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Browsing by tag: body oil

Duchess Marden Body Serum ~ scented body products

Posted by Jessica on 17 April 2011 22 Comments

Damask roseDuchess Marden body serum

I was introduced to the Duchess Marden line a few years ago, when I received a facial treatment at a spa that used natural and organic products; since then, I’ve occasionally purchased Duchess Marden Pure Rose Water and Crème Cleanser to use at home. I like these products because they’re plant-based, they don’t contain any parabens, petrochemicals, or chemical preservatives, and — not the least of my reasons — they smell like roses.

With its recently launched Body Serum, Duchess Marden has moved beyond the face and neck to address the rest of our skin. I know that serums have become very popular in the skincare market over the past few seasons; now, apparently, the term is being applied to body products as well. (A quick internet search brings up “body serums” at various price points, from La Mer to Boots.) Duchess Marden’s all-over serum is packaged in a stunning gold-on-black bottle that a beauty editor would no doubt describe as “luxe.” It’s intended for use on damp skin after a bath or shower, in place of lotion or body cream, and it could also be incorporated into a massage.

Looking at the list of ingredients, I’m not entirely sure what differentiates a body serum from a body oil…

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Mayron’s Goods Tangerine Massage & Body Oil and Chapstuff for Cheeks & Lips ~ scented body products

Posted by Jessica on 27 February 2011 10 Comments

Mayron's Goods cigar box

Mayron’s Goods’ line of body products caught my eye immediately with its packaging: the bold lettering, bright red borders, and 1950s-style illustration of a delivery man and his van are upbeat and distinctive. Although most of Mayron’s Goods’ nature-based lotions and potions were created with babies in mind, these labels are refreshingly free of ducks, peapods, or naked infants clad in flower petals; moreover, the products themselves are suitable for anyone who needs gentle, lightly scented skincare or just prefers to use products without ingredients such as synthetic fragrance, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, or DEA (diethanolamine).

In the final weeks of this long winter, I’m finding Mayron’s Goods’ Tangerine Massage & Body Oil especially soothing and effective on my dry, rough arms and legs. It includes an assortment of botanical oils for moisture and it sinks quickly into the skin; even more importantly, it has a tangerine-mandarin fragrance that feels like orange juice for the soul. Chapstuff for Cheeks and Lips, my other favorite from the line, is a balm blended from cocoa butter, beeswax, soybean oil, and other natural ingredients. It smells like oranges and milk chocolate…

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Bhaktiveda Tulsi Body Lotion and Nourishing Massage Oil ~ scented body products

Posted by Jessica on 1 August 2010 6 Comments

Bhaktiveda Tulsi Body LotionBhaktiveda Nourishing Massage Oil

I’m definitely not an expert in ayurveda, but lately I’ve been gravitating towards body products that incorporate elements of ayurvedic medicine in their ingredients and their usage. Anjolie Ayurveda is one line that I’ve been using with enthusiasm this summer, and Bhaktiveda is another. Bhaktiveda’s products are manufactured in India, using Himalayan-grown herbs and other natural ingredients, and they’re intended for all skin types.

Bhaktiveda Tulsi Body Lotion highlights tulsi — also known as Holy Basil — as a key ingredient with nourishing and purifying benefits; the lotion’s neem oil also promises anti-bacterial properties. On its own, neem can have an unpleasant sulfurous smell, but in this blend, it’s camouflaged by essential oils of anise and lavender. I happen to love the herbal-sweet fragrance of anise (COPA Soaps’ anise-scented Basil soap is still one of my favorite soaps, ever!), so I’ve been enjoying this lotion as part of my morning routine…

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Hot cocoa: a roundup of chocolate-scented body products for winter 2010

Posted by Jessica on 6 March 2010 21 Comments

Villainess Dulces en Fuego soap

I’ve never referred to myself as a “chocoholic.” I enjoy chocolate, but I’m an equal-opportunity sweets lover, and I’m usually more likely to seek out cookies or ice cream or a really good piece of apple pie than a cocoa-based dessert. Today, however, I rounded off my lunch with a slab of chocolate cake. I think the last long weeks of winter have finally gotten to me. In this spirit of unexpected cravings, I’ve rounded up a handful of chocolate-fragrance body products for your delectation.

I’m fond of Villainess’ vaguely steampunk aesthetic, not to mention its range of unusual scents. Its Dulces en Fuego (“fire candies”) blend mixes cocoa with cinnamon and black pepper and a touch of musk. The dense, sugar-based Smooch! Warming Body Scrub actually does seem to give off heat when it’s first applied to the skin, and the matching Dulces en Fuego soap (shown above) looks dangerously dark before it foams. The scent of Dulces en Fuego reminds me of the tiny cups of rich, spiced “Aztec” chocolate served at Mariebelle in New York, although it probably doesn’t taste as good…

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MBeze Body Oils ~ scented body products

Posted by Jessica on 23 January 2010 17 Comments

I find myself using body oils more often in cold weather; somehow, in my mind, they seem to cut to the chase in moisturizing dry skin, particularly on rough knees and elbows. Yes, I could just use jojoba oil or everyday olive oil and get good results, but I inevitably prefer a product with appealing packaging or a more interesting fragrance. MBeze’s Body Oils fit both criteria. Their labels look like Pop Art interpretations of vintage magazine ads, and I’ve tried the oils from two of their available scent “collections” so far.

Mbeze Aim to be Pleased logoMbeze Aim to be Pleased body oil

The “Aim to be Pleased” fragrance is described as “Determined, driven, never a dull moment. That’s the way you roll. We’ve taken cherry blossom and added just a dash of sandalwood to make this scent as brave as you are.” Aim to be Pleased is subtler than it sounds…

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