Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Smoothing Body Scrub

Body scrubs are one of my favorite body products and I am always excited to try new fragrances and formulas from nearly every single beauty product company.  I am someone who uses scrubs in every single season and consider them to be one of the staples of my body product regime, I scrub at least once a week and usually try to get in a second round once every few weeks.  I have very dry skin all throughout the year and I have found that my moisturizers just don't work correctly unless I take the extra step to exfoliate as much dead skin off as I can before using the products.  It consistently amazes me when people do not use scrubs or body brushes...what is the point of using great product on dead skin cells that aren't going to absorb it and waste it? 

I exfoliate every single season how I do change up my formulas with the season as I want different results at different times of the year.  In the winter, I need a sugar scrub that will get dry skin off without being harsh on my very dry skin.  I use the same type of formula in the spring because I am trying to get the rest of the dead winter skin off before I start wearing skirts and using self tanner.  I find these two seasons to be the most important for scrubs and this when I use them the most.  In the summer and fall months, I will use a lighter formula scrub and it is more for self tanner maintenance and for general skin health (once I stop using tanner for the season).  Right now, I am using a light, foaming formula from the Aromatherapy line from Bath and Body Works.

One of my all time favorite scrub formulas is the Sugar Scrub from Bath and Body Works' Aromatherapy line.  I have used this scrub since I worked there in college and this is one of the few products that I have consistently bought for years now.  My only issue with this product is that it is too heavy for the warm weather month, it is a combination of hydrating oil and sugar.  A great choice for the winter and spring but too much for the summer and early fall.  For quite a long time, I simply resigned myself to using these scrubs only during the winter months used other formulas from this and other beauty brands during the summer months.  However this is no longer the case!

The Aromatherapy line now has a second scrub formula and one that is much better for the summer months.  I believe that I first saw this product about two years ago when some of the new Energy blends came out but I have just purchased a tube of the Stress Relief formula and have been using it for about two weeks now. 

"Gentle enough to use every day, this foaming body scrub cleanses and softens skin while an aromatherapy blend of essential oils and natural ingredients enhances body, mind & mood. Massage gently over skin during a shower or bath. Breath deeply for best results. Rinse well.  Eucalyptus essential oil clears the mind while Spearmint Essential Oil uplifts to help improve concentration."

This scrub is great for the summer months, it is very light, foams up quickly, and then rinses clean with no oil in the formula.  I use this once a week in between self tanning treatments to keep my color even and the products absorbing correctly.  I use this on clean, wet skin and I love the way that it keeps my tan even and natural looking.  I personally love the Eucalyptus Spearmint scent from Aromatherapy but I was a bit disappointed to see that this was the only scent that it was available (or in stock in), I would love to own this in the Sleep blends or the other Eucalyptus fragrance in the Aromatherapy line. 

I'm glad that I found another scrub formula to use in the summer months, normally this is the time of the year that I have a harder time trying to find good scrub formulas as many of the good ones are too heavy for this time of the year.  I will be using this formula for the rest of the summer and into the beginning of fall.  I just hope that a few more fragrances get released in it...

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Raspberry Body Products

Bath and Body Works has put out some great collections so far this spring, Fresh Picked contains some of the best fragrances that I have seen in years from this company and I love the direction that they appear to be going in.  White I have been raving over Fresh Picked for the past month, I have been quietly collecting and loving one of the new lines in the True Blue Spa collection.  Ever since college, True Blue Spa has contained some of the best quality products in the store and I have been using many of these products for years now.  Needless to say, anytime that I hear about new products in this line, I immediately get interested and a purchase (or two) is the result.

I was really excited to see that the Mango Butter line came back from Spa, I was obsessed with this line last year and now I have the chance to pick up some more of it before I run out.  With the Mango line, the company introduced a line of Raspberry products.  I typically hate the scent of raspberry, Sun Ripened Raspberry still makes me gag and I have never found a true raspberry scent that I enjoy and that works with my body chemistry.  I wasn't impressed the first time that I saw this line.  However after trying and smelling the products, it quickly became evident that this is not just a raspberry scent but a combination of raspberry and mojtio.  The mojito scent in the mix makes all the difference because I utterly love these body products.  The combination makes it less sweet and more wearable than just the berry and great for the spring and summer months.  Now I have another True Blue Spa product obsession...

There are four products in the Raspberry line and I bought all four of them already.  There is a Body Wash, a Cream Gel moisturizer, a Scrub, and a Bar Soap (just like the Mango one!!).

Raspberry Yogurt Shower Smoothie - Our creamy yogurt-enriched shower gel is a skin nourishing body cocktail that cleanses and replenishes skin with Vitamin E and nutrient-rich raspberries.  Raspberry Extract and antioxidant Vitamin E provide nourishment to skin.  Rich & creamy formula provides abundant lather.  Juicy & effervescent raspberry fragrance smells just like an exotic raspberry cocktail.  Not tested on animals.

Raspberry Mojito Cream Gel - Replenish parched skin with a healthy shot of antioxidant-rich raspberry, Jojoba oil and Vitamin C! Our ultra-moisturizing formula leaves skin feeling soft, satiny and fragranced with an exotic fruit cocktail to remind you it's always 5 o'clock somewhere!  Exotic Jojoba Oil adds moisture to skin as it pampers.  Lightweight, moisturizing cream gel absorbs easily and replenishes tired, dry skin.  Juicy & effervescent fragrance smells just like a refreshing raspberry mojito.  Not tested on animals.

Raspberry Margarita Body Scrub - Celebrate happy hour as you scrub your way to soft skin! Sugar exfoliates white antioxidants, Vitamin C, raspberry extract and moisturizing oils take you away on a tropical getaway!  Sugar exfoliates to sweeten your spa experience while antioxidant Vitamin C, raspberry extract and an exotic blend of moisturizing oils provide pampering nourishment.  Intensely exfoliating formula reveals instantly smoother skin.  Juicy & effervescent raspberry fragrance smells just like an exotic raspberry cocktail.  Not tested on animals.

