BrainyBeautys @ Home

Change of Address

2011-08-15T15:31:00.001-07:00

Hello!

To make things less confusing & more search-able,

we are COMBINING our blogs!

Now just go to brainybeautyblogs.com for all product reviews!

Perfume reviews still available on perfume fiend.

Menfolk-- Gifted Guys Groom is still up & running for you.

Vote for your favorite & win Slatkin & Co.

2011-07-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

The home fragrance authorities, Bath & Body Works and Slatkin & Co. are pleased to announce the three lucky winners of the MyCandleRecipe contest, selected by Harry Slatkin, Creator of Slatkin & Co., Erica Tucker, owner of Sweet E’s Mini Bakeshop in Los Angeles, and Givaudan Fragrance Expert, Jeanine Guerrero during a live cooking event held in New York City.

Tim Ong of Houston, Texas with Strawberry Pistachio Delight
Mary Shivers of Ada, Oklahoma with Tropical Tangerine Cake
NayletLa Rochelle of Miami, Florida with Maple Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Now the expert judges are turning the decision over to you to select the winner who deserves the ultimate grand prize – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join Harry Slatkin in New York City to watch as his or her dessert turned into a gourmand candle. Simply log on to MyCandleRecipe.com to view exclusive cooking event footage and vote for your favorite contestant. FIVE lucky voters will also win a year’s supply of Slatkin & Co. candles! Voting begins Wednesday, August 3rd and closes at Midnight on Tuesday, August 9th.

Slatkin & Co. Candle

2011-07-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, the Sparkling Mojito candle is delicious!

Bath & Body Works totally lucked out in its pairing with Slatkin & Co., and we all benefit with great quality candles that are easily attainable!

Sparkling Mojito is a sweet, yet very clean smell.

Sugared citrus with just the right hint of mint.

Not at all over-powering, perfect pick-me-up!

Well done.

Snazz up your e-mail

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

MeebleMail transforms the ordinary look of everyday email into a stylish expression of your personality.

By partnering with talented artists and fabulous designers such as Trina Turk, Kara Ross, Lela Rose, thomaspaul, Celerie Kemble, Bonnie Marcus and Boatman Geller, MeebleMail has a library of stylish and unique email stationery designs fit for anyone’s taste.

MeebleMail’s email stationery integrates directly into the most popular Windows email clients such as Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail; and users can personalize the designs with their name, monograms, addresses or a motif.

The price of each stationery design will be $4.95, but if you log on from now until the end of May, your purchases are free!

I just got totally cute Octopus-motiff!

Lindsay Phillips Liz Ballet Flats

2011-02-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

I wore these (in bronze) and the Lindsay Phillips Switchflops pretty much the entire time I was in Mexico a year and a half ago.

Now, not only are there great new colors and styles, but there's even a fancy website where you can design your own combination!

And bags!

Have I mentioned the scarves? Oh, I have (read this).

Lindsay, I adore!

Thymes Indigenous White Persimmon Aromatic Votive

2010-12-31T08:15:00.000-08:00

Click Here

What a lovely little candle. This one is fruity smelling-lots of pear. The glass is quite pretty. Already saved the Thymes website to my favorites. Perfect gifts!

Thymes Offerring Good Luck Candle

2010-12-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

Click Here

This candle is so lux. This candle/brand puts the hundreds of lesser brands to shame. The glass is a lovely cream paper overlay with details of white bursts. It matches my living room perfectly. The scent is a spicy pepper musk and it actually releases a strong frangrance. So often candles don't actually release a scent or just barely. It'll burn 60 hours so it's worth the price tag. I'm adding the Thymes.com website to my favorite tabs for gift giving.

Bon Ami Liquid Cleanser

2010-10-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Bon Ami is one of those brands I am always hearing about but never see. I never knew if it was worth the effort to search for it.

I was able to try the liquid cleanser on the bathroom sink at work today.

Hello, clean!

This sink has not been so clean since 1965, when it was installed.

It may not have been this clean at that point.

