BondiBoost is an Australian hair care company that formulates salon professional shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and tools to improve the hair's strength, thickness, texture, length, volume, and luster. The merchant claims to use the highest quality ingredients. Everything is made in Australia, parabens-free silicone-free, sulfate-free, and cruelty-free. A multitude of hair products address a multitude of personal hair issues while smelling great and delivering unfailing results. The purpose-driven company also strives to make the world a better place.
The company's Infrared Bounce Brush promises to penetrate the inner layers of the hair with gentle heat of negative ions to neutralize the positive ions found in damaged hair resulting in smoother, shinier, less frizzy hair. I haven't tried the brush, but its many 5-star reviews from happy customers pique my interest.
Frankly, I get smooth, shiny, frizz-free hair with my Conair 1875 Watts Ionic Blowyer (costing $24) by using its comb attachment, which I use every day without damaging my hair. The Infrared Brush sounds fantastic too, yet at $99, is 3 times the price. What's more, I've tried and reviewed the hot air brushes that were popular 5 years ago and discovered they require more wrist-turning for the same or less smooth, shiny hair I achieve with my blow dryer. I look for more ease or better results if replacing a tool with one costing more money. You can decide for yourself.
Nonetheless, we should put BondiBoost, an excellent hair care brand, on our radars so we can grab a good deal. At times, salon brands land at T.J. Maxx, so be on the lookout!
I wrote a post nearly 4 years ago about a habit, namely stocking up, I wanted to break. I'm happy to report: I changed! My new purchasing pattern is to Buy One Plus One for many common commodities. You can replace an old habit with a better habit, maybe not suddenly, but one step at a time. Not buying more t-shirts, soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, or body balms than what I need has not caused any shortages or hardships.
Even when an old favorite is discontinued I've never had to go without. A new and often better product takes its place. Nor have I had to overpay for soap, shampoo, conditioner, or t-shirts because I didn't buy a dozen during a sale. Aren't these the two main reasons we tend to stock up?
In fact, I can think of a few instances when buying a stash of everyday products resulted in a waste of product and money.
In the late 1990's I loved the Bath & Body Shop's Freesia Scented Body Cream. When the shop's sales manager told me freesia was being discontinued, I bought up a supply to use for when I couldn't buy it. Big mistake! Despite being sealed, scented body creams have a short shelf life. They go bad after 2+ years. The fragrance vaporizes and the ingredients in the cream separate. Moreover, skincare has improved by removing drying agents such as alcohol and adding essential ceramides to restore our skin barrier. Although I loved smelling like freesia I never understood why I had dry skin until after I stopped slathering on my freesia body cream in winter. The alcohol in the body cream I thought was moisturizing my skin was drying it!
After I'd bought far too many t-shirts at Express, a newer cut and fabric launched at Old Navy that I prefer.
Bars of soap from various retailers have been replaced by less messy liquid soaps, as well as, post-Covid hand sanitizers. Yet to this day, I'm still going through my bars of soap, sometimes putting one in a soap dish on the kitchen sink or laying them on shelves inside my wardrobe ... because what else do you do with too many bars of soap? The world has moved on from solid bars of soap!
Often buying a stockpile of a product during a sale is not as cost-effective as just buying one plus one as needed. Our needs are always evolving. What you need today may change tomorrow. So buying too far into the future repeatedly leads not only to clutter but to a waste of product and money. We end up with products after we've moved on from valuing them.
We simply need enough of an item so we don't have to run back to the store every time we turn around. Usually buying one plus one is the right quantity. I'm happy I nipped buying too far into the future!
Have you noticed how long celebrities are wearing their hair lately? I've noticed the trend for several months on actresses of all ages. Sunday's Golden Globes showcased both beautiful gowns and extremely long locks. The hair of some attendees is so thick and long they must be wearing hair extensions and/or hair pieces. Call me naive but it was only after the death of Michael Jackson in 2009 that I caught on to the fact that show biz people wear hair extensions and pieces, as well as, false eyelases, and their lush hair and eyelashes are often not natural. Before my epiphany, I never really thought about it.
Recent photos of Brooke Shields, Rosamund Pike, Amy Adams, and Rihanna. Globe photos: Top - Jennifer Lawrance, Bottom - Taylor Swift and Margot Robbie
Occasionally I've sported long locks myself, and I know longer hair tends to be easy to style, but you spend more time conditioning it to maintain its health and luster. I also kept it trimmed for a clean line free of split ends.
Although I've had long hair, it's never been Rapunzel length which I think is rarely possible without the help of hair extensions, not to mention stylists and a slew of hair products and accessories.
