Awhile back GOTG-er Laura Braeden wrote a piece on ribbon hair ties and declared a $3 ponytail holder “worth it!”

Since I have thick, unruly hair that I punish with miles and miles of running, hours of yoga and lots of heat styling I was willing to give them a try. But, I’m also frugal (to put it nicely). The hair ties work, but they’re so expensive I won’t wear them!

Enter my solution for almost anything – DIY. I’m the first to hate on Pinterest (all it does is remind me of the kids I don’t have, the meals I’m not cooking and the projects I’m not crafting) but when I saw a tutorial on how to DIY these… I had to try.

I ordered 6 yards of fabric off Etsy for $4.50 including shipping. I think you can get fold over elastic just about anywhere but this Etsy shop has tons of colors and I didn’t have to go to a scary fabric store. For $4.50 I got 6 yards of fabric– enough to make a ton of hair bands and headbands.

Here are the very complicated instructions. Cut 9-inch strips (cut at an angle to avoid fraying) and then tie a knot. No, seriously. That’s all you have to do. If you want to make a headband, go ahead and make a 20-inch loop. That’s it, that’s all. So let’s review the steps:

1.     Order elastic on Etsy.

2.     Grab scissors

3.     Cut 9-inch strips at an angle

4.     Tie knots

5.     That’s it.

The best part is you can adjust the size of the hair bands to fit your particular ponytail or head. Elastic headbands typically slip off my pinhead so I made mine smaller.

I’m happy to report not only can I deem these “worth it” but now they’re budget-conscious too!

I’ve had the same glasses for over six years now and it’s time for a change in eyewear. Not that they are bad, they’re just Tina Fey 2006. And the little designer logo on one of the ear pieces fell off, and while I know it’s not obvious to others, I might as well have a big coffee stain on my chest, it’s that obvious to me.

Too bad I can’t find anything I really like.

I’ve looked at the options in my optometrist’s office, but haven’t found anything I loved.

So, I thought I would try Warby Parker.

Warby Parker is an online eyewear retailer, founded by some East Coast WASP Ivy Leaguers or something like that. The company name, while pretentious is something I can’t totally argue with as the it comes from Jack Kerouac writings … which my dog Dharma Bum is also named from … so maybe I am the perfect demographic for this hip company?

Sadly, my face shape says no.

However, I still really like subjecting myself to Warby Parker’s standards because they provide some cool options for trying out their fashionable and trendy glasses.

One of my favorites is the “Home Try-On”  element. Pick out your five favorite pairs of glasses, click “+Add to Home Try-On” on the right side of the page, fill out the delivery info, and voila! A couple days later, you get a lovely display of frames to take for a test drive.

Just return the glasses within five days, and it’s completely free.

I’ve tried this option twice now. It’s really fun, actually. The problem is that I am picking the wrong heavy black frames, not because the glasses suck. Maybe some of the more practical, lighter weight or colored frames are probably a better fit, but I so desperately want to look like one of those stunning, effortless, and graceful hipster models with their long faces and even longer shiny hair.

The glasses sell for $95, but $95 is not going to successfully make me look like I stepped out of an American Apparel ad. Warby Parker glasses, with their dramatic round and square frames make me look like clunky Rachel Leigh Cook before she got the make-over in “She’s All That.”

Sigh.

Anyways, if you are interested in trying out Warby Parker frames and are nervous about the responsibility of returning five pairs of glasses within a business week, you can always test them out online. It’s not as fun, but “Virtual Try-On” positions a pair of frames on a photo of you, giving you an idea of what to expect without all the work.

If you are looking to try out new glasses, or have seen the ads and wanted to know more, I’d recommend trying out some of the many sample frames from Warby Parker.

Maybe your quest to find a new pair will come to end.

My search however continues.

What It Promises?

Two years ago, we visited the Psychic Faire with a healthy amount of skepticism – and boy were we pleasantly surprised!

Read about our first experience here, but basically 95 percent of what we were told came true…including the fact that Amelia’s boyfriend at the time (now husband) would propose within six months and that if Laura would find the courage to say good-bye to X and Y people, her life would become way less toxic and frustrating.

Once we realized how much of what they said had come true, we knew we had to go back for round 2 – and spin the psychic wheel of fortune again.

Reminder on how it works: Anyone can receive readings on everything from relationships to your career to past lives. Upon arrival, you choose how many readings you want (each reading is with a different trained healer) and then hang out in the waiting room until it’s your turn. When you’re called, you go into one of the semi-private rooms to receive your reading. You tell the healer what topics you’re most interested in and the fun begins! Readings last about 20 minutes (but they’ll keep going if they’re receiving a ton of information) and cost $15/per or 3 for $40.

GOTG’s Verdict?

Even though our favorite (Denise) no longer lives in Sacramento (and they wouldn’t give out her contact information, we asked), our readings were once again pretty accurate (we say “pretty accurate” because we’re waiting to see if some of the stuff they said comes true). Bottom line: We’d still advise anyone who’s curious to go check it out – as long as you have an open mind.

Jamie’s Take: 

I would give the psychic fair a mixed review. That’s because I saw two psychics, and I think one of them knew what she was doing – and the other one was kind of like Whoopi Goldberg’s character in Ghost (before Patrick Swayze entered the picture). I’ll admit, the whole thing was kind of odd, because there were only two or three rooms for at least a dozen psychics, so there were multiple readings going on in the same room, at the same time. In fact, at one point Laura and I were having simultaneous readings in the same room, but I tried my best not to eavesdrop. Anyhow, my first reading – with one of the same psychics that Laura had – was spot on. She knew that I was going through a transitional period in my love life, and she was even able to pinpoint a few things that no one else would know about my current romantic situation (in the interest of protecting the innocent, I will not elaborate further). Mostly, I appreciated the advice that she gave: you’re on the right track, and the road is going to be a bit bumpy, but things will work out for the best.

