I'll Say A Bad Word If They Discontinue These Favorites

Okay, so my title is a little dramatic. I can live without them, but I will not be happy. We've all been there. We stand in the aisle at the store, and we look for the perfect product....and look.....and move a little...and look some more. It's a big commitment, so we have to be sure to get the right one. In the meantime, other people also want to look, so they are circling you like a school of sharks. Even after all this looking, we cannot be sure we chose the right brand. We take it home, and one of two things happens. We are utterly unaffected by the product, not caring one way or another because it was just so-so. Or, we are entirely in love with the brand and so excited to finally have a product we can return to time and time again to avoid the circling shark scenario.

But then, your supply of the product is gone, so you go to the store. WHAT?! Where is it? And you look....and look....and here come the sharks. The product is either discontinued by the manufacturer or dropped from the store. Here come the bad words out of my mouth right in the aisle of sharks.

The following items are eight of my go-to besties. Some of them make me feel beautiful, and some of them are downright delicious. I will seriously say a bad word if any of them ever disappear from the shelves.

The initial allure of Aveda's Cherry Almond Leave-In Conditioner is the delicious smell. When I say delicious, I mean I know I can't eat it, but someone could make a fortune developing an edible version of this treasure.

My stylist got me hooked. Let me tell you, it's aroma is a great marketing tool. The minute my hairdresser put some in her hand, I instantly said, "What is that?"

She laughed, "This is a new conditioner from Aveda. Everyone loves the smell."

Well, the initial hook was the aroma, but what it does for my hair is just as fabulous. I have a lot of long, curly hair that is processed to make me a gorgeous blonde. These details about my hair make it a prime candidate for a leave-in conditioner. The Aveda Cherry Almond is hands down the best! If this product disappears or changes in any way, I am going to say more than one bad word.

In my younger years, I had pretty oily skin, so I never needed a daily moisturizer. Now that my skin -- and everything else about me -- has matured considerably, I found myself to be uneducated on this subject. After a lengthy trial and error period and a considerable amount of money, I struck gold with #2.

Equate Anti-Aging Complete Effects Moisturizer is the bargain brand Olay Total-Effects 7-in-One Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer. I stumbled upon this product when I could not get the Olay version, and I have stuck with it ever since. They even have a tinted version I wear in the winter. It provides a little extra color to my usual foundation.

I have also used department store brands and other, more expensive brands from drug stores; however, none of them wowed me. They were just so-so. Why would I pay more for so-so? I know many people swear by their expensive creams and make-up, and maybe I just didn't find the right one. Still, I prefer my Equate moisturizer and use it every day.

I know I should drink water. I know my body needs it more than it needs that diet soda or cup of coffee, but choosing to drink water over those options is difficult. These Green Superfood tabs make my choice a lot easier.

I get these at Target in the pharmacy area. The Detox one will freak you out at first because it turns your water a blackish-green. Don't let that detail deter you. After this tab melts, it gives your water a subtle lemon flavor. I'm not so sure about the validity of the detox aspect, but the antioxidant blend of superfoods sounds like a winner. The main thing I like is this product is a superfood supplement that has no odor.

The Beauty product in the pink capsule tastes like a mild version of pink lemonade. It also has the superfood properties. I like both products and am never without at least one of them.

I love all of the V-8 +Energy flavors. The Pomegranate Blueberry, however, is my favorite. My only complaint is I like fizz, so I usually mix it with Diet 7-Up or ginger ale. The soda also mellows the intensity of the flavor because I think the V-8 is a little strong. I have lumped these two together as #4 & #5 because both products are just so-so without the other one. Together, they create my mid-morning pick-me-up. Now that I am home and not at school working, I can drink this delectable concoction from a wine glass and feel extra special. And on that note, it's just as delicious as wine. Naw, I'm just kidding. But it is something I look forward to every day, and I would seriously say a bad word if I couldn't buy these products anymore.

I know, I know. These are bargain brand face masks, but I love them. I took a chance, buying a box of 6 after Christmas when they were half off. After using a couple, I went back to the store to find only two boxes left on the shelf. Of course, I bought them.

That night I told my husband how much I liked them and that I went back I bought all they had. About two days later, I came home to 5 sacks full of these boxed masks. I looked at my husband and shrugged my shoulders. He laughed and said, "I saw them for half off at another store, so I bought all they had." He really does know how to make me happy.

I use about 2-3 of these masks per week and still have a hoarder's stockpile. One thing I like about these is the soothing feeling when I put them on. The moisturizer on the mask is clear and odorless and doesn't get all over everything, either. Plus, I don't have to leave them on for an eternity, only about 10 minutes. I do not rinse the moisturizing gel off my face; I rub it in. It is not greasy or tight. I love all the different versions of the mask, but the Vitamin C one is my favorite.

I wasn't going to say where I got these for fear the masses would gobble them up, but I think I have enough. Refer to the picture below. I got them at Big Lots. Yes, I said Big Lots.

Occasionally, I need something a little more robust in that wine glass, and V-8 +Energy is not going to cut it. Numbers 7 & 8 don't necessarily have to go together. I generally indulge in them separately. However, I already had this gorgeous picture of my bar, and I wanted to use it.

Anyway, I have a real taste for good tequila. I would be a liar if I said Los Rijos is as good as Patron, because it's not, in my opinion. It is, however, my new favorite because it is a smooth enough tequila to do shots, and it is priced right. I take my tequila shot with training wheels. I never knew what that meant until I was at a bar and ordered one, and the bartender asked me if I needed training wheels. I thought it was about something altogether different, so I was a little miffed. He could see my disdain and said, "No, I mean, do you want salt and a lime." Well, yes, doesn't everyone?" Apparently not.

The other favorite featured here is Strongbow's 100 calorie Original Cider. These ciders come in a variety pack of 3 flavors: Original, Pear, and Rose. I like them all, but I am partial to the Original. It has a light, crisp golden apple flavor that is divine. No doubt, bad words would be spewing out of my mouth if Strongbow discontinued these gems. So, let me add right here that I just wrote this article a few days ago, and today I went to three stores looking for the Stongbow Slims. None, anywhere! Seriously, here come the curse words......

I want to draw attention in the picture to the Himalayan salt shot glass, which is next-level as far as tequila shots go. So, maybe this write-up should be numbers 7,8,& 9.

Well, there you have it. Eight of my -- obviously unrelated -- favorite products. So far, so good on returning to repurchase all of these, except the Strongbows. Grrr... After re-reading this article, I've come to the conclusion I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to beauty products. Two of the three are bargain brands. Yet, when it comes to my liquid refreshment, I tend to like the good stuff.