Exotic Body Wash

Caress has launched a new body wash called Exotic Oil Infusions Brazilian and its face is Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls! You can check out the video for her song on the Caress Brazilian website and vote on user-submitted videos, but here I tell you what I think about the body wash.
To be honest, I liked it but I found it very similar to Dove's Cream Oil Body Wash. They both have the same texture and both are very moisturizing. Head over to this link and get a coupon to save $1 on the purchase of this body wash.

Olay Body Botanical Fusion Body Wash

Olay's launched a new line of body washes called "Botanical Fusion". They're basically different earthy kind of scents. My favourite is Patchouli and Soy and I like using it when I'm not in the mood for something fruity.

I think that this body wash is comparable to Dove's but I found it to be more moisturizing and slightly goopy because of that. I like using it, and think that it's a great product. Olay's named each scent Hydrate, Restore, and Vitality but I would just pick by smell.

Dove Cream Oil Body Wash

I just finished using Dove's Cream Oil Body Wash. I liked it. It wasn't the most moisturizing body wash that I've ever used, but it was moisturizing and I really loved the supremely creamy texture. Pick a scent you love - a little bit goes a long way.

Elizabeth Grant Aromatherapy

While I don't think that any scent can cure illnesses or diseases, I do belive that aromatherapy can play a part in one's wellbeing. There's just something about smelling something fresh that makes you feel fresh. There's something about a comforting smell that can take you back to another time. Sometimes, smelling good is all you need to feel good.

I actually realized all this very recently when I was trying products from Elizabeth Grant's Aromatherapy line. If you have a chance to get any of the products through the Shopping Channel or from the Elizabeth Grant website, do give them a shot. They're all luxurious and smell so nice.

Case in point: Elizabeth Grant Spa Aromatherapy Rebalancing Bath Oil.I actually use this as a moisturizer and love it. The base is natural oils, and they're mixed with essential oils of lavender, lemon, and sage. The smell is so nice and not too strong. Use this and you'll be scented but optimally so.

The line also has a body wash and a scrub that are similarly nicely scented and moisturizing.

Bobe Whipped Soy Butter and Scrub

I recently tried some Bobe products. Never heard of the company? Check out the Bobe Bath Essentials website.

The company sells scrubs, moisturizers, lipbalms, and other bath products. The best part is that not only are all the products of excellent quality, but you can choose the scent that you want in them, or even choose to have them unscented.

I tried the Sugared Frosting Scrub pictured below in the Sake scent. The scent was fresh and clean, and the scrub is amazing. It's different from most other sugar scrubs that I've tried because it's actually whipped! This means that the parts of the scrub stay mixed together and don't separate. You never need to stir the scrub before using it and it's still moisturizing but not greasy or oily.



I also tried the Soy Fabulous Whipped Body Butter. See the butter peeking out of the top of the jar? Well that's exactly what the body butter looks like. It's white and fluffy all the way throughout the jar. It absorbs so quickly and doesn't leave any kind of oily residue on the skin - this might be the most amazing product I've tried in a long time. I got the body butter in the grapefruit scent which is fresh and juicy smelling.

I also have to say that the products are very reasonably priced, and made and shipped out of Saskatchewan Canada, so do check them out.

Hugo Naturals

Sometimes I get a new product and it sits on my bathroom shelf for the longest time. I'm usually already using something and have no compelling reason to switch.


All that changed when I got my hands on the Hugo Naturals Wild African Rose soap. This soap sat in a bag in my room for a while, but everytime I passed it I could smell a beautiful rose scent that wafted out of the bag.

Needless, so say I had to use the soap.

It's super-creamy, made from real roses (you can totally tell from the way it smells by the way), and not at all drying. Oh, and if you're not a fan of roses, the soap comes in many other scents and an unscented version.

Kiehl's Product Reviews

I must admit that I'm going through a Kiehl's phase right now. I'm smitten with a few of their products and I can't get enough of the brand.