Then I had my second reading. It seemed promising at first – the woman was quite a bit older (age = wisdom, right?). She knew that I came from a large family, with lots of strong women (I have three older sisters, all of them very smart, successful and opinionated). She could tell that I was the youngest and that I looked up to them, but that I was overwhelmed by their presence at times. And she was right: anyone who has met my sisters knows that they’re a tough act to follow. She had some good advice in this regard – not to let their actions or advice influence me as much, but to follow my own path. Then things got weird. Specifically, she told me that in a past life, I was the ruler of a number of small countries or sovereignties.

Say what? Apparently, in this past life I had a great deal of responsibility, because there were so many subjects depending on me. As a result, I carry that burden on my shoulders to this day – even though I no longer have that responsibility. As a skeptic, the notion that that I’m the reincarnation of some long-deceased rule is a bit…much. But in a sense she was right – I often suffer from an overwhelming sense of guilt, as if I’m supposed to be doing something that I’m not. So maybe she was right after all….

Amelia’s Take: 

On our original visit to the psychic faire, I was told that I would be married to my boyfriend, we would have two kids and that I was at a “fork” in the road in my career. Two years later, I’m happy to report that I’m now married to that boyfriend, we don’t have any kids (yet) and my career is the same as it was two years ago.

The interesting thing about my visit this time is that I feel a lot more settled in my life, both professionally and personally. So when the psychic asked me what kind of reading I wanted, I had to stop and think: Do I have questions about my future? Do I have questions about my career? Do I want to know who my cat was in a past life? (yes, pets are one option for your readings). The answer to all of those was, no, I really don’t have many questions right now. Life is good!

This may have accounted for the rather light and boring readings I got this time around. I think a big part of visiting a psychic is to help you find answers or to work out some big issue that you may be struggling with. So if I didn’t have any big questions or concerns, the psychics didn’t really know what to do with me.

I definitely still had fun though. I asked for readings on my past life (I was a member of King Arthur’s court and had an affair with one of his knights!) and my career (maybe something artistic in my future?). Overall, it was a great experience to just check in with the psychics and reconfirm that I’m in a much more settled and content period of my life.

Laura’s Take:

I give it two (very enthusiastic) thumbs up again.

Like Jamie, I agree that the room layout is a bit odd – and it’s hard not to eavesdrop on someone else’s reading. And like Amelia, my life right is much…calmer than when we showed up two years ago so I wasn’t super surprised that there weren’t a ton of “truth bombs” for me. I’ve grown and healed and learned a lot… but there’s always room for growth so I was still anxious to hear what they had to say. I had two readings and asked the same questions during each session because I figured if they both said the same things, I could believe it more. And shockingly (or not?), that’s exactly what happened.

Both told me that for the first time in my life, I’m being selfish. Not in an evil/manipulative way, but that I’m taking time for myself to discover what I want, what I love and what sort of life I want to build. One said, “think Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride.” The other explained that I was returning to my child-like state of exploration…that as great as my parents were (and they are), I grew up in an environment where most of my actions, hobbies and decisions were based on what was expected of me – rather than what I really wanted. Well, that was dead-on because I grew up in the South – the land of expectations and keeping up with the Jones’s.

They both told me this journey of self-discovery would last another two years (BLERGH!!), but then I would settle into a state of inner calm and fulfillment. They also told me that I can be too empathetic and giving, which means I can get easily distracted and throw my excitement/focus into other people/projects rather than keeping it on me. One when so far as to say that no matter  what (or who – she literally said “no matter how cute and charming he is”), I must stay focused on me because this is my one chance in life to figure it all out. A pretty tall order, but  giant confirmation of what I’ve been feeling and experiencing since January.

Both also saw a new “friend” in my life. And I’m really not about to go into those details here, but again, they both had the exact same things to say about where he is in life, his true character, how he feels about me and our relationship’s dynamics (including the massive baggage we’re both still carrying around). What’s crazy is that within hours of the reading, I had several conversations/experiences where many of things they discussed manifested themselves… Which was total confirmation, because up until then, I was totally confused on a lot of the details they were telling me (i.e. I actually thought they were describing the wrong guy).

I also asked them if my move back to Sacramento was a good idea (I think it’s a GREAT idea, but it doesn’t hurt to get an unbiased opinion). One didn’t hesitate before blurting out “yes,” and the other looked totally confused. I repeated the question and she said, “No, I heard you. I’m just confused because I thought you already lived here. Bottom line, your heart and soul are here – your stuff just happens to be located somewhere else right now. Yes, yes, yes – move back here as soon as you can. Your energy matches up perfectly with the city’s vibrations. That’s why it’s your happy place.” SCORE. All in all, two good readings that helped confirm and connect more dots in my life.

Where You Can Find It:

• Sacramento BPI is located at 2018 19th Street.
• The next Psychic Fair & Healing Festival is this Saturday (11/17) and Sunday (11/18) from 1-6pm.
• Entry is free to all, and readings are $15/per or 3 for $40.

What It Promises?

Ever walk into your closet and think “I have nothing to wear…or at least nothing that hasn’t already been plastered all over Facebook?”

For those of us plagued with this “problem,” enter RentTheRunway.com – an online, shopping mecca of designer dresses for rent (ranging from Tibi and Lily Pulitzer to Herve Leger and Narcisco Rodriguez) ranging from $30 – $400 (!!).

How it works: Search their extensive inventory by color, shape, size and/or type of event, and “heart” your favorite choices for comparison. Once you’ve made your selection, simply choose the date for delivery (you can only rent the dresses for 4 days so plan accordingly) and wait for the mailman!

