We LOVE a good deal here at OSG. I would say that a good amount of my staple household items come from Costco and are just meticulously stored. I don't know where I've been, but I haven't been paying attention to the insanely good prices of Target's Smartly brand even though they have been out for a while. So for all of you that are slow to get started with Smartly like me, I bought a basket full of items to see if they are the answer to all of my stay at home mom budget prayers.
All of these photos are straight from the Target website because truly, I have a stomach bug and Finn is in sleep regression and a whole photo shoot just isn't in the cards, honey.
Unscented Facial Wipes - $.99
This product is what got me started with looking for the Smartly brand. The packaging is on point. I have a friend who got me these for wiping up Finn's face and hands in a post-birth gift bag of things that she didn't realize would be so handy (aww). You know those commercials that are like "first kid vs. second kid?" Well, turns out I'm kind of a *fourth kid* mom. I am much less concerned with getting the hypoallergenic, paraben-free, unscented wipes out to wipe Finn's face. I'm very "hey, toss me that" or "that's what my sleeves are for" kind of gal. So these have become my makeup wipes! For the price point you really can't beat it, but I love clumpy spider web eyelashes so it takes a couple to really get my eye makeup off. Overall, if I were a person who used face wipes more often, I'd buy again. I have no time and can't really afford another step, though.
Unscented Facial Cleanser - $2.59
Once again, this is a product where the price point blows you away. I loveeee expensive artisanal skin care, but staying home with baby means that my access to that goes out the window. I need something that just gets the job done. My skin is very textbook combination: it gets oily in my t-zone and dry everywhere else. I don't tend to break out, maybe a pimple or two every couple of years. But I have blackheads that are, like, stubborn. And fun to pop? Too much? I'm gross? Gotcha. This cleanser is gentle and is a good product to alternate with my face scrub (Acure, $9.99, I am LOVING this stuff and my scrub policy is typically very TLC - I don't want no). It's not that great for getting your makeup off, so you definitely need the wipes. Which, as I mentioned above, I hate adding that step.
Unscented Face Lotion - $2.99
I won't even bother with this. Does your skin not turn to scales in the winter? Good for you, try this lotion. I literally use CeraVe in the tub for my face. This lightweight formula just ain't cuttin' it. I truly don't even think my summer skin would benefit from this.
Body Wash - $1.99
This is the stand out product for me. Look at how cute and minimal the packaging is! It brings summer to mind without having a goofy sun with squiggly rays and sunglasses. YES! It foams up so nicely, goes a long way, and smells invigorating. I absolutely LOVE summertime scents. Most of my products are coconut and banana. I wear Hawaiian Tropic all year round. This is the perfect price point for a good soap that's not drying and makes you smell great.
Dishwasher Gel - $3.59
I would argue that this is the worst product that I tried. My dishes came out of the dishwasher foggy and I ended up having to hand wash a lot of items. Isn't that the reason I have waited my whole life to have a dishwasher? So that I don't have to hand wash? Spend the extra $2 on Cascade, you'll be thankful in the long run.
Dish Soap - $ .79
Speaking of not wanting to hand wash, I still have to hand wash SOME stuff! Can't beat that price point, huh? It's fine. This dish soap is literally just fine. It does cut grease, but it's not some heavy duty soap where you use a dot and it goes a long way. Also, 10 oz of dish soap is not a convenient amount. I'd have to buy so many of these to make it through a month. I got this Love Home & Planet soap and that $3 extra is worth not having to throw away a million plastic bottles a month and it smells out of this world.
Overall, Smartly seems awesome for a broke gal like myself. BUT, know what you're getting into. For the most part, I would pay extra to have a product that performs a little better or lasts us longer. Smartly gets the job done, though. There are a ton of other products in the line like shaving cream (which isn't a product I ever use), garbage bags, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc. I'm interested in the quality of all of them, but we get those things by the million from Costco so there's no point for me. But for a college student or your little cousin who just moved into her first apartment? Smartly is the perfect brand that will look cute on her counter and help her save some serious scratch. I'd love to see the line expand to include more products! Smartly is not for me, but definitely for someone.
Are you still producing the Smartly All-Purpose Cleaner, and where can I purchase this product?