Cosmetic Blending Sponge

I usually use a finger to apply foundation or concealer. I bought this sponge in a local store because it was on sale and I decided to try it. I suspected it might be just a gimmick and likely not to work any better than a finger. But I was surprised by how well this thing worked. When I apply make up with my finger it often leaves a somewhat uneven finish especially if what I am trying to conceal has an uneven surface, like a pimple. I can see this unevenness in my make-up magnifying mirror, and I used to tell myself that noone else can see it without magnifying glass (not sure if it is true or not). However using a sponge blender the foundation is totally smooth even if my skin has an uneven surface. Even in my magnifying mirror, I cannot see anything by a smooth finish.


I am attaching a couple of photos of the sponge before and after use, as the sponge surprised my by growing. The photo collage can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo. The first photo is the sponge in its container when I just purchased it, the second photo is the same sponge on top of the container (as it no longer fits into the previous shape). The sponge has not gone back to its original size even when it dried between uses. The third photo is the sponge in my hand for relative size.


This sponge can be used on cosmetics that are wet or dry. One end of it rounded and is used on large areas and one end is pointy to reach into corners (around the hose or eyes). It is made out of non-latex polymer, it feel spongy and resilient, and the finish reminded me of suede.


To use it you need to wet the sponge in warm water until totally saturated. Then squeeze excess water until it is just slightly damp. The sponge expanded as it became wet. The instructions said to put makeup on the sponge and then apply. I also tried putting on the face first and then using the sponge. Both approaches work well.


The sponge picks up the color of your make up. The color does not come off even after I washed it. So if you want to use the sponge for both foundation and blush, I would recommend buying more than one sponge and dedicating each to a specific color.


This sponge over-exceeded my expectations, I recommend it.






You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Premium Horizontal Leather Pouch Case with Belt Clip for LG 800G 800-G

I bought this leather case for LG 800G phone to protect the touch screen from accidental use while it is rattling in a purse. 

   

The case feels solid, closes well with a magnet clasp, and weights (empty) 1.9 oz. The case is hard and the screen cannot be pushed through it. The inside of the case is a soft felt-like material which protects the screen.  On the down size this is a generic case, and there are no phone specific cut-outs. For example, you cannot charge the phone while it is in the case.



The case fit the phone loosely (in one of the photos described below I am able to insert a pen next to the phone) and I decided to purchase a gel skin for a better fit. I purchased this gel skin LG Cookie Style Candy Skin Case . With the gel skin on the fit is perfect!  The phone is easy to insert and take out, yet the  phone does not fall out even if I hold the case open and upside down and give it a bit of a shake.  The weight of the phone, the gel skin, and the leather case all together is 5.5 oz.



I am attaching a video which shows the case and how the phone with the gel skin fits it. I am also attaching a collage of 6 photos.



Photo #1 ➨  Shows the back of the case, along with the packaging.  The packaging included a closed foam insert which kept the shape of the pouch. For those who do not want to buy a gel case, this foam can be cut to form foam strips and these foam strips can be glued to the case as spacers for a less loose fit.



Photo #2 ➨ Shows the front of the case. The canvas cut-out hides the magnet clasp, and is totally covered when the case is closed.



Photo #3 ➨ Shows how the phone fits the case without the gel. You can see that I can insert a pen next to phone.



Photo #4 ➨ Shows the phone in the gel skin being inserted into the case



Photo #5 ➨ Shows the fit with the gel skin on the phone - now it is a perfect fit.



Photo #6 ➨ Shows me holding the case upside down and you can see that the phone does no fall out. The gel skin creates good friction with the inside of the case.

       



I am very pleased with the case when it is used with the gel skin: good value and works well.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Bolse® 4 Port USB Charger Wall/Travel/AC Rapid Charger 4 Amps / 20Watt For Mobile Devices

I tested Bolse 4 port 4 Amps 20 Watt Wall Charger with Nexus 7 Tablet (JellyBean 4.2.2), Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (ICS 4.0.4), and Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phone (JellyBean 4.2.2), and SanDisk Sansa Clip+ player.



I own several wall chargers and power bricks and run the same set on tests on each of them, so they can be compared to each other using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.



To test Bolse 4 port I ran a test for each of my 3 devices on each of 4 ports for a total of 12 tests. I repeated the tests on both the white and the black version of the wall plug as I received one of each from the manufacture for an unbiased review. I also charged the Nexus phone and the Nexus tablet at the same time. The results of these 25 tests are included in the tables below.



