I am having the best time reading your comments about your everyday favorites. I’ve even started a list of things I need to try, with Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in the number one spot. Followed closely by Aquaphor lotion and Trader Joe’s body wash.
This is when it would be helpful if my town actually had, you know, a Trader Joe’s.
Also: WHO KNEW that so many of you are tea drinkers? Obviously I have very refined readers. Much like myself, of course.
Ahem.
Several of you have mentioned in the comments that you want to try Mentholatum for under-eye bags, and I want to make sure to be very clear about something (normally I would email the commenters individually, but with all the switching servers business of the last four days, I can no longer receive my comments via email, and here is where I am tempted to tell you all about how that has ROCKED MY WORLD IN MANY NOT-HAPPY WAYS, but I am determined to have a cheerful outlook about it because in the grand scheme of things, it’s SO not a big deal).
Where was I?
Rambling through some unending parenthetical sidenote?
Well. Yes. Of course.
ANYWAY, just bear in mind that if you use Mentholatum on your under-eye bags, you will be using a product that contains a fair amount of MENTHOL. Not to mention a great deal of CAMPHOR. So odds are that if you are not conditioned to Mentholatum’s mentholated potency, having the Mentholatum so close to your eyes may result in a good bit of eye-watering. Which might not be your ideal scenario.
Since I have used the Mentholatum since I was, well, two, I have a pretty strong tolerance for all its vapors and whathaveyou. But if you are even remotely sensitive to strong menthol odors, you may want to take a pass on putting this stuff under your eyes. Seriously. Because while it doesn’t bother me, that is probably because I have a high Mentholatum tolerance.
I just felt that I needed to make that perfectly clear. Or else my inbox might start filling up with subject lines that say, “MY EYES! MY EYES!”
And I would feel just terrible.
Happy Friday, y’all.
I would be running to the store to get that Dunkin Donuts coffee because well, it is really good. We don’t even have a dunkin donuts in our town (I know gasp!) and therefore have never partaken (sp?) of the fine bakery goodness. Anyway, Target usually has it for about $6.00.
At risk of sounding like I’m the worst Southerner ever, I DESPISE tea. Despise it!!!
I know, I’m from Alabama and I don’t like sweet tea. A VERY rare occurence.
Oh my gosh, I haven’t thought about Mentholatum in years! My dad always had a huge jar of it on his nightstand because his nose was frequently stuffy at night. Mom would put it on my chest whenever I got a cold and for some reason I loved the smell of it when I was a kid.
Dood. You totally have to find a Trader Joe’s. You think you get excited when Philly Cream Cheese is on sale? Try finding good stuff at TJ’s.
Also? My in-laws just moved back to Utah where there is no Trader Joe’s. I’m never going there. Ever.
I think the in box would read more like:
adalgj [o dnagfh hgalyu (you know, with all that eye watering going on and such!)
As for “sweet tea” this yankee just doesn’t get what’s so good about it. My idea of sweet tea is Lipton Raspberry ICED tea. Mmm. But what does a yankee know anyway, right?
I believe “Happiness is a north bound yankee” isn’t that right? I saw that sweet gem of a bumper sticker on my first week in the south.
:- )
My dad was also a devoted Mentholatum fan. He actually put it INSIDE his nose. Gives me a chill just thinking about it!
As fellow life-long Mentholatum user, I admit I was a little worried that some unknowing exhausted Mama would smear some under her eyes and get quite the shock! Glad you clarified that one! However, I have never tried it under my eyes. I am afraid I may not be brave enough!
Oh my whole family is a fan of the Mentholatum in the nose. Its addictive. We think its a cure-all (kinda like Windex was in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).
Anyways – we are big fans of Dunkin Donuts coffee here in the convent – some one gave us a case of it for Christmas. Their French Vanilla is a favorite.
I’ve seriously contemplated writing a book titled “101 ways to use Mentholatum”
# 48 would be to soothe a nightime cough by rubbing it on your FEET and putting socks on!!! It really works
#72 is for sunburn relief. Apply it to the burned skin and it actually takes the heat out. You’ll still be pink but your skin won’t sting.
I panic if we don’t have any readily available in our house!
Although a Yankee, I was raised by Southern parents, where most kids have sweet tea by the time they are two. It is really the only Southern food I took to (as opposed to grits and cornbread) When I moved the Midwest, I knew where every restaurant that carried sweet tea was. Not hard since there was five.
My born and raised in the South mother always said one needed to be able to drink either tea or coffee for social reasons. I usually only drink “hot” tea when I hang out with my Canadian friends. They drink as much tea as the Brits do.
Oh, I have to share a funny story you Southerns may appreciate. I was at a flea market with my Canadian friend and she saw a cornbread pan. It was one of those as a mold of corn cobs. She thought the pan was for cooking corn in. I had to explain to her what it was.
McDonald’s has sweet tea now that is absolutely delicious. A huge big cup full for a buck. A BUCK! It could become an addiction.
Well, Preparation H is good for under the eyes, too. . . if the menthol is too much for some people. :)
Re: comments via e-mail… You prolly need to reinstall a plugin. I don’t remember WHICH plugin, but if you need me to look it up, I will… and then sometimes this particular plugin needs some “tweaking,” and that my husband would be happy to help you with. :)
Let me know if you need a Ramblings By Reba (and husband) assist.
Mentholatum…I was raised by my grandmother & she made me put that stuff up my nose! I will say, it’ll sure break free any sinus trouble you’ve got hidden somewhere up there!
Let’s make it clear that if you are going to drink tea, it needs to be sweet! My dear husband says that if you let my tea sit for a day, you can pour it on your pancakes! We’re in the Philippines now & we still have our daily tea…there are some sacrifices that are just too difficult to face.
Been reading your blog for a while now, thank you for the laughter, thank you for finding joy in the simple-ness, thank you for your outlook on life…thanks for sharing!
Duncan Donuts’ coffee gives me heartburn…ugh! Especially if I am wearing Mentholatum under my eyes while I drink it.
I have NEVER heard of using Mentholatum for eye bags. Sounds like a horrible idea. I have however heard of using Preparation H and I wonder if people are perhaps getting the two mixed up?
Confusing preparation H & Mentholatum sounds fairly painful… I have heard of Prep H for undereyes, though.