Raspberry Nourishing Body Bar - It's superfood for your skin! Smooth, soften and cleanse from head-to-toe with body bar's rich lather bursting with a fresh n' fruity fragrance! Replenishes vital nutrients with vitamin rich raspberry extract.  Replenishing Glycerin and vitamin-rich raspberry extract attract moisture to skin.  Juicy and effervescent raspberry fragrance.  Not tested on animals.

Yes I have bought all of these products so far and I can't wait until I have the room in my shower to break them out.  The Cream Gel product is the most unique, it feels like jelly and absorbs in very quickly and instantly leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated.  It is a really interesting product and will appeal to those who don't like the feel of a traditional lotion or cream.  My second favorite product is the scrub, it is less oily than most scrubs and is really abrasive (without be overboard) and it will get all the dead skin off before self tanning or for the rough dry patches that I get at the end of winter. 

The last thing that I needed was yet another reason to collect True Blue Spa but I found it in the Raspberry line and now my shower will be smelling like sweet mojitos!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works Golden Sugar Scrub

I have been adding a bunch of Bath and Body works holiday items to my piles of body and home fragrance products, I just simply can't resist when the holidays first come around and I always have to buy more Vanilla Bean Noel.  Then when I purchase more Vanilla Bean Noel and Pink Sugar Plum, I always look at everything else and then add even more new products to my collection.  I am still waiting for the full collection of Forever Red products to come out, I will have a huge list of items that I want from this fragrance, only adding more products to my already huge collection.  While I am waiting for this fragrance, I picked up a new scrub formula that is featured in the Signature Collection.  Over the years, I have seen several different versions of scrubs in this collection but it seems like this company can never find one winning formula and then keep it in their collection.  I have all kinds of scrubs from this company and they are all so different, I still think that the Creamy Scrubs that were introduced in early 2011 were the best scrubs that this company had but I guess the majority of their shoppers didn't agree with me...

The Golden Sugar Scrub is the newest version of this product that has been added to the Signature Collection.  I love the Aromatherapy Sugar Scrubs so I was pretty excited when I saw this product for the first time and I hoped that it was similar in formula.  I bought this scrub in the ever-popular Japanese Cherry Blossom already and so that is the product description that I will use from the Bath and Body Works website.  "The softest way to smooth skin comes in our easy-to-use, no-mess squeezable tube! Our luxurious formula naturally exfoliates with sugar crystals and softens with apricot and sweet almond oils, leaving skin delicately scented with a seductive and mysterious floral blend inspired by the exotic gardens of Japan. Skin will look and feel irresistibly smooth after just one use! Massage onto skin, rinse and enjoy smooth skin and unforgettable fragrance.  Now available in convenient, no-mess squeezable tube!"

I normally prefer scrubs that come housed in tubs, I am not a fan of the formulas that are contained in tubes unless they foam up and I would use them instead of a body wash.  I wish that this formula was housed more like that in Aromatherapy, I have found that it is easier to control portions when I scoop product out of the tub and that that same amount of product will last much longer than the same amount housed in a tub.  Oh well, I can dream...

I used this scrub twice so far and it is a nice formula however I don't think that this is the answer to the scrub question that continues to haunt the Signature Collection.  This formula is a very abrasive sugar-based scrub with a good amount of oil in it.  It has less oil in than many other formulas, I can imagine many people preferring this type of texture however I tend to graivate toward sugar scrubs with lots of oil in them or formulas that are lighter than this one.  My skin is very dry and sensitive, esepcially going into the winter months, therefore this scrub is a bit too much for my skin and leaves it feeling a bit dry when I get out of the shower, something that never happens when I use the Aromatherary Sugar Scrubs.  If this product was a bit less abrasive then I really think that I would love it but my skin can't handle the slightly drier, abrasive texture of the product.

I saw this scrub available in quite a few fragrances.  Japanese Cherry Blossom, Moonlight Path, Cashmere Glow, Paris Amour, and Twilight Woods are all the fragrances that I believe that it currently comes in.  I doubt thaty I will buy any of the other fragrances in this formula, this is just not the type of scrub that is going to work well for me this winter.  I am in hopes that the Creamy Scrub comes out again this spring and I know that I will stock up on it as this one is turning out to the be the best formula for my skin.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works Holiday Traditions

Holiday Traditions are officially here and I am so excited!  I can't get in the mood to start shopping for the holidays and to even look at holiday products until I use my Vanilla Bean Noel for the first time in October.  I have already started using it on a regular basis and I can't wait for my yearly purchase of Holiday Traditions.  Last year, I stocked up on Vanilla Bean Noel and Pink Sugarplum and the year before it was all about Vanilla Bean Noel and Winter Candy Apple.  I don't see Twisted Peppermint on the Bath and Body Works website yet so I wonder if it will be released closer to Thanksgiving...  I know I want to buy more Vanilla Bean Noel this year but part of me can't decide what other fragrance to buy more of, I love the Pink Sugarplum and use it more than Winter Candy Apple however I bought Pink Sugarplum last year and left the Winter Candy Apple on the shelves.  And I see another scent this year!  Decisions, decisions!

I know that Bath and Body Works has not yet released all of their holiday products so I am going to start slowly stocking up on the available body products and hand soaps and then continue to pick more items up as the line grows throughout the holiday season.  I am even more excited for the Holiday Traditions this year since the products will be available in all the new formulas that have been released throughout the year.  I don't really do the fragrance mist in these scents (I have one in Vanilla Bean Noel that I rarely wear), the shower gels and moisturizers are another story.  I love the new shea butter shower gel formula that this company released last summer and it will be so much better for my skin this winter season.

