Skip to content
Lifestyle
The Link Up: Emily’s At-Home Hair Coloring Product, Jess’ Favorite Sweatshirt (Psst It’s $18), And The Non-Painful Hair Removal Tool We’re Obsessed With
Hi everyone! Welcome to another Sunday full of some really great links. But before we dive into it, we wanted to say our hearts go out to everyone in Texas. If you’re looking for ways to help you can click here, which is a spreadsheet via Jessica Yellin’s #NewsNotNoise, on where you can donate and help (plus it’s constantly being updated). Stay safe and know we are sending our love and support xx
Now let’s get into the links for this week…
Our home tour for this week single-handedly found a tone of purple we can ALL get behind. Not an easy feat. That purple drenched office, by Heidi Caillier Design, made us stop scrolling on Instagram full stop and we knew we had to check out the whole home…little did we know we’d fall in love with the kitchen and bedrooms. Check this space out –– it’s VERY good.
From Emily: It’s been a year since a professional touched my hair (I’m planning an appointment soon). Over the summer, I used lemon or sun-in, mixed with the sun, it does work (I know it’s not great for your hair but pretty sure neither is highlighting or going to an indoor salon a few months ago). Then I discovered this product which did make a subtle but noticeable difference and was super easy to use. It’s only for blondes and only for the areas where the sun would hit, but after applying it and blow drying it definitely brightened up the strands around my face that were looking super dull. It only lasted a few rounds and it is pretty expensive compared to sun-in ($28) but I love DP hue’s products in general so I trust it.
From Jess: I have found my perfect sweatshirt and it’s only $18!! Why is it my favorite? Well, it’s the perfect amount of cropped (and also doesn’t have that not always flattering waistband), looks real cute a little baggy, soft, comes in a bunch of colors, makes me look cool (at least I think so), and again is only $18! I first bought the gray and then ordered a black and red one:)
From Caitlin: I NEED TO SING THE PRAISES OF THE PAPIER WELLNESS JOURNAL. I just got another one of these – in snake print, if you must know, though I did consider bright marble or this minimalist colorblock – and I love them so, so, so much. There’s a two-page spread for every day with sections to track your sleep, your water intake, your mood for the day, meal planning, self-care goals, intentions, gratitude…IT’S ALL IN HERE. These journals have been so good for my mental health and I’m in love with all the new designs and GAH. 10000000/10! PS. I also ordered these fine liner colored pens to test out since I left most of my gel pens in LA – ew I’m so sorry for recommending pens this many times this year – and the 5 star reviews all speak for themselves. So bright, so fine, so beautiful!!! (I wonder if I’d have a boyfriend if I actually left my house and stopped writing sentences like that about pens every week!!)
Also From Caitlin: Does anyone have a recommendation for a super-hydrating daily body moisturizer? I use this one right now and I loooooove it, but it also has retinol in it so I try to only use it at night, which isn’t super convenient as I’m normally a morning shower gal. (Also it feels kind of expensive because I am a dry AF and my body just soaks up all lotion instantaneously like an old, cracked, tough sponge so I think I need a bigger container. #beauty) I love butters and am open to any scent – please advise!!!
From Mallory: I’ve been on a major hunt to find “my scent” for over a year now. I thought I had the perfume of my dreams locked down into place (and I do still use it often because it’s really the most fabulous smelling perfume), but apparently, it’s HIGHLY well known…you guessed it…it’s Santal 33 by Le Labo… if you google the word “perfume” it’s like the first or second one to come up so that’s how you know. I thought I didn’t care that it was “basic” and I was fully prepared to make it “my scent” until a year ago when I was at a bar (remember those?) and I met this cool girl standing next to me (remember friends?). She was one of those really cool girls that for some reason you desperately want to like you upon meeting. The first thing she said to me was “omg is that Santal 33 you’re wearing??” I was like “yes it is!” and then she said, “I used to wear that but then I realized everybody had it so I switched to a different Le Labo perfume.” I was like okay, that’s a little backhanded and I KNOW she didn’t have bad intentions, but I’ve never felt the same about wearing Santal 33 ever since that fateful night. I guess it’s a good conversation starter? Regardless I’m moving on and the hunt to find my new sent has been in full swing. I’ve been trying out lots and lots of perfume samples, but none of them have felt right. I’m discovering that I’m a sandalwood or cedarwood or some kind of wood girl, because I want to smell a lil smokey & sexy versus super floral-y and sweet. I recently got this perfume sample in the mail with one of my skincare purchases and was SHOCKED at how good it smells. I spritzed it all over my body and then all over my house because I think I love it. Then when I went to check out the price I was like ouch…is it worth it?? I’m gonna keep wearing this sample for a few days to see how I feel about it before I pull the trigger, and of course, I wanted to get your valuable opinions first. Has anyone tried this perfume??? Do you like it? What other perfumes should I try if not?? Thanks everyone for coming to my ted talk.
