Burt's Bees Lip Balm

           

            It’s getting to that time of year where just about everyone and their mother is carrying around some sort of moisturizing cream or balm for their dry, chapped lips. I’m from New York and I thought one of the perks to going to school in South Carolina would be the feeling of moisturized lips throughout the winter. For at least my time here, I thought that a tube of chapstick wouldn’t even cross my mind. Of course, with my luck I wasn’t able to shake this problem.

            Having to use chapstick is inevitable for me, it’s just a matter of when. We all know we are done for on the first cold day of fall when we throw on that chapstick. Just once will get your lips hooked all the way till the warm days in April. So with this in mind, this year what I decided to do was fight the urge for as long as possible. I didn’t last very long, considering my lips are already at about four doses a day. Four doesn’t seem like a lot but I’ll remind you that it’s still only the first week of November.

            With all of the experience I’ve had, I can confidently say that there’s only been one type of lip balm that gets the job done. For me, the chapstick of choice is Burt’s Bees Lip Balm. My lips are the type that can’t function without their treatment dosage. Even though it may only work for a few hours, I haven’t found one other brand that can match the job done by Burt’s Bees. Bees Lip Balm includes vitamin E to provide increased moisture to your lips and peppermint oil to produce a tingling sensation that may help decrease the irritation commonly associated with chapped lips. They provide an insane amount of flavors in which I always have trouble choosing from. They carry all different kinds such as menthol, pink grapefruit, blueberry and dark chocolate, coconut and pear, vanilla bean, wild cherry, honey, mango butter (etc.). Some of those do sound a bit strange but still, more flavors is never a bad thing.
            As you probably know, tubes of chapstick are prone to get lost. They’re so tiny and you carry them everywhere. In out and of the pocket, it’s only a matter of time till you forget where you leave it. So, because we, or I at least, run through lip balms like it’s water, the price tends to add up. I can’t say I’ve ever fully completed a tube and that certainly is not something to be proud of. Burt’s Bees Lip Balm is a little pricey, however, you do get what you pay for. I would recommend this product to anyone who is very careful with his or her belongings. After all, who wants to be spending tons of money on chapstick when the season of giving is right around the corner???

Transparent Duct Tape

            Transparent duct tape is a problem. When there is no handle with a blade to keep track of the end, then good luck wasting your time. People purchase duct tape on a regular basis because it’s a very versatile product. The problem is, the producers still sell the rolls of tape that look like the one in the above picture.

            A single roll of duct tape is a pain in the butt to work with. First of all, keeping track of the end is annoying in itself. I don’t know about the producers of this product by I’m human and I only have two hands. When I’m working with duct tape I feel like I need at least three. I need a hand for the scissors, a hand to hold the roll of tape, and also a hand to hold the end of the tape so I don’t have to go searching for it.

            The other day I shipped a box to my family back in New York. I packed everything I needed into the box and I began to look for a roll of tape in my apartment. I found a big roll of transparent duct tape (similar to the one in the above picture) and I thought to myself, “here we go.” I knew exactly what I was getting myself into so I was strategically going to plan this out. However, before I even was going to prevent the problem, it was already there. It took me a solid five minutes to first find the end of the tape. On top of that, when I went to peel it, I got caught in the exact situation I was trying to avoid; you know, the never-ending cycle of peeling the tape back but only getting half of it? Well, I was in a 15-minute battle with this roll of tape going back and forth peeling sides trying to even them out. Yes you read that right, those fifteen minutes isn’t even including the extra five minutes I originally spent just looking for the end.

            I was hoping to find a picture of what I’m trying to explain but nothing seemed to come up. I don’t think it’s too big of a deal though because I’m sure you understand exactly what I’m talking about. So, to conclude my story I decided to toss the roll of tape and just take the opened box to the UPS store. The people there were nice enough to do the taping for me. And yes, if you were wondering, they did have the roll of tape with the handle (similar to the one in the picture below). They’ve been around the block and they’re obviously not making that mistake twice.

UP by Jawbone

I’ve been really tired lately. I don’t know if it’s the change of weather or if school and my physical activities are really starting to catch up to me. Anyway, my teammate had noticed how tired I looked the other day. He made some comment that I should invest in a wristband that wakes your body at an optimal time. I couldn’t tell if he was just messing with me or if he was actually serious. So, what did I do next? That’s right. That night I went ahead and began to research this product to see if it’s actually a thing. I came across the UP by Jawbone and it seems like I couldn’t have found a more exciting creation.

The UP by Jawbone is a wristband that tracks your activity, diet and sleep and then suggests simple adjustments that lead to more rest and happier days. At the moment, I can’t think of a more perfect gadget for me. I feel like the designers of this product went inside my brain and developed a device that specifically fits what I’m looking for. 

