Note from CB: We’re moving to just one Amazon post a week for a while. I’m getting burnt out working so much and have been buying too much stuff online in an effort to feel something. It’s easy for me to justify because it’s “part of my job.” So we’ll continue to have posts on Thursdays from Hecate and me, but will be discontinuing the Tuesday posts for now, I’m not sure how long. Thanks for understanding!
Updates from Hecate: I got these silicone food covers a while back and they are one of my favorite kitchen items. This combo pack fits everything I need them to. I did put my thumb nail through one, though, so they do require some TLC (or maybe I’m just too aggressive when I clean up at night). I am also very happy with my Fur-Zoff pet hair remover stone. It does a better job getting my dogs’ fur off my furniture than my vacuum and it reinvigorates the pile of my velvet pieces when I use it. My couch looks amazing when I’m done. The only downside is it takes much longer than a vacuum. I use my Legend Planner every day. I’m only halfway through it but because you write the dates in yourself, I’m going to order another one just in case to make sure it’s not discontinued or sold out when I need it. Lastly, I got the temporary tattoo pens and they are fun, but they don’t last at all. Not even a full day. So they would be fun for a party, but not if you expect something to stick around a couple of days. The colors are really pretty though. My kids keep drawing eyebrows on the dogs with them.
A small rice cooker for portion control
From Hecate: I’ve been entertaining the idea of a rice cooker for a long time. My Instant Pot has a rice maker function but just between us, I’m still scared of my Instant Pot so I make my rice in a pot on the stove with a lid that doesn’t fit it. But I am intrigued by the idea of this small Dash model that makes up to two cups. I have the mini Dash waffle maker and I love it so I am convinced I work better in small batches. Plus I never need as much rice as I make. This little guy comes in five colors, each for about $20, and got 4.5 stars from over 15,500 reviews that ReviewMeta adjusted to 4.1 stars. You can make rice, soup, quinoa and pasta in it. Most of the reviewers talked about the consistent quality of the cooked rice, which is something I need. Plus it cleans up easily, “I wondered if the warming feature that takes over after cooking is done would make the rice over cook, but I’ve gotten perfect sticky rice the way I like it every time. The rice cooker takes up very little room, cleans up easy and is so much easier than stove cooking.” “The rice tastes perfect and it’s super easy to clean. Great for cooking rice for a family of 3.” If you lose track of time, this little guy has your back, “I used to avoid making rice because it was a hassle, requiring vigilance, timing and temperature control, not to mention the cleanup of the sticky mess left behind. This cute little non-stick gizmo makes PERFECT rice while you IGNORE it, sometimes for hours.” One thing, you do have to unplug it to turn it off, it doesn’t have an auto-off. Bonus, it comes with a recipe book.
An over the door organizer for at-hand bathroom storage
From Hecate: I saw this small over the door rack on Buzzfeed this weekend and thought it was a great way to maximize bathroom space. It fits over the cupboard door and holds three styling appliances like hair dryers, flatners, curlers or hot brushes with a little extra space for clips and accessories. It’s a nice looking piece, with eight different finishes so it’ll match most decor. In the photos, one customer took the arms off and screwed it directly to the wall and it looked really nice as well. It’s usually $25 but is currently on sale for $19. Customers gave it 4.5 stars with over 2,600 reviews and Fakespot gave it an A. Customers were happy with how much it held. “It fits my hair dryer, curling wand, and straightener perfectly with extra space at the bottom I imagine will easily hold any attachments you might have. I am very pleased with the versatility and functionality of this, and it looks great too.” “Before all my items were in a drawer and the cords were a pain, but with this metal basket it minimized clutter, kept things organized and separate, and it also looks nice.” They also said it’s adjustable so you don’t have to worry about it working with your cabinets.
A cute cotton swab holder to display on your counter
From Hecate: I saw this over the weekend and thought it was so cute, I bought one for myself and my friend. I’m constantly trying to find ways to “clean up” my bathroom counter. This little holder has a lotus blossom available in four different colors on top. I think it’s pretty. I got the green version to match my counters. Plus it comes with a clear dome to keep the swabs clean. The description says you can also store toothpicks in it. It earned 4.6 stars with 717 reviews and Fakespot gave it an A. One customer said it holds a lot plus it’s adjustable, “Holds a good amount of Q-tips. You can remove some of the petals to adjust the amount of Q-tips you want to have in it.” Another confirmed it freed up her counter space, “I’ve been using for about 1 month now and so far it’s awesome! Definitely saved me a lot of space on my tiny sink.” Most of the other reviews talked about how cute it is and how sturdy. Just one note, it comes unassembled in three pieces but is said to be easy to put together.
