The Best Mosquito Repellents

Yes to fans!

Summer is approaching and unofficial summer is already here. Unfortunately so are bugs. The most hated bugs of all are arguably mosquitos. Researching how to keep them away and specifically how to stop mosquitos from biting us leads to good news and bad news.

citronella bracelets

First the bad news. Nearly all the natural mosquito repellents on the market are worthless. When tested in scientific labs they either don't work, or don't work well enough to be considered effective. Natural mosquito repellents come in the form of citronella candles, slow-burning citronella sticks, and citronella bracelets. Research shows people still get bitten despite wearing or burning citronella repellents. Perhaps a mosquito will avoid your wrist where the bracelet is, but you'll still get eaten alive because the blood-sucking pest will move up to your shoulder or down to your leg for a meal.

Likewise, essential oils such as lemongrass, rosemary, eucalyptus, and peppermint do not work. Moreover, electronic bug zappers do not work as mosquitos largely ignore the violet light. Ultrasonic mosquito repellent devices do not work either. Studies show they fail to irritate or scare mosquitos away. And lastly, newer portable devices that lure mosquitos away from people with carbon dioxide, then entrap them do not show much evidence of reducing bites to people nearby.

So what does work ... are you ready for the good news?

1) A good old fashion fan. Sitting in the wind of a fan works because mosquitos are not strong fliers. 

2) DEET - Chemical name, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (or diethyltoluamide) was developed by the US Army in 1946 and sold on the market beginning in 1957 as an ingredient in lotions and sprays. This potent mosquito, chigger, and other bug repellent has been widely studied over the years. Despite peoples' fears, DEET has an excellent public safety record and lasts for hours.

3) Another effective way to reduce the number of mosquitos in your backyard is to eliminate water sources like puddles, ponds, or birdbaths. Water is where mosquitos like to lay their eggs so don't invite them into your space with basins of standing water.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a mosquito "is the most deadly creature on earth killing hundreds of thousands of people and making millions more sick each year." Therefore, it might be gratifying to consider some of the critters who eat mosquitos or their larvae. Our friends include fish, birds🦜, bats, dragonflies, frogs, spiders, and the red-eared slider turtle (a common pet in the USA).🐢 

As much as we hate to acknowledge it, mosquitos are important to the food chain in our ecosystem, which is not to say, we want to be an important food source for mosquitos. You're not a bad person if your motto is: Stay away or die today! Nothing should bite you with impunity. Squash the living daylights out of it!!👾 

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Italo Jewelry Is an Exquisite Find

Italo Pear Design Created White Sapphire Tennis Necklace

Italo Jewelry is an exquisite fine jewelry find! Why would you buy expensive Chanel fashion (a/k/a costume) jewelry made of steel and rhinestones for thousands of dollars when you can step it up to low and reasonably priced fine jewelry made of real precious metal and genuine gemstones for much less? The pieces are well-made and gorgeous!

Here's how the company keeps its prices down. Customers buy directly from Italo, therefore it's one-stop jewelry shopping minus the middle man. Expert designers and craftsmen use lab-grown white sapphires set in 925 sterling silver dipped in rhodium, yellow, or rose gold. In some rings, necklaces, etc., white sapphires are colored blue, red, green, or yellow employing the latest technology. A sapphire is a corundum, 2nd only to diamonds (carbon) in hardness.

Careful attention is placed on beautiful design, outstanding craftsmanship, and superior quality. The huge inventory of pieces ranges in styles from classic to unique to contemporary to vintage, and they are all stunning! Moreover, Italo jewelry will not tarnish or turn your skin green, and nickel is omitted in the alloy since some people are allergic to the metal. Italo jewelry only looks expensive while costing thousands less. Stellar design, quality control, and durability are a must! 

I love big blingy stones that can still be worn every day ... stones that shimmer, sparkle, and yet can be seen without a magnifying glass.

A bigger carat 22" line (tennis) necklace costs the same as an automobile.

Although I can't speak for others, I like jewelry because of its shine, design, and especially its connection to Mother Earth. Silver and white sapphires are both elements of nature. But I'm also a fan of affordable laboratory-grown [synthetic] gemstones -- they are chemically and physically identical to the gemstones created by nature.😍 Still the bigger lab-grown stones are expensive too!

Usually, descent carat sizes are far from affordable. Enter Italo jewelry, a worthy and beautiful compromise with a decent reputation in customer care.*

Furthermore, I think it's the perfect (no insurance needed) travel jewelry! I mean, you're still going to be unhappy knowing a brazen thief stole your jewelry but at least you won't cry your eyes out because you can afford to replace it. 

 So be savvy! Leave the heirlooms at home ... and better yet, don't mortgage your house to buy truly expensive-looking fine jewelry. 

