1/11/2024

LongBay Rubber Slippers

Although these are sold as beach, pool or outdoor slippers, they are perfect both for indoor and outdoor use as I can wear them with socks when it's a bit cold. I use them mostly at home or around my house, so I cannot comment on how the sole reacts to slippery wet surfaces on a pool or at the beach. 
 
As sizing is hybrid, meaning for two sizes (6-7 for ex.), depending on your size, they might be a bit roomier than needed (that's my case) or a bit tight. In my case, they're on the larger size, but not really that noticeable. Despite the chunky design and having a solid rubber platform, they're quite light.
 
They have a thick rubber platform so they're perfect for people with who have a bit of weight on, like me, as it releases pressure from ankles and knees. For the rest, they are extremely comfortable and pleasurable to wear and walk with them and they feel like a cushion to my feet.
 
They look a bit chunky and unrefined but, once on, they look alright.

1/02/2024

WARFEL 102 Pieces Octagon Wax Seal Beads (Black)

This is a very small pocket of black wax-like beads. This isn't premium wax at all. As the small letter product description clearly says, it's a mix of resin and wax, so this is not wax or natural-looking sealing wax, which is what I was looking for, or what i would call premium either. My bad that I didn't notice this before ordering. The beads melt OK, but the 'wax' never becomes liquid enough on my burner, which is a standard one. It works well overall, but I have to use many beads for just one stamp. So the 102 beads are actually very little product. The resulting seal is a plastic-looking seal. Due to the average product quality and the small quantity, I won't buy this again as I don't consider it to be value for money or premium quality. 

Scotch 3-pack Magic Tape 19mm x 7.62m

I love this tape as it has myriad uses. This version is the normal width of the normal Magic Tape. I use to stick pieces of small artwork in an album (but used on the back of the image, as otherwise lifts paint or collage areas),  as page marker,  bookmark and any other use that I would give to a normal sticky tape. However, it is low-tack and I can lift it and reposition it easily, so it has a longer use life. The dispenser is light and the guillotine cuts easily and cleanly. The only thing I dislike is the length of each roll, but this three-piece package makes do for it.

Stone Chef Non-Stick Alluminium-Alloy Frying Pan 28cm

This is a very light non-stick frying pan, something that I love, as it's easy to maneuver, lift and clean. I love the fact that it has no harmful Teflon but food doesn't stick. The handle barely heats while cooking; besides, it doesn't have that chemical smell that other Bakelite handles have.  This 28-cm pan is perfect for cooking for 1 or 2 people. I wash it by hand and it cleans very easily, but it's dishwasher friendly. I use it on an electric stove, and no issues. Well-priced too. 

Primula Stovetop Coffee Maker

This is a classic stove coffee percolator with capacity to make 12 espresso cups, which is always double for normal milky coffee (six mugs) as I put two shots in one mug. I have smaller moka pots, but I wanted one that would allow me to fill in my work Thermos in one go without having to prepare two pots, and this is perfect for that.
 
The pot is as simple as it gets, no design fuss. Yet it does the job and cost me half of what I would have paid for any other brand. If you have never used one of this, you'll find step-by-step guidance on the packaging box and in the instruction leaflet (see my photos).
 
I thought that the handle is too small or weak to carry the weight of such a heavy pot, but I found it to be quite OK despite its appearance.
 
I use the pot on a small electric camping stove as my kitchen range has very large burners and I don't think the handle would withstand so much heat. Too many reviewers have mentioned that. However, on this camping stove, as per my photo, it is perfect. It takes a while to heat up, but it does the job.
 
Pouring is clean and easy, something I love as this is one of the most common flaws in other coffee pots I own. This pot allows perfect clean pouring with natural hand tilting.

It washes well with little effort.

DOWNSIDES
-- The inner steam spout spits coffee out if I lift the lid, and it spills out. So the outing is not really smooth and continuous.
-- Although made of traditional aluminum, it is quite light and the metal feels weak and cheap. The filter perforated base clunks a bit, as that's because the filter is not made in one piece, and, to me, that's a recipe for further disaster.
-- I haven't used this on a large cook-top burner because it would melt the handle. Too many reviews on that for me to ignore. It is also the first impression I got when I opened the box. Like, I checked the reviews afterwards and found that to be the case.  

IN SHORT
A family-sized moka pot, basic in design but does the job if you have a small cook-top burner (gas or electric) at a great price. I will update this review in the future, if necessary. 

12/13/2023

L'Oréal Elvive Dream Lengths Hair Mask, 300 ml

I've used this mask for the first time recently lured by the sale price, by the fact that I usually love L'Oreal hair products, and because I had never tried this before. 
 
This mask smells really nice. It 's a feminine scent, so not as gender neutral as other L'Oreal hair masks scents I've experienced. 
 
Dream Lengths doesn't de-tangle my hair as well as other L'Oreal masks, isn't as nourishing and, most disappointingly, it leaves me with a freezy head if I let my hair dry au naturel. Definitely, not suitable to my wavy tinted thick long hair, which is what the mask is supposed to be designed for. I'll stick to the other masks in the same price range because they do a better job on my hair and cost me the same.

12/09/2023

Felix Mobile (Mobile phone carrier)

 

Felix Mobile has replaced my previous mobile carrier, which I've had for many years. I was lured by the unlimited data plan, as I use my phone as a hot spot to connect my laptop and I use a minimum of 100 GB per month. Most carriers in Australia have prepaid or postpaid plans for 100 GB at quite expensive prices and unlimited data for ridiculous prices. I was also lured by the fact that the company was new in Oz and they were offering a $35-plan for unlimited data, unlimited calls and SMS. I got a bonus for $5 for unlimited international calling. I've used the company for 3+ months and I couldn't be happier about how easy is to add/remove add-ons on the app, the quality and speed of the Internet I get, the fact that uses 4G and the Vodafone network to operate.
 
They are carbon neutral certified. They claim to plant a tree on our behalf for every month we're on one of their mobile plans. But they don't do so directly as they've partnered with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focused on global reforestation to plant the trees, i.e. they're supporting a great NGO but not planting trees directly like in Oz. We don't know where. It sounds off to me.  

They increased the pricing of their unlimited plan, short after I joined, but I was one of the few newcomers they kept the original $35, and now the unlimited plan is advertised at $40, which is still lovely.

The two major let-downs are, firstly, the basic app design and colour scheme, and, secondly and most importantly, the limited customer service they offer. No phone number to call CS, no specific chat on their website. The only way to contact them is via WhatsApp or via the  app chat. Contact via their website via desktop is poor and idiotic.