Best Shower Grout Cleaner

When Kevin and I bought our house (April 2013), one thing that always bugged me was that the master shower was dirty. The shower (just a stand-up, no tub) is completely tile. The walls are large tiles, with a couple smaller decorative ones near the top, but the floor is tiny 1" tiles. The grout between these little tiles was practically black, and cleaning it didn't help. It always grossed me out because one, it's black/dirty looking, but two, it was there before we moved in, meaning a lot of it was created by someone else's grime (dead skin cells...ewww). It's pretty sad to feel dirty while taking a shower.

Anyway, I didn't know how to fix this gross problem and it's not something you regularly discuss with friends. "Oh hey, my shower is growing black stuff that I can't get off with regular cleaner; any suggestions?" Anyway, Kevin had our friend Dan (Mr. Fix-it) check something in our bathroom one day, and while he was in there, he mentioned that they had the same black growth in their newly purchased house and his wife (Simone) got it off with a "special mixture" she made. When Kevin told me this, I immediately needed to find out from Simone what she used. 

I only needed baking soda (or any gritty type cleaner; she used Comet) and bleach. She told me to mix it together until I had a paste, rub it on the grout, and leave it for several hours. The only catch was to make sure it stayed moist during the waiting time, and the best way to do this was to cover it with plastic wrap. After hours had passed, simply pour water over it, and all black yuckiness would be gone. Sounds way too good to be true right? See for yourself through my pictures and step-by-step instructions. 

Step 1: Gather necessary supplies. You will need a good amount of baking soda (don't be intimidated by my huge bag, you don't need THAT much) to make sure the mixture is a paste. Also, be sure to use rubber gloves, so your hands don't disintegrate from the bleach. You'll need something to mix the paste in -- I used a paper bowl...I do NOT recommend this as it started to fall apart after making several batches. You may want to have a toothbrush if there are especially dark places to give a little extra scrub. This is optional though. Lastly, WEAR A MASK!!! The fumes are very strong. A bandana would work fine (that's what my friend Simone wore), but please wear something over your nose and mouth! I also recommend turning on the bathroom fan and opening a window, if possible. 

Step 2: Make the paste. I started by pouring a pile of baking soda into the bowl and then added bleach until it was thin enough to spread, but thick enough to consider a paste. There's no exact combination, but you'll get the hang of it as you're working with it. I had to make several batches since my bowl was small, so each batch was slightly different. Too thick was hard to spread around, but too watery didn't seem to "stick" to the grout. All batches seemed to work overall though, so don't stress on this step. 

Step 3: Spread on grout and cover with plastic wrap. I just used my gloved finger to apply the paste. It was kind of like finger-painting. I put my plastic wrap down in between each batch, but you could probably cover all the grout with paste and then sprinkle/mist with water (to make sure it stays wet) before applying the plastic to everything at once. Whichever appeals to you more.

Step 4: Let sit for several hours. I only did two hours because I wanted to finish before Gideon's bed time. (No, Gideon wasn't near this, as the fumes are quite strong.) I would recommend waiting two to three hours.

Step 5: Remove plastic wrap and rinse with water. (Scrub tough places with toothbrush, if necessary.) I just used a plastic cup and refilled it a million times until all the bleach/baking soda paste was gone. I recommend something larger, like a bucket, so it wouldn't take as many refills to rinse the whole shower. If you have a showerhead that detaches, that could work too. I was afraid to turn on the showerhead since I removed the curtain for easier access and didn't want to get soaked.

Step 6: Admire super clean shower. I LOVE that the yucky black stuff is GONE! Actually feeling clean in the shower is a nice change. I'm a bit embarrassed it took me this long to find something that worked, but I am beyond glad I finally I did. (Thank you Simone!) I didn't take a before picture to show the difference, but I promise, it wasn't pleasant before and it's beautiful now.
(I actually did this back in early February and still no black has returned!)


