That Thing Mr. A Should Buy Me

Coach Amanda Leather Strap Watch, $298

Ala Regan, allow me to confess to hating something other people love. Namely, Coach bags. I do NOT get it. I have one Coach handbag, which was a free gift paid for with law school Westlaw points. The only Coach bags I ever seem to like are those that cost $900 or more. And if I am going to spend that on a bag, Marc Jacobs is going to have something to do with it. I can, however, get behind this fabulous watch. I love the bright color. It would be a suitable tide-me-over until I can attain my dream watch, a Cartier classic tank.

Skin Care Product of the Week August 11, 2008

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask

Want to annoy your husband and conduct vital research at the same time? Why not try testing your skin care products on his face? I have long loved this mask, and it's low price. It is quite effective at drying up oil and temporarily tightening pores. Plus, it's just damn refreshing and cool on a hot day. Occasionally, I subject Mr. A to this treatment, and the improvement on his skin is dramatic and immediate. It reassures me as to the effectiveness of this product. Plus, it is quite hilarious to see him with a green face.

Semi-Homemade. Entirely Delicious.

Just the other day, as I was rushing to get to Mr. A's wine tasting/fancy dinner, I was on the phone with a friend. I told her I had to go, and she was all "OH, I'll let you go and get back to your fabulous life."

And I was all LADY, YOU CRAZY. Most of my time is in spent in laundry stand-offs. Or tending to my never ending tummy troubles. Or pondering things to buy online, of which I have nowhere to actually wear. In fact, lately, I have been feeling particularly un-fun and un-fabulous due to the never-ending routine in my day to day life: wake up, get ready, go to work, read the internet, go to the gym, go to sleep.

This lack of fabulosity (Yes, I watch Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. WHAT OF IT?) is actually a big part of why I recently decided to become a morning gym person. Hopefully, a freer evening schedule would allow more time to be social during the evenings.

So I've sort of succeeded. Birthday dinners and fancy steaks and meeting up after work. I'm now available for that! Big change....So it was perfect timing on the part of the folks at BlogHer and M&M’s to contact me about reviewing the new Premium M&M’s. The campaign is all about being fun and fabulous and LO! I AM NEWLY FUN AND FABULOUS PEOPLE! Serendipity at work!

And a few days after giving an enthusiastic yes! to free candy, I received a box containing 60 (!!!) packages of the assorted new flavors in the Premium line. Specifically, Chocolate Almond, Raspberry Almond, Mocha, Triple Chocolate, and Mint. Now I’m sure you’re all saying to yourself “But Slynnro! What of the recent attempts to curb your sweet intake!"

1. Like that would stop me from taking free candy.
2. More on that later.

But what to do with all of these M&M’s?

Even pre-going-off-the-sugar, I would have a hard time downing this many of any candy. After sampling all of the flavors…..uh, many times over, IN THE NAME OF RESEARCH, I formulated a plan. And I made dinner plans.

You see my lovely friend Ariele was making her triumphant return to Dallas the very same week I was contacted by BlogHer. So myself and three other friends got together for dinner to celebrate her homecoming. At a fun and fabulous restaurant, Sambuca. I decided that such a fun and fabulous event required party favors, and a perfect opportunity to share the wealth of chocolate with my pals. In addition, I decided to get to baking.

Well, sort of baking. If you know me at all, you will have already guessed that by baking, I mean that I bought a batch of prepared sugar cookie dough at the grocery store.

Now these Premium M&Ms are considerably larger than your average M&M- similar in size to the regular old peanut variety. So it wasn’t really an option to make my favorite cookie, the M&M sugar cookie. So instead, I decided to whip out the food processor and chop these babies up.

Hmmm... what is missing here?

Oh yes, that choppy thing.

After pulsing the M&Ms, I took the pre-made dough squares and rolled them in the resultant chocolate/nut mixture. I also recommend pressing some extra processed M&Ms on to the dough once they hit the pan, as the cookies spread when baking.

For these cookies, I went with both almond varieties because I thought they would be less likely to melt everywhere, and that the flavors would be most complimentary to the sugar cookie.

I WAS RIGHT. They also added a nice crunch to the cookie. I like my cookies a bit undone, so they tend to be a bit soggy. The M&Ms and almonds perked them right up!

