Okay, it might not be the prettiest soap dispenser in town, but it does get extra points for being cool. I saw the Lysol Healthy Touch Hand Soap System on display at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago and decided to give it a try. Just like so many mamas, I feel like I’m CONSTANTLY reminding the kids to wash their hands. I must say it at least six times a day or more.

The idea behind this product is that it helps stop the spread of bacteria since there’s no need to touch it. It automatically senses a hand underneath the nozzle and gives you the right amount of soap. The soap is said to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and comes in a few different scents, which you can try out by sniffing the scratch n’ sniff sticker on the packaging. (I like the cucumber scent as well as the green tea and ginger scent.) Cost is just under $10 (before tax). Batteries are included.

It was easy to set it up. I just put the batterines in, removed the seal from the soap bottle and clicked it into place. Then I slid the switch to “on,” and it was ready to use.

As a mom, the BEST part of this product is that it has made hand-washing a little less tiresome for my kids. Perhaps it’s just the novelty of it, but I’ll accept any reason that makes them want to wash their hands more, especially during cold and flu season.

Here’s a tip: I told the kids that this was a new kind of “robot soap.” As you know, kids (especially boys) think anything that includes a robot must be cool. So they are a little more willing now to pop into the bathroom to watch the robot soap do its thing. It makes a quiet little whirring sound, too, which helps to back up my robot story.

So far, we’ve been using this soap dispenser for about two weeks and it hasn’t broken or needed new batteries. As I said above, you might not want this in a super fancy guest bathroom, but it’s a great choice for a kids’ bathroom or even your own. For cost, ease or use and germ-prevention, this one has earned the title of “Motherlode Must-Have.”

(Note: We’re not paid to write product reviews. We write about what we like and would recommend to friends.)

Finally, I found it! For years, I’ve been frustrated about mascara because I couldn’t find one I could apply without ending up with at least one or two globs of extra mascara on my lashes. Of course, when you get a glob on your lashes, you’ve got to get a tissue or a eyelash comb and clean up the mess. Arrrgh! It’s frustrating and time-consuming, and most mamas are typically short on time.

For me, the biggest problem is the big fat, caterpillar-like application wands which end up putting way too much mascara on my lashes. (That may not be an issue for those of you lucky enough to have thick, long lashes that can handle the big brush.) But, if you’re like me and you’re sick of the globs, I have good news!

I recently tried Maybelline Lash Discovery Minibrush Mascara, and I am in love. (It caught my eye because it said “no clumps, no globs” on the package.) I think I’ve finally found a mascara I can control. The application brush is teeny tiny — so thin you’ll think it’s designed for Barbie dolls or something. But I love the way it lets me get the mascara exactly where I want it, even on the tiny lashes near the corners of your eyes. If you want more mascara, just keep applying coats (but don’t let it dry in between.)

I’ve worn this mascara for about a week now and it hasn’t given me any problems with smudging either. And now I’m not dreading putting on mascara in the morning and dealing with the globs and blobs. You can find this mascara at Wal-Mart, Target or any drugstore. Cost is about $6. For the low price and ease of use, it has earned the distinction of being a “Motherlode Must-Have.”

(Note: We’re NOT paid by any store or manufacturer to write product reviews. We just write about the ones we really like and would recommend to friends.)

By Gwen Rockwood, Motherlode mama of 3

I believe that, when a mom finds something for her kid that really works great and holds up well, we owe it to our fellow mamas to spread the word far and wide. After all, we’re all in this thing together, and the best suggestions usually come from fellow moms.

We only give the title of “Motherlode Must-Have” to products that we have used ourselves and really love. And just so you know, we are not paid by anyone to write about these products.

Today’s “must-have” item is the fleece-lined Camp Hoodie jacket from L.L. Bean catalog, available for boys or girls, infants or toddlers.

I bought two of these last year for my boys (ages 7 and 5), and they wore them daily and they still look great for this fall. Last year, I bought the red and blue versions. This year the available colors are chocolate, mariner blue, sail orange, surf blue, and there is a peony color for girls in toddlers or infant sizes.

It’s made of cotton and polyester, and the lining is an incredibly snuggly polyester fur fleece. On the manufacturer’s website, it got a 5 out of 5 star rating from customers who ordered it. And I’ll add my own 5 stars to that as well.

Here’s what I like about this jacket:

• Super soft lining
• Perfect weight for fall, not too heavy but still warm
• You can fold it and fit it in a backpack or duffel bag
• Easy zipper
• Hood for chilly mornings
• Wash it and tumble dry, and it gets even softer
• Washes well without piling

This is the one jacket that my boys put on (without any nagging from me) over and over again — to play basketball in the driveway, to go to school, to the park, to the football game, to the chilly movie theater, etc. I got into the habit of keeping them in the car so we’d have them ready wherever we went.

Price on the Camp Hoodie is $34.50, but I think the price is well worth it when you consider the “price per wear” and the fact that it’s durable enough to last a good long time, even through hand-me-downs. This is one of those easy, comfy pieces kids and moms alike can appreciate, and that’s what makes it our newest Motherlode Must-Have. I just noticed today that they have a woman’s version of this same hoodie, and I think I may get one for myself, too.

To get more product info, just click on the photos to visit the L.L. Bean website.

This Motherlode mama must have Merle Norman LUXIVA Clear Complexion Moisturizer every.single.month.

I guess it’s the salicylic acid, but this is one of my best-kept secrets to keeping my complexion clear. I always use it the week before my period and it keeps me from getting those huge, painful pimples. I still get them occasionally, but not nearly as often. I typically use it at night after washing my face or jumping out of the shower. I use a moisturizer with SPF for daytime.