Aneya: This is a warning for all the men out there reading this (are there any?) this is a girly post, discussing many female-related products and other feminine hygiene issues. If any of this disturbs you, I suggest you stop reading now.
Lauren: So let's not beat around the bush. It is astonishing what kinds of things made their way down here and what didn't (Nivea, Neutrogena, yes, Aveeno, no). We packed ten of everything knowing that some products would just not be here.
Aneya: Well, now that that's out of the way. Lauren and I have wanting to do a girly post for awhile now. Before we left the States, we were told to bring as many products as we could, because no one was sure what they'd have down here. You don't need to tell me twice! I brought two of everything-- my shampoos and conditioners, my leave in spray, my face wash, my makeup. Who knew if they'd have my favorite Clinique foundation, that matches me skin just right? Or my Curl Perfecting spray? These are essentials, people!
Lauren: I love my Bumble & Bumble curl cream, and I need my Aveeno sunscreens (one for face, one for body). I was afraid there would be no hypoallergenic products, or "natural" or "plant-based" products. It seems there is a shortage of my reliable hypoallergenic things, but plenty of Mac makeup. I'm sure what I brought will last me my entire time in Chile though.
Aneya: Upon exploring the many department stores of the city, we realized that they have just about every major brand we do. Chanel, Lancome, Dior, all the major European labels are here. Clinique, MAC, even Maybelline has made it's way to South America. Some American labels, like Covergirl haven't, but Lubrederm, Dove, Nivea, they're all here. Everything is more expensive than it would be in States, but they're here all right! I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing, if I truly desperate, that a new blush brush was just a phone call away.
Lauren: There are a lot of good products here for sure. I was sad to see no Aveeno. It's non-grease sunscreen is amazing. Thankfully I packed four.
Aneya: There are some major differences, however. Lauren and I have both noticed that many pharmacies carry an excessive number of pads, and only one box of tampons. This isn't just one store, this is EVERY store here. We went to this huge supermarket, appropriately called Jumbo the other day, and even they had a limited selection of tampons, but literally an entire aisle filled with pads (pictured above). Why is this? Lauren seemed to think it may have to do with the conservative culture in this country. And to some people tampons: sex, and they don't want their young girls having premarital sex. This seems ridiculous, but it just may be the case. Well, it's a good thing we brought extras!
Lauren: No tampons!! None. I mean, I can understand not having "bleach free" or "organic cotton" but the selection of tampons is really pitiful. Maybe two packages of Ob for every 50 of pads. It's really that limited. I did bring a gigantic ZipLock bag stuff full of my brand, but there may be a major life adjustment in the near future. I can't explain why women would chose pads in droves. I mean, we all have different preferences and I can understand it's a very personal choice, but this seemed a bit unreasonable. What choices are there for the girl who wants tampons? Choose between these two boxes?
Aneya: Another thing they don't seem to have here in shaving cream. For men, of course, there's a wide variety, but for women? Nada. I forgot to bring mine, and I've been searching this whole damn city, and no one seems to have it! They have Nair- like depilatory cream, and they have razors, but that's it. Daniela says everyone waxes here anywhere, so shaving cream is unnecessary. Oh come on, not everyone waxes! I finally just broke down and bought a men's one, but now I feel like I smell like a man. Oh well.
Lauren: There is no shaving cream. Hair removal systems like Nair and Veet are huge. But you'll be hard pressed to find a razor and cream is a definite no go. I did pack a large full bottle of cream and probably about 20 razors, so I won't be begging my friends in the states of any shaving cream any time soon, but it is quite concerning. I don't want to switch to waxing. It seems more expensive/painful/time consuming than shaving. I've waxed before (only the eyebrows) and it was no party.
So glad to find Neutrogena though. I go through sunscreen like water, so that's a happy compromise.
Aneya: All in all, I have to say I'm impressed by all the products Chile has to offer and I'm quite relieved that I won't have to ask my dad for a care package filled with shampoo and makeup. Although the tampon thing and the shaving cream thing are annoying, they're obviously not that big a deal. We'll just have to make do with what we have. And that's more than enough, really.
-- Aneya & Lauren
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