There are four scents currently available: Vanilla Bean Noel, Winter Candy Apple, Pink Sugarplum, and Frosted Snowberry.  I know that I already own products in ths first three and something is telling me that Frosted Snowberry was out several years ago and I remember not liking it.  At least I know that I rule one fragrance out already...

Of course we are going to start with Vanilla Bean Noel, this is still the best selling of the Holiday Traditions and the one that has been my favorite ever since I first tried it in college.  Vanilla Bean Noel is the traditional holiday scent and it hasn't changed ever since I first tried it.  This fragrance is described by Bath and Body Works as "a warm blend of fresh vanilla bean, warm caramel, and rich comforting cream".  The top notes are: Natural Vanilla, Sweet Buttery.  The heart notes of Vanilla Bean Noel are: Caramel, Hint of Chocolate.  The base notes are: Soft Musk, Sugar Cookie.  Vanilla Bean Noel smells exactly like a combination of sweet frosting, pure vanilla, and yummy caramel.  I buy products ine this fragrance every single year and I use them as fast as I buy them.

The second fragrance is the other most traditional of the fragrances, Winter Candy Apple.  This is another fragrance that I first tried during my first holiday season working for this company back in college.  This fragrance is the spiciest of the holiday fragrances, it is "a sweet, wintry medley of crisp apple, candied orange, and rich cinnamon spice".  The top notes are: Candy Apple, Orange Zest.  The middle notes of the fragrance are: Maple, Cinnamon, Neroli, Rose.  The bottom notes are: Winter Musk, Orris, Oakmoss.  This fragrance is a mix between sweet and a bit of spice, it can be a bit too much for me to wear sometimes and I do tend to go through it much slower than I do any of the others.  However, the home fragrance is this scent is one of my favorite during the holidays and I will buy a candle or two, whether or not I decide to pick up some body products.

The third fragrance is Pink Sugarplum, one that was introduced last year and that I fell in love with the first time that I smelled it.  I love the scent of sugar plums, even though I have never actually had one of the candies, and I bought a ton of products in this scent last year.  This fragrance is one of the few sugar plum scented body products that I have ever seen, the only other one was a limited edition Davies Gate from several years ago.  Pink Sugarplum is described as "an addictive blend of sugared plum, sparkling tangerine, and vanilla musk".  The top notes of this fragrance are: Chambord, Vintage, Champagne, Sparkling Tangerine.  The middle notes are: Red Hibiscus, White Nectarine, Black Currant, Juicy Passionfruit.  The bottom notes are: Plum Wood, Sugared Musk, Vanilla Extract.  This fragrance is a great mix of sugar plum and vanilla, I just love this fragrance and I know that I will end up buying a few more products in it this year. 

The "new" fragrance for this year is Frosted Snowberry, berry scents don't always work with my skin chemistry so I often skip over berry scentes unless there is a good mixture of other notes in it.  I am not sure how different this will be from the other berry scents that have been released with the Holiday Traditions scent so I will have to smell this in the store and report back.  This fragrance is "a bright blend of winter blackberries, warm caramel and iced musk.", the Bath and Body Works website states that this is a brand new fragrance so I will have to try it out.  The notes don't sound like a mixture of notes that I would like to begin with so I doubt that I will be buying any products in this scent.  The top notes are: Bright Bergamot, Blackberry, Freesia.  The heart notes are: Peony Buds, Sweet Plum, Cyclamen, Framboise.  The base notes of this fragrance are: Sueded Cedar, Frosted Musk, Drizzled Caramel.  It is very obvious to see how much Bath and Body Works has changed their fragrances as the time progresses...

So what will be in my shopping bag this year?  Vanilla Bean Noel and Pink Sugarplum of course!  I am still undecided on the Winter Candy Apple body products but I will be buying a candle in this scent.  I still have a Vanill Bean Noel candle from last year so I won't need another this year.  The holiday shopping season has begun!!!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Malibu Body Products

Earlier in the spring months, we looked at the Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Malibu Wave Spray for the hair.  This is the first product that I saw in the line and I have been using it on and off over the past month, with my hair being cut much shorter, I don't quite like the textured hair look as much as I did when it was much longer.  I might put the wave spray away until my hair is longer but I am excited to report that I have found the matching body product line on the company's website and I bought both of the products in the collection already!  So far, I have been using both the body scrub and the matching cream and I can safely state that I will be using these two great body products all summer long.

First we will start off with the body scrub, this scrub is great for use with self-tanners to help even out rough areas and refine the pigmentation.  The product is named the Malibu Smooth Body Scrub and it is a light, foaming scrub that can be used twice to three times a week.  "The secret to an even, golden tan?  Exfoliation.  Whether you're hitting the beach or faking it with sunless tanner, this spa-tacular formula with walnut shells lets you start with a super-smooth canvas.  Algae Extract and Vitamin E nourish skin to keep it soft and healthy looking.  Irresistibly creamy, tropical citrus fragrance."  This scrub smells like a mix of orange and coconut, a new favorite scent of mine!  This product provides a very light exfoliation and foams up to rinse cleanly and without any residue left behind.  I recommend this scrub before fake tanning because of how well it rinses, the last thing that you want on your skin before using a tanner is an oily residue that doesn't allow the tanner to fully sink in and develop.  I use this product once to twice a week and haven't had any dryness issues with it (some scrubs can really dry my skin out even when I use them only once a week).  This is one of my favorite scrubs from Bath and Body Works and I will using this scrub all the way into winter months since the scent is so heavenly.

The matching body cream is another one of my favorite products to use with a tan, the gold shimmer in it is perfect to use at night or when laying on the beach.  The Malibu Radiance Whipped Body Cream is a light fluffy cream that hydrates without leaving any type of greasy residue on the skin.  "Pamper your skin with this whipped body cream.  This lightweight, moisture-rich formula is perfect for after-sun use.  It helps replenish beach-bronzed skin with healthy moisture while a subtle shimmer gives you a sultry, radiant, post-sun glow.  Avocado Oil and Shea Butter provide nourishing moisture.  Ultra-lightweight, whipped formula spreads effortlessly onto skin.  Irresistibly creamy, tropical citrus fragrance."  This product leaves behind the loveliest gold shimmer and makes me feel like a Victoria's Secret supermodel when I use it before going out. 

