Ultra repair, leave-in conditioner

Mother Nature gives us hair. Then Mother Nature throws sun and humidity at us, turning our crowning glory into brittle frizz.

yhst-88462588038071_2438_2005129030Enter Giovanni Eco Chic Cosmetics, the maker of 2chic Ultra Repair Leave-In Conditioning & Styling Elixir. It’s infused with blackberry, coconut milk, antioxidants and other ingredients that smooth away frizz and restore hair’s natural elasticity.

I put a review sample of Giovanni to the test on a recent weekend when I shampooed after a morning hike–and only an hour and a half before heading to an outdoor music festival. With no time to fuss with my tresses, I worked the conditioner through my hair before blasting it with the blower dryer.

Giovanni performed as promised. No frizz. My hair felt smooth, supple and strong, ready to take on Mother Nature. 2chic Ultra Repair is part of a line of shampoos, conditioners and hair masks formulated to revive and restore hair. You can find them at lots of retailers, including Ulta, Target and Whole Foods. Expect to pay about $9 for a four-ounce bottle of ultra repair.

Best things to buy in January

exercise-equipment-dubaiThe first month of the year is traditionally associated with White Sales.

But there are better bargains to be had than discounts on sheets and towels, says DealNews, a tracker of online retail.

January is the best month to flex your buying muscle for fitness equipment. That’s due, in part, to the boomlet of consumers who have vowed to exercise more in 2016. Gyms and fitness centers also are offering healthy savings on memberships. (And if your local gym isn’t advertising a deal, don’t sweat that detail. Be proactive and ask for a discount.)

Other opportunities to save include:

  • Jewelry and chocolates, the goodies most often associated with Valentine’s Day. After Feb. 1, the price of romance takes a seasonal spike.
  • Tax software. Early filers get their refunds sooner. They also get the best deals on software. (Make sure your package includes whatever you will need to file your state tax return.)
  • Holiday decorations. Christmas is so over and Santa’s helpers at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target and Pier 1 are marking down ornaments and other glittery goods up to 70 percent.

Lots of Ninja, less counter space

There is a seemingly endless supply of small appliances we can add to our arsenal of kitchen helpers. But which ones deserve a coveted place on the pantry shelf?

The Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System was designed based on customer feedback  asking for a juicer that can perform multiple functions and doesn’t take up a lot of counter space.

Ninja Blender

Ninja Blender

Enter Ninja, a compact system that attacks multiple chores like, well, a ninja warrior. It plows through ice, frozen veggies and even nuts as readily as it blends ripe fruit. Picture your blender after six months of working out three times a week with a personal trainer.

Sure, it’s great for making smoothies. And the Auto-iQ system takes the guesswork out of blending. But the Pro Compact does more, which makes it a great choice in kitchens where space is limited—or in a larger kitchen that already is maxed out on square footage.

A 40-ounce blend and prep bowl has a powerful blade that can be used for both chopping and mixing dough. (Holiday alert: It’s super for mixing cookie dough.) There’s also a 30-page recipe guide, plus two 24-ounce Nutri Ninja Tritan Cups with sip-and-seal lids and a 24-ounce stainless steel Nutri Ninja Cup with lid for energy drinks on the run.

An additional attachment allows you to grind coffee beans and spices.

You can find the Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System at Target, Kmart, Bed Bath and Beyond and other retailers. MSRP: $159.99.

 

An explosion of shopping for the 4th

Here’s the latest Shop Til You Drop, my column for the Courier-Post, the great South Jersey newspaper:

Warehouse stores and outdoor entertaining go together like hotdogs and mustard.

You can buy the fixings for your Fourth of July cookout, plus the gadgets and goodies you need to grill and serve the feast.

There’s a feeling of power, pushing that big cart around BJ’s Wholesale Club. Think of it as a tank. And you are about to conquer your shopping list.

lavarockmolcajeteThe first item into the cart is a large round planter brimming with red geraniums ($17.99) that will make a cheerful centerpiece. Then a Marie Callender’s cherry pie (for $2.99, we will let Marie wield the rolling pin), a gallon of vanilla ice cream and a 2-pound box of juicy blueberries ($6.99) for the red-white-and-blue dessert table.