With the rest of the dough, I made larger dough balls, and then pressed two of the Triple Chocolate M&Ms into the center of the dough. The Triple Chocolate flavor is a lot richer (in a good way) than your average plain chocolate M&M. Downright truffley in fact. The M&Ms melted together during the baking process, creating a gooey chocolate center.

Eat your heart out, Sandra Lee.

FABULOUS.

On the night of the dinner, we had originally decided to meet at a wine bar. Unfortunately, when we pulled up, we discovered that it was closed. Ariele, mother to two very young children, was NOT happy.

“But I’m wearing gold shoes!” she cried. “WITH A HEEL. I NEVER WEAR HEELS AND I DON’T HAVE A DIAPER BAG. We must have the fun and have it right now!”

(Seriously. That happened. Our cars were parked next to each other and she actually held up the shoe, because her tale of woe is so much more compelling with a visual.)

And people, when presented with something like that, you find the fun and the fabulous pretty quickly.

So we moved on to Sambuca, and cocktails and conversation was had. Discussing old college friends and boyfriends and playing Remember That One Time When…. It was the very definition of fun and fabulous, and the whole dinner served as a reminder that making more effort to see the people in my life on a regular basis is something that pays dividends.

After dinner, I whipped out the cookies and M&Ms and we all tried the entire collection. I have to say, everyone was impressed. We all agreed that M&Ms really took it up a notch here. I love regular M&Ms, but these are bit more in the vein of Chocolates, and not just candy. Much more like a dessert, and less like a snack. Just really really good. The cookies were a hit too. And the next morning, Ariele called and told me that her kids loved them as well. So they certainly aren’t so fancy that a child can’t appreciate them. Kim, she who throws more wedding/baby showers than anyone I know, said that she would like to use them as favors for showers. The pink and blue of the almond flavors make them perfect for baby showers. When Mr. A and I got married, we had a candy bar for our guests. The Premium M&Ms would also be a perfect addition to something like that.

This week, I also had an evening with my friends Bryan and Matt and we watched the Olympics (by definition fun and fabulous).

Did you know that if someone simply says "Michael Phelps," you are required by law to do a cheer?

I decided to make mini-cheesecakes. Not shockingly, I just used a no-bake cheesecake mix.

If you use an appliance, it is automatically legitimate "cooking."

After pressing the graham cracker crust into the bottom of each dessert cup, I added a layer of chopped up M&Ms (for these, I used Mint and Triple Chocolate). I then added the cheesecake filling, and on top of that, another layer of chopped up M&Ms.

I don’t think I need to tell you how much these were enjoyed. And they took all of ten minutes to make.

Matt and Bryan's kitty collection- Let me show you it.

A brief description of the flavors:

Chocolate Almond- These are pretty close to Peanut M&Ms in taste. But the chocolate is better. More flavorful and the candy shell flavor isn’t particularly intense. I consider that to be a good thing.

Raspberry Almond- I don’t like fruit. I don’t like fruit flavors. Things shaped like fruit. Things that have possibly come into contact with fruit. But I actually kind of like these. The raspberry flavor is really just a hint of raspberry- not strong at all. These were a big hit with all the non-fruit haters.

Mocha- Really, really, really good. The ONLY thing I will drink at Starbucks is a Java Chip Frappucino. These were very reminiscent of that flavor.

Mint- These are my personal favorites. Great for after dinner- perfect mint to chocolate ratio. They would taste delicious chopped up over ice cream as well.

Triple Chocolate- A close second. These are certainly not your average plain M&M. Much deeper chocolate flavor. Especially good when cold. YUM.

And If you would like to hear what other people have to say about this product, click here.

Anyway, like I said earlier, this is sort of conflicting with my whole "trying to eat fewer sweets" thing. It's been a struggle. Fortunately, I love chocolate, but am able to control my consumption. It never ceases to amaze Mr. A that I can keep a candy bar in the refrigerator and take single bites from it. I enjoy a candy bar over a number of days. He is baffled (you probably are too). He is also highly irritated about the constant chocolate crumbs I leave in the fridge from my bites.

M&Ms are actually a perfect solution to this little problem. I like to keep a jar of them in the freezer because I like my chocolate cold. I can grab just a few and they will satisfy a sweet craving with ease. And lack of mess. I actually got this idea from my mother- she has long kept a mayonnaise jar full of Peanut M&Ms in her freezer. When I come home to visit, it is something I actually find kind of comforting to see (and no, M&Ms did not pay her to do that).

