With the Wheezes and the Sneezes and the Sinus That's Really a Pip!

Reality TV executives, have I got a new show for you!  I call it When Allergies Attack, and it would follow hapless human beings around, documenting the exact moment their allergies flare up, and all of the torture their poor bodies are put through as they try to fight back and recover.  I'm on day four of feeling like a freight train hit me, and I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. 

Thomas and I are moving this weekend (yay!), and it seems that, while I managed to keep all the furniture dusted, I neglected to think about all the things in closets and cabinets.  When I started to pack up the stuff in those places, I stirred up a ton of dust (and mold, but that's another story), and now I'm sick.  Sick, sick, sick.  Thomas is, too.  We got some dust masks to try to get us through the move, but I'm really not looking forward to pulling out the cleansers and spackle.  The fumes are going to wreak havoc.

I've given up on carrying around the pocket packs of tissue.  I've moved on to smuggling entire boxes in my over-sized purse.  It's not the most elegant solution, but it works.  While looking for a better way to tote my kleenex, I ran across this.  I'm not sure I'd call it elegant, either, but that's exactly the word the company uses to describe it.  Well, to each his own, I guess.  It's funny, if nothing else.

Photo by LightintheBox

Yep, that's tissue (well, toilet paper, to be exact) coming out of a giant tube of glue.  Lightinthebox.com has these listed for $9.99 each, or wholesale for $1.99 with a minimum order of five.  They're shaped like Japanese toothpaste tubes, come in five designs, are water-resistant, and hold a standard size toilet paper roll.  You can hang it up by a string, or just leave it laying around, and according to the site, "the fresh and colourful new designs mean they wont [sic] look out of place in a lounge or bedroom."  Believe it or not, they're sold out. 

Photo by LightintheBox

I think I'll just stick to carrying my kleenex in my purse and putting my toilet paper on the holder, but these could be cute in a kid's bathroom, maybe.  What do you think?

Well, folks, given the allergy and moving issues, I think the magic bag o' samples is going on hiatus for the next week.  In the meantime, I thought I might revisit some previously reviewed products and see if my opinion has changed with time.  Today, let's look back on Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector.  It's supposed to make blow-drying my hair straight faster, easier, and frizz-free for up to seven shampoos.  I'm now past the halfway point, with four shampoos down.

If you recall, I hated, loathed, and despised this product.  I received it through BzzAgent, a word-of-mouth marketing company, with the instructions to try it, see what I thought, and pass that reaction--good or bad--on.  That reacion was bad.  Really bad.  It reeked, didn't do anything to help tame my frizz, and the only way my hair would straighten completely was with a curling iron used as a flat iron.  The instructions in the package even state that you should use a flat iron to ensure your hair straightens.  News Flash:  a flat iron after blow-drying will straighten your hair, with or without this product.  After my second shampoo, the smell was still prevalent, and the frizz was still frizzy.  So, how is it after four shampoos?

Well, I think it's gone.  If not, it's on its way out.  The odor is completely gone (thank God), and I haven't noticed it keeping the humidity at bay.  My hair is straight-ish after I blow it dry, but no straighter than it was before I started using this product.  I just really don't see that this product is worth the time or money involved.  As I said before, get some good shampoo and conditioner, and invest in a flat iron.  You'll be better off.  At least, I can report that there hasn't been any damage.