You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Uncategorized' category.
Today is Jen Bunich’s birthday. As you may know Jen passed away in February of this year from advanced lung cancer with little or no signs and she was not a smoker! She was the co-Founder of Charlotte Smarty Pants and would be so happy to know that today, her birthday, CSP was nominated by viewers as the “Best Blog of 2008” in Creative Loafing. We miss her everyday.
Just released: Paula’s Best 2008 Media Tour ‘Least Expensive’ and ‘Expensive Products’. Of course, you can read Paula’s reviews in her book Don’t Go To the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition by Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron [Publisher: Beginning Press] or on her websites www.cosmeticscop.com and www.beautypedia.com
Note from Paula: My Best Products list is now even better! The list of products below has been slightly revised from my original selection due to recent discontinuations of products. Please also keep in mind that although not every product on the list below was rated a Paula’s Pick, that does not mean they’re not worth considering.
Best Water Soluble Cleansers for All Skin Types
>CeraVe - Hydrating Cleanser ($11.49 for 12 oz)
>La Mer - The Cleansing Lotion ($65 for 6.7 oz)
Best Scrubs
>Olay - Definity Pore Redefining Scrub ($9.99 for 5 oz)
>Dior - Exfoliating Face Scrub ($31 for 2.5 oz)
Best Makeup Removers
>Neutrogena - Oil-Free Makeup Remover ($6.99 for 5.5 oz)
>Paula’s Choice - Gentle Touch Makeup Remover ($12.95 for 4 oz)
>Bobbi Brown - Instant Long Wear Makeup Remover ($22 for 3.4 oz)
Best Acne Products
>Neutrogena - Rapid Clear (2% BHA) ($5.54 for 1.7 oz)
>Clean & Clear - Persa Gel ($5.60 for 1 ounce)
>Oxy - Lotion Vanishing ($5.29 for 1 ounce)
>Paula’s Choice - 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel ($17.95 for 4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice - Blemish Fighting Solution ($15.95 for 2.25 oz)
>N.V. Perricone - Outpatient Therapy Acne Treatment Gel Cream ($55 for 2 oz)
Best Moisturizers/Anti-wrinkle
>Olay - Regenerist Perfecting Cream ($18.99 for 1.7 oz)
>Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream ($17.49 for 1.4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice - Hydrating Treatment Cream ($16.95 for 2 oz)
>Clinique - Repairwear Intensive Night Lotion ($47.50 for 1.7 oz)
>Estee Lauder - CP+ Perfectionist ($55 for 1 ounce)
Best Head to Toe Moisturizer
>CeraVe - Moisturizing Lotion ($12.99 for 12 oz)
>Paula’s Choice - Slip Into Silk Body Lotion ($15.95 for 8 oz)
>Olay - Age Transform Body Creme-Serum ($9.99 for 10.1 oz)
Best Serums for All Skin Types
>Garnier Nutritioniste - Skin Renew Daily Daily Regenerating Serum ($12.99 for 1.7 oz)
>Paula’s Choice - Super Antioxidant Concentrate ($22.95 for 1 oz)
>DDF - C3 Plus Serum ($62 for 0.5 oz)
Best Mineral Sunscreens and Daytime Moisturizers With Sunscreen
>Good Skin - All Calm Gentle Sunscreen SPF 25 ($12 for 1.7 oz)
>Dove - Energy Glow Brightening Moisturizer SPF 15 ($10.99 for 1.7 oz)
>Rodan & Fields - Reverse UVA/UVB Sunscreen SPF 15 ($35 for 1.7 oz)
Best Foundations With Sunscreen (SPF 15 or Greater)
>L’Oreal - True Match Super Blendable Makeup SPF 17 ($9.99)
>Shiseido - The Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation SPF 17 ($36)
Best Liquid Concealers
>Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer ($5.39)
>Yves Saint Laurent - Touché Eclat Radiant Touch ($39.50)
Best Pressed Powders
>Cover Girl - Trublend Pressed Powder ($6.99)
>M.A.C. - Mineralized Skinfinish ($24.50)
Best Powder Blushes
>Jane - Blushing Cheeks Blush ($3.79)
>Estee Lauder - Tender Blush ($25)
Best Powder Eyeshadows
>Elf - Custom Eyes ($1)
>Paula’s Choice - Soft Matte Eyeshadow Trios ($10.95)
>Bobbi Brown - Eyeshadow ($19)
Best Lip Glosses
>Cover Girl - Wet Slicks ($5.19)
>Sisley Phyto - Lip Star ($52)
Best Mascaras
>L’Oreal – Lash Architect 3-D Dramatic Mascara ($8.29, straight or curved brush)
>Cover Girl - Lash Blast Mascara ($8.99)
>Chanel -Sculpte Cils Sculpting Mascara Extreme Length Fine Lashes ($25)
[UPDATE: I finally got rid of these.]
