Why I Bought It:

1. I'm a travel lover with a frequently runny nose. :)
2. I hate how tissue packs get all gross in your purse.
3. I switched to handkerchiefs a few years ago but wished there was a better system for storing them before/after use.

1. Durable case you can throw in your bag, drawer, or wherever.
2. Cuts down on disposable tissues
3. Washable case and handkerchiefs
4. Lots of fun colors

How it works

1. Pull a clean tissue from the slit at the bottom of the case. 
2. Blow your nose
3. Shove dirty tissue in the top of the case. 

There is a silicone barrier you put in that keeps your dirty and clean tissues separated. Once you hit the barrier at the bottom then you know it's time to wash the tissues and case. After washing, put the tissues back inside, fold or shove them in the top, and then place the barrier on top of them to start the process again. :)  

They really upgraded this because the initial product just had a silicone barrier sewn into one tissue. It wasn't really ideal, but it was still better than nothing and since this is my personal tissue holder it didn't gross me out that much? But the more durable silicone barrier they have now is much better!

Last Tissue Review

Overall really happy with my Last Tissues! I have 4 and keep them in my desk, bag, and bathroom. I am excited for the new Tissue Box that is coming out this year! And once travel is a bit safer I will be all set with my original Last Tissue packs!

​Away Luggage Discount here 

More Posts Like This: Low Waste • Sustainable • Health & Beauty • Reviews 

​Sooo... I used to subscribe to dollar shave club, but canceled my membership because 1. I was getting too many blades (I don't replace them until they need replaced, rather than on a schedule) and 2. I was interested in using up what I had and switching to a less wasteful alternative. Granted, refillable razors where you replace just the head are a good step if you are using the kind that you are supposed to dispose of after each use. But I was ready to take the next step. So I set out to use all my dollar shave club replacement blades. Months and months later I saw that Leaf Shave had a kickstarter for a new safety razor - the Twig Razor! I thought this was a great opportunity to save some $$ on this investment piece. 

While the Twig was in development/production during the crazy year that was 2020, my dollar shave club razor fell (as it had done countless times) in my shower and actually broke in a way that I could no longer attach the replacement blades. :( I literally spent the subsequent months gripping the razor head with my soapy fingers and making due. lol. Crazy, but maybe good training?

More Posts Like This: Low Waste • Sustainable • Health & Beauty • Reviews

I backed the The Twig razor: plastic-free shaving made easy campaign in the summer and it was charged to my Chase Freedom Unlimited card on 9/24/20 once the project was fully backed with an estimated delivery date of November 2020. 

As an early bird I snagged the starter kit (1 Twig single-blade safety razor, 1 Twig stand, 1 Blade Recycling tin, and 1 pack of 50 single-edge blades) in Silver for just $68. Yay! Today it's regular price is $91. So huge savings! 

I received the final product on 1/23/21.

I'm giving you these details so you can know what to expect if you back something on Kickstarter. You have to be patient, delays come up, design issues come up. But I think it's worth it because you are part of something awesome that is being created. Your support allows a new product to come into existence that otherwise may not have, or at least not as quickly. And in appreciation for that support, you can get a nice discount if you don't mind the waiting! I have backed some other great crowd funded products like Last Tissue - The Reusable Tissue Pack, Last Swab - The World's First Reusable Cotton Swab, Throw Throw Burrito from the makers of Exploding Kittens (super fun games), and I enjoy the experience. I know encircled's UnBlazer was crowdfunded on indiegogo which was cool. On the other hand, there's one product I backed in 2019 ($1.3 million was crowdfunded) that was originally to be delivered by end of 2019 that has still been in prototyping all through 2020 (shut downs worldwide delayed things for sure, and to date, at the start of February 2021 I still haven't received it. So it's just a risk you take, but if you really believe in the product I recommend sticking with them. Imagine how much you would appreciate the support!

More Posts Like This: Low Waste • Sustainable • Health & Beauty • Reviews

I can only speak from my own personal experience. I found shaving with this razor to be an absolute delight. I was nervous I would cut myself, however I just tried to use a gentle hand and I haven't cut myself once (yet)! I didn't use shaving cream or anything. Just the suds from the handmade soap I got off Etsy recently. I've only been using this razor for about 2 weeks now, so my experience with it is limited. Yet so far I would definitely recommend giving it a shot if you're looking for ways to cut down on waste and also because it just looks so slick! 

I finally used up every single mascara product I had laying around from a year of beauty subscription boxes (which was a couple years ago??) plus a couple tubes randomly gifted to me so it was the perfect time to finally give Cake Mascara a try! 

