Product Review: The Drew Co. Bath and Body (Giveaway!)

Over the summer, and indeed throughout the evolution of my fitness lifestyle, I noticed the toll all this sweat, sun, and stress was taking on my skin.  And my hair, but that's a whole 'nuther story...  Anyways, I started keeping an eye out for better products to help me wash away the adverse dermatological issues generated by so much fitness.  In short, I wanted to clean up better!

Then I found Drew Co on Instagram.  It was love at first sight, and I just had to try some of their great-looking stuff.  A quick inquiry into the company uncovered two owners who both loved to run!  Conveniently they had been considering creating a Runner's Kit with a smattering of products to help sweaty folks like me keep up our healthy glow!  After asking a few questions about my specific skincare needs and worries, The Ginger and Lady Drew sent me a whole box of amazing goodies to treat myself right!

Disclaimer: Drew Co sent me my Runner's Kit free of charge in exchange for my review.  I received no additional compensation, and all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own, as always!

 Let's start with my favorite item, aka the Dirty Sailor, aka, the best salt soap on the planet!  I was told the scent was reminiscent of Captain Jack Sparrow, which I thought was a bold and untraceable claim at first, but then I started using my bar and YES, it really DOES smell like Jack Sparrow!  Not gonna lie, there have been times I've reached into the shower, grabbed my bar, and just inhaled for a quick shot of my new favorite scent.  The soap itself is silky smooth, scented (obviously) but not overpoweringly so, and my skin feels incredible every time I use it.  I've historically had an weird aversion to "girly skincare products" so trying Drew Co was a little outside my comfort zone in the first place - but after a months-long affair with a Dirty Sailor, I think it's fair to say I'm hooked!

Though it's not explicitly running-related and from what I have heard in the past more likely comes from my partially Italian heritage, I seem to have a problem with little bumps on the skin of my upper arms.  They itch a bit, and they make my skin, well, bumpy - which is icky.  I mentioned this when I was discussing Runner's Kit options, and Drew Co tucked in one of their grit products, delightfully called No Way To Treat A Lady.  Well Drew Co, I beg to differ - it is the PERFECT way to treat THIS lady, at least!  Grit is a dry scrub to help combat some of the toughest parts of skincare, and it has made quick work of my arm bumpies.  Now the skin is so soft, so smooth, and incredibly touchable, which has been great for showing off the new guns I've been working on in the gym!  Easily my second favorite product in the bunch, and something I'll probably exclusively buy from Drew Co in the future because no other scrub has ever worked on those bumpies!  Pro tip: use the lid to take just a small amount of the grit if you're using it in the shower, otherwise you risk getting the whole tin wet, especially if you're a klutz like me.

Of course I wanted to follow up my freshly scrubbed and deliciously clean skin with a little lotion, and Drew Co's Rose Colored Glasses was waiting for me.  I LOVE the way my skin feels after a few days of this lotion, but the scent is very rosy and very strong.  After a while I switched to only using this every couple days so as not to overpower the fresh clean scent of my Dirty Sailor (that sounds so contradictory but whatevs, he's amazing).  The lotion itself doesn't feel greasy or sticky, and it rubs right in so you can throw it on quick without leaving smudges over everything else you touch!  I think this scent and lotion base would be an amazing face cream if the scent could be toned down a little bit...

Drew Co also provided me with an alternative to tradition lotion: a block of body butter called Serendipity.  Basically a solid lotion, you rub the block directly onto your skin, and the warmth of your body heats it up just enough to leave a thin buttery residue.  This felt divine after a fresh shave or a grit scrub, but unlike the more traditional lotion, the Serendipity stayed greasy on my skin for a while, which made me hesitant to get dressed too soon after using for fear it would stain my clothes.  I used it on days when I had enough down time to give myself that full spa-treatment (and bonus, got to use my bridesmaid gift from my brother's wedding, the cutest  monogrammed blue bathrobe EVER) but couldn't use it as often as I would have liked once my schedule picked up.  Pro tip: use the lid as a "gripper" to hold the bar, otherwise the warmth of your hands will melt it and you'll end up sticky!  (I definitely think this product could use a better package and delivery system; something like a deodorant stick that would let you hold it without touching the actual product so you don't waste too much on your hands... )

Finally, I received a second bar of soap, one of their best sellers: The Ex.  I almost forgot I had this one in the box still, because I'd been so tied up with my Dirty Sailor (who needs the ex when you have the Captain, right?) but I hauled it out one day and plunked it in the shower so it would see some use.  I'm glad I did!  Though the first time I used it, I lathered up a washcloth for application, which left me a little confused.  I had enjoyed how incredibly smooth the soap felt, but I checked its description and realized it's supposed to be an exfoliating soap, which I didn't get at all!  Next time I was in the shower, I paid more attention to the feel of the bar and noticed the grit on the bar itself, which would have made for a much better exfoliant.  I've tried using a couple different types of loofa/shower poof, but the only way I feel the grit doing anything for my skin is if I use the bar directly.  Honestly, I like the smooth washcloth version MUCH better!  Still, it's great in a  pinch for a rough spot if I forgot to snag some of my grit before getting into the shower...

And there you have it!  Five AMAZING products from Drew Co, all of which are available for purchase on their website independently!  Or you can mix and match products to create your OWN runner's kit to meet your needs.  Plus, if you're luck enough to live up in the Pacific Northwest area where Drew Co makes its home, you might see The Ginger and Lady Drew out at a race selling their official Runner's Kits before/after the race OR on the course running alongside you in between!  Oh, and take some time to stop by their website and read the names and descriptions of their products - these gals are HILARIOUS, and most of their descriptions have me laughing my head off when I browse for new products!

Drew Co is also giving away a small prize pack to one lucky reader!  Enter using the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win some Drew Co delights of your own, including a bar of The Ex soap, the new Total Betty body butter, and The Clint lip balm!  Giveaway ends 10/27 at 11:59pm.  Winner must be willing to provide a valid shipping address.

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What types of skincare issues do you face?  Do you have favorite products to combat those issues?  What's your favorite Drew Co product description?