Reviews - Cursing Cats and Other Curiosities

Review: Amazon Rashguard #2

Posted on March 7, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

First to catch up from these previous posts:

Review: TomboyX’s Ribbed Swim Sun Shield Crop Top LC – Parasailing

“As you know, I’m currently working on a tattoo sleeve that needs sun protection. I spend a decent amount of time in the sun in the summer. I like to float around in my pool with my friends for a long time. If we go to the beach, I’m going to spend a few hours sitting in a chair with the waves washing over my feet. I tan easily. I’m also not great about reapplying my sunscreen. I make sure to get a solid coat on before I go out, but I’m not great at reapplying. Combine that with my olive skin and I get pretty tan.

“However, now that I’m investing a lot of money in a full color tattoo sleeve, I gotta protect it. It’s not even finished, so I can’t risk fading half of it before the rest even gets done. So I’m ordering a bunch of rashguards to try out. I’ve got three on order to see what I like.”

So on to contestant number three…. XAKALAKA Women’s Plus Size Zip-Front Multicolor Striped Long Sleeve Tankini Rashguard Top Size 3X Color: 09 Tropic Flo for $32.99

The first question you may ask is, “Mrs C, why would you get this old lady pattern and not the starry sky or the blue gradient?” And to that I say, what the fuck? Did they not have those when I ordered? ‘Cause those patterns are way better. Do I send this back for one of those? What the fuck did I do? I’m seriously considering replacing it for one of those. Why did I order this Golden Girls pattern? Anyway, it’s not about the pattern. Let’s look past that.

So even if I do exchange the pattern, I’d totally keep it. It’s not the same quality as the TomboyX. However it’s also half the retail price and made in Asia. And it has some features I really like. First, the neck hole isn’t trying to choke me. Thank you, neck hole! This doesn’t zip from top to bottom, but the zipper is about 2/3 of the length. I tried it unzipped a bit and it really didn’t make a difference for better or for worse. This one also has fabric that lays under the zipper to protect your skin so when it’s unzipped, that shows rather than more skin. I think it’s a good feature though. So unzipping this one would just be for comfort, not style.

This rashguard is also full length which might make it a go-to if the cropped ones ride up a lot while swimming. It has ruched sides too. That’s a nifty little detail that makes it cute and adjustable. Just tighten up the strings to make it a little shorter if you have a short torso. But the BEST feature: This is the only rashguard so far with cups. Is it going to support big boobs? Not really. It’s gonna try, but I wouldn’t count on it. The support is only on the front panels, it doesn’t go all the way around. But it has cup pads! They’re very large and oddly shaped pads. I have no idea why they aren’t rounded, but they’re there. Do you know what that means? NO NIPPLES! Yes, it’s the only one of our three contenders to hide pointy nipples.

So full belly coverage and full nipple coverage. This might be the go-to for public appearances. I do like the quality of the TomboyX better. And I feel that since the support in that one wraps all the way around you, it would be more practical if you’re doing physical activities. But for a cheap fast fashion rashguard on Amazon — 5 stars.

I like it so much that I’m sending Amazon #1 back. I just don’t need this many rashguards. It is the cutest as far as pattern and general look goes. I admit that. It’s cute. However, the quality is so very lacking in that one. I just don’t see myself choosing it over this one or the TomboyX ones.

Seriously though, should I send it back for the blue gradient? Do I look like I should be hanging out with Blanche by the pool?

Review: TomboyX’s Ribbed Swim Sun Shield Crop Top LC – Parasailing

Posted on March 1, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | 1 Comment

First, to catch up from last post: “Review: Amazon Rashguard #1”:

“As you know, I’m currently working on a tattoo sleeve that needs sun protection. I spend a decent amount of time in the sun in the summer. I like to float around in my pool with my friends for a long time. If we go to the beach, I’m going to spend a few hours sitting in a chair with the waves washing over my feet. I tan easily. I’m also not great about reapplying my sunscreen. I make sure to get a solid coat on before I go out, but I’m not great at reapplying. Combine that with my olive skin and I get pretty tan.

