What Products Can You Not Live Without From Home?

[mssabai]

The recent cosmetics thread got me thinking - what stuff can you not live without from your home countries? What products or goodies are always on a list with friends and family when they come and visit? What items in your bathroom give you panic attacks when they start running low?

With me it's Vaseline roll on deodorant (deoderants here seem to either plain not work, or burn like acid), Palmers cocoa butter (and I am just about to run out - arrrrrgggh!) and Max factor Masterpiece Max mascara (highly highly reccommended whilst on the subject of mascaras). I also have two luxe products that I get in BKK - Dermalogica face wash and Mac black eyeliner. Everything else I use locally bought brands - particularly Oriental Princess which I love.

[girlx]

Hey where can you get Dermalogica products in BKK? Two of my friends want to know ... also the Vaseline deodorant sounds good, I can't find any good deodorants in Thailand. As for me, I miss products with salicylic acid in them, can't seem to find them here. Clearisil makes these deep pore cleansing wipes which I stock up every time I go home.

[SARAHJ101]

I cant live without my Dermalogica tinted moisturiser, it has a built in SPF15 which is fab and means I dont have to slap greasy suncream all over my face when down at the beach! I just recently ran out and ordered another tube off of ebay only to find a dermalogica shop a few days later at the new Cinemaplex in Pattaya It seems to be a little more expensive tho than back home, only by a few pounds tho.

I also really miss Vaseline spray deodorant (aloe vera kind), have looked for it everywhere but the only proper brands I can find is Dove which I'm not too keen on.

[Ave]

I don't use many cosmetics, unless I had a rough night. These, together with various lotions and toiletries that I buy are all local and good enough for me. Recently I've resigned to use Thai bras which used to drive me crazy because of their funny shapes (or 'my' funny shape..).

However, what I miss the most is fooooood! to be more precise I miss the focaccia from my village sooo badly that every time I bring back kilos of it and devour it in a day, together with some Thai dish, it doesn't matter...

Also, roasted barley coffee with no caffeine is not so easy to find.

[sbk]

definitely the deodorant. I buy a goodly size stock every time I go home. I also buy the anti-frizz stuff at home too. I am prematurely gray so I buy the hair color in the US as well, sally's beauty supply is great. And finally, Bath and Body works body sprays. I make sure to hit the Memorial Day weekend sales

Thank god for decent sized luggage allowances when flying out of the US

[Jai Dee]

I noticed that you ladies are having trouble finding good deodorant.

My wife uses mine... Nivea Dry for Men, a spay-on deordorant.

She likes it better than any ladies deodorants because it smells good and works well, and it is readily available throughout Thailand.

Give it a try...

[RueFang]

Yeah, the deodorant is an issue here. I've recently tried Rexona dry stick - the white or blue one and they actually work. I prefer using non toxic but so hard to come by here.

Being an Aussie, obviously can't live without my Vegemite! And every time I have visitors (gals!) I get a new supply of cotton hipster knickers!!

[Andiamo]

The recent cosmetics thread got me thinking - what stuff can you not live without from your home countries? What products or goodies are always on a list with friends and family when they come and visit? What items in your bathroom give you panic attacks when they start running low?

With me it's Vaseline roll on deodorant (deoderants here seem to either plain not work, or burn like acid), Palmers cocoa butter (and I am just about to run out - arrrrrgggh!) and Max factor Masterpiece Max mascara (highly highly reccommended whilst on the subject of mascaras). I also have two luxe products that I get in BKK - Dermalogica face wash and Mac black eyeliner. Everything else I use locally bought brands - particularly Oriental Princess which I love.

JINX MsSabai! Totally agree with the above 2 bolded products!

"Vaseline" roll on deodorant - Active, the green one - the only one I use here that keeps you dry and fresh all day! Would be great if they could import this as they already sell Vaseline Body moisturising cream.....RueFang - I did try Rexona and thought I had found a solution BUT I found that the Rexona STick dries up!!! After about 6-8weeks and then you have to buy another one!!

