Secret Sheer Dry Invisible Solid Anti-Perspirant

Here we are, another product up for review! Secret Sheer Dry Anti-perspirant. I do believe this came to me in a college care-package from either my dad or my aunt. It's not the brand I normally use, so I just kind of keep it around as a spare. First off, let me just get this off my chest: Anti-perspirant is a weird thing to me... I normally use deodorant... there's something funny about stuff that makes you not sweat.

The Look: A regular old solid stick of anti-perspirant. It's white and soft (but not too soft... just how it should be).

The Scent: This particular stick is unscented, and it really is fairly scent-less (unlike some "unscented" products I've used with DEFINITE unpleasent scents). If hard-pressed, I'd probably say it has a faintly medical smell - if you're shoving the whole stick up your nose and purposefully HUNTING DOWN a scent.

The Feel: goes on pretty smooth... a bit blobby if I'm still a bit shower-damp. No sweat, even after working out.

In Use: I don't think I'd call it a "secret" (hehe) that you're using this anti-perspirant. After a short while, the stuff seems to build up in gooey white clumps in the creases of my armpit (isn't that some lovely imagery). I'm not a big wear-er of black, but I'd imagine the Secret Sheer Dry anti-perspirant would make itself known in short time (try it and see though... maybe I'm wrong and the layer of whiteness sticks firm in your armpits where it belongs). I may have "over applied", according to the bottle. I am impressed with the how this product lasts. Normally by the end of the day, I still smell ok... but I can start to detect a hint of what lies beneath... so to speak... With the Secret Anti-perspirant, I was odor-free all day from morning until bedtime.

The Verdict: I'd say this was an ok product. Secret Sheer Dry Anti-perspirant does it's job well (if a little visably). If I were going to be wearing either black, or a tank top, I'd probably use something else. The anti-perspirant aspect of Secret Sheer Dry is bang-on, which is good... but not for me. The label says it's pH balanced, so that's cool... it also says it contains aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex, which is a very big name, but it's the type of aluminum that doesn't cause skin reactions as often as other types (apparently anti-perspirants contain various forms of aluminum). I think in all, this product isn't for me - but maybe it's for you!

Here's some other reviews (some great, some horrible).
If you're interested in learning more about anti-perspirants (and who wouldn't be), go here.

Banana Boat's Suntanicals SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion

About time! Our next product up for review is Banana Boat’s Suntanials Sunscreen Lotion (SPF 30). I randomly selected it from the drugstore the other day, based on a decent price and fresh scent. For some really good information about choosing the right sunscreen and why it’s important, check out this website.

This sunscreen has “moisturizing botanicals” (aloe vera, chamomile, and lavender) and tells you to “indulge your skin and your senses”.
The Look: A pale green cream that smoothly squeezes out of an attractive upside-down tube/bottle.

The Scent: A whiff from the bottle is very fresh and vaguely fruity smelling. On my skin, it still smells fresh, like a nice soap. After wearing it for a few hours in the sun, I can detect a slight “sunscreeny” smell… but it’s certainly not strong at all (I was sniffing for it). This product doesn’t smell like a traditional strongly scented sunscreen, and I appreciate that – you’re supposed to wear sunscreen everyday but I certainly don’t always want to smell like a day at the beach!

The Feel: Went on smoothly. A bit thick, but it rubs in well and absorbs in a few minutes. I didn’t find this sunscreen too greasy at all. After being out in the sun wearing it, and sweating and all that lovely stuff, I don’t feel – as I sometimes do with sunscreens – like I have a layer of grime coating me.

The Verdict: I certainly didn’t burn while wearing this product. I enjoyed the very light scent, it wasn’t too greasy, and I appreciate the moisturizers. The package didn’t specify whether this sunscreen provides both UVA and UVB protection, but I called their “Questions” phone number and the woman assured me that it provided both kinds of protection. She also assured me it did in fact say that on the bottle, but I have searched every inch of it and found no reference to UVA or UVB. Hmmm. Anyhow, this still seems like a great product, and I’d like to keep a bottle of this on my shelf!

The Banana Boat website (couldn’t find information on their Suntanicals sunscreen lotions, but there’s lots of information on their other products, and lot of other sunscreen and fun-in-the-sun tips).

You’ll find some other little reviews here. Apparently Banana Boat Suntanicals Sunscreen Lotion (SPF 30) is hard to find… I found mine at Shoppers Drug Mart.