I really hope that this line is not a limited edition and stays around throughout the fall and winter months.  The fragrance of these two products is wonderful and I would keep using it during the winter months to ward off the blues created by the snow and cold weather.  I wish that a perfume would be released in this fragrance, I would buy it right away and use it all during the summer.  On the Bath and Body Works website, I do see that these two products are available in a giftset format with a self tanning lotion also included with it.  When I go to rebuy these two products, I will look for the set in the store since it also contains the Bronzing Self Tanning Lotion that I use all summer long. True Blue Spa is one of the best lines that this company carries and I have been using their products since I was in college and I will continue to rebuy the Spa products as long as I can get my hands on them.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

LUSH Sugar Babe Body Scrub

Since my love for LUSH bath products is never ending, I have decided to start trying more of their shower and facial care products in the hopes that I find more products to use and love.  I don't need any skincare items at the moment so I decided to order a new product for my body and bought the Sugar Babe Body Scrub from this collection.  Normally I use scrubs from jars and this one is very different in that it is a solid bar of sugar and isn't mixed with a oil to change the texture.  So this was my first time trying both a solid type of scrub and a scrub from this company, I wasn't quite sure what to expect on either counts with this product. 

LUSH provides the following product description about this scrub, "Our solid Sugar Scrub is tough on cellulite and unwanted bumps, but kind on your skin.  It's no nonsense attitude doesn't waste any time getting down to business; sweetly exfoliating with Fair Trade sugar and stimulating circulation with fennel and ginger.  It's not all rough stuff though; calming lavender has a balancing effect and encourages healthier skin.  Get yourself wet in the bath or shower (but don't let the bar get under the running water).  Scrub, scrub, scrub and rinse away!  You'll be left with smother, cleaner, and radiant skin.  Water are you waiting for?  Get scrubbing!"

This product is preservative and packaging-free so it is very good for the environment.  However storage of it is very tricky, I had to store it in the plastic bag that it arrived in.  I couldn't leave it in the shower since it would dissolve if any water got on it and therefore I would lose the whole product.  I wish that LUSH sold a reusable container to put this product in, they do for other products and I wish that this one also had a container.  Even storing it in the plastic bag, I realized that this product was diminishing much quicker than it would if I had it in some other type of container.  This was my first disappointment with the product.

This type is scrub is very scrubby, much more so than many other sugar scrubs that have to be mixed with oils before use.  I liked this product on my legs and my upper arms however it hurt when I used it on my stomach and left marks after I got out of the shower.  I could only use this product on my legs and arms but I can't use this product all over my body, I have had reactions before with certain types of scrubs on my torso so I wasn't all that shocked when I couldn't really this product on all areas of my body.  However being that I can't really use this product as it is designed, I wouldn't repurchase the product again. 

The scent is ok but isn't really my favorite type of fragrance for body products.  It smells woody and herbal with a bit of a lavender fragrance added in.  I could stand the fragrance enough to get through the few uses of it that it takes to get through the bar but I wouldn't buy anything in this fragrance again.  I have seen this product released in other fragrances before in limited edition products, I wish that I had the Christmas version that was released a few years and smelled more like strawberries and cream.  That type of fragrance would make this product easier to use and deal with but until it is released again in that fragrance, I wouldn't rebuy this scrub.

My first experience with LUSH scrubs wasn't the best but I know that this company carries some of the best products in the beauty industry so I know that I will try other scrubs and body products from this company again.

photo courtesy of LUSH

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Island Spa Body Products

Bath and Body Works has had the Island Spa line of products out since I was in college, in fact I remember when I was working as an associate there and then line first released in the dead of winter.  I remember freaking out over the collection products and the line quickly became one of my favorites in the store.  And it remains so all the way up until today.  The True Blue Spa line has been out for as long as I can remember and has always contained some of the best products in the store for hydration and exfoliation.  I was a bit upset last winter when this line was repackaged and I didn't see the Island line immediately but they came back a bit later and now I have the full collection available to use again. 

This line originated as one of the only of of the few on the market to use monoi oil, both for its hydration and fragrance properties.  I imagine that many other companies have caught onto this ingredient by now so I don't really feel that it is as unique as it was when it was first released.  That being said, it doesn't lower the product in my estimation, all three of the products still perform very well and leave my shower full of a wonderful tropical fragrance.  This line currently offers three body products (it was much larger when it first came out); a body scrub, lotion, and matching shower gel.  The body scrub is still one of the best products that I have ever used and I continue to repurchase it as soon as I finish up a jar of it.

The body scrub used to be called Need a Margarita? and now has been renamed Citrus Body Scrub.  Having the word "margarita" in the title of the product was the perfect way to let you know what it smelled like, it is one of the best margarita scents that I have ever smelled.  "This tropical citrus scrub is the vacation that your skin needs from looking and feeling landlocked.  Sugar exfoliates to sweeten your spa experience balanced with just a little salt (the way you like it), while an exotic oil blend (Coconut, Almond, Avocado, Jojoba, and more) moisturizes and transports you to the tropical island of your choice every time you shower or bathe.  Sugar crystals provide exfoliation, resulting in smooth, glowing skin.  Effervescent margarita fragrance to transport you to the tropics."  This scrub is a sugar and salt base with oils that sit on the top of the product.  For best results, you must mix the oils in with the base before you use it.  If you don't, your first few applications of it will be all oil and the rest will be dry sugar and salt.  This is gritty scrub, perfect for getting all of the dead skin off your body and the oil in the formula leaves your skin soft and hydrated after your get out of the shower.  And the fact that it makes my shower smell like Margaritaville is just the icing on the already fantastic cake!