Scrub-a-licious! Rinses well, no obnoxious smell.

LOVE IT!!!

Worth a search! Make your life easier & order from their web site.

Clean for the cause

2010-10-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Eco Clean is partnering with CANCER101 (C101) in their mission to empower Breast Cancer patients and their caregivers to get organized and informed to fight their cancer. During the entire month of October, purchase the Eco Clean All Purpose Cleaner and 30% of the proceeds will be donated to C101.

Price: $3.99 at Alice.com

BioKleen Laundry Soap

2010-09-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Free and Clear (64 oz)

Washing clothes effectively doesn't have to harm the environment.

Detergent doesn't have to be all fake-rainfall-scented and give you hives.

It's true!

This detergent cleans your clothes without a ton of chemical crap.

Added bonus: Buy it from SoapHope.com and help impoverished women!

Thymes Home Fragrance Mist

2010-04-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

White Persimmon

Easy to use, a lot better looking than your average home fragrance spray!

The White Persimmon is lovely!

Fresh, fruity, but not overly-sweet.

Strong enough to cover the stink, but not so overwhelming that you gag or taste it...

Me like.

One Kings Lane

2010-03-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

I went to onekingslane.com and placed my order.

It took a very long time to be shipped, which I don't fully understand, but I couldn't be happier with the great stuff I got-- and at great prices.

& a surprise gift!

I like that they have stuff that is usually only in stores that are too fancy for me to actually enter alongside high-quality home basics.

Go to onekingslane & check out their specials-- tell them brainybeautys@gmail.com sent you & you will be our new bff ;)

**Update: I received a very kind e-mail from Laura at onekingslane.com, who explained to me that the brands ship to their warehouse, then are shipped to me. That's part of how they keep prices down. NOW it makes sense. Thanks, Laura-- & great job!**

Shop Tocca, Help Haiti

2010-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

From Tocca:

HELP HAITI... Through February, 30% of all Ydra Candela and Candele da Viaggio sales will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

We recommend the Candele da Viggio set-- it is a perfect gift, especially for yourself!

Lindsay Phillips makes flats!

2009-10-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Super cute & comfortable ballet flats!

Interchangeable accents!

Change your mind & your look with accents that snap onto your shoes!

If I sound like an ad, it's because I LOVE these shoes!!!

I do wish she had them in a deep violet or charcoal grey so I wouldn't feel guilty about getting another pair... Just something to think about, Lindsay Phillips.

P.S.: I do get a huge amount of compliments on these shoes, and that's before I show people that they can do a trick!

Palettes by Tod Young

2009-09-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Tod Young has come up with scents based on colors--

More specifically, the color choices you make when decorating!

There are six color families: Neutral, Pastel, Primary, Jewel, Earth, & Gray.

I tested all six candles, and found that I liked the Neutral, Pastel, Primary, & Gray-- which are the color families I would use!

The website has pictures of interiors for each color group/scent.

Pick your room & get that scent!

Thymes Home Fragrance Mist

2009-09-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

Filigree

Powdery, yet clean.

Feminine, but not girly.

I like to spray a little on a lamp shade so it releases with the heat.

Would be excellent to mist around before entertaining,

so your abode smells all elegant.

Lindsay Phillips Switchflops

2009-08-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Click Here

Super clever idea! Take your basic flip-flop and add Velcro to the straps so that you can switch out the straps to match your outfit or your mood. There were two choices in the straps I tried-those above and a cool giraffe crackly print. Very easy to switch out. The flip-flop is quite comfy. A nice thick heel too. Would be a great present for just about every lady you know.

Casa di Francesca Home Scents

2009-08-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Rosemary & Mint

Fresh & alive!

Makes my house smell verdant, but not at all overpowering.

Huge variety of scents.

Created by Katie Borghese (yes, that Borghese family), inspired by Francesca, who was one of the few women to make the Grand Tour of Europe in the 1600's.

Available in beautiful Murano glass containers, reasonably priced. Make your house prettier & smell better with one purchase.

