Hey, Posse – roaming off-topic today. Let’s discuss those favorite small items that add ease and/or joy to our lives that aren’t fragrance.
This topic was prompted by Musette waxing poetic about these Salux body-scrub cloths, which prompted me to hop on AMZ immediately to try them out. WELL. They are fantastic! So much easier (for me, anyway) to use than a shower brush. I’m big on exfoliation – I have dry skin which I slather with lots of hydrating or SPF goo, and ya gotta scrub that stuff off regularly. The cloths are long enough I can scrub my back, and they make very nice suds with one of my body washes. While I’m here I guess I’ll mention these 4-in-one foot callus tools used in the shower to keep my hooves looking presentable. I’ve tried various other natural pumice stones and scrub brushes, and yeah they look classier, but nothing beats that good old cheapie multi-tool from the drugstore. Don’t forget the scalp massager! One of my best $5 purchases.
Gardening – I’m out there a lot, digging, pruning, pulling weeds, etc. Musette (love that gal!) sent me these Wells Lamont gloves for my birthday and they are fantastic – they fit my doll-hands and are very sturdy without being stiff. They’re my regular go-to gloves. If I want to feel fancy I use these Barebones leather gloves, which … come on, how gorgeous are those? Also, I have a full set of these Fiskars garden tools – they’re the scissors people — from the tiny pruning snips all the way up to the large bypass loppers. I got mine at a discount store for about one-fourth of what they go for at regular retail, and I’ve been very pleased with their performance.
Finally, beauty-adjacent (but also wellness) – some hypochlorous acid spray at the drugstore. The cosmetic dermatologists talk about it on YouTube, they use it after procedures. It’s germ-killing while being way gentler than, say, hydrogen peroxide. I’ve been using it for a few months now – on tiny cuts on my hands, various clumsy-person scrapes, and around my nose where I’m prone to occasional acne. It’s a freaking miracle in a bottle, I tell you.
What are some of the little useful objects that make your life better and you can’t imagine being without?
(images: mine. Amazon links are FYI and don’t generate any $ for me)
The few things that I was going to mention already have been. I did decide to add some hypochlorous acid spray to my next Amazon order. I’m also curious about Vanicream. Will check it out later.
Great minds thinking alike, right? The hypochlorous is good to have around when you need it.
PSA!
I can’t recall who mentioned Avon Fresh Fiji Hinoki Room Spray recently-but it’s wonderful! If you go to the Avon site and create an account, you get a discount so it will cost only $8.99. (BTW-not affiliated)
The scent lasts for some time. My landlord had to come over today. He hates cats and I have 3. Even though I have the cleanest litter boxes in the state, the landlord always makes snarky comments about the cats. Today I sprayed the house with the Hinoki about 2 hours before he came over. As he was leaving, he said, “Gosh, your house smells so clean and pleasant!” Pet owner or not, don’t hesitate on this one.
My thanks to the person who wrote about this. It’s a cheap and cheerful winner.
That was Musette, I’m pretty sure — talking about hinoki and scenting the house! I’ll have to look for it as well.
This is a fun post. I’m a firm believer that life is all about the little things.
Let’s see: I love my microplane grater/zester. And my lemon squeezer and my new really good can opener (by Beneno). I still love my DHC Olive Virgin Oil that I’ve been using on my face for years as well as my Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm–they both go on before bed. My Bombas socks. My Kindle for holding all kinds of books and not bothering Mr. SP when I can’t sleep and need to read. My Good Night sleep mask (for hotels and camping) from Magellan’s, the only truly comfortable one I’ve found. I’m sure there’s more I could think of, but this is long enough.
Thanks for the other recs, everyone. I’m off to check out that hypochlorous acid spray which somehow I have never heard of!
I wouldn’t know about the hypochlorous acid except for skincare derms on YouTube. I’m going to have to check out that sleep mask, I’d like a comfortable one. Oh how I love small, useful kitchen gadgets!
I have exfoliative cheilitis which means my lips burn, puff up and get dried hardened skin which peels. If I keep them moist/hydrated, it’s not a problem. Since peppermint oil aggravates the condition, it’s pointless for me to use any lip balms that have it. After going through countless brands of balms, my go to is Uriage Bariederm Cica-Lips Repairing Balm. No color, no scent, no flavor additives.
