dry shampoo

I was wondering, does anybody know of a nice talc-free, dry shampoo? If you haven't gotten into dry shampoo, it is a lifesaver. Well, it has been for me anyway. Especially in the winter, when the heat is on 24/7 and hair tends to get dry, dry shampoo is the way to go. I only have to wash my hair once every three days when I use this stuff. And hair is shinier and more healthy from not washing it so much. Just put some on your roots to get rid of the greasiness. If you are blonde, its especially helpful because roots tend to look a lot darker after a few days of not washing. It also seems like it saves $ and time from not having to wash and condition your hair so often.

I've been using baby powder, but I would like to try an actual product meant for this purpose. I worry a little bit about putting baby powder on my head a lot. Apparently inhaling too much baby powder can cause breathing problems. I'm not too worried because I know enough people who do this, but still. It seems a lot of dry shampoos come in spray form these days. I'm not sure if I'm down with that. But if it works, I may be! Also, I'm pretty cheap, so I'm not going to shell out for expensive brands like in the picture unless they last a long time.

TerraTints

So I went to my local co-op today and I decided I would try out Alba TerraTints. I'm really weary of anything that describes itself as a tinted lip gloss because it usually doesn't have enough color to show up. My lips are kind of dark already, so this happens a lot. But I was pleasantly surprised with the shade they call "Blaze". This stuff feels good on, makes your lips tingle, its really smooth, has SPF 8, %70 organic, and it looks great! It smells like glycerin soap. Lovely. And it was only $3.99.

Aquaphor

My dermatologist has recommended Eucerin's Aquaphor in the past for smoothing out scars and cuts on skin. I had used it before, but lately I've been reading about it as a winter skin saver. I started using it this week for that purpose - specifically dry skin on my hands and feet. The product is slightly greasy when first applied, so I stick to putting it on before bed and by morning it's been absorbed. Aquaphor is not something I would try to use as a hand cream at the office but for improving dry skin at night it's a winner! Also, the name is appealing for some reason...it makes me feel like it's really promoting healing.

I'm Lovin' It

Korres Sweet Almond Liquid Hand Soap

My picks

Lips: This week I found Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick in an old purse. I can't remember why I stopped using this. For now, this is what I'm loving again. Most lip balms tend to dry out my lips after I get used to them.

Hands: Neutrogena Hand Cream works the best for me. It goes on pretty thick and doesn't absorb right away. However, it will stay on after multiple hand washings and my hands are always back to being soft after wearing this to bed.

Hair: Infusium 23's Frizzologie line is hard to find, but really does the job for protecting hair as it gets colder...and all year round but especially in winter when hair can get really dry.

QuEsTiOnS....I wonder about eye creams. Does anyone in their 20's use them and are they helpful? I'm also thinking of trying RoC's Multi-Correxion Night Treatment because I've read favorable reviews.

Fall II

With a recent post about Fall I started thinking about my favorite cold-weather products which I would have a difficult time living without.

Lips: Carmex. Some people love Chapstick...but I love Carmex. All I have to do is put it on at night and I'm usually set for tomorrow. It's simply the best.

Hands: My hands get crazy dry in the winter...I mean cracking and bleeding! I have found no lotion to work better than Curel Intense Therapy lotion. It just stays on there, even when you wash your hands...awesome! I get dry patches of who knows what- eczema probably- on my face and this also helps a lot...it says "gentle enough to use on the face" right on the bottle!

Feet: Okay, this doesn't really go along with the others...but my feet get really cold in the winter, I must have poor circulation. The only sock that does the trick is the Wigwam Merino sock. I mean, this is the only sock. I must admit-its not the most attractive sock out there. But its like other socks have a time limit where they start to give in to the coldness...but this sock keeps fighting to keep my feet warm. One day I actually got called out for wearing the same pair of socks everyday. I had to inform this person, no, I actually own multiple pairs of the same sock...deal wit it!

What are your cold-weather must-haves??

Fall

Another season. I like how they're just long enough for everyone to be excited about a new one. It does mean a change in routines. I can feel my hands already starting to reach their winter dry phase. Gotta stay healthy!

Here's what some of the offerings are for this season:

Philosophy "I Love Candy Corn" 3 in 1 shower gel: Candy corn does have a shelf life for me, but this product would make a nice addition to the shower. Sometimes Philosophy can veer too sweet with these products, so I'm thinking this is no different. I wonder if the gel stays separated in the correct color formation over time? Or is that just the bottle??