You don’t have to knock yourself out grating carrots and cabbage to make coleslaw for a crowd. BJ’s has done the work for you, serving up three pounds of its private-label Wellesley Farms slaw for a mere $5.29.

Deviled eggs? Naturally. Let’s grab two dozen of Eggland’s Best for $4.39 and a two-jar pack of Hellman’s mayo for $7.29. With the money we are saving we can treat ourselves to strip steaks, priced at $9.99 a pound.

Infrastructure—the patio set, the big umbrella, the kiddie pool—is essential in outdoor entertaining. This season, I will beef up my barbecue with a Farberware digital instant-read thermometer ($14.99) and a pair of copper-topped torches on tall metal posts  ($12.99 each). A Norfolk 5-liter beverage dispenser ($17.99) allows guests to readily refill their ice tea glasses.

Each year, hosts in pursuit of the perfect soiree discover new products to trot out at splash parties, picnics and cookouts. Here are a few recent innovations:

 

  • The Cookina Barbecue Reusable Grilling Sheet is a high-tech alternative to aluminum foil. Place the non-stick sheet on the grill and toss on the burgers. The sheet is grooved to produce those coveted grill marks. It’s also great for veggies and shrimp, which tend to fall through a traditional grill. (Available at Home Depot for $14.99.)
  • Made by IMUSA, the Lava Rock Molcajete is a hefty mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock. It’s big enough for a fiesta-size batch of salsa or guacamole—and heavy enough to keep your table cloth from blowing away. (Sold at Macy’s for $59.99.)
  • If your cookout is a rainout, plug in the T-Fal OptiGrill. This gadget is equipped with a sensor that measures the thickness of the food and adjusts the cooking time accordingly. In addition to grilling, you can use it to defrost foods. The OptiGrill is outfitted with removable plates and a drip tray you can pop in the dishwasher. (Priced at $179.99 at BedBathandBeyond.com, target.com and other retailers.)

HOLD THAT LINE: Amazon’s Fire Phone is red hot. But it might be wise to play it cool and hold off on placing a preorder for the smartphone, which debuts on July 25.

Research by DealNews, which evaluates 2,000 online retailers, reveals that even the most popular Android technology phones typically are discounted up to 50 percent within three months of release. In a market sizzling with competition, odds are Fire Phone’s price will melt, too.

The Fire Phone is currently priced at $199-$649, depending on the service agreement with AT&T. Add an extra $100 for the 64GB model. Amazon is kicking in a free year of Amazon Prime membership, a $99 value.

 

Shop Til You Drop appears on Wednesday. Reach Eileen Smith at esmith@smithreports.com

 

 

 

A Sunbeam mixer for your honey

image037The way to a woman’s heart is through the appliance garage. Especially if you indulge her yearning for a coveted stand mixer, the must-have gadget in any stylish kitchen.

This Valentine’s Day, consider a Sunbeam Heritage Series Stand Mixer, a pretty powerhouse constructed of die-cast metal in a sleek retro design in bold, trendy colors. I like the cobalt blue best.  It looks like something that might have been on grandmother’s counter, at the ready to whip the cream for the rice pudding.

Sunbeam also serves up an appetizing price point, with an MSRP of $129.99, easily $100 less than Kitchen Aid.

Features include a 350-watt motor for effortless mixing at any of 12 variable-speed settings. Heavy-duty accessories are color-coded to make it easy to figure out which attachment goes where when you set up to make bread or cookie dough or whatever else is on the menu.

The mixer has a free-spinning bowl aligned slightly off-center to allow the cook to add ingredients while the mixer is working with minimal scrapping. A slow start feature prevents unfortunate splatter.  The mixer includes stainless steel beaters, dough hooks, and 4.6-quart bowl. In addition to cobalt, new colors include pink frosting, sea foam green, and tangerine tango.

You can buy Sunbeam at Target, Walmart, Sears and other retailers. And if you really want to wow your sweetheart, start a new tradition and volunteer to use the Heritage to mix her favorite dessert.

Want dinner in a hurry? Bring in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker pronto

Hey, we are sure in a hurry at this time of year. We work. We shop. We decorate. We take care our loved ones. We squeeze in as many parties as we can.

And, hey, are we ever hungry!