However, now that I’m investing a lot of money in a full color tattoo sleeve, I gotta protect it. It’s not even finished, so I can’t risk fading half of it before the rest even gets done. So I’m ordering a bunch of rashguards to try out. I’ve got three on order to see what I like.”

OK! On to today’s contestant: TomboyX. This is their Ribbed Swim Sun Shield Crop Top LC – Parasailing. Why does it say Parasailing? No idea. This retails for $69 and I paid just over $40.

First, lets talk about the price and TomboyX. This is going to be a lot more expensive than the Amazon contestants. Fact. Why? Well, most stuff on amazon is fast fashion and probably made by people making barely above slave wages. TomboyX is a company whose corporate office is mostly made up of (80%) women and (63%) LGBTQ. They are certified for sustainability and their factories are certified with the Fair Labor Association. Even the plastic zipper bags your stuff comes in is biodegradable. So this is NOT fast fashion. These are made to actually last. Also, they’re a bit of a niche company. All of their stuff is multi-sex. Women, Men, Trans — it’s all for everyone. They even have one cup bras for mastectomy patients. I actually, really like this company and I have a few of their products. So with that out of the way…

I love this! OK, first, it’s not as cute as Amazon #1 was:

I think there are a few reasons for that. One, it doesn’t have a cute summery pattern. Two, the neck line. Amazon #1 would have looked the same zipped up, but I don’t have to zip it all the way up and I won’t. This one, you have no choice. It’d be so much cuter with a V neck or something. HOWEVER, this is a rashguard. They’re all tight against the neck like this for sun protection. Also, most of the TomboyX customer base doesn’t want to show off the boobies. That’s the only downsides.

The upsides: I love this fabric! It’s so soft. It actually just looks like a cropped top. I tried it on with jeans and I was like “I could go to the store in this.” It also has a built in breast support! So no need to wear something under it like Amazon #1. It’s just a mesh tank, but it helps a bit. There’s gonna be nipples but not so drastic as if you had nothing.

I was very afraid that it would be too cropped for me. However, I’m wearing it in the picture with some very high-waisted bottoms. There’s actually a good 2-3 inch overlap between the bottoms and the top. I will note that the bottoms that “match” this on the site are not as high-waisted as the ones you see me wearing. The mesh lining on this top is a really good fit for me. The outer fabric is nice and loose. I sized up. I usually wear a 2X in womens tops and a 42DDD bra. I ordered this in a 3X. (Oh, did I mention the size inclusivity of TomboyX? I love them! This top goes up to a 4X).

And the best part? THUMB HOLES! That’s right. If I gotta wear long sleeves when it’s 100 degrees outside, at least give me some fun thumb holes.

So I mentioned in the last review that I wouldn’t wear the amazon one for any hard-core purposes. At least not in the size I bought it in. I wouldn’t trust it not to be shifting all over the place and suffering from “wardrobe malfunctions.” I’d wear this thing out on a jetski or bouncing on a float dragged behind a boat. The mesh under top makes it feel secure. Though I do wish the under layer was attached at more than just the shoulders. You almost have to put on the mesh top and then the over top.

So yeah, not only am I keeping it. So far it is my favorite. I even ordered the other one that’s on sale! It’s a different material and has a more fun print. I think these are going to be my main summer pool wear.

Review: Amazon Rashguard #1

Posted on February 24, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | 3 Comments

As you know, I’m currently working on a tattoo sleeve that needs sun protection. I spend a decent amount of time in the sun in the summer. I like to float around in my pool with my friends for a long time. If we go to the beach, I’m going to spend a few hours sitting in a chair with the waves washing over my feet. I tan easily. I’m also not great about reapplying my sunscreen. I make sure to get a solid coat on before I go out, but I’m not great at reapplying. Combine that with my olive skin and I get pretty tan.

However, now that I’m investing a lot of money in a full color tattoo sleeve, I gotta protect it. It’s not even finished, so I can’t risk fading half of it before the rest even gets done. So I’m ordering a bunch of rashguards to try out. I’ve got three on order to see what I like. TomboyX has two on clearance so I ordered one of theirs. It looks great online, but I’m afraid it’s just going to be too cropped. So I picked up two from Amazon to see if I’m going to want to keep it (and maybe order the other color). This review is for our first contestant:

This is the “Hanna Nikole Women’s Plus Size Rashguard 3 Pieces Athletic Bathing Suit Zipper UPF 50+ Surfing Swimwear” Size 20 in “wave pattern.”

