Are You Ready Boots?

Day 6: Boots
By MUA's Cavewoman

Ever since I was a little girl, I have hated getting my face wet. I dreaded going to swimming classes. I don't like walking in the rain. I shower with my back to the stream of water. A trip to the beach is not my ideal vacation (just ask Mister Cavey!) and I don't even like those facial mists that are supposed to refresh the skin and set the foundation. I used to beg my Mom to just allow me to wipe my face with a cotton pad soaked in witch hazel or *gasp* the Bonne Bell Ten-O-Six lotion or Sea Breeze that she used to keep on the bathroom counter for my sister and me. She insisted that I wash with soap (Sweetheart soap!) and water first, and then she'd allow me to use them.

Well, I'm a grownup now, and I can do or not do what I want, but I do wash my face with cleanser and water, of course. I do it as quickly as possible. Thank goodness I am blessed with pretty decent skin, albeit very dry, and I don't get breakouts. I'm on my last tube of The Healing Garden reEnergize cleansing gel, and when it is gone, I'll probably go back to ordering Payot cleanser on the internet.

Enter the amazing invention, the facial wipe! Not quite the answer to my wet-face phobia, but a practical beauty tool to have onhand for in-between cleansing, a refresher after exercise class (Zumba!) or to remove and re-apply makeup. The first wipes I ever tried were from MAC, and although I used up the package, I didn't care for the scent of them. I tried a few different drugstore brands, too, but somehow the texture of the wipe (some were so scratchy that they felt like sandpaper!) or its effectiveness in cleansing, or the scent would not quite be what I wanted. I went on a search to find something I would like, that would work well, and would smell pretty.

Ms. Blogdorf and I just love to browse the makeup and skincare aisles at Target. That is where we found the Boots line of products from the United Kingdom. The girls across the pond have raved about Boots for years, and we wanted to try it all! I bought the wipes and have been hooked on them ever since. I've gone through a dozen of these pretty aqua packets and I will always have a little stash of them in my skincare drawer.

Boots No. 7 Quick Thinking 4-In-1 Wipes are by far the softest, cushiest wipes I've found. The scent is fresh and dissipates quickly. They feel so luxurious on the face that you might mistake them for some fancy high-end product from Saks. Not only do they remove foundation and lipstick very well, they remove eyemakeup too, even stubborn mascara. They leave the face feeling refreshed and glowing. There is no residue left on the skin. The packet keeps them nicely damp up to the very last wipe. There is no dry tight feeling on the skin after using these wipes, my skin does not feel stripped, raw, or scratched. They are totally soothing. I'm constantly amazed at how well they remove mascara without sacrificing any lashes, and I surely can't afford to lose one single puny lash. It leaves the eye area perfectly ready for a fresh application. And after exercise class, a swipe of the wipe makes my skin feel cleansed and sweat-free, and I don't have to wash with cleanser and water until bedtime.

You might wonder why they are called 4-In-1 -- these wipes cleanse, tone, moisturize, and remove eye makeup. You can buy them at your local Target, or add a package or two to your next drugstore.com order. The package contains 30 wipes and retails for $6.99.

Don't tell my Mom that I use facial wipes. Oh, and the Sweetheart soap is now gone from her bathroom counter, it's been replaced with a Dove bar!

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.

Photo Credit: Cavewoman for Blogdorf Goodman

Graphic: Melanie Parker/Veronica Lake via I Married a Witch