Category Archives: Body Care

Sabon: Natural and Organic Body Products

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Sabon Organics

Scrubs, body butters, and beautiful bar soaps make my brain go fuzzy and any semblance of rational thoughts about what I already have at home quickly fades to gray and I get all giddy inside. Have you been to Sabon? This is the kind of place where such a stupor can occur if you’re anything like me around said body products, especially when this tempting haven for all things body and bath has a new organic line.


It’s not like I didn’t have enough to tempt me while I was in New York this summer (read here and here if you’re curious about what else what I discovered). But there were, and are, plenty of opportunites to stumble across a Sabon boutique when you’re walking the streets of NYC as there are seven locations in Manhattan, as well as one in Garden City, NY (shout out to Roosevelt Field Mall!), one in Boston, and two in Chicago. If you’re not close to one of those cities, no worries, you have access to all of their products via their website.


My two favorites from the Organic Skincare line are the Organic Butter Cream and the Organic Body Scrub. These are made from 98.86% and 100% natural ingredients respectively, and both contain ingredients certified by ECOCERT. The Organic Butter Cream is thick, whipped, creamy perfection. It comes beautifully presented in a glass jar, with elegant wood and curlicues as a background design on the label. A little bird and flower illustrations are extra flourishes, and these things matter, especially when you might be considering them as gifts. More importantly though, it effectively moisturizes while not being greasy in the slightest. This is amazing considering it contains shea butter, olive, macadamia, and jojoba oils. It absorbed into my skin immediately, and left a light yet noticeable fragrance of delicate flowers dipped in melted beeswax. The scent wears close to the skin, making it perfect for the office or totally not for the office if you know what I mean.


Sabon Basin

Moving on to the Organic Body Scrub. If you’ve never stepped into a Sabon boutique, you’ve missed out on a big part of their marketing plan. Dark wood, product lined shelves entice you into the back of their store where a rustic basin awaits, along with a sales associate to massage your tired and weary hands with one of their scrubs. I went for the organic one. It’s lovely. Again, like the Organic Butter Cream, the presentation is perfect; weighty glass jar with silver top, label expertly embellished with dainty flowers and vintage motifs. The scrub itself is utilitarian meets luxury. It gets the job done of exfoliating (you might want to go easy on sensitive skin), and in the process, leaves your skin baby smooth. That’s the first time I’ve used baby smooth on this blog. It’s so over used in advertising isn’t it? But seriously, most apropos in this scrub situation. Sabon’s Organic Body Scrub smells just like the Organic Body Cream, but lighter on both the floral and honeyed notes.


There are other natural offerings at Sabon, without the organic ingredients, but you have to be a bit of a sleuth to find them. Unfortunately the website does not list the ingredients under the individual products, something customer service has informed me they are considering, and I certainly hope they follow through. They use some synthetics and petrochemicals, including aromachemicals, so read the labels if you’re at the store, or contact customer service and they will write you back with the list of ingredients if you prefer to avoid those ingredients.


Aside from the Organic Body Cream and Scrub, Sabon’s Body Butters were my prized find. They are made with essentials oils, shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax. I preferred Vanilla Coconut as it is a delectable little brick of moisturizing goodness. One swipe of my finger across the top of the butter bar is more than enough to hydrate my hands and upper arms, and plenty to scent my skin for the entire day. Was there some mention that I didn’t like musk? Did I say that? I need to retract that from my previous posts because Vanilla Coconut Body Butter is definitely on the musky side, and I love it! I don’t know what essential oils they have used to create a white musk/clean musk softness (I’m taking customer service’s word here that there are no synthetics in the body butter), but musk is definitely present to my nose. And major props to Sabon for getting the vanilla coconut blend just right. The coconut avoids that weird plastic accord that plagues many other coconut scents and the vanilla never becomes foody or too sweet. Surprisingly, it works just as well in cooler weather as it does in summer’s heat. It’s cozy and comforting. A “let’s snuggle up” kind of scent.


I’d love to share samples of my discoveries, so leave a comment and I’ll enter you in the giveaway to try samples from my Organic Butter Cream, and Vanilla Coconut Body Butter as well as samples from the store that I have not used; Organic Face Serum, Organic Hand Cream and Organic Eye Lifting Serum. I’ll take comments for a few days and let you know who the winner is at the beginning of next week. The winner is Katy!


Posted by ~Trish

Photo of Sabon’s basin from Mes Petits Choux

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DIY Summer Foot Scrub: Alyssa's Guest Post

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At a young age, I had a strange fixation on making my own beauty products. When eight years old, I tried to extract the scent of the lily of the valleys that grew in our garden by squishing them up in jar. Needless to say all I got was the scent of something green that was pulverized into mush. I also had my hand in lip gloss creating and soap making, neither turned out the way I hoped. As I got older, it started to come easier for me to create my own items. I read up on books and found useful sites on the internet to help me out with the kinks. It wasn’t long, around the age of sixteen when I found my passion, the world of natural health and beauty.

 

Once you begin making your own beauty products it’s hard to stop, especially when you find something that really works and makes you feel good. Trish has asked me to be a guest writer here on Scent Hive and I am honored to share my favorite beauty recipes with you all. If you have never created your own natural beauty products before and are looking for somewhere to start, I think you’ll find the recipes I’ll be sharing easy and flexible. If you want to add more of something like scent, go ahead and personalize it! Like I said before, these recipes are my favorites because they work, are easy to make, and they make me feel good when using them. Most of the ingredients can be found either at your local grocery store, or can be picked up at a health food store. Here is the first recipe for my Scent Hive DIY Series.

