Monday, June 9, 2014

Adrien: Stuff I Like, Summer Edition.

Every now and then I write a post where I talk about an assortment of things I like that are not new discoveries, just stuff I've liked for so long that I forget to mention it. Or, if I'm currently in Super Budget Mode (which I am) I'll try to re-discover stuff that I maybe didn't give a fair shake to the first time. Here's what I'm digging:

Bumble & bumble Tonic Lotion


Tonic-y

I found a travel-sized bottle of Tonic Lotion in my bathroom cabinet so I started spritzing my head with it after towel-drying and you know what? My hair looks freaking fantastic. I'm sure some of it is the weather (warm weather = better hair) but dang, my hair really likes this stuff. I also have a bottle of Prep Lotion, which is a similar what-the-hell-is-this-for product, but it's not quite as miraculous as the Tonic. According to B&b, Tonic is a detangler and style primer. Whatever, right now it's hair magic and the travel size bottle is nearly empty and WOE.

Essie Polish

Essie  - Style Hunter

I'm not really a nail polish person. I currently own one. One polish and I only bought that so I could extend my current pedicure. I used to own a bunch of OPI colors and always went for that when I got a pedicure, but then one day I picked an Essie polish and that pedicure looked great for WAY longer. Way, way longer. Essie dries faster, lasts longer and the colors are great. I'm an Essie convert and I love that Target sells it.


Reefs flip flops


Reefs Seaside

I know a lot of people don't like flip flops and I was one of them until I got a pair of Reefs. They aren't the cheapest, but they're well made, they have arch support and they are SUPER comfortable. The bit that goes between your toes isn't plastic so they won't cut in or hurt you. And, if you're the kind of person who needs to open bottles on the fly, they have a version with a built-in bottle opener. (Dudes?) I generally prefer the very slender Gingers (size up) or the Seaside, which are just basically 100% perfect.


Tartine et Chocolat Ptisenbon by Givenchy


I smell like summer.

I'm scent-sensitive and most perfume is way too strong and gives me a headache. this one
 is different and I've been wearing it in the summer for years. It's technically meant for children (wha?) so it's very light and doesn't have much staying power, but oh you guys, it smells so, so good. It's citrusy and soft but not sharp or sweet or cloying or powdery in any way. According to the Internets, Ptisenbon's notes include honesuckle, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, bitter orange, Sicilian lemon, mint, musk, oakmoss, and amber. It's discontinued, but you can still buy it online. I will wear it for as long as I can find it.


YogaRat Towel

This probably seems like a weird one, but a year or so ago I thought hot yoga was going to be something I did often enough that I needed the fancy, super-long towel for my mat. I bought the fancy towel and promptly quit doing hot yoga. But, despite not using it for it's intended purpose, the towel is pretty damn good. It's very thin, light weight, and crazy absorbent. I really like that it's long enough to cover the entire length of my pool's grubby lounge chairs and it also works really well for covering my car seat after a sweaty mountain bike ride. (I know, gross.) It's just been much more useful than I expected so if you're thinking about maybe/maybe not doing hot yoga, go ahead and feel good about buying the fancy towel.


Coppertone Sport Sunscreen


This is so boring but Coppertone Sport is a good product and it's pretty much all I use. The generic version is not the same (it just isn't) and this sunscreen has been so consistently good that I keep buying it. I also have the stick version for my face and occasionally buy the spray version which is convenient but a complete rip-off.

That's it! Now, because I have to live vicariously through you guys, please do tell me what products you're loyal to for summertime living.


8 comments:

  1. Oh thank you for posting this perfume! My Mom bought me this when I was 9 years old from Paris, and it smells amazing!!! I must find it again, because it is very light and pretty, and perfect for summer!!

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  2. Have you heard of the Environmental Working Group? They rate sunscreens, among other products. For sunscreens, they tell you if the product actually protects you against UVA and UVB rays. They also tell you if the product is potentially unhealthy for you. You should check them out. They rate the Coppertone sunscreen with a score of 5. A score of 1 is best. Better to buy a sunscreen with a score of 1, 2, or 3.
    http://www.ewg.org/2014sunscreen/about-the-sunscreens/567552/Coppertone_Sport_High_Performance_Sunscreen%2C_SPF_30/

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    Replies
    1. Coppertone does the job for me - doesn't irritate, keeps me from burning, is inexpensive. If I start going down the "health concern" wormhole for every single product I eat or put on my body I'll end up hiding in my closet in the fetal position. But! I do appreciate the info and I'll definitely check out their recommended list.

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    2. EWG is not a reliable resource. They have a number of political ties, about 50% of their ingredient lists are inaccurate, and they are notorious for misinterpreting data. In general, they promote fear-mongering and distrust of scientific data. See here for more info: http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/19ya1r/psa_the_environmental_working_group_ewg_is_not_a/.

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  3. Reefs!! I hated flip-flops too, until another shopper at Dillards told me about them. Best shoe ever.

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  4. My husband got a pair of Reefs and for the longest time we couldn't figure out what the thing on the bottom was. Some sort of clip for some fancy water sport? And then, suddenly, one day it clicked. It's a bottle opener. And sometimes it's very handy! I've had my Reefs for almost five years now. I'd never paid so much for a pair of flip flops before but I haven't regretted it.

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  5. For the super absorbent towel, another great option is camping towels. Not sure if they are cheaper than the yoga towels (seems like maybe?) but they work great for the non-yoga activities you mentioned PLUS for the curly haired among us, they are THE BEST at scrunching and drying curly hair without creating frizzies.

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  6. You are so right about the Coppertone. And, for me, it smells like summer so I totally save money by not buying Bobbie Brown Beach or that Tartine stuff which, btw, is out of stock.

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