Long lasting liquid glitter eyeshadow will get noticed
From CB: This glitter liquid eyeshadow by trusted brand Stila comes in 12 different colors. It’s sparkly, long lasting, and would be a great way to celebrate. (You can tell I’m trying to come up with an excuse for buying it, right?) Women say these shadows are long lasting, quick drying, highly blendable and don’t have much fallout. These have >over 1,500 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. Women call it the “best glitter eyeshadow on the market. Very pretty and awesome for a night out or a date.” “This product is amazing. It does not move once you put it on. This is great for those with hooded eyes, where your crease is closer to your lash line.”
A plant-derived tub and tile cleaner that actually works
From CB: This tea tree oil and eucalyptus cleaner by BetterLife cleans soap scum, mildew and the gunk that can build up in your tub and shower. It has over 10,500 ratings, 4.3 stars and a C on Fakespot. People say it really works to clean tubs quickly and effectively. “This literally took out and washed away soooo much black and grey mildew off my tubs…. I am truly amazed.” “When we moved into our house, the fiberglass shower was stained after years of hard water and grime. To the point none of us wanted to use it. On a whim (because I like this line of products so much) I decided to try the tub and tile cleaner. I’m so glad I did. My shower is totally spotless and the stains were gone after soaking it overnight.”
A gentle leave-in conditioning spray for silky soft hair
From CB: Farewell Frizz milk conditioning spray by Black-owned business Briogeo is made for all hair types. It’s vegan and cruelty free with essential oils including argan oil, coconut oil and rosehip. It has over 1,700 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. Women say that it smells great and leaves their hair silky soft without weighing it down. It works for both fine and curly hair. “We’ve tried tons of other products claiming to tame frizz, none worked well or if they did it was only for a short time. This one works ALL day, smells amazing and leaves [my daughter’s] hair soft and silky even with her curls.” “Smells great, makes brushing my hair easier, leaves my hair feeling soft, definitely has helped with the frizz and my hair overall looks more shiny.”
A set of six Soft Soap pump hand soaps for under $6
From CB: You can get six Softsoap hand soap pumps for under $6. The versions which are at this price point are milk and golden honey, aloe vera, aquarium/clear and fresh breeze. We use the milk and golden honey, clear and aloe versions in my house. I know there are fancier hand soaps but I like how gentle the formula is on your hands and how subtle and nice the scents are. There is a coupon but it’s only for subscribe and save so don’t check that unless you want that option. There are some bad reviews from when these were price gouged but they’re back to the price you can find in stores now. You can also get the refills, but you have to order six at a time. I just get the refills at the store.
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I love Soft Soap. That is all.
Me, too! A little life hack on liquid soaps if you like foaming soaps and to make the refills last longer: we use about 3 tablespoons to 2/3cups water mixed and poured back into the bottle (or that formula for however large your container is). We usually use antibacterial soaps but we’ve also use regular liquid soaps. It came in handy when you couldn’t find soaps or cleansers anywhere during the beginning of the pandemic!
I actually have that Briogeo spray, and I think it’s…fine. It does smell great and helps tame frizz but I find that it also leaves a coating on my hair that I can feel after it’s dry (it’s type 2B-2C curly but also fine and prone to going limp at the slightest provocation.)
It could be that I’m just spraying too much on when I do use it, but so far nothing I’ve tried has been able to beat Verb’s Ghost oil.
I got the Verb Ghost Oil as a sample when I ordered Sephora and I like it but it had a lot of perfume in it so I didn’t order it.
Yeah, it does smell very perfumey. I’m lucky because smells / scents don’t bother me that much (unless they’re too floral and then I’ll probably get a headache.) Briogeo’s products do have a scent to them but it’s light, and doesn’t bother me in the least.
I also have 2c hair and I like a lot of Briogeo products (their deep conditioner is amazing!) but that spray is… not great. It feels coating without being conditioning.
