In tandem with little joys, let’s talk little luxuries.
Last week, while showering, I paused to appreciate the “little luxury” that is pump bottles. For years I used Redken shampoo – sourced by my cousin, who happens to be a hairdresser – and paid extra to get a pumping mechanism.
When that fad ran its course, I went back to squeezing shampoo and conditioner into my hand.
After getting a keratin treatment for my hair last fall, I opted to upgrade my shampoo (from the absolute cheapest/whatever-is-on-sale-at-the-drugstore to the slightly more expensive discount section at a local home goods store)…and ended up with pump-style bottles. Then my bestie handed down some shampoo that wasn’t a big hit in her family which, wait for it, also featured pump dispensers.
And it is just the best.
Your turn. What’s a “little luxury” you’ve been appreciating lately?
Header photo by Mockup Free on Unsplash
Jan Coates
I recently bought a wide-toothed comb (to help with my greying tangles), and I love it! Well worth the $3:)
Elisabeth
Anything that feels like a luxury that only costs $3 is a win!
Lindsay
I love pump shampoo so much that I save an empty bottle in our closet just in case I can’t find one (or switch brands to one who doesn’t offer this) so I can reuse! My small luxury lately are these oat biscuits I bought to have with my tea. I had found them at a farmer’s market last year, fell in love with them, and then rationed them (I only had one box!!) – but, then realized I could just source more and found them online and now have these delicious dunkers for my afternoon pick-me-up…. It really is the little things, sometimes!
Elisabeth
Ohhh. Smart! I should save some of the pump bottle.
Love that you’re not rationing the biscuits. Life is to short to not enjoy those little luxuries when they’re available.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I’m laughing because I hate pump bottles. I feel like I can never get the last little bit out. It’s not a problem for my shampoo but sometimes I have to go a bit out of my way to get squeeze bottles for the lotion that I use. No problem, if either of us gets stuck with a pump or a squeeze bottle that we don’t want, we can trade!
Elisabeth
Fair enough – I’ll report back once I get to the bottom. My Redken bottles came with screw caps and then the pumps were optional, so I could always go back to the regular caps. Maybe I’ll go all rebel and NOT try to get every last scrap of shampoo out? (Who are we kidding, of course I will). Though I tend to add water to the shampoo when it gets low so it’s runnier – I just use a little more.
Karen A.
I’m enjoying the copper teakettle my husband got me after my (admittedly cheapo, probably made in China) electric teakettle bit the dust after five years. I gasped at the price tag ($75), but he said he’d rather get something that probably wouldn’t fail and be unable to be fixed after five years. (Yes, he tried to fix the electric one and said it was so shoddily made he was surprised it lasted five years. Source: licensed professional electric engineer) The kettle is SO pretty and I have it set up on a hot plate so I won’t harm the stove if I do forget about it. It’s just a treat for the eyes.
On the topic of shampoo: I love the OGX biotin shampoo, but haaate the bottles. They are rounded so there is no way to put them upside down to get the last bits out. Anybody know of a good, SLS-free biotin shampoo and conditioner in normal bottles? Pumps, too, I don’t care.
Elisabeth
That teakettle sounds LOVELY. And I bet it is something you’ll have for a very long time. And those little aesthetic things MATTER. I’m so glad you love seeing it and using it.
I wish I could make a recommendation. Alas, I don’t know anything about biotin shampoos 🙁
Ally Bean
I’ve been enjoying the luxury of having many different kinds of tea around and drinking something different every day. Seems like living the high life to me.
Elisabeth
Love it!
NGS
It won’t let me thread messages in your comment section here, so I’m just going to respond here. I’m with Birchie – I sort of hate the pumps because you eventually have to open the pump and squeeze it out to get all of it! But, hey, if it works for you, that’s amazing.
I’m currently driving our old car for a variety of dumb, boring reasons. The car is not doing so well. LOL. BUT!! It has a CD player and there are a million old mixed CDs that my husband and I made in the early 2010s in the car and I am having SO MUCH FUN listening to these CDs and old songs I have not listened to in a long time. Highlights:
“Yankee Sailor” by Great Big Sea (I think you’d like this one, Elisabeth)
“Good People” by Great Big Sea
“Down the Road” by Kenny Chesney ft. Mac McAnally
“Not Ready to Make Nice” and “Long Time Gone” by The Chicks
“He Goes to Church” by Cherryholmes
“Guinevere” by Eli Young Band
“If I Had a Hammer” by Peter, Paul, and Mary (It’s the bell of freeeeeedom)
Okay, I’m done. It’s been so much fun. Also, I have to play it loud to cover up the sounds of an ancient car struggling to make it through.
Elisabeth
Aww. This is so fun.
Great Big Sea. Now THAT takes me back!
Ha. I have to chuckle at you cranking the volume to tune out a faulty muffler or clanking transmission. It’s really quite sweet, though, to be listening to all these mix CDs. <3
Nicole MacPherson
I love and hate pumps: I like them while they work, but then the last 1/8 of the bottle is impossible to get out and I end up pounding the bottom with my hand violently just to get the last bit, and because it’s a pump, I can’t keep it upside down like I would for a squeeze bottle.
As for little luxuries, I bought a lot of Lindors for my Galentine’s, but a couple of women couldn’t make it so I kept their grab bags that I had made, and now I’m eating them. They are SUCH delicious chocolates, and I managed to get the limited edition Valentines ones, so it feels like a real treat.
Elisabeth
Lindor’s are LUXURY. I walked by a display of reduced Lindor chocolates (from Valentines) at the grocery store. I should have bought a container. I didn’t have any chocolate for Valentine’s and Lindor really is my fav!
ccr in MA
I like the pumps too! Let me just have the handful of shampoo, done, without all the bending and holding the bottle with slippery hands and banging it to get it to come out and water pouring into my eyes.