Soon after this (not the greatest quality) photo was taken, I cut my hair to shoulder length. Shoulder-length hair isn't necessarily easier to maintain, but it is lighter, bouncer, and you don't find long strands of hair all over your home -- the annoyance and reason I usually cut it shorter. Argh, I've never had hair any longer than in this photo.
Sarah Jessica Parker in Elle magazine
What do you think of the trendy very long Rapunzel hair length in the media? Stylish or too much of a good thing?
The Radio City Rockettes have kicked off the holiday season in New York City for the last 91 years. On my walk to the Time & Life building (i.e., work) in the morning, I petted the baby camel parked outside on one of the tiny side streets of Rockefeller Plaza. Golden fur, soft and so clean! The Living Nativity and Parade of the Living Soldiers have been in the Christmas show since its beginning. The Rockettes are a precision dance company famous for their kickline and eye-high kicks.
To be a Rockette, hopefuls must measure between 5'6" and 5'10.5" tall in stocking feet. The dancers must know tap, jazz, modern, and ballet. A total of 80 Rockettes are hired for the Christmas Spectacular, with 2 casts of 40 dancers for the afternoon and evening performances. They rehearse in the basement of St. Paul the Apostle Church (located on West 59th Street beside Lincoln Center) for six hours a day, six days a week for six weeks.
Only 36 dancers appear on stage at one time. The tallest dancers line up in the middle with shorter dancers on the ends. It gives the illusion that each woman is the same height.
The dancers do their own hair and makeup. Each performer wears a French twist, red lips (the shade is MAC Red or MAC Russian Red), and eyelashes.
There are more than 1,100 costumes and pairs of shoes. Their shoes have microphones so the audience can hear the tap dancing during 12 Days of Christmas and Rag Dog.
Other fun facts include the show runs for 90 minutes with no intermission. The Rockettes do more than 160 kicks per show and can perform up to 4 shows a day during the busy season. Since the Christmas Spectacular premiered in 1932, 3,000 women have been Rockettes.
Show tickets are not cheap, but nobody goes home disappointed. Here's a link with tips on how to get a discount on tickets, however, this may be a time when paying the piper is necessary as these suggestions don't look easy. More like hope and luck.🔔
If you wish to know what it's like to auditon and be a New York City Rockette, click the entertaining video below to hear firsthand:
This year I'm especially thankful for family and friends.
As a caregiver, I'm thankful my very senior mother is not bedridden but walks inside the home with a walker. She can walk to the bathroom; and for all the foods she'll no longer eat she's surprisingly healthy, strong, and doesn't require any prescription drugs to make any of her bodily functions work properly. I'm slightly in disbelief. How is this possible on such a limited diet? She is strong enough to be safely bathed in a shower chair, which is such a huge help to a caregiver. She gets a complete spa treatment of skin, hair, and nails twice a week from me. I am surprised at how fast her hair grows. A podiatrist told me that all elderly people have nail fungus, yet my mother's nails are white and strong with no nail fungus. They grow fast too, and we must cut them weekly. Her good health for her age is a blessing.
Moreover, I'm thankful for my hometown friends and neighbors who are what we tend to call good people for short. Each one is a godsend to know. They watch our backs and property and give us lots of joy with their camaraderie and kind hearts. I love spending time with them and keeping up with their families. Our bonds make life meaningful and interesting!
Additionally, I'm thankful for my Manhattan friends, one of whom moved this year to Atlanta Georgia. But we all keep in touch regularly by telephone. Luckily I see them occasionally when we're in the same place, and when out of town by phone and texting. With New York friends, spacing out in-person visits isn't uncommon even when both parties are in New York City as New Yorkers tend to lead very active lives.
This holiday season, we miss our dear friend, Sheila, who lost her battle with breast cancer in June 2023. Life is bittersweet and it makes you appreciate loved ones even more.
I'm grateful I have hometown and New York friends who I'll know for the rest of our days. In both locations, they are good people with kind hearts whose companionship I cherish and thoroughly enjoy.
I'm also grateful for a few blogging and Facebook friends, who reach out from across the miles 🌍🌎🌏 to support me. I suppose generosity and kindness know no bounds. Readers and fellow bloggers, you touch my heart! I enjoy connecting and hearing your thoughts. A special thank you for becoming a kindred spirit!
Mad Hippie's skincare, sunscreen, and makeup, which are available at Walmart, Ulta, iHerb, and Amazon, have top-notch ingredients. I wasn't as familiar with the retailer's motto but it's fabulous too: "From helping inspire people to make healthier choices, to raising awareness and support for the environment, Mad Hippie is committed to a brighter, better tomorrow."
