Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have tried every kind of shower cap from very pricey to super cheap. To date I have not found one cap that adequately keeps my hair dry. I’m sure some of your readers have had the same problem and maybe have a solution. I would like to hear about it. I’m tired of having to blow-dry my hair every time I shower.
— Johanna L.
Dear Johanna: Many of us have hair — be it curly or straight — that becomes like a wild animal when touched by water (or shower steam). Believe me, I feel your pain. I too have tried every variety of shower cap I could get my hands on with no success. This brings me to a product called Hairbrella (hairbrella.com). It’s expensive ($24.99 and up) and it looks a little strange since it has a see-through visor to deflect water. Furthermore, it is marketed as a rain hat. I wore it in the shower and it kept my hair dry. The company offers money-back-free returns. Let’s hear from readers who have other solutions to Johanna’s problem.
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I tend to keep my costume jewelry for a long time. I have a gold necklace that is now back in fashion. I was ready to wear it and noticed that the little gold balls on the necklace seem to have faded. I put the necklace into a store-bought jewelry cleaner solution for 10 seconds and that did not restore the shine. My husband recommends Brasso. Do you have a recommendation, or should I just go purchase a new piece of costume jewelry?
— Lorrie H.
Dear Lorrie: I’m not optimistic that there is a cost-effective way to bring new life to your old costume jewelry. But I contacted my go-to expert on costume jewelry, Dave Mayer, who for many years ran my favorite well-priced vintage costume jewelry store in Millsboro, Delaware. (He’s retired now, so all us costume jewelry lovers have had to find new resources.)
Dave says: “It’s possible that the gold plate finish has just worn off over time and there is no cost-effective way to restore it to its gold color. But, before buying a new one, Lorrie might try using a silver polishing cloth, which you can buy online, or Wright’s Silver Cleaner and Polish Cream, which you can buy in the grocery store. If it’s an older piece of costume jewelry, it might actually be brass, and her husband’s suggestion could work.”
The internet and YouTube offer an array of different home DIY solutions. I would test them on a small area of the jewelry beforehand. And if your jewelry has fake jewels that are glued in, I’d be worried that any of these treatments could loosen the jewels. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Lemon juice
• White vinegar and water
• Baby shampoo or dishwashing liquid and water
• Toothpaste
• Acetone-free nail polish remover
• Line a bowl with aluminum foil shiny side up; add 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, 1/2 cup boiling water. Swirl around, then dry with a soft cloth.
Reader Rant
Edward S. writes, “I am so angry that I have to buy $$$$ printer ink which, so far, has cost me more than the actual printer — in under a year. It’s a scam! If I ONLY print in black and white — never in color — how come I have to replace the color cartridges as often as the black ink? What a rip-off.
Many of us have hair — be it curly or straight — that becomes like a wild animal when touched by water (or shower steam).