They also carry accessories (jewelry, wraps and handbags). Be sure to read the reviews – gals seem to be pretty honest, especially when it comes to fit and size.

GOTG’s Verdict?

Worth it…and not worth it.

RTR has been around for years – I’ve simply been looking for a good excuse to try it out. After an intense summer of weddings and bachelorette parties, Midtown Cocktail Week 2012 presented the perfect opportunity.

I rented (see below) a Halston dress (retails for $345, rented for $50) for the Grange party and Badgley & Mischka dress (retails for $325, rented for $50) and Lee Angel necklace (retails for $125, rented for $25) for the gala. After utilizing a promotional offer, I spent less than $100 on $795 worth of designer fashions (but remember, you don’t actually get to keep any of the loot).

Head/face edited out to protect the hungover on a Saturday morning.

The shipping (both ways) was free. Bonus? They send you an extra size for one dress per order.

They arrived right on-time, clean and wrinkle-free. It couldn’t be an easier process – wear the dresses and then throw them into the provided/labeled/addressed UPS envelope (no dry cleaning required). Both fit just like the reviews said they would, and I received compliments on both dresses.

Was it fun to get two new dresses that I’ll never see again? Sure. But could I have purchased equally cute dresses at our local boutiques for the same price or cheaper? Yes.

It’s fun and a novel concept, but I’m not sure I’ll ever do it again… maybe for the next black tie gala… but if you’re really into high-end designers (and don’t want/need to add them to your closet permanently), then definitely give RTR a try.

Where to Find It?

Online here - simply create a profile and start shopping!

And as always, read the fine print – there are charges for lost/damaged/late items.

What it promises:

The Dermologica MediBac Clearing Adult Acne Kit claims that “It’s the end of the line for adult acne.”

The kit contains Clearing Skin Wash, Sebum Clearing Masque, Clearing Mattifier, Overnight Clearing Gel, Concealing Spot Treatment, and Oil Control Lotion. Basically, a day and night regimen to rid us poor adult acne sufferers of those embarrassing breakouts.

GOTG verdict?

I must admit that my skin is acne prone – it’s like being a 16 year old girl except with the addition of fine wrinkles. I also have very sensitive skin with a slight allergy to benzoyl peroxide and I must say there are elements of this kit that majorly rock, but next time I’ll buy those pieces individually in the larger sizes.

For those of us who suffer from a little older, acne prone, sensitive skin, the pieces I loved were:

• Clearing Skin Wash – Gentle, refreshing and didn’t leave my skin dry and flaky
• Sebum Clearing Masque & Overnight Clearing Gel – Great before bedtime and made my skin feel squeaky clean. I used this every other night with the Overnight Clearing Gel and felt like I woke up with clearer skin when I used them both in combination.

…and the ones I would skip:

• Clearing Mattifier – Seemed to be a film over my face and did not combine well with moisturizer or make-up. I’d skip it and opt for a simple oil free lotion with SPF.
• Concealing Spot Treatment – Clearly Dermologica should not be in the business of creating makeup. This did not conceal and instead drew attention to the caked spot on your face as opposed to the actual blemish. I think I’ll stick with my MAC cover-up.
• Oil Control Lotion – Didn’t seem to make me any less oily than my cheapo Trader Joe’s fragrance-free face lotion.

Where To Find It?

• Ulta (Online or at 2100 Arden Way)
• Dermologica.com (Online)

What it Promises:

Ribbon hair ties are fancy-schmancy rubberbands that promise to not pull, tear or crease your hair. They’re pricier (range from .50-$1.00/each) than regular rubberbands ($4.52 for 100) and range in every color under the sun (including neutrals intended to match/blend into your hair color).

GOTG Verdict?

Totally worth it. My roomie and I tried them out (I have baby fine hair, and she has super-thick-My-Little-Pony-esque hair) for over a week, and we’re hooked.

Zero breakage or creases – even after workouts and a night of sleep, and they look better on your wrist than a regular rubber band.

Probably not the best choice for the budget-conscious GOTGer, but if you’re someone who has to run from yoga to meetings (etc), you should consider making the switch.

Where to Find It?

• Sephora: Neutral hair ties – 8 for $8
• ReStylista on Etsy: Huge assortment of colors – 4 for $5
• Madam Butterfly: Headbands (not hair ties but made out of the same material) – $72

Editor’s Note: We reached out to local boutiques to see who was selling them…so far, no hits. If you know of anyone, shoot us a note at girlsonthegrid AT gmail.com, and we’ll update the post ASAP.

What it promises:

NeriumAD Age-Defying Treatment is a night cream promises that to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture and aging or sun damaged skin. It’s a pretty easy nightly routine, after cleansing face immediately apply (2-4 pumps) to moist skin. In the morning just rinse the face. This product is paraben free which mean no chemicals, but it is full of nourishes ingredients for your skin such as nerium oleander leaf extract and the beneficial properties of aloe vera.

GOTG verdict?

This product is amazing, I used it for seven nights religiously and saw improvement within 3 days. My skin feels a lot smoother and even toned.

Even though it runs $110.00 for a 1 oz bottle it’s well worth it.

It will last you awhile (because you are only using 2-4 pumps a night), and if you have a moist face when applying it will go much further.

Where To Find It?

You can buy NeriumAD through Jessica Mulholland on her www.jbronwen.nerium.com, she is an independent brand partner.

Here are my before and after pictures, just 7 days!

Dear Jezebel.com, as a dedicated reader of your site, I read your recent Worth It column on WeLoveColors.com, checked out the site, purchased their products, and was inspired to write my own Worth It column on the same company, as well.

My apologies.

For those of you who don’t read Jezebel.com, you may not be familiar with WeLoveColors.com. So, continue reading.