Sidenote: Thoughts about Trends...It's hard to really understand all the emphasis placed on "trends". In large part I feel like it's the creation of the fashion magazines in order to promote certain brands and certain magazine issues season after season. (That being said - I love the Allure Best of Beauty List issue every year. I love to see what products I already own/have thought about owning.) After reading Fall is about "earth tones" and rich "purples" year after year or Spring is about "pink" and "corals", I just think it becomes cyclical and not really worth putting stock in. I think most are pretty standard, no one wants overdone makeup unless you're going to the Oscars. The basics seem to be dark eyes, light lips or vice versa. Or are these just my thoughts??

With that said, apparently bold lips are in again for fall. Reds, dark reds, purples, etc. It's interesting because I've thought red lipsticks have been making a comeback for awhile. Especially with certain age groups. Aka mine. I'll admit to buying a few reds to try on, but I can never find the right color. MAC's Ruby Woo shade gets a lot of buzz, but I haven't purchased it yet. Also, their Dazzleglass Creme looks cool...like an extra wattage lip gloss with MAC colour.

Metallics and shimmers are big again. I'm a Nars fan and I love their Indian Summer Duo Eyeshadow color. Also, the Brumes duo looks good if you want something a little darker and not metallic.

Nars has also made me want to break out of my OPI rut. Check out their new Tokaido Express Nail Polish. Apparently it's named after Japan's most popular high-speed rail route. It's a great color and a part of the purple trend.

Burt's Bees

It's about time for another post, and it's about time for me to give a shout-out to local heroes, Burt's Bees. Growing up in Raleigh, I was always familar with Burt's Bees because they are based in Durham. My mom knew someone who worked at the factory and we always ended up getting little travel sizes of everything. We got some make-up too. Now you can find Burt's Bees at Target and Wal*Mart, amazing! They were bought by Clorox, and I think some unfortunate crap went down before and after that.

Everyone loves the beeswax lip balm. Its so smooth, smells great, and has the menthol that tricks you into thinking its "working its magic". But I'm in love with the Lip Shimmers. They feel great on your lips and improve your lip's condition at the same time. Unfortunately, most of the shades look horrible on me (and sad to say, probably on other people too). But there are two that I love: Rhubarb and Merlot. Burt's Bees, if you're listening, why not get rid of that ugly white "Champagne" and try something new like a deep coral-red? And really, they're less expensive than buying a tube of lipstick.

But this is news: they just came out with a system of products for acne. If you're interested. I'm skeptical, (as always with acne products), but I signed up to get the free samples mailed to me anyway. We all want to think something natural will work better than the chemicals that irritate your face. They get the salicylic acid from willow tree bark rather than synthetically. Perhaps I will let you know how it worked out in a later post.

P.S. that's Burt.

Hands

I chopped up an onion on Saturday and my hands still have that slight eau de onion. On another note I saw Julie & Julia last night. The Julie part of the movie wasn't that great, but with all the foods I was brought back to my question...how do you get the smell of onions off of your hands? I've tried rubbing my fingers on the steel of the faucet, that's the most popular way of my coworkers. Lemon juice is also popular. What I like to do for a quick fix is a coffee or sugar scrub. Pour some ground coffee or sugar in your hands (I like about a handful) and scrub for about a minute and then rinse off. I don't think it does a great job with getting rid of the onion smell, but it lets me continue on with work without being nauseated by it. Most importantly - it makes my hands feel great! They are super soft.

Thanks for having me!

I am very excited to be a part of this blog. How perfect, I thought, for my first entry to be about a product that my dear friend Susan introduced to me more than a decade ago. I'm talking about Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. Queen Helene is one of those brands that doesn't try to get you with the flashy container. Its also one of those brands that you wonder where the frick they came from because it isn't owned by Proctor and Gamble. Trust me, you don't want to know how much stuff that company makes thats not only in your bathroom-but everywhere else too. If you're interested.
Anywayz, if you have any consistent form of acne, or great skin, this mask is nice. It has sulfur, which helps dry up pimples and make pores look smaller. It also smells great, looks great on your face for some reason, but watch out-it can sting a little, especially if your face is dry.

What's funny about this product too, is that its all-natural. You'll see it in Whole Foods (with a jacked up price) but you can usually find it at any drugstore. Outside of drugstores, its less expensive. You used to be able to get it wherever they sell skin care products, but lately it can be a little harder to find. Some of the Queen's other products can be hit or miss. But this one has been in my bathroom for years.

p.s. And of course you get 33% more, free!!! (Come on, they're not fooling anyone with this. Its been on the tube for ten years.)