The body wash in this line is defined as a "shower cream", it is thicker and more hydrating than traditional shower gel but it still foams up, cleanses, and is made to be rinsed off.  This product was originally called Be More Pacific and wasn't included with the original release (though I do not remember quite when it came out, it was when I was still in college but my memory of when is a bit hazy).  It is now called the Nourishing Shower Cream.  "Give yourself the exotic vacation you deserve everyday.  The secret of this gentle cleansing, tropical shower cream is Tahitian Monoi Oil.  Tahitian Monoi Oil is an ingredient used by the best island spas for its deeply moisturizing, supremely soothing effects.  Tropical fruit fragrance transports you to an island getaway.  Silky lightweight formula."  This product comes out looking like a cream but foams up well when used with a puff.  It rinses relatively clean but I feel like I have a bit of residue on my skin after using this, it doesn't bother me but it is a different feeling than I get with using traditional shower gel formulas.  This is another product that I run out and rebuy as soon as I use one up, this is a favorite of mine to use all year round.

The last piece of this collection is the body lotion, a product that I believe was my first purchase from it when I was in college.  This is the product that turned me into a believer of both this collection and of the power of Monoi Oil.  This lotion is now called the Nourishing Body Lotion, but used to be called Tahiti Sweetie (such a cute name!).  "Need an escape but can't get away?  Your best remedy is Nourishing Body Lotion with Tahitian Monoi.  This exotic blend combines Coconut Oil and the Tiare Flower to give dry, tired skin a daily vacation.  Tahitian Monoi Oil is an ingredient used by the best island spas for its deeply moisturizing, supremely soothing benefits.  Lightweight lotion formula.  Tropcial fruit fragrance transports you to an island getaway."  This lotion is lightweight, silky, and is easily absorbed into the skin with no residue.  It is best used by someone with normal to slighty dry skin, this one doesn't hydrate well enough for me in the winter and I mostly use it in the spring and summer months.  This is yet another product that I buy every single time that I run out, I guess that I made the same statement for every single product in this collection but I just love all three of them so much.

I wish that this line was as large as it used to be, I remember some type of bath milk, a margarita shower gel, a foot scrub, and some type of oil (and that is just what I remember, I bet I am forgetting some of the products).  I love these products and have been buying and using them for years, I love the formula and the tropical fragrance. 

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Lemon Zest

Lemon Zest is the newest fragrance in the Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy line.  This one came to limited stores early in the spring and now is available in all the stores.  I have used the Aromatherapy line since I was in college, however I actually used every blend but the Awake blends since they are heavy on the citrus.  Orange Ginger has been the top-selling Awake scent for years however this one always turned sour on my skin and I feel that every single Awake blend that was ever released just got worse and worse for me.  Intially, I had little to no interest in this blend since I am not the hugest fan of citrus or the hugest fan of the Awake line.  Bath and Body Works uses essential oils in their Aromatherapy blends so this is the real citrus oils in these products and they emit a stronger fragrance than many of the other lines in the store.

Aromatherapy is designed to help cure whatever ails you.  Whether it be stress relief, problems sleeping, or problems getting ready to go in the morning; there is an Aromatherapy blend that will help you out.  The Relax and Sleep blends have always been top-notch for me and are the major reasons that I love this line. The other reason that I love this line is that the formulas are very well crafted and the products are among the highest of quality that are offered in Bath and Body Works.  With the newly redesigned packaging of this line, the bottles are even nicer to display and make amazing gifts all year round.

This new fragrance is a combination of lemon and ginseng, in the bottle it smells more of the lemon.  However, once it is applied to the skin, it takes on more of the ginseng note and becomes a light herbal scent.  It is much nicer on the skin than in the bottle, so it is good thing that I tried a bit of the lotion on before I totally ignored the whole line.  I really liked this fragrance on application and this means that I have finally found a fragrance in the Awake line that works with my body chemistry.  I wouldn't go as far as to wear the body mist in this fragrance or to buy all the home fragrance in this scent however I did purchase a few body products and I am very happy with them so far.  The three products that I purchased in this scent are the Body Wash, the Body Lotion, and the Smoothing Body Scrub.

This formula of body lotion has long been a favorite of mine, the texture is medium heavy and seems to have a bit of an oily finish yet it still sinks in very quickly.  "Power up!  An invigorating blend of Lemon Essential Oil and energizing Ginseng provides a quick pick-me-up.  This ultra-creamy, nourishing body lotion is formulated to give skin long-lasting moisture.  Contains precious botanicals and minerals.  White Lily and Malachite are known to help soothe skin so it looks and feels its best."  The slightly oily texture of this lotion really helps to hydrate skin, especially in the dry summer months.  I love that it is very hydrating yet sinks in quickly and leaves no residue on the skin.  The pump bottle is also a nice choice to set by the sink in the bathroom since it has an easy application process.

The Body Wash in the Aromatherapy line is actually a combination of two products in one.  It is formulated to be used as both a body wash and a bubble bath.  I have always used the Aromatherapy washes in the shower only since I prefer their Dream Bath formula for the bathtub.  "Power up!  An invigorating blend of Lemon Essential Oil and energizing Ginseng provides a quick pick-me-up.  This fast-foaming body wash is infused with soothing skin conditioners.  Contains precious botanicals.  White birch and bamboo extracts are known to purify and soothe skin while pearl powder helps to condition the skin.  For an energizing bubble bath, add a couple of ounces to warm, running water."  This body wash foams up with the use of a dime-size drop and then rinses completely clean.  The scent on this wash is stronger than that of the other lines at Bath and Body Works since it contains the essential oil in all the formulations of it.