As the Sacramento winter approaches, and my legs continue to lose all color (and let’s be honest, not worth it: shaving one’s legs), my use of tights, nylons, and fishnets increases. But I was getting tired of my options: black tights or nude nylons. I needed color and I needed variety.

I had scoured local stores and had not found anything I really wanted to buy.

After reading the Jezebel article on WeLoveColors, I found a lot of things I wanted to buy.

This site has over 50 solid colors to choose from – purple, kelly green, gold, and so much more! – as well as products in something called “splash color,” which I am not daring enough to wear. They also have different fabrics of tights – microfiber, nylon/lycra, and regular nylon. They have the same wide variety of color for their fishnets, which was fantastic. It’s so easy to find black fishnets, but what about brown? Or blue? Or pink?

In addition to the traditional pantyhose, they have leggings, thigh-highs, socks, gloves, shoelaces, active wear, leg warmers – and all with plus-size options.

So, I ordered a two pairs of micro-fiber tights, one in olive green and one in maroon, and two pairs of fishnets in brown and peach. Oh, and I ordered a pair of basic black tights on sale for $5. Never hurts.

Oh, did I also mention the prices are pretty good? The items I ordered were between $10 and $12.50, and shipping was cheap.

Additionally, they had items for men and children. (I immediately thought of one my favorite childhood movies, “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.”) The website shows pictures of men running around a playground in orange tights, so it appears there is a market out there beyond Ren Faire costume needs. (I found those photos to be kinda odd.)

The only downside is that their website needs a revamp. It could definitely use a new layout with better navigating, the photos are tiny and not very revealing of how great the products are, and the small icons of the different colors for tights could potentially be misleading of what they look like in reality. (They weren’t, but when ordering from the site for the first time, I was nervous.)

A few short days later, my envelope arrived. At first, I was concerned because the tights looked really tiny wrapped up in little balls. But once they were on my legs, sigh, it was love at first sight, wear? These tights are comfortable, of seeming high-quality, look fabulous – particularly the maroon (which I love more than the others), and are actually kind of thick, so they will keep my legs pretty warm. The peach fishnets on my blue-white legs have this bright nude hue to them, which is questionable fashion, but I still enjoy them.

(I’m also excited about the idea of layering fishnets on top of the colored tights. So many options!)

Also, these tights could be great stocking (haha, get it?!) stuffers for family members.

So, are the tights from WeLoveColors.com worth it? TOTALLY.

So, I had this dress. It was strapless, light blue and … floor-length. You probably have the same type of dress in your closet, you know, the kind you wore ONE day, took a thousand pictures in and now takes a ridiculous amount of space in your closet – despite the fact you know you will never wear it again in a million years.

If I attempted to be coy about saying whose wedding I wore this garb in, this would be a very boring blog post, so I’ll just be out with it: the dress was from my sister’s wedding. It wasn’t a bad dress, per say, it just wasn’t one I would have picked out for myself or would ever wear again. (See picture, see my face, second from the right)

But, it’s what she wanted; she wanted her bridesmaids to all have the same matching dresses, in line with the formality of the event, all in her favorite shade of blue: sky. She wanted ball gowns and she wanted sparkles. No harm done. As a bride, she has that right. We wore the dresses, looked like floating Greek muses, and smiled for the cameras.  My mother even offered, “You really could wear it again.” “Where? Where could I wear this again?” “Uh, I don’t really know.”

And up until recently, the dress just sat there in my closet, taking up more space than it deserved.

Then, I discovered NewlyMaid. Basically, what it does is take that pesky dress off of your hands and gives you credit for a new little black dress they sell on their site. “NewlyMaid accepts dresses from most manufacturers in the bridal industry including bridesmaids, mother of the bride, social occasion and prom dresses. The dress must be in good quality condition with no pulls, tears, stains or other blemishes. All zippers and clasps must be in good working order.”

So, that means if you spilled wine on yourself or got frisky with your date after the wedding to the detriment of your dress, you are out of luck. However, if your dress was like mine, nearly flawless (read: mellow, dry wedding), then fantastic.

Next, you “Create an account on NewlyMaid.com and order a pre-paid mailer to send in your old dress …” Then they send you a bag, you fold up your gown, and say “Hasta la vista ball gown!” place the gown in the bag, slap on the mailing sticker and then throw it in a FedEx drop box. You pay nothing to ship the first dress – if you have others you want to send in, you pay for the shipping.

(And don’t worry; your old gown will be put to good use. They will either take the fabric and donate it to Clothes4Souls, which brings shoes and apparel to people in need around the world, or it will be broken down to make more yarn.)

Then, you wait a couple of weeks. I was pretty nervous about my dress. I didn’t know how much it would go for. Especially since I couldn’t find a label on it telling me it was made by a major manufacturer. In the meantime, I checked out some of the dresses shown on the site. All of them are black, and apparently change by the season. They are all categorized “LBDs” and hit just about the knee. And apparently, some of the dresses are made from recycled fabric from other turned in gowns. 

When they sent me an email telling me it was approved, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. My little old ball gown was valued between $55 and $85. The dress’s value adjusts with each dress up for sale on the site. For example, the black sleeveless guipure lace dress with bateau neckline and low scoop back I chose sold for $200, but with my credit, the price dropped to $115. And then I took at little survey, and that got me 10% off … and then all of a sudden, my dress was priced at $83. 

And then I waited a couple more weeks.

Newlymaid Dress

When I finally was able to try my new NewlyMaid dress on, I found … it was a little too long … and the waistline needed some altering … and damnit, it felt like just another stupid bridesmaid dress I would have to spend more time and money on to make it wearable!