Candles

I relocated recently and I'm having fun with my new apartment. I was scared on moving day because I was worried about the previous tenant and if he had cats or anything that smelled like an old person. Surprise! He didn't. What I did find was that I had a stuffy smelling apartment on my hands. I also detect a whiff of fruit snacks in the air - maybe I'm just overly critical, but I always feel like it smells like Fruit Gushers when I first enter. It's kind of weird! So I've been working around the clock to get rid of it. It's not a bad smell, it's just not something I want to keep in my apartment.

Without question my favorite candles are Root candles. I have been saving a back-up supply of about 8 candles for the past 2 years now since my last visit to Medina, Ohio. Patchouli is my favorite, and also the strongest scent so I've been loving the effect it has on my place. But I'm running out!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I've been thinking about making a big Root candle order online to re-stock my supply, but the website I went to this morning is not the old Root I know. They've made it hard to find the basic candles I love and they're calling all the basic candles scents "Legacy" candles now. What the...? Lame. But I'll probably still order in a few months if I see some improvement from them.

I'm not willing to give up on Root just yet, but I'm in the market for new brands. The Capri Blue line at Anthropologie is good, but I don't like to burn them all the time because they can be a little too sweet sometimes - like when you're eating. They're more of an after-dinner, watching HGTV candle.

Late Summer/Early Fall Nails

Does anyone have any ideas...for an end-of-summer nail polish? We're coming up to August and I wonder what people are wearing for this time of year. I've freshly repainted with my old standby, Keys to My Karma. But we all know that was from the India Collection for Spring/Summer 2008. AKA time for me to update. On OPI they are advertising matte for Fall 2009. I guess it makes sense...but matte is so boring sometimes. Although I do like the slate color in the far upper left if I had to choose. AND maybe the pink on the bottom. Maybe with a nice top coat I could work with them.

Bugs

I hate putting insect repellent on my skin. It feels and smells gross. This weekend I had to take the plunge so I thought I'd buy some of my own to carry to an outside party. First of all - who knew that insect repellent wasn't in the pharmacy section of the grocery store?? I almost left before going to the toxic roach trap section of Harris Teeter. Bug sprays now are all about repelling the West Nile Virus. Great idea, but if a mosquito repellent is keeping away mosquitoes - wouldn't that include the ones infected with West Nile Virus? Or am I really dumb?

I smelled a few of the sprays and based purely on smell alone - I had to go with the Cutter Skinsations Insect Repellent. The scent really was "clean and fresh"! My thinking was that when I was outside at the party people MIGHT even think it was my perfume. It smelled that refreshing! This one seemed like the more feminine choice. The packaging also hearkened back to the Skin So Soft by Avon that everyone used to swear by when I was growing up. But something else made me grab the Cutter Advanced Insect Repellent. It was the one that most people had bought in the section and it was on price special. However, the scent was fragrance free and I was still so hung up on the Skinsations that I purchased both. It was a crazy Saturday!

Off! seems to be the brand with the most monopoly on the bug market...but something about Cutter just appealed to me. Was it the fair pricing? The nice scent? Possibly. Most importantly though the Cutter graphics weren't assaulting my eyes. When I got home I checked the labels to see what the active ingredients were in both sprays. DEET was the main ingredient in the Skinsations and Picaridin was the main one in the the Advanced. I remember DEET being controversial, but I couldn't remember why. A quick fact check this morning and I'm still clueless. I assume there were cases of birth defects in pregnant mothers and some belief that DEET was a carcinogen, but from what I've read this morning that is not the case with the newer products on the market today. Does anyone else know more about DEET that I'm missing?

As for the products effectiveness, I'm pleased with my purchases. I used the Advanced one at the party but I didn't apply it until after I got there so I got a few bites beforehand...

New Correspondent

You may have noticed one of our correspondents has a lot on her plate and hasn't been voicing her opinions much lately. As a result, DD is taking applications for a new writer(s?)!! We'd love to hear from a new voice!! Just send us an email at drugstorediaries@gmail.com with some of your product likes and dislikes. We'd like to be able to continue product discussions and open the floor to new ideas so we can't wait to hear from you!

Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Has anyone seen this or tried it? This advertisement blew my mind today at the dentist's office. Purex has a new product that is "a load’s worth of detergent, softener and anti-static all in one powerful sheet". I'm intrigued and skeptical. I like choosing different laundry scents so to be tied down to one sheet for everything is a little bit of a commitment. Scent would be a major consideration in this purchase without question. I haven't ever used Purex, but my roommate has the Apple & Melon detergent and it smells great. Also, there wasn't a price on the web site, but I'm thinking it has to be more then Tide???