The Smoothing Body Scrub is a relatively newer product to the Aromatherapy line and is still not available in all the fragrances.  All the lines carry the Sugar Scrub and this one is a lighter option for those who do not prefer the oil in the Sugar Scrub.  "Power up!  An invigorating blend of Lemon essential Oil and energizing Ginseng provides a quick pick-me-up.  Gentle enough to use every day, this foaming body scrub cleanses and softens skin while an aromatherapy blend of essential oils gives you a quick pick-me-up so you can face the day.  Our formula contains natural Walnut Shells and Sugar Crystals to smooth skin and Vitamin E to nourish skin."  This formula can be used in place of body wash in the morning since it foams and rinses quite clean.  This formula I can prefer in the summer since the oil in the Sugar Scrub can get a bit overwhelming on humid days.  This product is also a great choice for a man since it won't leave any type of residue on the skin.

In addition to the products that I purchased, this fragrance is available in the following forms: Sugar Scrub, Body Mist, Hand Soap, Candles, and Wallflower Bulbs.  I found the home fragrance to be very heavy on the lemon, too lemon for me to burn.  This fragrance is much heavier on the ginseng and I think that this makes this much easier to wear, especially if you aren't a die-hard citrus lover.  I really like this new fragrance blend for the summer months and especially the addition of a Smoothing Scrub in a lighter formula.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Beach Week Day 5 - The Body Shop Coconut Body Products

For the fifth day of Beach Week, we are going to look at some favorite body products of mine.  How many people state that the scent of coconut reminds them of the beach?  It reminds me of the beach and I use it all summer since I love it so much and then I also use it all winter to help me forget about the storms outside.  The Body Shop Coconut line is one of the first coconut based product lines and still remains one of the best on the beauty product market today.  I first bought one of these scrubs a few years ago and fell madly in love with it, prompting me to purchase more products in this scent one of the next times that I was shopping in the store.

The Body Shop has been covered in my England Week and many other times in this blog, I have loved these products for years and now that some of the line is carried at Sephora, it makes it even easier for me to pick up some of the my favorites.  The Coconut line contains organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade coconut oil and coconut milk.  These ingredients give this line a leg up on the competition since they use real coconut and not artifical coconut fragrance in their product line.  This line of products are very hydrating and the scent is pure coconut that reminds me of exotic beaches.  This line of products can take you to the islands in your shower.  I have purchased three products in this scents; the Shower Cream, the Body Scrubs, and the matching Body Butter.

The Shower Cream is the easiest way to use this product on a daily basis, it can be used morning and night to start and end your day off in the right mood.  The Sephora website states the following as a product description.  "A soap-free, moisture-rich creamy body cleanser.  This coconut scented body wash creates big, foamy lather in the bath or shower and rinses easily away.  Formulated with real cocoa butter, it gently cleanses the skin while conditioning and softening."  This cleanser contains two major active ingredients, both of which are organically derived and therefore set the body apart from others on the market.  Community Fair Trade Brazilian Soya Oil restores the skin's natural moisture barrier, helping to restore smoothness and suppleness to the skin.  Coconut Oil Derived Cleansing Agent cleanses the skin and enriches the foam and lather.  This shower cream is gentler on the skin than many other chemical-based products.  I have found that it doesn't foam up quite as much as some other washes however it is much better for dry skin and I love to use in both the summer and the winter.  This product rinses clean and only leaves a hint of fragrance on the skin, so it won't compete with any other perfume that you use during the day.

My favorite product in the Coconut line is the Body Scrub.  I first used the scrubs from this company when I bought the Mango.  I ended up disliking the Mango so I wasn't really keen on buying more scrubs withthat same texture however this product had a very different look and texture when I played with it in the store.  I bought it to try and I loved it from the first time that I used it.  The Mango Scrub was more oily and had a jelly finish however this one has more of a creamy finish.  "Reveal softer, glowing skin with gently exfoliating coconut husks and ground coconut shells in a creamy, moisturizing scrub with pure Community Trade organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil", states The Body Shop's website.  The organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk condition, moisturize, and soften skin, while helping to replenish moisture levels in the skin.  In addition to the coconut oil and milk, this product also contains Organic Community Trade Babassu Oil which is a very effective moisturizer that helps to restore skin's natural moisture balance.  This scrub is creamy and gentle, with the coconut husks to helps lightly exfoliate the skin.  This product doesn't provide as deep a scrub as salt or sugar would but it is great for very dry or sensitive skin.

The final step of this collection is the Body Butter.  This is hydrating product from the product collection and can be used after showering or at the beach.  I have always loved the butters from this company and the Coconut rivals the Mango as my favorite in the collection.  "Drench your skin in a rich, intensive cream with a lush coconut scent that moisturizes for up to 24 hours and made with Community Trade pure organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil.  Absorbs easily to help condition, soften, and smooth the skin, providing moisture for up to 24 hours.  Leaves the skin deliciously fragranced with the tropical scent of coconut.", states The Body Shop when describing this body butter.  This butter contains both coconut oil, shea, and cocoa butter to help soften and soothe the skin.  Organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade coconut oil softens and conditions skin.  Community Trade shea butter and Commuity Trade cocoa butter moisturize and soften skin.  This butter is very hydrating, rubs in easily, and leaves the most divine coconut fragrance on the skin.

I know that not everyone loves to wear coconut fragrances but no one can deny that coconut makes them think of summer and the beach.  The Body Shop's coconut line is a favorite of mine because it contains the actual coconut oil and smells simply divine.  The scrub and the body butter rank in my top ten list of favorite body products both for scent and texture.  Another benefit to this product line in the summer months is that the ingredients used are very soothing to skin that has seen too much sun after a long day.  I wouldn't recommend the scrub for sunburned skin but the wash won't irritate and will help to keep the moisture in the skin.  The butter will help replenish lost moisture in the skin and will soothe the burn. 

