Things I've Bought that I Feel Ambivalent Towards (Part I)
As an homage to Mindy Kaling's amazing (and dormant) Things I've Bought that I Love, I am posting Things I've Bought that I Feel Ambivalent Towards because while I do love a lot of the things I buy, sometimes I really miss the mark.
Smith's Rosebud Salve: I don't know, readers, I'm not convinced that this is anything more than tinted vaseline. The tint is nice and all, and there is a vague hint of rose essential oil scent, but all the amazing moisturizing properties discussed online are the same as the wonders of vaseline. At $6, it doesn't break the bank though, so perhaps I will repurchase (although vaseline is cheaper!). In general, the things I've bought near the cash register at Sephora haven't been that great.
Banana Republic's Gemma Wrap Dress (apologies for small image size!): This dress is sort of okay and may be better than okay if you are on the slimmer side. I bought the black color because I thought it would be good for formal school-type things and also work; however, it's a little boring and vaguely reminiscent of graduation robes. Also, the wrap-nature of the dress makes it a little too risque for the workplace! I accidentally flashed a lot of leg at the last editorial meeting (hopefully no one was looking) and on windy days, this dress should be the last thing you reach for (unless you are craving an unglamorous Marilyn Monroe subway grate moment).
The neckline never remains as high as I would like either--it has a tendency to slip down over the course of the day. In general, the dress has a flattering slim cut, so barring situations with wind and exposed legs while sitting down (i.e. any situation without a table) I think I would wear it. Maybe to a nice restaurant?
Chives: Like what is even the point of this herb, honestly? It is completely useless for cooking; it kind of tastes like nothing. I guess one should use it only when fresh, chopped up and sprinkled on top of whatever you are eating for a very mild onion-y flavor. But I like a strong onion flavor, so I will be sticking with spring onions and real onions. Also, I am v. upset because I paid $6 ($6!) for a bunch of this at the farmer's market, thinking it would be an excellent way to season chicken, only to return with an empty wallet and the blandest of chickens. It made me so sad, it reminded me of the time I had shingles and wanted nothing more to watch Modern Family on Hulu in bed, only to realize my ethernet cord only stretched to the very edge of my bed, rendering my dreams impossible (a real heart-wrenching moment, guys).
Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo: Because I pretend to be a dirty hipster sometimes, I totally embraced the idea of dry shampoo! What could be better than prolonging time without shower spans but preserving that freshly-showered hair? I imagine these aerosol containers can't be environmentally friendly, but who cares as long as you have nice hair, right?! Well, the world decided to punish me when I bought this because a) it did nothing for my hair, it was just as greasy as before the spray b) the spray smells weird and c) I didn't rub in the dry shampoo properly so it looked like I had a really bad case of dandruff.
My hair is really thick, so maybe it isn't ideal for this type of thing. In theory, dry shampoo would be great for traveling, but in actual practice, not so much. This goes in the category of things I've bought near the cash register at Sephora that are over-priced and not that great. Alas, I should stop trying to rack up Beauty Insider points with bad, falsely-cheap products!
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| Credit: sephora.com |
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| Credit: shopstyle.com |
The neckline never remains as high as I would like either--it has a tendency to slip down over the course of the day. In general, the dress has a flattering slim cut, so barring situations with wind and exposed legs while sitting down (i.e. any situation without a table) I think I would wear it. Maybe to a nice restaurant?
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| Credit: finecooking.com |
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| awkwardchic.blogspot.com |
My hair is really thick, so maybe it isn't ideal for this type of thing. In theory, dry shampoo would be great for traveling, but in actual practice, not so much. This goes in the category of things I've bought near the cash register at Sephora that are over-priced and not that great. Alas, I should stop trying to rack up Beauty Insider points with bad, falsely-cheap products!