October 23, 2020
The best-smelling hand sanitizer, a gag gift that may come in handy, the Jacuzzi-tub cleaner that got me soaking again and my thoughts on my Credo Beauty samples.
Sanitizing your space (and yourself) has never smelled so good
I’ve always been a hyper-organized neatnik with a penchant for cleaning, and the pandemic has obviously kicked all of these tendencies up several notches. At the height of my COVID paranoia, I went so far as using a Clorox wipe on my hands and forearms along with my dropped-off groceries before bringing them into the house, which did not make my skin particularly happy. I’ve chilled out (a little) since, but I’m still all about decontaminating myself as well as my surroundings and I found a much more enjoyable way to do it.
Apothia’s IF Sanitizing Mist serves up WHO- and CDC-approved disinfection with 80% (organic) alcohol and hydrogen peroxide plus a dash of glycerin to keep your hands happy and hydrated—but that’s not even the best part. The scent is the real star here, and I think it would be impossible not to fall for the blend of fresh white florals, zesty grapefruit and crisp Yuzu fruit. Even more, once your hands are germ-free you can spritz it pretty much everywhere else—and you’ll want to because it smells that amazing.
In other good news (because we’ll take any we can get, right?), you can enjoy the olfactory experience without the disinfection courtesy of several other IF iterations, including eau de parfum, hand and body wash, hand and body lotion, a candle and a reed diffuser. For some reason, surrounding ourselves with IF feels very 2020 since it seems so much is up in the air right now—and this fragrance should be in your air, too.
This random product will give you a good laugh (or not)
My 12-year-old son and I have similar senses of humor, and we find anything gas-related to be, well, a gas. As anyone with a young son knows, flatulence is omnipresent (especially when you’re laying in bed watching TV)—which is why I’ll be getting Subtle Butt as one of his “gag” Chanukah gifts this year.
For the record, I can barely hold it together as I write this because these “disposable gas neutralizers” are just that funny. (I’d love to meet the person who came up with this brilliant idea.) Similar to a period pad, but with a carbon filter instead of absorbent material, use the adhesive strip to stick it inside your underpants and feel free to let ‘em rip. (I’m crying at this point.)
For me, the best part about Subtle Butt is the brilliant branding—and the photo of how to use it with thong underwear. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go finishing cracking up and fix my mascara before a Zoom call.
You’ll definitely be able to smell these scented candles
Doesn’t it suck when you spark up a scented candle for the first time, wait and wait for it to fill your room with fragrance, only to get the slightest hint at best? This has happened to me way too many times—even when spending a pretty penny. While a candle that is potent enough to fill my office is great, one that looks pretty sitting on my desk is even better, and I found both of these desired qualities in a brand-new line of candles called Crazy Strong.
As the name implies, you’re definitely going to smell these, and there’s a scent for everyone. The Crazy Strong range covers the entire fragrance spectrum from clean Fresh Linen (my favorite) and beachy Caribbean Rain (my husband’s favorite) to several fruity and floral blends like Pink Pomegranate, Rich Rose & Currant and more—and they all pack a powerful punch. True story: The first time I lit one in my office, my son yelled from his game room upstairs, “Mom, what’s that awesome smell?”
Unlike most candles, Crazy Strong’s luxurious luminaries have two wicks, and the wax is infused with 50% more fragrance than most other premium brands. Even better, the candle itself is bigger than standard-sized candles, which means it burns for more hours so you can enjoy it longer.
And that’s not it… The candle itself is gorgeous thanks to thick, frosted white glass and a hefty gold lid. I also like that the gold writing on the vessel is limited to one side so I can place it just so to help the candle accentuate my desk-scape.
I’m completely hooked, and I’m already thinking about how I’m going to steal the Caribbean Rain from my husband without him noticing. Worst case scenario, I’ll buy another, and probably stock up on more since the holidays will be here before we know it!
I think I need to start taking more baths
We have a Jacuzzi tub in our “primary bedroom” (because the term “master bedroom” is on its way out—another thing that got cancelled in 2020), and it got a lot of use way back when my son was three to four years old and bath time was a hands-on daily event. We’d throw a little bubble bath in there and he’d be surrounded by suds—which understandably was a sh*t-ton of fun for him. (If you ever went to a foam party as a grown-up, you totally get it.)
