Ponds cold cream is mostly emulsified mineral oil if I'm not mistaken. Mineral oil is the same thing used to make vaseline. The oil is not water soluable so that's what's leaving the ring. I'd be also worried that it's getting into your clothes and could leave a grease stain! I personally like using the premoistened wipes...you can get the Pond's ones, they are a bit better than generic ones. Pond's are more consistant with their moisture than the generic Equate ones. They don't remove waterproof eye makeup though. You could use the cold cream with a tissue for that. Or just use a waterproof eye makeup remover like the Neutrogena one with a cotton square. Really and truely, cold cream is mostly mineral oil so you could actually just use mineral oil with a soaked cotton ball or whatever to apply it. It will do the same job and much cheaper. Remember that mineral oil is a petrolium product. Maybe using something like olive oil to remove you make up will be a healthier choice. I like the wipes because they are "no muss no fuss"!

I use the Mr. Mister mop with BONA and microfiber cloths from Solutions. I have wood floors in every room except the bath and laundry. The mop is handy because I can put the BONA inside, but the head tends to flop around and you have to refold/change the cloth every so often. I find it easier to just get on my hands and knees unless I'm doing more than a couple of rooms at a time. I have never used it dry. I don't baby my floors, but those Solutions cloths are very *grabby*. I'd be afraid little rocks would get caught in the cloth and add more scratches to the floor. Before mopping, I use a regular old-fashioned dust mop to push everything out the front or back door. No kiddies here so I don't have to mop very often. I sweep or vacuum every few days and spot clean as necessary. I believe BONA is short for BONAKEMI. I purchase the big jug of floor cleaner from the Bona website. I also use it to clean wood furniture and cabinets - I haven't bought Pledge or Murphy or Endust or anything like that in ages. I could be paying way too much for the BONA. I've never comparison shopped it.

itltrot, I love your drawer for hair appliances. Do you have the hairdryer plugged in somewhere in the vanity, or do you use the outlet I see above the counter? How deep is your counter? Ours will be pretty narrow, about 18 inches; I don't know if that should affect my decision or not. Finally, I see the full run of the countertop is the same height. May I ask how high the counter is? I feel like 30 inches is a typical table/desk height, but most vanities are about 35 inches high. Did you make that counter 30 inches or so high? I'd prefer to have one long counter and not break it up into 2 levels, so the vanity will be low enough to sit at comfortably.

Linelle, you are absolutely right about the colors looking so different in the stores and outside them. Even on larger items. I've bought clothing for my sons or DH and come home and been totally surprised by the color. I don't understand the need for mood lighting when you are trying to select colors, etc. Also agree with Rory about samples. I think this is something of an adjustment to a new market -- and for the marketers. I noticed that the brand I am currently trying out now says "gently used" items are accepted, so while we adjust tot he idea of being able to return something we have used, they have apparently adjusted to curb the abuse. Fair enough.