Grout Cleaner "Recipe"

Ingredients: 
-bleach
-baking soda (or other gritty cleaner, such as Comet)
-bowl or some type of container to mix paste in
-plastic wrap
-rubber gloves
-mask or bandana
-cup or bucket to use for washing away paste
-toothbrush (optional) 

1. Gather necessary supplies.
2. Make the paste.
3. Spread on grout and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Let sit for several hours.
5. Remove plastic wrap and rinse with water.
6. Admire super clean shower.

Beauty Box 5 -- March 2014 Review

Beauty Box 5 is a monthly beauty subscription box that brings five deluxe samples or full sized products to your door mailbox. The most expensive option is the monthly option, which is $12 a month. If you opt for a three-month subscription, it's $30, making it $10/month. The cheapest option is the yearly subscription, which is $99 for the year, making each box $8.75! (Please note that each subscription automatically renews once the time frame is up unless you cancel ahead of time.) I currently do the three month subscription, but have considered the yearly one because it's such a good deal (especially when there are $20 off coupons). On to the box.

The theme for the March box is "Spring Cleaning," so most of the box was skincare products. I forgot to take a picture of the whole box together and already used the box to mail a divvy, so I couldn't put everything back and pretend I did it. Sorry. 

1. Jane's Pick All Natural Soaps

Description: Get clean without the chemicals! Made from an all-natural blend infused with herbs and flowers, these pretty soaps are handmade, so each bar has a unique pattern and relaxing scent. BB5 tip: lather up and use this instead of shaving cream! 

Cost: $8.00 for 5oz. (My sample doesn't have a size on it, so it's a bit difficult to determine the actual cost for this. According to most other blogs, roughly $1.) 

Review: I'm still undecided if I'm going to use this or put it up on my edivv site. I like that it's handmade and all natural, but I'm not typically a bar soap user. Plus, SO many people on edivv are in search of all-natural products, meaning I may be able to swap for something I like better. The scent isn't marked on the soap, but from the pictures on Jane's Pick's website, it looks like "Purity," which is lavender and peppermint. The only thing holding me back from posting it for swaps is the BB5 tip of using it in place of shaving cream, which is appealing. Erg, I'm so indecisive.

2. Tree Hut Shea Body Butter

Description: Treat your body to the best! Extra thick and paraben free, this lotion deep conditions your skin with cocoa and organic shea butter, provides natural anti-aging properties, and puts us in the mood to party with lime and coconut extract. 

Cost: $7.49 for 7 oz. (My 2oz sample is worth $2.14.) 

Review: When I opened this, I couldn't stop smelling it. It smells AMAZING! It's so good, next time you're at a store that carries Tree Hut products (I saw it at Walmart the other day.), go smell it. No really, do it! Coconut Lime is heavenly. I've only used this once because I'm currently trying some other body creams, but there is no question that this entire little jar will disappear.

3. Bellapierre Cosmetics Makeup Base

Description: Every girl deserves an all-in-one that hides imperfections and makes her makeup even better. This pretty ivory base is great when you're low on time (or room in your purse), and serves as a concealer, illuminator, and eyeshadow primer. 

Cost: $18.99 for .29 oz. (Mine's .25oz, so I'm thinking someone messed up and that's actually the full size.) 

Review: This was the spoiler product this month (the product they told us in advance we'd be getting). I've never used a makeup base before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The color is a little lighter than my skin tone (which was shocking because I'm still super pale from winter), but it actually works very well. I've only used it under my eyes, but I'm excited to use it as an eyeshadow primer. From others' pictures and reviews, the difference in the eyeshadow coloring is phenomenal; the base really makes the color stand out and not be dull. This isn't a product that I'll include every day, but it is nice to have on hand after a night of little sleep (insert bags under eyes) or as an eyeshadow primer.

4. Hard Candy Just Nails Nail Color

Description: Fashion isn't the only industry that's experienced a 90's revival! These cult classic polishes offer intense, unique colors that will make any cosmetic commitment-phobe want to put a ring on it. Layer with other polishes or rock it alone. 

Cost: $3.99 for .35 oz. (full size!) 

Review: I am on a nail polish kick, so I should've been excited about this, but the color just isn't right for me. It's kind of a goldish pink. If it was just pink or just gold, I'd probably like it, but I don't, so I put it up on my edivv shop. And the plastic heart ring doesn't help it's cause...just saying. 

