J. Crew hair accessories

In my opinion, J. Crew has become too luxe (aka expensive) for general shopping lately, unless you head to their outlets. However, I do still enjoy their hair accessories. They seem to hold up far longer than other hair doodads, and I was once told by a J. Crew employee that they give a lifelong guarantee on their hair accessories. If it snaps, just bring it back in for another. Unfortunately, they don't have an image online of my fave - a hairband with tortoise-shell balls, though they do sell them in the stores.

HE laundry detergent

Maybe the Tide pen thing got me thinking, but I have two favorite HE laundry products to share. For baby clothes - Method Lullaby scent. Mmmm, makes me think of Adelaide.


For regular clothes, don't spend crazy money for the big grand HE detergents. All's HE detergent works great and smells great, and it is almost half the cost as the others.

Now don't get me started on dryer sheets...! (I like Method brand - so thick and un-dryer-sheet-like...)

Tide-To-Go in a mini pen!

I have been a a fan of the Tide-To-Go pen for quite a while now, as someone who seemed to always spill coffee on white shirts, and then as a mom with sticky handprints all over her shoulders. I have kept the Tide pens in the cars, in laptop bags, and around the house, and then, of course, in the diaper bag. My last trip to Target revealed something even better - the mini pen! Perfect for smaller spaces, like a purse, or smaller diaper bag :-)

Jonathan Adler for Barnes & Noble

I love the new trend of designers doing lines for "affordable" stores. (Did Martha start it, or is the real first instance our pal Isaac Mizrahi for Target?) So, welcome, Jonathan Adler to Barnes & Noble. I just bought the vinyl pouch to put stuff in the pool/beach bag that I don't want to get wet - my Flip, for example.

The Flip

To me, this is a must-have for parents, or anyone who likes to capture random video memories. The Flip is small, easy to carry, easy and fast to use, and just as easy and fast to upload videos. I was surprised by the quality. Though, my only nit is that I wish they supported Macs as well as they support PCs - Especially considering they stole the color white and packaging ideas from Apple. (Yes, Apple OWNS the color white.)

E.L.F. powder

E.L.F mini powder compact. Small. I like small for my small purse. Cheap. I like cheap for my small wallet. Nice colors, nice coverage. Cheap enough to buy a few for summer skin and winter skin.

Clorox Bleach pen

Okay, just try these Clorox pens for dirty grout lines - they will clean up like magic! Not much else to say here. Bleach.

Le Creuset outlets

We love our Le Creuset dutch oven, but do not pay William Sonoma prices. You can find one of these cast iron wonders at a discount store like TJ Maxx or Marshall's, or one of the Le Creuset outlets.

Chefmate Copper Bottom pot

Ryan and I looked a while back for a quality set of pots and pans, and there were all so expensive. I found this set at Target with the copper bottoms for only $99 - what a steal. They certainly have held up for several years now, and do the same job as the more expensive versions. Love em.

Crest SpinBrush

My dentist suggested I start using an electric toothbrush to help clean some tough spots around my permanent retainer. I picked up a cheapie Crest SpinBrush for around $5, and I love it! It really does get my teeth so much cleaner, and my dentist has noticed a big difference since I started using it. You can't go wrong at this price tag. Also, you can buy replacement heads!

Facial cleanser wipes

I love having facial wipes at home and when I travel. They are great for a quick makeup removal at night, or a refresher in the morning. I also like them for things like sweaty gross face at the beach or pool. I get the jumbo bulk pack of the Berkley & Jensen brand at BJ's Wholesale, but you get similar ones from health and beauty brands.

Bumbo

You must have a Bumbo, and the tray. Yes, they were recalled at one point, but really it should have been the dumb parents who were recalled; if you put your child in a chair without restraints and then set them on a high object like a table, they might fall out. Indeed. If you are a half-way intelligent person, though, the Bumbo is awesome. Adelaide started sitting in hers around 3 months, and I fed her some of her first cereal meals in there as well. Even now, at over 13 months, Adelaide likes to squeeze herself into her Bumbo and watch TV.

Fisher Price Booster

In my opinion, do not bother getting a real high chair. It just takes up room in your kitchen looking ugly. Instead, go the much more economical route and get a nice booster seat with a tray. I like the Fisher Price one with a tray cover, which is dishwasher safe. In fact, the whole the thing is easy to clean. It is even portable, though ours has stayed attached to the chair since the first day I sat her in it, maybe around 5 months...

