Jul 3, 2015

In Rotation | Hair & Body, Drugstore Edition




There was a time when I was so obsessed with hair and body stuff that I often got my foot bruised in the shower. (Hear me out.) I had so many bottles and tubes of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, scrub, body oil, etc., and occasionally one of the them (or two;;) would drop from the cluttered shelf and land on my poor foot. True story.
Those days are long gone. I can't believe I used to even blend essential oil with unscented shampoo and conditioner. Now I just stick with simple drugstore things that seem to work just fine for me. 
Um, I still like varieties. Which is why I usually have 2-3 different shampoo/conditioner sets and more than a few body wash in my shower booth. Here are the ones I've been happily using lately. Some of them were repurchased many times, too.



For an Asian woman who has quite typical Asian hair, I am not really into Asian hair stuff. They are relatively easy to find where I live because many Korean/Japanese markets carry them. Of course they work nicely for me, but I find them a bit one-dimensional and scented quite boringly with the generic musky florals. On the other hand, the domestic drugstores offerings are far more interesting to me, and my low maintenance hair usually leaves room for me to be more adventurous.



L'Oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss Shampoo & Conditioner

L'Oreal discontinued this to revamp their hair care line for worse. There were many varieties in the old Vive Pro range, but Nutri Gloss was by far the best thing for me even compared to more expensive stuff. (Did I also go through a high-end hair care phase? You bet.) The combo leaves my hair silky smooth, lustrous, and bouncy. The fragrance is something of magic as well (I'd describe it as a creamy floral with a hint of amber) and apparently boys love this. I was so sad because the new L'Oreal hair care stuff didn't do anything for me, but luckily I found a bunch of the old ones from a discount store. I hauled as many as I could and stored them in a cool dry place. Long live Vive Pro Nutri Gloss.



OGX tsubaki blossom Shampoo & Conditioner

OGX is either hit or miss for me. This one, I like a lot although I still like the Argan oil ones better (it smells like Dior J'adore minus the sharp initial notes). The tsubaki blossom shampoo cleanses very thoroughly, almost as well as a clarifying shampoo, but it doesn't strip moisture. The conditioner softens rather than coats my hair with some synthetic flims. The scent is a lovely floriental which many seem to be crazy about. I think it's nice, but nothing mesmerizing or anything. I choose this combo whenever my hair feels oilier than usual. 



John Frieda Sheer Blonde Lustrous Touch Shampoo & Conditioner

Obviously, I am not a blonde but I like John Frieda Blonde lines in general. Their Brilliant Brunette is my all time favorite, but I've used more than a few different sets from the Sheer Blonde range as well and found them all satisfactory. They smell clean and refreshing, and work especially nicely for my summer hair. No, they don't turn my hair lighter.



Milbon Nigelle LX Active Cleansing & Deesee's Treatment

Not from drugstore, but these are actually salon stuff made by a Japanese manufacturer called Milbon. Rotating different shampoo & conditioner sets helps minimize build-ups. On top of that, I use Nigelle LX once a week. It is a clear gel type clarifying formula that is quite effective. I also use Deesse's treatment once a week but only on the ends for extra softness. It smells like white peach.




Johnson's baby head-to-toe wash & Original moisture wash

Johnson's baby Vanilla Oatmeal moisture wash & Honey Apple baby wash

And, I use baby wash. They are cheaper often containing nearly identical ingredients (if you have time, compare the ingredient lists of Aveeno baby lotion and daily lotion. Or you can just trust what I say here), and they work well. Some of the Jonson's baby stuff smell so good and even sexy, don't you think?

I've gone through countless bottles of Johnson's head-to-toe body wash. This is truly a great all purpose cleanser. It has been reformulated into a more slippery liquid with less attractive scent recently, but still is a beloved basic for me.
Johnson's baby moisture wash is slightly more moisturizing than Johnson's baby wash although they both come in pearly liquid formulas. The powdery clean scent of the original pink is something I revisit often although I usually get tired of it after using up a bottle. This time I bought the Vanilla Oatmeal scent which is one of the most comforting and yummiest things you can find in the price range. Honey Apple is refreshing and sweet that is perfect for spring/summer, but I like to use this as hand soap.


Not pictured, but CeraVé moisturizing lotion is pretty much the only thing I put on to moisturize my body. It works wonderfully all year round for me because I don't particularly suffer from dry skin. I mix unscented sweet almond oil with CeraVé during the cold months. 
I am not using any scrub or body exfoliator at this moment and haven't taken a bath in a long time, either. That might have to change in winter, but I think I am fine for now.


How about you? What have you been using in your shower lately?



*Disclosure*


Join the conversation!