And lastly, I leave you with this Scene From a Marriage:

Slynnro: Now that the Olympics party is over, you can have the leftover cheesecakes.

Mr. A: I was waiting for you to bake them.

Slynnro: Um. They’re NO BAKE.

Mr. A: So you don’t have to cook them?

That Thing Mr. A Should Buy Me: Week of August 3

Diane Von Furstenberg dresses are expensive. And timeless. Worth every penny.

$365 at dvf.com.

Skin Care Product of the Week: August 3

Mario Bodescu Drying Mask.

I did the whole free samples thing, ala Holly, and this was one of the items I received. I have INSANELY oily skin, and this does a fantastic job of soaking up the grease. My skin is noticeably less oily for 2 or 3 days following the use of this product. Also? It smells bad. Which to me is always the sign of a good product. Because if they just let it smell that bad, it has to have some redeeming value.

Packing How To, for those not interested in avoiding excess baggage fees.

So Aaron and I leave for the Turks and Caicos on Wednesday. I am SO FREAKING EXCITED about this trip, I cannot even stand it. I even got my toenails painted in a color that reflects how badly I am ready to go.*

Generally, when we go on vacation, it is an event that is booked six or so months in advance. Thus allowing me to ponder what I am going to pack for a very extended period of time. This trip, however, was planned a mere three weeks in advance. Call me crazy (and I know you will), but I find a mere three weeks to obsess over a vacation an incredibly insufficient period of time. I need to refresh Anthropologie.com 650 times! I need to debate my current swimsuit wardrobe for hours! I need to track down all of my J.Crew flip flops in a variety of colors! I need to draft several packing lists, based on previous packing lists for vacations to a similar climate!

Oh well.

You may think I speaking hyperbolically here, but you would be wrong. I really do all that stuff, and I was immediately stressed about packing when we booked the trip. This is because I am a serious over-packer. When I travel, I like to have options. I don’t pack an outfit per day. I don’t try to pick brown or black as my shoe color for suitcase efficiency. I’ve been known to pack a shoe suitcase, for a vacation lasting less than a week. I will bring a different handbag for every day. Five different swimsuit cover-ups. Yes, when I get home and unpack I lament about how I didn’t really need all of that stuff. But I’d rather that than get there and wish I had something I did not bring. And our last vacation added a new concern to the mix- packing the “oh shit delayed baggage” carry-on bag. Our baggage was delayed, and for about 12 hours, no one could find it. Eventually, we just drove up to the airport, walked through an unmanned customs station, and found it sitting unattended in a pile. But nothing takes the excitement out of just landing in paradise like realizing your entire wardrobe is missing and that you won’t be enjoying the beach in your new bikini, but instead the hotel provided bath robe (you should totally click on that one- it’s funny).

So, I’m going to show you how to pack if you just can’t say no. If looking good is more important to you than not having to lug three suitcases through the ridiculously complicated Miami airport. How to pack if you are insane!

Obviously, step one is make a list. Of course, you should make this list on your computer because you will want to edit it several hundred times. I also recommend a two-column format.

When making this list, start with the clothes you will wear for dinners out, which will logically allow you to add the appropriate shoes, jewelry and bags.

I do not allow myself to go in to accessories until the dinners-out wardrobe is finalized. Then add day clothes and swimwear and cover-ups. I always bring work out clothes because I am that jackass in the hotel gym.

When I pack my clothes, I use the roll up method:

When you are bringing as much shit as I do, space in the suitcase is a premium. This will absolutely save space, and it will keep your clothes perfectly wrinkle free. And if it doesn’t, well, that is why you brought your steamer with you, duh. To get the perfect roll for my dresses, I start at the bottom, because it is widest, and roll up. I also use this method for my tops and pajamas. However, I generally fold my shorts because they do not lend themselves to this method. I put those in the suitcase first and set the rolled items on top. Also, you may notice if you have a Pullman suitcase that your rolled items will fit nicely between the ridges created by the suitcase handle, further insuring wrinkle free travel. Also, you may notice that if you do not have a Pullman suitcase, you are a masochist.

On top of that, I add my hats. I have a fabulous sun hat and I usually bring a baseball cap. This is because Aaron thinks me + baseball cap = cutest thing ever. Who am I to argue with that really?

I wear the cap on the beach if I am in the water because it is less likely to fly off than the sun hat. The sun hat is great for sitting on the beach, and for the generally required snorkel boat trip we take. Plus, it makes you feel all glamorous and stuff.