White Eyeliner Doesn't Go With Everything

Yesterday I wore orangy/peach eye shadow with white eyeliner on my lower lash line, and it looked fresh. Today I did it again with brown/pink eye shadow. It looks terrible. Like I'm half-asleep or had been crying.

Just some thoughts on nailpolish...

Yesterday, I was watching a segment on the CBS Early Show called "Summer Looks that Pop" The one item in particular that caught my attention was the "minx coat manicure." It's kind of like a semi-permanent stick-on earring for your nails to jazz it up (with metallics!) for a night out on the town. Or you could wow your friends and coworkers with pink cheetah toenails. I mean, the idea is nice - no waiting for polish to dry, no chipping...but I can't help but wonder how this lasts the 4 weeks it claims to. Wouldn't you have some significant nail growth in this amount of time? I can't imagine it makes the bottom of the nail bed look very flattering after week 2, but hey, maybe I'm the only one that cares. What do you think? As they mentioned in the CBS video, you can have this procedure done at Bliss Spa.


Also, as I was walking around DC last week looking for apartments, my feet started to really hurt after hours of walking in my fashionable sandals. So, I found a place called Toe Tally Nails and figured, what the heck, might as well get a manicure/pedicure to cap the day. I was going for a 4th of July theme, but almost regretted it when I looked at the girl next to me who just had her toes done in OPI's Koala Berry. It looked really great! Next time I go in for a pedicure, I will definitely get this color!

Most Improved Award: Duane Reade on 91st/1st

Well, as promised, I would like to introduce one of the nicest "improved" Duane Reade's out there - the DR on 91st & 1st! Right under my building! Now I won't have to walk up the hill on a rainy day that we happen to run out of trash bags. Or a morning when I run out of toothpaste. It's great! It's just right there!

Background: When the crane came crashing down on the Electra in May 2008, the Duane Reade drugstore below my building got caught up in the destruction. So much so, that they didn't reopen until last month - a year later! I've seen housing developments go up faster. I suppose the heads of development and design decided that this Duane Reade was just going to get the make-over that several others in Manhattan have recently undergone. You know, since the old logo version of the sign was crunched anyway, they must have thought - "Hey! Perfect time to renovate!"

There are a lot of things I like about this new DR (the layout is not one of them). I like that you can buy frozen dinners and have a wide variety of snacks. The product shelves are pristine and fully stocked with even more selection than I'm used to. They also have a unique shopping carrier that I've never seen before - a basket with wheels on the bottom and an extra long handle, so you can tote it around like a small suitcase on wheels. What will they think of next?

So anyway, if you're ever in the area of 91st & 1st, swing by and check it out. I think you will be impressed.

Essie

I get overwhelmed choosing the color for a pedicure. What if I hate it and then I'm stuck staring at it for weeks?? It's hard to tell the color sometimes! Normally I just stay in the red/coral color line. Boring but true. Last week I took the suggestion of the lady doing my nails. She picked out Essie's Secret Stash. Not a radical change from red/coral but at first I was like - way too fuchsia for me. It is a little on the bubble gum side, but I liked the name, and after looking at the color for awhile, I was ready to commit to it. Best decision ever. I am really pleased with the color, and I got slightly (v. v. slight) tan at the beach, and it makes the color really look good. If I really worked on my tan this summer the color would be really HoT.

I know people like Essie, but this was my first experience with the brand. Usually I like the OPI selection. Does Essie have more selection or better colors? Or is it just a matter of personal preference?

Happy Birthday!

Lauren's secret admirer sent this in to DD wish her a Happy Birthday!!!!

It's that special day of the year.....the American Idol finale!

Happy Idol Finale Wednesday everyone! Will it be Kris or Adam? Or as Ryan Seacrest so eloquently put, "Guy next door" vs. "Guy-liner?" - a question I find myself asking quite a bit around New York.

N e wayz...the other day I needed some new toothpaste. I've been really loving Colgate's toothpaste/mouthwash combo lately so my eye was immediately drawn to these stand-alone tubes sitting in a dark aisle in the Duane Reade by my work. I scanned the shelf for the toothpaste I've been planning to buy (Electic Mint) but was sidetracked by this special edition (please note the selection in Duane Reade was sparse on this particular day) - Colgate Pop Stars w/ star-shaped breath strips - mild mint flavored. At first I questioned whether or not it was a kids product and then I decided 'tis the season of pop stars, so - why not!?