I was going to ask about the conditioner, so thank you for that.
When my daughter was young, I used to use Schwarzkopf cream leave-in conditioner . It’s in a white tube with aqua green lid here in Aus. She still uses it from time to time, but now takes mine! I swear by it. Nice, gentle scent, no oily or waxy coating, and cheap as chips. It lasts for ages.
I want that over-the-door holder. We have some, but they are too high for me – I’m only 4’11”.
I got a rice cooker from my mother in law for my birthday and at first just kind of thought, nah, not really going to need yet another appliance. Wow, was I wrong. We’re a rice eating family and we use it several times a week. I love that it’s simple and completely hands off. I just set it up and then can focus on the rest of dinner, never need to check it, and it’s perfect every time. Best thing ever.
rice cookers are SOOOOOO nice. set it and forget it! But make sure to set it! I sometimes forget to turn it on, haha. I might also be biased bc as hard as I try, I cannot master rice on the stove! We have a zojirushi and it plays twinkle twinkle little star when it’s done (it’s Japanese, so obviously it’s also kawaii, I love it). I will say that I don’t care for the way it steams long grain, but we usually eat short grain. I would like to learn how to make other things in it, but haven’t been brave enough to try
I have the lotus cotton swab holder, a friend gifted it to me nearly 10 years ago. It doesn’t hold as many swabs as you’d think but it is cute! I use in my guest bathroom.
It does come apart easily if you are a bit too aggressive with grabbing a swab it you knock it by accident.
Don’t be afraid of your Instapot! I have a Ninja Foodi, and I use it for everything every day. I boil eggs lol! It amazes me; I have an 8qt, but I wish I had an oven-sized Foodi. My husband thinks my next kitchen should be nothing but open shelving and endless counter spaces and islands for nothing but multicookers. He’s not wrong?
Every time I try to make something in my instapot with rice or pasta in it I burn the crap out of it though! I get those burn warnings. So I just do like soups, stews and chicken with sauces. Is there a trick or something I should look out for? Maybe the Foodi is better at cooking rice and pasta than the Instapot though.
Is the Foodi the one that is an airfryer and instant pot? I kind of want that, my airfryer is too small, lol. (like it can only fit two small chicken breasts at a time, so making dinner in it takes forever.)
Celebitchy – I only make rice using the rice setting, which is super easy, so much better than the stove, and it never burns. For pasta, I think part of the trick is keeping the pasta on top and making sure you have enough liquid. so for example, I make this a lot, at least once a month, and it never burns, but you saute the meat first, then put in the sauce and spaghetti and water, and cook it like that, without stirring. She recommends deglazing the instant pot after sauteing the meat, before adding the other ingredients.
https://www.skinnytaste.com/instant-pot-one-pot-spaghetti-with-meat-sauce/
I use the pressure cooker for rice, and I bought a magnetized chart for pressure and air fryer cooking times (I keep them on my fridge). It doesn’t take long at all except for the warning up and natural steam release. And yeah, the Foodi does most everything. The only think I haven’t tried yet is yogurt. Jerky was awesome. What I love the most is that I can sear and saute before roasting, baking, air frying, pressure, slow cook, etc. There was a learning curve for pressure cooking as I kept cooking too long lol. But I’ve gotten much better. I throw everything in there.
I have several of the Stila liquid eyeshadows and I love them! I prefer to apply with an eyeshadow brush, rather than the wand it comes with, to get a stronger color. You can also just tap a little on with a finger for a soft “wash” of color. Anyway, I have to stop myself from buying them all every time a new color set is released.
I have three different colors saved trying to narrow it down lol. This could be expensive. I love liquid eyeshadow.
I have a similar rice cooker to the one in this post that is over 10 years old and it is still cooking away. I love that I can put it on when I start cooking and have perfectly fluffy rice by the time I finish the rest of dinner! Don’t wash the pot in the dishwasher so that it doesn’t get pitted from the dish soap is the number one tip I have – then you can have rice burning and sticking to the bottom.
I have that pet fur removal stone and it’s amazing. I use it on our cat condo and it really picks up all the fur. So worth it!
I hope you get to feeling better, @CB.
Glitter is generally bad for the environment