I’m keeping it. The value is insane. It’s three pieces for $37.99 so that works out to just over $12 per piece. Around my pool, I probably won’t wear the tank under it, but for a party or the beach, I will. I also don’t find it very comfortable zipped all the way up. I do, however, like it at a 3/4 zip. The material is light and loose enough that I don’t think I’ll despise it in the hot sun. I think the style is reasonably flattering as well. Let’s break down the pieces:

THE SHORTS
The shorts aren’t great. I wouldn’t expect to get heavy use out of them, but they’re fine for a weekend trip. I don’t like that they aren’t lined and the material feels cheap. The coverage and look is good though. They are high waisted, coming up to my belly button. Size is spot on for the shorts. I wear a 18 or 20 in pants (depending on the cut. I have a narrow waist but huge thighs) and these are a good not tight fit. If I was going to be doing something active like surfing or paddle boarding, I’d want them to be tighter because, as I said, they aren’t lined. I’m going to sub these out for some lined high-quality bikini bottoms. However, I’m keeping the shorts for a backup if I need to change into a dry bottom. I’ll use them, just not much. For the price though, come on. The bikini bottoms I’m going to sub them for cost more than this entire three piece. So for the price: They’re good.

THE TANK
The tank is not for someone with big breasts. I wear a 42DDD bra. Again, I ordered this set in a 20. The tank is small. It’s workable, especially just as an underpiece. But I would not be comfortable wearing it alone. The size does not fit with the shorts and shirt at all — unless you have no chest. It’s far too small. That said, the coverage is good. No cleavage showing. I love that it has a built in wireless bra with sewn in cups. No body likes removable cups. However, I’d say this is made for someone closer to a B cup. I’d like it a lot if it was the right size. I do think I will wear it under the rashguard to the beach or when more people are visiting the pool. The rashguard doesn’t have any support or padding to hide pointy nipples, if you know what I mean.

THE RASHGUARD:
So this is what I consider myself paying for. The other two pieces were just freebies, as far as I’m concerned. The material is thin. Not see-through, but thinner than a normal swimsuit. I usually wear a 2x in shirts. Again, this is a size 20. It’s pretty loose. I could definitely size down if I wanted something more fitted. I was worried the sleeves would be too tight, as I have very fat arms. They’re good though! I don’t like how tight it feels on my neck when fully zipped. I think it’s pretty cute partially unzipped though. The thin material will require you to wear something under it for support and coverage of nipples. The full length zipper also has a little fabric fold over the bottom so you won’t be snagging it on things.

CONCLUSION:
Worth the price. But also, you get what you pay for. I’m a heavy user of swim clothes, so I do not anticipate this lasting more than a season. I plan to rotate it out with others during the season as well. The quality isn’t great, but better than I’d expect for this price. It also looks really good. Like if you need this for a weekend or a cruise or the three times you plan to swim this summer, it’ll be fine. You’ll look great.

As far as size goes, I could certainly go down a size on the shirt and shorts if I wanted a more fitted look/feel. (Well, maybe not the thigh hole in the shorts. I have huge thighs). The tank is just really out of proportion with the other two pieces. I’d need at least a size up in it, maybe two.

I’m keeping it. The price is crazy good. It looks cute. Even if I only wear the rash guard a few times, I’m going to get my moneys worth. I really like the print too.

Coming up soon we have the TomboyX rashguard which has a built in bra AND thumb holes. Yeah, thumb holes! But it doesn’t zip and it’s cropped. So depending on how short that crop is, I’m afraid it might be a no go. We also have Amazon #2. It’s partial zip and should have breast pads in it and cinched sides.

