MD Skincare vs. Desert Essence

My internal debate started when I stopped by the MD Skincare counter to pay a visit to my friend Tamar ( an excellent airbrush tanner among other things who will make you glow from head to toe in the privacy of your own home). She was on the clock, selling skin miracles to Bergdorf shoppers. She offered me a sample of the Alpha Beta Daily facial peel. I admit, I took it home, sampled it and loved it. My face felt softer, refreshed and I swear had a new glow! Although I do my best to stick to organic and natural skincare products, on occasion Sephora will seduce me and win. Products by MD Skincare also come with a price that I am not willing to pay right now which has forced me to search for something just as good but more affordable. So now I am at Trader Joes and for $3.99 I see Desert Essence Tea Tree oil facial pads. I grab some because I love Desert Essence products and am desperate for a good facial pad I guess. That night, I am shocked to find out that once you get past the very strong smell of the tea tree oil these pads are amazing! And ok, although it could be the outrageous humidity in NYC right now, I believe my face had a new brilliant glow to it! I am hooked.
What I am wondering is, does anyone else have products they just can't give up? Or spend outrageous amounts on brands just because?
For $3.99 I am more than satisfied but I still want to give a shout over to Tamar to hook me up! ;)

back from vacation...

...and before I know it, I am back. Vieques was amazing and highly recommended for those who love to lounge at isolated beaches (above). I always have a great time whenever I travel to Puerto Rico. I stayed at a wonderful apartment on the water with my sister and her friends. I always pack light for the Caribbean, one carry on bag. All you need is a bikini, hat, book and large scarf. Oh and a dress for the plane. My bag and dress (pictured above) are from my friend Mona's beach line Float. She is kind enough to offer all Flawless Beauty readers a 20% discount on all orders through June 30th. Enter flawbeau08 in the discount code box. Click here to see the collection.
While on vacation, my sister and I explored the local fruit stands and discovered the amazing properties of fresh papaya! Papaya is a great natural exfoliant for the skin and very healthy for the body so eat half then make a mask with the rest. The enzymes in a papaya soften and heal by fighting free-radical damage while dissolving dead cells from the skins surface. Similar to pineapple. Just mash, apply directly to skin and leave on for 15 minutes or so then rinse.

Another thing Vieques had a lot of...mosquitoes (yuk). Tea Tree Oil is a great natural mosquito bite soother. I feel like it is a decent insect repellent as well. I always travel with a small bottle when going somewhere humid. Available at most beauty or health food stores.