A little dab will do ya - Berber Trader Pure Mediterranean Skin Balm

Berber Trader contacted me recently to review their Pure Mediterranean Skin Balm.

They provided the product free of charge ($15 retail value) for my use.

Super excited by the prospect of writing a solicited review, I cracked the tin sitting in my car beside my mailbox.

Eager beaver.

The first impression was strong - the aroma of the skin balm is unique.  Being unfamiliar with argan oil and black seed oil, I'm not sure which is the scent that carries this product.

In all honesty, the smell reminds me of my Macedonian neighbor's house from my childhood.  Not necessarily bad, not necessarily good, just different.

Grapefruits are not for face washing

I like to wash my face.

The crisp, clean feel after washing my face is so refreshing.

Unless said face washing makes me smell like BO.

Unfortunately that has been my experience with my Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foaming Scrub - in Pink Grapefruit flavor.

I was lured by an end-cap display. I bought it on a whim. I must have been in a pink mood or something.

I've had this stuff for about 2 weeks. Each day, I use it with the hopes that my experience the day before was an exaggeration.

Nope.

It smells like I'm having my hair washed by a corner-hooker-turned-hair-dresser.

Pit stench in the face.

Yes, it will wake you up - but not in any sort of a fun way.

FAIL.

Kiss me softly - Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm

I am a lip balm addict.

I don't go for more than a few hours without reapplying. That's an issue - I know. Don't tell me I need to drink more water or cut it out for a few days so I don't need it as much.

It won't work, and I'm not quitting. I don't smoke, but apparently I have some oral fixation need that is met with the application of lip balm. Totally harmless...right?

I don't tend to watch or take Dr. Oz's recommendations too much to heart. (I would die of panic attacks just trying to employ a week's worth of his tips.)

One comment that hit home was when he said that women with breast cancer had twice the levels of hydrocarbons in their systems - which can be attributed to petroleum-based products - like standard lip balm.

I don't normally succumb to scare tactics after one mention, but between the exorbitant amount of lip balm I use - paired with my eerie premonition of breast issues in my future - I immediately pushed away from petroleum based lip balm (read: Chapstick).

While other beauty products also use petroleum jelly, I'm not putting it on my lips and inadvertently consuming it with my food like I do lip balm.

Enter Burt's Bees.

Much more accessible than just a couple of years ago, Burt's Bees lip balm is beeswax-based, and contains no petroleum jelly.

I tried it with hesitation at first - I had been a die-hard Chapstick user for as long as I can remember.

I was surprised and delighted with the change! My favorite is the replenishing lip balm with pomegranate oil.

I'm proud to say that I'm a convert -- and I'm not looking back!

Boob diapers (aka Breast Pads)

An unfortunate to breastfeeding is that there are times when the breasts are ready when the baby is not.

I chose disposable boob diapers, er, nursing pads because I suck at getting laundry done in a timely manner. The idea of sour milk laden pads in the hamper is not pretty.

SO.

I chose disposable.

My favorite - bar none - were Lansinoh nursing pads.

Granted, Lansinoh failed me when it came to nipple cream, but I tried several brands of breast pad - and Lansinoh beat the competition.

I was given half-used boxes of several brands to try.

Lansinoh pads were the largest, least lumpy, flattest laying, most absorbent, pads that actually stayed put.

These are the only pads I went to the store and bought.

If you have to pad - use Always Infinity

Let me start off by saying -- I HATE PADS.

I'm a tampon girl - 175%.

Unfortunately, due to a certain explode-a-birth I gave nearly a year ago, tampon usage is still a no-go. Yes, I'm shocked too. It blows.

Anyway, I'm relegated to pads. Bunchy, crunchy, sticky, wet pads.

GA-ROSSSS.

Because I have literally HATED every pad I have ever used in the history of time - when I realized that I was going to HAVE to use some, I decided to try a new kind.

Why the hell not.

I chose Always Infinity.
I had not seen (nor believe I have since seen) a commercial for these - but HOLY FREAKIN' HELL they are fantastic!

No bunching, twisting, sliding, schmearing.

NO DIAPERY SOUNDS. NO MATTRESS FEEL.

They work.

It's all still a gross, gaggy process, but it does what it is supposed to do without fail.

I'm sold (still disappointed about the tampon thing), but I'm sold.

Gillette Venus - Forever Yours

Shaving has always been a dance on the dangerous side for me. Between (once) bony knees and ankles, thick leg hair (thanks 80s for your tight roll making me need to shave daily when I'm in fifth grade) and lack of time EVER to do a nice slow job - I was the perpetual nicker.

I have a stand-only shower - which prevents the sexy leg-up-on-the-side-of-the-tub action and forces more of the hike-your-leg-up-and-brace-it-against-the-shower-wall-but-please-don't-let-me-slip action. It was especially seductive when I was 8 months pregnant.

I'll pause so you can really imagine that...

Oh, and the cute, scenty, alcohol-based body sprays and lotions used to alert me of the nicks that weren't a threat for me to bleed out.

That is, until I met Gillette. Gillette has ruined me for razors for all time, namely their Venus 3-blade razor.

Quick shaves - no foam, no bubbles, no soap, no cream - just rip-roarin' shaving. With Venus, I still have NO NICKS.

The Venus lets me shave while thinking about things other than toilet paper and tourniquets. And I love that. I can use it WELL beyond the time when the green stripe turns white. Each head works seemingly FOREVER!

Have I strayed from Gillette?

Unfortunately, Yes.

I was intrigued by the commercials touting the razor with the trimmer on the end. You know, the one that as women walk by the unkempt topiaries, they trim up all nice and neat into circles and triangles and rectangles (oh my!).

I was perfectly happy with my razor, but the ad got me. I was curious. So, I was wondering the isles at the store and stumbled upon the Schick Quatro.


As I picked dropped it in my cart - I said to myself "you're buying a gimmick, you're buying a gimmick." Shut up, Self!

I went home, in need of a trim...

Now, if you see an advertisement for a razor that implies trimming shrubs - you wouldn't be too far off in assuming that you would be able to trim your, uh, bush.

Apparently, YES, because it bogged down and stopped. The bastard got locked up - AND IT WASN'T EVEN WINTER. Suck it, Schick!

I have also used disposables during my travels when I've made the fatal mistake of leaving my Venus at home. Any time I use a disposable -- even one that looks like a good, happy disposable (Read: Personna Solara) I get CUT TO PIECES!!

In short, my Venus has new replacement heads in it's cute little shower caddy. It forgave me for straying and for forgetting it when I went on vacation.

Lessons learned.