Moisturize, energize and purify with a body wash from Dial, Olay and Aveeno!

Dial Silk & Magnolia Moisturizing Body Wash - 473ml - $6.99 - with an advanced moisture-attracting formula enriched with amino acid rich silk protein for lasting, lightweight hydration and feathers luxurious lather that rinses clean for healthy skin that feels touchably silky soft and smelling sweetly of magnolia.

Olay Fresh Outlast Energizing Lime & White Tea Body Wash - 400ml - $5.99 - awakens senses with the energizing scent of lime and leaves skin feeling refreshed and beautiful and is designed to work with skin's natural pH balance, ensuring skin is moisturized and vibrantly fresh all day long.

Aveeno Purifying Body Wash - 473ml - $7.99 - combines Active Naturals ingredients from the land and sea to gently flush away impurities with a moisturizing formula that combines colloidal oatmeal - to help soothe and nourish irritated skin and seaweed extract - which is rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals to cleanse without stripping skin's natural moisture leaving  skin feeling revitalized and soft after you shower.

All are available now at drug, food and mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Dial introduces Soothing Care for a gentle clean

During the winter months I usually have to give up scented body washes because the formulas that go with them tend to be too drying but now even sensitive skin can enjoy the benefits of a soothing scent and a rich lather with:

Dial Soothing Care - which offers pH balanced products that are dermatologist tested to be gentle, even on sensitive skin - with collagen and moisturizers that gently cleanse skin and leave it feeling balanced and calm.

Available is: Body Wash - 473ml - $6.99 and Liquid Hand Soap - 221ml - $4.99.

Also new is Dial Advanced Bar Soap - 6 x 141g bars/pack - $8.99, 3 x 141g bars/pack - $3.29 - designed to be moisture-rich and non-drying and infused with lather pockets to provide a new level of clean. With aloe and vitamin E to leave skin feeling healthy and soft.

Available now at retailers across Canada including Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Loblaws.

- Lisamarie -

Good for your body washes that won't break the bank from Dial, Olay and Dove!

Dial Vitamin Boost Oil Infused Body Wash - 473ml - $6.99 - with an advanced moisture-attracting  formula containing Vitamin Complex Super C to give skin a boost of moisturizing nourishment that helps draw moisture directly to your skin for lasting, lightweight hydration to leave it feeling healthy and soft and looking radiant.

Olay Fresh Outlast Cooling White Strawberry & Mint Body Wash - 400ml - $5.99 - awakens your senses with the cooling scent of strawberry and mint to leave skin more hydrated than regular soap over time without drying it out for skin that feels vibrant, refreshed and beautiful.

Dove Go Fresh Mandarin & Tiare Flower Revitalize Body Wash - 354ml - $7.49 - with a refreshing and hydrating formula containing NutriumMoisture technology that quickly absorbs into skin leaving it softer and smoother after just one shower.


All are available now at drug, grocery and mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Celebrate Global Handwashing Day today - no really, it's a thing!

Today is Global Handwashing Day and no, that doesn't mean you should spend the day washing your hands (although you can if you really want to), but rather it's a day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of hand washing with soap as an easy, effective and affordable way to help prevent the spread of diseases.

Seems like a no brainer right? Go hang out in a public washroom for a couple of hours and count how many people don't actually wash their hands after using the facilities and you'll see that they should probably actually have a Global Handwashing Week!

Don't believe that people even notice if you wash or not afterwards? You'd be wrong - let me use the example of a lady I used to work with - lovely person, never washed her hands which all the women in the office knew as we had all been in the ladies room with her at one time or another. Sadly, this lapse in hygiene made her a bit of a social  pariah. If you went in her office you knew not to touch anything - the upside to this was nobody ever stole her stapler! At office potlucks nobody ate her food and when she ended up leaving the company there wasn't the usual mad scramble to claim items left behind -  they even ended up throwing out her keyboard! Morale of the story - what seems like such a small thing as washing your hands - can have big consequences when it comes to how people perceive you.

Of course going into the cold months all that washing has the downside of drying hands out so I like to use something that will add moisture at the same time as cleaning like:

Dial Omega Moisture with Sea Berries Foaming Hand Wash - 221ml - $3.99 - boasts a moisture-rich, clean rinsing formula enriched with sea berries - which contain 190 nutrients and high levels of omega lipids to help nourish and strengthen the skin's barrier for healthy looking skin - and an advanced moisture-attracting formula which provides lasting, light-weight hydration.