Professionalism in a Can: A Review

Posted on January 31, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

So this is a review for Salon Grafix High Beams Intense Temporary Spray on Haircolor. I’m going to post it on Amazon. I had gotten myself up into the top 2,000 reviewers in hopes of getting into Amazon Vine and get free shit to review. Now I’m like 5,000. Lame. Anyway, Hair Spray. Or, as Amazon calls it: “High Ridge Beams Intense Spray-On Hair Color -Brown – 2.7 Oz – Add Temporary Color Highlight to Your Hair Instantly – Great for Streaking, Tipping or Frosting – Washes out Easily (SG_B008W3057A_US)” (click here now).

So. We all know I have shitty hair. It’s always been fine (the strands are skinny) and thin (there’s not a lot of strands). Then I started balding because yay. Of course. So I’m pretty open to playing with my hair. I mean, it already sucks. So when K said she was putting pink streaks in her hair and asked if I wanted to join — of course I did! K’s mom was doing the work and we didn’t have any actual beauty salon type tools so she was hesitant to try highlights in my hair. So we decided on an undercut. We bleached it out and dyed it pink. Awesome. So I’ve been rocking that for a few months.

So here I am living my life with a pink undercut. Problem: I’ve got a court case that’s been winding its way through the court for three years. I have to appear in court. I’m the plaintiff. I have to testify that I’m a professional and a god damned good one at that. According to my lawyer, juries don’t think professionals have pink hair. Which is obviously a stupid stereotype. However, I want to win my case and my lawyer said the pink had to go.

Well. I could dye my hair back to brown. That would be unfortunate as to get it back to pink, we’d have to strip the color and bleach it again. This would most certainly damage my shitty hair so not a good idea. So if I went back to brown, I was committing to leaving it that way for months. I had already given up on this court case anyway, so fuck that. I’d fake it. People spray paint their hair different colors all the time! Well, kinda.

I knew there was temporary hair sprays out there for conventions and Halloween. That’s all I needed. Fake it for a few hours and back to pink we go. The only problem was, apparently, people don’t spray their hair brown a lot. Pink, blue, purple, green? Twenty plus options for you to choose from. Brown? Not so much. Only one option that I could even find, in fact. Salon Grafix High Beams Intense Temporary Spray on Haircolor. I read the Amazon reviews and I knew one can wouldn’t go for more than one coloring so I ordered two just in case. It was a good thing because this trial took THREE DAYS.

So when the day came, I woke up freakishly early so my bestie could come color my hair on her way into work. This isn’t something you can really do yourself. From the previous reviews, I knew this stuff would get everywhere so we sprayed it outside with a towel over my shoulders and gloves on our hands. I also knew that this would easily shed everywhere. So my best bet was for my hair to move as little as possible. So I had put in hair gel the night before. Then heavy set mousse the morning of. Then we pulled it back and pinned it in place with bobby pins. My hair was solid. K sprayed me down with brown spray. Even with just covering an undercut pinned back, we used half a can. So yeah, order a lot.

The coverage was amazing! This stuff is solid. The brown was a richer redder brown than my natural mousey brown, but not enough to be egregious. Certainly not something that would jump out at the casual observer. The first thing my lawyer said, I shit you not, was “you fixed your hair!” No, lawyer, it’s Halloween paint.

This stuff was so solid that after an exhausting day of court proceedings, I considered just sleeping in it. When I changed clothes, however, it was obvious that it had shed a lot throughout the day onto the back of my shirt. Ok, wash it out it is. The shower water was a disgusting brown, but it came out 100% in a single shampoo! (Note this picture is after the third day of washing. The pink is a semi permanent dye so it was washing out a lot by this time. The blondish roots are the pink washing out, not from the brown spray staining).

The trial went on for three days. K came over every morning and sprayed it down. Every night I washed it out clean. It did get on the back of all of my clothes, but I ran them in a load by themselves in the washer on cold and it came out completely.

So yeah, I’d recommend the hell out of this stuff. Just make sure you have enough cans because you need a lot. Make sure your hair is an up-do that isn’t going to move a lot. The more it moves, the more it sheds. Expect it to get on your clothes. Oh, and maybe where a face mask when you spray it. We both inhaled way too much brown. Think brown snot. Probably not healthy.

Review: Close to perfect notebook!

