Drugstore haul

After four years as a beauty writer, it has become second nature for me to poke around in drugstores whenever I travel to see what interesting finds I can unearth. So, while I was in Melbourne visiting my sister last week, I made a beeline for Aussie drugstore chain Priceline.

The three products I bought aren't exactly glamour items like lipstick or perfume but could potentially be extremely useful for certain skin emergencies. I don't think they're available in Singapore yet, so those who are going Down Under might want to stock up on them.

1. Kenkay Sorbolene Cream, AUD$2.99 for 100ml
I found out about this cream when I interviewed actress Jemma Rix, who plays the lead role Elphaba in Wicked (which happens to be my all time favourite musical!). She gets covered in green make-up six times a week for her role and this has resulted in her developing sensitive skin. She told me she uses this cream, whose main purpose is a moisturiser, as a make-up remover as it does not aggravate her skin.
Basically, Jemma slathers a thick layer of this cream all over her face to dissolve the make-up and then washes everything off with water. If it's good enough to remove green face paint, I figure it's good enough for regular make-up!
I'm going to use this on days when my skin is feeling too oily for oil cleansers or to soothe dry, rough patches on my skin.

2. Sudocrem, about AUD$10 for 125ml
Zinc oxide, the active ingredient, has anti-bacterial and astringent properties and is often found in products like calamine lotion, baby products and ointments.
So, this cream, which is really more like a thick, white paste, was first developed to treat babies' nappy rash. BUT it can also be used for a whole host of other skin issues like cuts and grazes, burns and abrasions. I've already used it to soothe some abrasions I got from the cold, dry Melburnian weather and I can tell ya it works like a charm!
By the way, zinc oxide is also a common ingredient used in sunscreens, and those who are allergic to chemical sunscreens may want to check out this mineral ingredient instead.

3. Elastoplast, AUD$3.99 for a pack of 20
While I was snooping around Priceline, I overheard a girl telling her parents that this specific packet of band aids are particularly good. So of course, the moment she left, I zoomed in on the box she was brandishing to inspect it.
It turns out that the bandage pads are infused with silver ions, which are antiseptic, to speed up wound healing. Since they're as cheap as regular band-aids, I couldn't resist and bought a couple boxes. No cuts or grazes yet, but I'll post a follow-up when I try this out.
P.s. I was doubtful about the silver ions but my sister, who is a vet and so she knows about medical things like this, told me that it is true that silver can be used as an antiseptic, so maybe there's truth to this claim.