Just an update, the first batch finally went out last week with 7 to 8 items in each bag, after I got a nice base of products with trades, donations and some ebay purchases.
All premium brands - a lip gloss, sunscreen, a set of lip balms (the Fresh Suger, got a bunch for good deal on eBay), body lotion, either an eye-liner or mascara, fragrance spray vials, blush in a few, little packets of Asian snacks (wasabi peas) and 3 to 4 foils. There was one 'man' bag for the receiving officer.
Folks were extra generous with providing extra bags to send out to folks, thanks to the Ipsy sub base!!
I'm always trading for appropriate products for this and I'll be doing a fall batch too. Kinda makes me fel not so much a hoarder
/emoticons/
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The thing I hear the most is that the women don't get stuff that makes them smell like a women. Also that the water there is higher in bleach content and dries out the skin so... the number one thing I'd like to trade for is body lotion in 2 to 3 oz. quantities and then little face SPFs too. Little guys they can tuck into one of the many pockets they have on their uniform... oh and the cooling rose mask foils.
My friend, former Iraq veteran mentioned that with the Al-Queda threat of last week and the embassies closing down, things were even tighter now.
The folks at the Afgan military base do not go off base unless it's official business or an order, there is certainly no shopping for saundries in Kandahar. There is a PX there that supply them with stuff, it's about 1/5 of the US size. I just know that would drive me batty!!