From Ryann: I wish I had this painless hair remover in my life when we did our recent skin care essentials post because it has become the MOST important step in my routine. It is not your typical skin care tool but hear me out. Usually, when my mustache starts to get out of hand I run to the nearest drug store and buy these waxing strips which A) hurt and B) irritate my skin. That is all in the past my friends since my future MIL introduced me to this baby. It has a circular electric razor that removes hair so flawlessly and doesn’t tug or hurt AT ALL. I don’t need to use it every day, don’t worry, but I like using it at least once a week because I recently heard that electric razors like this one are also great for removing dead skin!
Thanks for joining us this week and listening to our rants and reviews. We’ll see ya tomorrow :)
Opening Image Credit: Design by Heidi Caillier Design | Photo by Haris Kenjar
Caitlin, try Cetaphil. I am a dried up husk of a woman in the winter without lotion, but this moisturizer turns me right back into the juicy little peach I want to be. Mallory, have you ever tried Egyptian musk oil? It’s my absolute favorite scent. Sometimes, I try to branch out and find a more “adult” perfume, but I always come back to this oil. I buy it from Auric blends online and they often send samples of their other scents. They sent me one called Love, that I also really like. I’ve been wearing Egyptian musk for 20+ years and I always get compliments.
Yes to this! I love Egyptian musk oil – it’s my date night pick!
In a similar vein, Cerave is also great. It has ceramifes, which my desert skin drinks all up and isn’t sticky at all.
If that doesn’t do the trick, Vanicream is my heavy duty hitter. It solves the issue every time.
I second cetaphil. It’s a great texture and so hydrating, even for exzema-prone children. Very mild and almost no scent.
We use Cerave too! It’s for people with eczema – so their skin is dry bc their immune system is attacking the skin cells leaving micro-cracks which means the cells can’t hold moisture. The key is to find something that is a humectant, that is, it has ingredients that can pull moisture from the air and put it into your skin.
The blue tub of Cerave ointment has the most moisture-infusing ingredients, but it does cost about $20 per tub, which is about 2x as much as the next step down (a white tub of cream, not ointment). That will certainly matter to people who’ve been hit harder financially by the past year+.
But something that is FREE and works with whatever lotion, cream, or ointment you already have at home is wet wraps. Now, this is a treatment for eczema sufferers and we use it on 2 of my daughters which is how I know about it. People without eczema can use it too. I just wouldn’t sleep in it if you don’t have eczema. You can google it, I think I found a good explanation on webmd or cornell uni’s public facing medical website.
+1 on Cetaphil, and if you like the retinol in your current moisturizer, deciem makes a much less expensive stand-alone retinol body oil. I use that at night, and Cetaphil or Cerave after my morning shower.
Awww Caitlin! I like your pen talk and I’m not even a pen person. But I know a lot of serious pen people and many of them are dudes! There’s a whole podcast about pens run by a dude. So I know you were kidding but I feel like you might find true love in another pen fan out there. It’d make for a pretty great follow-up blog post, just saying!!
Virginia, that’s so sweet!
Totally agree. I am EXCITED by the pen recs and Mr. Right will be too.
Mallory, I’m pretty sure your ‘cool girl’ isn’t all that, because the truly cool girls don’t go for thinly veiled insults! I wear Tuberose Angelica by Jo Malone…it has an amberwood base note and it’s a delicious, heady floral as opposed to a fresh zingy floral. Her Pomegranate Noir is my alternate scent, it’s woodier and the pomegranate isn’t overwhelming.
I second any Jo Malone recommendations because there is literally something for everyone. Floral, woody, citrus, there’s a giant selection. They can be used together and blended for a custom scent, I often use Amber and Ginger Lily with English Oak and Hazelnut during colder months. In summer I use Blackberry and Bay and Orange Blossom. They stand alone on their own as well. Infinitely interchangeable and beautiful!