If you're unfamiliar with this line, know that it was a New York pharmacy started in 1851. (The brand is now owned by L'Oreal Paris). Their look is reminiscent of simple pharma packaging and going into that store is an old-world experience too. Their employees wear lab coats and assist you personally, asking you questions about your needs, whether they be skin, body, or hair-oriented.

Creme de Corps is perhaps Kiehl's most famous product. This lotion is worth trying. It's liquidy and really does have the consistency of whipping cream but do not mistake this for a lotion that's watery. Smoothed on your skin, it's light yet moisturizing. The very best part is that your skin is left looking absolutely luminous and it's not at all sticky.

This lotion also comes in a light-weight formula and on that has SPF 30. Lovely. There's also a Creme de Corps Body Nurturing Body Washing Cream that I'm dying to try.

Kiehl's also makes great bath gel. Theirs is called Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser and is very gentle.
The scent I use is grapefruit and it's light and fresh. They also have this body wash in a few other scents including coriander, herbs, and vanilla to name just a few, and they also periodically offer limited edition scents that sell out quite quickly.

Lastly, Kielh's Epidermal re-Texturizing Micro-dermabrasion is maybe the best exfoliater I have ever tried. It's not listed with the rest of Kiehl's regular face scrubs, and is grouped with their "Dermatologist Solutions".

The product uses aluminum oxide crystals and ground up sea shells as its scrubbing particles! Knowing that might remind you of this article that I mentioned a while back. Knowing that what I was putting back into the sea is from there in the first place made me appreciate the scrub even more.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, the scrub's particles are very very fine so the amount of exfoliation you get is pretty high. I would only use this once a week at the most, and each time I used it I was left with very smooth soft skin. The base is lovely and not at all drying or overly moisturizing.

So those are the Kiehl's products that I'm loving right now. Needless to say, I'm very impressed with the brand and can't wait to try more of its products.

J.R. Watkins Body Oil

I'm not new to body oil, but it hasn't always been my favourite product because some of the ones I've tried are so heavily fragranced. When I saw the J.R. Watkins Pure Lemon Body Oil I wasn't exactly eager to try it.

But I read the ingredient list and noticed all the pure oils that made up this product and saw that it seemed to have a light consistency. I opened the bottle and took a sniff. Not too lemony - just slightly.

I've been using this product in place of my regular moisturizer and I have to say that I really like it! Now, it doesn't absorb into the skin that quickly but the key to this is not to overapply so that you're not too greasy. The oil is so light and the lemon scent fades quickly after you use the oil. The oil does moisturize very well for the summer, and I like not having to rub it in like a regular lotion.

You can purchase this product off the J.R. Watkins website but this product is also available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Zellers, and other drugstores, so it's pretty easy to find. The body oil also comes in Lavender and Unfragranced versions.

Since trying this body oil, I've also had a chance to try out some other J.R. Watkins products and I also love their Shea Body Butter which is maybe the quickest absorbing lotion I've ever tried! The lemon cream scent is so soft and sweet while the mango scent is tangy just like a real mango! Check this line out when you get the chance - it seems that many of the products are really nice and you likely won't be disappointed.

Ambiente

Gosh, I can't believe I've been MIA for a day and a half! I missed you guys!

It's raining outside my window and that happens to be the perfect weather to sit and write and light some candles. My home smells lovely thanks to Ambiente Candles. You could check out their website and see their offerings, or head over to their Queen Street store and see what's in stock.

Ambiente makes lovely scented candles, soaps, and bath products. Everything's made right here in Toronto and their staff are friendly and so helpful. The best thing about their line is that it smells like it's supposed to! The Lavender-Patchouli candles are beautiful, but I also love their soap! It's luxurious and well-scented which means that you'll never need anything else after using it. While you're at their website or store, also check out their pomegranate collection - smelling it makes my mouth water every single time.