This is no cute little black dress. It’s dowdy and dusty-looking. As my husband said, “You could wear it for Halloween with a witch hat!” And it is a costly reminder of how much money I had already spent on my sister’s bridesmaid dress. And without alterations, it is just taking up space in my closet. (Perhaps I just chose the wrong dress from the website? Maybe the others fit better? I dunno …) 

Sigh, I guess there is no suitable replacement for a bridesmaid dress, and certainly no inexpensive substitutions. 

So, you ask, Is NewlyMaid worth it? In concept: yes. In reality: not really.

Every so often we find products here at GOTG that we can’t help but share about…TankEssential (www.tankessential.com) is definitely one of them.

This online company, as the name suggests, specializes in tank tops. So what’s the big deal you ask? Well these are not just any tank tops, their site allows you to actually design your own tank top customized to YOUR specifications. That’s right the days of buying poor quality, designed for the masses tanks are OVER thanks to Tank Essentials unique “Tank Builder.”  This cool online feature lets you choose your own strap size, neckline, level of support and length.  And, coming soon is an underwire option, which is awesome, especially for those who, unlike me, have some more to support.

I can tell you firsthand that I love the tank top I ordered from Tank Essential – it fits me well, puts everything in the right place (if you know what I mean) and has held up really well through many washes (a consequence of wearing it A LOT). If you think about it, we should pay more attention to things like tank tops, which are the foundation of many outfits, especially in the summer.

Extra bonus, Tank Essential is a Sacramento-based, woman-owned small business, very reasonably priced AND includes free shipping so you can shop guilt free(ish) while supporting local women.

Seriously what is there not to love!

I am by no means an expert on makeup. In fact, I’m quite the opposite. I am pretty clueless when it comes to beauty products. I am one of the people you will see staring at the wall of products, reading all of the products’ promises to look younger, more vibrant etc with little idea what will really work.

My biggest problem is that by the end of the day – regardless of the beauty products I use — I look disheveled with most of my makeup long gone. And with my job, I really do not have the time to reapply.

Then a couple of weeks ago, a friend and I were traveling on business and I met her at the airport in the early evening. When I got there I noticed her makeup was impeccable. It looked like she just put it on. She told me that she had put on her makeup early that morning and had not reapplied. This is when I first learned about TEMPTU AIRbrush Makeup System.   My friend told me that she just sprays it on and it stays on all day.

So I had to try it out.

I went to Sephora at the Roseville Galleria for a demonstration. Basically it’s a gun that comes with different “pods” that shoots out air and makeup simultaneously. The pods just slide into the gun for use. Sephora was great at demonstrating the product and determining what is the correct tone and colors that will work best on me.

Essentially there are three basic pods: foundation, blush and bronzer/highlighter. You just slide in the pod, press the on button and then shoot the gun pointed at your face. Air and makeup simultaneously are felt on your face.

For the foundation, you just shoot all over your face.  You can turn the machine to “more” so more can come out and quicker. It sprays evenly with no make-up lines. The blush is trickier. You will want to quickly and lightly shoot your cheekbones – too much leaves you with clown cheeks. And the bronzer you spray like you are spraying the number 3 on your face.

After the first couple of days, I notice that this actually is faster than my traditional makeup. It really only takes 5 minutes at most to spray all three pods.

Most importantly, the makeup really does stay on all day. And I noticed I felt more confident towards the end of the day – with little need to look in the mirror to survey the damage that has been done throughout the day.

Overall I would highly recommend this product.  The initial cost is a big pricey but you use less makeup so it should last me longer before I need to replace it. It is tricky to use at first but now it only takes me a few minutes to use and then I’m done for the day. Right now you can pick up the AIRbrush makeup system with all of the pods for $295 at Sephora.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to sky dive at SkyDance Skydiving in Davis. It’s a little off the grid, but well worth the 20-minute drive.  I can’t really say that throwing myself out of a plane was ever on my bucket list or something I planned to do but I sort of figure you only live once and why not?

We signed up for the 13,000 foot tandem skydive (middle of the road, apparently) which includes a 60-second free fall, the opportunity to pull your own rip cord and an instructional class. We arrived at 8:00 AM on a Saturday morning and I was slightly concerned that “SkyDance” appeared to be a modular home (aka trailer) in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of tattooed guys drinking red bull at a picnic table. Not reassuring.

Once we went inside, we paid and literally signed our lives and legal rights away on a scary 3-page waiver and started the instructional class. A very energetic and enthusiastic, outdoorsy woman named Gray talked us through arching our backs in the air, how to jump out, land and what the equipment all does. While I was initially extremely nervous, the class is incredibly reassuring. Did you know that parachutes have a computer on them that automatically deploys the backup if you’re going too fast or are too close to the ground? Because they do. So even if you pass out… you’ll be fine. Sort of.

Amy Thoma Suited Up

Once the class was over I headed into the hangar to meet my instructor. I expected some kind of stoner, beach bum, irresponsible crazy person but instead was greeted by a sweet man named Tim who is an IT consultant and studying at night to be a nurse. After he gave me a hug (apparently he could tell I was nervous) he informed me that he’s jumped out of a plane more than 3,500 times and enjoyed it every time. He couldn’t have been nicer and I instantly felt safe. We put on flight suits (really unattractive by the way) and got into the plane. 

Once I was in the air I figured there was no backing out and I may as well enjoy the ride. If I was going to plummet to my death I may as well have fun, right? We got up to 13,000 feet, headed to the edge of the plane (btw you sit and lean- you don’t jump) and away we went. Jumping really isn’t as scary as you’d think. I don’t enjoy jumping off rocks into the lake, hardcore mountain biking or base jumping but skydiving really does feel different. There’s no imminent danger so it affects the mind differently. It is extremely surreal. The freefall wasn’t really my cup of tea but after about 25 seconds I relaxed enough to breathe, check my altimeter, get my bearings and pull the ripcord. Thankfully the parachute opened and I enjoyed a 7-minute ride to earth.