Posted on January 31, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

This is a review for the SUNEE Graph Paper Notebook. Or as Amazon likes to call it (click for link): SUNEE Graph Paper Notebook – 300 Pages, 5 Subject, 8.2″x10.8″, 5 x 5mm Grid Lines Notebook with 5 Pocket Colored Dividers, 3-Hole Punched Quad Ruled Paper, Black Graphing Spiral Notebooks for Math, Engineering, Writing/Drawing Journals, Home & Office. Amazon has a beautiful way with words.

I debated giving this a 4 or 5 stars. It deserves 5 stars for being amazing but I half wanted to give it 4 for not being absolutely perfect. It’s so close though! The specs:

Page Number: 150 Sheets/300 Pages
Page Weight: 80g/m²–Ivory Color
Metal wire-o twin loop wire binding
Cover is waterproof frosted plastic
Five movable subject dividers with pockets
Perforated pages with three ring punched holes
Available in graph paper or college ruled

So I needed a notebook for work. I was using a three ring binder but I quickly found out that it takes up too much room on a crowded table in meetings. So I needed a ringed notebook I could fold over. I prefer engineering graph paper. It’s super light colored so still easy to read over and gives you a million options for what you want to write, how large, drawing tables, endless possibilities. This came in graph paper so close enough. It’s also smaller than the average graph paper squares at 5 per inch so not too bad.

I also work on a lot of different projects. So I decided to look for something with multiple subject dividers. This not only has 5 subject dividers — they’re also movable and have pockets! Pockets are an obvious win for handouts and notes from meetings. And the movable dividers mean I can devote more of the notebook to larger projects. It also had something I didn’t realize I wanted: 3 hole punched pages. This means if I need to save something long term, I can pull it out and put it in my binder of things to keep for reference. Excellent addition.

When I received my notebook I was very pleased! The black plastic cover is understated enough to be professional without looking like you tried too hard. The subject dividers do not stick out past the book width as they do in the product photos which means it won’t get messed up when I toss it in my bag. I’m pleased with the thickness of the wire and the style of the double wired spiral. The first thing I did was stamp the front and back pages with a big “unclassified” stamp, as one does. I was sad to see that I could see the ink through the other side of the page. It didn’t bleed through completely, but it’s obvious that I won’t be writing double sided on this with my favorite gel ink pens. That said, if one were using regular cheap pens or pencil, this is certainly thick enough to work double sided in that case.

So for this to be the perfect notebook, I’d want it to be the engineering graph paper and thicker paper weight. Maybe an ostentatious cover as well. That said, however, it’s the best notebook I’ve ever found. I will most likely buy another when I need it. I also added it to my list of “Things I recommend 100%” (click for link).

The Time Has Come

Posted on January 8, 2023 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

My trial is tomorrow. The trial by fire. No, really though — it’s the trial over the car accident I had back in 2019. Yep. Over THREE YEARS AGO.

So I’m not gonna go into huge detail about it cause I’m not sure I’m even allowed to. But yeah. So I have to go defend my honor or something to even attempt to recoup my lost wages. Which isn’t going to happen because of lawyers and fees and stuff. Much less any pain and suffering — like we aint even gonna touch that.

So I have acquired a vegan leather briefcase to hold my notes and drinks and snacks. I mean, I do need a notebook to take notes and I do need to keep reviewing my — whats it called — deposition! My deposition. Because this accident was over three years ago and I’ve forgotten so much. Which to be fair, I did sustain brain damage, which was the problem. But there’s also gonna be a lot of snacks in there. This is going to be all day for multiple days. I can’t eat out of a vending machine ’cause keto so I’m gonna take some quest cookies and beef jerky and bottles of water and I might even put a tiny cooler with some yogurt in there.

K is coming over on her way to work to spray my hair brown. Because respectable people, apparently, don’t have pink undercuts. And lord knows I have to look respectable because I got rear ended AT A RED LIGHT.

Wish me luck. I’m gonna go shower and put a ton of gel in my hair. And dry shampoo. I need my hair to be pretty solid so it doesn’t move much with the brown spray paint on it. That spray paint better work or like my lawyer will die.