Aromatherapy Decoded!

2009-04-06T09:39:00.001-07:00

Kayla Fioravanti, RA, chief formulator and co-founder of Essential Wholesale, Essential Labs and von Natur, self appointed Aromatherapy Cop answers aromatheraphy/essential oil questions & gives a primer in this article. Read & learn!

Candle: Delirium & Co.

2009-04-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Blue Absinthe

Masculine, yet light & airy.

Kind of a mentholated cedar, but in a good way.

Delirium & Co describes it as "AN INTOXICATING MASTERFUL BREW OF ABSINTHE, VETYVER, BLONDE WOODS, BASIL AND ROSEMARY."

It is totally intoxicating!!!

Strong, but not cloying.

Excellent scent.

Tony Little's Gazelle Edge

2009-03-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Yes, I watch the occasional infomercial.

Far fewer than I did before we had cable, though.

Got one for birthday from a couple of super uncles & aunts (thanks, guys!).

It was easy to assemble, easy to use, not so easy for me to fold it up, but that could have something to do with a lack of coordination...

It does say that it does not need to be oiled, but using some WD-40 helps stop the squeaks.

Really easy to use, it is just gliding. Problems: Easy to get bored, no way to increase resistance that I can figure out, no place for me to set remote;)

Doing a mile had no perceptible impact, but legs hurt after doing 2.5 miles. Then again, I am a wimp.

It's a nice, easy way to get off your keister & feel like you have done something mildly athletic.

Landice L7 Treadmill

2009-03-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

Easy to read displays, big plus when you have bleary-morning eyes.

Good programs-- you can modify speeds/elevation in the pre-programed work-outs.

You don't have to use pre-programmed, you can set your own speed & elevation, changing is easy.

Personal note- the Intervals program kicks my butt. You go from strolling to running at maximum elevation, SO exhausting.

Candle: Chesapeake Bay Candle

2009-01-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

Cedarwood Sweet Tobacco
Signature Collection
Smells lovely!
Sweet, yet masculine.
Cedar, pipe tobacco (not lit), and greenery.

Candle: Delirium

2008-11-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

Delirium Blue Period Suede & Smoke
The candle version of George Clooney--classic & classy, clean, and all man;)
This smells exactly like I always imagined a posh men's club would smell, all humidor-y & leather chairs with a hint of fresh mint & scotch.
The candle is also very handsomely packaged, cobalt glass.

Samsung MP3 Player

2008-10-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

YP-T9J
That's the model I have (in classic black)!
It is seriously small-->3.25" (8.5 cm) long, 1.75" (4 cm) wide, less than a half inch (approx. 1 cm) deep.
Holds 2G worth of music/video/files...
The sales guy told me I could watch a movie on it--like I could see a movie on a 1.5" square screen (I think that blobby-dot is Sean Astin. Or a hat. A spoon?)
That said, I love my little not-pod!
Buttons are easy to use, has definite off switch, key guard (hold) switch, display easy to read.
The sound quality is excellent, and it can be played on my car stereo (aux wire into Fit)!
If I want to take it somewhere, I can put it in my pocket without hassle/large & unsightly bump.
Plus, it was about half the price of some others, so it doesn't freak me out when I drop it. I try not to, but it has happened.

Antica Farmacista Home Ambiance Fragrance

2008-08-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

Antica Farmacista

Home Ambiance Fragrance {Le Fragranze d'Ambiante}

Grapefruit {Pompelmo}

Lovely glass bottle, looks great out.
The smell is wonderful! It's lightly sugared grapefruit. Fresh grapefruit, as though you pulled it off the tree, cut it open & poured on a packet of sugar.
The scent is subtle in the room, nicely diffusing.
My only complaint--the cork was hard to remove! There was a little wooden lid covering the cork, and I managed to separate the two. Oh well, the pieces of cork inside the bottle add a rustic flair ;)