5. Swissco Dual-sided Facial Pad

Description: Achieving softer skin and smaller pores is as easy as exfoliating a few times a week! Just add your favorite cleanser to the pad, gently buff that pretty face, and kiss lackluster skin goodbye!

Cost: $2.00 one size (full size!) 

Review: The exfoliating side is super rough and the terrycloth side has an elastic band on it for your hand, making that side pretty unusable. Because of this, I put it up on my edivv site. No one has wanted it yet, so I'm considering taking it down and giving it a try since I'm not good about exfoliating my face on a regular basis. We'll see. (Further proof of my indecisiveness.) 

Total Value: $28.12, which is well over double what I paid for the box (almost triple). On top of receiving THREE full sized products, there weren't any foil packets, and that makes me happy! Even though I'm only currently using two of the products, those two alone (actually, just one of them by value) makes the box worth it. Plus, putting things on my edivv site is not a loss for me because it gives me a chance to swap for other products of my choosing. Next month is the last of my second three-month subscription and I'm not sure whether to cancel or keep it going. I do like the boxes I'm receiving, but if Target continues their $5 boxes, I'll likely drop Beauty Box 5 and just do that. I mean, a girl can only use but so many products at once anyway. 

If you're interested in starting a Beauty Box 5 subscription, please use my referral link: http://www.beautybox5.com/?u=861 It will help me earn points that I can use toward full size products. Thanks!

My First VoxBox -- Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick

Recently, I signed up for a product review site called Influenster. You connect all of your social media channels to the site as well as review products that you've used before to boost your influenster score. The higher your score, the more likely you are to receive FREE products to test and review. I love free. I signed up March 6th and received my first VoxBox (what the boxes with free products are called) two days ago (March 18th). Fun, right?

Here's how it went down. About two weeks ago (March 7th -- yes, the day after I signed up), I received a pre-qualification email and survey. I filled out the survey (only a couple questions), but had read that getting this email definitely did not mean I would be receiving a box, so I tried to not get my hopes up. A week later (March 14th), I received another email saying I was IN! Talk about exciting!

This particular box only had one item, which was a bit of a let down since some boxes have multiple products to try, but I'll take anything I can get. (Some people say it's taken them quite a while to get a box or they haven't gotten one at all, so really, I should be grateful for getting a box, even with only one item, within the first month of registering.)

I received Rimmel London's Moisture Renew Lipstick in the color As You Want Victoria. As you can hopefully tell in the pictures, it's a bright pinkish color. This is so not me. One, I never very rarely wear lipstick, so I was a bit surprised to have been asked to review this product in the first place. Two, if I am going to wear lipstick, I tend to go with redder colors. Regardless, I'm happy to receive anything free. Even if it's not a product I will continue to use, it's still exciting to receive mail other than bills. (Can I hear an Amen?)

Other than the color (for me), this lipstick is actually really nice. It applied very smoothly and did not feel sticky or dry out my lips, like many lipsticks do. I only left it on long enough to take a selfie, so I can't fully attest to how long/well it lasts, BUT when I went to remove it, it was next to impossible to get off. Annoying for me in the moment, but probably a positive trait when it comes to lipstick. My guess is the color would easily last for several hours since even after removing it (which again, was a bit of a struggle), my lips still had a hint of the bright pink.

Please ignore the fact that you can see my inner lip color because of my expression. 

Google tells me this lipstick costs $5.47 at Walmart and $6.99 at Ulta. For being a cheaper lipstick, I'd say it's a pretty good one to try. It appears there are many color options, so if you're not looking for the bright pink spring look like this one, there's still likely one that would be a good fit.

Interested in joining Influenster and reviewing products for free? I have FOUR invites left. Please only use one if you're sure you'll use it, as it affects my influenster score. Comment below if you'd like an invite. (You can sign up without an invite, but supposedly having an invite increases your score from the start.)