About a year and a half ago, I decided I really wanted to take a bath and I had a perfect window of opportunity. I filled the tub, added some sort of fancy bath milk or salts, inflated my suction-mounted pillow, climbed in and pressed the “on” button for the jets. I could have never been prepared for what happened next, and it was one of my most traumatic self-care experiences of my entire life. (Getting a Brazilian wax at J. Sisters in NYC still takes the cake.) As soon as the jets started whirring, black gunk came flooding into the water I was submerged in up to my neck. Despite the time that had elapsed since the tub’s last use, it was being cleaned weekly by my former housekeeper. (Yes, I’m still bitter.) I never expected her to get all into the jets with a scrub brush similar to the one I use for our reusable water bottles, but in retrospect I probably should have asked her to.
I have taken one bath (sans jets) since, and then last week I scrolled upon Oh, Yuk in one of those “Insanely Useful Amazon Products You Need that You Never Heard About” Buzzfeed articles that I can’t get enough of a few days ago. Needless to say, I bypassed adding to cart and went straight to “Buy Now.”
The Oh, Yuk arrived last week and I couldn’t wait a second to try it. I filled the tub with hot water, added four ounces of solution, turned on the jets and waited for the magic to happen. Much to my surprise (although you can see what came out), it was less of a gunk return than I expected. (Probably because all of it washed over my body a year and a half ago.) Somewhat skeptical of the results, I went in for round two. (My husband suggested I go for a third and I told him to do it himself if he so desired.)
I obviously had to clean the tub afterwards (which wasn’t all that bad), but now it’s primed and ready for a solid soak—and I know I can use the jets without fear of being accosted by whatever that disgusting stuff was comprised of.
Now the question is, do I go for the Le Labo Santal 33 Bath Grains I snagged from a hotel in Montreal four years ago (only available via theft), the Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath or the plain-old Epsom salts?
I tried these samples (so you don't have to)
I always try to plan my Credo Beauty orders for when they offer a big-old bag of samples with orders over a certain dollar amount (because I usually manage to cross that threshold). The last batch I received was quite extensive, so needless to say I’ve been busy…
Tower 28 SOS (Save Our Skin) Daily Rescue Facial Spray: With just three ingredients, this fragrance-free mist manages to refresh your skin while soothing redness and irritation.
Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer: For the record, I’ve known Alpyn Beauty’s founder, Kendra Butler, for almost 20 years, and I am so happy her line has taken off. Formulated with natural botanicals sourced from the area around her Montana mountain home, this herbal-scented moisturizer may prompt you to sing, The hills are alive…
Basd Invigorating Body Wash: I love a zesty body wash that acts like a wake-up call for my skin, and this minty cleanser does the trick. (Just be careful not to get it too close to your hoo-ha.)
Bloomeffects Dutch Dirt Mask: I can’t say enough good things about this mask, and I’ll likely buy the full size. With an earthy smell and fine particles of pumice and volcanic sand, it tingles on contact and dries really quickly (and makes your face feel incredibly tight in the process). It also washes off easily and the extra physical exfoliation you get as you rinse leaves pores super-clear and skin super-smooth.
Indie Lee Purifying Face Wash: If you[re in the market for a foaming cleansing gel that delivers a gentle yet deep-down clean, you can’t go wrong with this one.
RMS Beauty Daily Lip Balm: I apply lip balm countless times throughout the day, so why not get a little pop of color? This formula hydrates for hours, and I’m so glad I got the coral-pink “Peacock Lane” hue.
Josh Rosebrook Active Infusion Serum: I fell in love with this facial oil the very first time I used it because it seemed to instantly transform my complexion. If I ever finish all of the serums in my beauty closet, this would be the first one I’d buy.
Moon Juice Cosmic Cream: I wasn’t the biggest fan of this moisturizer, as the smell was way too herbal (and my son concurs). IMO, brands should stick with what they know, and perhaps Moon Juice should stick to nutritional supplements.
Love Sun Body Moisturizing Mineral Face Sunscreen: As soon as I saw how thick this sunscreen was, I was pretty sure it would leave a major white cast—but I was wrong. It actually absorbs quickly and easily while leaving my skin feeling hydrated (and it’s human- and reef-friendly).
OWA Haircare Moondust Hair Wash: Get ready to start seeing water-less products everywhere, but I just can’t get on the powder shampoo bandwagon. I followed the directions but I did not like the consistency that emerged after mixing this with water. It was slightly too slippery and too hard to fully since.