Things I Love: Himalayan Salt Lamp Review

Yesterday, I shared my love for the essential oil diffusers I purchased awhile back.  Today, we’re talking about another natural way to freshen and purify your air.

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When a co-worker first told me about the Himalayan Salt benefits, I was skeptical.  I mean, I enjoyed the pleasant glow of the rock in her office but -- a rock?  With all those benefits?  

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Couldn’t be true.  Could it?

If you know me, you know I research.  Seriously, Islanders.  When in doubt, find it out!  I researched and found the benefits of Himalayan salt to be astounding.  You can learn more here.

I planned to buy one when I saw it on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond but the sale passed and, with it, so did my desire to purchase.  As you know, I frequent my local thrift shops and I was pleasantly surprised to find one priced at $4.90 on a half-off day!  Islanders! THAT’S $2.45!!! OMG!  I rushed home, wiped it down with a damp cloth, then with a dry one and excitedly plugged in my new Himalayan salt lamp!

The ambient glow is great in the space at night.  Yep, now the dog can see when he quickly jumps off the sofa whenever I enter in the room (rolls eyes... my REAL life).

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If you’re looking for a natural remedy to the things listed above, do your research and search for one on sale (they are heavy so shipping may cost more).

Things I Love: Skyroku Oil Diffuser Review

Hi! I’ve shared how the smell of my home can instantly make or break my mood when I walk through the door.  I will wash a load of whites for the scent (because you know I ain't interested in laundry - haha),  I use fabric softener in my homemade Febreez recipe, I have placed vanilla extract into a small foil “bowl” and baked it, I have plug-ins, I burn candles, and more!  I go to great lengths to ensure my house smells as fresh as possible.

Then, I got a dog.  I love my dog but I hate how my dog smells... especially after a walk in the summer heat.

Like, I hate it.  I hate how my dog makes my house smell after a walk or when he farts or burps or ugh. I hate it.  I hate it. I hate it!

My boo, Sheena, always keeps me up on the latest and greatest cleaning products.  She told me about the lemon- and then the lavender- scented Pine-Sol cleaning solutions when they first hit the shelves.  She told me the benefits of hiring a cleaning service to clean the areas of the home often neglected (like ceiling fans, windows and door frames).  One day, she sent me the above picture to start the conversation about her latest gadget that was a game-changer in her house.  What's that, you ask?

It’s an essential oil diffuser and, Islanders, it’s awesome.  I went to Amazon and ordered two Skyroku brand diffusers for less than $30 total.

The Skyroku diffusers have two diffusing settings, continuous and 30-second intervals.  Oh, and Munchface loves them!  Her favorite part is the many lighting options.  She has the option to select one of many color options, the light show option (it cycles through all colors) or to have no light at all.

 That's a video of the light show captured while Munch was sleeping.

Another favorite part for Munch is choosing her oil.  We especially enjoy the peppermint, lemon and lavender scents.  We got the above set for $17!  If you've ever purchased essential oils, you know they cost anywhere from $5-$12 each so, a set of 6 for that price is a great deal!  Here's how it works:

1.  You remove the top and fill the cup like portion with water to the Fill Line.

2.  Add 3-5 drops (more if you have a larger space) to the water.
3.  Return the top to its place and align the 'lock'
4.  Press the power button and design a setting (green for intervals or red for continuous)
5.  Enjoy the fresh scent using oils known for their health benefits and functionality.

An added bonus?  The increased moisture in the air has similar effects to a humidifier and can help with allergies, colds and restless sleeping habits.  I placed one in Munch's room and the other in our family room.  We love the functionality and freshness!

Things I Love: Five Below Accessories

I'm coming to you with another Things I Love post.  You may recall the beauty dupes and the DIY wax melts.  Can we just talk about how much I love a good deal? If you love a deal as much as I do, today is going to motivate you to check out the selection of accessories for women at one of my favorite deal spots, Five Below!

