing the hair on her ears and making them all raggedy, so when she went to the groomer last weekend for a bath, the groomer decided to trim the rest of her ears to even things up.



So now she reminds me of a silent screen starlet,









Or even perhaps her namesake.

Doggie Style!

Sorry, couldn't resist! (From the NYT Style section.)

So it would seem I'm not the only one who when they first saw this, immediately was reminded of this.

Edited to add: great minds think alike.