Caitlin, I’m in the same dry skin scenario and I highly recommend anything from Avene. The Moisturizing Melt-In Balm for body is really great, but they have lots of options and textures for dry and sensitive skin (their moisturizers for face are also fabulous and good for sensitive skin, which I have). If you want a really affordable drugstore buy that works equally well, the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is really great and scentless which I appreciate when I don’t want my lotion to fight with my perfume. It’s noncomedogenic and a fave of derms and you can even use it on your face!
Caitlin,
While battling a horrible case of eczema, a friend’s dermatologist recommended vanicream. I borrowed a squirt for my dry hands once and quickly became obsessed with it. It’s not always as easy to find as Cerave, but Target and most drug stores normally carry it. I always buy the big tub with the pump at Costco – you have to ask the pharmacist for it. It’s so so good and contains no irritants or possible allergens. Rich, thick, and creamy, and I use it everywhere including my face during the winter months. I have sensitive skin, and have tried very expensive moisturizers and all the cheap ones, and vanicream is by far my favorite.
Caitlin, I second this recommendation! (Also, keep those pen recs coming!)
This is the one I’ve used for years now! It got rid of my alligator skin and I’ve never looked back!
Another rec for Vanicream. I have terrible skin, prone to eczema especially in the winter months, and this stuff actually improves my skin. It’s thick, so sometimes I combine with a thinner lotion or a body oil to make it spread more quickly.
I’ll just tack on to this existing thread because I’m late. I also have very dry, sensitive skin. Vanicream is excellent as is CereVe. I will also suggest Avene XeraCalm AD Lipid Replenishing Balm which is designed in France for those with highly dry and sensitive skin. Whichever cream you choose, you will want to apply it fresh out of the bath while your skin is still damp after toweling off. I also highly suggest putting a coat of Gloves In A Bottle over your post-moisturized skin. It contains a small amount of silicone which provides a protective layer and locks in the moisture, keeping your skin from drying out especially when washed, like hands. It also does amazing things for heels. I’ve only found Gloves in a Bottle on Amazon.
Mallory, if you like Santal 33, wear it.
I agree! A scent is so personal and if you love it and it suits you … ?
I think her comment was underhanded-snark @Mallory.
I understand Mallory because I’m also the type of person for whom something can be “ruined” in that way. If she doesn’t want to replay the snarky cool girl scene in her mind every day, then I see no problem with finding a new scent, especially since scent is so non-mandatory (I don’t wear it at all).
Agreed! Wear it if you like it! I tried it but felt it was a little too strong for me (I’m pretty sensitive when it comes to perfumes). I was however curious about the other Le Labo fragrances, because of the hype behind them… So a couple years ago, I got a little tester kit, I ended up loving Another 13. It’s now my everyday scent :)
Mallory, try the Smell Ya Later podcast, it’ll give you tons of ideas for perfume! I’m like you and love “woody” scents – check out Diptique Tam Dao or DS and Durga Debaser or Freetrapper.
YES to Tam Dao! Also try Bottega Veneta. Yum yum yum.
For super thick moisturizer, I like good old Nivea. Super cheap and does the trick.
Mallory, try Michelle Pfeiffer’s clean perfume Henry Rose, Queens and Monsters. All the scents are clean, unique and affordable.
I planned to suggest this too! Henry Rose is a great line and you can get a sample pack to try out their favorites before buying. They were all hits with my testers (husband and daughter :) but I also ended up going with Queens and Monsters.
Caitlin – For moisturizer, I’ve purchased a lot of expensive balms over the years, but the Aveeno baby line is fantastic for sensitive skin and it works. No more itching! I use the Aveeno Baby Soothing Hydration Creamy Oil.
I wanted to love Queens and Monsters but it didn’t work on my skin, sadly. My two faves are Torn and Fog.
Caitlin, I use Cetaphil when I get weird eashes and skin issues – dermatologist rec. No perfumes, etc.
But, on the daily, I use Aveeno body moisturiser, comes in a big pack (and hand cream). I like this brand because it gets in fast and isn’t greasy at all. As soon as I put it on … Aaaah!?
Mallory, you should wear the perfume YOU like. I think that so-called “cool girl” was passive aggressively being nasty to you.
The home tour was rather bland, me thinks. Other than the colour of the cabinets … meh.