Unattractive name but this stuff is marvelous. It is not in a tube like a chapstick. I apply in the a.m. after I do my ablutions and it keeps my lips soft and smooth all day. It seems to wear off a bit as time goes on although it sinks in so I don’t go around with “greasy mouth” all day. I apply again right before bed and wake up with nicely hydrated lips. When you first start using it, it seems like a nothing, ho hum sort of product but I have not found anything better to prevent chronic exfoliative cheilitis. Even if you don’t suffer from this condition, this repairing balm is the bees knees! Great for outdoorsy folx.
Thank you, I love a good lip balm that isn’t greasy while hydrating … it’s annoying how many lip products have irritating ingredients like peppermint, even if they’re not intended to be “plumping,” so I’m always scanning the ingredients.
Love a Salux cloth and that hypochlorous spray! Thanks for the tip on the gardening gloves, they’re on the wishlist now.
You’re welcome! I wish I’d had the hypochlorous spray at various points in my past, especially with kids!
First thing that came to mind was exfoliating gloves. They’re made out of the same stuff as the Salux cloth. I just put them on, squeeze a bit of shower gel into a palm, and lather for days! I’ve bought them on Amazon, Ulta and CVS in the past.
Ooooh! There’s room in my shower for those gloves too — will keep an eye out!
I have these, too and absolutely LOVE them! Sometimes I just want to “spot exfoliate” and these are perfect for that. Also great if you do home pedicures.
Love the idea of little life hacks that make everything easier.
I have a Korean wash cloth, about 80x20cm that scours and scrubs me beautifully. Mine is medium scratch, some are like steel wool OUCH!
Also I put the sock, stockings and bras in separate lingerie bags. Means nothing gets lost in the wash.
Portia xx
Medium scratch is the way to go haha. Lingerie bags are fantastic — I use them for socks, delicates, and my washable terry makeup remover pads.
I love the scalp thingy too! I have this old Dr. Scholl grater looking thing that I love for calluses on the heels. By the time I’m finished with a good shower than a few swipes with that and boom- baby soft. I also love fiskars scissors- the best. I even have a dedicated one for the kitchen that use to cut up lettuce for chopped salads. That and a good pair of chicken shears are wonderful. And a jar opener- looks like a bottle opener but releases the vacuum seal on jars so you can open them. And a few of those flat rubber things that can give you a grip on bottle tops. But one of the cooler things I’ve gotten in the past few years are thinoptics keychain reading glasses. Slim hard case with pince-nez style glasses that pop out for use then fold back in for storage. Since most menus these days are either a PDF on your phone or in .000004 sans-serif type in puce on light ochre (or both) they’re a godsend.
I love that Dr. Scholls grater — the 4-in-1 has a grater side, but not as powerful. YESSS scissors dedicated to particular tasks! And they’re good scissors, I don’t have the patience for lousy ones. I’m going to have to look for those reading glasses! I need them to read anything smaller than a street sign so I carry readers in my handbag, but I’d love something tinier.
Tom – more info on the jar opener, please! xoxoxo
I’m glad you’re enjoying the W-L glubs – they are my go-to brand for all but the most manhandliest jobs.
I can’t do without… hmmm. Oh! I know – CeraVe Rough Skin cream (which is great for that area in the crease below the swell of your bum and above the top of your thigh – as I sit here, typing this, I realize that it’s the place that gets the most sitting space (???) so that makes sense. I also simply cannot do without Vanicream. Dr KM turned me on to it back when Portia came to Chicago – and I have never looked back! It’s great on every part of my body, INCLUDING my face (and it’s great on eyelids where the eyelashes are – in fact, ’twas for that she recommended it – it helped clear up a stye-like swelling in no time flat!)
Those gloves are truly fabulous, and I’ve bought so many disappointing pairs over the years … I should have asked you! Hehe I don’t have that crease because I don’t have much of a bum 😀 but I’mo get some CeraVe if I ever run out of Yadain…
I bought some wristbands on Amazon a couple of years ago that you use when washing your face. To keep the water from dribbling down your arms. Seems silly but I LOVE them. I also have a cooler backpack chair thing that I use when on my sports photography jobs. Has made it so much easier on my back to have a little sturdy stool when packing/unpacking my gear.
What a great idea! I end up changing into a tee shirt or just giving up lol. Doesn’t seem silly at all! And I love the idea of a stool like that, I can see how much it would help.