 

Summer Foot Scrub


DIY Summer Foot Scrub

 

I have been making this scrub for myself for two summers now. It’s a lovely treat for the feet.

  • 1 tablespoon of oil
    I personally like to use extra virgin coconut oil as it smells delicious and is less greasy than most oils. But almond is also another great choice for those who like extra moisture.
  • ½ cup of blue organic cornmeal
    Any cornmeal will do but I like the blue because of its color.
  • ¼ cup of table salt
  • 2 drops of rosemary, 2 drops of peppermint and 3 drops of lavender.
  • Like I stated before, create this how you would like it. Use all three essential oils, or just one.

Mix all ingredients together and store in a dry area in a jar that holds about 8 oz. It will last longer if water is kept from entering. If the scrub seems too dry add in a little more oil.


Alyssa is a recent highschool graduate, going to college in the fall where she’ll be studying physical therapy and working towards a medical esthetician license. Her dream is to work in a health and medical spa that offers only organic and natural treatments for the skin. (I think she’ll be opening her own someday!) She has been a member of MakeupAlley.com since 2006.

Posted by ~Trish

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Los Angeles Part II: Blunda and Yosh

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Blunda

Los Angeles Report Part II brings us to my enchanted evening at Blunda where Yosh, Persephenie, and many botanical gems were discovered. Before I get to Yosh though, let me tell you about the benzoin! I had never smelled benzoin until this past weekend and could hardly pull my nose out of the jar that held this intoxicating substance which is made from the bark of the Styrax tree via cuts to release the resin. Above all, enticing vanilla wafted from the glass jar. Soft and supple, yet dirty and earthy as if you’d just pulled a piece of wood out of the soil. And the labdanum! I finally got to smell labdanum, another resin, utterly rich and musty. It also struck me as quite leathery with great depth and amazingly animalic for a botanical.

Hundreds of individual essences within Persephenie’s perfumer’s palette remained to be sniffed, but time was short and there was much to smell. Blunda is filled with a delicious array of natural fragrance offerings from Aftelier, Velvet and Sweet Pea, DSH, Artemesia, and Persephenie’s own bodycare line. I could have spent all evening poring over the gorgeous selection. And when one of my favorite perfumers, Roxana Villa walked through the door, I was thrilled not only to have the chance to chat with Roxana, but to experience the fragrances and essences with her was truly special.



YOSH-Winter-Rose

Of course we were all gathered to learn more about Yosh Han’s fragrance Winter Rose and the two fragrance installations, Dew and Sombra Negra, she created especially for the evening. Winter Rose is a 100% botanical fragrance that was inspired by Yosh’s travels through Turkey. Four rose attars along with cardamom are in Winter Rose, making for an inspired, authentic and slightly spicy rose fragrance. But it was the evening’s installations that really got my attention. Sombra Negra with its vetiver, patchouli, oak moss, and tobacco went into deep and dark territory that smoldered in LA’s summer heat. A little too much actually. I had to fan myself as I thought how Sombra Negra would be more appropriate in front of the fireplace upon autumn’s first chill. But Dew….Dew was perfection on that hot night. Why don’t more perfumers use fennel? It’s sheer genius with its crisp and refreshing bite. Yosh added honey absolute, citrus notes with lime, petitgrain and neroli and then a hint of sweet floral in ylang ylang. She created Dew in a gel base, which enhanced the cooling effect of the fragrance and heightened the sparkling anise quality of fennel. For those of you interested in purchasing Sombra Negra or Dew, there still might be some available through Blunda if you contact Persephenie.

If you do call the boutique, consider calling in an order for Persephenie’s Linden Blossom Dry Body Oil or the Nanu Lei Fizzy Wonders. I haven’t actually tried the bath fizzies yet because it has been outrageously hot since I’ve been home, but they smell heavenly! A luscious blend of coconut, cocoa butter, citrus, and tropical flowers. I can’t wait for the weather to cool down so I can enjoy an evening’s bath with one of my Nanu Lei Fizzies. I can attest to how wonderful the Linden Blossom Dry Body Oil is, as I have used it several times and it hydrates beautifully and smells like you’ve stepped out of a Maui spa. The linden blossom is warm and citrusy, almost honey-like, and I’m sure Persephenie has enhanced the oil with other citrus elements as well as tropical white florals and a spot of cocount. It lasts many hours on the skin and you can put it in your hair as well where I’m sure the scent would waft sublimely.


Persephenie and Yosh

Persephenie and Yosh

Blunda is truly an olfactory wonderland. Twice monthly visits (if not more) would certainly be the norm if I lived in Los Angeles. But more than the perfumes, body products and jars of botanical scents…it was the people of these natural perfume enclaves that made my trip exceptional. Persephenie was warm and welcoming; funny and kind. Yosh’s killer smile, along with her sharp intellect and charm-for-days left me giddy in her wake. Roxana Villa was a joy to finally meet. Her caring, astute, and vibrant nature put me at ease the moment I saw her. And if you read Part I, you know my experiences at Strange Invisible Perfumes and Le Labo were also remarkable. My friend in life and in scent (not to mention fabulous Los Angelean host), duVergne, might be getting another visit from me sooner than she realizes!