  1. AnonymousJuly 03, 2015

    Honey Apple! That sounds nice! Baby stuff is always around here too. When you have sensitive skin it's a must since they're so gentle! I have to look for the Honey Apple, it sounds nice!

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    1. Honey Apple is really really nice! I've used up a bottle for shower gel then kept buying it to use it as hand soap. It is cheaper than hand soap, too.
      I also love Aveeno baby stuff rather than their regular lines. They are so good. :)

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  2. The OGX tsubaki blossom Shampoo and Conditioner look really interesting. Baby body wash, huh? I need to check that out. :-)

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    1. It is scented with something sweet & slightly spicy, so it smells exotic and dries down very clean. I can see why many people love the scent.
      And I'd highly recommend baby stuff in general. You can't really go wrong!

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  3. I used to love the organix(old name) shampoos when they had those jumbo sized bottles(and I buy them bogo at ulta) but I later realized they are the very thing that give me itchy scalp (confirmed again when I went back to the brand this spring). Now I stick with lush shampoo bars. They are not really "natural" or good for you as per their marketing but I love some of the scents (godiva that smells like jasmin and a lemon one that smells like pledge furniture polish/still love it). My favorite part is just the whole plasticless thing because that's less sorting recyclying/less box that I have to drag out to the curb each week(I am not an environment advocate but an extremely lazy +ocd)....speaking of which, I think I will go sniff their soap/bar again this weekend. As for shower stuff, I stock up on soaps from marshalls tjmaxx and I like them much better than bottled body wash(again, paper are easier to drag out than plastic).

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    1. Ah, unlike you, I never was able to bring myself to like Lush stuff. Maybe the strong fragrance that engulfs the whole block turns me off although it is surely great unique scent. Maybe I was turned off by so many bloggers gushing "oh, it is so natural and good for you!". As you said, they are not really that natural. Thanks for pointing that out! ;D
      I love the idea of soap/bar and occasionally buy them out of my love, then they end up being just looked at or scenting my drawers. I do love Sabon NYC soaps!

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  4. I love OGX products; the tsubaki blossom must smell super nice! I've been using John Frieda shampoo/conditioner and Nivea shower gel + The Body Shop exfoliator.

    Macarons and Mischief

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    1. I am always interested in trying new OGX stuff. They make everything sound so good, you know?
      Also, same thing with John Frieda. I think they are better than some of the salon brands I've tried. :)

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  5. Ooooh, I haven't seen that particular OGX here yet. As much as I like to make fun of them for using all the buzzwords, sometimes they do reel me occasionally. The Kukui shampoo is actually quite nice!

    I've used a lot of the Johnson's baby products for myself and think they're great. Right now I have the purple baby bath wash because it smells so nice in the shower. :)

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    1. Some OGX shampoo is like custard gone bad and doesn't work for me at all, but then some work really nicely for me. I also think it is the shape of the bottles. ;p
      And I love the purple bay bath, too! It does not make me feel sleepy or anything but the clean and relaxing scent is one of my favorites. I will buy another one once I use up one of those bottles I have. :)

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  6. Oooh I love the yellow Johnson's! I love using baby wash as well, I find them very relaxing and somehow the scent lasts longer. I haven't seen the vanilla oatmeal before, but it sounds very yummy :9.. Have you tried Zwitsal baby wash? It smells very nice and fresh too..

    I am currently using almond shower gel from Watsons. I just love to switch shower gels :D

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    1. Seriously, the yellow Johnson's works for everything! But it is quite terrible on my hair. LOL. It works nicely as a mild face wash, brush cleansing, etc.!
      I haven't tried Zwitsal baby wash, but now I'm curious. I've only tried Watsons hand soap and I like it a lot. Simple and nice. :)

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  7. Oooo nice stuff! I'm HUGE fan of OGX or Organix, especially their macadamia oil conditioner/mask. I don't believe I've seen the blossom one but would love to try that and also get the J&J honey apple body wash! It's been waaaaaaaaay too long since I've had some J&J products in my shower, I used to use the traditional yellow shampoo until some years ago but have stopped. I noticed that the scent is no longer the same as it was when I was young, it's been reformulated a few times I know but the scent! The memories! I too also have lots of different hair products in the shower, at least 2 shampoos and 2 types of conditioner...sometimes more! I find it a perk of having longer hair, having more reason to have more than a bottle to pick from! I totally would love some fresh fruity scents for summer right now!

