Nobody Knows How Dry I Am!

In an effort to avoid the V-word today (I know many of you are sick to death of the little diapered archer and all his surrounding hoopla), I thought I'd go with a nice, safe, totally unromantic product review.

My beloved (oops, sorry!) Sephora makeup remover wipes went the way of the dinosaur, recently. There is  a supposed upgrade available, but before shelling out nine bucks, plus shipping, I thought I'd give a drugstore brand a try, and see if I could save a few dollars. Hey, every little bit helps.

First up, Neutrogena Hydrating Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. $6.99, Drugstore.com. 

The first thing I noticed about these wipes was the pull-tab opening. I hate pull-tab openings. In this case, you pull a sticker back to expose the wipes. In time, these stickers tend to lose their "stick", and leave you with an open package and a bunch of dried or drying wipes. The second thing I noticed was the smell. The wipes have a very strong, very distinct cucumber fragrance. It's not unpleasant, but it is persistent. Hours after using a wipe, applying moisturizer, and piling on my makeup (it was early, I had dark circles. Do not judge me), I could still smell the cucumber. Honestly, I'm getting a little sick of it.

As for the wipe itself...I love it. It takes off every trace of makeup, including mascara and eyeliner (though a little "loosening up" with eye makeup remover is necessary if I've used Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. That stuff is tough!), and leaves your skin feeling cool and noticeably hydrated. My skin is actually shiny, but not greasy, right after I use the wipe. The shine does evaporate momentarily, though. 

Final Verdict: I'm giving these an 8 out of 10. They're awesome wipes, but the smell is killing me.

Speaking of hydration, I'm sure some of you have skin that screaming for a little moisture, right now. The weather, combined with our awful gas heat, left poor Thomas' hands looking like he'd gone ten rounds with Rocky Balboa, sans gloves. We tried every lotion, cream, and balm imaginable, at every possible price point (thank you, samples), and the only thing that has even come close to fixing the problem has been a homemade spa treatment. Here it is, and I hope it works for you, too.

1. Apply a thick, rich lotion to your hands or feet. I like First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. $28, Sephora.

2. Wrap hands or feet with plastic wrap. 

3. Place socks over the plastic wrap.

4. Feel silly.

5. Wait 15-30 minutes to allow the heat from the wrap and socks to help the lotion sink into your skin.

6. Remove socks and wrap, and apply another light coat of lotion.

7. Feel better.

Happy Whatever Day to all you lovelies!