I’ve had so many requests for my personal care favourites so I feel like it’s high time I not only share my faves, but the ones that have been in heavy rotation for many, many years. I’ve been doing a big cull of everything I don’t need lately across the board (closet, desk, vanity) and have left only the true essentials on my vanity, including these beauties I’m about to share with you! Shoppers Drug Mart also happens to be currently promoting their fall roundup of #SDMTopPicks so all in all, the timing couldn’t be more perfect to share my faves with you guys because I’ve gotta say, I’ve probably been sourcing my drugstore treasures from Shoppers since I was a kid (I have the “vintage” burgundy Optimum card to prove it).
So first up in my absolute vanity musts: there is nothing I love more than my Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion and I’d just like that to be known for all eternity. Wherever I’ve been (in high school, at uni in Vic, interning in Toronto, here home in Van), it’s been a perennial staple on the side of my bathtub. Its comforting cocoa butter scent holds so much nostalgia for me and I love catching whiffs of it during the day. Also, I’m a moisturizing junkie and nothing moisturizes as deeply as this nourishing blend – my mum was the one who first got me hooked on moisturizing daily and it was an amazing habit to acquire early on because now I can’t do without it, and I like to think my skin has aged pretty well as a result of this habit. Important to note too is that I love to prep my skin with a moisture dose in the shower with Dove’s Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash too, which is another longtime necessity of mine. I’m about as obsessed with exfoliating as I am moisturizing so typically dry brush first, scrub with exfoliating mitts and my body wash then my lotion goes on while skin is still a bit damp so that it really sinks in!
Back to my university days (when it would appear I really was full-force into my Shoppers obsession), I remember distinctly spending a solid hour researching in second year what the best shampoo was and that’s how I first started using Pantene Pro-V. I was ecstatic to find this Moisture Renewal formula in my local Shoppers Drug Mart and have been using it every day this past month (I know, I know, you’re supposed to wash your hair every other day, but clean strands trumps limp hair when you’re fine-tressed!). I have fine hair and am prone to limp locks but also get really dry ends – what I love about this hydrating formula is it doesn’t weigh down my hair but really amps up hair health!
Last but not least, the only new introduction for me has been L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask, which you use as a pre-shampoo treatment. As you guys might know from my clay roundup post, I am a big fan of clay in all its many uses but have never tried a mask for my hair. Add to that that I’ve only heard really good things about this latest product from L’Oreal (who also produces some of my other go-to’s in the beauty department, from my favourite eye primer to my all-time fave mascara). After leaving it on for five minutes, you pop into the shower and it comes out immediately, leaving freshened up roots by absorbing excess oil or residue. I’ve been using it with my shampoo-conditioner combo mentioned above and feel like my hair and scalp have been way happier lately!
You can discover more of Shoppers Drug Mart’s roundup of top picks and must haves here – if you’re in Canada, make sure you visit before October 7th to get bonus Optimum points too! My original (aka “retro”) burgundy Optimum card is going to get some extra exercise before I take off to Italy since that’s our exact departure date! Always booking it up the hill to my local Shoppers for those last minute travel buys!
And most exciting of all, you’ll have a chance to win some of my top picks and more with a Top Picks prize pack valued at around $250! All you have to do is tell me what you’re missing from your vanity in the comments below for a chance to win a Vanity gift pack from #SDMTopPicks. Contest closes October 7th – good luck!
This post was created in partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart but all opinions are my own.
I’m missing L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask from my vanity.
I’m missing lotion and a hair mask from my vanity
Thanks for the post! I am missing the Dove’s Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash.
I’m missing the clay mask! Thanks!
Fun! That clay mask seems so cool and I am missing it in my vanity.
The clay mask is amazing!
Since I’m a long time die-hard lover of Panteen Shampoo & Conditioner; as well as the Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash; and lastly a long time lover of the Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion… The one product missing from my vanity has to be the L’Oreal Clay Mask (but I have been dying to try!). I hate to say this, but I too am a holder of the ‘retro burgundy’ Optimim card. Girl, I love me some Shoppers Drug Mart. xx
I’m missing from my Vanity dove’s Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash, thanks for the post ????????
Missing everything !! Would love the clay mask
Really digging your picks. And that clay mask – looks like a must-try for me!
I am missing the Pantene pro-v. I am using my.sons paw patrol shampoo
Lol.
I’m missing the clay msk
A hair mask – L’Oreal Clay Mask.
They are discontinuing my line at Kevin Murphy so I’ll be looking for new shampoo and conditioner 🙁
I am missing the L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask in my vanity.
Thanks
omg another vintage Optimum card holder *waves* My vanity is missing a few things most notably Macarons – hee hee but from the #SDMTopPicks list I’d like to try the new to me L’Oreal Clay Mask and the Schwarzkopf 11 in 1 Leave in Conditioner (11 in 1!?! maybe they snuck a snapchat filter in the bottle!) and pick up all of my favs especially the Cocoa Vaseline Lotion – smells so good and it works!
My vanity is missing the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash which I have tried and loved but for some reason have not used for about a year. It leaves skin so soft.
I’m definitely missing the L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask!
I’m missing the L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask from my vanity!
What is missing you ask? The L’Oréal clay mask for my hair. Did not even know it existed. It sound like a fabulous product that I must, must try!
Missing the Dove body wash!
Love your picks! I’m missing the Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion, something I could definitely add to my vanity.
Oooh, that hair mask looks intriguing! I love clay masks for my face, I’m interested to see what it does for my scalp.
After reading about your experience with it, I think the clay hair mask is missing from my vanity.
I’m definitely missing the L’Oreal Paris’ Extraordinary Clay Mask. It sounds amazing! I use clay masks for my face. I thought of using oil treatments for hair, but never thought of clay masks for hair. I actually never knew such product existed. Thanks for the review:)
Great work! I’m really inspired by it 🙂
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I’m missing the Vaseline intensive care lotion. Sounds like the perfect cream for dry skin and definitely something I could add to my vanity.
I’m missing a good fall / winter moisturizer.
The cocoa butter scent Vaseline is not common in my town, although I quite like their moisturizing product. Thank you for the list 🙂 I definitely find this product.
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