Products I Like

None of these things have been sent to me, they've all been paid for by me (or properly my husband since I'm not currently working for money).  Just things I like and use and use and use because they work. Your experience may be different. But I thought it was time for some good words from me instead of complaints.

-Razors: First: Shick Hydrosilk.  Oh my goodness. These are my evening out, want my legs to be smoother than smooth choice. Unfortunately they are quite spendy and coupons for them only go so far so I generally use...  Second: Simply Venus disposables from Gillette, they have 3 blades instead of the 5 of the Hydrosilk so aren't quite as smooth but are still quite acceptable for every other day summer use (the regular Venus with the stuff around the head bug me and don't seem to wear evenly thanks to the way I shave).  Third: I used to be a big fan of the Schick Quattro line, but since they have the wire guards on the 4 blades they aren't as close.  If I could shave every day, like before LO, then I'd go back to them full-time, but now I save them for winter when my legs go far longer between shaves and I only need to keep the pits maintained.  Other thought: I hate Bic razors. Every time I use one out of desperation, whether it's the original 2 blade version or the fancier Soleil I cut myself and/or have horrible razor burn.  Who needs that?!  If my only choice in razors came down to Bic, I think I'd have to go full Yeti.

-And what do I use with said razors? Shower Gel. Yes, shower gel. Preferably a moisturizing version, but as long as it is thick and coats the skin without rinsing off before the razor scrapes it off it doesn't matter.  Nivea is nice, but so is Suave and it lives up to it's claim of being equal at a lesser price.  I used the Skintimates shave gel in a can for years but got tired of the rings it left on the shower & tub from the metal base, and of my legs feeling tight and itchy afterward.  In a pinch while traveling I'll use conditioner, but at home, shower gel does the job without leaving me itchy and dry and longing for lotion on my legs before I leave the shower.

-Lotion: Nivea, original moisture in the dark blue bottle.  I like the smell, that it sinks in without leaving me greasy (so annoying to try to cross my legs in shorts or a skirt and have them slide apart even in late-afternoon from the lotion I applied in the morning!), that on the days I don't use it on my legs that they don't look dry, and that I was able to use it throughout my pregnancy with LO without the fragrance making me queasy.  I do also have a collection of Bath & Body Works products for the days when I want to smell a certain way (vanilla, coconut, strawberry, lemon, peach, orange ginger...) but they do have the downside of a lasting slick on the skin.  I tried a Burt's Bee's lotion from their Gud line while on the hunt for a satisfactory vanilla and to my surprise and regret it had cornstarch so I felt sticky all day instead of smooth.  Do not recommend!

-Lip Balm: Now I know everyone has their favorite for whatever reason, whether it's the original Chapstick or the new Eos products, or I could keep going, but the fact of the matter is, Nivea wins for me here as well.  I've tried Burts Bee's, I've tried Blistex and Chapstick and Vaseline and Neutrogena and Aveeno, and even the freebie from my dentist.  None of them measure up.  In the interest of full disclosure, I currently have 4(!) lip products in my purse, not one of them is Nivea, but I start and end my day with one of the Nivea stick lip balms on my mouth.  Milk & Honey, Shimmer, Mint (which reminds me of the fragrance of things made in & shipped from India 20 years ago), Moisture, Smoothness.  Love them all.  I'm trying to decide whether I like the new ones in the tins but they do start with the strike of having to use your finger to apply them, and that triggers a concern about germ harboring which started with the jarred lip glosses from the Body Shop which were so popular when I was in high school. (Did I just date myself? Hah.)

-Deodorant/Antiperspirant: #1: Secret Outlast Plus Olay. In my hunt to find a product which would not leave me scratching at my pits by the end of the day (oh yes, I looked like a monkey and my pits were so dry they hurt!) this is what I finally landed on.  If Secret ever ever ever discontinues this line without creating a replacement product I will have to hunt down and hurt whomever made that decision.  That is how important this product is to my well being.  Thanks to this product, I can now use other lines or brands on an irregular basis if I want a different fragrance, or no fragrance at all so that my perfume or lotion can lead.  Alternates (because there is no #2 or lower): Suave Sweet Pea & Violet, Suave Tropical Paradise (which smells like warm suntan lotion and makes me especially happy on a rainy winter day), any of the Clinical Deodorants (perfect for a high stress or expected to be exceptionally warm day), and so forth.

-Finally, Sunless Tanner: I can't believe I'd ever promote one of their products since their original fragrance lotion turns my stomach even when I'm not pregnant, but whatever Jergens did to kill the identifying stench in their newest lines of sunless tanners is, frankly, ah-mazing!  I tried the 3-day version and it smells great, is a nice thick product so it went on smoothly, and left my legs feeling moisturized but not sticky or greasy.  Even so, I managed to get a bit of streakyness.  And that no-chemical scent thing?  Well, it only lasts for so long.  But it took most of the day to arrive, which is a vast improvement over products I've used in the past.

So that's it.  Any products you love or abhor to share?