Tuesday, February 3, 2009

My Not So Lush Life

Living in Portland, which is essentially a bucket of water disguised as a city, you'd think the LAST thing a girl would have a problem with is dry skin.  But between the heater at home, on the train and in the office sucking out any drop of moisture in a 5 mile radius, this SSG always feels PARCHED around this time of year.

Before ... when I had a job that paid me 40% more than my current job, I'd trot off to Lush for some lotion that I probably read about in US Weekly or In Style Magazine.  It cost $20 and came in a little container that looked like a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.  And. It. Was. Awesome.  If I could remember the name of it, I'd totally tell you but I think I blocked it from my memory ... along with the fact that I used to make A LOT more money than I do now.

(Excuse me while I go cry into a piece of one ply toilet paper ... torn in half.)

So I had heard about this lady, Paula Begoun before.  She wrote a book called Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me that I used to thumb through at Barnes and Noble before they put it in an SSG Proof plastic wrapper the likes of which I don't even think they use on Hustler.

Anyhoo ... edition # 708(ish) of the book is out and Ms. Begoun was doing a book tour.  I happened to catch her on an interview where she was talking about drugstore products she likes for dry skin.  I THINK she may have been a dermatologist or whatever, so she knows chemistry and ingredients and blah, blah, blah (SSG should really think about becoming a journalist or something).

She said that if you buy these two products:


Then your skin would be like totally teh AWESOME.  

I've been using this combo for the past couple months and I've got to say at just under $10 for both, they last me three times as long and cost half as much as the Lush stuff.  And I no longer have a case of the itchies.

Tell SSG, how do YOU combat the itchies?  (And if it requires antibiotics, SSG is going to ask you to go ahead and keep that to yourself.)

For product reviews on more cheapies you can find at the drugstore, hop on over to Paula's site here.

Next up!  SSG searches for someone to tell her how to get her old job's salary but with her current job's stress level.  She's pretty sure she'll find them right next to the person who will hand her the winning Powerball numbers.  And then both peeps will pour her a lemon drop, offer up a foot massage and hand her keys to a brand new BMW.  Stay tuned!

10 comments:

Molly said...

Olay products consistently get rated really well in Lucky and Allure...but I can't use things unless I like the fragrance. Do you like the fragrance of these?

So, the last of your post: foreshadowing, huh? Because once you're a published author, won't that happen on book tour?

Unknown said...

I am addicted to Wei East products and they are truly amazing...I might have to try your idea though...it would be Wei cheaper..LOL, sorry.

Lush Dream Cream is also one of my other favorites..but I am completely in love with sugar scrubs...LOVE THEM.

My word verification is heskin...that is not a good sign at all.

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

Olay is really the best. My eczema has since disappeared.

Fabulously Broke in the City

"Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver."

I Am Woody said...

A humidifier! It also cuts down the static!!

Bella Della said...

I am totally going to try those. And I spy a Target bag!

Candy said...

Oh, I so love cosmetic on the cheap tips. Even if I have finally given up the good fight and gone back to Lancome makeup (I love Lancome makeup). I will try these two.

Predo said...

Well, the lotions I use have nothing to do with itchy, dry skin. (You HAD to see that one coming......)

I personally like the ones with white tea tree oil. I don't pay attention to cost though, the companies that make them send them here to my mansion with the hopes that my next trip down the red carpet will cause me to explain that I look so hot because of their product.

Oh, sorry, Randolf is calling for my massage. Then I have to yell at the pool boy. Be back soon!

Lys said...

OK - this is where I have tended to stray from all things drugstore (unless it's drugstore.com aka beauty.com) and have kept using my Principessa, Philosophy and Jonathan products. I rarely use others - however, I do tend to stock up during the Nordys beauty sale and use cash back/coupons, etc. :)

BOSSY said...

Hey, that's cool... how do you mix and combine them, at the same time, or do you individually use for different areas depending on level of dryness?

Is levels of dryness even a Thing?

Anonymous said...

I use the Olay Quench, and love it! Dove also makes some age-defying products that I use as well. It's a constant battle to avoid being ashy in the winter:/