"Palmers" Cocoa Butter - FAB product! If you go to Singapore or Malaysia though - or know someone who is, you can buy it everywhere there - Watsons, Guardian Pharmacies etc.

"Tampax" tampons!!! - Even though Boots sell their own brand and Playtex too, you just cannot beat Tampax! Again - you can buy in Malaysia and Singapore. Or when visitors come - they always kill themselves laughing, "you want me to bring a BIG box of Tampax?" Can you not buy them there" What do Thai girls use? (Then the inevitable discussion re: Pads Vs Tampons and the Heat! )

"Little Chop" Piccallili from Manchester for cheese and piccallili sandwiches. Mmmmmm.

"Sainsburys" Blackcurrant Herbal Teabags - I always have orders now from all Thai friends and usually have to bring back at least 6 boxes!

"Sainsburys" Swiss Vegetable Bouillion - for making soup and stock.

"Optrex" Eyedrops small bottle from Boots - Can only buy big bottles here. I want one for my handbag when eyes are suffering from too much pollution/traffic fumes/too much swimming/red eye etc

"Tres Semme" Smoothing Creme Serum for Hair - Can buy it in Hong Kong though

"Benefit" 'Dr. Feelgood' - Invisible refiner for face which helps stay matt! A total miracle product for me after putting Clinique Cityblock SPF40 on to stop further pigmentation from the sun here . It stops any shine and doesn't clog pores! WONDERFUL!

Last month, I was lucky to find it at "Tangs" in Singapore.

*****NEWS FLASH****** Best news of all, is that Benefit has just recently arrived in Thailand opposite the Lifts on the Ground Floor, Central Chitlom!

Anything and Everything from Selfridges Store in London! If only I was rich!

I'll stop there.... Sorry I was on a roll!

BTW, Ms Sabai do you ever come to BKK?

Edited January 29, 2008 by Andiamo

[Andiamo]

Hey where can you get Dermalogica products in BKK? Two of my friends want to know ... also the Vaseline deodorant sounds good, I can't find any good deodorants in Thailand. As for me, I miss products with salicylic acid in them, can't seem to find them here. Clearisil makes these deep pore cleansing wipes which I stock up every time I go home.

Hi girlx,

Check out the Beauty Salon on the 1st Floor, Siam Discovery Centre. It used to be called Leonard Drake Beauty Salon, now it's something else. Go up the escalator by Au Bon Pain and turn left, - there it is! They also do a great facial! If you book between 10am-2pm MOn-Fri, you get 20% off the price!

[sbk]

Underwear, most definitely. I buy my hipster panties and bras in the US, they fit better, last longer and are not made out of polyester (only cotton or silk for me!).

[RueFang]

"Tampax" tampons!!! - Even though Boots sell their own brand and Playtex too, you just cannot beat Tampax! Again - you can buy in Malaysia and Singapore. Or when visitors come - they always kill themselves laughing, "you want me to bring a BIG box of Tampax?" Can you not buy them there" What do Thai girls use? (Then the inevitable discussion re: Pads Vs Tampons and the Heat! )

Oh I can't believe I forgot the tampons! Bras, undies and tampons! Can't get more girlies then that. I didn't even think they sold them in Thailand as I've never seen them. No Boots stores within a few hundred kms of me!!

[caledonia]

I missed mostly toileteris too from UK - but it was the same when I have been anywhere. I will never forget the tears of joy when I saw the Boots on in Bangkok after 18 months - pathetic I know but they had everything I wanted - even toni and guy hair products - yipee!!

[mssabai]

Hey where can you get Dermalogica products in BKK? Two of my friends want to know ... also the Vaseline deodorant sounds good, I can't find any good deodorants in Thailand. As for me, I miss products with salicylic acid in them, can't seem to find them here. Clearisil makes these deep pore cleansing wipes which I stock up every time I go home.