The Ambiente products give the air in your home a nice boost of freshness and you know you're getting a quality product when the scent lasts forever.

Lush Tramp

The thing I love about Lush Cosmetics is that they really listen to their customers. No, that doesn't mean that you fill out a survey and get a message saying "Thank you for your time!" What that means is that if enough customers want something, they'll get it. Case in point: Tramp Shower Gel. It was gone but now it's back.

I tried the gel last week and adore it. Firstly, if there ever was a unisex shower gel this is it. The main scent is patchouli in a very earthy form coupled with a general woodiness. I used this shower gel for my hair and body, and I found that the scent lasted in my hair but not on my skin. More importantly, it's given my hair a lovely sheen and bounce that was not there before, but without any over drying. If you haven't yet tried this shower gel, now's your chance since it's available either online at Lush or at Lush stores everywhere.

Olay Radiance Ribbons Body Wash

I've mentioned that I love the Olay Body Wash with Body Butter Ribbons, so when a new version came out - with Radiance Ribbons - I had to try it. This version may just be a little more moisturizing than the other. It's hard to tell when they're both leave your skin so soft. This body wash does seem slightly thicker and has the same thick rich lather that all the Olay Body Washes have.

Now, I've read other reviews and it seems that some people have trouble getting the most out of this body wash. I use a loofah mitt much like the one to the left (from the Body Shop). You can find these mitts everywhere and I use them so that I can exfoliate, clean, and moisturize my skin all in one shower. I squirt a loony-sized amount (Americans, think larger than a quarter) on to the mitt and that's all I need. If you haven't tried using the body wash this way, give it a go - I think you'll find that you get tons of lather and no gloopiness.

Lothantique Soaps

I love Lothantique bars of soap. Creamy lather? Check. Moisturizing? Check. Huge bars that last forever? Check!

But the best part is the scent. These soaps smell so good - the patchouli one is my absolute favorite. The fragrance lasts in the shower and the bathroom yet only scents your skin slightly so that you can layer with a Lothantique fragrance or another one you love.

I have seen Lothantique at many higher-end spas and apothecaries, so I think that they're pretty easy to find. You could, of course, just head over to your nearest Belle De Provence store where you will be sure to find them.

Cake - in Your Shower

Usually, I steer away from products that smell sweet. Do I really want to smell like I just spent 25 minutes baking in a pre-heated 325 degree oven? No thanks.

And then I discovered Cake Beauty. Their smells are not too sweet and when you get a sniff of a Cake product, you'll know what I mean. Think Vanilla and coconut scented products that smell yummy not foody.

Product to try? Cake Desserted Island Creamy Body Buffer. In a word, WOW. As I used this, my mouth was literally watering and afterwards I couldn't stop sniffing my arms. It's super-creamy and moisturizing too... the texture is a lot like frosting actually! This is one product that you have got to try for yourself.

Oh, and if you're wondering where you can get it? Check their website! You can click through by province and find all the stores and spas that carry their products. P.S.: quite conveniently, you can also get them at Indigo Bookstores, so if you're browsing the books, check for Cake as well!

Molton Brown Bath and Shower Gels

One doesn't use Molton Brown Bath and Shower Gel to be cleansed with minute amounts of vitamins or plant extracts. Nor does one use the body wash for moisture preservation in the skin.

One uses the Molton Brown Bath and Shower Gel for the intense olfactory satisfaction that it provides.

This body wash has a lovely scent that stays on your skin once you've left the shower which makes it truly luxurious. Molton Brown products aren't just scented, they're perfumed and have accompanying lotions and body sprays so that you can layer your fragrance so that it lasts well into the day. If you haven't tried any of their products, give them a chance!

Note that the Molton Brown website does deliver to Canadian addresses as well! Just use the US link and fill in the Canadian address at the checkout! If you like products that smell pleasant and original, definetly try some of Molton Brown's products. They're especially nice for keeping in guest bathrooms.

(Picture from moltonbrown.co.uk.)