*I received this product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

Target Beauty Box -- March 2014

When I first heard of subscription beauty boxes, I was super intrigued and instantly considered starting one. I researched A LOT of boxes that are out there to find the one I thought would best fit me and my beauty style (very basic and simple, in case you don't know me). If you've read much of my blog, then you know I decided on Beauty Box 5. BUT when I was looking into all of my options, I ran across the Target Beauty Box. They ran a one month trial back in May (2013). The box was $5 plus tax. FIVE DOLLARS! I'm currently paying $10 a box with Beauty Box 5, and while I am enjoying it overall, cheaper is always better for me, especially since I don't mind drugstore brands. (If I'm honest, I prefer them since those are the products I can actually afford to continue using on a regular basis.) Anyway, it wasn't an option because they only ran it for that one month, so I chose Beauty Box 5 and moved on with life. BUT, they had another one this month! You better believe I ordered one!

Here are the details. It's still $5 a month, making it even cheaper than Beauty Box 5's yearly subscription rate ($99 for the year = $8.75/box). You do have to pay tax, but mine was only $.30. Shipping is supposed to be free, but sadly, Target's website had a glitch when I ordered where it was charging for shipping, so I had to call and have someone fix it. Annoying, but whatever. One of my favorite features of Target's box is that you can see what the products are prior to ordering, so if nothing interests you, then don't order it. There isn't a recurring subscription like most other boxes, which I also really like. This means you aren't charged for the next month if you forget to cancel. The downside is they may be sold out before you get one, but for me, that's better than being charged for something I don't want. (They aren't advertising for April yet, so I have no idea how often they are going to be offering these.) Anyway, the actual box.

1. TONI&GUY Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray (2.5 fl oz): Want beachy hair without hitting the surf? Spray from root to tip for salty, sultry texture and subtle, windswept waves.
Cost: $16.99 for 6.8 oz., making this bottle worth $6.25 (already more than the box!)
I actually already received this product from a divvy I did (read what that is here), but if it works, then I'll just have more. If not, I'll put this one up on my edivv shop. 

2. L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (.22 fl oz): Stretch and lengthen lashes for a fluttery, winged-out look with this unique mascara formula and revolutionary asymmetrical Butterfly Brush.
Cost: $7.99 for .22oz. This is full size, so this product alone is also worth more than the whole box! 
I love mascara. I wont open this for a while as I currently have several I need to use up, and I don't want this to dry out before I get around to it. Regardless, I always love a new mascara, especially a volumizing (Blogger is telling me that isn't a word, but I really want it to be, so I'm leaving it.) one.

3. Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo (1.7 oz): Give hair a rejuvenating boost with this paraben and colorant-free formula made with natural tapioca to instantly absorb excess oil with less residue.
Cost: $4.99 for 4.9oz., making my sample worth $1.73.
Dry shampoo has become an item I must always have on hand. My hair gets so greasy, so it's a nice way to quickly refresh my hair. I recently learned you're only supposed to wash your hair two times a week! I'm lucky if I can go every other day, and that's only if I have the help of dry shampoo. I'm planning a blog post comparing different dry shampoos I've tried, and I will be sure to include this one in that.

4. COVERGIRL Smoochies Sizzle Gloss (.44 fl oz): Pucker up. Sheer color meets sizzling shimmer in a moisturizing formula that’s always stunning, never sticky.
Cost: $4.99 (Target's website says, "See store for pricing." so this is just a guess based on other stores' prices.) for .44 fl oz. (Full size!)
This is the product I was least excited about in the box. I'm a chapstick (well, Burt's Bees if you want to be technical) girl. The one I received is actually a shimmery clear (called Date Night), instead of the pinkish one advertised, so I am PUMPED about that! My biggest complaint about lip gloss is the stickiness, but this one surprisingly isn't. I figured it was all just a marketing ploy, but it's actually truthful. This won't replace my beloved Burt's Bees, but I will likely use this when I want to be a bit more glossy. (Forgive me for not using my own pictures; my hard drive crashed two days ago, so uploading pictures there isn't really an option at this point. I'm currently using a Chromebook, which is internet only and blogger isn't wanting to upload pictures from my phone for some reason.)