Personally I found the freefall terrifying and I’m not sure I’d call it “fun.” It’s a cool experience but it’s also scary. However, the parachute ride is AWESOME. I could see all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Sacramento to the east, the Sutter Buttes to the north and the vast amounts of farmland that surround us. Flying with the parachute is the closest thing I’ll ever get to flying like Superman and it’s really fun- and before I knew it, time to land! I was surprised to find that I actually didn’t want the ride to end!

The landing was soft and easy and other than a bit of inner ear pain from the change in altitude, I felt great. It’s not painful, requires basically no strength and is surprisingly gentle.

Overall, skydiving is a great experience and one well worth it. Like I said, it’s not something I was ever particularly excited about but I’m really glad I went. Skydance in Davis is professional, clean, safe and a lot of fun. If you’re thinking about it, you should take the leap and do it!

“Do you love stylish, sexy jeans? Do you love soft, comfy pajama bottoms?”

That’s how it started … the infomercial for the second generation of Snuggie-era lazy clothes: Pajama Jeans. (Watch the infomercial here: https://www.pajamajeans.com/flare/next)

When I announced on Facebook that I had purchased not one, but accidentally two pairs of what I will refer hereafter as PJJ, friends were incredulous, outraged and intrigued. They wanted to know how soft they were, what they looked like and if I would really wear them out in public. And mostly, they wanted to know how I had so tragically fallen prey to strategically placed infomercials.

But I wasn’t able to answer most of those questions for over a month due to massive back-orders. After looking at the range of sizes – the extra-small being equal to a size 4 and the largest size being something along the lines of 34 extra large, I assumed these pants were largely attractive to lazy (like moi) or overweight women looking for non-jean jeans.

When I finally received my package of PJJ and the complimentary grey crew tee in the mail a month and a half later wrapped in a grey plastic bag, I immediately noticed the first fatal flaw: the pants are draw-string.

Model Showcasing Ashley's PJJs

I am, what I like to call myself, an unproportional hourglass shape. My thighs are the widest part of my body and I rely on that give button or elastic waist pants provide when sliding them up to my waist. As the PJJ lack both of these elements (despite the ad falsely showing “stretch”), putting them on is more of a battle than I thought they would be. And assuming my body type is not a-typical to many women out there, this design flaw could be make it or break it. There is almost no stretch around the waistline.

Once I was able to combat my thighs and bring the paints up to my waist, (the waistline fitting nicely in its appropriate position) I also noticed the legs are slightly too short. I am 5’5”, a fairly average height. But the cuffs of these boot-cut pants hit slightly above my ankle making them what we called in junior high school, “high-waters” and flared, at that. Wanting to avoid the eau d’ dork I knew so well in my early teens, I sought to bring them down to that magic ankle spot where the crease hits just right on the shoe tag  … thereby sagging the pants slightly, bringing the crotch to a very unattractive high mid-thigh position.

In essence, they made my legs look short and within seconds became the nightmarish MOM JEANS. (Insert cartoonish scream here.)

And that my friends, means they will never be worn out in public. I will not wear them out to a bar, I will not wear them traveling, I will not wear them exercising, and I will not wear them hanging out with friends, as the advertisement so enthusiastically recommends. Not even in my allergy-adled bed-ridden brain did I think I could crawl to the dog park in these horrendous looking pants. The Dog Park, people.

However, I will wear them in the privacy of my home.

Shortly after I received the PJJ, I had to stay home for a couple of days due to ill-health (which I later came to find out was just another sign of aging: the oncoming agony of allergies, blah). Once I was able to pull myself out of the NyQuil haze and brush my teeth, I took the PJJ out for a test drive.

It felt kind of nice to be at home and wearing something that didn’t look so much like sicky sweat pants (I don’t have $100 Lulu Lemon yoga pants like SOME people) but yet were comfy and soft on my unshaved legs.  The inside of the pants are reminiscent of nice sweat pants, which makes wearing them casually very easy. And trust me, these pants do look like jeans (albeit really ugly ones). They have the gold stitching down the legs, brass rivets, pockets, and the faux denim texture looks true to life.

(The ad says it has a “smooth butt lifting design” … I don’t even know what that means … the back pockets are large enough to conceal a bumpy butt?)

The pockets were definitely a nice addition when trudging around the house. None of my sweat pants or pajama bottoms features such a luxurious design element that allow me to carry around my blackberry and other assorted tools of the trade.

 So, you ask, are Pajama Jeans worth it?

Absolutely! Absolutely they are worth it if you are less than 5’3”, have slim thighs, like to hang around your house in comfy MOM jeans and never plan to wear them out in public. Absolutely, purchase Pajama Jeans … just don’t expect them to come in the mail any time soon.

What it promises:

Technically they don’t make any promises, but here’s the scoop: the Berkeley Psychic Institute of Sacramento (you’ve gotta love California!!) regularly holds “Psychic Fair & Healing Festivals” where anyone can receive readings on everything from relationships to your career to past lives.

Upon arrival, you choose how many readings you want (each reading is with a different trained healer) and then hang out in the waiting room until it’s your turn. When you’re called, you go into one of the semi-private rooms to receive your reading. You tell the healer what topics you’re most interested in and the fun begins! Readings last about 20 minutes (but they’ll keep going if they’re receiving a ton of information) and cost $15/per or 3 for $40.

GOTG’s verdict?

Amelia’s Take:Not that I am saying I believe in any of this, of course, but having my future read was a fascinating and unique experience. First, I had my aura cleansed (free of charge). This involved me sitting on a white plastic folding chair, my feet planted firmly on the ground and my hands laying on top of my thighs, while a psychic waved their hands around me and cleansed my aura from any foreign spirits or thoughts that may be impacting my aura’s fullest capacity. This took a few minutes (very silent, lots of hand moving), but after I had pictured a huge orange ball of sunshine coming down over my head (per instructions from the psychic), my aura was now 100% mine and open to the world.

