Esha Herbal Hair Oil
Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel
We found the best reviews for Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel in Paula Begoun's book Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, where Begoun rates and compares thousands of beauty products. Washingtonian Magazine doesn't review nearly as many products, but it does thoroughly rate and compare seven self-tanners. We also found good reviews in beauty magazines Allure and Elle, where numerous products are tested and reviewed by editors and readers alike. User reviews at MakeupAlley.com are consistent, as well, in their praise of the tanning gel.
Head & Shoulders Classic Clean
We found the most reviews for Head & Shoulders shampoos at iVillage.com, which has more than 80 owner-written reviews. We found a smattering of reviews on other sites. About.com also provides a list of top inexpensive shampoos. Head & Shoulders shampoos are also extensively covered by skin- and hair-care expert Paula Begoun in her excellent book, "Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me."
Dove Shampoo
Dove shampoos come in a variety of formulas including moisturizing, volumizing and intense therapy. There are also Dove shampoos for light- and dark-colored treated hair. Neutrogena Anti-Residue (*est. $6 for 6 ounces) is a better choice, but costs significantly more. If you need an anti-dandruff shampoo, reviewers recommend Head & Shoulders Classic Clean (*est. $5 for 14 ounces).
There are more than 100 consumer reviews for Dove shampoos at Amazon.com, Epinions.com and the Walgreens website. These user reviews are a great source of information about how well the Dove shampoos work. Choice, an Australian magazine, includes Dove Shampoo in its blind test, where 500 home testers evaluated 41 varieties. In her book on hair care, expert Paula Begoun discusses the ingredients in Dove shampoos.
Gillette Mach3 Turbo
Even though it has been on the market for over 10 years - and now competes against razors that have four or five blades - the three-blade Gillette Mach3 Turbo manual razor is the clear favorite of owners and experts. Reviewers say the Mach3 provides a close, comfortable shave for men and women, and they like the reasonable price of its replacement cartridges. Most sources that have compared the Mach3 against either the five-bladed Gillette Fusion (*est. $11 for razor, $3 each for replacement cartridges) or the four-bladed Schick Quattro (*est. $9 for razor, $1.50 each for replacement cartridges) say the slightly closer shave isn't worth any increase in expense. If you're in the market for a five-blade razor, though, reviewers prefer the Fusion to the Quattro.
First Response Early Result
Reviews say that First Response Early Result is the most sensitive home pregnancy test and it delivers the earliest possible results. In tests, First Response consistently detects 12.5 mIU of, hCG, an early pregnancy hormone. In product testing, First Response Early Result detected pregnancy on the first day of a missed period 95% of the time. Experts recommend that you buy First Response Early Result in two-strip kits, since most women will want to test twice, waiting a week between tests. All home pregnancy tests, including this one, receive user complaints about false positives and false negatives, and some women find the colored lines hard to interpret. Digital tests like Clearblue Easy Digital Pregnancy Test (*est. $19 for two-test kit) are more expensive and less sensitive but do clearly say "pregnant" or "not pregnant."
We found the best coverage at Consumer Reports. You'll need a subscription to read the results. We also found a study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which discusses the accuracy of home pregnancy tests. Users at Drugstore.com and Amazon.com discuss their personal experiences with pregnancy tests.
Centrum from A to Zinc
We found the best information at ConsumerLab.com, which does extensive laboratory testing of multivitamins for dosage accuracy, dissolvability and contaminants. Choice.com.au is an Australian publication that tries to accomplish Consumer Reports-style testing and objectivity. It recommends Centrum from A to Zinc as the best value for women. The free section of Consumer Reports' coverage of multivitamins is really all most people need to know - that you can count on acceptable quality with brand-name or store-label multivitamins. Pharmacy Times' picks are a straight popularity contest - more pharmacists recommend Centrum than other multivitamins.
Vitamins for men and women differ in content, as do vitamins for premenopausal women and older women. Women lose iron during the menstrual cycle, and women who expect to have children need folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. Reviews suggest Centrum from A to Zinc multivitamins for premenopausal women because there are 18 milligrams of iron and 500 micrograms of folic acid. User reviews mainly say this multivitamin is easy to swallow. Reviews suggest Stuart Prenatal (*est. $30 for 100 tablets) for pregnant and lactating women - it has increased folic acid and a higher percentage of vitamin A (in the safer form of beta-carotene) to help prevent birth defects. For older women, experts suggest Centrum Silver (*est. $15 for 150 tablets), which has more B12 and Vitamin K (which can help reduce hip injuries).
