Güd (pronounced "good") is a new line of fragranced bath and body products brought to us by Burt's Bees. Its upbeat promotional campaign, complete with clever "scratch 'n' sniff" cards keyed to an animated video on Güd's Facebook page and website, has been easy to spot in recent weeks. The products themselves have practical yet adorable packaging ornamented with cheerful, collage-like imagery of fruits and flowers. The full line of eight products is available in three fragrances, with which Güd has smartly covered three perenially popular categories: a citrus (Orange Petalooza), a vanilla (Vanilla Flame) and a light floral (Floral Cherrynova).

Cherry blossom-fragranced products have long been best-sellers for Bath & Body Works, of course, not to mention the cherry blossom scents released by everyone from L'Occitane to Guerlain. I don't usually find cherry blossom perfumes compelling enough to wear on a regular basis, but I do enjoy this simple, delicate floral note in body-product formats. Güd's version includes notes of "Japanese cherry blossoms and creamy almond milk" for a "soft, pretty, flirty, flowery" effect. Floral Cherrynova is sweet but not overpowering. When first applied, it seems to involve some notes of cherry fruit in addition to the flowers, but the rest of Floral Cherrynova is an easy-to-wear cloud of soft pink florals and a light almond-vanilla base. (And now the 1990s song "Champagne Supernova" is running through my head, although it probably should not be.) 

Güd's Floral Cherrynova Body Wash lathers exceptionally well (without sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate) and diffuses its fragrance throughout the bathroom. The matching Body Mist is very subtly scented; I've never really understood the idea of body mists, but this one has a fun little pump bottle and feels cooling on the skin, so I liked trying it. The Floral Cherrynova Hand Cream is a medium-weight cream with a scent that lingers for ten or fifteen minutes and then gently fades away. Like all products from Güd, they are formulated without parabens, phthalates, or petrochemicals.

I recently spied some cherry blossoms in Central Park, and I was happy to see them (despite the fact that spring seems to be arriving much too early this year).¹ I'll enjoy using Floral Cherrynova products before I apply some of my springtime floral fragrances, such as Annick Goutal Quel Amour! or MCMC Phoenix (which does have a cherry blossom note!). Güd is a promising addition to the bath and body section of the drugstore, since these products should appeal to shoppers who are trying to eliminate certain ingredients from their routine but still want to enjoy fruity florals and gourmand scents. Happy spring!

Güd Natural Body Wash ($7), Body Mist ($6) and Hand Cream ($8) are available at drugstores and other retail locations that carry the original Burt's Bees line, as well as through the Güd website.

1. Ed note: Jessica thought these were cherry blossoms; I thought they were pink magnolias. Any experts out there who know for sure what they are? Robin