AHAVA Mineral Botanic Velvet Cream Body Wash in Honeysuckle & Lavender

Picture courtesy of bathandbodyworks.com

This is another product I received a sample of from one of the showrooms at the LA Mart.. And at this point, I'm kind of just blah about it. It did its job in the shower, lathered up a bit (which I wasn't really expecting from something labeled a "cream" body wash) and rinsed clean with no residue (and no noticeable moisture improvement, I still needed lots of lotion post-shower, then again, I have yet to find a product that allows me to skip this step completely). I think whats lacking is the scent. It is only halfway there for me.. I'm thinking I'm picking up an almost herbal tone to it, which is kind of turning me off. They needed to capture more of the honeysuckle OR lavender, not dumb down both. This wash is actually really reasonably priced, I found it online at bathandbodyworks.com for $19.50 for 17 ounces, which is going to be a HUGE bottle. For someone who likes herb-y scents, I think they would really like this. Because its from AHAVA, of course its loaded up with Dead Sea minerals and plant extracts and this wash is actually marketed for sensitive skin types (which could explain the less-than-overwhelming fragrance). I have a sample of another scent, Hibiscus & Fig, which I'm more excited for. Oh and on a side note.. Just noticed the bottle on this stuff.. For a container this size, it REALLY should have a pump, otherwise you run the risk of slippery hands fumbling with it in the shower and dropping it on your feet.

Bliss Blood Orange & White Pepper Body Butter Review

Picture courtesy of Blissworld.com

Whew, what a name! The first thing that struck me about this body moisturizer is the interesting combination of blood orange (a longtime fave scent) and white pepper.. Is this lotion going to make me sneeze? Hehe.. Not at all, as it turns out. The scent of this has actually turned into a slight obsession for me. The blood orange in it is very present and just begs to be sniffed but for some reason it reminds me of late fall.. Like when the Christmas rush starts and the Christmas-y scents come out. I'm thinking maybe I'm translating the white pepper into clove? Whatever it may be, the scent is definitely addictive and I really like it.

But of course this isn't a perfume, and this baby lays down the moisture pretty nicely as well. I didn't notice any greasiness after a few minutes (would wait a few before dressing though), and hours after I can still feel this incredible softness wherever I've rubbed in the lotion. My one drawback.. and unfortunately its a biggie.. This lotion sells for the not-so-bargain price of $35 for 8.5 ounces on blissworld.com or through their catalog. The scary part is, if this was the only lotion you're using, you'd go through more than one a month and for me at least, thats just WAAAY too much to spend on lotion. Maybe for a special occasion, or if you get a particularly nice paycheck, this would be an awesome splurge as a little treat for yourself.

Thymes Essentials AHA Body Lotion Review

                                      Picture courtesy of Thymes.com

First impressions: This has a very clean green citrus scent, made skin noticeably smoother after use, not tacky, soaked in quickly.

Price: $24.00 for 9.25 oz. Easy to Find: Thymes.com; other etailers; Larchmont Beauty Center, etc. Scent: green citrus. Greasiness Factor: almost none. Liklihood to buy again: medium. Overall: high rating for the scent and sinking-in factor, however $24 is a little steep when there are comparables for less.. nice to use for special occasions, when skin is dry and in need of a moisture boost. Otherwise for everyday use, its a pass.

Description from Thymes.com's website: Treat your skin to the gentle exfoliation of Thymes own alpha hydroxy acid fruit complex that smoothes and softens skin as shea butter and vitamin E moisturize.

Fragrance: A refreshing Mediterranean blend of Italian tangerine, orange and lemon, red currant, dewy jasmine, petitgrain, cyprus, a touch of sheer musk and sun-drenched grapefruit. Perfect for the whole family.
Gentle fruit & sugar acids exfoliate Smooth, fast-absorbing formula

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin², Glyceryl Stearate², Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride¹, Isopropyl Myristate¹, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Fragrance, Cetearyl Alcohol¹, Bilberry Fruit Extract, Tridecyl Stearate¹, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate¹, Cetyl Alcohol¹, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Shea Butter, Sugar Cane Extract, Sugar Maple Extract, Orange Fruit Extract, Lemon Fruit Extract, Ceteareth-20¹, Polysorbate 60², Tocopherol², Isohexadecane, Tridecyl Trimelliate, Dimethicone³, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol
Source: ¹Coconut and/or Palm, ²Mixed Plant, ³Silica