Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String (A Few of My Favorite Things)

I enjoy reading the blog of my old high school soccer teammate, Dorothea Coelho, and she does this cool thing: Every Friday she writes a "Stuff That I Love" feature, outlining a few products she thinks are awesome. What a great idea! So, with credit to Dorothea--who was just about the coolest girl at Belmont High--and inspiration from one of my favorite movies, I've decided to publish a post every Tuesday called "Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String (A Few of My Favorite Things)," in which I review three things I adore.*

Here we go!

Bio-Oil

I've noticed that lot of natural/organic skin lotions and creams tout their formula as being "mineral oil-free." Now, I don't know what's so bad about mineral oil, but if you have a problem with it, stay away from Bio-Oil. If it's not an issue, however, rush out to the drug store and buy some NOW. Because this stuff is great! You can use it to moisturize, reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars, even out skin tone, and remove makeup. Yes, it's oil, but it doesn't feel greasy, so you can even put it on your face without it being gross. I swear, the skin on my post-pregnancy belly has become smoother since using this stuff! It smells great, too. About $11-12 for a 2-oz. bottle. www.bio-oil.com


CitiBlocs

My son received these wooden building blocks for his fifth birthday a few months ago, and we've been enjoying their limitless possibilities ever since. What a simple and wonderful concept! They are all the same size--"precision cut" says the website, and I believe it (they are smoooooth)--but they come in gorgeous, saturated colors that turn your creations into works of art. It's won a bunch of awards, including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio award. Made out of Grade A Radiata pine (whatever that means) that comes from certified renewable forests, they're green as well! There are no missing pieces and no instructions to frustrate parents and kids (though building suggestions are included). You can get a box of 100 pieces for $19.99-$24.99. www.citiblocs.com



TouchBack Hair Color Marker

Getting your hair professionally colored at the salon can run you a fortune these days, and do-it-yourself dyes are messy and a pain. Personally, I can still get away with at-home color, but what used to last me eight weeks is now good for six tops. A month after I color, the grays really start to bum me out. That's where the TouchBack Marker comes in. It's exactly what the name suggests: hair color in a marker. You put it on dry hair roots to cover the grays. It only takes a minute to apply, then won't come off when you brush or comb your hair, yet it washes out easily. It comes in eight shades and costs $29.95. I've had mine for about six months and it still works great. www.touchbackgray.com



* All endorsements are unpaid.