Then, after paying $15 and looking over a list of topics that were available to discuss (love, career, money, past life), I went into another room to meet my first psychic. We sat directly across from one another on another set of white plastic folding chairs, and the topic was “my future.” She started off our reading by saying a short prayer (nothing anti-religious—it seemed more naturalistic/worldly), and then she closed her eyes and started yawning (going into a half-trance makes them sleepy). I then had to state my full name three times so she could locate my spirit and begin to read my future. Apparently, my spirit was a little hard to find because her reading was pretty vague. The main thing I learned was that soon I would be approaching a crossroads where I would need to choose a path. The first path would continue me on the path I am already on with my current career, or I could chose a second path which involved lots of colors and artistic activity. Maybe I would be running a florist shop, she said, or involved in an “omnimedia” business like Martha Stewart focused on the domestic arts. Other than that, she had nothing else to report.

I was done a good five minutes before Laura was and as I waited, I watched a few other visitors get their auras cleansed and one man get a tarot card reading. Laura came out beaming, describing this fantastic reading from a psychic named Denise that encompassed everything from future love life, future career to future family life. I felt jipped—I wanted Denise! So we went back inside for a second reading.

I paid another $15 and was escorted to another room where I sat in front of Denise and again said my names three times for her to locate my spirit. Denise was a very natural-looking, younger woman with a long braid and a friendly smile. She put her right hand up and began combing her fingers through the air, like she was searching through files or library books as she located answers to my future.

One of the best things about my reading with Denise is that she continuously emphasized that as humans we have free will, so everything she was telling me, I did not have to take solely at face value. She said she was that she was locating my spirit in my future. According to Denise, our spirits are somewhat like guardian angels that go before us in our lives to live out what we are supposed to be doing, and she was reporting back to me where she saw my spirit and whom it was with. She asked very basic questions of me: “What is your boyfriend’s name? What is your father’s name?” so she could locate their spirits and see how we may or may not have interacted in my future. Denise focused mainly on my personal life – my family, my boyfriend—and touched briefly on my career at the end of the reading.

Denise’s reading was crazy accurate. In fact, the whole experience with Denise was truly amazing and a little spooky, but I just went with it. Turns out my father and I were related in a past life and my boyfriend and I will end up getting married and having two kids (a boy and a girl) and I may end up doing something totally different with my career, such as becoming a director of a nonprofit or a stay-at-home mom.

The true test, of course, will come 10 or 20 years from now to see if what Denise had to say comes true. Regardless of that though, it was certainly a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon and an educational peek into the world of Sacramento psychics in midtown.

Laura’s Take: Like Amelia, I walked in with a healthy amount of skepticism while trying to keep an open mind. I’m more spiritual than religious, believe in psychic ability, love the movie Defending Your Life, etc, etc – but I also believe that 9 out of 10 times you can read any sign’s horoscope and have an “ah ha!” moment. But I guess more importantly, I’m in the “try-anything-once-camp” so the whole experience was a blast. Like Amelia, I received an aura cleansing (good thing it was free, didn’t feel any cleaner afterwards) and received two readings…

The first reading – with Denise – was extremely spooky (goose bumps twice) because she was about 95% accurate. I leave 5% as a question mark because she predicted a few things that have yet to come true. Like the first, she didn’t ask for any prompting (to me that makes it more credible, don’t ask me why) except for names. I asked her for a general reading – whatever popped out at her first.

I won’t go into super detail (A-because it’s personal and B-because I’m not sure if that jinxes anything), but she accurately described my career ambitions,  skills and frustrations. She said that my career was like a long staircase and that as soon as I took one step, I was already looking ahead to the next one. She also said my biggest obstacle to work/life balance happiness was finding a job that allowed me the right amount of freedom to be inspired and creative. So far so good…

She then went into my love life…which I’m really not about to get into except to say that she was dead-on when it came to identifying personalities, complexities and relationship dynamics. And she got really specific…

For example, she said that guy X and I were soul mates and had been spouses in a previous life. But that I had died suddenly/tragically, and he never got over me (poor chap). Her point was that baggage can spill over into our present lives, complicating relationship dynamics in ways we can’t quite always grasp. In this particular case, he doesn’t believe that he deserves me (in this life) because he still feels traumatized/responsible for how I died (in our last life together). Assuming you believe in reincarnation, past lives and soul mates – and you’re familiar with our relationship – it makes a lot of sense.

One of my favorite parts was at the end… Right before I left, she casually said, “oh wait, you also have three baby spirits: two boys and a girl.” I have three baby what?? As a single gal who might want kids one day, I was a bit confused. She said (paraphrasing) three spirits had chosen me as their mom, but it was up to me whether or not to have all three in this lifetime. I forgot to ask if three was a good sign (heck, why hadn’t 12 picked me? Did the octo-mom have eight fighting over her?), but it was spooky because I’ve always said I wanted either three boys or two boys and a little girl. Hmmmm…

The second reading focused on my past lives.  I was told that I had a lot of them so she was going to tap into two “scenes,” which would directly relate to stuff going on in my present life. She didn’t ask for any prompting (career, relationship status, etc), she simply “cleared the air” and got right to work. The reading was about 60-70% right, but to be honest I was more amused that she said I had been a wealthy 19th Century socialite who went to a lot of balls (fingers crossed that I was Georgiana Cavendish) and a really unhappy, upper-class housewife in the 40-50′s (no shock there).

