Nailing down a new tea product

The other day I got a fancy new cosmetics catalog in the mail, and I loved looking at all the stuff it offered. There are products geared to each nook and cranny of the middle-aged woman's face, but the one that got me was this tiny little jar of face cream that was $90. Do they know how much $90 will buy? The way I shop, that could get you an entire tea set at a good antique mall, new packages of tea from Harney AND Upton AND Stash, a couple of yards of teapot fabric on eBay, and a tea book or two on half.com.

That catalog has found a home in the recycling pile, but I still enjoy checking out the new cosmetics. This week, I needed a new base coat to use with my nail polish, because the old one was getting thick and clunky and producing those dreaded air bubbles in my polish. So, off I went to the local Ulta store. I am not at all brand loyal when it comes to such products, so price was definitely the determining factor.

For just $2.79, I found this Nutra Nail Green Tea Nail Strengthener. According to the package, it "combines superpoly-resins with the antioxidants of Green Tea to firmly bond nail layers and fill in weak spots. Nails instantly get maximum strength and the durability to resist damage so they can grow beautifully long and strong at last. (Formulated without dibutyl phthalate to help protect you and the environment.)" All that's great, and I get a kick out of seeing "camellia sinensis" actually listed as an ingredient in this product, but the best news is: no air bubbles in my nail polish.