Hi girlx,

Check out the Beauty Salon on the 1st Floor, Siam Discovery Centre. It used to be called Leonard Drake Beauty Salon, now it's something else. Go up the escalator by Au Bon Pain and turn left, - there it is! They also do a great facial! If you book between 10am-2pm MOn-Fri, you get 20% off the price!

You beat me to it and explained much better where it is than I can. Gonna try the facial next time I am up....

[mssabai]

How many of us have the same things eh? How about someone setting up a Thai Visa Ladies Forum shop? It will have decent sized underwear (preferably M+S but that's a Brit thing), lots of decent deoderants, tampax, palmers cocoa butter, marmite (and veggiemite for the weird aussies ) and a great sleection of tea. Freshly baked foccacia from Ave's village would be nice too, but perhaps a little impractical!

Must say I don't get the tampax thing actually. Hate the way they grow to banana sized proportions. Much prefer lilets and fortunately OBs are pretty similar. Boots in UK though has just started doing organic cotton ones that I would love to get hold of. I believe almost all Thai girls use pads - I hear you can get pregnant from a tampon

[alaina]

How many of us have the same things eh? How about someone setting up a Thai Visa Ladies Forum shop? It will have decent sized underwear (preferably M+S but that's a Brit thing), lots of decent deoderants, tampax, palmers cocoa butter, marmite (and veggiemite for the weird aussies ) and a great sleection of tea. Freshly baked foccacia from Ave's village would be nice too, but perhaps a little impractical!

You can buy M+S underwear at Central Rama 3, they have a section of all imported M+S clothing (and a few sweets too.) The selection is a bit limited but the sizes in pants are reasonable by Western standards, bras on the other hand are still a hopeless cause in Thailand altogether for a fair amount of Western women.

Most of my other stuff is not too girly that I bring back. Nyquil or Night Nurse liquid by the gallon as it's the only thing that really puts me to sleep (doctors here like to give out antidepressants as sleeping pills and that seems worse than the dam_n sleeping pills as far as side effects for me.) Epsom salts can be found in Malaysia which is a help to relax in the bath and I bring back Maker's Mark whisky from the US which also helps.

[g00dgirl]

Protein powder (brands they don't have here)

Flax seeds

Vegemite from Australia

Good chocolate from Germany / Austria / Switzerland

Vegetable peelers (can't seem to find the ones I like here)

Dishwashing sponges that are high quality and last long

Aronal and Elmex toothpaste from Germany

Bonds hipster panties from Australia (100% cotton)

Good brand cross bicycles

very small food scales, the ones with a tiny bowl on the scale to weigh food in

Speedo swimming goggles with foam padding, not rubber padding

Nivea soft face moisturizer (non whitening)

PM Logic trainer magazine

[meme]

I believe almost all Thai girls use pads

I first started to think that when I noticed the range of tampons was so small conpared to all the pads on the shelves, but I was seriously shocked when a 32 year old Thai male saw a tampon and asked me in all seriousness what it was!! And he has had a Thai girlfriend for many years ...

They must not ever had ads on TV or in magazines for tampons and now I really think Thai girls don't use them at all, why is that??

I can't start to list the amount of things I cant live without from home, I stock up on everything when I go home! however I have to say I love Nivea dry roll on and when I was in Canada last I found the brand I used to use was not as good as the Thai kind.

but speaking of tampon stories. I had three of my sister-in laws over on night and for some reason they saw a tampon and asked me what it was. I told them to guess, they took it out of the package and had no idea. So we put it in water to watch it expand and they immediately started cleaning their faces with it!!

[Boo]

I am famous in hubbies home town for driving t o every chemist & supermarket asking for tampons & I even made him go to a few too. They just don't use them, well not in the north East anyway according to the women I know. Ended up asking a friend who was coming up from Samui to stop in KS Road & get some from boots. I just can't live without them.