Posted by ~Trish


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Diptyque's L'Art Du Soin

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Diptyque’s new bodycare line, L’Art Du Soin or Art of Care, is based around the theme of travel and discovery. Each product has been inspired by a destination such as Florence or Cordoba for its ingredients and fragrance as well as its “gesture” as the Diptyque literature states. This of course sounds lovely, but my ears really perked up while visiting the San Francisco boutique this spring when I heard L’Art Du Soin was going to be free of phthalates, parabens, glycols, and PEG; glycols and PEG being petrochemicals. (Their literature also states no “aluminum or sulfates derived from petrochemicals.”)  Scrutinizing the ingredient lists shows that this does not mean 100% free of petrochemicals or synthetic fragrance, but to be fair, L’Art Du Soin appears to be extremely close. I know that many Scent Hive readers are Diptyque fans who must be thrilled they now offer products free of parabens and phthalates.

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Lait Frais (Fresh Lotion): Inspiration, Alexandria on the Mediterranean

Smoothing Lait Frais on the skin is reminiscent of freshly crushed leaves that gives it a hearty green scent. It’s vibrant and lively; what you’d expect from a petitgrain fragrance as petitgrain is the essential oil extracted from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree. Petitgrain is often used in men’s colognes, but Lait Frais is unisex in the way that it will become feminine on a woman and masculine on a man. Honeyed orange blossoms appear further down the road, about an hour later, adding to its summery appeal. The lotion itself is nourishing and softens the skin with macadamia oil and organic sweet almond oil. Never greasy, Lait Frais is perfect for summer, especially humid climates. Impressive sillage is also part of the deal as its fragrance wafted around me as my arms swung, and after five hours it was still going strong.


Gelée Lactée (Creamy Body Wash): Inspiration Aleppo, Syria

Diptyque wants to “revive the pleasure of bathing” with this creamy, olive oil based body wash. I wasn’t aware this pleasure needed reviving, but Gelée Lactée certainly brings gratification to the shower. The milky wash produces an abundance of luxurious, foamy suds that has a silky slip on the skin. Rosemary, bay laurel, and lemon are the notes listed on the product information, but rosemary, which typically knocks your socks off with its aroma, was no where to be found. Instead, the shower was gently consumed by the scent of bay leaf and soothing citrus, which was both refreshing and serene.


Huiles Précieuses (Precious Oils): Inspiration Florence, Italy

Huiles Précieuses is a very masculine fragrance oil, loaded with soapy iris, and potent cedar. This was simply too strongly scented for me to use liberally so I can’t comment on its efficacy as a moisturizer. Ultimately it was my least favorite of the L’Art Du Soin line (even on my husband) as its derivative masculine scent was too tenacious and overbearing.


Creme Riche (Rich Butter): Inspiration Byzantium

Creme Riche is a very effective moisturizer laden with goodness for your skin like organic argan oil, organic honey and rose water. It’s silky and absobs rapidly, leaving no trace of the butter. Just smooth, soft skin. Myrrh and Damask Rose provide a lovely dusty, woody rose scent that lasts for hours.


Baume Généreux pour les Mains (Luxurious Hand Balm): Inspiration, Cordoba, Spain

Diptyque’s Luxurious Hand Balm is drop-dead gorgeous. Organic argan oil shows itself again as well as shea butter and apricot kernel oil in this luxurious concoction. With ingredients like that, it would be hard not to butter your hands up with nourishment. But even if didn’t, I’d still want this stuff all over me…it smells that good. Juicy apricots and the vanilla-covered almond flavor of tonka bean swirl over you after massaging this balm on your skin. Just try not to nuzzle yourself too much in public when you wear this.

L’art du Soin is available at Four Seasons Products, and Beautyhabit.com

posted by ~Trish

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For The Good of The Pits: Natural Deodorants Reviewed

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Dr. Hauschka Floral Deodorant has been my staple for a year now. I have not felt the need to seek out a different deodorant because it performs very well, smells great, and the bottle itself lasts a long time; well over 6 months. Yet, out of all the questions I am asked regarding beauty products, “what deodorant do you recommend?” has been the most frequent. Friends, family, and even a few readers have requested this review. So rather than rely on my “holy grail” find, I decided to do some testing for the good of the pits. None of the deodorants I tested contain aluminum, petrochemicals, phtlalates, or parabens, and three of the four are organic.

You’ll notice that these deodorants are not inexpensive. Prior to discovering Dr. Hauschka’s, I tried many of the cheaper natural standards that you all might have tried; Tom’s, Jason, and Nature’s Gate, without much luck. So I stepped up the price point to Dr. Hauschka, and found that it was more than worth it, especially considering how long it lasts.

Here’s the rating scale I devised for the reviews:

10=pits that smell like you just got out of the shower after scrubbing with a soapy loofah.

0=you just ran a marathon, scrubbed your pits with onions, and then went camping for a week and didn’t shower.

264Dr. Hauschka Deodorant Floral $23:
1) After using Dr. Hauschka’s deodorant in the morning, and having a day of regular activity; pits=9. On a sunny day after walking around; pits=8.
2) After a work-out; pits=7-8. (When I am working out, I expect to sweat because none of these deodorants are anti-perspirants).
3) Able to neutralize B.O. that’s already there; pits=8.
4) Does not sting when applied after shaving.
5) Roll-on. No whiteness.
6) Scent is lovely, gentle spicy rose. Does not compete with fragrance of the day, but could if you are sensitive to scent.
7) Recyclable glass bottle.
8) Organic!