Then comes the shoes:

I am a big fan of shoe bags. My mom bought me an adorable shoe bag for Christmas a few years ago. And this year, Aaron’s aunt adopted some animals from the World Wildlife Fund in our name. The certificates and souvenir stuffed animals came in these fantastic canvas bags that I have repurposed as shoe bags:

Pandas love shoes. And being adopted.

At this point, you may be questioning the logic of putting shoes on top of clothes. BUT! If you put your rolled clothes on top of the shoes, they fly around in your suit case and come unrolled. With the shoes on top, they do not, and the weight of the shoes doesn’t seem to put a dent in the clothes. And the shoe bags protect the clothes from anything that might be on the shoes.

This is where all the planning starts to go downhill…

I shove all the undergarments, socks, and swimwear into the top mesh pocket, as wrinkles aren’t a concern there. Inevitably, before the zip-up of the suitcase, I end shoving a few absolutely unnecessary items because hey! There’s room! Why not?

Briefly, on swimsuits:

Both of the blue print suits are made by Shoshanna. The brown is made by La Blanca. The Shoshanna suits are absolutely amazing. If you are bigger than a B cup, you should absolutely try them out. If you have a larger top, and smaller bottom, you need to be buying swimsuits in separates. Shoshanna tops are made in cup sizes, up to Double D, and they come in petite and regular sizes. And the halter top? Is your friend, ladies. And I’m just throwing this out there because it needs to be said:

IF YOU ARE BIGGER THAN A B CUP, NO BANDEAU TOPS OF ANY KIND.

Anyway, on top of all that, I add my new LeSportSac case:

Isn’t it just the cutest? I’ve been looking around for the perfect toiletries case for a while. I found this one a few months ago. It’s available in a variety of fun prints, and it has tons of pockets for all of your stuff. Briefly, a few of my favorite toiletry pieces:

See, now here? Is where I reveal one my beauty secrets! Get pumped!

Bliss FatGirlSlim and Bliss The Love Handler

I KNOW I KNOW! Fat reducing creams? Slynnro, seriously?

Hear me out!

I know I am not a fat girl, and no cream is going to make a fat girl slim. However, this cream makes a puffy water retaining girl less puffy and water retaining. It also temporarily reduces cellulite, which I certainly do have. Same goes for the Love Handler. I use FGS on my thighs, and I am telling you that there is a noticeable difference in size. I think it flushes out all of the water and whatever else makes you feel puffy. In like, seconds. The Love Handler does this for abs. I’m telling you- I would not admit to owning these products unless I honestly thought they helped.

I am also a sunscreen maniac, and I use the Kiehl’s Vital Sun Protection for my face and body- it is great protection and doesn’t cause break outs. I always shower before going to the beach, and I use the Crème de Corps as a base moisturizer for my skin. It has SPF in it, and the more SPF layers you’ve got on, the better. I also use a regular moisturizer with SPF every day. Now, here is where I get controversial- my mother once told me that the best sunscreen you can wear is makeup. And I agree. I have never once gotten a sunburn while wearing foundation. Of course, I do not want to wear a thick layer of foundation to the beach. This is where Clinique Almost Makeup SPF 15 comes in. I also put on a layer of this on top of my sunscreen. I think the opaque nature of makeup provides an extra layer of protection. Plus, your skin looks better in beach pictures! It’s lightweight and doesn’t look like you are wearing foundation, waterproof, and does not cause break outs. I heart this stuff!

I also bring my favorite vacation perfume- Comptor Sud Pacifique in Vanille Amande. It smells heavenly, and I have had the bottle for over 2 years, and it is still kicking. Everyone told me to wear a special fragrance on my wedding day, and this is what I chose. I recommend that to anyone (Jess) who might be getting married. One spritz, and I am taken back to our honeymoon, specifically, this huge bathroom and getting ready for a nice dinner.

I also have a travel jewelry box that I take with me. It’s kind of small, which is good, since it forces me not to take everything in my ridiculously messy regular jewelry box:

And lastly, snackies! Aaron and I love to have Goldfish and Twizzlers for the beach! And it’s way cheaper than buying $20 cookies at the hotel store.