Italo jewelry offers the design, sparkle, sterling silver, and white sapphires in sizes we can love without breaking the bank.

Frankly, it's one of THE SAVVY SHOPPER's most exciting finds! Scattered throughout today's blog are a few of my favorite pieces from the jeweler's website. What are some of yours?

I bought a 4-carat (center stone) ring. A 4-carat diamond would cost about $36,000+ 
a real budget buster for ordinary folks. The ring gives me the effect and fun for much less, and to an untrained eye, it's a diamond! :)

Ordering Tips:  1) Take an extra beat to get your order right before placing it since the Italian jeweler's factory is located in China, so undoubtedly ordering is less of a hassle and expense than making returns or exchanges. The retailer's policy offers returns and exchanges and Palpay will ensure you don't lose your money -- but you pay for return shipping if you simply change your mind, which savvy shoppers try to avoid. 

2) There are always promotions of 15% - 30% off so be sure to find them before ordering.

3) Smaller stones will look more like diamonds than bigger carats (if it matters to you?) as you start to see the differences (a cooler tone) in larger stones.

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Island Vibes Makeup

Summer is my favorite season of the year. What's not to love? The mild climate, the long daylight, and the great outdoors of shimmering bluegrass, blooming flowers, and sandy beaches. 

The makeup is fun too ... summer shades that brighten the lips and give your cheeks a sunkissed look! The following are a few limited edition sets created just for Macy's to consider:

1. The Island Vibes Full-Face Pressed Pigment Palette (top image👆) - It has everything you need from high fashion eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers, and highlighters in bold shades and everyday neutrals. If you wait for a sale, the pallette is a $19 splurge.

2. A 5-Piece Island Punch Matte Lipstick Set - Two of the summer shades include terracotta and berry housed in pink-tinted see-through lipstick tubes.

3. A 3-Piece Island Punch Double-Ended Lip Gloss Set -  They are 2-in-1 sheer lip glosses with satin finish lipsticks ranging from soft coral to dusty rose.

4. The 5-Piece Let's Flamingle Brush Set - Consists of soft pink bristles with gold-tone handles. This 5-piece set includes a large powder brush, angled contour brush, and small fan brush. There's another 7-brush makeup set here and uploaded below that also puts customers in the pink ... but the flamingo and pineapple set is so darn island adorable!

5. A 3-Piece Island Punch Makeup Sponge Set - Has 3 cheerful hued sponge sizes for applying foundation, blush, and concealer.

I've been waiting all year for the beautiful summer pastel colors to arrive! The 5 makeup or tool sets are a great value if you wait for one of Macy's sales to come around. Are you in need of island vibes this season? It's just another reason to love Macy's!💋

Everly Brother's Pretty Flamingo

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Skincare For French Girl Beauty

Today I'd like to introduce you to 5 French moisturizing beauty products which have a cult-like following in France. Believe it or not, each is reasonably priced not often the case for anything with a French label. Countering Chanel, Laura Mercier, Anne Semonin, and Dior beauty, the following French skincare products are in the $14 - $25 range.

1) Nuxe (top image👆) is a brand that uses botanicals to nourish, repair, and beautify. The Huile Prodigieuse Oil contains nourishing Tsubaki oil to treat the face, body, and hair. It leaves your skin soft and silky and your hair with a healthy shine.

2) Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre is a daily face and body cream. It acts as a (1) moisturizer, (2) makeup primer, (3) makeup remover, and (4) skin mask. Good for all skin types, the lait cream is non-comedogenic with a sweet floral scent. French women often apply it after a face serum, especially in cold, dry months.

3) Mustela Hydra Bebe Body Lotion is a daily moisturizer for babies yet loved by the whole family. Containing avocado, jojoba, and sunflower oil -- gentle and non-greasy -- it absorbs quickly to soften and protect the skin. This body lotion is a staple in a French home.

4) La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Therapeutic Multi-Purpose Cream - Rich in shea butter, this multi-taster hydrates dry and irritated skin on the face, lips, body, and hands. It is a non-greasy, non-sticky skin balm containing vitamin B5 and thermal mineral-rich spring water leaving a matte finish. Great for babies over 4 months old and anyone with sensitive skin. The entire La Roche-Posay skincare line is a go-to brand found in the aisle of a French pharmacy. 

5) Let's return to the Nuxe brand for its popular, rich, nourishing Reve de Miel lip balm. The ingredients include beeswax, shea butter, olus oil, sweet almond oil, honey, rosa moschata seed oil, and sunflower seed oil to treat and soothe dry, damaged lips. Wow, leave it to the French to know how to bump up a chapstick!😎

France is known for its stellar quality and natural approach to beauty, and now 5 of the country's secrets are out for us to try! All are time-tested skincare products in achieving that reputed Beauté fille française (French girl beauty) without breaking the bank!

