*Image above of supermodel Adut Akech Bior, looking impossibly chic while possibly pausing to lock in an Amazon Prime deal, which today includes a discount on the Apple Airpods she’s wearing above.
**ED NOTE: This post has been updated on October 14th to remove items sold out or no longer available as a deal.
Mainly, I’m here to say that my beloved Revlon One-Step Volumizer and Dryer is on sale for all-time low of $29. You can read a full review here, but — hand to the heavens — I swear it has been one of my chief coping tools throughout this pandemic: I always have beautifully blow-dried hair on its account. I will be buried with this thing. Ha!
The BEST curling iron is also on sale at Target for $27. It comes in different barrel sizes (and I own several), but I like the 1.5″ for the beachy waves I usually use the iron to achieve. My mother turned me onto this brand when I was in my teens and I have owned my curling irons now for TWENTY YEARS and they never fail. They heat up quickly, are easy to maneuver, and just work forever.
And speaking of hair care, I also added one of their Pantene Pro V shampoo and conditioner bundles to my cart — extra 25% off!!! I love Pantene Pro V. It is my second favorite haircare brand behind Oribe (which is $$$$, but the Gold Lust Repair formula is currently on sale as a part of Amazon’s Prime Day!; I haven’t tried this formula but I’ve tried several others and especially like their “Magnificent Volume” collection). So I often toggle between using fancy Oribe (which smells like heaven) and Pantene Pro V to assuage my guilt — ha! Anyhow, added this set to my cart to keep in our linen closet. Can’t resist the discount.
Target also has some toys and games on sale for 25% off: I just bought mini this Hungry Hippo game for Christmas, kinetic sand is a fun idea if your children have never used it before, and — of course — what toddler girl doesn’t love a Frozen doll? I know there is a great debate over Barbies (a few moms I respect will not permit them in their houses!), but I fall on the pro-Barb side. My sisters and I used them to create elaborate stories in our youth and I see mini doing the same. I consider them a slow-burn toy.
Over at Amazon, a few discounted items to know about:
1 // Boos Block. (ED NOTE: This is no longer on sale as of 10/14 but still an incredible investment/gift idea.) This is the BEST cutting board and would make a great gift for your meat-loving, cooking-obsessed husband (or wife). We own a few Boos blocks but this one is wonderful because of the groove around the edge, which catches any drippings from the meat (Mr. Magpie always lets his meat rest on this specific board for that reason) and also prevents your mise en place from rolling off the edge! Truly one of our most-used items in the kitchen. Great investment in your cooking life, and amazing gift. Plus — they are beautiful!
2 // Stasher Bags. Not a fantastic price break, but I use these all the time with my children (and myself, too), and the discount was compelling enough for me to add a few more to my cart. A weird thing I love: the colors are great and they help me quickly grab the correct snack for the correct child from my diaper bag. We toss them in the dishwasher to clean (“draping” them over some of the prongs on the top rack to keep them open) and then leave them to dry inverted on Boon drying grass.
3 // Nuk Learner Cups. These are, in my opinion, the best cups for the transition from bottle to sippy cup.
4 // Zutano Booties. Another baby must-have I’ve documented countless times on le blog. These are the only cozy baby booties that truly stay on and stay put! Love that they are easy to launder and they hold up well. Select colors/sizes marked down to $15.
5 // Apple Airpods. I mean, these transformed my daily life. I’m not kidding! I love to use these when I’m making calls to schedule appointments, reservations, etc, because I can sit at my computer and work with my hands-free and without having the conversation blasted on speaker in my apartment. I also use these whenever I run errands or walk Tilly to listen to audiobooks — never a wasted moment! A great gift for yourself or a loved one. (This + an Audible subscription for Christmas = *chef’s kiss.*)
6 // Legos and Picasso Tiles. Forever favorite holiday gifts — especially the Legos! My two oldest nephews are Lego-obsessed, and they are considerably less expensive than usual right now.
7 // Schwinn Balance Bike. Mr. Magpie and I are planning to get mini a bike for Christmas, and this Schwinn in pink is currently marked down to $70…
8 // New Balance Kids’ Sneakers for $25!!!