The new, most complicated element of my packing is now my carryon, as I am going to pack enough in it to last me one luggageless day. I recently got this $98 LeSportSac duffle on sale for $20, obviously at Bloomingdale’s:

It’s the perfect overnight size bag. In it I will put 1 swimsuit, 1 coverup, 1 pair flip flops, small sample sizes of facewash, medications, toothbrush, makeup (which I keep in this bag that was a hasty purchase at Heathrow- anyone going to London? I’d like another. I’ll reimburse you!). Is there anything else you’d be taking? This bag is way stressing me out. Even though I’ll probably not need it, as the surest way to prevent a travel disaster is to freaking plan for it.

And another question- reading recommendations? I’m the world’s worst book picker outer. I usually let Aaron do it, but he has been lazy and I am still bookless. What is a great beach read? Bear in mind, I do not do books about people with shopping addictions, or novels about women who are getting married or single and looking for love. Help a girl out.

I'm sorry if this has bored you all to tears. The end.

*Around these parts, we say “RTG” instead of ready to go. Try it some time. Also, when we are cold, we say BRR. It’s like Brrrr, but we pronounce each letter individually. And now you can pretend to live with us with a bit more accuracy.

She's got legs. And she knows how to tone them.

Alrighty, people. So I'm about to bring you the Leg Routine. Now, before that happens, a few caveats. For me personally, I will swear on a stack of J. Crew catalogs- I see results in a matter of days with this routine. HOWEVER, I already have muscles in my legs and they are fairly thin to begin with. If you do not already exercise, you are probably not going to see any changes that quickly. I do feel quite confident that even if you are presently a total couch potato, if you do these exercises regularly (i.e. daily) you will see results. And you will feel sore the day after you do them.

To me, in terms of muscle toning, the 1980s are where it is AT! If you are a typical female, you are probably not trying to develop large leg muscles. You are trying to develop long thin muscles that make your legs appear shapely, and not masculine. While using the lower body weights at the gym to achieve these goals is possible, I think for what the average woman is really looking for, toning exercises will work just as well, if not better, than weights.

In that spirit, I bring you Legs Hips and Thighs of Steel! with Leisa Hart!

whom I feel fairly confident once played a love interest of Kirk Cameron on Growing Pains.

My mother was always a big fan of home aerobics videos, so long, long ago when I decided to start exercising my senior year of high school, these are the kinds of videos I did. My favorites were by Joannie Greggains, but you can't get those on DVD. Incidentally, if you are in possession of a copy of Firm Fannies, I will pay top dollar.

I bought this last year, did it once, nearly died, and didn't pick it up again until fairly recently. And dude, this video? KICKS YOUR ASS. It is also an excellent ab workout because you spend a fair amount of time laughing hysterically. To wit:

Do you think they get confused about which hole their head goes in when they put them on?

Also, OUCH!

I have nothing to say about this one. Nothing at all.

This video is divided into 4 components: Legs of Steel- cardio and toning, and Hips and Thighs of Steel- cardio and toning. I've done the cardio and it is surprisingly difficult and tiring. You have to put up with a LOT of ridiculous commentary, but if you are not already doing some form of cardio, it will definitely get you going. I just do the toning exercises because I do enough damn cardio thanks. The toning portion is about 12 minutes, so it's reasonable to do in addition to running or walking.

I also recently bought Total Body Challenge: Pilates (available at Target). Initially when I did the tape, I was not impressed. It felt way too easy. Until the next day when I tried to fucking walk and my legs were so sore I had trouble getting out of bed. While I am all for exercise that doesn't seem as hard as it really is, it is somewhat frustrating to spend time working out and not feel like you are accomplishing anything during the act. I like to feel tired and sweaty after a workout. This video doesn't really give you that satisfying feeling. So far, I have only done the lower body workout, but there is also an upper body and abs toning section of the video. Each portion is around 15 minutes.

Downsides include stinky plastic ribbon and irritatingly picturesque background for the Pilates video girls. Also, unless you, ya know, have a big fan blowing on you while you work out, that damn ribbon hangs in your face:

And now, on with the real show.

This is a selection of what I felt were the Best of the Best exercises from the 1980s videos I used to do. I do not do this regularly, and every time I decide to pick up again I ask myself why. It is absolutely critical that you perform the exercises slowly and not in a jerky manner. It's not just about the action of moving your legs around. It is about slowly contracting the muscles.

For the first exercise, you start on your side with your arm propping up your head:


Bottom leg bent, top leg straight out. Lift and lower:


For 25 reps.

Next, bend both legs at a 90 degree angle, stacked on top of each other. Lift and lower:


For 25 reps.