Ahem. You know what else I like? A toothpaste tube with a flip top. I have bad hands, and the process to unscrew the top, put the top down, get toothpaste out, screw the top back on feels ridiculously time-consuming. Flip top open, toothpaste, flip top shut, simple!
Elisabeth
I also love the flip cap but, oddly enough, NEVER seem to end up with one. I never go out of my way to look for them; are they labeled on the outside (they must be?!). My parents always seem to have flip caps so I use their toothpaste when I visit. Plus, then my kids can never leave the cap off! A wonderful little luxury indeed.
Jenny
Ha, I bet you didn’t think you’d be starting a debate about pump shampoo! I have to say I don’t have an opinion one way or the other- my shampoo doesn’t have a pump and I’ve never missed it.
Let’s see, a little luxury. Well, we recently got an electric teakettle. I was opposed to it because we had a PERFECTLY GOOD teakettle that went on the stovetop. But the electric one is so convenient- you can set it for the temperature you want (so if you’re making green or oolong tea it’s not as hot as black tea) and it will also keep the water warm after it boils. AND, I don’t have to use up a burner on the stove which is convenient if I’m cooking other things. Much better than the old teakettle!
Elisabeth
Yay! I know how much you love tea so this seems like a little luxury you will appreciate (daily!) for many years to come.
San
Pump bottles are nice – although I feel like it’s hard to get the last bit of soap/shampoo out. There must be a better way! 😉
A little luxury I appreciate is the new screen on my phone. I usually take a long time to replace it but my old one had cracks and some air bubbles that got annoying LOL
Elisabeth
Ohh. What a great feeling to have a clean slate – I mean, screen protector. A WONDERFUL little luxury. It’s bearable to have cracks and bubbles but just so much nicer without, right?!
Speaking of which, I need to do the same thing.
San
I should have said “screen protector”… it’s not a new phone screen!
coco
a luxurious shampoo I bought in china lasted me 5 months, every time I used it, I felt special, the bottle, the scent, I shall get one this weekend when I go to china again. 🙂
those little luxurious make us feel so special, right? I also appreciate the newly acquired weekend coffee ritual. I bought a hand grinder, single serving, the whole thing takes me few minutes but it feels indulging to have freshly grinder and brewed coffee. I only do on weekends so it’s extra special.
Elisabeth
Your coffee ritual sounds absolutely wonderful.
And love your luxurious shampoo and the links to a visit home <3
sarah
I like squeeze shampoo, but my kids like pumps. We just talked about this at dinner the other night LOL. Laniege lip mask is my favorite little luxury.
Elisabeth
No one else seems to care so, for now, WE WILL HAVE PUMPS, I SAY! – hahaha
Melissa
A little luxury I enjoyed after my shower this morning was slathering my face with my yummy,smelling, rich face cream. When I travel I just take a small tube of moisturiser that can be multi-purpose. It’s fine but I do love when getting home and back to my usual.
Elisabeth
Maybe if I invested in more luxurious lotions I’d be better about using them?! I bet Nicole would say YES.
Stephany
I love a good pump shampoo/conditioner bottle but I am with the other commenters that it gets annoying when you’re down to the last of the bottle. My little luxury is my new morning routine: I make a cup of coffee and then go sit down in my reading chair and read my book while sipping my coffee. It is SO luxurious!
Elisabeth
Coffee and a book. Honestly, what could be better?!
Sara
Reading this post and the comment section felt like a little reminder to find more tiny joys.
I feel like I’ve been on the struggle bus and haven’t been enjoying much of anything to myself—coffee is always chugged and cold, I often collapse into bed without applying moisturizer anymore. But this gave me a gentle nudge to pay attention more closely.
Thanks for always bringing so much light, Elisabeth.
Elisabeth
I’m sorry things have been so tough, Sara. I hope you get some hot coffee (and time to savour it) and the opportunity to moisturize soon! And that the pressures of life aren’t quite so insurmountable feeling in the days and weeks ahead.
Michelle G.
I’m a fan of pumps. I still use the big bottles of Redken with pumps that were purchased separately! I have a little device that helps pour from one bottle to another, so I use it to get out that last bit. I think it’s called a bottle coupler.
A luxury I just got is new pretty dish towels. I love how they look, and they work so much better than my old threadbare ones did!
Elisabeth
Okay, I just looked up the bottle coupler and this is clearly something I never knew I NEEDED until now. This is a brilliant gadget!
I hope you post a picture of your new dish towels on your blog (hint, hint, oh subtle hint).
Lisa’s Yarns
My recent small luxuries were buying some fairly inexpensive skin care products at Sephora last week. I got the ordinary brand caffeine under eye treatment that Sarah and Nicole have both mentioned and then I got a travel size Sunday Riley vitamin C cream. I feel like I look a little tired and haggard these days is decided to spend a bit to see if I would feel better about how I look/how my skin feels.
Elisabeth
I have heard so much about this under eye treatment. I am INTRIGUED and hope you report back 🙂
Anne
Right now, I have a HUGE pump bottle of shampoo upside down in my shower caddy thing, because of the “last little bit” issue. So I’m with Birchie, Engie, and, well, a lot of other people on this one. 😉 As someone who has terrible grip strength, my pet peeve about shampoo is the bottles that are SO HARD to squeeze. That said, I’m moving away from the bottom tier of price to the next one up. My hair just… looks better. And when I don’t do anything with it anyway, well, shampoo/conditioner are one of the only ways I can make myself semi-presentable. 😉