Opposites Attract: Product Reviews

These two products are ironically the exact opposite of each other but are the two best things in my life right now.  The first smells like the inside of a teenage boy's gym bag after 3 weeks of soccer practice.  The second prevents me from smelling like the inside of a teenage boy's gym bag after 3 weeks of soccer practice.  I love them both equally.

The first is organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV).  This is definitely a "beauty sekret" that Tramanh introduced me to awhile back...and yes, we've been holding out on this gem.  The most popular brand is Braggs and can usually be found at a Whole Foods or the organic section of your local grocery store.

i use a generic organic ACV, but it seems to be doing the same thing as the name-brand version

After reading the reviews and talking to Tramanh, it was definitely something I wanted to try.  The reviews were fanatical to say the least.  ACV is one of those products that you wonder why no one told you about before - girls were using it in their hair to create more shine, using it as toner to create a better complexion, and even drinking it a tablespoon a day to create a glow from within.  I was so excited to try it, though the reviews also said that one of the biggest factors when using ACV is the smell.

And they were right on both accounts.  I started using ACV as a toner since the end of last year (around Christmas time) because even though my complexion was OKAY, it wasn't great.  I was still getting little blemishes, I didn't have a glow, and my skin wasn't smooth.  I initially diluted the ACV with water 1:1 in a travel bottle, because I hear it is pretty potent stuff.  I applied it twice a day with a cotton ball and after the third day, I started noticing my complexion changing in a good way.  It was clearer, the smaller blemishes were going away, the redness was fading, and my skin had a better glow (and not in the oily way).

After about a month, I upped the ante.  I diluted it 2:1 (ACV: Water) but reduced it to 1x a day after I wash my face at night.  It's been about 4 months and I've really noticed a positive change in my skin.  I don't break out as much and when I do have blemishes, they go away a lot faster with lessen time for scarring.

But the smell.  It literally smells like feet.  Smelly, wet, dirty, teenage boy feet.  It's practically offensive.  I know Ryan hates it when I use it.  But the rewards > cons and there's no way I am giving up my ACV.  The smell DOES fade after 3-4hours but can come back if you sweat or wash your face with warm water.  Also, your trash can will smell like ass because of your used ACV cottonballs.

Overall, I love the results.  I haven't used it for my hair and I dare not try to ingest it, even with juice.

The second product is something I've joked about on AskPhivy: my crazy sweating problem.  I remember I joked about how I started sweating when Tramanh and I first starting talking online and someone chastised me for being "weak," well little does that person know that I am just a sweater.  I'm totally self-conscious of it and it bothered me a lot.  So I recently went to the dermatologist who prescribed prescription anti-perspirant.

hypercare is the generic version of Drysol, which is more commonly prescribed

Most deodorant sticks we think of today are two-in-one, but really there are two critical elements within them: anti-perspirant (which prevents you from sweating) and deodorant (which masks the body odor).

In OTC deodorants, including "clinical strength," the aluminium combination (usually Aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly) deposits gel-like beads within your pores, which blocks the sweat from hitting the surface of your skin and will wash away with your skin cells.  However, in prescription anti-perspirants, the active ingredient is hydrated Aluminium Chloryde, which actually acts like an astringent and closes your pores, preventing you from sweating altogether.

This is exactly what I needed, but it's not easy on your skin and it does take some commitment.  Firstly, you must apply it on dry, clean skin at night before bed.  It comes with this weird spongey applicator, but after a few weeks of it not working, I decided to apply with a cotton ball.  At first it's a little cooling, but much like an astringent is on your face, it can start to burn.  The next morning, you're supposed to wash it off with soap and water.  It should only be on for 6-8 hours.  I applied it about 4 nights in a row, and after Day 3, I noticed that I wasn't sweating nearly as much.

My dermatologist noted I can wear deodorant (strictly deodorant, not with anti-perspirant), if I chose to.  So I purchased Tom's natural deodorant, note that it's aluminum-free:

I have pretty sensitive skin on my underarms (and eczema), so this wreaked havoc after Day 4.  I applied my topical cream and it was better.  After Day 4, I waited about 2-3 more days and noticed I would perspire so would reapply at night to re-close my pores.  The theory is, when you start, you're supposed to apply it 4-6 nights in a row, then afterwards you would only need to "touch up," once or twice every week.  The pain is making sure to wash it off the next morning.

So far, I'm addicted.  Anytime I notice a slight "wetness," I apply it the prescription solution that night.  It does get stingy and itchy, especially with my sensitive skin, but it seems worth it.  I can wear button-down tops that used to chafe my underarms, I can wear silk blouses!  I don't have to worry about going to the gym and bringing an extra deodorant, it's been pretty liberating!

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