Funny, but I thought the house tour was absolutely brilliant. I was already familiar with Heidi Caillier’s work and think she is a master of color and pattern mix in the tradition of casually throwing together collected textiles in various colorways that you would never think to put together. But when she does it – it works. Not only does it work, but if you look closely you can glimpse the thought behind each choice and realize you couldn’t imagine it any other way. It works for me – Big fan!
Yeah, it’s pleasant and cozy looking . I just didn’t feel inspired by it, but then, I’m into more colour.?
Mallory, I wear Baie 19 from Le Labo and get so many compliments on it. Just as quality as Santal 33, but not as well known.
Yes, Mallory — if you like Santal 33 you will probably like other Le Labo perfumes! I have Santal too and like it a lot but I usually wear Rose 31 and love it. The Noir is also pretty. And I just got and love their Hinoki body lotion. Also, if you like Le Labo, definitely check out DS & Durga.
Ryann, don’t you end up with stubble? Or is this tool a whole different type of razor?? So interesting.
I thought epilating gives soft regrowth like waxing, where razors make the end of the hair thicker coz it’s cut??
I don’t have a facial hair situation, but wonder about leg hair, etc.
Caitlin, try this- It is fragrance-free and feels like water soaking into your skin! I find I also have to use lotion in the very dry winter months, and I just get Eucerin products from the drug store. They also usually have the Neutrogena line at Target. Some of them smell awful, so I make sure to get the fragrance-free.
Mallory, same boat, girl. But then I found this, and every single one of my friends is obsessed. Ugh I love it.
For Caitlin: I love Weleda products! Their skin food body butter is amazing. I also use their light moisturizer on my face and I think it smells like a gin and tonic! All natural, no weird stuff or unnatural fragrancea and weirdly affordable.
Weleda’s baby products are AMAZING too. Their diaper cream does not contain the stuff that actually causes diaper rash for babies that wear disposables and yet, is in most diaper creams. I used their diaper cream and ointments on my kiddos until they were completely toilet trained.
Mallory, have you tried Serge Lutens’ Santal Majuscule? It’s got that smoky, woody vibe you’re seeking, with a slight (bittersweet) chocolate twist. It was one of the first full bottles I bought, and I love it. It’s also not quite as popular as Santal 33 (which I love on other people, but somehow turns pickle-ish on my skin). Atelier Colognes also does a really lovely, lighter cedarwood that is good in warmer weather (Cedre Atlas).
Caitlin, I love Raw Sugar sensitive almond milk, agave, oatmeal body lotion ($10 at Target). Has a nice, mild scent, and is thick but absorbs well and isn’t greasy.
Mallory, I’m in the same boat with you regarding santal 33. Current I’m loving Tom Ford tobacco vanille. I actually will buy samples on eBay when I want to try new perfumes, which is what I’m ab to do w the Aerin perfume ?. Oh and try the raw sugar lotion above. It has a soft, warm sent that goes nicely w these types of perfumes.
Oh, I *love* Tobacco Vanille! That is such a beautiful, comforting scent. I’ll second the recommendation to try samples – there are quite a few online companies that specialize in decants of niche, luxury, and vintage perfumes, and they have been invaluable!
Re LeLabo Santal 33: I love the scent. It’s expensive. For the price, I’d appreciate some staying power. The scent doesn’t really linger. I found Aroma essential oil called Santal which is a dupe. It’s affordable. I have had TSA agents stop in their tracks and say “What is that smell? It’s amazing!”
Also, for dry skin, CERAVE. As I’ve gotten older, my legs were looking very alligator-ish. I figured, oh well. That’s life. I don’t remember what possessed me to buy a tub of Cerave, but I did and my legs look about 30 years younger. I couldn’t believe it. But I’m thrilled.
You should check out scents from DS and Durga.
Caitlin – I recently found a body cream that I LOVE – deep nourishing body cream by flamingo (the razor company). It is willow bark extract, but none of my body skin is seeing daylight right now so I feel comfortable using it as a daytime body moisturizer. It goes on smoothly and is really moisturizing, I have extremely dry skin and I can’t recommend this enough. Also it’s $10! La-Roche Posay lipikar balm is another favorite, but it is a little harder to apply.
I highly recommend a vitamin e moisturizer. Derma-E Vitamin E moisturize cream was recommended to my mom by her ortho doctor to help her scar heal post-knee replacement surgery – I was shocked at how soft her skin became and I now use it everywhere (legs, arms, back, face, neck). It is a winter lifesaver, non-greasy (I’m a morning shower-er so this is important), and only costs $10-$12/tub (which lasts a while).