5. Jergens BB Cream Light (2 fl oz): Finally, a multi-tasking beauty cream in a quick-drying formula that goes on sheer and delivers visible results in just 5 days.
Cost:  $11.99 for 7.5 oz, making my sample worth $3.20.
When I saw this product, I thought it was a BB cream for your face, which I was excited to try because I've been hearing a lot about BB creams, but have never used one. Like the picture shows, this is a body cream. (Yeah, it helps to read thoroughly.) I applied it to my arms today. According to Jergens' website, this cream is supposed to hydrate, illuminate, even, firm, and correct your skin. The first two are said to happen immediately, whereas the last three are noticeable after five days of use. I can't attest to the last three yet, since I've only used it once, but it does hydrate and gave my skin a bit of a glow (aka illuminate). The cream is beige-colored and has a light scent. It's not my favorite smell, but creams like this typically have weird smells, often much worse than this one. It's not over-powering, so I'll probably continue to use it and see if it evens, firms, and corrects my skin like it claims. I have pretty blotchy skin, so this could be super helpful for me.

Total Value: If I had purchased these products from Target individually (which is actually impossible since some are sample sized), it would've cost around $24.16. This is a great value since I only paid $5.30. Also, I didn't include this earlier, but the box it comes in is awesome! It's just a plain white, super sturdy box inside the target brand sleeve, so it's definitely reusable. I'm very pleased with Target's beauty box. I really hope they continue to offer these!

Beauty Box 5 -- February 2014 Review

If you haven't heard of Beauty Box 5 before, it's a monthly subscription box that delivers five beauty products to you each month. It starts at $12/month, but if you sign up for multiple months at a time, the price technically goes down. For example, I do the three month subscription, so I pay $30 upfront, making each box only $10 a month. This box can be the cheapest one out there if you choose to do the yearly subscription. It's $99 for the year, making it only  $8.25 a box. PLUS, there are coupon codes out there to get the yearly subscription for even cheaper. I've considered it, but I'm not there yet.

This was box #4 for me. If I'm honest, this was probably my least favorite box thus far. I was a little extra disappointed because February was Beauty Box 5's birthday, so I expected it to be extra special. It wasn't.

1. Rockstar Nails Nail Polish

Description: Funk-ify your mani! Apply to clean dry nails for pretty and bold color in just one swipe. Want to add caviar? Don't forget to wait 10 seconds after painting your top coat, so that the polish sets, but doesn't dry.
Cost: $14.99 for .37 fl oz (full size)
Review: There were several colors that I could've potentially received and I wasn't really sure which was the one I wanted. The options I saw were bubble gum pink, in your face purple and super bright blue. As you can see in the picture, I got the blue. I've never really used blue polish before (I mostly stick to pinks and reds.), so it was a good one for branching out. I painted my nails almost immediately after receiving it. The polish was surprisingly nice, minus the smell. It went on very smoothly, even when using my non-dominant hand. I did two coats because I felt the single coat wasn't quite opaque enough for my taste, so it didn't quite live up to the "one swipe" description, but overall still a good polish. It didn't chip for a couple days and even then, only on my pointers. I look forward to using this bright polish more in the summer.

2. Rockstar Nails Nail Sprinkles

Description: Let the art party begin! Option #1: Over a bowl, gently shake the caviar onto your nail, starting at the nail bed and work your way down. Option #2: Dump caviar into a container and lightly press your nail into the sprinkles. Set with a clear top coat!
Cost: $14.99 for .45 oz (full size)
Review: I knew when I received these that I wouldn't use them, so I put them on my edivv.com shop. You can read about what I got from the trade (and other trades) here.

