Category Archives: Fragrance

Dry Oil with SPF 15 from Alba

Posted on
20130404-224949.jpg

I love the scent of sunscreen mixed with tropical fruits. It’s why I bought Hawaiian Tropic’s oil last year, that smell is so completely nostalgic that I’d use it instead of perfume every day. The caveat is that it’s really greasy since it’s not designed to fully absorb into the skin when you’re at the beach. Enter Alba’s Dry Oil SPF 15 I picked up at Whole Foods. Its rich coconut scent is every bit as heavenly and the dry oil soaks into the skin leaving only light hydration behind. It smells so yummy I almost forget that I’m dutifully applying sunscreen everyday to my arms and neck like I should.

20130404-224949.jpg

Demeter Hersheys Collection

Posted on

I can’t say I’ve ever thought about smelling like a watermelon Jolly Rancher, but now that I know it’s an option, it doesn’t sound too bad. THIS collection of candy favorites made into scents by Demeter (maker of the iconic Gin & Tonic) knows how to make something really random smell yummy. I haven’t tried them out, but I bet they’re great for layering. I can totally see pairing the chocolate one with something like their popular Vanilla Cake Batter and the watermelon one with Cherry Blossom.

Check out their top 30 scents HERE, and their full collection HERE.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom

Posted on

It’s not often that I review fragrances. It’s not that I don’t get a bunch of them sent my way (I have 4 on my desk right now), it’s just that I have a specific scent type that I stick to; clean, fresh, not musky or heavy. Anything that even borders on the verge of old lady isn’t for me.  I want something light and feminine where you can catch just the right amount of the scent when I walk by.

If you’re into the same sort of thing, you’ll love Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea Cherry Blossom ($30). It’s everything I love in a scent; clean, light, green, with a hint of sweetness without smelling like candy or a dessert. It’s a balanced sort of scent where the green and the floral offset and one doesn’t overpower than the other. I first spritzed a little on my arm, then my drapes so the scent would fill my office, and in a diffuser in a hallway. Soon my whole house smelled like this sweet spray. I’ve since been wearing nothing else. I figure at 9 months pregnant with my limited wardrobe which consists mostly of ‘cute t-shirts’ and tanksI  can use a little pick-me-up in whatever form that may come.

Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil and Vanilla Blackberry

Posted on

Lavanila’s new Forever Fragrance Oil comes in 3 scents; Vanilla, Vanilla Grapefruit, and the one I’ve been using Vanilla Coconut. I can’t get enough of this buttery vanilla scent that isn’t that cheap manufactured vanilla that’s so common but a true yummy vanilla mixed with a bit of sweet coconut in an almond oil base. It’s balanced so it’s light and sexy, not like a dessert scented candle that’s overpowering and sugary and the oils are super concentrated so the scent lasts all day. I’ve been rolling it along my arms and neck and then spritzing a little of their Vanilla Blackberry on top. Both are great on their own, but used together I get a hint of the tang from the blackberry with the sweetness of the vanilla and coconut – it sounds like a recipe but it smells so light and fresh that it’s all I’ve been wearing and getting tons of compliments.

If you love Trish McEvoy’s No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla fragrance you’ll totally love Lavanila’s version which I think is a little more crisp and fresh not to mention without parabens, phthalates, synthetics and the like – oh and it’s also cheaper $58 versus $80 for the same size.

Natural Scents for Holiday Gifts

Posted on

It’s easy to find yummy scented body products – which are the perfect home-run gifts for every girl on your list this holiday season, but I found 3 companies churning out quality organic, natural, and U.S.A. made specialties that won’t break the bank. Here’s the best of what each have to offer.

Malie Organic Fragrances $29:

I’ve been searching for an organic fragrance line with feminine scents that I’d actually want to wear. I tried one a while back which was nothing short of (dirty) hippie in a jar. Awful. I was sent Mango Nectar Perfume Oil from the Hawaiian line Malie to try which comes in a cute roller ball applicator in a pretty frosted glass tube. Sweet aesthetics aside, I was happy to see the ingredient lineup containing 70% organic oils of Sunflower, Kukui Nut, and Coconut which provide the nourishing base for the fragrance itself. I wouldn’t say I’m a mango fan necessarily, but there’s something intoxicating about this combination that’s so sweet yet sexy with an island vibe that makes it wearable, fresh, and easy to layer with other light scents.

LaLicious Sugar Reef Body Oil $24:

I actually stumbled upon LaLicious years ago in a Hawaiian boutique where I bought an Island Guava sugar scrub and savored every last drop of it because it smelled so yummy and I couldn’t find it anywhere to buy another (pre internet shopping, you see). Now this bath and body line is everywhere which means it has grown in popularity because of their natural approach (only 6 ingredients in their oil for example) to bath basics that make your shower feel more like a spa vacation. I was able to try their newest scent Sugar Reef which I totally fell in love with – it’s like the love child of sweet and clean and ocean – just fresh and dreamy.  I use the Body Oil after a shower without using any fragerence after and get tons of compliments.

Pacifica Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Butter $24:

I was loving Pacifica at Whole Foods long before they found a prominent home in Sephora catapulting them into super-popularity which is where I scored a free set with Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter, Perfume, and Body Wash for shopping there far too often. Pacifica formulates without animal bi-products, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, propylene glycol, GMOs, mineral oil, peanut oil and triclosan, and they’re a cruelty-free company. Their scents are whimsical, breezy, and easy to wear. I think I’ve bellied up to their tester unit in Whole Foods to catch a whiff of each scent at least 5 times. It’s hard to choose one when you love them all. Last week I grabbed their Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Butter for a gift at Sephora (it’s exclusive to them). It’s their just-right blend of coconut scent with a slightly shimmered bronzy lotion that gives the skin a healthy glow. There’s also a bronze-free shimmered version that carries the same scent worth checking out if the added color isn’t your thing. Either way, this line has some stellar gift sets in scents that make perfect gifts.

Multi-Purpose Organic Scents from Intelligent Nutrients

Posted on

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Intelligent Nutrients, Horst Rechelbacher’s second coming after pioneering the world of natural beauty with Aveda. I think we’ll probably look back at IN the same way as we do Aveda knowing that this line was on the forefront of a new revolution: Personal care made from food-grade oils to nourish the body inside and out. Don’t expect products that serve a singular purpose, everything from IN is meant to give multiple benefits like these two body elixirs that hydrate, soothe, and liven the skin with naturally-derived scents.

If you like Jasmine, their Jasmine Total Body Elixir is the absolute purest jasmine scent you’ll experience second only to the flower itself. Because the oil is so rich and dense in hydrating oils, you’ll want to use only a pump or two either solo or mixed with your favorite unscented organic oil to get a sexy, unforgettable scent.

Certified Organic Multi-Functional Aromas are a clever blend of fruit, flower, and plant oils that light up the skin with bright organic fragrance while hydrating and protecting it as well. It’s a beautifully scented body treatment that’s unlike anything you’ve ever used, and the perfect replacement to your synthetic perfume spray.

Intelligent Nutrients