Name Brand Versus Store Brand, Part 1

For the last few years, I've been on a bit of a Suze Orman kick. It sure does suck when times are lean, so it's nice to have some money-saving strategies to prevent sleep loss (sleep loss results in darker undereye circles, which means you have to spend more money on concealer...you get my drift).

A few months ago, I started a personal "Name Brand Versus Store Brand" campaign, an effort to learn what products are worth springing some extra dough on, and where a few pennies can be pinched. So far, the results have been interesting. While I have tested many different items, I'm only going over a few.

Comparison 1:
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese vs. Hill Country Fare Macaroni & Cheese (from HEB)

Macaroni & cheese is a prime example of nitrates at their tastiest. Face it, boxed mac & cheese is a guilty pleasure that we can indulge in once in a while. Granted, some of the vegan lines have produced healthier versions of this fine fare, but I'm not talking about any of that stuff. Anyway, Hill Country Fare is around $.20 less than the Kraft brand, margarine and milk are added in the same quantities, and the tastes and textures are the same. Since I tend to purchase four boxes at a time, I'm sticking with the Hill Country Fare. FYI, I also tried Market Pantry (from Target) mac & cheese and was equally impressed.

Comparison 2:
Oreo Double-Stuff sandwhich cookies vs. Market Pantry Cookies n' Double Cream (from Target)

If you're grabbing Double Stuff Oreos from the shelf, odds are you want some extra cream between your crispy cookies (is my mind alone in the gutter, or did that sound naughty?). Anyway, Market Pantry's crisp cookie and creamy center (*sigh*) compare in both taste and texture to the name brand; however, Market Pantry skimps on the creamy center. It's pretty much like a regular sandwich cookie. Since I'm a cookie twister, I look for that extra cream. So in this case, I'm going to have to side with the Oreos. It's a shame, since Market Pantry sandwich cookies are just $1.99/package.

Comparison 3:
Neutrogena The Sensual Moisturizer Body Oil vs. Hill Country Essentials Body Oil (from HEB)

With a price difference of over a dollar for an entire product, this was worth looking into. The ingredient lists are identical, although I'm sure the proportions of said ingredients are different. In HEB, I unscrewed both caps and took a sniff of each oil. I've always liked the smell of the Neutrogena oil, and while the Hill Country oil had a similar smell, there was something about it that was...weird. I couldn't quite figure it out, maybe the smell is stronger or more floral, and I'm still unsure. I bought it anyway, thinking that if it sucked, I'd simply return it. Sesame oil has decent moisturizing benefits and it doesn't clog pores.

I keep the oil in my gym bag and use it after "Shower, Pt. 1" (more on that some other time, but I really do call it that) while my skin is still damp, then head into the steam room. (Yes, I know I shouldn't use products in the steam room. I guess I am a little naughty. No present from Santa for me.) Without the Neutrogena oil at the ready for a comparison, I could no longer distinguish the difference in smell between the two products. The Hill Country oil works just as effectively as the the Neutrogena, too. Both products fall into that a-little-goes-a-long-way category, so for the savings, I'm going to stick with the Hill Country stuff.

There are a few things that I simply won't compromise, regardless of savings.

• Q-Tips (My husband is no longer allowed to buy cotton swabs because twice he bought store brand instead of J & J, as I requested. Other brands are simply sticks with a little fuzz attached to the ends.)
• Aquaphor (This stuff is so good for keeping skin nice when the weather suddenly shifts. Plus, it moisturizes lips and keeps tattoos nice.)
• Tampons (Reasons are obvious. I do some strange things that may embarrass the average adult, but even returning unused tampons to the store because they're terrible is beyond my scope.)

NOTE: All products mentioned in this post were purchased by my family with our money. We do not represent any of the companies listed; we were not sent free products by said companies; we are in no way compensated for this blog post. All opinions expressed in this blog post are honest the sole property of me.

From Me to My Blog

It's not like I don't want to blog. My problem is that my SD slot is still busted, and I cannot find the software for this computer. The inability to post pictures just sucks my blogging mojo. However, I'm going to make do for the time being. It's time to woman up and quit whining.

Last month, my neighbor and I made a run out to Fredericksburg and of course, when in Fredericksburg, I like to stop by Stonehill Spinning, LTD. When you step onto their little wooden porch and grasp the doorknob, you just know that good things and kind people await on the other side of the door. They certainly did not disappoint. I scored a skein of fingering-weight Yummy by Fibranatura (distributed by Universal Yarns). This stuff is, in fact, quite yummy. If I may be so bold, I would compare it to Socks That Rock, in that the colorways are outside-the-box and the texture and ply are agreeable with almost any pattern. I could pet this stuff all day--I really can.

Today, my wee-est one and I headed to Ulta to pick up some much-needed basics. I spotted Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain, and after reading user raves, I figured I would give it a try. I had read that not only does the product impart long-lasting color, but it actually moisturizes the lips, which no other lip stain does. Sounds good, right? I tried the Plum Pout which is actually pretty, but it made me look like an Asian hooker. Even though that's not the look I'm going for, it didn't look bad. After allowing the lipstain to dry for around three minutes--during which, my lips started to feel like they were shriveling and not bathing in moisturizing luxury-- I started eating lunch--a Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki flatbread sandwich from Subway. When I wiped my mouth, I noticed some of the lipstain on the napkin. Hmm... After lunch, I did a lip check and found that I no longer resembled a Tokyo prostitute, I looked like a crazy old Asian woman with a ring of worn off lipstick around my mouth. To make matters worse, nothing would remove the ring. I even tried using some of the leftover sweet onion sauce, but was unsuccessful. Good thing I was still a few doors down from the store and could return it (as long as you have your receipt, Ulta is cool about returns). Too bad I still had to stop by Costco, the vet's office, and CVS before going home. *sigh* (See note below.)

At a fairly recent SnB, one of the grrls, Courtney, recommended Kiehl's Abyssine Creme. She has sensitive skin and reported that even though the cream initially "burned" her skin, she is used to it and it no longer has that effect. On a trip to Target, I scored the last jar of said cream on the shelf. Score! I used Retin-A for years, so it's amazing that I have any skin left. However, that which didn't kill my skin, only made it stronger, I suppose, so even though my skin gives me crap with large pores and breakouts, it isn't sensitive. Anyway, I added this cream to my usual routine and I'm loving it. It doesn't burn my skin at all, but it helps even out my tone and is helping me get rid of the spots around my eyes. So worth the dough. If you decide to try it for yourself, please keep in mind that you'll need to add sunscreen to your regimen. Wait a second, you should be using sunscreen anyway!

So even though the lipstain was a bust, I did score in the yarn and skin cream departments. I'm still on a strict yarn diet (my neighbor paid for the Yummy, so that didn't count ;). I'm always on the prowl for the perfect lip products, so when I find them, they'll go from my lips to this blog.

Note: I mean no disrespect to Cover Girl. Their Lash Blast Mascara deserves some major kudos for giving lashes volume and length. However, I'm sharing my experience with a particular product, not posting Bible truth.