After reviewing the product online, it appears I did buy a kids product... But my only real problem is that the mild mint is sooo mild that it doesn't deliver that kick I'm looking for after a brushing session. It's just kinda ehh. Kind of like Kris Allen . Cute packaging, but doesn't deliver where I need it to.

MailBag!

I have a question about toners: what are they and why do you use them? I have the Burt's Bees tomato toner and it smells good so sometimes in summer I use it as a perfume. Is this right or wrong?

To tone or not to tone? This is one of the most debated questions on the internet as evidenced by my Google search. A toner is used between cleansing and moisturizing your skin. Many believe it "opens" your skin up and preps it for the moisturizer. Others recommend them for oily skin to cut down on oil production and to keep the skin balanced. I think a toner is a personal preference. There isn't any evidence out there to suggest it's harmful or helpful. If you do want a toner, look for one that won't irritate your skin and doesn't contain alcohol that will dry your skin out.

My first memory of skin cleansing (other than Neutrogena bars my mom would buy for me), is going to the Clinique counter because they had the 3 Step Skincare System. A toner was the 2nd step. I did get addicted to that clean feeling after cleansing that a toner provided. I used them on and off throughout college - Nivea was my toner of choice for the smell. Then I just got tired of spending the money on them. I think I will probably get back into them some day in the future. Lauren really loved the Bliss Daily Detoxifying Facial Toner, and I have to agree - the smell is awesome. Toners seem to be about the illusion of what they're doing for your skin and a great smell really makes taking care of your skin fun. I don't know how much luck you will have with a toner as perfume. I always think the smell is short-lived, but you'll have to let us know if it works!

Vicky Has Her Cake, And Wears It Too

Another one of our readers and my good pal, Vicky, took some time out from studying law to talk products.  As someone who mastered the liquid eyeliner application by 9th grade, Vicky is one of those people* that would go to the grocery store in eyeliner and mascara - at least. And no matter how great I thought my make-up looked when I went out for the night, Vicky would always look more put together. How does she do it?? We'll find out!

*She also hates the phrase "I'm one of those people that..."

What brand of products are you most loyal to year after year? Why?

Dove, I have used Dove products since I was a kid. My mom kind of brain washed me into thinking it is the best soap. Never questioned it. So now I even use the hair spray.

What haircare products do you swear by?   Aquage Beyond Shine 

What product are you curious about but haven't purchased yet? What's stopping you?

Fekkai hair products. Too expensive and most of the time I just buy the same Nexxus shampoo/conditioner at target.

What hand soap is on your sink?

Bath and Body Works foaming hand soap in country apple.

 

Which celebrities make-up style do you most admire and/or try to emulate?

Hmm, this is a tough one because I know it could go terribly wrong. I am going to go with J.Lo she inspired me to try bronzer for the first time. Perhaps also Jessica Alba. 

What beauty products are in your purse right now?

Approximately four different lip glosses. Including plumping lip gloss and chapstick. 

 

Would you ever consider Botox or other cosmetic surgery enhancers?

Maybe ask me again when I am 39. I have a fear of shots and surgery.

What perfume do you consider your signature scent?   Gucci Rush 2.  Big fan.

At Sephora, what kiosk do you go to first? Which one do you always avoid?

Well, I wander around until I see eyemakeup or lip plumper.  Bright colors and shiny stuff attract me too.

What's one make-up tip you find yourself using every day?

No matter how pretty you think you are everyone can use a little eyeliner. Also, do your makeup after you do your hair (so you don't sweat off your makeup because that is gross).

 

What make-up purchase do you most regret and why?

Lipstick. Pretty much every color I have ever bought has gone terribly wrong. I stick to gloss but every once and a while I think... well red lips could be fun? No. 

You are lured by the fruity oil scent drifting from your local Body Shop. Then after making a $12 purchase, the cashier says, "You get a shower gel for free!" - Which one do you pick?

Vanilla or coconut. Also food scents, for some reason I like smelling like a cupcake. 

 

What 5 products would you carry to a desert island? Not including sunscreen.

1. Mascara (black) If worse comes to worse you could always blend this for a smokey eye look perhaps? Like a makeup McGyver.

2. Concealer (for poor complexion days on the island)

3. Nexxus shampoo

4. Nexxus  Keraphix conditioner

5. Aquage beyond shine 

 

How many of your products are natural/organic? Is that a reason you purchase a product?

Probably none. Not really that important to me. I don't really believe products are truly "natural/organic." It is probably more of a marketing tool to mark the price up. I am sure chemicals go into all this stuff lets not kid ourselves. 

When your lips are severely chapped and/or cracked, what do you turn to?

Neutrogena lip therapy stuff. Or when in doubt lip smackers. 

What GAP perfume did you buy first?

Hmm, I have never bought a GAP perfume so I will have to update this later if I do?

Over-the-counter teeth whitening...yes or no?

Yay to whitening stuff. I drink a ton of coffee. So I bought the target brand whitening strips. I don't follow the instructions on the box. I only use them sporadically.

What was your favorite scent in middle school?

Oh this is a toughy. I switched between a bunch of Victoria's Secret/Bath and Body Works scents. I feel like there was 4 solid years of birthdays where 2/3rds of my gifts were body sprays. I feel like Plumeria was a biggy. 

Bonne Bell chapstick - which flavor is best?

This is like Sophie's Choice. Birthday flavored. Love smelling like desserts.

Boi-ing! It's Winnie!

One of our loyal readers sat down to discuss products this week. Let's see what's in her purse!

Some of you may know Winnie because she writes for HiFever and Jar Of Paperclips. Check her out! She describes her skin as combination, and as someone who shops drugstore brands for basic essentials. But! She is willing to go to the department store for that perfect product.

A peek at her mornings:

In the morning, I wash my face in the shower with something mild and put on moisturizer/sunscreen under my makeup. Then I comb out my hair and put makeup on my face and go downstairs to get some coffee and eat cereal or protein if I can stomach it. By the time I'm done, my hair is almost dry, so I can usually get out the door without using a hairdryer. USUALLY.

What haircare products do you swear by?

Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner spray is the only thing I've been buying consistently for more than...5 years. Holy crap.

What brand of products are you most loyal to year after year? Why?

Maybe Benefit? I've had such good experiences with the Boi-ing! concealer and that iridescent stuff (moonlight something? i can't think of the name) [ed note: Moonbeam] that I'll always buy what they're selling.

What product are you curious about but haven't purchased yet? What's stopping you?

The no!no! "exclusive next generation hair removal system." I want to know what the deal is. What's stopping me is the $175 price tag.

What hand soap is on your sink?

I'm mostly trying to work my way through a huge amount of Body Shop shower gel [ed note: she uses the shower gel as hand soap] that I got for free!

Which celebrities make-up style do you most admire and/or try to emulate?

Good question. I know I have the answer to this. When I was younger, I thought Bijou Phillips looked really cool, but as I grew older I realized I would never have eyes that respond well to raccoon-y makeup effects. Same with Liv Tyler and red lipstick. Michelle Williams is really inspirational these days. She always looks neat and simple.

What beauty products are in your purse right now?

Let's see. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer...does Neosporin count?...the Benefit "Justine Case" my aunt gave me which is actually perfect...and a hairbrush. And an assortment of other lip balms. I generally always have at least 3 on me, which has not changed since middle school.

Would you ever consider Botox or other cosmetic surgery enhancers?

Probably not, but who knows how I'll feel when my eyelids start to sag!

What perfume do you consider your signature scent?

I don't usually wear perfume, maybe because I haven't figured out how to wear it the right way? But I like Kenzo Flower. I kept getting samples, the whole time I was in France, so when I came home I bought the bottle. It's nice, and the bottle is pretty.

At Sephora, what kiosk do you go to first? Which one do you always avoid?

Urban Decay always looks like tacky crap. It reminds me of ads from Seventeen Magazine right next to the girl who's just convinced her parents to let her get contacts. Teen stuff. Sucks. I probably always go to the Sephora brand kiosk first, just to see if there's anything I can get there for cheap-ish.

What's one make-up tip you find yourself using every day?

Apply your makeup in natural light if possible! My dresser is right next to a window so this is easy.

What make-up purchase do you most regret and why?

Maybe a "tower of lip gloss" from the Garden Botanica catalog when I was in 8th grade. It was like a stack of lip glosses and most of them were 1) ugly, or 2) would look stupid on an 8th-grader. It was just stupid, especially since I used like a whole night's worth of babysitting to pay for them.

You are lured by the fruity oil scent drifting from your local Body Shop. Then after making a $12 purchase, the cashier says, "You get a shower gel for free!" - Which one do you pick?

Oh man. I wouldn't even be in the Body Shop; I'd just ask Hillary to get me something for 90% off. But I like the Pink Grapefruit shower gel a lot.

What 5 products would you carry to a desert island? Not including sunscreen.

Aussie Hair Insurance, some kind of foundation, eyeliner (is mascara a bad idea on an island? probably?), and lots of lip products.