➨ Key finding:

------------

I am include results from testing both the black white plugs, as to my surprise they produced different results. See more on this difference in my overall assessment at the end of the review.



My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test.



I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

  

I am attaching a collage with 3 photos that to illustrate this review.  They show the plugs on different power strips, charging different mobile devices, as well as a close up of the plug itself.



Bolse wall charger has re-tractable prongs which is very handy for travel. It has 4 ports: 2 universal ports, 1 Apple port, and Samsung port. The ports are marked on the top of the unit. The writing is very easy to read on the white plug, and a bit harder on the black plug.



The plug is 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. If you put the plug on the strip it takes up two slots.



The table below summarizes my findings:



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet (black plug)

--------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 0% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet (white plug)

--------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 0% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (black plug)

--------------------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 7% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 7% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 5% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (white plug)

--------------------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 6% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 6% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7 (black plug)

--------------------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- -- ----- discharging

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7 (white plug)

--------------------------

Universal port 1 -- -- ----- discharging

Universal port 2 -- -- ----- discharging

Apple port ------- -- ----- discharging

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ SanDisk Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player

------------------------------

Universal port 1 -- worked

Universal port 2 -- worked

Apple port ------- worked

Samsung port ----- worked



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet & Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone at the same time (black plug)

--------------

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- Tablet 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- Phone 7% change in charge in 10 minutes



The behaviour of both Nexus 7 Tablet and Galaxy Nexus Phone plugged in at the same time was the same as when they were plugged in individually.



On the black plug the Galaxy 7.7 tablet performed better on Universal ports than on the Samsung port. However on the white plug, the only port that worked for Galaxy 7.7 was the Samsung port.



The MP3 player worked on all ports.



➨ Key finding:

------------------

There was a difference in performance between the black and the white plugs. I can only explain it by inconsistency in the manufacturing processes. The performance of the black plug was consistently better for all the units. The white plug did work, and if I did not have a black one for comparison or did not run the same set of tests on both plugs I would have thought the white one worked reasonably well. As an engineer I find inconsistency in performance rather unsettling and even though the black plug performed exceptionally well I felt I had to mark down both plugs because potential consumers would not know whether they would be getting an ok plug or a great plug. The inconsistency may show up in a plug of any color.





You can find the black charger on Amazon by following this link.





You can find the white charger on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

LG Cookie Style (800G) Candy Skin Case - Hot Pink Argyle

I purchased LG Cookie style gel skin case for LG 800G phone. The gel case is a perfect fit. It is easy to put on and take off. The gel case will be used in combination with Horizonal leather pouch and it fits into the leather pouch so well than once it is inside it does not slide out even if you shake the case while it is open and upside down, yet it is easy to take out by push on it through the case opening on the bottom.



I am attaching a video that demonstrates putting the gel skin on the phone, taking it off the phone, as well as the phone with the gel skin in use with the leather pouch. The case is easy to put on if you put the top first, and easy to remove if you start with the bottom. The case has cut outs for various port. The buttons (like power button and volume control) are not cut out, but rather the gel is thinned over them. As I show in the video they work perfectly fine through the case, yet are protected from the dirt.

  



The color of the case is light pink. When it is on the phone its color combines with the black of the phone and looks lilac (colors are best seen in the collage of photos described below).



I also attached a collage of four photos (which can be located by follow 'customer photos' link under the main photo.



Photo #1: the case in its packaging. Made in China.



Photo #2 and #3: case before it is put on the phone showing both inside and outside. Outside is smooth, inside is slightly textured.



Photo #4: the back of the phone with the gel case on, the color turns lilac with the black coming through the pink. This photo also shows the leather pouch case mentioned above.



Overall, I am very pleased. The case fits well, the phone works well with it on, it gives the phone a solid non-slippery feel, and I thought it was pretty.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

3M Scotch Super 33+ Vinyl Electrical Tape, .75-Inch by 66-Feet

In this order I received Scotch 3M tape (3/4 inch wide and 66 feet long) in a plastic storage container. I attached a photo of the tape and the container which can be found by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.



I  always have electrical tape in my tool box. Electrical tape does a nice job preventioning shorts, which can start fires as well as stop electrocutions if the live wire is touched by someone.  I use it on various wire-related small projects I do at the house.



