1. Keurig Cappuccino, Latte and Coffee Maker-This is what we have at the beach house. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the lattes and cappuccinos turned out. I've found Keurig coffee to be too weak in the past, but the cappuccino/latte option solves that problem by making it stronger. It also has a built-in frother that's so easy to use.
2. Ninja Foodi-We use ours almost daily. Many of our recipes call for an instant pot and we had always wanted to try an air fryer. This is an air fryer, pressure cooker/instant pot, and slow cooker in one so I decided to try it. The kids love the air fryer option for really crispy chicken tenders, buffalo wings and fries. It's so easy they even make it themselves. I really like the sear option. Have you noticed that slow cookers turn food into mush that ends up tasting the same no matter if it's chicken or beef? The sear option before you turn on the slow cooker prevents that from happening.
3. Lavish Lash-This isn't my first attempt at a lash serum. I spent about $100 for Neulash because beauty bloggers were raving about it. I saw a little improvement, but my lashes grew in uneven and started falling out if I skipped even a day of using it. I decided to try Lavish Lash because of the reviews and it's under $30. I noticed they were about 30% longer within two weeks. My husband even commented on it so I knew it was working. However, they didn't grow much more after that and did not increase in volume so you won't get the eyelash extension look. Of course I think everyone has a different experience with lash serums. Some of the reviewers photos are really dramatic.
4. Eyebrow/Face Shavers-This would be a great stocking stuffer. I bought these because reviewers were saying it helps remove dead skin for a smoother complexion. I did not really notice a difference, but I do like that it removes the peach fuzz you can only see in bright light.
5. Mellanni Sheets-I've seen these on gift guides everywhere and the price can't be beat. I have to admit I was not impressed when I first opened the package because they seemed so thin. However, after sleeping on them I realized they really are comfortable and have held up great after so many washes. They don't get nearly as wrinkled as my more expensive sheets either. I ended up ordering a second set for me and bought my oldest son a set too.
6. Echo Show-We loved our dot so much for turning on the speakers in our house, setting timers in the kitchen, adding to the grocery store list, getting the weather and the kids asking Alexa random questions. Aidan asks Alexa to bark like a dog "to send Mario over the edge." Now, it has a video function! We bought one for our kitchen to pull up recipes online instead of using our phones. You can also stream videos. Lately, I've been asking Alexa to play Christmas music of course. It would also be a great bedside clock, but we use our display for rotating family photos instead.
7. Charger Stand for Phones-How did I not know these existed? They even have ones that charge your phone, AirPods, and watch. I didn't want that big of a station on my nightstand so this is the one I bought because I can put it behind my decor and still see it from my bed. The best part is that I don't have to find the cord and plug it in. I just plop it right on the stand and it makes a little noise to tell you it's charging.
8. AirPods-Not earth shattering I know. My kids love them of course. I didn't give them too much thought until I realized that you can also have these on the find my iPhone app. I can't tell you how many times that's saved the kids from losing them. I finally got myself a pair because I realized I could talk on the phone hands-free. I workout, clean, do laundry, etc while talking on the phone so this makes it much easier.
9. Silk Pillowcase-I finally bought one after hearing about less bed head and good for your skin/sleep wrinkles. I was not about to spend $100 on the Slip pillowcase without being sure it worked so I bought this brand that's also 100% mulberry silk for much less. It does help somewhat with bedhead when I don't put my hair in a bun and sleep wrinkles are decreased (not completely gone). Sleeping on your back is free and the only thing that will really work. Honestly, I just like it because it just feels so good to sleep on. A regular pillow just feels so rough now.
10. Silk Hair Scrunchies-I wore scrunchies as a kid in the early 90s and I did not want to go back to that trend! I do have long hair that gets tangled while sleeping and I look downright crazy in the mornings. After hearing that sleeping with my hair in a bun with a silk scrunchie will help I decided to give it a try. It works! My hair looks almost as good when I take it out of the bun in morning as I did when I went to sleep. Regular hair bands don't work because they give me a headache and leave dents in my hair. I actually use them while working out too so I don't have to flat iron the dents out of my hair from regular bands afterwards. I do hide the scrunchie though by making my bun a bit bigger to overlap it.
11. Collagen Chest Pad for Wrinkles-I don't know if the collagen is actually helping or if it's just the pad preventing the wrinkles. I do know that I have zero wrinkles on my chest when I wake up in the morning when I use this. Again, sleeping on my back would be a free way to prevent sleep wrinkles that will eventually turn permanent. Sometimes I can only get comfortable on my side and sleep wins over wrinkles. This is a must if you're a side sleeper!
12. Portable Phone Charger-Anyone have teens that live permanently on 1% battery life? I shouldn't throw stones because I've been in a situation where my phone wasn't charged any times. Anyway, this one is inexpensive, small for handbags and backpacks, and has dual ports. The kids can also charge their AirPods or even share it (won't happen, just buy another one).