13302_inMiessence Tahitian Breeze and Ancient Spice Roll-On Deodorant $8.95:

1) After a day of regular activity; pits=9
2) After a work-out; pits=7
3) Able to neutralize B.O.; pits=7
4) This one did sting when I applied right after shaving.
5) Roll-on. No whiteness.
6) Tahitian scent is a mild patchouli/floral, Ancient Spice is spicy/citrus.  Both dissipate quickly and do not compete with fragrance of the day.
7) Recyclable #1 plastic bottle.
8) Organic!

280Weleda Citrus Deodorant $8.25:
1) After day of regular activity; pits=7.
2) After a work-out; pits=6.
3) Not able to neutralize B.O.
4) Did not use after shaving, but does have alcohol as first ingredient, so this might be a concern. EDIT: Did not sting after shaving.
5) Spray. No whiteness. Dripped down arm and that was a little annoying.
6) Barely perceptible citrus scent.
7) Recyclable glass bottle.
8) Organic!

05-08-09-lavanillaLavanila The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Lavender $18:

1) After a day of regular activity; pits=9.
2) After work-out; pits=8.
3) Able to neutralize B.O; pits=9
4) Does not sting after shaving.
5) Solid. Left a little bit of whiteness, probably varies on amount you use.
6) Unisex, musky lavender scent. Pretty strong, might interfere with fragrance. Pleasant, does not resemble overbearing drug store type scent.
7) Non-recyclable plastic.
*Not organic

Update: Lavanila uses “nature identical oils” in their fragrances and body products which are synthetic.

Overall, I was highly impressed with the new deodorants I tested, most notably Miessence and Lavanila. Both were effective deodorants and each one offers something Dr. Hauschka’s does not. Miessence has a much better price than Dr. Hauschka’s, and is organic. I also appreciate having a solid deodorant option that Lavanila provides, as it neutralizes end of the day B.O. a little better than Dr. Hauschka’s. So there are pros and cons to each one, but they are all good, if not excellent, and I hope this helps in the quest for happy pits.

~Dr. Hauschka Deodorant Floral and Weleda Citrus Deodorant are available at Saffronrouge.com
~Miessence is available at their website
~Lavanila is available at Sephora

Posted by ~Trish

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Daybreak Lavender Farms: Full Body Treatment

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Perfume collectors and scent hounds love to discuss the indolic nature of certain perfumes, especially those that contain jasmine. So what exactly does indolic mean? This is very interesting. Indoles are produced by bacteria that are found in human feces, and give it a fecal odor. Indoles are also found in flowers such as jasmine. For instance, pure jasmine oil has about 2.5% indole content, according to the scholarly Wikipedia. Orange blossoms, gardenias, and tuberose are also indolic flowers and depending on the concentration, can lend a voluptuous and sultry redolence to a perfume. But if you’re new to the term and you’re thinking: Perfume can smell like poop? The answer is: not literally. But kind of. Maybe you’ve never noticed it before in your deep jasmine fragrances, but it’s a little like hiking through fecund woods on a muggy summer day and smelling a skunk in the far off distance. Some people are repelled by that scent, while some are drawn to a little earthy skankiness.

 

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Now you’ll know what I mean when I say Daybreak Lavender Farm’s Jasmine is not, let me repeat, not indolic. It is one of the cleanest jasmines I have ever smelled. I’m sure many of you are tired of the exaltation of indolic jasmines, and if you are, this review is for you. Daybreak’s Jasmine, also called Taj Majal, is not of the musky variety either, which makes it quite unique because “clean” typically means “musky”. Their jasmine blend is richly floral, soapy (even when it’s not soap) and elegant. After applying the Taj Majal Body Balm, the word that comes to mind is pure. Pure, because my skin smells of soft jasmine petals without any musk or hint of tangy bodily, ahem, aromas…it’s just clean. I never thought I’d be attracted to such a tropical floral, but I’m drawn to Daybreak’s jasmine on hot days when I don’t want a lot of fussiness.

 

As for the products themselves, I have been duly impressed with their 100% natural ingredients, many of which are organic and grown on their farm. When I placed an order for several skincare items (the By U 4 U Facial Cleanser is wonderful), Jody Byrne, the owner, was very generous to send me a wide variety of Jasmine and Taj Majal body products to sample and these were the stand-outs:

 

My favorite everyday product: Jasmine Flower Shea Butter Soap with 33% Shea Butter comes in a big brick that you cut into bars yourself. I wasn’t sure I’d like the idea of cutting the bars, but now I love it. This allows you to make the soap the size you want, and I’ve also cut off bars and wrapped them up for friends. The soap creates a superb lather, and because it’s made with 33% shea butter, it is very moisturizing. 

 

My new favorite discovery: Jasmine Lovelight Body Candle was a complete novelty for me as I’d never seen anything like it. The candle itself is made from shea and cocoa butters as well as old comb beeswax, so when you light it and the base melts, you can apply it directly to your skin. Let it cool for a few moments, and pour it on! I found that simply dipping my fingers into the melted candle was plenty for moisturizing my hands and arms as the warmed up “candlotion” covers a lot of area. The lovelight body candle would make a perfect gift, and as the name suggests, lends itself to a little romance. 

 

My favorite indulgence: Moisturizing my hands with a luxurious body butter before bed is a favorite ritual of mine, and the Taj Mahal Extra Shot of Moisture Body Balm is a worthy contender. The ingredients include aloe gel, vegetable squalene from olives, unrefined shea butter, pure lanolin, sweet almond, jojoba, beeswax, and honey. Like all Daybreak body products, you get to choose what scent you want. Mysore Sandalwood, Damask Rose, and Lemon Verbena are just a few of the other offerings. I would love to order this in the Sandalwood Vetiver next go around. The texture of the body balm is very thick, smoothes easily over the skin and is readily absorbed.