The last exercise in this position is a bit difficult to describe. Start with your knees like this:

you will then need to rotate your leg so that your feet touch:

The motion needs to be exaggerated. You don't just flip flop back and forth. You have to bring your leg up high and then down with your feet touching. It's not just a knocking motion. This will work the inner thighs, which is the bane of many women's existence. It needs to hurt. If it doesn't, you are doing it wrong.

Now roll over on to your hands and knees. For the first exercise, you will bring your knee in, and then extend it out:

For 25 reps.

Then take your leg from that extended position and lift and lower, for another 25 reps. No pictures because ENOUGH PICTURES OF MY ASS ALREADY.

For the final exercise from this position, bend your knee as in the first picture from this set and then lift and lower, keeping your knee bent the entire time.

Lastly, you will need to lack on your back, with your knees bent and your legs apart (like you are going to maybe give birth). Then you will do a series of squeezes of your butt muscles. Yes. I know. It's ridiculous. But it works. First you will do 25 reps with your feet flat on the floor. Then 25 with your toes raised. Then 25 with your heels raised. Then bring your legs together and repeat the process. You need to squeeze hard! Also,. hold the squeeze, aka an isometric hold, for 25 seconds between sets.

So, that's it! My magical thighs routine. I'm terribly afraid none of you will be impressed, but give it a try. If at the end your muscles aren't shaking, you are probably doing it wrong. It is hard for me, and my legs are quite tired at the end. Good luck!

Get these exercises while you can! This post will not stay up forever because hi! Embarrassing photos. Also, I have already gotten a few totally creepy emails asking to see pictures of my thighs. AAAAAAAHHHHH! The things I do for you people.

What's In My Shower

Today, we have the second installment of “What’s in my……” Originally, I was thinking of doing my bathroom, all in one post. Until I looked under the sink and realized that I don’t particularly care to write, nor do you particularly care to read, a seven page post. Because, honestly, that is what it would take to adequately describe the contents of my entire bathroom. So instead, this post will cover

What’s in my shower?

My shower is perpetually organized. I’m a bit nuts about it really. I’m rearranging by size and shape and area of application (to my body).

First we have the famous Shower Kitty:

I bought Shower Kitty the summer before my junior year of college, which means at this point, he has been with me for nearly 8 years. He was purchased at T.J. Maxx and in keeping with my love of animal related objects, I consider him to be a prized possession.

In Shower Kitty, I keep the majority of my face products, a variety of free samples of body scrubs, my razor, and deep conditioner.

Currently, I have three different face washes in rotation (and these products were acquired over months, I did NOT buy them all at once): Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser, Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash , and Natura Bisse Facial Cleansing Gel with AHA. I have incredibly oily skin (thanks mom!) so I am constantly trying to find a face wash that helps deal with this issue. I have found various products in the past that I have liked, but that I also ultimately developed a tolerance to. Thus, I am cycling the best face washes I have found with the hope of preventing the eventual immunity development. Honestly, the best of the bunch is (not shockingly) the most expensive- the Chantecaille. The tube is quite small, but you need such a small amount to wash that the tube lasts over 3 or 4 months.

The Bliss stuff is excellent because it has tiny exfoliating beads, but it doesn’t quite do the job on controlling oil. It would be great if you don’t have excessively oily skin. The Natura Bisse is new, but I have loved everything I have tried from that line (more on that later).

I have a large variety of hotel and Sephora samples in a rotation here as well. I like to use body scrubs from time to time, but I don’t like to pay for them for some reason. For a while, Sephora was giving away Caudalie Gommage Sauvignon Scrub and Bliss Lemon Sage Body Scrub. Both are adequate, but not nearly as good as body salts, which provide much better exfoliationg. But also cost money, so whatever. I also have St. Ive’s Apricot Scrub, the mother of all facial scrubs. I use this on my shoulders and arms as well as my face (and occasionally with the Neutrogena Power Wave, technique described here). There is also a large skin brush there- I had a pecan body scrub when we stayed at the Four Seasons for our anniversary and the brush was included. I use that with the exfoliants as well.

For a razor, I prefer the Venus Vibrance. It vibrates just a little, and in my opinion provides a much smoother shave. I don’t use shave gel or cream- just a moisturizing body wash with a shower puff.

I also use Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask. I use this fairly rarely, as I have hair that is healthy to a fault. As in, I wish it was somewhat drier because it is incapable of holding a style. I do this monthly or so. It doesn’t weigh my hair down nearly as much as other deep conditioners I have used in the past.

