That being said, I do want to do the occasional post on products I enjoy. I have found these sorts of things to be very helpful in my own life. It's one thing to come across a cool new item when you're out shopping, and quite another to see someone you know recommend something to you. The first one you know nothing about, but the other you can trust that at least one person you respect believes it's a good, useful thing. And worth the money. That's a big deal.
Today I'm going to share some of my favorite products to use around my shower or bath time. I don't use all these items all the time, but I do use them at least once a week and have found them to work extremely well for my hair/skin. I am all about natural ingredients and low-key, herbal scents.
BEFORE SHOWER
1. Ology Gently Soothing Facial Towelettes ($5) - Ology is a Walgreen's brand that I just recently discovered. They use all-natural, simple ingredients and have cute packaging (let's be honest, ladies - that is a huge bonus!). I use these towelettes to clean my face off every night. The remove makeup without any drying or harshness. They are made with aloe and green tea, and are alcohol free.
2. Freeman Masks ($4) - I first saw this brand on my friend Savannah's blog (Maiedae). She had a lot of good things to say about it. I was a little skeptical given the incredibly cheap price tag of these babies, but that price also made them easy to try out. I adore the dead sea minerals mask and the charcoal & black sugar mask. The dead sea minerals is a beautiful brilliant blue on your face (you look like a smurf!), and feels very cool and relaxing. It softens my skin and cleans out my pores. The charcoal & black sugar has a warming sensation, and doubles as an exfoliant. I have found it to be very helpful with blackheads, which are a major bane of mine. This inexpensive product works better than many top-of-the-line masks.
3. Neutrogena Oil Free Eye-Makeup Remover ($5) - I only wear eye makeup about half the time, but when I do, I always wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner. It's just a habit I started in early high school because I found that it tends to stay on a lot better (water or not) and actually made my eyelashes look longer and fuller than the non-waterproof versions of the same name. This eye-makeup remover takes them both right off without a struggle.
DURING SHOWER
1. Ology Triple Milled Soap ($5) - As I mentioned above, I am really enjoying the Ology brand at Walgreens. The soaps are really mild, moisturizing, and they smell great. The one pictured is shea butter, but my absolute favorite is the lemongrass.
2. Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash ($10 for a huge bottle) - I have tried dozens upon dozens of cleansers. It is so hard to find one that is natural, non-drying, and actually gets down in there and cleans your face. My husband and I could see a huge difference when we both started using this face wash. We ran out recently and had to use something else for a couple of weeks. After one wash with our new bottle, my face was measurably clearer. Love it!!
3. Clarisonic Plus ($175) - I bought this at my dermatologist office after reading lots about it online. I won't bore you here, but I suggest you take some time to read how sonic cleansing methods work (on your skin and your teeth). This brush brightens, softens, and deeply cleanses your face. You can get the Mia version for much cheaper in all sorts of cute colors.
4. Matrix Biolage Hydrating Shampoo & Detangling Solution ($19 each) - This is one of the more expensive products I use. For years, I had been buying $4 shampoos at the grocery store. They smelled great and claimed to be moisturizing, repairing, etc. However, I began to notice that no matter how well I took care of my hair, it was getting flatter and drier. A few months ago my mom told me I needed to cough up the extra cash and get a nicer shampoo. I did, and it was worth it. Within two weeks my hair was glossy and healthy, and had much more curliness and body.
5. Evolution of Smooth Shave Cream ($3) - This cream comes in vanilla, lavender, or pomegranate. They all smell heavenly and work great. With their shea butter and vitamin E, they feel much better than those fake foamy shaving creams.
AFTER SHOWER
1. Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner ($10) - I use this product once or twice a week as a leave-in conditioner. Right after I get out of the shower and finish combing my hair, I put a dab of this in my hands and scrunch it all throughout my locks, especially at the ends. It has sea kelp, argan oil, and shea butter. It smells really pleasant and natural and helps keep split ends at bay for those of you with dry hair. I wouldn't use too much of it though, or it might weigh down your "do."
2. Dove Go Sleeveless Deodorant ($9) - This not only works well as a deodorant, it also gives your often-neglected underarms some TLC.
3. Naturopathica Cassis Ultra Replenishing Cream ($85) - The price on this product might scare you, but I promise, it lasts forever. They gave me a little sample before I purchased it. The thing was half the size of a ketchup packet, and it lasted me about two weeks. I would not be surprised if the jar lasts me two years (does it expire?!). With hyaluronic acid and cassis oil, this cream is fabulous and worth every penny.
4. Naturopathica Rosemary Oil-Reducing Moisturizer ($56) - I adore Naturopathica, and this was the first product I ever owned. I also have some great exfoliants that I may talk about at another time :) For now, my hubby uses this bottle more than I do. It smells amazing and works well for reducing oil yet still moisturizing your parched skin.
5. Caren "Relax" Hand or Body Treatment ($16-21) - My mom originally bought this for my grandmother while she was battling cancer. The chemo made her skin really dry, and this lotion feels exceptionally soothing. It is loaded with antioxidants, aloe, and eucalyptus. I would describe the smell as an herbal, seaside spa experience. I use it just about every day.
I hope this was helpful to you! Let me know if you have any can't-live-without products for bath time!
Madi
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