 

My favorite summertime body spray: Taj Majhal Spray Silk is a spray-on moisturizer that has a refreshingly fine mist and provides a light hydration for your skin. On those hot muggy days when you want a light scent and a cool mist, the clean jasmine bouquet of Taj Majal Spray Silk is ideal. Sweet almond, apricot kernel and wheat germ oils provide the moisturizing ingredients of the Spray Silk, and lavender flower tea provides its invigorating quality, especially if you keep the bottle in the refrigerator as the Daybreak website suggests.

 

Jasmine, be it clean or indolic, may not be your scent preference. Don’t let that stop you from experiencing Daybreak’s wonderful and vast array of  body and skincare offerings. You can also check out Dain’s review of Daybreak’s Rhassoul 5-Piece All-Natural Skin Care System. I too have been using the Rhassoul Complexion Polish along with the Prairie Oat Mint Exfoliating Bar when I want to exfoliate my face and back. Be on the look-out for a more extensive Scent Hive review of those two products in the coming months.

 

Daybreak Lavender Farms; available at their website. 

 

Posted by ~Trish

Jasmine in Medicine Bottle by opart at etsy.com

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Fragrance for Yoga

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When exactly Patañjali wrote the Yoga Sutras is debated among scholars, but for our purposes, we’ll go with the broad range that Ravi Ravindra provides in his book, The Wisdom of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide, and call it anywhere between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE. In this ancient text, which many a yogi considers the foundation of yoga, Patañjali states per Ravindra’s translation:

 

A clear and tranquil mind results from cultivating friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion towards those who suffer, joy towards the virtuous, and impartiality towards wrong-doers.

Or from attention to the outward and inward flow of breath (prana). (1.33, 1.34)

 

For real? Is it possible that attention to the breath is as powerful as being impartial towards “wrong-doers”? Why not I suppose. Ultimately being mindful of the breath throughout our hectic days might be as difficult as impartiality, and therefore as potent. Attention to the breath can be quite astonishing in its simplicity, but it requires dedication. Actually observing the process of inhaling and exhaling brings you to the present moment, and allows you to let go of the trappings of the past and anxiety about the future. But it’s challenging to remind yourself to take a “breather” isn’t it? I’m still trying to achieve this at least once a day, even just for few minutes, and yoga helps keeps me on that path. 

 

il_430xN.49804887We fragrance hounds do a lot of intentional inhaling. And whether or not we do yoga, there are some scents out there made specifically for grounding and getting mindful. I wore Rouge Aromatics Ground Me Aromatic Balm a few times over the past couple of weeks to yoga class. I had never worn fragrance to yoga previously, and the experience was definitely fulfilling. Ground Me was created specifically for use during mediation and yoga, so it wears close to the skin and won’t disrupt your neighbor. Its blend of organic balsam fir essential oil, organic vetiver essential oil, and sweet grass infused oil is just what you’d expect from the description. That’s if you have high expectations. Kari Morford, the creator of Rouge Aromatics, is a certified aromatherpist and she knows how to blend. The fir is very well balanced by the earthiness of the vetiver and therefore never strays into the dreaded “Christmas potpourri” territory, and the sweetgrass lends a (shocking!) grassy greenness that again balances the piney balsam of the fir. 

 

Applying Ground Me set an intention right before my yoga practice as I had the thought of grounding in my mind while dabbing the balm on my skin. Every time my wrists passed my face as we moved through the various poses I was reminded to breathe. I have also worn Ground Me a few times outside of class when I needed a little reminder to slow down, and because the tins are so portable, doing this is very convenient. Kari makes many balms, Pamper Me being my other favorite. This is a delightful vanillic jasmine that is slightly indolic, really addictive, and makes for a gorgeous organic perfume. It’s loaded with goodies for your skin like mango butter, rosehip oil and vitamin e. The balms are just $9 for a one ounce tin, so I encourage you to check out her etsy site and consider giving Ground Me and Pamper Me a try.

 

01Renew Elixir by Drops of Nature is another scent for grounding as well as stress relief. The Drops of Nature website suggests applying the elixir to your neck, earlobes and temple to help clear your mind before yoga or pilates class. As with the Ground Me balm, Renew Elixir helps you connect with your breath. You intentionally inhale the clarifying aroma of peppermint, lavender, bergamot, and clary sage; and then hopefully exhale feeling more connected with yourself and maybe a little more relaxed. Jessica over at Now Smell This has already written a fabulous review for Renew Elixir, and I agree with everything she has said, and am loathe to risk repeating it. I will say that I mostly sense peppermint and lavender in the elixir which is wonderful as they are both refreshing and renewing, so breathing in Renew does what it sets out to do. On the skin, Renew lasts about 10 minutes, and I’m not sure the purpose of this product is to last longer than that like a perfume would. As Jessica mentioned in her review, I too enjoy having Renew in my bag for chaotic moments, as it’s a suggestion to reconnect with my breath and clear my mind. 

 

Both Drops of Nature and Rouge Aromatics use 100% all natural ingredients and do not use phthalates, parabens, or petrochemicals and are available at the above linked websites.

 

Posted by ~Trish

 

Breathe image by KathyMortonStanion on etsy

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Rose, the scent that snuck up on me. Part II

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I’m continuing with my mind expansion, opening my world to new roses and the ones I didn’t know I loved so much. So read on for some lovely roses, as well as a great giveaway!