How many of your products are natural/organic? Is that a reason you purchase a product?
Sometimes I worry about this stuff, but usually not enough to change my habit. Tom's of Maine makes good deodorant that feels less carcinogenic (maybe this is psychological but i don't know), and it's always a treat to go through the Whole Body section of Whole Foods.

When your lips are severely chapped and/or cracked, what do you turn to?

Burt's Bees!

What GAP perfume did you buy first?

Pretty sure it was HeAvEn~~! Heaven or Dream, but I think Heaven was the very first. I also remember the shirt I bought at the same time. From the Gap at North Hills Mall. I had like $15 and I got a $6 shirt on sale (that i still have!) and a little aluminum bottle of Heaven.

Over-the-counter teeth whitening...yes or no?

Yes?

Thanks Winnie for taking the time to speak with us! Keep on reading!

The Duane Reade under my building re-opened!!!

It was a big day. More to come on this...

Moistur-izzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze

My face is oily and dry. In the summer & winter! It's totally crazy! Also, it makes finding a moisturizer the hardest job ever. Add to this the Differin that I use every other night or whenever I feel the need for extra blemish fighting power, and my skin doesn't know what to think. I think I'm finally making peace with my skin though and we've come to an understanding over the past 5 years. I can only use Clearasil Daily Face Wash or else my skin stages a revolt. But! I get so bored with it! I see all the other facial cleansers on the shelf and I'm tempted to try them. However, a few days in and my skin gets P.O.'d.

Recently I've been trying to branch out in the form of facial moisturizers. I use moisturizer in the morning and at night because my skin feels extremely dry in the morning and I want the SPF. For night, I like to use that time to give my skin the extra moisture it needs so I don't have to deal with dry skin when I put foundation on. For the past few years, I'm a solid Cetaphil Moisturizer (ps- I hate their new packaging) at night (unless I use the Differin) and during the day I'm an Olay Complete Combination user. I like the UV protection and the smell. Anything with sunscreen is going to increase the oil production on my face, but I'm not willing to go without SPF. This is something I have had to come to terms with.

My newest daytime moisturizer purchase was Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15. SPF 15 suits my needs because I'm not willing to go any higher due to oiliness and the fact that it's not going to stay on all day anyway - you're just going to have to re-apply. I'm not a big Aveeno user, they were always my sister's line. However, I've been pleasantly surprised by this product. It smells nice and I can't tell a difference in the amount of grease between Olay and Aveeno. It's too early to tell if it really is "evening out my skin tone" or "reflecting light to make me look radiant". We'll see.

Another moisturizer I'm interested in is Clinique's Youth Surge. Clinique is kind of a mom-brand - even with all the new more youth-oriented advertising. I wonder at what age will I be willing/needing to splurge on more expensive moisturizers that target problems associated with aging? Clinique's Moisture Surge also looks appealing to me. Jack & Hill's blog had an interesting review. Maybe it's time to give the Cetaphil a summer break? I also just like how grown-up the jar looks. It seems more weighty.

Cargo blu-ray Lip Gloss

I saw this in the store a few weeks ago and thought: "Seriously?" Yes. It's Cargo lip gloss with a timestrip on it to tell me when I need to go buy more. The strip reminds me of the battery good/bad line they started putting on Duracell and Energizer a few years ago. On a battery though it makes sense. On a lip gloss? Not so much for me. I'll know when to buy more by a) the tube being empty b) having someone (that I don't know well) ask for some lip gloss and feeling bad, let them use it.

On the other hand I've never used much Cargo, so this could be a great lip gloss. The color palette looks nice and with names like "Bogota" and "Belize", it's cute. Gimmicks in lip gloss can be good (lip plumping), but Cargo needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.

Danny Tanner's Favorite Time of Year...Spring Cleaning!

Perhaps one of my favorite inventions of all time is the disinfecting wipe. I realize that a "wipe" is nothing new, since they have been used on babies for decades; But I really think Clorox popularized another use for this strong but soggy disinfecting napkin. And, they even made it acceptable to be seen out in the open with their new designs. Combine this with their lavender scented edition, and I'm sold. Admittedly, it's not very close to the traditional lavender scent, but that doesn't make it less pleasant. I actually find that it attracts mass appeal (since lavender walks the line of fresh/old lady scent). So my point is, if you just want to quickly touch up your bathroom with a fresh floral-scented disinfectant, try this scent! Great for spring cleaning.

Don't get me wrong, Lysol wipes are great, too! They just don't have lavender.

What are some of your favorite cleaning products? We'd love to know!