It’s a Good Thing: Pentel EnerGel RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen Review

Posted on February 3, 2022 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

How about a product review? I just reordered some of my absolute favorite pens. I’m pretty possessive of a good pen. I covet them. You will not take my good pen. And ever since I found these Pentel EnerGel RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pens (Amazon Link), the purple one has been my precious. I’ve ordered a set of just purple and now I’m ordering another set of the multi-colored package because almost all of them have run out.

Here is my original Amazon review (I’m a whore for Review “likes” — so feel free to hop over and mark my review as “helpful”) :

I signed into a meeting Monday with a brown pen — the color was meh (brown) but the ink line was fantastic. It flowed perfectly. Perfectly. I wanted it. I asked whose it was and it belonged to the meeting coordinator — he was not going to let me have his pen. So I asked to borrow the pen and wrote down everything about it. Then I went home and ordered a pack of my own. Now I have purple and dark green (and 7 other colors since I gave three to my husband). They arrived last night. *SQUEE*

Purple is my favorite color of pen to use at work. I’m an engineer so I have to keep it semi-professional. This pack has a lovely dark purple, a dark green (looks lighter in the picture — there are two greens, one is lime and one is dark), 3 of 4 blues (I’m counting the turquoise here), black and brown. I consider all of these seven colors professional enough for work purposes. There are other lovely colors here but those will stick to home use. The Navy pen looks almost black when you write with it. I prefer to avoid black and similar pens at work because I need my writing to pop on printed pages. So this multi pack was an awesome choice for me. Next time I might just order a set of purple. However, I wanted to try all the colors first.

I’d consider getting a nice metal version of this pen and just switching in these ink wells. However, then I’d be even more possessive of my amazing pen. I might develop a tick when someone asks to use it.

“My precious…”

Review: AMMSUN 17″ Beach Umbrella Table Tray: A drink table IN. THE. POOL.

Posted on May 20, 2021 | by cursingcats.com | 2 Comments

Look at how perfect this is! I have an umbrella anchored in the middle of my pool and now it has a table on it! No bugs crawling on our drinks. No moving the drinks and tables to keep them in the shade — they’re always in the shade now! And it’s huge! It even holds my 32oz insulated thermos!

Five out of five stars. I am thrilled with this product! It even came with a completely unnecessary but high quality carrying bag. Let me tell you, this is PERFECT for the pool. I might buy more for my other pool umbrellas. It’s perfect for having coffee on the tanning ledge. It’s perfect for parking your cold water or wine while you drift on a float. Throw some extra sunscreen on there so you don’t burn. You never have to get out of the pool now! It’s perfect.

I’m even going to amp it up to 11. I got out my dremel to add drainage slots to the snack trays and am spray painting it lime green to match my pool furniture.

I’m so happy with this purchase (Amazon link — clicky clicky)! I was afraid it wouldn’t hold my favorite beverage containers, but everything fits great! It’s wonderful. Did I mention perfect for the pool? All the stars.

Clean Sheets!

Posted on April 2, 2021 | by cursingcats.com | 1 Comment

You know that feeling of nice clean sheets? Well, I am looking forward to going to sleep tonight. I just bought a set of bamboo sheets to try (link). Not only that, but I got a mattress topper too (link)!

I know I like the mattress topper. It’s the same one I got to put on my moms bed. Two inches of gel foam and two inches of pillow puff. Our mattress is too firm, so I hope this helps a lot. I hope I like the sheets. I’m not a fan of synthetic micro fiber sheets and I didn’t realize these weren’t 100% bamboo. But I’m going to give them a go. I get so hot sleeping. I’m hoping these will be nice and cool. They FEEL great. You never know till you sleep in them. The not 100% bamboo scares me, but it has almost 80,000 Amazon reviews with a 4.5 star rating. So some people love them.

Last year we finally upgraded to a king bed. THANK GOD. There just isn’t enough room on a queen for two people. I need space, yall. I get hot and Mr C is like a little lava river over there. I gotta have somewhere to go. But I haven’t found a great set of king sheets yet. I have three sets of queen sheets I love (out of, like, six). But I just haven’t found a set of sheets that wow me since we got the king bed. Both sets are luxury cotton. They just don’t have that silky smooth cool feeling I love. So we’ll try this new set. It wasn’t an expensive set, so we’ll see. The reviews are good.

Here’s to a good nights sleep!