[Sheryl]

OK then, getting back to the original topic, things I reaslly need from "home"ionclude:

- zinc throat lozenges

- bras that FIT!!!!!

[Ave]

OK then, getting back to the original topic, things I reaslly need from "home"ionclude:

- zinc throat lozenges

- bras that FIT!!!!!

oops! ok sorry..

[mssabai]

You can buy M+S underwear at Central Rama 3, they have a section of all imported M+S clothing (and a few sweets too.) The selection is a bit limited but the sizes in pants are reasonable by Western standards, bras on the other hand are still a hopeless cause in Thailand altogether for a fair amount of Western women.

You have made my day Alaina . Are they pricey??

[farang1]

Marmite !

[kat]

I could not live without my Kiehls face products, and especially moisturizer. I usually had friends bring it over when I ran out, but there was a dry year where I had to experiment for awhile.

And, I have to admit that I also hate tampons. They never felt comfortable for me. I only wear them once in a while, when I absolutely have to, like when I want to go swimming, and I hardly wear more than 2 in a row. I don't like them.

[alaina]

You can buy M+S underwear at Central Rama 3, they have a section of all imported M+S clothing (and a few sweets too.) The selection is a bit limited but the sizes in pants are reasonable by Western standards, bras on the other hand are still a hopeless cause in Thailand altogether for a fair amount of Western women.

You have made my day Alaina . Are they pricey??

By Thai standards, yes they are pricey (no 99b bins there!) But, I think the everything is about the same price as it would be in England. They sell 5 pair packs which seem pretty reasonable to me if I think in Western prices, but I can't remember how much I paid for them last.

[g00dgirl]

anyway, i missed vegemite when i was in phuket. could only find it in the deli in patong.

Oh, which deli is that, I don't know Patong well but do you know the name or can you describe where it is?

[Andiamo]

Seriously girlx? You must have one super sensitive nose!

Getting back to the OP and topic of Products that I always stock up on on a trip back...

1) Arnica cream

2) Bach Flower "Rescue Remedy"

3) Allens Pine & Honey Balsam (Herbal medicine for sore throats)

4) Tomato Puree

Edited February 2, 2008 by Andiamo

[lioness]

Deodorant seems to be the big miss. For me it's Avon 24 hour roll on deodorant ( sold in Australia ) and works better than anything else I have ever tried and is cheap to buy. Incidentally one lasts for about 2 months or did until my Thai husband ran out of his Nivea one, used mine and realised it was far better.

Next in line is Gravy mix, Bisto or Gravox, someone did tell me Bisto could be purchased in Thailand, if anyone knows where I would appreciate knowing. My local Tesco Lotus doesn't stock any. And it would be great if I could find some OXO stock cubes.

[julie_f]

Bisto granuals can be bought at Tops Market (a few branches in Bangkok) and Tops Central Chidlom. They also do other gravy mixes too. Not sure if they do OXO cubes though. Foodland I think also has them.

I miss my avon products. Especially the moisturiers, everything here has whitening in it, although after using some it doesn't seem to make a blind bit of difference.

I also really miss real cotton underwear. I'm not too big so bras seem to fit ok here but the underwear is awful. I always bring about 5 packs back with me from the UK.

[little_muppet]

if u cant live without top quality "English" style food products , i know where to find them with very reasonable price in bangkok.

give me a shout if u want the detail . i didnt want to promote them but their products are great!!

[lioness]

Thanks Julie for the info on where to buy Bisto.

Regarding Bras, did anyone watch the Opray show on the very same subject. Apparently we are doing it wrong, don't measure across the boob, measure under it where the support wire sits. OK, I thought I will try this as I was in a 36C, It worked out that I needed a 38 but I went down a cup size, fits like a glove and no bulgy bits.

Cotton undies are sold at my local market 3 for 100 Baht, absolutely great and very pretty and so much cheaper than overseas. check out your markets.