But again, she said the point wasn’t about the specifics of who you were but the impressions the scenes gave her (tied to your wellbeing, emotions, etc) – and how they tied to your present life. So for the first scene, it (loosely) meant that I have everything I need within to create whatever type of life I need/want – I’ve done it before (this particular past life), and I can do it again. And for the second scene, it (loosely) meant that I have to find the courage to break ties with people that I love/feel loyalty to who aren’t healthy/positive in my life. I found a lot of truth in the second reading, but admit it could be applied to a lot of people. The spooky part is that almost all of the topics/themes were ones that I had been recently contemplating.

My bottom line is that I walked out of the place feeling lighter and (strangely) more confident in myself. I had fun and would definitely go back. To be fair, 80% of what they said was positive. I’d like to think that my review would be the same even if they told me a lot of bad news…but I’m not sure.

Where you can find it:

Sacramento BPI is located at 2018 19th Street. Their next Psychic Fair & Healing Festival is this Saturday (11/20) and Sunday (11/21) from 1-6pm. Entry is free to all, and readings are $15/per or 3 for $40.

BONUS TIP:

Ask for Denise – we both had readings from her, and she was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Your experience ultimately depends on your attitude – and who you get assigned too. So we suggest going ahead and paying the $40 for 3 readings. Have fun – let us know how it goes!

What it promises:

You’ve seen the TV ads – SKETCHERS Shape-ups® promises to help you lose weight and firm up your legs and butt.

Shape-ups® claim major benefits can include:
• More toned and strengthened leg, back, butt and abdominal muscles;
• Reduced body fat;
• Improved circulation, aerobic conditioning and exercise tolerance; and
• Improved posture, relieving muscle tension and back/joint problems.

How It Works:

According to the website (www.skechers.com/info/shape_ups), “Shape-ups® feature a unique soft kinetic wedge insert and dynamic rolling bottom to simulate walking on soft sand. As you walk, you will feel your heel sink to the ground as you step, roll forward as your weight shifts to its center and push off with your toes. This movement promises to result in stronger leg, butt, back and abdominal muscles as you stabilize your steps.”

There are several brands, such as Reebok Easytone and MBT shoes, that are similar to SKETCHERS Shape-ups®, but after some research and reading many reviews, it appeared to me that Shape-ups® were the best choice in both results and price. So, I bought a pair to test out whether these shoes really will make a difference.

GOTG’s verdict?

Mixed. I wore the shoes while running errands, going for walks and even a few Fridays at work. At first I did feel a little self-conscious wearing these bulky shoes, and sometimes people stared. And since the shoes are so noticeable, some actually asked if I was wearing Shape-ups®. Unfortunately, I could not wear these shoes very often during the work week – they don’t exactly work for business attire.

On the days that I did walk around in the shoes for several hours, I noticed my legs and abs felt like they did got some sort of a workout. So I think they do have some limited positive effect. But the bottom line is that I didn’t notice firmer legs or butt, and I definitely did not lose weight.

For a busy woman’s schedule, these shoes can help with a little multi-tasking. I figure if I’m running errands, it doesn’t hurt to wear these shoes and get a little mini work-out for my legs, butt and abs. Every little bit helps! For me, wearing these shoes won’t make a major difference and can’t replace regular work-outs and a nutritious diet. (Bummer!) But for people who are on their feet a majority of the day (like nurses or moms), I can see how these shoes may make a bigger difference.

The Look:

Shape-ups® are not the most attractive shoe. They look like oversized nurse shoes with three inch think soles. There are three basic styles of Shape-ups® with many different looks and colors: basic gym-style with laces; mary Jane style; and sandals.

I chose the black Mary Jane’s which I think are the most versatile and attractive of the bunch.

Cost:

$100-$120

Where to Purchase:

• Macy’s
• Nordstrom’s
• SKETCHERS stores
• Many other local athletic shoe stores

What it promises:

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate ($42.00) promises: One night. Two drops. Younger-looking skin by morning. The potent 99.8% naturally-derived and paraben-free botanical elixir works all night to regenerate, repair and replenish the skin barrier for younger-looking skin by morning.

Enriched with Squalane, a botanical lipid similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids, Evening Primrose Oil, rich in Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Essential Oils including Lavender, our formula provides a boost of intensive moisture to depleted skin. These natural oils instantly penetrate the skin surface to help replenish it.

This recovery concentrate works at night when skin is most receptive to repairing itself from daily aggressors. With skin hydrated, supple and soft, rest assured you can say goodnight to tired-looking skin.

GOTG’s verdict?

An enthusiastic thumbs up. This item has been all over the blogosphere and for good reason. After only 3 days, I noticed a huge difference. My skin felt like velvet, and it had a fresh glow in the morning.

Definitely follow their instructions  – you only need 2-3 drops, anymore than that and you’ll look like you fell into a vat of baby oil. I have combination skin, and it didn’t cause any breakouts. Unless you have super oily skin, I would advise anyone to buy it!

The lady at Kiehl’s said that one bottle should last approximately 16 months, which also makes it a heck of a good buy.

Where you can find it:

Kiehls.com carries it (shipping is reasonable and you get to choose 3 free samples). Or you can buy it at Bloomingdale’s or Neiman Marcus in San Francisco. Sadly, no one carries it in Sacramento (if I’m wrong on this, please let me know ASAP!).

BONUS TIP:

Add a few drops to your regular body lotion – it totally works!

EDITOR’s NOTE: Worth It? is a new, regular feature on Girls on the Grid where we give our HONEST opinions on the latest products. Wondering if the “Bump It” will make you look Kardashian-tastic? Or if Philosophy’s “MiracleWorker” is all that miraculous? Just ask us – we’ll gladly be your guinea pigs. And if you’d like to submit your own review, please do so at girlsonthegrid AT gmail DOT com.