I’ve always been intrigued by Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap’s packaging—it’s crammed with a bunch of text, and not unlike baking soda, you can use it in so many ways, from washing your hair to mopping floors to washing your dog (see this example label for the full details). In the quote above, the narrator recognizes the familiar scent of Dr. Bronner’s on an old friend. From reading this, we can gather that Neel no longer lives in the apartment that smelled like…

Old friends are like your favorite sunscreens: They make you feel beautiful (not oily or flaky), and they’re always there when you need them. Two years in a row I’ve decided to buy an old friend sunscreen as part of her birthday gift. Last year I chose CeraVe baby sunscreen, because she has sensitive skin. Unfortunately, she found that one to be a bit too thick and pasty for everyday use. This year, I decided to make up for that one by buying Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish SPF…

During my trip to Japan last fall, I tried to keep an eye out for the most popular cosmetics (specifically, I was mainly interested in face masks and sunscreens). Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence was definitely one of the most commonly spotted products on many shelves, so it seems like it’s pretty popular.