Lisa Michelle Gear, Lifestyle & Health

The Only Water Bottle You’ll Ever Need

While those Poland Spring and Deer Park disposable bottles may be convenient in a bind  in the long run you could be shelling out some major cash for something you already get billed for every month. I was initially resistant to carrying a reusable bottle; I mean they’re bulky, can never fit in a purse and (in my experience) have a tendency to leak all over the place. However when I looked at my recycling bin and saw it brimming with crunchy, two dollar bottles I realized I needed to make a serious change. Luckily I never really had a problem drinking the tap water in my area, but if you drink bottled water due to your community’s water situation I’d recommend getting a Brita water filter head or pitcher. The pitcher ranges between $ 12 and $50, but unless you want yours to connect to the internet I’d suggest opting for the cheaper one. The filter head snaps directly onto your sink head and ranges between $19 and $30, they recommend you replace the actual filter every two months and cost about eight dollars. In my experience I haven’t had a problem going five or so months without changing the filter, but to each their own. After prepping my sink with a great filtration system I began scouring Amazon for reviews of high quality reusable bottles. The most popular brands are Nalgene, Camelbak,  and Hydro flask. Nalgene and CamelBak are both made of plastic, which while BPA free, I still don’t trust in the dishwasher or high heat environments. This left me with Hydro Flask, which is made of stainless steel. While this happens to be a great water bottle, it is a little difficult to clean along the threads where the cap screws in which could potentially pose some long term problems. After a little more research I came across a company called Klean Kanteen. Klean Kanteen bottles are made of durable, 100% stainless steel and are available in a wide range of sizes and colors. The entire bottle is dishwasher safe and the threads are wide enough to really make sure everything is squeaky clean. They offer a great selection of caps as well; I currently own the Sport Cap and the Loop Cap, however I tend to use the Loop cap more often. The two sizes I find the most convenient are the 27 oz and the 12 oz “Kid Kanteen“, which is great for storing in a purse if you’re on the go. The 27oz is about $21 dollars and the 12oz is roughly $18. They also offer growlers and insulated bottles for beer or hot beverages. Their largest size is a 64oz, which is absurdly big for one person but great for a picnic or a day-hike with friends. I have had a great experience with Klean Kanteen as a reliable company with a great message and a high quality product; I don’t think I will return to disposable bottles any time soon thanks to their wonderful line of sustainable and durable products.

Here are some pictures of the ones I have:

bottle1
27 ounce bottle
bottle2
12 ounce bottle

 

Happy Hydration!

 

 

Lisa Michelle Lifestyle & Health, Travel

Sea Island- Georgia

Among the shallow sandbars along the Georgia coast,  Sea Island, a luxury, Preferred resort lies in wait for those who venture beyond the inland marshes. The Cloister Hotel, one of a few accommodations the resort has to offer is seated in the main building, which is where I stayed during the duration of my retreat. Aesthetically, the entire location is breathtaking, surrounded by fragrant spanish moss and cascading limestone architecture it envelops the vacationer in relaxed bliss. The service is second to none, especially the concierge who handled all of our plans and reservations with great care and attention.  The resort offers a world renowned spa  as well as a state of the art fitness center and athletic classes. In addition to the year round facilities, the hotel schedules entertainment events, during my stay I was privileged enough to meet Jodi Cobb, the first female National Geographic photographer famous for her intimate portraits of the Japanese Geisha community. In addition to guest speakers, Sea Island offers stellar recreational activities complete with seasoned guides who will show you the hidden gems of the coast. While vacationing I took part in a three hour long sunset kayak tour through the shallow marshes as well as two SUPB (Stand-Up-Paddle-Boarding) sessions, each more lovely than the next. The restaurants offer an incredible array of both local and international cuisines, our favorites were Tavola, which has a brilliant selection of Italian fare, and Southern Tide, located  in the Sea Island Beach Club, perfect for the more casual vacationer. Just steps beyond the doors of Southern Tide are two of the both beautiful pools I’ve ever been to, complete with cushioned lounge chairs in the shade of tropical palm trees. Along the upper deck is the adults only pool, perfect for a relaxing soak or a quick piña colada away from it all. Just a short walk from the beach club is the shore, gleaming white sand and warm, rich blue water await those who visit during the hot summer months. Coming from New Jersey I’ve seen my fair share of great beaches, and this it certainly among the top five due to its sheer cleanliness and beauty. Holistically, Sea Island resort was faultless; top notch service, world class cuisine and the gorgeous setting cemented this getaway as one of my favorite vacations of all time and hopefully I will return soon.

Happy Travels!

Here is the link to the resort, and here are some photographs from my Instagram @lisamichellecorn:

The hall our room was on
The veranda outside the Cloister
Stand Up Paddleboarding
The pool
The indoor pool in the fitness center
Southern Tide Restaurant
The beach
Outside the Cloister
The view from our room

 

Lisa Michelle Beauty & Hair, Fashion, Lifestyle & Health, Uncategorized

Yes, You Should Buy That Knockoff Brand, Here’s Why:

 

 

The allure of the iconic brands like Ugg, Victoria’s Secret, and The North Face can be tempting for even the most fervent bargain shopper, but for those of you are interested in quality products at a third of the price, keep reading.

When one usually wants to buy a sexy piece of lingerie, Hanes isn’t the first brand they think of. Sure, its cheap and most of their products don’t look half bad; but what about a nice pair of pantyhose from Victoria’s Secret, right? They’re the made by the same factory. Specifically the pantyhose, which can cost almost half the price if purchased under the Hanes brand.

I used to be hooked on high end salon brand hair products, eventually I got tired of shelling out upwards of thirty dollars on serums and shampoos when I’d  eventually just end up drowning in empty bottles of Redken and Paul Mitchell anyways. To get that mirror shine on a dime I started doing something so brilliantly simple I seriously regret not starting sooner-I started reading the ingredients on the back of the bottle. Every. Single. One. After reading the various hydroxypropyltrimonium’s and hexylene glycol’s I started to notice how identical most shampoos actually are. I found out that one of my go to brands, Paul Mitchell, uses the identical formula as the Harmon discount “Awapuhi Botanical shampoo”, the only difference being that the latter costs roughly half of the former…

There are some product brands that are virtually identical, like Emu and Ugg. Both are made in Australia and have virtually the same designs made out of the same materials. I did a blind try (basically mixed up the shoes and put them on without looking at the brand) at Nordstrom’s and ended up finding the Emus more comfortable, so I got those and saved my forty dollars. Basically the same situation with North Face and Columbia, when it’s below freezing outside I love the Columbia Women’s Varaluck™ III Long Down Jacket, right now on their website its about $130. A North Face coat of this ilk costs roughly between $270 and $340, and to be honest feels exactly the same.

In reality you wear clothes for you, if it makes you feel fabulous having a logo that comes with a price tag, go for it. However, if you just want to find quality products that are almost identical and won’t break your bank there are plenty of great options out there that should definitely be explored.

Happy Shopping!