Electrical tape can too old. How can you tell? I noticed that my old tape became tacky on both sides and lost some of its elasticity. I purchased this new tape and was quite pleased that it came in the plastic container. I already used the tape on a project, and it is nicely tacky and holds well.



Electrical tape is applied to a wire by rolling the tape the wire in a coil-like fashion. It is important to overlap each layer so there are no gaps to ensure good insulation and to keep moisture or condensation from reaching the wire. While wrapping the tape I pull on it slightly so its elastic property is engaged. The tape's elasticity helps keep it tight and snug to the wire.



Electrical tape comes in several colors. Black electrical tape is most common, it does not indicate any color code. It can be used outdoors as it impervious to ultraviolet radiation, which can damage colored electrical tape. White or grey used to indicate neutral wires, green or yellow/green stripe indicate grounding wires.



The tape works well, I like the container, the price is reasonable. I am very pleased with this purchase.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

YooMee NEW 3-in-1 Black Fibermesh Capacitive Touchscreen Stylus with Laser Pointer and Ballpoint Pen

This stylus combines a ball point pen, a laser pointer and a stylus making it quite versatile. This stylus/pen is 5.5" long, 1.5" in diameter at the grip point, 1.3 oz in weight. It has a stylus with micro-knit fiber mesh stylus tip that was very precise when I used it with my Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (no screen protector). The ball point pen wrote smoothly and consistently. Laser pointer worked well. In addition to all of the above functions it also works well as a cat exercise device, they love chasing the laser dot!



I am attaching a video and a collage of four photos  for illustrating this review.

The video shows me changing the stylus to the pen and then to laser pointer, as well as using it in each configuration.



A note about assembling the laser pointer: The pen had a sticker which read "Remove insulator while operation", I assumed it meant "Remove insulator before operating". However, there was no insulator in the battery compartment. Rather one of the batteries was inserted incorrectly and thus the batteries were no operational and not draining. When I reinserted the batteries correctly (as shown in the video) the laser became operational.



✔ Sensitivity and performance of this stylus was very good. I most frequently use the stylus for typing and editing text, as it gives me best precision for positioning insertion point between characters.



✔ I found the pen comfortable. It is a little heavy, but I had no problem with using it for taking notes during a one hour long meeting.



✔ It has a clip, which allows me to clip the stylus while carrying it around. It does not get separated from my tablet in my purse, so it is there as soon as I need it.



I found using this stylus in many different ways. I really like that it combines pen, stylus, and laser pointer.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

YooMee Red BEAT51 Portable Travel-size Mini Speaker for Apple, Nexus, Android and other mobile devices

YooMee Red BEAT51 Mini Speaker is an attractive black and red round speaker that weights 2 oz and is about 2.25" in diameter.  It is wired and has a rechargeable battery. The speaker comes with a black velvet pouch which fits the speaker and cables.



I am attaching a video which demonstrates the sound generated by my tablet's speaker, then by YooMee Speaker, and then back to the tablet's speaker for comparison.  The speaker produces sounds that is noticeably better than the built-in speaker. It has a reasonable base for a speaker of such small size and nice mid tones which produce sound without distortion. 

 

The speaker can play 12 hours on one charge.  When the speaker is charging the led indicator is red, when the full charge is reached the led indicator turns blue. It took me 3 hours to charge it from totally empty to totally full. The speaker can be used while it is being recharged.

  

I am attaching a photo  which shows the speaker with its charging/audio cable. The speaker has no audio input aside from this custom cable. This custom cable has one USB connection that has two wires coming out of it: one audio cable and one charging cable. Audio cable branch goes to the sound source, charging cable branch goes to the power source. Even when you don't need to charge the speaker, you always have both wires danging together.  The audio cable is quite short, only 17 inches (19.25" if you include both connectors).  If I am recharging the speaker it gives me only 17 inches of freedom.  I often recharge gadgets from a small external power brick in my pocket, so I can continue to listen while recharging, but this cable is too short to put the speaker and power brick in my pocket and hold the tablet at the same time.  If you are not charging the speaker then you have the length of both cables with a USB connector dangling between the two branches.  The weakest point of this speaker is this cable.



The compact size and light weight make it a good travel companion. As far as the sound is concerned it is a nice little speaker with the sound which is rather impressive for its size.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