I feel like a real imposter using the word “drugstore” in the post title, but it seems widely accepted for us Aussies to use it, so there it is. Whether you call them drugstore, chemist, supermarket or affordable products, I thought I’d share some of my favourite bits and bobs that can be picked up with your weekly grocery shop and are well worth it!
The Drugstore Finds
First up, I am obsessed with beautiful smelling hand wash. It also helps when the soap is not drying on hands (my hands are always so dry!) and the ThankYou range at Coles and Woolies (aussie supermarkets) is a definite hit as it contains no SLS (detergent used to create a lather). This one is in the scent Sweet Orange & Almond which is a lovely scent but I have also had the Patchouli & Vanilla and it smells In.Cred.I.Ble.
Good Ol’ Johnsons Baby Shampoo. Where would I be without it! I use this to clean my makeup brushes and sponges which it does brilliantly. No harsh chemicals, smells nice and doesn’t ruin them. Yay. I also still use this to wash my 6 year olds hair. I see no need to use anything harsher on him just yet.
Now, I am all for that luxe skincare on my face and I don’t mind paying a bit more. But when it comes to body/shower wash I am not always quite so spendy. The Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash* is a fabulous shower wash created for sensitive or stressed skin as it is soap, dye & fragrance free and is the perfect shower wash for dry and scaly winter skin. Both myself and the Mr have been using this and for me to get Mr BB using anything other than a plain old bar of soap is really saying something!
Another great Aveeno product is the Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion with Cooling Action*. This is a fantastic lotion for smothering on after a long workout or a long day in the sun as the “cooling action” is real folks. It provides skin relief for dry & itchy skin and boasts 24hours moisturisation, absorbs quickly and without that greasy feeling. The first time I tried this (mind you, it is still winter here!) I literally felt cold! Not so great in the winter, but for the upcoming warmer weather? Hell yeah. On sore limbs after a workout? Yes please!
The Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser is the one I reach for on those mornings when you jump out of the shower and have about 6 mins to get out the door. A quick spray and rub (that sounds a little suspect) and it sinks in instantaneously and you’re good to go. Another good summer/warmer weather option.
Let’s be completely transparent here. Yes, dry shampoo sprayed into clean hair to create volume does work. But is that what I use it for? Well….sometimes. But more often than not, I use this to disguise the fact I have waited a day too long to re-wash and blow-dry my hair (which is a real pain in the ass and not something high on my list of ‘things I love to do’). The Batiste Dry Shampoo is a firm favourite for this. It smells great (with a wide variety of scents), doesn’t leave a huge amount of white powder so it’s easy to brush through (you can get tinted versions – I’ve just run out) and really, it just does the job. I’ve tried far more expensive dry shampoos that just don’t stand up to the Batiste, so until a bottle of Oribe arrives on my doorstep to compare I’ll continue to get great results for less with Batiste!
Lastly, a winter hero. I am a hand cream fiend and while I do have quite a collection of beautiful fragranced creams, sometimes you really need to pull out the big guns. With winter now coming to close I have to say, that the Nivea Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream has been a hand saviour. When my hands have been at their worst – dry, scaly and cracked this is the one I reach for before bed. I am reluctant to use throughout the day as this is most definitely not a ‘sinks in- leaves no residue’ kind of a deal. But the results when I wake are phenomenal. I have even got Mr BB in on the act as he works with paints & chemicals and forever has hard, cracked and sore hands. The difference it has made to his hands is amazing.
What are some of your favourite drugstore finds? Have you tried any of mine?