I love coconut but if you don't I also recommend trying the Mango product line from this company to reap many of the same benefits.  I do wish that the Coconut line contained a bubble bath since then I could bring the beach to my bathtub next December...

photo courtesy of The Body Shop

Five Favorite - Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Products

True Blue Spa has been a favorite Bath and Body Works product line since I first worked there in college. This line contains very high quality products with high levels of active ingredients that also happen to smell great and are very fun to use. This line was just given a packaging makeover for spring 2011 so I decided to let you all know what my five favorite products from this company are. I have bought all of these products over the past few years and usually ended up rebuying them at least once or twice more.

My five favorite True Blue Spa...

60 - Second Manicure Hand Scrub - One of the best hand scrubs that I have ever tried and it really extends the life of my manicure. It is a sugar scrub with a jelly-like texture and smells like sweet candy oranges. "Why wait? This sugar-based exfoliating treatment makes quick work of dull, dry skin and ragged cuticles to give even the most mani-deprived hands a taste of soft, smooth, spa manicure perfection - in just one minute".

Fresh Foaming Body Buff - A scrub that is spiked with shea butter and is gentle enough to use everyday. The light orange fragrance makes it a perfect wake-up call in the morning and it foams and rinses clean so it can be used as a daily body wash or a twice a week scrub. "If you're like us, you never miss an opportunity to shower yourself with luxury. This pampering, cleansing shower scrub with soothing Orange Fruit Extract lets you buff and polish skin with gentle exfoliators, then lavishes it with a generous dose of nourishing shea butter beads. Shall we start the shower for you?"

Super Rich Body Cream - This used to be known as Lay It On Thick and I have already raved about this product this winter. This is a heavy duty moisturizer with a high shea butter concentration that is very hydrating and helps to heal winter-ravaged skin. "Nothing makes skin feel better than incredibly rich shea butter. This deluxe cream takes it even further with protecting, conditioning Vitamin E and Macademia Nut Oil. Because you know more is really more."

Invigorating Spa Scrub - This salt-based scrub provides one of the best exfoliations of any product on the market. This scrub will get all the dead skin off and I love it use it on alligator skin at the end of the winter. This scrub contains natural mineral sea salt and works equally well for men and women. "Dry skin rubbing you the wrong way, and no time to get to the spa? Just reach for this cooling, exfoliating Sea Salt Scrub with refreshing Eucalytpus to get the job done yourself, a la Spa."

Super Rich Foot Cream - This is the perfect foot cream to get your feet ready for sandal weather. I use this product all year round to help hydrate my feet and get the most from my pedicures. This cream contains shea butter so it hydrates well and yet sinks in easily and leaves litle to no residue on the foot. "To put it simply, nothing hydrates like Shea. Dive foot first into this luxuriously rich treatment made with nourishing Shea Butter, Conditioning Avocado Oil and refreshing Eucalyptus Extract to smooth away rough spots and drench dry skin with unbelievable moisture."

This is great head to toe collection and I really recommend the above five product and the whole rest of the collection. The new packaging is very cute and makes it really easy to tell the different sub-collections apart. I am a bit disappointed that some of the older products don't seem to be available on the website at this time. What are your favorite True Blue Spa products?

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works Island Escape Collection

Another pile of snow has just been dumped all over us and I speak for many people that I know when I say that I am sick of the winter weather and would love to fit in a vacation somewhere. Personally, I attempting to go one a one-way trip to Antiqua but until that happens, I will just continue to be snowbound. This year, Bath and Body Works decided to release a collection that fits with the mood of all of us right now, Island Escape. If they can't buy me a plane ticket, at least they can provide me with a way to turn my shower into a tropical paradise. Three new, limited-edition fragrances have been released this weekend; Bali Mango, Hawaiian Coconut, and Fiji Passionfruit.

The first new fragrance is named Bali Mango. Bath and Body Works states the following for a description of the fragrance. "Our tropical Bali Mango is an exotic getaway of juicy mango, sugar cane, pink passionflower, and luscious nectarine". I have always liked mango based fragrances so I wasn't shocked that I ended up liking this one. This fragrance is very sweet and the mango and sugar can notes are the strongest.

The next of the fragrances is my favorite, the Hawaiian Coconut. "Our creamy Hawaiian Coconut is an island vacation of fresh coconut water, sunkissed citrus, and ocean musk". This fragrance is very sweet also and I love this fragrance. This is a very yummy coconut fragrance and I find it to be one of the best coconut fragrances that Bath and Body works has come out with in the past few years.

The last of the fragrances is the Fiji Passionfruit, which reminds me a lot of their old Tropical Passionfruit fragrance. "Our juicy Fiji Passionfruit is a tropical escape of passionfruit, mandaring orange, apricot nectar, and lime zest". This fragrance just doens't work well with my skin chemistry, I get a lot of the passionfruit and apricot notes and it smells just generically sweet on me. This is the only one that I will be skipping from this release.

The limited edition line is available in the traditional Body Splash, Shower Gel, and Body Lotion. One new product is available in this collection, which is the Creamy Scrub. "Our signature Creamy Body Scrub is the perfect way to cleanse while also revealing smoother, younger looking skin. Gentle enough to use everyday, our special formula has exfoliating sugar crystals combined with Vitamin E and moisturizing Jojoba Oil to leave skin feeling soft, nourished, and completely pampered". I played with this scrub at the sink for a couple minutes and I love this product so much!

I bought a nice little haul from this collection the other day. I got shower gels and lotions from both the Bali Mango and Hawaiian Coconut fragrances and after much deliberation I decided on the coconut fragrance of the body scrub (over the mango). If possible, I will go back and get more lotions and the mango scrub if I need some other items from Bath and Body Works soon.

Even though I can't get on vacation anytime soon, I am looking forward to a vacation in my shower tonight...

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Body Smoothing Body Buffer

Several years, Bath and Body Works had a limited scrub sugar scrub in their Twisted Peppermint fragrance. This scrub was the perfect mix of scrubbiness and yummy fragrance. This scrub has not come back since so myself and others have been living for the Semi-Annual Sales to try and find one of these gems. Even though this product has never returned, Bath and Body Works has added a Body Buffer to their Mentha line of products.