3. John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full Shampoo and Conditioner

Description: Do right by your  mane and get big hair without the perm! Perfect for fine or color treated hair, this duo delivers super soft hair with touchable volume and fullness.
Cost: $6.99 for 8.45 fl oz. (Each packet is .28 oz, with two samples of each, so .28x4=1.12oz total, making the value $.93)
Review: Does anyone like foil samples? I certainly don't! This was probably what made this month's box the biggest disappointment. Foil packets are super annoying, especially in the shower when your hands are wet. Even so, I actually did like the shampoo and conditioner. I may actually end up purchasing this full size using the two $2 off coupons that came with it. I just recently learned that I've been using the wrong type of shampoo for my hair. (Fine/greasy hair needs clear shampoo, thick/wavy/curly/dry hair needs a creamy shampoo.) This shampoo is a clear one (and it even says for fine hair), so it should be a better choice than what I'm currently using (a creamy one). I typically go pretty cheap on shampoo/conditioner (aka whatever Sam's club has at the moment I'm in need), but my hair could probably use something slightly nicer, however, one that doesn't break the bank. With the coupons, they'll only be $5 each. I think I can handle that. (Update: I purchased the full size of these at Walmart, whose price was $5.47 each. Using both $2 off coupons, plus our 6% tax here, my total was $7.36 for both. On top of that, it has made my hair amazing. Typically, within the same day of washing my hair, it's already greasy. After using this, I didn't wash my hair the next day AND didn't even have to use dry shampoo. That's a first! Side note: The ones I got didn't have the color protection part, but that doesn't matter to me because my hair isn't colored.)

4. Every Beauty Makeup Remover Pads w/Argan Oil Extract

Description: Don't worry about your makeup wipes drying out! Great for travelers and ladies with sensitive skin, this product will clean your pretty face without the bite of alcohol.
Cost: $6.99 for 50 pads (This sample has 5 pads, making it worth a whopping $.70)
Review: At first glance I was super excited about this product. I love makeup remover cloths. I have grown to despise washing my face, particularly in the winter, so the cloths are a great quick option when I'm feeling super lazy. These pads aren't terrible; they just weren't super exciting either. I'm used to using actual cloths and these are just little square pads (the size of the package); that threw me off. They aren't wet, which is actually kind of annoying to me. I suppose these would be nice for travel reasons, but for at home use, it defeats the greatness of not having to run the water and wait for it to get warm. It takes away from the "quickness" factor that makes cloths appealing to me in the first place. I will use the entire package (although I'll likely save the rest for traveling), so it's not a terrible product, just didn't wow me as much as I'd hoped. I will not be purchasing these. (Update: These pads grew on me with more use. When I use them, I just opt for cold water, so it only takes a couple seconds, similar to pre-moistened cloths I was used to. Also, they do a good job of removing my makeup without drying out my skin or leaving any slimy residue. I start with the yellowish side first and then flip to the white side to see if there's any makeup left on my skin.)

/ 

5. Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara

Description: Talk about a mascara you can really depend on! The thin, hourglass wand makes it easy to coat your bottom lashes and prevents clumping while delivering lovely length. Best of all, it won't smudge, even though it's easy to remove.
Cost: $19.99 for .33fl oz (Sample is .14, making it worth $8.48)
Review: Mascara is my second favorite makeup product (after my eyebrow pencil...I look a little sick without my eyebrows drawn). I don't go for huge, long, thick eyelashes, rather just like to give my super short blonde lashes some help. Up until receiving this product, I pretty much never put mascara on my bottom lashes. Because of my eye shape, they are kind of hidden and super tough to apply to. Since the description said the shape of this wand would be perfect for that, I gave it a try. It does do a good job of finding my almost non-existent lashes and giving them surprising length. (I actually wipe some away because it looks a little too crazy for my taste.My eyes are small and too much eye makeup swallows them.) I'm not sure why this is called volumizing mascara; it's not. It is definitely lengthening though, like the description says. I'm not likely to purchase this product since I prefer an actual volumizing mascara over a lengthening one. I will continue to use it when I feel like applying to my lower lashes though.

Bonus: Gift Card to MyNameNecklace.com
This is a $10 off gift card, which is pretty generous, but I'm not sure I'm going to use this. Not really "me."

So all and all, like I already said, I wasn't super pumped about this box. The total value was $40.09 (if the nail polish is really $15 EACH...part of me wonders if that's actually both items combined, meaning the total value would be $25.10) plus the $10 gift card, but sometimes value isn't everything. Hopefully next month's box will be better -- no foil packets please!!! 

If you're interested in signing up for a Beauty Box 5 subscription, please use my referral code: http://www.beautybox5.com/?u=861 Using this code will help me receive points toward purchasing full sized items. Thanks!