My everyday things are all from Bath and Body Works - they have a great selection of scents. I love a couple of their scents that just smell "clean", like Rice Flower and Shea or White Cherry Blossom.
My favorite brand for shower gels/bubble baths/soaps is Mistral. The Balinese Vanilla shower gel is so great...woodsy and rich and not too sweet. The Lavender shower gel is wonderful too - a real LAVENDER scent, again not too sweet.
My favorite bath salts are all obtained from a local store, and I don't know how easy they are to find in other areas (I buy all of my bath stuff at a local business that carries all high end bath and kitchen gear - it's like Amanda heaven!). The brand is Bluebird Bath...they are ADORABLE little bath salt pouches, with enough salt for two baths, packaged in vintage-style or otherwise visually interesting papers. They make great gifts too! I like the Green Tea, Lemongrass and Coconut, Cucumber Lime, and others...I haven't tried one I didn't like yet. It looks like this online retailer has a bunch:
Since they cost so much, I try to limit them to special occasions...but it is a $2.50 well spent to come out smelling so nice.
My final favorites are for bath "fizzies" - the little tablets of essential oils and fizzy stuff that bubble up and scent your bath. My favorite brands of those are Urbane Zen (a specialty shop in Portland...they ship!) and Chill Pills by Hydra Soap. The Chill Pills leave a really nice (strong...no need for perfume) scent on your skin, and they are also very moisturizing.
Can you tell I'm a bath stuff nut? I take a bath almost every night!
I always wore permanent press shirts and never ironed them. While I only lost ~10 pounds, I dropped 2 sizes in pants so people have been noticing and commenting. Suddenly, I now feel this urge to iron all my shirts! After reading this thread, I'm beginning to understand why!
Bath and Body works is actually my least favorite place for bath and body products. I can't even step in their store due to the overwhelming scents which is a shame since their items are pretty inexpensive.
Lush has a lot of really good bath and body products. I don't do baths very often but I have a L'occitane lavender bubble bath that is divine. Origins is my absolute favorite store and I love their ginger line which I highly recommend. Of course those are all stores that I shopped heavily BEFORE I lost weight but occasionally I do splurge
I'm going to throw out an idea - maybe it's not new, but here it is anyway.
I found out the end of winter that I've been mild to moderate depressive for the last (gasp) 17 years and didn't realize it. Self-esteem, energy, weight... all were in a sad state. I started taking an herbal anti-depressant and it worked for me... since then I've cut my hair into a flattering style, I *do* my hair nearly every morning, my house is cleaner, and I've finally started taking care of my diet and weight. I now take care to make myself look better because I feel better when I do it.
My thoughts are that some people who are overweight could be borderline depressive. Healthy diets and exercise are two of the key factors in reducing depression, so you might have also kicked depression as well as the weight. You're happier in general, and you're feeling GOOD, so you're taking GOOD care of yourself in ways you didn't before.
Mandalinn - thanks for the specialty reccomendations! I will keep my eye out for the Bluebird bath products! I wish I could do Bath and Body, but unfortunately I am VERY allergic to whatever their fragrance base is, so its a nogo for me.
Nelie - I came across the L'Occitane Lavender Bubble bath you mentioned, and yup, its heavenly. Like a lavender cloud.... Oh my!
I've tried a couple variations of brands and types, I've decided I'm not so much into the mineral baths, although I like the fragrant bath salts! And I LOVE the bubbles! Then again, some of the bubbles are like shampoo bubbles, and some are like silky clouds floating on the tub - guess which I like! haha
Last edited by Amarie2pt0; 04-02-2008 at 06:20 PM.
I have started coordinating a mug of tea with my bath...for example, a thai lemongrass coconut bath salt with a thai sweet coconut chai tea, or a lemony-mint bubble bath with a lemon tea. So satisfying!
Wow! what an incredible idea! I see a whole new industry popping up with you as the CEC (Chief Executive Chick ) They pay consultants big bucks to figure out which wines to pair with certain menus and which cigars to pair with which cognacs so why wouldn't (spas?) chic little boutique bath shops buy your idea? A line of gift baskets - including a tea mug and candle with a light, coordinated scent? Yep, you'll be on the cover of Fortune 500 and we'll all be cheering you on and saying "I knew her when....." OK, so I come across as kind of cheeky (kind of?) but honestly, I feel like it's something you could take and run with.
Wanted to add my recent "vanity" moments....it must be a weight loss thing.
Tanning....yes I know the debate about it, but pasty white fat looks really bad, so I have been adding just enough color to not look dead. Lotion, lotion and more lotion. I give special attention to my feet since sandal weather is just around the corner along with keeping my toenails painted (it is getting easier to bend over and paint them). I have always had my nails done, but now I keep up on it. I bought some new makeup and even wear mascare and lip stick. Ditto to the perfumes and baths. I consider these things little "rewards" for all the hard work!
To be quite honest, big or not, whenever I would go shopping or out somewhere, if you look sloppy, people treat you like trash. Doing my hair, makeup, etc. and wearing nicer clothes (not my old baggy pants and sloppy shirt) people are just nicer to you. It's not right, but it is a fact.