Bath and Body gives the following information about the C.O. Bigelow scrub. "Spiked with exfoliating peppermint sugar crystals, our body buffer provides an invigorating sensation. Wake-you-up formula sloughs away dead skin while smoothing dry, rough spots, creating a one-of-a-kind body-buffing experience". This product is a great addition to the Mentha Body line and I am so happy that one was sent to me from a PR company along with other Mentha products.

This scrub has a cooling sensation (provided by the natural peppermint oil in the product) while goes very well with the action of the sugar crystals. It gets all the dead skin off without irritating my skin. This scrub doesn't foam and that is the only major difference between this product and the old Twisted Peppermint scrub.

This scrub is a great product and can be used by either a man or a woman. The cooling sensation is great way to end a busy day or after a hard work out.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sugar Scrub

Ahhhh... I product that I loved years ago in college but somehow forgot about and haven't used since. I think it is time to change that trend. At one point in my reign at Bath and Body Works, these scrubs were a special during one of the Semi - Annual Sales and I bought enough of them to get me through the next six months. The product in question is the Aromatherapy Sugar Scrub, an oil based scrub that is second to nothing in getting the old skin off and leaving your skin super soft.

The Bath and Body Works website describes the product as follows, "This skin softening scrub combines exfoliating Sugar and a special moisturizing blend of sunflower, safflower, sweet almond, and jojoba oils to leave skin silky smooth". Each scrub also contains the unique blend of essential oils in order to make the product "aromatherapy". The scrub sits in layers in the tub and needs to be mixed before use. I get best results using it in the shower on wet skin instead of before getting into the shower. Care needs to be taken when rinsing all the oils off, I tend to rinse off twice to make sure that I get all of the product off.

The scrub currently comes in several scents that fall into four categories of Aromatherapy blends. The Stress Relief line includes the best-selling Eucalyptus Spearmint, a great blend of pure eucalyptus and tingly spearmint. This is a great scent for everyone including men or people who dislike strong fragrances. The Sleep family includes the scents Lavender Vanilla and Lavender Chamomile. Lavender Vanilla is a light fragrance that I find tends more toward the vanilla than the lavender. Lavender Chamomile is heavenly, it is a very herbal blend and just smells fantastic. The Sensuality line contains two fragrances, Jasmine Vanilla and Black Currant Vanilla. The Jasmine Vanilla smells quite sweet with the jasmine oil being the much stronger of the two scents. The Black Currant Vanilla is also quite strong with the black currant being the dominant note. The Jasmine Vanilla is a long-time favorite of mine but I can barely stomach the Black Currant Vanilla. The last line is Energy, the uplifting blend of the collection. The only fragrance in this collection is the Orange Ginger, a very strong citrus scent.

The best fragrances in the Aromatherapy line are the Jasmine Vanilla, the Lavender Chamomile, the Eucalyptus Spearmint, and the Lavender Vanilla. These scrubs make a great treat for yourself or a gift for someone special. I recommend that you guys stop by Bath and Body Works and test this product out at the sink.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Me! Bath Shower Sherbet

It is no secret that I adore cute body products. Me! Bath is company that I first encountered when I was working at Bath and body Works, it is an outside company that used to be carried at their largest volume stores. Alas, this is no longer the case and I am getting very close to finishing up the product stash that I had from this company. I decided to take some time and check out the website of company and see how else I could get products from them. These products seem to be carried only at small, independantly owned businesses, so for the majority of us, it will be easier just to order from their website.

The products that I can currently running low on from this company are the Shower Sherbets. These are the body scrubs that this company offers and they are the reason that I was originally attracted to Me! Bath. They are housed in ice cream containers and are impossible to miss when sitting on a store shelf. At the moment, this product is offered in nine fragrances, however I do remember when the offerings were closer to twenty.

Me! Bath describes the product on their website as follows, "Me! Bath Shower Sherbet is a sugar-based body scrub that comes in 16 ounce ice cream pints and look so yummy you just wanna eat it! Rich in Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E, Me! Bath Shower Sherbet is made for daily use to exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize all in one. Leaving your skin smooth and silky with a long-lasting aroma, this luscious lather is a delicious and energizing way to treat your body to something sweet! Stay tuned for new flavors!" Currently, I only have Strawberry Kiwi and Peaches N' Cream left in my collection. I stocked up on these two fragrance right as Bath and Body was stopping their distribution and marked everything down at their sale. I bought a ton of products that day but since these were the only two fragrance left, I ended up getting them all in these fragrances. Initially, this was fine but I am beginning to get a bit tired of them. which is a shame because I love the formula.

So what fragrances are offered in this product now? The website lists nine in total.

- Choco-holic - rich true chocolate fragrance

- Gotta Have It Pomegranate - sweet pomegranate

- Hawaiian Lei - plumeria and freesia

- Land Of Milk N' Honey - combination of warm milk and honey (designed for sensitive skin)

- Lavender Lullaby - soft lavender

- Papaya Nectar - mix of papaya, ocean air, and warm sand

- Strawberry Kiwi - sweet strawberries and kiwi

- Summer Rain - the air during and after a rainstorm

- Vanilla Purity - pure vanilla

I'm not going to really review Peaches N' Cream since it is no longer offered. Strawberry Kiwi is very sweet, fruity scent. It is almost too sweet and the scrubs are so strongly scented that I couln't use it everyday. I don't use this product everyday but I do feel that this is lightest exfoliator that I own. the sugar is suspended in a jelly like base and makes is easy to scoop put and rub on. This product does not foam at all and iIwish that it was a bit easier to remove. With that as my only complaint, I am really sad that I can't find this product easier. I want to get it Summer Rain and Papaya Nectar and all the matching body products in those fragrances.

photo courtesy of Me! Bath