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Best Dollar Store Investment Buys

Sometimes you need to buy top-of-the-line household items and sometimes you can settle for good enough for its intended purpose. That's where dollar stores come in!  

For fun I'll share five $1 articles so surprisingly durable -- i.e. I've gotten years of unexpected use out of them -- that each one deserves to fall under the heading of Great $1 Investments: 

1) Microwave anti-splatter cover - There's no need to shop elsewhere where microwave food covers cost more money. The dollar store offers the same quality and it's as durable as any I've encountered. I only need one cover and don't know why more than one is needed, but hey for $1, who can quibble about the expense?

2) Shower comb with huge teeth - I bought a total of 3 combs for 2 teenagers and one for me to hang in my shower. I use it every day to untangle my freshly shampooed and conditioned hair. Also, I like taking it on overnight trips so I can style my hair by combing it through as I blowdryer it -- leaving my hairbrush and straightener at home. It works beautifully!

3) I found these flat stainless steel measuring spoons at an Odd Lot Trading store. 99 cents stores and Walmart also sell them. They are thin and compact, taking up little space in a kitchen drawer. They'll easily bend if abused but will last forever to measure spices, vanilla, and baking powder. They are cheap, but get the job done, so why replace them with a bulky expensive set? Heavier metal doesn't measure more accurately.

4) I needed a shoehorn and was unsure how long plastic would last but was sold on the 24-inch length so I don't have to bend so far down to slide into a pair of shoes! Turns out the plastic is super durable. I've used the shoehorn for years now and especially like the practical loop for hanging ... a feature I didn't even know I needed!

5) I like the flat, multi-sink stopper shown below👇. It's become the only type I buy for a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and bathroom tub. I have one that stays in the kitchen and another for the bathroom. They fit all-size holes and the rubber is thick and flexible. At $1 each a true bargain!

Sometimes the best things in life aren't exactly free, but from a dollar store, they come very close! $5 well spent for 5 lasting buys!

Have you bought anything for $1 and still using it years later?

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7 Surprising Benefits of Chewing Gum

Hubba Bubba has a soft texture and long-lasting flavor

For much of my adult life, I've been a gum chewer often craving a stick after dinner. Why I really don't know ... out of habit? Another piece of personal trivia: I have yet to need a root canal and I asked my dentist if chewing gum somehow prevented my ever having to have a root canal. He said, nope. There's no proven cause and effect relationship, but cavities do thrive in a dry mouth so chewing gum does help to keep your mouth lubricated, which may be beneficial. Drinking water helps prevent cavities.

It turns out that human beings have been chewing gum since the beginning of time ... starting with tree sap. The phrase "Chewing the fat" derives from an old Eskimo practice of chewing whale blubber like bubble gum, which takes a long time to dissolve. Nowadays chewing gum is made of elastomers (rubber-like substances), resins (plant or synthetic), waxes, oils, flavorings, and sweeteners ... and chewing it may have 7 Surprising Health Benefits:

1. Chewing gum can reduce stress and drowsiness when people are working or studying for exams. There's evidence to suggest the activity can lessen anxiety and depression. Perhaps similar to exercise, movement in general, diverts and channels your immediate worries, plus keeps you alert!

2. It has been shown to boost memory in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests by increasing blood flow to your brain.

3. Chewing gum increases salivation to clean food particles off your teeth and fight plaque, and your saliva also carries phosphate and calcium to help strengthen enamel.

4. An ingredient in gum, xylitol, a sugar alcohol with antibacterial properties, seems to prevent ear infections in children. Brands that contain xylitol include Pur, Spry, Xylitol, Stride, Orbit, Pure, Mentors, Icebreakers, and some Trident varieties. Yet be wary of too much of a good thing: Over 50 grams of xylitol may cause diarrhea or gas in some people, and the ingredient is toxic to dogs.

5. A stick of gum after dinner can lower the acid levels in your esophagus and thus help reduce acid reflux and heartburn.

6. In 10 studies using 1,659 participants, chewing gum helped to jump-start digestion and intestinal function after surgery.

7. A small research study with 46 adults found that chewing gum improved eye focus and so helped the participants see more clearly, however, scientists will tell us it's too small of a sample to be conclusive. It is very interesting.

Dentists like the xylitol, often an ingredient in sugarless gum. They also prefer chewing sugarless to sugared gum, but say if you chew gum containing sugar make sure you chew long enough to clean the sugar off your teeth. 

I tend to carry a few packs of gum when I travel in case I'm someplace where I can't brush my teeth after a meal. Who likes to have food particles in between your teeth? Nobody, it's safe to say!

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