Chanel Within Reach

When most people think of Chanel, the first thing they think is "Expensive" or "Out of reach." And expensive doesn't always mean better. But I have always loved Chanel. Of course, most of the Chanel line (especially the clothes) are not anywhere near affordable. But Chanel has other products that are a lot more affordable, like their beauty and perfume products. Here are some of the products that I have tried (also some lip products that I didn't include in the photo).

The Vitalumière Aqua Foundation is expensive. $45 expensive. And in general, I think many cosmetics are obviously over priced and not necessarily worth the splurge. But the Vitalumière Aqua Foundation is absolutely an exception! It is the best foundation I have ever tried. Of course, foundation favorites are very personal since we all have different skin types, issues, needs and color. I have pretty oily, sensitive skin. For me, this foundation is perfect. It has a light feel, but always covers just enough. Though it retails for $45, which is a lot considering you can buy foundation for as little as $5, but it lasts a very long time (around 1 year for me--I know, I probably shouldn't keep it this long), has good ingredients, and it makes me happy every time I reach for the pretty black Chanel top. I think it's definitely worthy of a splurge!  As I'm getting older, I don't mind investing in quality products that are applied to my face. I don't really like the eye shadows, blushes or pencils to the point of being worth the splurge. There's definitely better products for a lot less.

I also own 2 Chanel Brushes that are definitely nice and I enjoy using. But I'm not in a hurry to go buy a bunch more. I do really like the lip glosses. Again, it's one of those products that make me feel a little glamorous when I apply it. Sometimes small, insignificant things like this can make you feel just a bit happier.

The Chanel skin care products are fantastic and my favorite part of the Chanel line. I have had the Le Blanc Foam Cleanser for over a year and I have noticed that my skin stays nice and clear. It's supposed to lighten your skin, but I have not noticed any difference. With a pea sized amount that foams up nicely you can cleanse your whole face. It retails for $60 and worth it, in my opinion.

I also absolutely LOVE every Chanel moisturizer! They smell fantastic and do improve the look and feel of my skin, but these are extremely expensive ($87-$390) for how little they last. I also have a toner, but since I usually don't have time to put it on, I will not repurchase it. If you do use a toner, the ones from Chanel smell fantastic, like everything from Chanel, and feel great on your skin.

Lastly, fragrance. This of course is up to personal taste, but Chanel Chance ($120 for 3.4 oz, young floral notes merge with sensual, sweet and spicy elements) is one of my favorites and I want to purchase Chance Eau Tendre ($120 for 5 oz, delicate and airy vibrant notes with an intoxicatingly light, fruity trail).

Every wonder what the difference between Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum is? They are the same smell, the only difference is that Eau de Parfum is more concentrated and lasts longer on your skin than Eau de Toilette. Chance Eau Tendre is only available as Eau de Toilette whereas Chance comes in both Eau do Toilette and Eau de Parfum.

Finally, I would also love to have someone explain why Chanel #5 is still in existence and why anyone aside from old ladies who have lost their since of smell would buy it. It's a complete mystery to me!

In general, I think the Chanel skincare products are some of the best ever and I know that they do spend a lot of time and money on research. If you want to pamper your skin (and nose), give Chanel a try. The makeup, in my opinion, is good but more of a luxury that can boost your mood than a truly great product.

Get 100 photo prints for just $3

I recently discovered GrooveBook while watching Shark Tank. It's a monthly subscription service that allows you to pick up to 100 photos from your phone or iPad to be printed and bound in a tear sheet book for $2.99 (including shopping, and that is not a typo)!

GrooveBook is very simple to use. First you download the app, then select your pictures by clicking on them and then hit the upload button. In a couple of weeks you will receive your book in the mail.

What I like so much about it, is that you have all of the pictures neatly bound in a book ready to be torn out to put in frames, give to friends, or scrapbook with. Usually when I have photos printed from stores like Target or anywhere, I only print around 20 photos at a time because it's not cheap at $0.20 per print. At Target, $3 will buy you 15 photos. At GrooveBook, $3 will buy you 100 photos.

With GrooveBook, you can just flip through to find what you are looking for. The quality of the photo paper is not the best, I don't think it is archive quality like you would find at Target.  Also since you are printing photos from your phone, they are sometimes not the sharpest images. Although, this might have to do more with the fact that I'm not the best phone photographer rather than it being a poor service.

I love receiving things in the mail, so for $2.99, it's a great  service to look forward to every month. It's always fun to flip through 100 photos of my 2 kids and adorable Pom. I definitely would recommend you give it a try, and if you are not satisfied it's really easy to cancel. If you are interested, here is a coupon code for a free book: RENTERIA38. Here is there website for more info: www.GrooveBook.com

Light as Air Peanut Butter

I never really liked peanut butter until I was recovering from my C-section. During recovery I was only allowed a few crackers, peanut butter and small sips of water. I hadn't had any food the whole day, so I devoured the crackers and couldn't get enough peanut butter.

When I came home, I had my husband buy me peanut butter so I could keep indulging in my new obsession. The weird thing was that I still didn't really like peanut butter, but like Proust's madeleine cookies from "In Search of Lost Time," it takes me back to the first days of my baby's life.

I recently discovered Jif Whips, literally fluffy peanut butter and it's amazing! Beyond light as air peanut butter that doesn't stick to your knife while spreading, it also doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth! If I were a peanut butter lover, I think it might even make a good substitute for frosting. Imagine a fluffy cupcake topped with jet puffed peanut butter. Yummmmm. If you have any fondness for peanut butter, you should give this a try and report your findings.