Now let's discuss what the beauty brand's products offer consumers. Its skincare is transparent, clean, and lightweight and its makeup is natural and vegan with colors to create flattering, healthy, and polished looks. There are no parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, dyes, petrochemicals, PEGs, or SLS in its beauty products.
Using the term organic is expensive for small business brands to go through the process to acquire the term for their products. Some small companies sell organic products but can't use the term. Instead, they use the word natural to describe their products. However, there is no definition, and the standard of what constitutes natural hasn't been established. So here on the blog, I tend to say clean by looking at the ingredient list and also seeing what's not in a formula.
The beauty editors at Marie Claire call Mad Hippie's skincare and cosmetics magic while THE SAVVY SHOPPER loves its value for quality price points! Mad Hippie is a brand that proves you don't have to empty your wallet to buy high-end skincare or makeup! Business models determine costs not the quality of products. Why not support your friends (who love you!) and avoid retailers who gouge (but don't love you back)!
Judging by what Mad Hippie puts in its beauty remedies coupled with what it charges its customers, this beauty line is one of our friends! Check them out.
India's famed Koh-i-Noor (meaning "Mountain of Light") Diamond is one of the most extraordinary diamonds in the world. First mentioned in history in the 14th century, it was owned by the ruling maharajahs of India, but after bloody battles, the diamond became a spoil of war to various Sikh, Mogul, and Persian rulers.
It was given as a gift to Queen Victoria during the colonial era when the powerful British East India Tea Company annexed Punjab (then in India, today also in Pakistan) in 1849 forcing its 11-year-old ruler, Prince Sir Duleep Singh, into abdicating and surrendering his lands and prized diamond via the Treaty of Lahore. The legendary diamond was singled out as a symbol of conquest.* The British authorities also separated the boy from his mother, refusing to let him see her for 13 years. They brought him to England where he was educated, given estates, a palace, and the privileges that reflected his rank as a Prince and Maharaja, plus a yearly pension (of $3,145,248 in today's value) as long as he pledged obedience to the Crown and British government, which is the rub of colonialism. Except for 2 controlled visits to India, Maharaja Duleep Singh spent the rest of his life in exile. (His ... is a fascinating life and family. His daughter Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was a prominent Indian British suffragette who was instrumental in helping women win the right to vote in Great Britain. It's admirable how the family balanced retaining their Indian heritage with assimilating into high English society. The Maharaja longed to return to his throne and wrestled with a measure of regret in adulthood; still, he remained respectful and a close friend of Queen Victoria.)
Replica of Kohinoor Diamond before recut
The earliest recorded weight of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond is 186 carats. Cut in the style of Mughal-era diamonds, it resembled the diamonds in the modern Iranian Crown Jewels. This was disappointing to Western eyes, so Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, had it recut by a leading mineralogist, James Tennant, (removing some discovered internal flaws) into a more dazzling brilliant cut stone. The colorless D-grade diamond was cut into a cushion shape with excellent clarity. Unfortunately, it also reduced the size of the diamond from 186 carats (or 191 modern carats) down to 105.6 carats. Diamond experts all agree it enhanced the beauty of the diamond and yet, at the loss of its size and history.
Queen Victoria (and Prince Albert) were quite taken with and became lifelong friends of Maharaja Duleep Singh (and later on with hisdaughters). The British Queen showed Prince Duleep Singh his lost diamond. Reportedly the 16-year-old Maharaja grew silent with emotion while holding and twirling it for 1/4 hour in his hands ... surely recalling how it belonged to his family and was later seized from him at a tender age.
After Queen Victoria's death, the Koh-i-Noor was added to the Crown Jewels. It was mounted in the crown of Queen Alexandra, the wife of Edward VII to use during her coronation in 1902. Queen Mary (wife of George V) and Queen Elizabeth (wife of George VI) also used the Koh-i-Noor Diamond in their coronation crowns. Due to its enduring controversy, the diamond was removed from the crown for Queen Camilia's coronation in 2023.
Ever since India gained its independence in 1947, there have been cries to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond to India. Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan also claim ownership resulting from the diamond exchanging hands as a spoil of war by the victors of those countries over the years.