I've seen the Birkenstock thong sandals all over the place and I like them but I'm not in love with the price and I wasn't sure they'd work with all of my summer staples.  If I was the person who wore 1-3 pairs of shoes with all of my summer casual attire, I might consider investing in a pair.  However, because I like to wear wedges and sneakers and gladiators and heels, the investment into a pair of thong sandals isn't an option for me.  Another reason I haven’t made the investment is that I have weird feet.  They spread when I’m on my feet so flip-flops and sandals don’t work well for me.  On a visit to Five Below earlier this summer, I bought a pair of the black thong sandals and I LOVE them.  They have lasted and are very comfortable.

Things I Love: Easy DIY "Wax" Melts

I don't know about you but, between Google and Pinterest, I just don't know who/what to trust as a viable source of information for application in my life.  I mean, I've learned that I'm one pretty photo away from believing toothpicks make for a durable and ideal flooring solution (joking... but you get what I mean).  Remember the Things I Love posts about makeup dupes and Easter?  Well, I'm back and sharing some information about a topic that applies to everyone.

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Few things are as nice as the smell of a clean home.  What's your 'clean home' scent?  I wish I could walk in and it smelled like laundry. I actually thought I wanted the scent of Gain in my home everyday all day.  I bought the air fresheners and the warmers and the detergent and... Islanders, for some reason Gain-scented air fresheners make me nauseous.   Like, gag.  It's too much.

Then, I met Gain's scent Moonlight Breeze.  It is an awesome scent that isn't too floral-y or too fruity or too detergent-y.  It's great and I needed it in my home.  While I could've purchased some store-bought air fresheners, I wanted the exact scent I fell in love with so, I found a way to incorporate the original product into my home!

I purchased Gain Fireworks for my laundry and quickly realized that I loved how the house smelled whenever I had a load in the wash... uh, hello!  Did you catch that?  I had a load in the wash!  I mean, anything that motivates me to do laundry must be pretty amazing.  Can I get an amen?

Maybe it was my subconscious' ability to self-sabotage my every attempt to become a laundry lovin' diva OR maybe it was my inner frugalista's ability to hack expenses without compromising on quality BUT, whatever the case, I dumped some of that smell good in that wax burner and it was amazing!

Here's what you need:

- Decorative Wax Warmer (they're sold in the candle section of most stores with cords or votive candles required).
- Laundry Scent Boosting Beads (of your choice)
- Tablespoon for measuring

Here's what you do:

1.  Use table spoon to lace 1-3 scoops of the beads onto the warming plate of the warmer.  Be careful to place the beads as close to the center as possible.

2.  Turn on your warmer (or light your votive)

3.  Enjoy the yummy scent!

** remember to turn your warmer off or blow out candles when you are not home**

It doesn't take a lot and it has an amazing impact on the fresh scent in your home!  OMG! Be sure to let me know if you try the easiest DIY wax melts!

Things I Love: Beauty Products.

Hey, Islanders.

You might be sick of my multiple and seemingly random blog series but... WHATEVER!  I'm back with another one and it's all about nifty things I've found at a great deal or that I've implemented in our life that really work!  This series will not be like Maya Mondays or Wordless Wednesdays but I will use the 'Things I Love' tag (saved under the right navigation menu --> Topics and Thoughts) to store all of the things (deals, tips, tricks, and more) I love!

Today, we're talking about beauty products and dupes I've been using for the past few months that have TOTALLY changed my life!

1. Beauty Blender for $1!

I've seen the Beauty Blender in a number of stores and, while I wanted to have the flawless face after makeup and moisturizer application, I couldn't bring myself to pay the $20 price.  When I saw the Sassy+Chic blender at Dollar Tree, I had to pick one up.  I LOVE IT and I LOVE ITS PRICE EVEN MORE. Oh, and even if you don't wear makeup, this is perfect for moisturizer application... the goal is to minimize hand-to-face contact.