 Tracking what you eat is a very simple way to lose weight. The UP by Jawbone is perfect for this. For me, I don’t want to lose weight. I am just interested in keeping track of the food I eat. Right now there is no simpler, more convenient way to do so than by using this product. Features of this wristband include frequent meals, an enhanced calorie counter, and an expanded library of restaurant menus. There's even a Food Score, so you can quickly see how healthy your food choices are. My teammates like to think I go over the top with my healthy behaviors but I enjoy eating right and being active. Having a wristband that can help me do so on the fly will make my life that much easier. You’d be surprised at what a change this device can make to your living habits.

  If you’re planning on losing weight or eating healthy, then you must be interested in how active you are. UP by Jawbone tracks this as well. With precise step tracking, workout logging and Insight Reports, UP is way more than just a calorie counter. How is this product not booming right now? Maybe there should be a better marketing scheme because I can’t see people that are attempting to be fit, not utilizing a picture-perfect device like this. Then again, they might just be unaware that it even exists. After all, I know I was.

  On top of all of this there’s more. The UP system gives you an in-depth picture of your sleep (just what I need). I guess my friend was right.  Features like sleep graphs let you see the good, the bad, and the rapidly improving. With this device, you can use bedtime reminders, Power Nap, and Smart Alarm to get to sleep and wake at optimal times. This thing has me drooling.

  These qualities are great and all for a product but there’s just one problem; the UP by Jawbone is sitting at $130 right now. I’m a college student and I don’t have that kind of money on hand. I wish this product would sell for a bit cheaper, however, I can see why the producers are asking for so much. This device can do everything in order for a person to maintain a healthy living, and more. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if Christmas doesn’t come sooner than December, I know what I’m saving my money for.

Heinz Glass Ketchup Bottle

            If you’ve ever been out to eat at a restaurant then you’ve probably came across the Heinz glass ketchup bottle. Now, after reading that first sentence and realizing that you have, then I’m sure you know exactly what I’m going to rant about. The only reason anyone is ever going to bring up this absurd product design is to completely rip it apart.

             The Heinz glass ketchup bottle is a problem to all restaurant eaters. The ketchup is basically glued to the inside of the bottle. The only way to get it out is by vigorously shaking it or slamming the bottom of the bottle enough times to make the people around you think you’re crazy. Of course there is the third option of using a knife to invite these luscious ketchup globs out of their home but who wants to deal with that. I don’t want to have to do any unnecessary work before I engulf my food. After all, it is why I go to a restaurant, right?

            The funny thing about this is there is no light at the end of the tunnel. When I don’t feel like using the Heinz glass ketchup bottle I may ask for some ketchup packets. All problems solved….you would think. For a person like me, I like ketchup a lot. When my waiter/waitress comes back with three ketchup packets I obviously have to ask them for more. It seems as if there is a pinch of ketchup in each one of these packets and I would consider you almighty if you can scrape out more than 50% of what’s inside. Those things are basically useless. At least eight of those are sufficient for a person like me. Actually, eight sounds like a lot, maybe seven.
            As I was looking for a picture of the Heinz glass ketchup bottle to add to this post, I came across an interesting video. An MIT PhD candidate named Dave Smith along with a team of mechanical engineers and nanotechnologists at the Varanasi Research Group have been in the lab addressing this common dining problem. What they came up with was a super slippery coating called “LiquiGlide” that is made of nontoxic materials. It can be applied to all sorts of food packaging, though ketchup bottles may be its first target. Here is a video to show the potential for this design.

The Blendtec Designer Series Kitchen Blender

My family had made a purchase last year on a blender that was on sale. We bought the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender. I didn’t think much of it because who does, after all it’s just a blender. However, after putting this thing to good use for juices, smoothies, cutting up vegetables (etc.) I’ve came to the realization that a blender is one of the most versatile appliances you can have in your kitchen. 

            When looking for an appropriate blender there are three key categories for evaluation: performance, features and design. The performance of this blender is outstanding. It has the power to blend any type of ingredient in large quantities. This blender includes a commercial-grade motor. This motor provides up to 1,560 watts of power, making it one of the most powerful blenders out there. With power this strong it makes work in the kitchen much more effective and efficient.

            Next up are features. This blender features a variety of options to help you create the perfect concoction. You can choose from batters, crushed ice, smoothie, ice cream, whole juice and soups. These options are displayed on the device by icons to help you choose the perfect setting quickly and without any hesitation. This makes the product easy to use, which is very important to the consumer. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone complain about the simplicity of a product. 