Available now at retailers across Canada including Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Loblaws.

- Lisamarie -

The Body Shop, Avon and Dial - scents and products that do your body good!

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea is infused with real green tea leaves for their antioxidant qualities and benefits to replenish and refresh skin with pure moisture for healthier-feeling skin. Available in the collection is: Exfoliating Soap - 100g - $6, Body Scrub 250ml - $22, Body Butter - 200ml - $20, Body Sorbet - 200ml - $15, Body Lotion - 250ml - $13, Body Wash - 250ml $9, EDC - 100ml - $20, Bath Tea - 300g - $20, Bath Infuser - $5.

Available now at The Body Shop locations across Canada and online at www.thebodyshop.ca.

Avon Skin So Soft Aroma+ Therapy Stress Relief melts stress away with the soothing scent of eucalyptus and geranium. Available in the collection is: Body Wash - 200ml - $9.99 - with luxurious lather and a time-release moisture formula to leave skin feeling clean, soft and smooth, Foam Bath - 250ml - $9.99 - with scented bubbles that gently cleanse and refresh while relaxing aching muscles and 48-Hour Moisturizer - 200ml - $9.99 - a creamy body lotion that provides luxurious moisture to leave skin feeling velvety soft.

Available now from your Avon rep - 1800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca.

Dial Omega Moisture with Sea Berries boasts a moisture-rich, clean rinsing formula enriched with sea berries - which contain 190 nutrients and high levels of omega lipids to help nourish and strengthen the skin's barrier for healthy looking skin - and an advanced moisture-attracting formula which provides lasting, light-weight hydration. Available in the collection is: Body Wash - 473ml - $6.99, Hand Soap - 221ml - $3.99, Hand Soap - 3 pack/113g - $6.99.

Available now at retailers across Canada including Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Loblaws.

- Lisamarie -

Moisture rich cleansing from Dial, Nivea and Caprina by Canus!

Dial Yogurt Vanilla Honey Nourishing Body Wash - 473ml - $4.99 - a sweet-smelling, honey-infused, nourishing body wash enriched with real yogurt proteins that leave skin feeling smooth and hydrated while the luxurious lather generated washes away dirt and impurities.

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

Nivea Creme Care Shower Cream - 500ml - $5.99 -  includes all the ingredients you love from Nivea face cream including pro-vitamin B5 - to help moisturize the skin which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; Hydra IQ - to support the skin's own water channels which enhances its natural moisturization. It keeps working for up to 24 hours which means skin is kept soft and smooth, non-stop, throughout the day and if you love the scent of original Nivea cream, it will be like taking it to your shower!

Available at drug, grocery and mass retailers across Canada.

Caprina by Canus Fresh Goat's Milk Body Wash Original Formula - 350ml - $6.99 - contains fresh goat’s milk, a natural and highly effective skin moisturizer combined with subtle essential oils derived from natural ingredients. It won't compromise your own skin’s natural protective barrier, and will never dry your skin out. I personally love the clean fragrance of the original formula but if you like more scent there is also the choice of Orchid Oil or Lavender Oil.

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Relax and unwind with Dial Lavender & Twilight Jasmine All Day Freshness Body Wash!

So I recently had to get a lavender scented collar for my cat because he's stressed and the scent of lavender is supposed to be relaxing and calming. How exactly an animal that spends all day sleeping and licking itself becomes stressed I have no idea - but it seems to have worked which makes me believe that we all need a little lavender to make our lives a little less irritating and soothe our senses - in my shower right now is:

Dial Lavender & Twilight Jasmine All Day Freshness Body Wash - 473ml - $4.99 - with the light fragrance of lavender and jasmine to calm your mind and leave skin more healthy, smooth and beautiful than before.

Not only will you appreciate the relaxing scent, but it's also infused with moisturizers and antibacterial agents to leave the skin clean, refreshed and soft.