Weleda Skin Food Body Butter. I live in Colorado, and this stuff saves my skin.
yes to this in the winter (I am in Alberta, where it’s extremely dry, too). their ‘cold cream’ is also helpful ..
Super Goop Body Butter! Plus it has SPF.
4160 Tuesdays is my new perfume obsession. It is an indie perfume house in London. Named because if you lived to be 80 you would have only 4160 Tuesdays (gotta make the most of them!) Their tag line is “we make adventurous perfume.” Their perfumes are quirky and fun and smell amazing. My current favorites are The Sexiest Scent on the Planet IMHO) – yep, that is really its name – Sleep Knot, and Shazam! The mastermind of the brand, Sarah McCartney, wrote for LUSH for 14 years, learning a ton about the industry before striking out on her own. She is wicked smart, playfully imaginative, and highly accessible to her customers (can you imagine Tom Ford or Jo Malone inviting fans to take part in Zoom conversations with them, or encouraging them to add a note or 2 to one of their fragrances to create a sort of bespoke fragrance all their own? Yeah, Sarah does that.) If you dip your toe in the water by ordering a few samples, be prepared to tumble down a beautifully fragrant rabbit hole.
For Mallory:
Caitlin – I have ultra dry skin and so many lotions I’ve tried are too “watery” for my preference. I don’t like when I feel like I have to keep reapplying endlessly because it immediately soaks in and my skin is dry once more.
My absolute favorite lotion is Gold Bond Ultimate Healing with Aloe. It’s thick, feels luxurious, and has a light fresh scent that doesn’t compete with my perfume or other products.
I have a lot – A LOT – of perfume and the one I recommend most highly is chanel’s 31 Rue Cambon. It’s an incredible complex but wearable chypre and its not at all common – totally swoony. You might need to find a sample on ebay because its not easy to get hold of, but WORTH IT.
For Mallory, I haven’t tried them yet, but I want to get a bunch of samples from Imaginary Authors to try out. They are a Portland, OR based company and might be one to look into.
There’s a great perfumer in Venice–Strange Invisible Perfumes on Abbot Kinney. Try Aquarian Roses, which is distilled from the whole plant and is amazing in the same way that Santal 33 is.
Mallory, that perfume is absolutely worth it if you love it so much! Check out theperfumedcourt.com. They have samples/decants of basically every scent, and they have sample sets by perfume, by perfumer, by reviews, etc. Fragrance is a wonderful world of exploration!
I’m also a woody-scent person. Check out the incense series by Comme des Garcons. Each one is perfect.
I was going to recommend the same! They also have scents in many size options, so you could get a smaller version (or larger sample) of the Aerin perfume if you aren’t ready to commit. And you can try all these other great recommendations!
Not sure if it’s some weird genetics of smell perception, but I (and my husband) fall into the camp of people to whom Santal 33 smells like pickle juice… There are a lot of us, as a quick google search will reveal. It makes me giggle every time I pass someone soaked in Santal 33 in public. The sample I ordered following all the hype was only ever used for pranks until I had to promise my husband to please throw it away. Good luck to Mallory on your perfume journey!
Hahaha! I got a sample because I loved it on other people, but and I told my husband I smelled like pickle juice and a hamster cage. The vetiver and cedar didn’t work well with my skin (or nose) I guess.
Pickle juice!!!???
I have also been on the search for my signature scent, and have found several favorites from both Phlur and Nest Fragrances. I love Sandara, Siano, and Hanami from Phlur, and Indigo, Wild Poppy, and Black Tulip from Nest. (I am cheap and indecisive, so I have travel or sample vials of all of them) My in-the-purse-just-in-case perfume is Queen Bee from Good Chemistry, because it’s cheap and I can get it at Target, but it’s still super pleasant.
Mallory, I’m trying to imagine spraying that perfume around my house and then checking out the price! ?♀️
This home tour is an absolute masterpiece. How can I bring this level of whimsy and class to my own life?!?!
I’m allergic to most perfumes and this comment thread is low key triggering (LOL). I’ve no doubt you each smell fantastic and I’ll be the one waving at y’all from faaaaaarrrr across the room.
I hear ya! When I was teaching, some Year 10 girls were into a cheapie body spray scent and EVERY time I taught that class … instant headache! ?