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    1. I know, the memories! :D
      Johnson's also uses different fragrance in different countries, it seems! I still remember the white baby lotion I used to put on my face. Most divine fragrance, ever!! Pink smelled different, too. I was shocked to see the U.S. one smells different although it is a nice scent as well. They also do a marketing like "we took care of you then. Let us take care of you again", etc. Which is why I just use the baby stuff. LOL
      I love rotating shampoo/conditioner as well. Each does slightly a different job, so it is fun and effective switching things around. :)

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  8. What a lovely post sweetie :)
    My hair is a crazy mess at the moment. I´m loosing so much hair (cause of my gastric sleeve surgery) that it is insane... I´m taking medication for it but I must say that I panic every time I run my hands through my hair and they are covered in hair :/
    I use a eco friendly shampoo at the moment and it seems pretty good so far :)
    xx

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    1. Hope you have a speedy recovery! I didn't know the surgery causes hair loss. I guess your body is stressed out for the moment. It will be all better soon, I hope! :)
      I have tried sulfate free shampoos and while they worked well for me, it took some time to adjust. I want to make a gradual change in terms about what I use on my body and hair, too. :)

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  9. Johnson's head to toe. I use it on myself too! I love the smell - and because it smells like my baby too :-) More often than not, drugstore shampoos don't suit me. However, I like SebaMed and also the super light Pantene clear shampoo - the only Pantene shampoo that doesn't make my hair look flat :-)

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    1. I loved that smell, too! It is such a soft yet unique scent that I got never tired of. Now they changed it into some generic watered-down floral. I ranted on twitter a while ago, and they said "we've taken a note". Whatever, right? ;p
      To think about it, I do not like mass produced drugstore hair stuff like Pantene myself. It really is about the kind of sulfate they use. P&G stuff usually contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (as opposed to Sodium Laureth Sulfate) which makes my scalp itchy. ;-/

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  10. Ah! I loved this post so much! I would use everything you mentioned, or already have and love it! Honey Apple baby wash is DELICIOUS. Vanilla Oatmeal, you say? I didn't even know about it! *Adds to cart* I love the OGX Argan line. Great description on the fragrance! I also love their Coconut Milk shampoo and conditioner and have both in my shower currently. My husband took over that shampoo and I had to buy another one already! I'm loving Renpure Originals Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner - smells DELIGHTS. I've been using mostly Jason Lavender body wash and an Ulta Beauty Smoothie called Buttercream Cupcake that is heavenly (if you like cake-scented shower gel). I also have a bar of Dr. Bronner's lavender soap in there. I always have to have a bar soap b/c I find nothing better removes antiperspirant residue. Oh don't you hate it when your favorite shampoo is d/c'd? My whole family lived on Revlon Flex and Revlon Outrageous. Both smelled SO good it was criminal, and both were unceremoniously dumped by the company. I occasionally find a bottle online marked up to $45! Ummm....no. But Flex is still a bit of a legend in my family. You could smell it in your hair all day!

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    1. Thank you! I love that you loved this post! <3
      Sounds like you like sweet/gourmand scents. Vanilla Oatmeal is delicious! If you layer with the body lotion in the same scent, it lingers all day. I am not very much into foody scents because they usually turn on me, but this one, I can do.
      And I remember the Flex scent! It is a classic and retro. So sexy! $45 is insane but I wouldn't be surprised if it still sells! I know that Vidal Sassoon brought their Cherry Almond scent back, though. I tried them and liked them, but it is a bit hard for me not to associate it with a floor cleaner from Method. Oh speaking of Method, they have great smelling kitchen soap and stuff. ;D

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  11. Oooh, that baby Vanilla Oatmeal one - I'm going to have to look for that one, for sure! And the Tsubaki shampoo set - I sometimes need something more clarifying, especially if I use a spray wax (which I do sometimes, especially when my hair gets a little longer, to keep it a little edgier).

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    1. It is really yummy and comforting. I like that it isn't overly sweet, either!
      Tsubaki combo will work nice in lieu of clarifying shampoo, but any clear gel type of shampoo works like that for me. ;)

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  12. Oh Lena! Why are you doing this to me? Now I want to check out the Johnson's Body Wash! Honey Apple? That sounds divine! Hopefully we'll have them in Thailand. I've only ever used the clear, very basic one (I don't remember the name) and I used it to clean my makeup brushes. LOL. I'll look for these! Budget price and great scent, I'm all for it!

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    1. LOL. Jaa, you can revenge by telling me what's avail in Thailand. Johnson's have different scents and formulas in different countries, which makes me sometimes so jealous!
      But I hope you can find the Vanilla Oatmeal scent there. It is really soft and yummy! :)

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  13. I love baby products in general! They're gentle and non-drying. I think my skin and scalp are sensitive, so harsh products make me feel itchy after a few days. That Honey Apple scent sounds so nice! I'm using a shampoo and conditioner by Klorane right now, which is pretty okay.

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    1. Aren't they great? Usually they are very affordable, too! :)
      I actually think Johnson and Johnson does fragrance quite well. I've yet to try anything from Klorane, but they sound nice. I didn't know they had poo/con as well.

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