Shaw Essential Twist carpet is a beautiful, plush carpet that warms up any room in the house. It's made of highly durable nylon twisted fibers with a soft covered backing.  We bought this carpet at an outlet store in a discontinued color for less than half the usual retail price. We have it in heavy traffic areas and on stairs. We also have a dog. We chose this carpet because of...

Minwax water-based wood stain is a good product that should provide you with a nice finish. Staining is a bit of a tricky process, and you might have to live with a few imperfections, but it's very rewarding to completely transform a piece.  We got a pint of this Minwax stain on an unbelievable sale at Menards. It was on the shelf with other paints and stains that had been made ...

Do not buy this paint. It's watery, doesn't go on well, and the result is a terrible stippled appearance. I'm not sure if Lucite has higher end products, but definitely their basic latex paint is to be avoided at all costs.  We bought this paint to put a fresh coat up in a few of our closets. Deciding it wasn't necessary to buy premium paint, we went to Menards and p...

Neutrogena SkinClearing oil-free concealer is a dual-purpose product. It can be used as a concealer with your everyday makeup, but it can also be used at night, on its own, to heal acne as you sleep.  The liquid concealer goes on easily with the brush pen applicator. It also blends well with foundation. Due to its lightweight nature, however, it doesn't always apply enough cover...

Muralo's Ultra Waterborne semi-gloss enamel is the perfect trim paint for any room. It has the beautiful shining finish and durability of oil-based paints, but without all the odor, pollution, flammability, or safety concerns.  This Waterborne paint does take a bit of practice to apply well. Apply too thin of a coat and you'll have some bleed-through of previous scuffs and m...

Amarige is another in a powerful line of perfumes from Givenchy. Ysatis is still my favorite, but Amarige can be an interesting addition to your perfume collection. A unique blend of floral, fruit, and woody scents, there are several layers to this perfume--how it smells in the bottle, when you first apply it, and the lingering musky notes several hours later all reflect the different shade...

Dutch Boy Dura Clean eggshell is a good value paint. It has a nice thick consistency and covers well. It's not as flawless as more expensive paints, but it does a fine job.  Dutch Boy Dura Clean claims to be a one coat paint. If you're doing a light color over another light color, that may be the case. We got this paint in a dark green color and definitely needed two coats t...

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture is a good, light moisturizer for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Oil-free, fragrance-free, and alcohol-free, it's one of the gentlest products out there.  This water-based formula lightly moisturizes skin without leaving behind a greasy film. It does absorb almost instantly, so it can be difficult to apply. I find it works best on slightly damp skin; ...

Frizz-Ease products haven't always worked that well for me, but the Secret Weapon Crème is an exception. It truly performs just as its name suggests. It's the perfect hair care product for quick touch-ups or second-day taming of frizz-prone hair.  Small amounts of this product work well. Just rub the crème between your palms before applying to dry hair. The Sec...

This 100% cotton print, zip-up hoodie has fast become one of my favorite wardrobe pieces. The lightweight material makes it perfect for layering in colder months, or as a summer jacket on its own.  The hoodies come in a variety of prints and colors. The one I chose is a dusky rose color, but the bands at the sleeves and hem are stripes of navy, orange, turquoise, and burgundy. This make...

I love Muralo paints. They have a nice, thick consistency that spreads on smooth and dries to a gorgeous finish. Muralo is a great choice when you want to paint dramatic colors. It blends well, so you're much less likely to have any visible roller marks like you do with other paints.  Muralo eggshell latex is a flatter paint with just a hint of sheen. The eggshell finish allows ...

Physicians Formula Pearls of Perfection is an excellent face powder that gives your skin a warm, natural looking glow. The varying shades of the powder better match skin's natural luster, instead of leaving you with a flat, uniformly pale appearance.  Pearls of Perfection powder appears just as the name describes. It's a shallow, round canister, filled with little round pear...

This Sony camera is a standout product. It's easy to use, has a wide variety of settings to help you capture the perfect shot, and I'm constantly surprised by the quality of the pictures. I've added a couple photos taken using this camera so you can see the vivid colors and definition. With 7.2 megapixels, the pictures are fine quality and manipulate well in Photoshop or other progr...

Rimmel London Extra Super Lash mascara is a good volume building product, at a very affordable price. It's an adjustable product, in that the more coats you apply, the more it builds up your lashes. A few quick strokes of the product and you'll have nicely separated and defined lashes. Keep going and your lashes will get darker, thicker, and more dramatic with each application. ...

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends is a leader amongst face powder products. Many powders leave a uniform, pale finish that can cause you to look washed-out. In contrast, the Healthy Skin Blends combine different shades of powder to mimic the subtle changes in tone of your natural skin. It lends more of a natural glow, and the mix of colors helps to hide imperfections better than a single color...

Physician's Formula Baked Collection eye shadows are a great invention in make-up. Baked on actual terra-cotta tiles, these small orbs of eye shadow can be applied either wet or dry. The dry application is lighter and perfect for day wear. The wet application is longer-wearing and adds deeper and more dramatic color. Both applications have a bit of shimmer that brightens the eye. Ava...

The reason to buy Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy body lotion is for the aromatherapy effects. My first experience with this product was a free sample while staying at a Marriot hotel. After one application, I knew I was going to want more of this. The orange ginger fragrance is fantastic. The bright, citrus scent is classified as "energizing", and it definitely does wake up th...

Neutrogena MoistureShine lip gloss is a quick and easy way to add subtle color and shine to your lips. Available in 14 different shades, with pink, purple, orange, bronze, and golden hues, there's a gloss to suit every skin tone. Some shades also have added shimmer for a bright, frosted look.  Neutrogena comes through once again with a product that's better for your skin tha...

CoverGirl Clean Makeup is a foundation I keep coming back to. The lightweight, water-based formula is gentle on skin, gives a smooth appearance, and provides decent coverage.  Available in 15 shades, from Ivory to Sable, it should be fairly easy to find a shade that will work with your skin tone. Some have a pink tinge, some a more golden color, so be sure to pick the right hue for ...

Similisan Allergy Eye Relief eye drops are a homeopathic solution to eye irritations caused by allergies. The natural ingredients have no known side effects and no known drug interactions. I have very sensitive eyes, affected by seasonal allergies and the drying effects of car air-conditioning. I've been very happy with Similisan, as the drops work quickly to soothe burning and redness....