Blog Carnival: My Five MUST HAVE Items From Drugstore.com!!

Digging into the Blog Carnival, we are all shopping at Drugstore.com for our five must have items. I shop there pretty regularly — but that’s for my vitamins, supplements and Sonicare Tooth Brush replacements. I don’t consider all those items beauty though they might do in a pinch.
However since I am looking at beauty products, here are my top five buys from any drugstore but I like Drugstore.com because if I buy them all at the same time, I get free shipping, and I have Drugstore.com bonus bucks to defray the costs and they have a nice assortment of organic brands.

This particular blog carnival is ONLY for Drugstore.com products because we will feature Beauty.com another time!
1) Zia Fresh Papaya Enzyme Masque — $24.59

This natural and organic product works like a miracle for a variety of skin types– oily, dry, normal. It will exfoliate and clear off the dead cells and give you a fresher complexion. Start lightly with a thin layer (This one can feel tingly/prickly when used because it is a fast exfoliation). Lay down with a bucket of moist washclothes that are warm from the microwave to increase the effiicacy of the exfoliation and go deeper. It’s a product I swear by!
2) Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil $9.59

This is an OIL– so it’s going to be oily. LESS is definitely more and you need to apply it by drops.. not puddles. Everyone has to find their best way of using it- read the reviews. I use it before I shampoo/cleanse and leave it on for about 30 minutes working from the ends to the scalp. Unless you have very tempermental scalp, don’t apply it there. I like this but I find that If I use too much, it makes my hair overly soft. I do wash it out with a good non-detergent cleanser (not shampoo) and it helps my hair from the inside out. Particularly good before you color your hair which I do and I have fine curly hair which takes a lot of abuse from color, diffuser and weather/sun exposure.

3) Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Sunscreen with Mexoryl, SPF 15 $28.49

One of the best sunblocks from Europe and I swear by it every day. I love the texture. It’s invisbile, moisturizing and sinks in fast. I blend it with a mineral foundation to create more of a physical meets chemical blend and even have added a pinch of bronzer to it as well. It is well worth the price and the Mexoryl really makes a difference. A little goes a long way but sometimes when it comes to sunblock, more is more!
4) Radiance NY Bronze Self-Tanner. $35.00 (sale price. Actual price is $50! OUCH).

I have tried a ton of self-tanners and suffered through splotches, blotches, orange hands, knees and weird smells. The biggest problem with self tanners is that you need to take time and get help in application. I love St. Tropez but that’s not available at Drugstore.com- however Radiance NY Bronze Self-Tanner. This doesn’t seem to work on everyone — but it’s worth the effort to try it because it if works for you, then you will be thrilled. Have been trying a ton of self-tanners lately that left streaky results.. but not this one. I am trying a slightly different product from this collection- let’s see how it works! These actually smell good too– so that’s a huge plus.
5) Rimmel Volume Flash Instant Thickening Mascara, $7.00

I love great mascaras. I recently bought a new Maybelline mascara the 9x Volume and was so disappointed that I immediately went back to this one because it delivers what it promises. I find that Rimmel can often beat the pricier mascaras (not always though. I have my stash of really GREAT mascaras) . For everyday use and for creating a longer fringier look, this one is nice, effective and stays put– which is a huge plus when it’s hot outside!! For the price, it can’t be beat!
Why shop Drugstore.com?
1) If you break a certain dollar value (and if you do the shopping typically once a month, it’s easy to hit that mark) you get free standard shipping.
2) Spend more, you get a $5.00 off and sometimes you get freebies too.
3) Sometimes they have great sales — the Bronzer is $15 off the regular price!!
4) It comes to ME– I don’t have to drive all over town spending gas $$ which is a huge convenience.
Stevie Wilson