I have lost 18 1/2# over the past 41 days and have been able to buy some new jeans and tops. I buy them from a local re-sale shop because I don't plan on being in them that long to invest the $. When I reach goal weight, I will still shop re-sale so I can have more clothes, but I am definately splurging on some new clothes.
Oh yeah, I also started using the whitener on my teeth.
It seems like every bit of my body is getting the attention that it lacked for so long! And I agree, I think because WE know how hard it is/was to get the weight off, we don't take our bodies for granted anymore.
Heck, I even organized my closet with all my workout clothes hung up nicely and in order. It feels really good to be able to find all my work out clothes in one place (and not burried at the bottom of my closet anymore) and they are clean and fresh when I put them on!
I don't have alot of money to invest in new clothes or pricey things for my body...but i have definately gotten more vain since losing 58#'s (hurts me to say that, it used to be 62#'s). But i do try to dress in figure flattering clothes. I don't like to wear anything baggy because i want to show off all my hard work. I have started having my hair colored and cut by a professional now (my bf's sister, who gives me a discount). And i love to straighten my hair.
I have started using one of those rub on self-tanners and i make sure to moisturize my legs everyday.
I also LOVE to have pictures taken of me. Doesn't mean i always like the pictures, but generally i do. Which is very vain of me because for years, i hid behind the camera. So that's a big vanity thing for me.
Speaking of Bath and Body works, I do LOVE their Orange Ginger line. I get a gift basket from there from my bf for christmas and my birthday with the body wash, the body lotion pump and the hand cream all in my favorite scent.
I love this thread. I've alwasy been a bit of a girly-girl when it comes to scented stuff and bath products, but it's gotten much worse (better? heh) now that I've lost weight.
First thing is that in Feb, I cleaned out my closet and gave away every single item of clothing that was too big. I only have a handful of outfits in my closet now, but every thing in there fits and looks great on me. No more baggy sweaters, loose tshirts, etc. And - I haven't worn skirts or dresses in 10+ years, but today I'm wearing a swingy purple and brown skirt with a lavender top ... and it's one of 7 or 8 skirt/dress outfits in my closet.
I ditched all my old makeup that I've been hanging on to and went and bought just some light foundation (actually, Almost Makeup from Clinique) and some pretty lipsticks. I've never been a big makeup girl, but I love a little lipstick and mascara to brighten up my face.
My girlfriend and get regular pedicures every other Sunday. I've done this for years and it's always been my treat to myself after a particularly hard wedidng weekend - it's so nice to have someone pamper my feet after I've spent a hard 10 hours on them!
But this:
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I started getting all unnecessary hair waxed rather than shaving. woo hoo! *ouch*
This has been my big splurge as I've lost weight. Legs and ... ahem. And this spring I started getting the full Brazillian and I loooooove it. Really do. So worth it.
They're opening one in Atlanta soon and I make regular trips to New Orleans for business (and family) and I always stock up at the store there, when I go. I *lloooooove* their products and their bath fizzies are to die for! I also like that they're natural products and they work hard to minimize preservatives and, of course, no animal testing.
Plus when you order over the web, they drop little extras and testers into your order so you are always trying new products and new scents!
Height: tall enough to know what's on top of your refrigerator
Kiehl's Mineral Soak is WONNNDERFUL. It really helps if you have sore muscles. I also have very sensitive skin, can't handle the scented stuff, but this one doesn't bother me. It's like a trip to a hot springs without the sulfur smell! And it looks black in the bottle, but it's normal when you put it in the water. No bathtub stains.
As for the rest... my mom would kill me if I didn't keep up my appearance, so when I'm heavy, I spend more time trying to find pretty clothes that fit. I do have a decent wardrobe no matter what weight. At the moment, I am very much looking forward to my "medium-size" wardrobe. The "smalls" are going to be around the holidays, I think, assuming everything goes to plan.....
I think that fussiness about one's looks (and health) are synergistic. I usually get more into my beauty routines and general healthiness at the same time as I start to lose weight.
Regarding the phenomenon of successful maintainers who look hotter than most slim-for-lifers, I think that is partly explained by the large role exercise plays in successful maintenance for many among them. That and the bubble baths .
Reitman's is one company that has benefitted enormously from my losing weight! I barely used to step foot in there before because I couldn't find anything to fit...I love going in there now! I went from all the clothes being too small, to being able to shop on both sides of the store (the "plus size" side and the "regular size" side) to, most recently, just the left side of the store (the "regular size" side). I've become a real clothes horse! I also look for clothes that show off my new figure...low-cut tops and form-fitting jeans and capris.
I am so glad to find this post lol. I thought it was just me. My children make fun of me..
I am tan because I take the time to lay out for 15 mins each day, I paint my toenails, my fingernails, I don't leave the house for any length of time without makeup, fixed hair and perfume. I moisturize and take my vitamins. It is more fun now and seems to keep getting funner
I know my confidence is rising which must have a lot to do with it
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