Cars: Honda Fit

2008-07-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

I (we) have a 2007 Honda Fit. It is the first production year of the model, and it is a manual (stick) sport model. I love, love, love it.
It is small, but has more interior room than seems possible. Stadium seating, no kidding! Great gas mileage (I/we average 34 mpg highway) & really nice pick-up. There's a fair bit of zooming to be had there. You can check out the web page for all the technical specs, but I'm gonna tell you--this car kicks butt. It is comfortable for driver & passengers, all the features are easy to use...
I can only think of 2 things I don't like: 1) The dash is lit, I sometimes see this & figure that the headlights are on. They aren't, unless the little green symbol is lit up. Yes, I am easily confused. & 2)there is no mirror on the passenger-seat visor. There is, somewhat oddly, one on the driver's side. I'm not sure why this is.
The stereo is great, there is even an auxiliary jack where I can plug in my not-pod. The CD player plays mp3s, so you can put a gazillion songs on a CD & go to town--I suggest Toronto or Chicago.
Buy a FIT! Join the club (it's not an official club, but we Fit owners do tend to wave at one another, content in the fact that we have spent under $50 to fill up).
P.S.: Honda, if you are listening, the Fit has the desirable windshield placement. The Civic does NOT, the windshield in the Civic always seems ready to smack you in the face. Why the redesign? The generation of Civics before this one had great lines!

DISHWASHER: GE QuietPower I

2008-06-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

GE Quiet Power I
relatively quiet, easy to use buttons, seems to clean well.
Bought this dishwasher in November, 2006. On my 2nd set of racks, which are rusting AGAIN. Rust from racks stains dishes.
Here's a copy of the e-mail I sent to GE:
Model #: GLD4300L00CC
Hello.
We have a GE Quiet Power I dishwasher, purchased in 11/2006 & professionally installed.
Less than 6 months after the dishwasher was installed, the top and bottom racks rusted, we received replacement racks, sent on 4/23/2007.
It is just over one year later, and the racks are rusting out again. I called today, 6/30/2008, and spoke to Wendy, who transferred me to Aaron in Consumer Relations. Aaron kindly informed me that this was not a reported problem and that replacement racks would cost over $100. When I told him that I was not interested in paying $100 plus for the same racks & the same problems, he informed me that I could received up to 20% off of a comparable new model--again with the wire racks.
While this is a nice offer, paying a minimum of $700 for the chance of having the exact same rust issues is less than appealing to me.
I find it remarkably hard to believe that we 1. are the only people who have had racks rust out and 2. that this is not a manufacturing defect, when this has happened TWICE. We live in a city which has a very good water system, we do not put any odd things in our dishwasher, we use recommended detergent tablets, and we run our dishwasher once a day or less.
I will be sure to tell my friends, family, and neighbors about my GE experience.
In addition, I will be placing a copy of this letter on a blog site which reviews everyday products:http://brainyformfunction.blogspot.com/
Good day.

ECOver--Toilet Bowl Cleaner

2008-06-18T17:17:00.001-07:00

Toilet bowl cleaner is not exactly a glamorous product, but it is necessary. Unless you're in the income bracket that lets you hire live-in help, it is something you need!
ECOver Toilet Bowl Cleaner is good, fulfills the basic function-your toilet gets cleaned.
It has a nice, thick formula, a peppermint scent (like the plant, not the candy), and won't turn your toilet any funky colors--what purpose does blue serve???
Cleaning toilets is crappy work (pun fully intended), but you won't need a gas mask because of this cleaner, & you won't be killing the earth, fishes, & oceans-- This TB Cleaner, like all ECOver products, is environmentally friendly.
Your toilet will need to be cleaned, accept fact, use this!