The shelves in my shower are divided into categories: hair, body, face.

I take two showers every day, and I wash my hair both times, against the advice of well, everyone in the universe. Sorry, but I have to take a shower in the morning, and I work out in the evening and there is no way in hell I am not going to wash my hair after that. But since no one is seeing my hair between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., I use cheaper shampoos that are conditioning because I’m not worried about volume (my hair is extremely flat and fine).

For night shampoo, I am currently using Bed Head Brunette Goddess Shampoo (which I paid like $10 for at Albertson's) and Organix Vanilla Silk shampoo. Honestly, I bought the Organix because there was rebate and it was free. But it smells delicious and leaves my hair incredibly soft. The Bed Head stuff also smells incredible- like cookies and makes my hair very shiny. Neither are great if you have hair volume issues, but they would be great if you have thick, tangle prone hair.

For days, I LOVE LOVE Fresh Soda Shampoo. I have searched for years for a volumizing shampoo that actually made my hair both manageable and downright fluffy. This stuff does it. I know the price is high for shampoo, but the bottle lasts a good 4 or 5 months, and it is just worth every penny to me. It’s also a great clarifying shampoo.

I bought Burt’s Bees Pomegranate and Soy on Amalah’s recommendation. While it does help volumize and deep clean, it leaves my hair a tangled mess. My hair is impossible to comb after using this product. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a good volumizing shampoo, this is the best affordable product I’ve tried (and I’ve tried them all).

For conditioners, I alternate between John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Light Reflecting Conditioner and Alba Botanica Volume conditioner (available at Target and Whole Foods, and I do not have color treated hair). I love both of them, and both smell incredible. I really do feel that the Brilliant Brunette enhanced my hair color, but the Alba product is slightly less heavy.

On the next row, I have my body washes. I go into a panic if I have fewer than four shower gels. Seriously. I don’t know what my problem is, but I have to have a variety of choices for some unknown reason. I love Philosophy body washes (currently using Strawberry Milkshake). I also have Bath and Body Works. I use the Aveeno Skin Relieving wash when I am having skin itch issues, which is unfortunately often. I have incredibly sensitive skin. In the realm of more affordable options, I have Boot’s (from Target) Amazon Forest Brazil Nut and Vanilla body wash. I also like Burt’s Bees Milk and Shea Butter wash, which I bought because it smells like the beach. All are super moisturizing and can be used to when shaving.

I also have a free sample of Kiehl’s Crème de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish. When I run out of my free body scrub samples (some time during 2012), I will be buying this. This stuff is excellent- exfoliating and smoothing without being drying. And it smells amazing. I love all things Kiehl’s, and this is no exception.

On the bottom shelf, I have a bit of a mixed bag. First, the Burt’s Bees Peach and Willowbrook Deep Pore Scrub. This stuff totally sucks. It’s not grainy enough to do a good job exfoliating and it is quite difficult to wash off. Second, Cetaphil. I use this at night when I am less concerned about quashing oil production. It also does a great job of removing makeup. I do not use eye makeup remover. I use the baby oil to shave more intimate areas. It prevents razor burn. I also have a bottle of N.V. Perricone Citrus Face Wash. This was my go to face wash for a while, but I have found that when you get to the bottom of the bottle, this stuff just reeks. Like, it is rendered unusable because of the stench. And it doesn’t last nearly long enough to justify the cost.

I know you're wondering.....how do you get all these samples? Sephora gives shit away. They are BEGGING you to take their samples. Join the Beauty Insiders, or just go in the store and ask. They are more than generous, and it is nothing to be embarrassed of. Neiman Marcus is also constantly giving things away. The best time to buy is during the Beauty Event. With a minimum purchase, you get a tote bag full of very large (sometimes lasting months) samples. Of very high end products. You can also just stroll up to the counter. I got individual pots of this stuff just last week. I was able to get 2 month's worth of samples of the very pricey Natura Bisse oxygen line during a Beauty Offer period. Check out the current beauty offers here.

So there you have it, product wonderland! Aaron and I no longer share a bathroom, and to him it is a special treat to use my shower and have access to all this stuff. Trust me, if you live with a man, he is secretly in your beauty shit. All the time. Rejoice in that because you've seen his pores. If only he'd adopt my skin care routine, as seen on the Million Dollar Skin Care Counter: