Product of the week: Bag Balm

*Please note this product is not vegetarian.

Bag Balm was originally created in 1899 as a lubricant to soften cow utters. Carafever introduced me to this product as a lip moisturizer when we were on a road trip last year. It cost a little under $10 for a large 10 ounce tin, I've had this for a year now and the tin is still almost full. This $10 tin will probably last me, no joke, several years. I use it daily as a lip moisturizer (buy one of those little tiny plastic travel jars, you can get them at Sephora or beauty supply shops) and it gives my lips a pretty sheen, without being overly glossy or sticky. It also is great to use with matte lipsticks to soften them up and make them look more like a lip gloss. I also use it for dry patches of skin on my shoulders and face and when I get paper cuts at work: it stops the bleeding, makes the pain go away and heels the cut. You know when you get a cold and you blow your nose non-stop and your nose gets really sensitive and dry? Put bag balm on your nose, the dryness will be gone within a few hours.

After researching the benefits of Bag Balm, I found it has many uses: as a moisturizer for new tattoos, to moisturize dry/cracked dog paws, saddle sores for bicyclists, calluses for rock climbers, diaper rash, moisturizes irritated nipples from breast feeding, cracked heels, dry skin, eczema, Shania Twain uses it to moisturize her hair and I can totally see this helping to calm those annoying fly-aways when the weather is wonky!, as a lubricant for window casings, screws and doorknobs and other household items that tend to stick, helps to stop stretch marks and soreness when you're pregnant... the list goes on! This stuff really works and is perfect for people like me who are on a tight budget.

Product of the week: "Cool" brand guitar picks

Maybe I strum my guitar way too hard, my hands sweat too much when I play and/or I just have a bad case of butterfingers, but any time I use someone else's guitar picks, they always fall out of my hand mid-song and it's kinda embarrassing. I discovered a pick a few years ago that cured this problem of mine 100%: Cool Picks brand "Ultra Cool" series guitar picks. I buy them online since the one place in San Diego that carries this brand in the gauge I like, .6mm (thin), is usually out of stock. I've tried other picks that have a rubber grip, but they aren't as good. The grip on Cool brand picks have rubberized heat-sensitive accu-grip that adjusts to the heat of your hand, so it really won't ever fall out of your fingers when you're playing. I buy these in bulk and always have them in my purse, pocket, wallet and my car's ash tray. Paranoid? Maybe a little. I just don't ever want to play a show without this pick or I will look like Barbara Butthole on stage...

Product of the week: Sephora's Lip Attitude Sheer Lipstick

At only $12 a pop, these lipsticks are PERFECT if you don't like super heavy matte lipstick or super shiny lipgloss that makes your lips look like two mirrors flapping around. It's the best of both world's: a sheer lipstick with a light gloss. I have it in three different colors, my favorite being the "Sheer Magenta" shade.

Product of the Week: Root Awakening

My hair has gone through hell and back this year. I went from having it dyed black to bleached blond. Real smart idea, right? Dude, I needed a change, so lay off. My goal is to look like a poor man’s Debbie Harry or an even poorer man’s Gwen Stefani. I’m almost there (it’s a slow process becoming blond, ya’ll) but in doing so, my mop looks like the lovechild of Courtney Love and Phyllis Diller (insert sad face here). I’ve tried everything to repair the damage and all the products I’ve tried have left my hair looking way too oily. Then I found the miracle product that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg: Root Awakening by John Frieda Collection. Seriously, this is gold in a little spray bottle. After you shampoo and condition, spray it all over your damp hair and brush through. When you start blow drying your hair, you’ll notice your hair feels SO silky soft and smelling like heaven! This leave-in conditioner doesn’t leave your hair feeling heavy or weighed down like other products can do. (insert happy face here).