My New Favorite Book: "Don'ts for Husbands & Don'ts for Wives"

Okay...here's another book for the blog! "Don'ts for Husbands & Don'ts for Wives" is a quick little read I picked up in the bargain section of Barnes & Nobles this afternoon for like $4.95. The book was originally written in 1913 by Blanche Ebbutt and was basically a guidebook to keep a new marriage a long lasting marriage. Some of the "advice" is somewhat outdated, but many of the principles can still be applied today. The book is written from the perspective of an era when people didn't live together before marriage, so for those of us in the post World War II world, the advice can seem like a "duh" moment. But if you look at it from the perspective of a new relationship or a "we're-just-moving-in-together" stage, Mrs. Ebbutt was spot on in her advice!

Some goodie goodies were:

Don'ts for Husbands:

"Don't tease your wife about every pretty girl you meet. She may not be jealous to begin with, but after a while she may begin to think that there is something in it"

"Don't dole out money for your wife's personal use in sixpences on the ground that, as you pay the bills, she can't really require any money. It is hateful to a woman to have to ask for what should be hers by right."

"Don't think your business worries are ever so much more important. The others are her business worries, and just as real to her as yours are to you."

Don'ts for Wives:

"Don't be talked down by your husband when you want to express your views on any subject. You have a right to be heard."

"Don't pose as a helpless creature who can do nothing for herself; don't drag your husband away from the office to see you across a street; don't profess to be unable to understand Bradshaw [no not Carrie Bradshaw!], or to take a journey alone. It is true that the weak, clinging wife is often a favourite, but she is equally often a nuisance."

"Don't wash your dirty linen in public, or even before your most intimate friends. If there are certain disagreeable matters to discuss, take care to discuss them in complete privacy."

Obviously, this book is written during a time when wives stayed home, so much of it is written from this perspective...but it still has some great knowledge to share with newlyweds or couples that have been living together for an extended period of time! It's a quick read - I finished it in under an hour...and it's so funny that you'll fly through the pages without any effort. I highly recommend it!

A New BzzCampaign Review - L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara

So, as most everyone knows, I'm a makeup junky. Anything that adds color, volume to my eyelashes, or "allure" to my face is something that I'm all about! So, when I got the offer to join a product review campaign for a new mascara product, it took less than 2 minutes for me to sign on as a participant!


L'Oreal has a new product, called Lash Boosting Technology. It's a two part effort - in the day time you use a base booster and mascara combo to make lashes look thicker and longer. And, at night, you use a lash boosting serum to help create thicker, fuller lashes. The claim: In as little as 4 weeks, you should begin to see thicker, fuller, stronger lashes, with less lash fall out when you remove your makeup - assuming you use the mascara and booster combo by day and the serum by night.

Well, I couldn't resist. I'm a fan of mascara, and am absolutely amped about the possibility of getting thicker & fuller lashes. I even plan to try eyelash extensions at some point, probably from Wink Eyelash here in the city. I just got the package which included a simple instruction guide along with the two part mascara (mascara and concentrated serum booster) and the nightly lash serum. So, here goes with the Day 1 review.

Pre Eyelash Pics:
As you can see, I have decent length and thickness already to my lashes - and yes, they naturally curl. :)





Ease of use:
I must say, it's pretty fool proof and quick enough to use. First you use the booster in the gold end of the mascara stick and coat the lashes. Simple enough! Then follow up with the actual mascara.





Results:
So far, I'm not a fan. Yes, my lashes look darker and longer, but they also feel plastic-y (eek!). In the past, I've been using Fiberwig - which I love. It really does make lashes look thicker and longer - yet keeps them feeling soft. Right now, I have hard lashes, and the mascara is so thick that it looks like a PSA for not using too much mascara. And, I have to add that I'm not a novice to makeup - I know how to apply mascara correctly. The mascara looked sooooo goopy I had to use my eyelash comb, which I practically never use, to attempt to separate my lashes.





I'm not counting L'Oreal's product out yet - as I still need to use the nightly serum and I still have a month to go of using this product. But so far, it's not looking to great. :-/

Extra important info: This product is hypo-allergenic and has been opthamologist tested as safe for people wearing contacts, etc - super important since I spent money to get Lasik this past Spring.

More reviews to come... :)