Google Lens: The Easiest Way to Track Down Thrift Finds!

A couple weekend’s ago, I had a bit of a thrifting extravaganza. I’ll share a full look at everything at the end of the month, but in the meantime, I wanted to let you in on a little secret I use when I’m tracking down my thrift finds. If you like thrifting and you don’t already have the Google Lens app downloaded on your phone, do it now. It’s FREE and it’s super helpful.

Let’s use this adorable casserole dish I found for an example:

I recognized the pattern on this dish when I saw it jumbled on the shelf with a bunch of other items, simply because I already own the matching pitcher. I vaguely remember it being from the mid 1950’s, but just to make sure, I did a quick Google Lens search.

I opened the app, took a photo of my item and hit search:

Once I saw a bunch of similar pieces pop up with a descriptors of “Cronin” “Tulip” and “Stoneware”, I used these terms to better focus my search. I added the words “Cronin Tulip” next to the photo, so that the Google image search would use all that information to find me similar links:

Just by doing this super simple (and quick) search, I could see that similar items ranged from $30 -$55, which was all the information I needed to pull the trigger on my $5 purchase (yellow tags were on sale, yay).

When I got back home, I did a bit more of a deep dive by using the information I found and searching on regular Google Search.

That is how I found out that Cronin (aka Cameron Pottery) was founded in Cameron, West Virginia in 1936 and destroyed in a fire in 1964. In the mid 1950’s they produced the blue tulip pottery, which was the mid-century dinnerware choice for many American households in the 1940’s and 1950’s. While it’s not super pricey to collect, it’s the perfect addition to my china cabinet which already has a beautiful mix of vintage Pyrex and Lu-Ray Pastel items.

There are many, many ways you can use Google Lens — just in the last few weeks I’ve used it to identify a cute dog’s breed, find a similar skirt to one I liked that was $$$$, do a quick price comparison of a Lego set Jack wants, and of course figure out a little more information about some of my recent thrifting finds!

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3 Overhyped Products and 3 Affordable Alternatives that Outperform Them

Photo by Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

It’s time for another Products that Suck post of products that I’ve tried and just don’t see what the big deal is. I’m not going to leave you hanging though, after I tell you what I DON’T like, I’ll give you a cheaper alternative that I DO like…

NOT WORTH IT: Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream (find it here)

I read a ton of reviews about how this skin cream was absolutely amazing. It is supposed to be a rich anti-aging moisturizer that plumps and hydrates skin for an enviable dewy, healthy glow. I paid $70 for a jar of this stuff. SEVENTY DOLLARS. And it is so thick and greasy and smells terrible. Even if I use the smallest amount, it sits on top of my skin and never soaks in. I don’t look dewy. I look greasy.

THIS INSTEAD: Derma-E Hydrating Night Cream (find it here)

This cream costs $20 for a jar and actually does moisturize, rehydrate and nourish your skin while you sleep. It goes on easy and soaks right in, so you’re not a greasy mess. If you feel like you want a little extra something, I will add on the Lanege Water Sleeping Mask (for $30) every so often to give a little extra boost of hydration. This is extra good if you’ve been out in the sun or wind in the summer!

NOT WORTH IT: Fancy Hydra Boost Renewal Cream from my local Medispa

 When I got my BBL for Sunspots, I purchased a fancy face cream from the medispa for something like $80 while I was there. They told me that is was the best on the market and exactly what my skin needs for daytime or nighttime. Yeah, I’m going to call BS on that… it’s lame. It was totally not worth the price, as it barely moisturizes even if I’m using it as a daytime moisturizer.

THIS INSTEAD: Sunday Riley C.E.O Hydration Cream (find it here)

It’s not a TON of savings, but still savings at $65 for the jar that lasts a really long time. I like this Sunday Riley cream a million times better than the medispa version. It’s very hydrating, but soaks into your skin so that you can top it with your SPF and move on with your day. It also has a light citrus scent when you put it on, which is a nice little bonus.

NOT WORTH IT: Maelove The Glow Maker (find it here)

You guys, I was FINE with my Vitamin C serum. FINE WITH IT. So why did I get sucked into a million YouTube videos telling me how amazing the Maelove The Glow Maker serum was?! It wasn’t crazy expensive at $32, but literally works and feels exactly the same as the $10 version I had already been using. Don’t get sucked in, it’s not worth it!

THIS INSTEAD: Eclat Vitamin C Face Serum (find it here)

I’ve been using this for almost a year and it’s great. Depending on the day it ranges from $10 – 12 on Amazon and it’s just as good as the fancy $32 version. Save money and get this one instead!

I’m unhappily working my way through the Tatcha skin cream, Medispa cream and The Glow Maker because I hate wasting money. So, learn from my mistakes and skip the overpriced products that totally don’t live up to the hype!

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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Amazon Prime Day: 7 Favorites

Source: Amazon.com

Amazon is having their special Prime Day celebration right now, which is cool because who doesn’t love sales?! However, without having a bit of a cheat-sheet, I find the Prime Day sales a little overwhelming. I mean, how many iPads, laptops and headphones does a girl need?

To find the deals that would actually be helpful for ME, I went through my purchases to see if any of them were included in the Prime Day sales.

Here are 7 of my favorites currently on special sale for Prime Day:

Favorite 1: Blink Outdoor Camera 2 pack system. Prime Day Deal Price: $79.99. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3DbPQp7 (This 3 pack system is a really good deal too for $104: https://amzn.to/46Lizic)

Favorite 2: Black + Decker Portable Air Conditioner with Remote. Prime Day Deal Price: $299.98. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3JTB3mR

Favorite 3: Travel Backpack with Packing Cubes. Prime Day Deal Price: $35.74. Find it here: https://amzn.to/43geCz3

Favorite 4: Dreo Tower Fan. Prime Day Deal Price: $72.66. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3Q9JDlp

Favorite 5: Flameless Candles with Remote. Prime Day Deal Price: $20.79. Find it here: https://amzn.to/43kZksL

Favorite 6: Vitamin C Face Serum. Prime Day Deal Price: $9.34. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3JSzxkE

Favorite 7: HomeHacks Storage 3-Pack Organizer Bags. Prime Day Deal Price: 11.99. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3pGfEXj

I’ve written about each of these items (sometimes more than once) over the years, but if you have any specific questions feel free to post them below in the comments. As for me, I went ahead and used this opportunity to order an extra 3-pack of organizer bags and restock my Vitamin C serum!

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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