Available now at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

In My Shower - Dial Vitamin Boost Body Wash

Dial Vitamin Boost Body Wash - 473ml - $4.99 - in two varieties:

Amazing B - a lotion-infused creamy formula that draws in moisture to keep skin hydrated and nourished with a fresh fragrance of tropical kiwi and mango; and

Super C - an oil infused gel that contains antioxidants that protect the skin, creating a radiant and healthy glow through the power of Vitamin C and leaving behind the invigorating scent of orange and grapefruit.

Knowing how much I love everything citrus it's probably no surprise that I love, love, love the Super C scent but will how crappy and cold the weather has been lately the Amazing B is the one that I have mostly been using - the formula has kept my skin from turning into a scaly, dry mess!

Available now at mass and drug retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Winter skin and hair saviours from Moroccanoil, Korres, Dial and John Frieda!

The cold weather wreaks havoc on every exposed bit of me (and even some bits that aren't that exposed)! Luckily there are all kinds of great products to help combat and even prevent the damage:

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Treatment - 100ml -$27 - an innovative skin rescue treatment infused with antioxidant rich argan oil and naturally replenishing botanicals - including organic chamomile water, organic sunflower seed oil, Vitamin E derivatives and glycerin - for dry skin, or skin that is affected by seasonal change. This technologically advanced formula is a gel that melts into a warm, soothing oil, penetrating deep into the skin for ultimate healing and relief. Skin's elasticity is restored and is left softened and soothed. 

As great an intense moisturizer as it is, what I like best about it is the scent - a lush honey-lavender aroma meant to awaken the senses, while organic chamomile and oil infusions calm irritation and inflammation, leaving skin condition noticeably healthier.

Use it 1-2 times per week concentrating on rough, dry areas, such as the elbows, knees and heels. It can also double as a bath or massage oil and can even be used on hands to help strengthen nails and soften cuticles.

Available at luxury spas and fine salons across Canada including Quartz Crystal Spa (Trump Hotel Toronto), The Spa at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Spa Vida (Sheraton Wall Center Vancouver), Victoria Park Spa (Montreal) and The Spa at the Four Seasons Toronto. 

In the winter my skin goes from being combination/oily to combination/dry which means a change of moisturizer is in order. And while I need a bit more moisture, I don't want anything too heavy or greasy feeling and this one is the perfect balance:

Korres Greek Yoghurt Moisturizing Face Cream - 39ml - $42 - an 83.6% natural, ultra soothing, non-greasy cream that brings immediate hydration and comfort to dehydrated skin with skin soothing, moisturizing yoghurt which provides a natural source of proteins, minerals and vitamins to instantly nourish dry, stressed skin.

Available at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations. 

Add some moisture in the shower and you won't have to slather on as much body cream:

Dial Triple Moisture Ultra Moisturizing Body Wash - 473ml - $5.99 - with a creamy formula that delivers 3X more moisture than regular Dial with a rich blend that infuses skin with shea, jojoba and mango butters to leave it feeling moist and luxuriously softer after each wash as well as beautifully scented.

Available at drug, grocery and mass retailers including Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, Loblaws and Jean Coutu.

Cold air turns my ends into little bits of straw and even though this serum is meant to protect from heat, it also does a great job of protecting and correcting from the cold:

John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion - 50ml - $14.99 - smoothes and protects medium-textured hair damaged from high heat. Contains Inca Inchi , a lightweight, micro-oil rich in omega-3, absorbs into worn-torn strands instead of just coating the surface. Weightlessly reverses the look and feel of damage on lengths and ends to leave hair smooth, shiny and full of body. Also helps protect against breakage from heat styling and is safe for colour-treated and chemically-treated hair.

Available at drug and mass retailers.

- Lisamarie -

Get fruity in the shower with Soap & Glory, Nivea, Olay, Dove and Dial!

Soap & Glory Foam Call - 500ml - $16 - a super moisture-suds body wash boosted with grapeseed and perppermint oils, essential fatty acids, fruitliuid fig and orange waterjuice - use it in the shower or let it do double duty as a bubble bath! I love Soap & Glory body washes as a rule but they have always been a little too floral smelling for my taste so the best thing about this new one is the scent - with notes of frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig and jungle pomelo essence - fruity wonderfulness!

Can't get enough of the scent? Then be sure to check out Pulp Friction ($20) to get your scrub on and Butter Yourself ($20) to kiss dry skin goodbye.