Demeter Vintage Naturals: Rosebush

VN-Rosebush-LeftDemeter has joined the natural perfume ranks with a fragrance line made from 100% natural essential oils. In fact, everything in the Vintage Naturals line is all natural save for 0.2% Bittex, a bitter taste agent used to denature the alcohol. The fragrances are limited edition, as the scents will vary from year to year depending on the character of the essential oil.

The character of Rosebush 2009 is definitely vintage. It has an antique feeling of strolling through an old library with its book lined shelves teeming with stories to tell. This is most likely due to its rose being experienced through a veneer of aging woods and wafts of chamomile’s haylike quality. Detour to the historic library considered, Rosebush stays true to its rose essence, especially in its drydown, and is definitely for the true classic rose lover. If that’s you, consider giving this natural rose a sniff. I’ll make it easier for one of you and send you a 15ml bottle of Rosebush if you leave a comment to enter the drawing! The winner will be announced on Monday, June 1st. The winner has been announced! Woops….I realized after the fact I wrote the wrong date. I have created a new giveaway to make up for my mistake!

Weleda: Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash

wild-rose-creamy-body-washNext to Oracle Organic’s Body Wash, Weleda’s creamy body washes are my favorite. In fact, they would be in a dead heat for first place were it not for Oracle’s local edge. Weleda’s Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash is made in Germany and I have been making a concerted effort to buy more locally. But I do like to have a tube on hand when I crave its rambling rose bush scent. Like Daybreak Lavender Farms By U, 4 U Facial Oil that I reviewed in Part I, Weleda uses rosa mosqueta in this body wash that endows it with a “fresh from the garden” scent. The tube is bursting with the scent of the whole plant; petals, roots, stems, and thorns! The earthy creamy mixture creates a luxurious lather that foams very easily, which I appreciate. I just can’t deny that I want my soap to foam… a lot. I also use and love Weleda’s Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash for my boys, and myself.

Pacifica: Egyptian Bergamot Rose

I reviewed Egyptian Bergamot Rose in April, and even though I knew I was reviewing a rose fragrance, it didn’t fully register that I was enjoying a rose fragrance.pacifica-rose My assumption that I was not a “rose person” was still clinging on, even though I was taking delight in what is undeniably a spicy, vanillic rose perfume. It’s amazing how steadfast beliefs about ourselves can be, even in the face of new information. It wasn’t until I actually took a step away from my experience that I realized, yes! I do love many rose fragrances. I have finally shed my rose judgement that they are too pedestrian and I will not turn my nose at something in the future just because it’s got rose in the mix. In fact, I just might embrace it.

infiorecompactIn Fiore: Rose Noir

Now here’s a fragrance that will never be accused of being too pedestrian! Rose Noir’s blend of rose and oud is stunning and provocative and utterly gorgeous. Michelle Krell Kydd of Glass Petal Smoke wrote a beautiful piece on oud that is informative and thought provoking. I highly recommend reading it if you are interested in learning more about this fascinating essence that is created in the heartwood of the Aguilera tree when it is attacked by fungus. Isn’t that rife with metaphor? Like the lotus blossoming out of the muck!

I have written several times about Julie Elliott on Scent Hive. She is the owner and creator of In Fiore, and has done a fabulous job melding the oud with the rose in Rose Noir. I don’t want to say too much because I have written a review for Rose Noir in Sniffapalooza Magazine that is coming out in its next issue. So this was just a little teaser…you’ll have to stay tuned.

Demeter Vintage Naturals Rosebush is available at Sephora.com

Weleda Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash is available at Saffronrouge.com

Pacifica Egyptian Bergamot Rose is available at Pacifica.com

In Fiore Rose Noir is available at infiore.net

Read on for Part I.

posted by ~Trish

The Latest Bloomer by pepperminte on esty.com

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My Favorite Body Wash is on Sale! Oracle Organics 35% Off.

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A couple months ago I reviewed Oracle Organics Body Wash and declared it near perfect and I’m standing by that claim. It truly has become my favorite body wash for all of the reasons I mentioned in my earlier review. The lather is amazing, really lush and foamy. The top screws off easily making the #2 plastic bottle a snap to clean and recycle or reuse. And of course, the scents are fabulous. My first experience with Oracle Organics Body Wash was their Earth scent, a vetiver/patchouli blend with a hint of fir that is deep, earthy and warm. Its comforting redolence was ideal for 4bthose cold and rainy spring days of March and April (and let’s face it, here in the northwest we’re still having some in May). But looking onward to summer, I wanted to try some of their floral offerings.

 

Organic Garden was an obvious choice. Rose geranium is the primary note in this body wash, accompanied by subtle hints of lavender, lemon, and rosemary. I often shy away from rose geranium as its strength can be very overwhelming to the point of being headache inducing if used with a heavy hand. Michelle Gomez, creator of Oracle Organics, has showed restraint with this blend so the brightness of rose geranium can shine without overtaking the Organic Garden experience. 

 

I also gave Soothing Lavender a try which is a lavender, green tea and rosemary blend. While the rosemary in Organic Garden yielded mere wisps of its herbal nature, in Soothing Lavender, it’s a standout. The fresh, aromatic, and herbaceous qualities of rosemary and lavender compliment each other fluidly. 3cAnd depending on how rosemary interacts with your mind-set or possibly the time of day, I could see this body wash being soothing or invigorating. I love Soothing Lavender, and Michelle makes it in her massage oil as well, but I would only recommend this scent to those of you who love rosemary.