Well, sort of. I have some duplicate DVDs that I have purchased accidentally over the years and I’d like to get ride of them. I don’t have an EBay account so figured I would see if anyone is interested in them on my blog.
All you have to do is pay for the shipping which I have estimated to be around $3.00. I have a PayPal account and if you deposit $3.00 into my account I’ll ship the DVDs to you promptly. Of course, if you are family or friends, just let me know and I’ll give them to you.
>Reservoir Dogs – Ten Years Special Edition
>Minority Report – Widescreen
>Fargo – Special Edition
>The Sopranos – Complete Second Season (deposit $5.00 for shipping on this one)
>The Sopranos – Complete Third Season (deposit $5.00 for shipping on this one)
You can e-mail me at speindl@carolina.rr.com if you are interested and I’ll email you to get your information. By the way, I live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Today Show did a story today on the plastic bottles that we use everyday in our lives and how they can harm us and specifically which ones we should toss out. I finally got the website for the Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy to work and here is the IATP Report.
It is with great sadness that I write about my friend, Je
n Bunich, who passed away yesterday morning with a sudden illness. I did not know Jen as well as some of my other ’supper club’ friends but her death has been devastating to say the least.
Not only was she a talented woman, she was unbelieveably kind, she was funny, giving and beautiful inside and out. She leaves behind a 2 year old daughter, Claire, and a husband, Boris. She will be missed dearly. Her most recent passion was a blog site she started with her best friend, also named Jen called “Charlotte Smarty Pants”. It specializes in being a Mom in the Charlotte metropolitian area. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. My life will forever be changed by Jen.
Jennifer Lisman Bunich - Charlotte Observer Obiturary
Local Story of Jen in the Charlotte Observer – 2/24/08
Our friend, Keely, had a bachelorette party in Charleston, SC in October 2007. Jen was amazing – she planned the whole “big” night out and had all the props and party stuff ready to go. I thought “I” was organized – she was unreal. Yep, I was jealous of her planning skills. Here are some pictures from the weekend. http://listmaker.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/bachelorette-weekend/
So many Charlotte Smarty Pants readers have asked if they can contribute to Jen’s 2 1/2 year old daughter, Claire. Any contributions can be made to:
The Claire Bunich College Fund
c/o Charlotte Smarty Pants
P.O. Box 473862
Charlotte, North Carolina 28247
Here’s a really ridiculous cariature of us last year at the Renaissance Festival. I forgot I had this!
This is a funny post I found from my favorite website ~ it was posted by a male on what women say and what they really mean:
~I hope my HTB reads this~
FINE – This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
FIVE MINUTES – If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
NOTHING – This is the calm before the storm. This means “something,” and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with ‘Nothing’ usually end in “Fine.”
GO AHEAD – This is a dare, not permission. Don’t do it.
LOUD SIGH – This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over “Nothing.”
THAT’S OKAY – This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
THANKS – A woman is thanking you. Do not question it, just say you’re welcome.
WHATEVER – It’s a woman’s way of saying *!#@ YOU!
I almost did not post this, but thought it was too funny not to.
About a month ago, Lee (always concered for my well-being) decided to buy me some Yoga Toes. It’s a weird toe separator made of a jelly-like material that stretch your toes out to help cramping. And, as some of you know, I have some funky feet! You can’t really walk around in them, so sitting is best. Believe it or not, they really DO work! My toes and especially the bone under my big toe immediately feels much better when I put them on.
Just for an added laugh ~ here’s a picture
Lookie what I found – old pics from our trip to DC. I forgot I had them.
We can’t decide if we should register at a major department store ~ mainly for china. We just don’t see the point. We’ve gone over and over and over it. I know, I know, it’s the thing to do but everyone that we have asked has said both yea and nay.
Your thoughts?
How neat is this….
We finally got our new “King” size bed on Saturday! WhooHoo! We’re like 2 kids on Christmas morning. It’s so big~the picture does not do it justice. We moved our Queen size bed to the spare bdrm ~ now we can actually have guests.
This is my FIRST official post ~ aren’t you excited?? I am a little. I thought I’d check this out to see if it can be useful for my friends and family in lieu of my constant e-mail bombardment.
Happy blogging….until next time…