Love the Adut Akech Bior’s look!! Looking forward to many more to come
Thanks for sharing
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Fashion┊Lifestyle┊Japan ― HappyEsme.com
Oooh, I’m seriously considering that curling iron. I have a horrible habit of ordering hair tools and then never using them (!) but I would like to change that. The “beachy waves” you referenced caught my attention — that’s usually how I like to wear my hair, though I typically just use Oribe Wave Spray and then air-dry to get the effect. I would try the iron, though!!
xx
Yes!! Give it a try! My secret is to hold the barrel vertically (pointing down like a light saber, so the cord is at the top) and then take a decent sized section of hair and curl it around around the barrel as close as you can from the *root* down. Hold for like 10-15 seconds, then release and do not touch for a few minutes, until hair is completely cool to touch. Then spray with texturizing spray and tousle. It sounds complicated but you’ll get the hang of it and it gives the best beachy waves! xx
Bless you for laying it out for me in a remedial way — that speaks to my hair skill level! Thank you!!
xx
Haha! I needed a lot of remediation in this category as well. I had a great hairdresser back in Chicago who would literally walk me through it every time I went to her! xx
Thought I would come back and let you know that I have the curling iron in my possession now (!) and am going to try beachy waves this week … keep me in your thoughts! Hahaha. In all seriousness — thank you again for the tutorial!
xx
YAY!!!
Aaaahhh so many sales!
Quick questions, Jen… have you tried the Pantene “blends”? Supposedly sulfate-free. Wondering how they compare to the original.
Have you tried other “dupes” of the Stasher bags?
Oooh thank you for the heads up on the balance bike! Considering that or a tricycle for my daughter’s third birthday in November… I read that the balance bike does help them transition to a regular bicycle later. Now if only my daughter would wear a helmet (she’s so strong willed about it, but that’s a non-negotiable for me).
Thank you!
I know – WOWZA. Black Friday came early?
I haven’t tried the Pantene blends or any Stasher dupes unfortunately 🙁 Maybe other Magpies can weigh in? One way I’ve justified the Stasher price is by thinking about how many plastic bags I’m NOT using by owning them. (Not to mention, obviously, far better for the environment.)
I totally hear you on the helmet! There are random things that Emory has dug her heels in over, too. I’m sure you’ve considered this from all angles, but in case you haven’t yet tried this — we bought Emory a ladybug print helmet to use with her scooter and that got her VERY excited. Maybe letting her pick one? Or buying her one with a pattern/character/color that she loves?
xx
I’ve used the rose water blend and it has a lovely, light scent. I haven’t found the shampoo and conditoner to be drying, which I was initially worried about given I’m used to the regular moisturizing version. Definitely worth a try to see if you end up liking it too.
Does anyone remember the smell of pantene back in the day (14+ years ago)… I will forever miss the original scent and wish they would bring it back! It was a very strong pea-like scent… so much nostalgia!
I don’t remember that — pea-like! I was literally sitting here daydreaming about what that must have smelled like.
Thanks for weighing in on the shampoo question.
xx
Thanks, Jen!
I’m curious about the Re-zip silicone bags from Target. I have a couple of stashers but I find them a bit bulky and heavy, but perhaps the thinner/lighter looking ones like re-zip don’t hold up as well…so that might defeat the purpose of something designed for multiple (infinite?) reuses. I feel like weight is always a factor for me though…
In the meantime I am still taking forever going through my box of ziplock bags. My late grandma found them to be such a novelty (and to be honest so did I, growing up in the Philippines!) and she always used to wash and reuse them, and it’s a habit that’s stayed with me!
So smart to reuse baggies — my husband does this too! I hadn’t heard about the Target Re-Zip brand! Investigating!
xx
PS: it’s reassuring to hear you say your mini has “dug her heels in” over certain things too! Recently I had my daughter look online with me for cotton underpants and she decided on Frozen and Peppa Pig, and of course when they arrived she wanted nothing to do with them. But I’ll definitely try it for the helmet too, as she might be outgrowing her current one.
Maybe there’s an alternate universe somewhere in which toddler logic makes sense?!
And thank you, D, for the feedback on Pantene blends! Maybe I’ll see if they have it in travel size to try.
HA! I’ve absolutely had the best laid plans backfire on me w/r/t working with finicky toddler preferences. My biggest bugaboo is food — there are days she will eat an entire plate and the next day, she claims she doesn’t like that thing and won’t touch it. AHHH! It drives me crazy! The food waste! The illogic! The desire to see her eat a full meal! It’s crazy-making for sure.
xx