Oil Cleansing

Last night I got totally Cr@Zy and decided to try the Oil Cleansing Method that I've been reading about. My skin is pretty oily and acne prone (the best kind!), so my first thought was oil on oily skin?? But after reading, yes please!


I bought some Jojoba Oil at Trader Joe's - I'm not brave enough to go with Castor Oil yet. I rubbed a small amount of the oil on my face and deep into my pores and then took a washcloth, soaked in hot water, and placed it on my face until the washcloth turned cool (1 question - how do you breathe? I left a small opening at the bottom). Then I repeated this process about 3 more times, until I felt like the majority of the oil was gone. As time went on my waterproof mascara was dissolved by the oil. That was neat - but seriously it was! At the end I patted my face down with the damp washcloth and then a clean towel.

The immediate result was an extremely soft face. I loved that aspect of it. Did I need to moisturize? My face felt soft with a slight bit of oil left (which I probably should have steamed off one more time, but whatevs), but I think my skin probably needed to keep some of the oil. In the end I put a little Cetaphil on my forehead just in case. This seems like an unnecessary step for the future. The other concern I have is that my skin can get really red. I can see the piping hot washcloth as a problem for people with rosacea or a tendency for rosacea. This could become a problem if I made this a nightly skin care routine. This morning my skin felt cleansed and not at all oily. I was really pleased with the immediate results, and I think/hope it will only get better!

Hand Soaps

What's on your sink now?
Dial Classic Gold

I'm not ready to give up this clean scent right now. Maybe when I see a spring scent I'll switch, but right now I'm content. Lauren's post brought up an interesting point. Softsoap brand just doesn't do it for me in the handsoap department. I don't feel like I'm killing all the germs. We have the honey & milk scent at the office and I have to use it every day.

More importantly how does everyone feel about the foam soaps? I've read that there's no difference in their cleaning powers, but something about the texture doesn't feel like it's getting all the germs. Which is probably just my OCD-ness, but still. I want a good lather and I feel like some foam brands skip on that. I've sampled the Tone Foaming Hand Wash Island Mist recently. I like the scent, but I think it's just my overall problem with foam soaps that keeps me from loving it. Side note - do you remember Tone bar soap? My mom used to use it in the summer and I love the scent of it. I forgot that they even make this brand still, and the website was not the easiest to find but I'm glad to see them still around.

Q. What do you think when you hear the name, Softsoap?

This was a question that was presented to me at a focus group I participated in at work last fall. We always get emails asking things like, "Are you a working mother with kids aged 5-12?" Or, "Are you an 18-35 male that likes whiskey?" And the most recent and somewhat disturbing question we got in an email last week, "Did your infant suffer from a retrovirus?" Gross. Most of the time I can't participate, but last fall we got one that actually sparked something in me. "Are you a lover of beauty products? If so, please participate in this focus group. A gift bag will be provided. YESSSSSS.

So, I go to the focus group. Turns out 103,482,374,823,748,023 other women in my company also signed up, so they had to break it off into much smaller sections. So small, that I was in a group with only one other girl. So there was a lot of time for questioning. I think the focus group interviewer (a brand planner) got really annoyed with me right off the bat because when I answered the above question, I said "boring." The other girl I was with said something similar. So that sort of set the tone, but I wasn't worried because I got to ramble on about shower gels for an hour and cut out some "beauty-related" pictures from a magazine. All for a gift bag at the end. So, after an hour of discussing, Brand Planner handed us a large toothpaste and a shower gel. SCORE! The shower gel was the new Softsoap body wash called Body Butter Coconut Scrub, and let me tell you, it completely exceeded my expectations!

Now, a point I would like to make here is that I don't dislike the Softsoap brand altogether. I've purchased quite a few of their products in the past. It's just that it doesn't generate a lot of excitement. It's the stuff you find in your grandma's guest bathroom. But I must say, this coconut stuff is great! I usually like to use shower gels that are scented for the season (i.e. I will only use pumpkin spice in the fall), but I went ahead and used the coconut wash in January because it had such a warm and toasty scent. Like chestnuts roasting, or something similar. Another reason I thought it was wintery was because the product itself is pretty thick and softening. Not a cool gel that I would prefer for summer.

So n e wayz, this spring, I needed a new shower gel. I went over to CVS expecting to be totally disappointed in the pathetic selection, but I was wrong. Softsoap unleashed another pleasantly scented shower gel - Body Butter Apricot Scrub. It's lovely! A great scent for spring, this body wash leaves your skin smelling citrus fresh. Are apricots considered citrus fruits? Doesn't matter. I highly recommend it, go check it out!