The Octagon
Protect, bronze & smooth your skinFriday, May 29, 2009 By Lily Kramlich-Taylor, Page Editor
With summer approaching, it is time to start preparing for bikini weather. Here are the best (and the worst) of the new summer products. Aveeno’s Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 70 promises longer-lasting sun protection. According to Aveeno’s Website, it combines active photobarrier complex, which provides the highest levels of UVA protection, with natural soy proteins, oatmeal, and antioxidants to shield the skin from environmental damage. Although it is pricy, ($10.99 for a 3-oz. bottle), the sunblock is non-greasy, lightweight, waterproof, and oil-free. I really liked it. I didn’t need to worry about getting burnt even after a few hours of being outside because I knew I was well protected. However, it was a little too watery. Before I had even squeezed the bottle, there was a pile of lotion in my hands. Jergens has just realeased a new self tanner, Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer, that, according to their Website, lasts twice as long as other leading brands. The Website also mentions that the tanner infuses the skin with moisturizers, antioxidants, and vitamin E to give it a healthier look while giving it a glow. “I didn’t like it because it smelled like rotten maple syrup. It wasn’t worth the money,” senior Emily Repsher said. Overall, it is not much different from their previous natural glow tanner. It costs $15.98 for a pack of two 9.4 oz bottles. Neutrogena also developed a new tanner. According to Neutrogena’s Website, their Micromist Airbrush Sunless Tanner sprays like an airbrush tan for hands-free application. Neutrogena promises it will dry in five minutes and won’t clog pores. A 5.3 oz. bottle costs $11.99 and the tan will only last five days. As it is not a gradual tanner, a heavy color will appear over the next few hours. I found that it took a long time to show up, even though I applied it over my legs four times. The bottle promised results after two to four hours, but I didn’t see much difference even after 10. What was noticeable, though, was the pungent smell of the tanner. Every hour, the foul smell got stronger and stronger. Another fault is the color washes off in the shower, but it was a good thing for me because I didn’t want orange legs. However, it feels really nice and weightless on the skin, and you can apply it at any angle. Gillette Venus’s Breeze is a 2-in-1 razor so you don’t need shaving cream. It is a 3-blade razor with white tea-infused shave gel bars. The gel bars last for about four shaving sessions, while other blades can last much longer without getting dull. The razor, along with two blade refills, is $10.99, and a pack of eight refills costs $17.99. The Breeze does an overall great job, leaving the legs feeling smooth and soft. I was worried my legs would feel dry without shaving cream, but the gel bars worked really well. Because I have sensitive skin, I get a lot of ingrown hairs if I shave wrong or don’t use enough cream. No ingrown hairs developed after using the Breeze though. Overall, the Aveeno sunblock is great for burn protection, and the Venus Breeze is useful when there’s no time to mess with shaving cream. As for the tanners, I wouldn’t waste my money on them. Smelling foul and looking orange aren’t qualities I’m looking for this summer. |