 

Speaking of the massage oil, Michelle added some of it in my last order for me to sample, and I give high praise for it as well. She sent the Strengthen Massage Oil which has rosemary and spearmint and it’s wonderful for achey muscles. The oil itself has great slip, only a little is needed, and it would also make a lovely after-bath moisturizer. In my first order I got the Ginger Lime Sugar Scrub and I also recommend that. Be aware that it’s strong on the ginger. I’ll be trying the citrus or mint next go around, but the scrub itself is wonderful. 

 

So now for the sale details!! Everything in the store is 35% off. Michelle is about to have a baby so she is closing her online store starting in June and will re-open once she gets settled being a new mama. When she does, she will be fully stocked including new items. When you put your item in the shopping bag, you will see the sale price reflected. For instance, the Body Washes that were $12 are now $7.40. The Sugar Scrubs that were $11 are now $7.15. As you can see, the prices are fantastic for this line of organic body care! I really can’t recommend Oracle Organics strongly enough and now is definitely the time to check them out. You can read here about the details of their green and ethical philosophy. 

 

Oracle Organics, available at their website

Posted by ~Trish

Photos from Oracle Organics website

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Carol's Daughter Body Butter. My Mother's Day Pick

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groove_bb_mMother’s Day is rapidly approaching on Sunday and I wanted to post about a product that is affordable, easily accessible, and something that would make most moms feel special. My pick is Carol’s Daughter Body Butter ($18) and is available online and at most Sephora stores.

Carol’s Daughter Body Butter is filled with ingredients your skin craves to keep it soft and supple: shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil. And what’s even more important, is what isn’t in the Body Butter. You won’t find petrochemicals, phthalates, parabens, or synthetic dyes. Carol’s Daughter does not claim to use 100% all-natural or organic ingredients, but again, we’re looking for a lower price point here and I am happy that no petrochemicals or phthalates are being used, at least in the Body Butter. You’ll want to be sure to read the labels of their other products if this is important to you. The consistency of Carol’s Daughter Body Butter is thick and balm-like, but warms readily and absorbs quickly. It’s super hydrating and feels luxurious as you massage it into your skin.

Finding a scent for the mom in your life can be challenging, but I say just go for it. With a body butter in general, she can use a little on her hands for a subtle scent, or go crazy and put it all over if she really falls head over heels with your choice. Carol’s Daughter gives you many to choose from. Love is laden with honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Ocean has rosemary, cyclamen and rose. Ecstasy is pineapple, white florals and musk. Almond Cookie is for the real sweet lover and has marzipan, tonka and vanilla orchid. Mango Melange is succulent fruit and coconut, and Jamaican Punch is Fuji apple, cinnamon and musk.

My favorite is Groove Body Butter. And groovy it is. There is nothing about the notes listed that say I should like this. Red currant and sugared dewberries (too sweet!), Tahitian vanilla and cocoa (that might be OK, but with that sweetness I was thinking too foody) and musk (dear gawd…..I cannot do musk). But somehow, it all works and I love it. The red currant tempers the whole deal and keeps its fruitiness just tart enough so the scales don’t get tipped too far into the cloying realm. And the vanilla and cocoa are not of the foody type, just the aromatic swoon-worthy variety. And the musk? What can I say….it’s one of those rare breeds that works for me. It’s not a clean musk, white musk or an “Egyptian” type musk. It’s a fruity musk I guess, a groovy musk.

All of these scents, Groove, Ocean, Mango Melange, etc. also come in other products like scrubs, oils and gels. So you could make your mama a lovely gift set and even mix and match the fragrances. So have at it and pick one up for yourself.

Carol’s Daughter is available at Sephora, their online store and their US stores.

Posted by ~Trish

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In Fiore: Dayala Body Balm

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I am recently back from my trip to San Francisco, and unfortunately did not get a chance to visit the In Fiore retail shop. They aren’t open on the weekends anymore, and don’t hold many retail hours in general. So I don’t have anything to report in terms of smelling their perfume solids like I had hoped. But, a few weeks ago I did get their Dayala Body Balm from Beautyhabit.com so I’ll go ahead and review that for you all.

bbtrio1-mDayala is a jasmine based fragrance like Maia, which I have previously reviewed here, yet it is more innocent and playful in comparison. The jasmine grandiflorum in Dayala is reminiscent of Maia, deep and gorgeous. But the lemongrass lightens the mood and adds brightness to the heady flower. So while Maia is sultry and smoky, Dayala is green and sunny. However, both possess the underlying jasmine that is stunning and unparalleled in its depth and richness.

infiore_dayalabb-thumbnaillarge1The Body Balm itself is luscious. Its base is made from grapeseed, organic jojoba oil, and vitamin E. The consistency is thick like a cream, but when it warms on the skin, it melts like an oil. Once applied, it absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue. I prefer to smooth it on my skin when I am just out out of the shower, before my skin is dry. I have noticed that the beautiful scent of fresh jasmine still lingers for days on my bathrobe if I wear it just after putting on Dayala. I know some of you were looking forward to In Fiore’s Maia being released in the Body Balm, which it hasn’t yet. But for those of you who just can’t wait to get your hands on a lovely, grassy green, slightly indolic jasmine, Dayala will certainly tide you over.