Photo: Baunat - how the Kohinoor compares in size to other well-known gems
I realize how hair-splittingly difficult it is to determine what is the right thing to do after centuries of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond's complex history, however IMHO, India has the strongest argument for ownership. As a Westerner, I'm biased towards wanting the diamond to stay in the Tower of London, but there's no doubt the diamond was acquired as the spoil of war under the strongarm of colonialism coupled with the coercion of a powerless 11-year-old boy ruler to sign it away. In the 21st century, an 11-year-old cannot sign legally binding contracts or treaties.
3rd daughter Sophia Duleep Singh with her mother, Bamba Muller and with her elder sisters, Catherine and Bamba
I also recognize the fear of opening a Pandora's Box by returning the Koh-i-Noor Diamond to India. Granted, not everything in history can be made right because time makes it convoluted and impossible to correct every wrong. I think we must go on a case-by-case basis. Just because righting a wrong is challenging doesn't mean it should not be attempted.
Click here for this photo credit: Duleep is seated, left of the future King Edward VII, at the time of the photo, still Prince of Wales.
Today there are no living Duleep Singh direct descendants, but India understandably still feels the sting of how the Koh-i-Noor Diamond was taken from its country. What a magnanimous diplomatic gesture it would be for the British royal family to return the diamond to India. They would likely not even miss it (having so many other jewels), and it would loudly honor India and the last owner of the diamond, Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh.
Yikes, now Pakistan will dislike me for thinking that India has the strongest suit ... as it also has a logical claim. In modern times before 1947, there was only India, a colony of the Britain Empire. In 1947 the British colony became two independent states of India and Pakistan. Punjab was divided by religion, with the western portion becoming Pakistan, and the rest of Punjab becoming part of IndiaSo it's a judgment call. Perhaps all 3 countries with the royal family could sit down at the table to decide.
So what do you think? Great Britain has it, but who should own the Koh-i-Noor Diamond? A difficult and problematic question for sure!
*The timing of the East India Tea Company was not by chance. Whenever a boy ruler comes to the throne, other powers who want control of a country's land or treasures use the country's weakness as the time to strike. The head of the mighty East Indian Tea Company, Lord Dalhousie, said he targeted the Koh-i-noor Diamond with the aim of giving it to Queen Victoria to be added to the Crown Jewels as a symbol of conquest. An elaborate ceremony occurred for the 11-year-old Maharaja to hand over the jewel as a sign of his submission to the Crown. After recutting it, Queen Victoria wore the Koh-i-Noor Diamond as a brooch. It became part of the Crown Jewels soon after her son Edward VII became King.
Duleep Singh's mother was exiled to Napal and her son was adopted and raised by British diplomat John Spencer Login and his wife whom the boy grew close to, and it was a warm, trusting relationship. They took him on tours of Europe.
A splurge doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg. At times finding a small item that serves a purpose, one that does a job well on the cheap can be as thrilling as acquiring expensive things. Scoring a cheap beauty item gives you a shot of endorphins without the pain of blowing your budget, or having a debt to pay off when charges are posted to your credit card. The following are 5 fabulous cheap beauty thrills and steals -- priced under $7, with certain colors within each product selling for under $5!:
2) International Women's Travel Kit - a 10-piece oral, skin, and hair grooming kit. Contains: Herbal Essences Shampoo 1.4 oz., Herbal Essences Conditioner 1.4 oz., Styling Comb, Eucerin Lotion 1 oz., Secret A/P Deodorant .5 oz, Crest 3D Toothpaste .85 oz., Toothbrush, Dental Flossers 3 ct., Quart Sized Zip Top Bag in Reusable Zippered Cosmetic Travel Bag. It's worth paying for the convenience and compactness of fitting the toiletries we need into an overnight bag. (I'd have to add a sample packet of face wash and a hair tie inside to hold my hair back for wishing my face.)
4) Covergirl Clean Matte Pressed Powder - Nobody needs to be walking around with a shiny face, a forehead, nose, or chin. It's unbecoming! Good, clean, pressed matte powder to the rescue! Perfume-free, it comes with a powder pad and mirror and slides into a handbag.
5)NYX Professional Makeup Mechanical Eyeliner Pencil - These $4.99 eyeliner pencils are a marvel. Highly pigmented, soft, durable, plus available in a slew of flattering colors. Shows us how overpriced many other cosmetic lines are! With NYX, you get the same excellent quality for much less!
During my birthday, sometimes I celebrate all month long with a few big but mostly small splurges. Monetary cost is often irrelevant for articles to make us -- i.e. our lives happier, easier, or better. Blueberries can make you happy if you love blueberries, or $5 buttery, nonsticky lip gloss!
Do you need to treat yourself with a small yet worthy splurge today? One of these 5 cheap beauty thrills and steals should do the trick!