We need a hero, as in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker. This latest must-have in the arsenal of small appliances looks like a slow cooker, but it can do much more. In fact, it’s possible to make complete meals in 30 minutes flat with this one worker bee countertop appliance.

All you need to do is layer the main course, veggies, and pasta or rice inside the pot. The Ninja does the work, cooking evenly in half an hour. Time to ring the dinner bell!

The steam oven feature makes it easy to make healthy, low-fat fare.  The heated steam captures natural juices, while fat drips away.  What about dessert? Cupcakes, cakes and other sweets can be steam baked in the Ninja using half the butter or oil. Reminds me of the wonderful steaming that produces figgy pudding.

Ninja also helps to clean up. The cooker has both stovetop and slow-cook settings, allowing  cooks to sear and brown meats and vegetables before slow-cooking. No separate pan, no spattering  pot dirtying up your stovetop.

The Ninja makes a great Christmas gift for the foodie on your list. You also might want to press it into service on Christmas Day if you are hosting a large gathering and are making oodles of food. The cooker is a super supplement to your cooktop, ovens and microwave, producing a perfect roast or ham without fuss or muss.

Expect to pay about $160 for the Ninja. You will find it at such retail friends as Target, Macy’s, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and Sears.

 

Cyber Monday clicks with shoppers

Point, click, buy. On Cyber Monday, consumers take to the Internet to bag bargains.

So what are we buying? The top two most searched-for products today are the Kindle Fire and Ugg boots, according to Experian Marketing Services, a provider of digital marketing and analyzing consumer data for merchants.

The retailer most popular with online shoppers is Walmart. Best Buy is second, followed by     Amazon, Sears and Target,  Experian says.

Expect a spending frenzy from the fuzzy slipper set. IHS Global Insight predicts online holiday sales of $79 billion, compared to $67 billion last year.

Your shoes have a pal in KIWI

My dad’s big, wooden shoeshine kit always contained a few tins of KIWI. Dad was born in 1928 — and KIWI already had been around for more than 20 years, keeping shoes shined and supple since 1906.

This fall, I will keep my suede shoes and boots looking fit with KIWI Suede & Nubuck Protector. (Fashion watchers, I ask you: how come suede is in season in fall and winter, when there are lots of wet leaves and slushy streets to mar its lovely finish? ‘Tis one of the great mysteries of the Well-Dressed Universe.)

Thank goodness for this handy spray product. It’s a convenient cousin to KIWI Protect-All, which provides water and stain protection for leather and fabrics, typically the type you send to the dry cleaners.

(Mystery No. 2: Why are shoe products called Kiwi? Answer: Because the inventor’s wife hailed from New Zealand. This could come in handy if you are ever a Jeopardy! contestant.)

The suede and nubuck defender goes on clear. It does not darken the color of your footwear, handbags or gloves. Truly. And it is quite effective in shielding your pricey shoes and boots so that you can enjoy them for more than one season. But remember, no puddle jumping!

Hint: Apply KIWI well before you head to the Blizzard Ball. The process takes some time.

Here’s how to use it:

  • Position the can about 10 inches from your target.
  • Spray evenly over the surface. Use a light hand. Don’t saturate your Louis Vuitton bag.
  • Allow the finish to cure for 24 hours.
  • Apply a second light coat.
  • Reapply as needed, depending on wear and tear.

You can find the products at Walgreens, Walmart, Target and lots of other stores. Expect to pay about $7.49 per can.

 

Oster’s indispensable blender

There’s good reason why no bridal shower is complete without the gift of a blender.

A great blender is an indispensable element of Small Appliance Land, delivering smoothies for breakfast, pureed soups for lunch and sauces for dinner and dessert.

The Oster® Designed For Life™ Blender is workhorse, with 600 watts of power and reversing motor technology that delivers consistent results. That means there’s no clogging when blending, crushing, chopping and pureeing ingredients.

A 6-point star blade is super for chopping and crushing ice. This baby offers two pre-programmed settings with one-touch operation, plus five manual controls, including low, medium, max, low pulse and high pulse. The big 6-cup glass jar is thermal shock tested and can go straight from the daiquiri bar to the dishwasher. And the brushed stainless steel finish looks cool on the counter.

You can find Oster blenders at Target, Amazon and other stores. MSRP: $59.99.