Available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Nivea Free Time Shower Cream with Revitalising Star Fruit - 500ml - $5.99 - with a citursy scent that revitalises your senses and a silky cream texture with caring aloe extract and Hydra IQ moisture technology that leaves skin feeling beautifully smooth and soft. If you're looking for something a little more tropical smelling, check out the Frangipani & Oil Shower Gel ($5.99).

Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

Olay Simply Invigorate - 400ml - $5.49 - infused with pomegranate, awakening your senses for an invigorating cleanse. What I like best about it is the lather, some body washes are cheap with the lather but not a problem with Invigorate - it lathers like crazy! Also available is Simply Refresh ($5.49) - infused with rainforest flower to provide a rejuvenating and deep cleanse.

Available at major food, drug and mass retailers across Canada.

Dove Go Fresh Restore Blue Fig and Orange Blossom Body Wash - 354ml - $5.99 - infused with NutriumMoisture technology, it refreshes and nourishes skin while leaving an amazing fresh and fruity scent behind. The Blue Fig and Orange Blossom scent is also available in an Anti-Perspirant ($4.99) and Beauty Bar (2 bars - $3.49)

Available in drug, mass and grocery stores across Canada.

Dial Kids Body + Hair Wash in Peachy Clean - 221 ml - $3.99 - hypoallergenic, pH-balanced and with no artificial dyes or parabens - which means not only is it gentle enough for the delicate kids skin it's intended for but also makes it great for bigger kids (me) with sensitive skin or who just love the light peachy scent! Your kids might like the Berry Cool and Watery Melon scents but you will probably find the bright colours a little off-putting for yourself.

Available at mass retailers including Walmart, Loblaws and Jean Coutu.

- Lisamarie -

Ward off germs with Dial Complete, Bath & Body Works and One Step!

It's been well established that the best thing you can do to avoid getting sick is to wash your hands and wash them often - and with the germy flu-fest that this winter has been so far, these are words to live by and here are a few products to make it easier:

Dial Complete Coconut Water Anti Bacterial Hand Wash - 221ml - $3.49 - cleanses hands, kills germs and is part of the new Coconut Water collection which contains antioxidants and electrolytes found in young green coconuts, leaving skin feeling healthy, cleansed and hydrated with a light fresh scent.  

I'm not usually a fan of coconut smells but this one is very mild and fresh!

Also available in the line is a Body Wash - 473ml - $5.99 and Bar Soap - 3 pack/113g - $3.99.

Available at leading retailers including Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, Loblaws and Sobeys. 

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial PocketBac Sanitizing Hand Gel  - ml - $2 - a pocket-sized bottle that contains natural ingredients and powerful germ killers that kill 99.9% of germs and smell great while doing it!

Perfect for keeping in your purse and using often when on the subway!

Available at Bath & Body Works store locations.

One Step Hand Sanitizer - 473ml - $7.99 - kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria and germs on contact with a no-rinse formula that is enriched with aloe vera to moisturize leaving them soft and smooth without a sticky residue.

Keep a bottle of this on your desk and don't let anyone near you until they use it!

- Lisamarie -  

Moisturize that body! Vaseline, True Blue Spa, Calgon, Thann, St. Ives, Dial, Kiss My Face, Dove, Soap & Glory and Bath & Body Works!

I've always hated and cursed my dry skin but I never realized that it was such a widespread issue - Vaseline recently conducted a Good Skin Day Survey and I was amazed to see that 76% of the women surveyed have the same problem as I do and say that their dry skin can make them feel physically uncomfortable at least some of the time - including itchiness, tightness and cracking.  Women also say that the physical effects of dry skin can interfere with a range of every day activities including sleeping, getting dressed and working.  It's nice not to be alone in this problem but it's even better to find something to solve it!

