Marypause50 ~10 years later still a blog about gardens, simplicity, friendships, gratitude, health,
With
so many new products on the market even this blogger can't (afford) to keep up,
even at drugstore prices! I read a few reviews & take it from there &
try for myself and with the teenage tester's help, come up with some wonderful & affordable products for
you to try.
The first is the new L'Oreal line of hair care
called Advanced Haircare. There are multiple formulas for your own specific needs.
I am using the Volume Filler (purple & black bottles) for my hair right
now. I love it & it works!! I recently had my hair cut & even my
hairdresser said something about my hair feeling thicker. SOLD! Time to tell my
blogging friends this is not my imagination! My daughter is using the Total
Repair (gold & black) and is thrilled with that. Both actually live up to
the hype & smell wonderful. The price point is $4.99 a bottle, but it is
always on sale for $3.99 either at the supermarket or drugstore. L'Oreal is
always generous with coupons so you should be able to purchase for $2.99 per
bottle. I still alternate with L'Oreal's Cleansing Conditioner which will
always be a favorite; one bottle, no suds, excellent bouncy hair when you are
done!
The
second product is SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex Bath, Body & Massage oil.
SheaMoisture has been around for over a century! Many drugstores/supermarkets
sell this line of soaps, body lotions, etc. Ulta is the exclusive carrier of
the Superfruit Complex. Every formula smells so good; it is extremely hard to
choose. The Superfruit boasts contouring, firming & smoothing with
ingredients like mango butter, green coffee bean extract, organic shea butter
with raspberry ketone, goji, acai & guava extracts to nourish & improve
skin's elasticity. Who doesn't want that for their summer skin! Works best on right-out-of-the-shower
damp skin. This smells amazing, moisturizes & gives your arms & legs a summer
shimmer! The price is also amazing at $9.99. If you are buying from Ulta you
can use that weekly $3.50 off coupon & purchase it for $6.50! A no-brainer
for this exceptional moisturizer. Enjoy the pampering!
Now you are planted, so then what? What is
the most affordable, fun way to spruce up your garden? I say it's all in the
'garden accessories'. Whether it is benches, chairs, tables, birdfeeders,
birdhouses, birdbaths, chimes, lanterns or chatchkis, the wear & tear on
them being outside most of the year takes its toll. These items add charm to
your garden & are worth the effort for you to do your own upcycling!
I like to start by washing off items & seeing
if they are worth saving. Sometimes a good cleaning is enough. There is nothing
like nature's patina on certain accessories to add a certain charm to your
space. Rust plays a big part in evaluating the damage factor & also fading
from UV light. The wood & metal bench pictured to the left is structurally
sound but was in desperate need of some TLC this year (and last, and years
before that!). Sometimes it means finding the time but this truly did not take
long at all. I like to use the Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Multi-Purpose Spray Paint
(Krylon is nice too) to freshen up some of my garden stakes, planters, bird
feeders & decorations. It’s easy, fun & for little money has a big
impact. That worked beautifully on the bench because the paint is for wood
& metal. I had the pillows from past years (bought to hide blah parts). I
chose two colors. I sprayed the metal inset first one color. (wear disposable
gloves) I let it cure for a few days before I painters taped it off with newspaper
too. I then sprayed the rest of the bench, metal & wood parts all one
color. Very easy, just choose a barely breezing day, & for an item this
large, remove anything important nearby (cars, house, etc.) that might catch
the overspray. A few fast-drying coats & I was done. It is soooo rewarding
& for less than $15 in paint it is now a custom-colored bench, just right
for my space.
So look around & see what fun you can
have upcycling your own garden accessories. Be adventurous without leaving your
own backyard!
