First Friday Faves – October 2020

This month’s faves are:

1. Neutrogena® Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula
2. Up & Up™ Acne Spot Treatment
3. PopCorners®

My first October fave is Neutrogena’s Anti-Residue Shampoo. I have been using this shampoo for years. It’s not a shampoo I use every day or even every week but I always like to have it in my shower. Have you ever had times when your hair hasn’t been cooperating and feels weighed down or heavy? If you have, then you may have product build-up. This is when you need a clarifying shampoo and this one is fantastic.

Recently I told you about a styling wax that became a fave of mine. I still like the wax but noticed that after prolonged use it was causing major build-up on my hair. I had bought Suave Clarifying Shampoo to use, which isn’t bad, but I noticed my hair still felt heavy. That’s when I reached for the big gun, Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo. Problem solved. This clear shampoo got rid of all the icky residue that my normal shampoo and other clarifying one couldn’t.

Now let me tell you why I had bought another clarifying shampoo when I say that this stuff is fantastic. In all honesty, it’s because I hate the smell of the Neutrogena shampoo. Yes, it’s that simple. I absolutely love the way this shampoo gets rid of all the build-up and makes my hair feel light and bouncy but I know I’ll smell the scent all day when I use it. That con keeps me from using it as much as I should.

The scent isn’t foul or nasty, but rather strong and slightly masculine. Much less offensive than Neutrogena T/Sal and T/Gel although they are both excellent shampoos for different hair issues. The scent may be off-putting for some but if you can stand it your hair will definitely reap the rewards. While the shampoo is gentle I still wouldn’t use it every day. One good deep clean a week along with your regular hair washing is all that’s needed.

I use it in the shower. I wet my hair and lather it up. Then I rinse my hair and repeat again only this time I let the shampoo in my hair while I shave my legs or pits. Then I rinse again. You can definitely tell a difference by how squeaky clean your hair feels and even sounds! Styling your hair afterward is a lot easier, too. You don’t have the heavy gunk weighing it down anymore, even if you didn’t realize it was. For those folks who don’t use a ton of hair products, you can probably use it twice a month and still see a difference.

My second October Fave…

My second October fave is a reliable zit zapper, Acne Spot Treatment from Target’s Up & Up line. I’m so glad I don’t suffer from breakouts anymore like I did all my life. Now, I only get an occasional pimple here or there. Even so, it’s annoying! When I get one I want it gone, like yesterday! Well, I know when I rub this cream into the problem area it’ll knock it out fast.

That’s what I really like about this cream. It works pretty darn fast. Not always overnight but within a few days. This white cream contains 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide which works to kill pimple causing bacteria in your pores. You can find other creams with higher Benzoyl Peroxide concentrations but I find them way too drying. Using too much or for too long can lead to flaky, peeling, red skin which is why I prefer the lower percentage.

If you suffer from blackheads or clogged pores you may find that a product with Salicylic Acid works better for you. I prefer a product like this Up & Up cream for spot treating problems because I feel it’s more effective. Especially those deep, painful zits. If I feel one coming on I rub a small amount into the skin and more times than not it never even surfaces.

The one thing you need to really watch out for when using Benzoyl Peroxide, besides over-drying the skin, is it bleaching fabrics. Yes, this cream and any others that contain BP can bleach fabrics that come into contact with it. You will probably end up with marks on your pillowcases and towels. I consider that a minor con because no one is going to see my pillowcase but they will see my face. I’m willing to put up with that. I just avoid using it before I put any clothing over my head. I’d rather ruin a pillowcase or towel, not a shirt or pjs.

October’s Final fave…

My last October fave is a fairly new snack food called PopCorners. They are Dorito sized triangles of popped corn and they are de-lish! They come in six flavors but the flavor I’m talking about specifically is Kettle Corn. It is the most addictive snack for me at the moment.

The first flavor I tried was White Cheddar and honestly, I wasn’t impressed. I thought the texture was weird. It was kind of like a flat, cheesy rice cake. Sometime later I saw them in the store again and decided to grab a different flavor. The only flavor that appealed to me was Kettle Corn because of the whole sweet/salty thing. Yum! I could totally get on board with this flavor!

Describing them as flat rice cakes is pretty much spot on, though. But I think it works perfectly with the Kettle Corn flavor. Some triangles are puffier than others and I now find the texture very satisfying to bite into. I wouldn’t call them a healthy snack but they’re air-popped, not fried so they are not the worst either. I try to eat them in moderation though because I could very easily down a whole bag in one sitting. They are that good.