Vaseline Intensive Rescue Extra Strength - 325ml - $4.99, 600ml - $7.99, 725ml - $8.99 - is available in fragranced (chamomile scent) and unfragranced. - Accelerates the healing of dry skin by tripling the skin's moisture reserves instantly while still feeling comfortable on your skin - not greasy or sticky.  Dermatologist recommended, restores and protects the skin and delivers 24 hours of hypoallergenic soothing moisture.  For super dry skin they also offer Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion - 200ml - $8.49 - which is clinically proven to moisturize for accelerated healing of persistently dry skin without feeling sticky or greasy and is comfortable on skin.  Proven to instantly increase hydration by five times and to lock in moisture for 24 hours.  Instantly softens and relieves extremely dry skin and to restore - through hydration - extremely dry skin in 5 days.

And of course having dry skin means that I try every moisturizer out there so here are some other great choices:

True Blue Spa Lay It On Thick Body Cream - 170g - $17 - fragrance-free with super moisturizing shea butter, macadamia nut oil to nourish and hydrate the skin and Vitamin E to help protect and condition. If you like your moisturizer to be super thick, this is one to try - I enjoy using this one right before bed to give it all night to soak in! Available at Bath & Body Works.

Calgon Nourishing Body Cream - 236ml - $6.99 - with Vitamins E and A as well as aloe to deliver longer-lasting moisturization that will leave your skin feeling soft and silky. Comes in Morning Glory, Hawaiian Ginger, Tahitian Orchid, Cotton Candy, Vanilla Swirl, Marshmallow and Moon Petal Musk. My favourite scent is the Hawaiian Ginger, you just close your eyes and imagine yourself away from winter and on a tropical island!

Thann Body Butter - 100g - $23 - 350g - $47 - with cocoa butter, jojoba oil, licorice and shiso extracts to nourish and protect dry and sensitive skin. The tick yet smooth cream absorbs quickly into the skin for long-lasting and effective moisturizing.  It's 100% paraben-free with no artificial colours or fragrances.  Available online at www.thann.ca, in select stores and spas across Canada and at Thann concept stores in Ottawa.

St. Ives 24 Hour Moisture Advanced Body Moisturizer - 600ml - $6.99 - an innovative formula clinically proven to nourish skin even after 24 hours - replenishes and retains skin for soft-looking, smooth skin all day with 100% natural moisturizers including shea butter. Features a patented moisturizing complex that acts as a barrier to prevent moisture loss without forming a heavy film on the skin.

Dial NutriSkin Replenishing Lotion - 88ml - $2.99 - 354ml - $6.99 - focus on adding essential moisture, vitamins and nutrients for your skin - in four varieties each containg a specific BioNutrient blend: Dry Skin - with aloe and vitamins C, E and F, amino acids, and omega 3; Extra Dry Skin - with shea butter, omega 3 and 6, vitamins A,C,E and F and amino acids; Soothing - with chamomile, beta-glucan, vitamins A,C and E, amino acids and zinc; and Men's - with magnesium, niacinamide, amino acids and vitamins A,C and E.

Kiss My Face Peaches & Creme Ultra Moisturizer - 118ml - $6, 350ml - $12 - with 4% alpha-hydroxy to help speed up exfoliation that allows for new healthy skin cells to emerge from your dry, flaky mess - and the peachy smell - Amazing!  You can find Kiss My Face products in various drug and health food stores - I find the website easier though - they have a Canadian site that prices and gives shipping costs in Canadian $ - www.kissmyfacewebstore.com

If you want super duper softness, start with a moisturizing body wash - my faves right now:

Dove Visible Care Renewing Creme Body Wash - 300ml - $5.99 - for visible skin improvement in just one week and with continued use, skin is more visibly beautiful within 3 weeks. It's designed to nourish and replenish skin with the highest concentration of Nutrium Moisture which contains skin natural moisturizers, the building blocks to help improve skin's look over time. It has a fruity, floral fragrance that I quite like and lathers like nobody's business!

Soap & Glory Clean, Girls Body Wash - 500ml - $9.99 - with a built-in moisturizing matrix and natural vanilla fruit and orchid extracts, it feels great and smells amazing!  It also suds up nicely which is something I find that moisturizing body washes sometimes lack. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Bath & Body Works Triple Moisture Shower Cream - 236ml - $12.50 - with milk proteins, rice bran oil and acai berry.  Part of the Signature Collection, you will find it in lots of different scents - I love Warm Vanilla Sugar and Twilight Woods!

Are you a dry skin sufferer too?  Would love to hear about any great moisturizers that you've tried!

- Lisamarie -