Cake mascara  typically comes in a small tin with a spoolie or brush. The mascara is dry and formed into a little ‘cake’ that fits in the tin. To apply it you follow the instructions from the shop you bought it from, moistening the cake of mascara slightly first. 

A huge benefit is that most cake mascaras are made with few ingredients that are not toxic or questionable unlike many major mascaras (cheap and expensive) that you may be used to. They are also zero waste as most often they come in a metal tin which can subsequently be refilled or recycled! It’s a multi-use product as you can use it for mascara, eyeliner, and even brows depending on your color choice. You have the opportunity to clean your mascara wand and eyeliner brush, unlike traditional tubes, so with proper care cake mascara can be more hygienic than tubes!

Nope. Apparently in the late 1800s - early 1900s it was all the rage. Then we slipped into the modern convenience era where we lower certain standards for convenience, and now we are cycling back to slowing down and being willing to do more work for safer options. 

At home, no one to see, no pressure.

Liquid liner was a great experience, just dipped into some product that was in the cap actually. You always have to learn how your new eyeliner brush works with the first few uses - is it stiff all the time or just when its new, or is it soft and flexible? This affects your technique for sure!

​Mascara started off exciting, getting it activated with some almond oil. 

From there it was a total, amusing, and expected disaster. I definitely had too much on the spoolie and when I sneezed or blinked I had a hilarious raccoon situation going on. I then added some setting powder I had on hand to a brush and patted the lashes with it to try to prevent that crazy transfer. The thing is, this mascara takes some time to dry. So I’m thinking you want a tiny amount on the spoolie, then very thin coats. Then setting powder, then possibly repeat after it dries. I’m not foreseeing this as a swipe and go situation even with experience, but we’ll see!  

I knew going into this that using cake mascara would be a learning experience and take some time and practice to understand and get proficient with. That’s part of the fun for now and today was great since the stakes were low not seeing people and all. We’ll see what tomorrow brings...

Day 2 went better than day 1 in some respects. I made it through the day without raccoon eye-ing it. I used some setting powder in between each coat and after the last coat. Still, I didn't have the results I am hoping to achieve and that seem possible by looking at the photo reviews for this cake mascara. I need more practice! I had zoom meetings all day and didn't have time to fiddle further, so I was glad to at least not be transferring mascara to my already-a-bit-dark under eye area with each blink.

​As for the eyeliner, again it went well, I just have to remember that with my hooded eyes, I need to make sure my winged liner is beneath the crease enough that when I look up it isn't transferring into that awkward arch shape in the upper lid. 

Day 3 didn’t happen. I got too rushed in the morning and couldn’t be bothered finangeling with difficult mascara. I repeated this trend for the rest of the week, unfortunately. So I’ll have to start the trial on Monday.

From this point on I started to struggle with waking up too late to mess with this and I reverted to using my seriously dried up mascara that I had not thrown away yet (typical). Grateful for that this time, though. On some following days I decided to try to activate the cake mascara with water instead of oil and this went way better! I still found it difficult to build on the application, though. I started to wonder if the brush style was the issue. I cleaned out my old mascara tube and wand and started using that brush and instantly had better results. Still, not super buildable, BUT faster application and no raccoon eye transfer like on day 1. I do find that I get little bits of fallout, though. I'm attributing this to user error still. Time will tell. 

For now, I resorted to keeping a more traditional mascara on hand because when you're running late you don't need the added stress of struggling with mascara if you really want to wear mascara! I picked up Pacifica Stellar Gaze in Supernova which I've heard great things about for years (See January 2021 Purchases). Not zero waste, but that's okay. :-)

On less rushed days I'm going to keep playing with Clean Faced Cosmetics Cake Mascara. I hope I can master it with time!! If not, I found it works great as an eyeliner, so that is always an option. It will definitely not go to waste, whether I use it as mascara or not! 

Overall Review 
Functionality: 3.5/5  may increase with practice!
Concept: 5/5
Sustainability: 5/5 

I think everyone should give cake mascara a try. If nothing else it will be a fun experiment and a trip back in time, but who knows? You may just fall in love with this zero waste/ low waste beauty swap!  

Last Swab & Last Tissue Discount Code: TRIPDONTFALL

I purchased these two long sleeve organic cotton tops (white and black) as wardrobe basics for my capsule wardrobe from Pact. Pact is a great place to find organic cotton basics at an approachable price.

First Impressions: I’m not in love with the fit of the organic cotton stretch fit long sleeve tees from pact, primarily the way they sit on my neck/shoulders. I’m not sure if it’s a sizing thing or a design thing. I was between XS and S in the sizing chart and went with XS because I wanted a snugger fit. The fit otherwise is fine, so I am wondering if the Small would have fit better around the neck and shoulders? These foundational pieces I primarily plan to use for layering, making the 100% perfect fit less of a priority. I'm curious to see how the fit will be over time!