Hi Caitlin,
As so many others suggested, I’m going to point you to Cetaphil lotion or cream for any kind of face or body moisturizing. It’s good stuff. Dermatologist recommended it to me 15-ish something years ago and I’m still using and loving it.
For eczema or extra dryness on my hands after a bout of house cleaning, Eucerin ointment is good stuff. Smear it on my hands and put cotton gloves on for overnight.
For my extra dry face areas, I use pure jojoba oil from Trader Joe’s followed by Cetaphil.
There’s no reason to buy hoity toity frou frou things at cosmetics counters or shops. The simple things like Cetaphil are afordable and good for our skin. My 2 cents!
Hello!
What is the purple color that Heidi used in that office? It’s so great!!
Mallory – A really great cedarwood/smokey perfume is Cedrus by Fiele.
Caitlin – one that we use all the time at my house is Cerave Moisturizing Cream. Cream (in the tub) not the lotion. It’s wonderful! Our pediatrician recommended it when my son had an eczema outbreak and now our whole family slathers it on. It’s nice and thick but soaks in well.
Bon Parfameur perfumes are incredible. Made in France, super uniquie and won’t break the bank. 301 is my favorite followed closely by 101 and 601
My moisturizer is Cerave (in the tub) and I use it when I get out of the shower. I also like Aveeno body yogurt. Both are affordable and effective.
Hi! I use From the Meadow products for my face and body. They are very hippie but really fantastic. They are a local Canadian company (I think Ontario based?). We also use an eczema cream called Gold’s or something. I can’t remember the exact name (it is in my napping baby’s room otherwise I would go check for you.
Burberry Brit was my perfume but I don’t wear perfume anymore because I am nervous about chemicals and cancer (my best friend died this year of colon cancer and she was only 35).
But I do wear chemical laden stuff in my hair. It’s all about the balance right?
Interesting. I see the active ingredients in the Cavallari blonding brush are also lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide, but there’s a violet (purplish) undertone that fights the kind of brassiness us dirty blondes get with the home grown stuff.
I have eczema and have tried so many body creams, I tried Cerave, but even that does not have enough moisture, it’s too watery. I have finally found one that works, Elta MD Body Creme, it’s creamy and rich, but soaks in so nicely, I can put on my socks and pj’s after application and it doesn’t get all over my clothes . It’s $28 for a bottle, but sometimes the Dermstore will have a sale and I will load up my cart. It has ceramides, which are a game changer. For my face during the winter, I use Dr. Jart’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream which my skin happily drinks up, which also has ceramides.
I love Dream Cream from Lush – I am super dry and my skin drinks this up! You can set up a regular delivery as well!
About perfume (especially fancy, expensive ones you’re unsure about buying)–my trick is to go to Luckyscent.com and order a menagerie of samples of rare beauties from around the world. Unsure if they have that Aerin one but…you’re welcome (or, I’m sorry..depending on the damage)
Mallory, try Henry Rose. It’s Michelle Pfeiffer’s perfume line. I was a little skeptical but I kept hearing great things. They have a sample pack for $40 and you get seven scents. I kept track on the description sheet and while a couple didn’t work for me, I found two that I LOVE.
Plus, they are “clean” perfumes…
Perfume! If you want a woodsy musky warm wintery scent I have to say you should try Ariana Grande Cloud. Everyone talks about this as being a surprisingly great scent and WOW they are not kidding. I got the travel size to try, and it’s affordable, stays on all day, and smells SO GOOD. Ulta carries it. I’ve read that it’s a dupe for some super-expensive fragrance but I don’t remember which one.
Caitlin, coconut oil. Just apply at the end of your shower, maybe give at quick rinse off an towel dry.
Or just Shea butter or cocoa butter. (Fair trade though, please)
I live in the desert and have insanely dry skin plus keratosis pilaris (which I have mostly defeated!), and the lotion I swear by is the Aveeno Skin Relief — the one with the blue label. It has dimethicone in it which almost like seals in the moisture? All I know is whenever I use another lotion my skin is dry again an hour later, but with this it stays moisturized until I next shower.
For perfume, my roommate wears Poison by Dior and it is probably the best thing I’ve ever smelled. I used to date her like 10 years ago and I swear to god I probably fell for her because she smelled so good. She was only finally willing to tell me her secret this year so I am passing it onto you now, ha!