~Please keep your eye on the In Fiore website which will be updated in the next few weeks. When it is, you will find these gorgeous amulets offered. I also want to clarify that In Fiore never uses petrochemicals or synthetic ingredients, and this information was confirmed by the owner, Julie Elliott.

Dayala Body Balm is available at Beautyhabit.com and InFiore.net.

Posted by ~Trish

“Jasmine Flowers Bloom in Springtime at Sunset” by Jason Edwards at art.com

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Oracle Organics Earth Body Wash

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Winners of the Chergui decants are SUZY and ALYSSA! Send me your addresses at scenthive@gmail.com and I’ll send them off ASAP. Congrats!

 

earth_organic_body_wash1

I have several criteria that need to be met before I fall in love with a body wash. Easy to use packaging. Recyclable packaging. Reasonably priced. Rich and foamy, luxuriously cleansing lather. Wonderful smell. And last but not least, it needs to be made with ingredients I want and nothing I don’t want. Amazingly, Oracle Organics Earth Body Wash meets them all. So yeah, it’s pretty much a perfect match.

 

Thankfully I read about this little company based outside of Eugene, OR on Fig + Sage’s website. All of their ingredients are either organic, wildharvested or handcrafted without the use of chemicals. Additionally, all of their products are vegan and never tested on animals. Oracle Organics also does not use palm oil as, according to the owner Michelle Gomez, palm oil plantations are responsible for the destruction of Southeast Asia’s rainforests. (You can read more about that here on their website).

 

After perusing the Oracle Organics website, I knew I had to try a couple of their products. Not only did I appreciate their devotion to the environment, their full disclosure of ingredients as the gals pointed out in their review over at Fig + Sage, but I was also taken in by their lovely scent offerings. When I saw the Earth Body Wash with vetiver, it immediately went into my shopping cart. I was a little leary of the Douglas Fir in the description, but decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did. The vetiver lives up to the wash’s name with its earthy, balsamy scent. While the fir is barely perceptible, (no Christmas potpourri action thank goodness) it’s just enough to give it some green depth. There’s a touch of patchouli, but don’t be scared. Even though we’re talking Eugene, Oregon this is not a hippie scent. The delicate patchouli lends itself beautifully towards this warm earthy scent, and the abundant soapy lather that develops effortlessly.

 

I also tried the Ginger Lime Sugar Scrub which I will give a rave review for the product, but not so much for the scent. The scent part is really my fault though. I don’t like ginger and I’m not sure why I got it. I think it’s because the product description mentioned it being a “scent of the islands”, but I should have known better. I think I will try the Purify Sugar Scrub with mint and green tea next time because overall, I loved the scrub. The consistency is like a paste and is not messy at all. It’s not too granular, feels great on the skin and is nicely moisturizing. 

 

And I have great news! Not only is Oracle Organics reasonably priced to begin with, ($12 for the wash, $14 for the scrub) everything on the website is 25% off until the end of March. The discount is applied once you add the product to your shopping cart. 

 

Oracle Organics, available at their website.

 

Posted by ~Trish

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In Fiore: Maia Body Oil (Renamed *Jasmin Supérieur)

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This may seem like cruel and unusual punishment, especially for you jasmine lovers, but Maia Body Oil is heavenly…and it is *discontinued. But keep reading because there is good news at the end. Maia is made by In Fiore, a San Francisco based company founded by Julie Elliott that specializes in skin care and fragrance, using only natural and organic ingredients. Their line includes, among other things, face oils, solid perfumes, skin balms, and the now discontinued body oils. In Maia, Julie Elliott has captured all of jasmine’s desirable facets and balanced them harmoniously. Its tropical lushness is intact, but never crosses the line into a blowsy white floral. Maia plays with the indolic boundary of jasmine just enough to give it full-bodied depth while pushing it away from any hint of metallic tinniness. Yet, I would never call it “animalic” or musky. The bottle’s label states that red mandarin and lavender are also in the mix, but they are woven in quite subtly. The touch of citrus from the red mandarin guides the inherent citrus note from the jasmine, allowing it to gently unfurl. And the lavender might possibly help ground the jasmine, but its herbaceousness is not strongly noted.


Interestingly, a lovely touch of tobacco is also present which quite frankly is intoxicating. So much so that Maia has led me to become a little obsessed with finding the perfect tobacco fragrance.  (Well that, and watching too much Mad Men). The oil itself is very hydrating and sinks into the skin quickly. The scent lasts for several hours, and I love putting it on just before bed. OK, now for the good news. I emailed Ms. Elliott in desperation once I figured out Maia Body Oil was no where to be found on the internet after I’d purchased it from beautyhabit.com. She said that indeed the oils have been discontinued but that she would most likely be making up a batch of Maia Body Balms in March. If any of you are jasmine lovers, I highly recommend getting your hands on a jar. Either that or track eBay like a fiend for the Body Oil, but then you might have to fight me for it.


I will be visiting the store in March to grab myself a jar, and attend a conference for work (oh yeah, that!) and will report back on what I am certain are all of the other gorgeous fragrance offerings at In Fiore. I happened upon this interview, and after reading it, I cannot wait to get a sniff of Rose Noir. Here is the description: saffron absolute, damascena rose petals over a deep rich tenacious base of oud from Assam, galbanum resin, and a hint of rosewood. Just reading about it makes me swoon.


In Fiore is available in a 2oz bottle for $58 at Beautyhabit.com and infiore.net

*Update:  Maia is now Jasmin Supérieur. Same formula, different name.

Posted by ~Trish

Photo by Simian Cephalopod on flickr


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