Three I Like Thursday

One of my favorite parts of blogging and the blogging community is learning about new things and reading how people actually feel about them. So here’s a new (occasional) feature “Three I Like Thursday”. Why like? Well, I could say I love, but I’ve found myself using extreme adjectives far too much and I’m trying to scale back and be real about my feelings so that when I say “love” it has real meaning. I certainly do not put these items on equal status as my family, which I truly do LOVE. Why only three? KNOCK, KNOCK. Hello, read this blog much? Mom of 4, no time for top ten lists here. Three is much more reasonable. Now that the set-up is finished, on to the items.

1. e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner

I’m not a huge makeup person, but I do wear it when I go out. I like to look my best, especially for the rare date night. I picked this up from an endcap at Target in late November for just $1. I’m not normally an eyeliner person, haven’t used liquid since my college days in my stage makeup class. I knew I was going to be in the show, and just in case I lost it or had to share with a random teenager I didn’t want to spend a lot. I’m a little picky when it comes to eye issues, and as a contact wearer, don’t want to risk any germs. For a buck, I could always toss it and replace it if necessary. The surprise was, I really liked it. And I’ve continued to wear it on days I wear full makeup. It’s a quick lift and definitely something everyone should try if they haven’t already. The price is great too! They only had black at my Target store, but on the e.l.f. website there are lots of other colors to choose from. Don’t believe me? Sarah over at Real Life Blog also used this item for a stage performance and shares my sentiments about it.

2. e.l.f. Regular and Waterproof Mascara Duo

Same Target trip, same reasoning. I picked up this little duo for the show as well. I know some beauty experts may disagree, but because I’m so cautious about my eyes I buy the cheapest mascara I can find and replace it every 4-6 weeks. I like that this duo has both because there are certain *ahem* weeks that I need waterproof, but I don’t like how difficult it can be to remove. Other days regular mascara will do just fine. This affords me the choice without having to dig around the drawer to find the right one or try to remember which formula I bought when and which needs replacing. Again, I only found black in store, but brown is available online.

3. Black & Decker Burr Mill Coffee Grinder

I’m a French press girl. A few years ago when I wanted to switch from my Tassimo system (great convenience) to French press (better taste), I did a lot of research. I read that buying whole beans and grinding them with a burr grinders was the way to go, but most grinders were too expensive in my opinion for a trial. I found a Black & Decker model for less than $30 and eventually gave away my Tassimo. Because my model is older, it is no longer available, but I’m so glad B&D has continued to provide an affordable burr grinder. The one pictured is the newer model, but based on what I’ve read it’s the same, just with a sleeker, more modern stainless look than mine. Yes, it’s loud. My overly dramatic kids like to cringe whenever I start it, but that is the way of the burr grinder. Yes, it requires maintenance. I clean it every time I refill the hopper & the cleaning takes a time investment of about 10 minutes if you do it well. I’m so pleased with the taste difference, and that it won’t heat up my beans like an electric grinder that chops the beans, so it’s well worth the noise and effort. If you are considering grinding your own beans at home to French press, this is a great starter model. Some day when I wear this one out, I’m going to ask for a fancy burr grinder, but this one has lasted me nearly 2 years and doesn’t show any signs of stopping.

I’d like to hear your opinions on any of these products if you’ve tried them. Share with me in the comments.