I was thinking in the shower yesterday how there are products that I dearly love and that make life easier, make my skin or hair look better, etc. I thought it might be fun and helpful to list our favorites and maybe we could pick up recommendations for products from others that we could use ourselves.

We can do other categories later, but I thought we'd start with hair, skin and body care products.

Here are my top 5. Since I have reviewed most of these products on Amazon, I'm including the link to my review if you want to know more:

1. Buf Puf Gentle: Buf Puf comes in several forms, but the Gentle works best for my face. It's used to slough off dead skin, and can help your skin look younger and healthier. Amazingly, it appears I've never reviewed this, but here's a link to the product page:

http://www.amazon.com/Buf-Puf-...id=1268138320&sr=1-5

2. Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer with SPF 15: As a woman nearing 60, I have used LOTS of face creams, but I love this one best for daily use. I have very dry skin and when I wake up in the morning, esp. in winter, my face feels tight and dry. Smoothing on a dollop of this cream is to my skin like having a long drink of water on a hot summer day is to my body.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R...E/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

3. Gillette Venus Embrace Razor: For most of my adult life, I used cheap disposable razors. They did an okay job and I didn't know what I was missing. Then I was given the Venus Embrace and WOW, what a difference. And it comes with the coolest storage pod that sticks right on your shower wall, so it's always at arm's reach. Even better, the storage pod holds extra razor heads so, if you're in the shower and go to shave and realize the blade needs changing, you don't have to drip all over the bathroom to get a new razor head.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R...8/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

4. Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum: This stuff is fantastic around the delicate eye area. A little dab'll do ya, as they used to say in the old days. It's gonna sound lame, but I truly think I have less obvious eye area wrinkles at age 57 than I did at age 47. I used to have a major one that encircled the bottom of my undereye area. I hardly see it anymore...and a lot of that is due to this product (and #2 above helps too). I was shocked to find that I haven't reviewed this product, though I've been using it for years, so the link is just to the product page.

http://www.amazon.com/Olay-Reg...id=1268137897&sr=1-1

5. Eucerin Plus Body Lotion: I have been using this almost from head to toe after every shower or bath in the 20 or so years since my dermatologist recommended it for my extremely dry skin. If you have normal to oily skin, it'll be too greasy for you, but if you have dry to extra dry skin, it is a lifesafer. I itch all over if I don't have a rich enough body lotion, and this definitely fills the bill. Again, I was surprised to find that I hadn't reviewed this, but here's the product page.

http://www.amazon.com/Eucerin-...id=1268138989&sr=1-2


Honorable Mentions:

Neutrogena Ageless Essentials: Ironically, a face lotion that I only gave 3 stars because of its strong fragrance and then ended up loving as a hand cream and have since purchased it again!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R...Y/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

Buf Puf Body Sponge: Does the same thing for the body that Buf Puf Gentle does for the face. Its two sides have different textures--one for regular body skin and one for tougher areas like elbows & heels.

http://www.amazon.com/Buf-Puf-...id=1268138698&sr=1-3

O.K., I will answer the call. I am not sure if I have 5, but these are my must haves in the land of beauty.

1. Aveeno Foaming Face Wash in the calming fomula. I used to use the acne formula which was also great. I have hissy fits when I can't find this at the store. Often I will buy two at a time. But one container lasts me several months.

2. Oil of Olay Olay Complete Moisturizer in the Sensitive skin formula. Sunscreen and moisturizer in one. It's light and doesn't make my face break out. Woo HOo.

3. Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream. This lasts through hand washings people! I use my hands all day long and the minute I put lotion on I end up doing something that requires me to wash my hands afterward. It keeps my hands from getting all crunchy and shrively.

4. It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Product. This stuff is magic. My hairdresser got me hooked and then moved to Hawaii leaving me without a source. This must be purchased at a salon, but it is glorious. It helps detangle hair and leaves it shiny and gorgeous. It also does 8 other things, including protect your hair from the heat of styling tools, but since I haven't used a blow dryer since high school I can't vouch for that particular claim. This stuff is expensive, but it's worth every penny. A 45$ bottle lasted me about 9 months.

5. Pantene shampoo and conditioner. I like the color protection formula. This also contributes to the awesome shininess of my hair. I used to think that shampoo and conditioner didn't really matter. But after using the BF's shampoo when I have run out, my hair was definitely crunchier and less shiny than when I use the Pantene.

6. Lancome has a fabulous base that goes on under your eye shadow. I don't know what it's called, but they only have one. It keeps your eyeshadow on all day without creasing. And I think it helps make it go on more evenly. Again, it's kind of expensive, but it makes even cheap drugstore eye makeup look great.

Here are my top 5's:

Kiss My Face Lavendar Soap - it's non drying and terrific for the winter but I use it all year round.

Obey! - hair styling goop that reshapes my hair beautifully no matter how bad it looks (even can rescue hat hair). Great for curly hair.

Biore's Ice Cleanser - I wash my face and neck with it in the shower and my skin has never been clearer and more blemish free.

L'Oreal's Double Extend Mascara Beauty Tubes - Love, love, love how long it makes my eyelashes look and one tube lasts forever.

Purology Shampoo and Condition - love the way my hair feels and it really does seem to extend the color.