Game changer

I love products, I think they are all super fun and will test anything you give me. Rarely though, do I find something that is a total game changer. I have posted before about my shoe situation and how working from home has turned me into a wuss when I wear any kind of normal shoes. My solution then was to use First-aid tape, described in THIS POST.  Now, I still stand by this and still use it. Usually it works like a charm, but here's the problem. If the tape comes off and you get a blister, or you don't tape a part of your foot and get a blister then you can't use the tape. You can't put this stuff over an open wound, it's bad news. Usually my back-up is Band-aids, which work but can come off or not provide enough cushion. Or worse, I don't have a Band-aid on hand. Anyone who has suffered through walking with a blister knows that you would almost CUT YOUR FOOT OFF than continue to walk. Which is the point I had come to when I walked to my boss's office for a meeting the other day and asked for a bandage, cause I was dying.

Enter in quite possibly the world's greatest product (well, for feet at least). Band-aid advanced healing blister bandages. These.things.are.awesome. I put this one and almost fell over I was so happy. They are so awesome I want everyone in the world to know about them, cause no one should be denied them. Shall I go down the bullet-list of great things?

Photo: www.bandaid.com

 

 

 

 

1. They last for days. DAYS. I ran in one, showered, ran again, walked to and from work in Nash (in the cold rain), wore heels, wore flats, ran errands, etc. It didn't budge or get gross.
2. It actually heals the blister! Helpful, right?
3. They are flesh-toned, so no one will ever know you have it on. (That's the one bad thing about tape or band-aids, it can sometimes look tacky with your shoes)
4. They are like a gel, so they have much more cushion than a Band-aid or tape, so you can even wear one preemptively, say if you know you are going to wear shoes that could cause a blister. They nip that right in the bud.
5. The drugstores and basically all brands have a version, so you don't have to search. They all cost about $4.50 to $5.00 a pack and come in various sizes.

My boss said she never leaves for a conference without them. I will NEVER be without these from now on. I will continue to use tape and Blisterblock for short-term activities, but these are really the best option for work and working out (any runners out there? These are fantastic for running, guys or girls). I really can't say enough nice things. I HIGHLY recommend. 10+ stars!

Pshhhh....Who needs Band-aids?

Let's just start with a few points.
1. I'm sorry I am so lax on blogging. I have a list of products I must discuss, I really do (including my hairstyle the other day that some of you just RAVED over...) I have just been crazy busy with work. Will try to get better.
2. I am so tired of being hot. Today it was 95...NINETY FIVE...in Baton Rouge. Ugh. I can't take it anymore. SUMMER WE BROKE UP. GO. AWAY.

Now. Let's talk products. This is not so much of a product, but an idea. Some background. The transition from summer to fall involves changes in makeup, clothes, scents, foods, and, one of my favs...shoes. The flip flops get pushed to the back of the closet in favor of flats, heels, and boots. Now. Typically this is not a huge issue. If you work in an office, you are pretty well equipped to wear close-toed shoes. However, if you work from home you may have some issues. I may or may not have spent 99% of the past couple of months completely barefoot. So when I went to work a few weeks ago with my new ballerina flats, I had some blister management to take care of.

Typically, I prevent blisters and such with Band-aids. Pretty standard procedure, right? Well. Thanks to two dancer friends (A and K) I have found something better, cheaper, and sturdier than Band-aids. Plain old first aid tape.

Photo courtesy of walgreens.com

There's paper, cloth, waterproof, you name it. I personally prefer the cloth. It's basically transparent once on your foot (see the pic below? You can barely see the tape). And it stays on MUCH better than a bandaid.

And this stuff is cheap. I was wasting money buying Band-aids. I mean, they are handy for having in your purse in an emergency, but Band-aids are really meant to protect cuts not stop blisters. Blisters are formed by friction between your shoe and the upper layer of skin (science lesson o' the day), so all you really need to do is prevent rubbing directly ON the skin. That is easily accomplished with tape.

And let's just talk savings here for a second. My hubs, T, has recently gotten ALL KINDS of interested in our personal finances, so we're trying to budget a bit better. The little things add up. If one Band-aid is 1", and 30 come in a box for $4, that's $0.13 an inch.  Compare that to $4.50 for 20 YARDS (720") of tape...that's $0.006 an inch. You basically get 720 Band-aids for the price of 30. I mean, you can even triple layer the tape if you need to make SURE you don't get a blister (one layer stopped it for me). For reals. Cheap cheap cheap.

I may be totally late to this party. But when something like this occurs to me, I just have to share.

BlisterBlock

So I realized this weekend at a wedding that I hadn't mentioned this neato little product. It's from Band-Aid, and it's called Blister Block. It's this little stick that you rub on your feet before putting on shoes, and it's supposed to help prevent blisters. It actually works VERY well. Now, if the shoes are too small, or REALLY uncomfortable, then you may still get a blister. But I use it ALL the time...and I realized I hadn't mentioned it cause my friend said "How do I not know about this?!" and then all the bridesmaids proceeded to use it. Good stuff. In the first aid/bandaid aisle.