Rainbow flip flops

A bit of a Carolina tradition - people wear them year-round down here - but I LOVE them. I typically won't spend more than $30 on a pair of shoes, so buying these was a real splurge for me. I have had mine for 3 years now and wear them almost every single day. I adore them. They are so comfortable, and mold to your feet. They stand up to anything. Love. My. Rainbows.

Loreal Infallible Lip Gloss

I hate lipstick, and I love lip gloss. However, lip gloss can be sticky, and is usually gone from my lips in about 4 seconds. So, I tried Loreal Infallible which claims to stay put for 6 hours. I can't agree with the 6 hour claim - maybe if you did not talk, drink, eat or mess with your lips in any way - but it did stay on for at least 2 hours, which to me is still awesome. It is kind of expensive at around $10, but I think it is worth it for the staying power, and also it doesn't smudge off.

Lily Padz

The best invention for those first few weeks of nursing. No one really told me how one breast would leak while you nursed from the other, or that your breast would keep squirting after the baby was done. Well, why just sop it up in cotton or fabric breast pads? Lily Padz, clever silicone type shields, keep your breast from leaking at all. In fact, I suggest them even for women who just want to go without a bra in a tank in the summer, but don't want to appear obscene.

They are easy to clean, and work for a long while. You will find after a few months of wear and wash, you might need to buy another set though.

Cottonelle

Well, what is there to say. It wipes the best in my opinion. Love Cottonelle.

Nail enhancer

Don't love color on your nails? Me neither. Try this simple nail enhancer. I love it. Keep one at home and one at the office. I apply it kind of obsessively until it gets too thick and I peel it off like dried glue...

Baby Bjorn

Another of course. Don't get the cheaper brands. Too many straps, too complicated. Also, no real need to get the expensive Bjorn models. The plain classic black Bjorn will do.

Nursing covers

Go with the classic Hooter Hider from Bebe Au Lait. They come in really pretty, current fabrics, and they have this flexible piece of plastic that holds the fabric away from the baby's face while you nurse. I kept this in my diaper bag, and it worked up until Adelaide realized she could pull it away and peer at the world (maybe 7 mo.).

Swaddle blanket

Adelaide never cared much for being swaddled, but after wrestling with the burrito wrap and regular blankets for a while, I tried one of the blankets designed for swaddling - SO much easier. Duh, velcro always helps. Ade was always extremely active and would unravel her swaddle in no time. The blanket (Kiddopotumus makes one) designed for this at least held her in place while she complained.

Medela Harmony pump

I have the Medela electric breast pump that IBM had a co-pay for, and it fits in a backpack. It definitely does the job. HOWEVER, if you are not going to pump both breasts at once, several times a day, I see no reason you need something so high-end and expensive. I had to travel for a few days while I was still breastfeeding, and didn't want to bring the huge breastpump backpack. So, I bought a Harmony hand pump. Turned out to be just as quick and simple in my opinion, and I wish I had just used it all along. And, it is only $35!

Graco Living room playard

So, this is a new category I think... I loved having a pack-n-play with a changing table section in our family room, but now I see Graco has literally named a category of playard the "Living room playards." It is great to have something with a fabric that matches your decor to keep all of the baby stuff in a contained area, and it is even better not to have to run up a flight of stairs every time you need to change your baby (especially at first when you change them every 5 minutes!). BTW, don't waste money on vibrations and lights - just a basic model with the changing table and place to hold all the changing supplies will do ya.

Graco Travel System

Of course, right? But, I really mean it. Get the Graco Travel System (SnugRide carseat, matching stroller), and get the SnugRider stroller frame too. The carseat and main stroller are great, but having the frame is quick and simple for fast trips.

Welcome to Consumer Me!

I have been thinking about creating a blog to talk about products I love for a while, and haven't done it. But, a friend recently asked me for some advice on baby products, and I so wished I could have just told her - check out my blog!

I am a true consumer - I love products. I love innovative design, and packaging, and anything that makes life easier. But, I don't like gadgetry or doodads for the sake of doodads. I plan to list and discuss the products that I find awesome, practical, and useful.

Hope this is interesting to someone! ;-)