            Last up is the design. The design of the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender is flawless (to my standard at least). It’s not bulky at all. The noise level of this powerful blender is low and there are much less vibrations than any other blender I’ve had in the past. To add to that, the motor base of this kitchen blender is flat and sealed, so if a spill does happen to occur, you can simply wipe the device. There is no need to clean between the buttons, which is a huge plus. This became a pain to me when having to deal with it for every single other blender I’ve encountered.
            Overall, I think the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender has everything you need. It has never failed to complete a task for me in the kitchen. It’s reliable and available in a variety of colors allowing you to best match your kitchen décor. I would highly recommend this product!

Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash

           

            So, the other day I went to take a swig of my Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield mouthwash and lost a little portion of my bottle. By “lost” I mean spilled a good amount of mouthwash all over my bathroom counter. I picked up the bottle and looked at it, trying to figure out whom in their right mind would design such a huge bottle without any handles to grip it with. Of course, I was the consumer dumb enough to purchase it but you can’t blame me, it was the only bottle left in Wal-Mart at the time.

            This bottle is so big that I decided to take a picture with my hand next to it just to give you an idea of what I’m working with. I’m sure Colgate saves money by making such a huge bottle rather than offering a few smaller bottles in a pack, but it really is inconvenient to the consumer. I find myself dodging the use of mouthwash now just because it’s frustrating for me to have to deal with the enormous sized bottle (by the way, if you’re wondering to yourself..yes, I do brush my teeth at least twice a day).

First of all, with this bottle there is no convenient spot for it to go. It does not fit in my mirror bathroom cabinet so I have to leave it in my closet. Secondly, it’s heavy and oversized. If you don’t have some halfway decent grip strength, don’t even bother wasting your money. You’ll realize this thing is a little heavier than it looks, especially when you try pouring it into the cap. It’s one thing if Colgate designed a little grip for you to place your hands but I guess that is way out of their design budget. However, the one good thing I can say about this product is that I am definitely set for the whole semester, maybe even the year at the rate that I’m using it. The thing is, I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It can be good that the bottle is just that big and I haven’t even really put a dent in it. On the flipside, I’m not sure if I’m using mouthwash as frequently as I would have if I had a smaller, more convenient bottle. I think the size and the effort it takes for me to take this thing out of my closet and then go in and put it back, has caused me to refrain from using mouthwash daily. Obviously walking to the closet seems effortless but when I’m running around in the morning every second counts.
            Yes, this product is big, it is oversized and there seems to be a poor design concept in the fact that there doesn’t exist any comfortable spot to hold/pick it up. However, I will not complain about not making an extra trip to the store because this bottle may last me a little longer than I expected. I’m glad I purchased this product, I just thing there is a little room for improvement in its design. 

Clamshell Packaging

            At one point or another, we have all came across this miserable idea of “clamshell packaging.” Clamshell packaging is everywhere. From everyday items to children’s toys, electronic devices to kitchen tools, I find it absurd that anyone would think this style of packaging isn’t a crime. Clamshell packaging is impossible to open by hand. People resort to sharp objects or even biting (in my case), which doesn’t always end well for my teeth. The smart way to open this package is with scissors, however, even then there comes to be massive hand-shredding chunks of plastic that are left sticking out of every angle. With your bleeding hands and sore mouth you say to yourself, why on earth would anyone design packaging that’s impossible to open?

            Clamshell packaging is supposed to prevent a thing called “package pilferage.” This is a crime when small, relatively expensive objects are removed from their outside packaging and stolen. By implementing this idea of “clamshell packaging,” it makes it impossible to open anything with less than a machete. This, in turn makes shoplifting harder. I’m all for this when packaging an expensive product because I too, would not want my product/merchandise to be stolen off of shelves. However, what about the inexpensive objects that are clamshell packaged? I’m talking about the products like the pens in this above picture. Is it really necessary for the seller to have this kind of item packaged in a way that is impossible for the consumer to open? There has to be a point where the consumer won’t even purchase the product because they already know the battle they would enter themselves into. For example, let’s say there exists a package of pens wrapped in clamshell packaging and a package of pens wrapped in soft plastic right next to each other. Personally, I know I’m automatically reaching for the ones with the easy-to-open packaging. Why risk shredding my hands on opening a package of pens when I can just purchase a pack of the same pens without the hassle of dealing with the tight wrapping. It’s common sense to me.

            On top of all of the problems clamshell packaging proposes, I did some research and found out that many clamshell packages are made with PVC and PET. PVC is a harmful plastic that is very difficult to breakdown. What about PET you ask? Well, PET could be replaced by recycled PET to reduce cost and waste. So, if using this type of plastic contributes to a more environmentally wasteful lifestyle, why do we continue to use it, especially for the inexpensive products such as pens? I ask myself this question over and over again but can’t seem to find an answer.