These tees are 93% organic cotton and 7% Elastane. I can definitely feel the difference between the fabric in this shirt and my original pact purchase (read about them here and 1 year update here).


TIP: Wearing a lightweight, fitted shirt as a base layer can both aid in keeping you warm in the cool months and simultaneously preserve the life of your other garments such as cashmere sweaters (here or here), silk blouses (like this one or this one), and even cotton sweaters! The inner most layer can absorb any sweat etc. from your body and minimize the frequency of washes needed for your investment pieces!

Overall Rating 4/5 - These tees definitely serve the purpose I bought them for and will be worn well.
Would be a 5/5 if the fit was better on me! 

​Pact Organic Cotton Stretch Fit Long Sleeve Tee Review

Full review here.

Recently realized mycapsule wardrobe has two obvious footwear gaps - a light colored flat and a black flat, both for primary use with dress clothes. I snagged a pair of leather pointed toe flats from everlane totally unexpectedly in their year-end sale.

Initial Impressions: Fab purchase. I think they will last for years, the toe box is wider than most point toe shoes, and I’ve already worn them >12 times in less than 2.5 weeks.

Overall Rating 5/5
Everlane 40 hour flat review

Full review here. (soon!)

I was looking for a light colored sweater to replace a taupe turtleneck I had been wearing for years after receiving as a hand-me-down from a friend (ie. it had a long, long life and it was time.)

I don’t think this Everlane sweater is the perfect replacement, but I do think it’s a good addition to my capsule wardrobe. I’ve worn it at least 4 times in 2.5 weeks. The fit is good. I wish it was a little denser of a knit as you can definitely see a bit through the knit whether it's bra lines or a cami or other undershirt and that kind of bugs me although pretty common for a light colored top.

Overall Rating 4/5 so far.

Everlane Cotton Crew Sweater Review - TDF Life & Style Blog

Full review here.
​
Brooklinen Waffle Bath Towels, Hand Towels, and Wash Cloths in white. Love that they are OEKO-TEX certified! The towels feel durable and the waffle is nice both functionally and aesthetically.

Tip: Remember to dry on lowest setting/air fluff if you can’t lay flat to dry. I forgot and now the trim of my towels is puckered. No big deal, but kind of a bummer.

Overall Rating: So far 4.5/5

Brooklinen Waffle Towel Review - TDF Life & Style Blog

Full Review here
​ 
I thought I would compare another waffle towel set on the market and snagged the waffle bath towels and hand towels from Quince. No wash cloths available at this time. They are light and springy and absorbent. Organic Turkish cotton.

Overall Rating So far 5/5

Quince Waffle Towel Review - TDF Life & Style Blog 

Get $10 off Quince! 

Full Review here
​
I guess I didn’t actually purchase this in January. I ordered this on Kickstarter ages ago and finally got the finished product in January. Great addition to my low waste bathroom set up (read here) and I’m stoked I haven’t cut myself at all yet!! Really happy with this single blade safety razor set for plastic free shaving!!

Overall Rating 5/5

Twig Razor Review by Leaf Shave 

We recently added this air purifier to our bedroom and decided to add another one in our office since we’re spending so much time at home now. We ordered this one.  Are air purifiers worth it? If you don’t mind white noise, they are definitely nice to have as they really keep air circulating and clean. If you have a small space that gets stuffy quickly, it's really helpful! 

Overall Rating: 5/5
Levoit Air Purifier Review

Snagged some replacement V neck tees from Pact and some of their cotton knit boxers for my husband. I'll share any feedback he has in time.

​He is comparing these to the Amazon Goodthreads Slim Fit "Perfect V Neck" shirts he's been wearing for a couple years and really likes. 
Pact Soft Spun V Neck review Pact Cotton Knit Boxer Review

Full review here.

TLDR: Love the idea of the cake mascara and zero waste eyeliner - better ingredients and less waste, but for every day I dont have the patience!
I did find some tips to help with application which are in the review. 

​
I hope with time and more practice I can implement this, but in the mean time... 

Clean Faced Cosmetics Vegan Zero Waste Cake Mascara Review ​Clean Faced Cosmetics Vegan Zero Waste Eyeliner Mascara Review

As mentioned above, I was struggling with the new cake mascara and for rushed mornings I just wanted an easy mascara to use with an improvement in ingredients.

I've heard a lot about Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara for several years, so I just snagged a tube and I'm grateful for the ease-of-use! 

Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara Review

Gneiss Magnetic Spice Jars Review

Last Swab Discount

Underdesk Elliptical Review