Smart Phone: Blackberry Curve

2008-06-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

The Blackberry Curve is pretty cool.
I will give it that.
Full Qwerty keyboard, full color & clear screen. The keys are
big enough to actually see them, while the phone is small enough
to fit into a pocket.
This is a well designed piece of equipment, nice curves, sleek, good backlighting...
The big, huge drawback is the hook-up. I have the phone through AT&T.
If I want to send a picture (good images, super flash), I would have to subscribe to a data package. That is a minimum of $30 to send a multi-media message to another phone. This is on top of the rate for just being able to use the phone. This is bull. When I got the phone, I was able to send MMS (MultiMediaMessages) with the normal plan, they have now done away with this possibility. First the IPhone billing debacles, now this--What is up with AT&T? Could they nickle & dime us a little more?

ECOVER Dishwasher tabs

2008-06-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

ECOVER Dishwasher tablets
I love these!!!
I am all about the tablets--no more messy liquids & powders-- & these are great.
No over-powering smell, just a subtle air of clean.
The tablets are hard-working & rinse clean, no soap speckles yet.
As an added bonus, they are eco-friendly! I am pro-green, especially when it does a great job.

Chesapeake Bay Candles - Mini Tin Garden

2008-05-29T09:43:00.001-07:00

Chesapeake Bay Candles
Mini Tin Garden

These are the prettiest tin candles I've ever used - beautiful floral paper on lid and around base. And I loved the size - at approx. 1.5" in diameter they're not too big, not too tiny.

White Ginger & Ivy
This is a fresh, green, clean scent that will subtley perk you up in a refreshing and enjoyable way. Great for the mornings or when you need a little power surge.

Tuberose & Gardenia
I'm generally not a big fan or rose or gardenia, but there's something so appealing about this scent. You can detect both scents, but the harmony between the two is unique. It's a soft, slightly powdery, and romantic scent (and I mean old-fashioned romance, not gotta jump your bones now lustiness), slightly nostalgic. I burn this one in the evening and on weekends to set a comfortable, relaxing mood.

Candles: StellaMare--Cranberry Tangerine

2008-03-23T17:17:00.001-07:00

Candles
StellaMare
Cranberry Tangerine
So, I'm standing in a store, on my lunch hour, smelling candles. There were a LOT of candles that smelled like feet and patchouli (or worse).
Then I opened the (very well designed, visually) package for the Cranberry Tangerine Candle. Yummy, but not overly foody. Not real sweet, just right.
Smells even better when lit!
It's also a really pretty deep red, in a nice glass cup, so it looks good on my kitchen counter.

Candles: Pure & Natural

2008-03-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Candles
Pure & Natural

Cardamom & Clove
Oddly enough, I have always spelled it Cardamum...
The candle is a bit heady in the package, but once it is lit, mmmmm.
A nice, light, spring-time scent.
Almost floral, a little exotic.
Spicy, of course, but in a breezy sort of way.
Note: After blowing out, the smell lacks the headiness of the virgin candle.

Passion Fruit & Papya
Unlit: Total fruit-smoothie smell.
Lit: Lightly fruity. Like tasty lip balm.
I can smell the papaya!

Candles: Tocca-- Yma

2008-03-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Candles
Tocca
Yma
Fresh & bright.
Citrus & sweet, but in a very light way.
Smells like an ideal summer.
Sprightly, almost.
A tropic island, a Jimmy Buffet song, Bali Hai.

Candles: Tocca-- Florence

2008-03-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Candles
Tocca
Florence
Musky, intoxicating.
Forest in the middle of a city.
Floral undertones, but not girly.

Cleaning Products: Method

2008-02-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

Method-brand Cleaning Products
I love that these aren't the baby-with-three-heads type of chemical cleaners!
Naked--no smell! Good for the stove, as heat + smell cleaners can = disaster.
Pink Grapefruit-- Clean citrus. This is what I like my kitchen to smell like. All my counters, actually. And some of my windows-- not in the bedroom, though, it is too energetic!
Lavender--too fussy for kitchen, competes with cooking smells. Good in the bathroom & bedroom.
Eucalyptus Mint-- smells like clean dorm bathrooms. Definite cleaning product smell, hint of toothpaste.

A maniac goes home for the night...

2008-02-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

This is Kate. This is the @ home version of my perfume testing blog.
Enjoy!