Naturalla Beauty

I love a good luxury product, but I dislike the assumption that green beauty has to cost a lot.  Fact is, with a constantly expanding market, today there are great healthy options available at any price point.  With that in mind, today's post features some of my very favorite inexpensive picks.  These are all items I've bought more than once and are products I'll continue to purchase in the future.  Prices might run slightly over $10 depending where you shop, but all items should be very affordable anywhere.



Kiss My Face Moisture Shave
I've tried a lot of natural shaving products over the last few years and I always go back to Kiss My Face's Moisture Shave.  It's not a foaming product, but with a light lotiony consistency, it spreads easily, provides good slip for a razor, and leaves skin feeling soft and supple.  My favorite is the Key Lime for its zesty citrus scent that's fresh and not at all overpowering.  

Mineral Fusion Sheer Moisture Lip Tint
I've raved about these crayons several times before and they're still one of my very favorite lip products.  For me, they're the perfect combination of color and comfort -- sheer tints in a moisturizing, balmy base.  My absolute favorite is Glisten (warm caramelly nude), but I also love Glow (bright pink) and Shimmer (coral with a subtle sparkle).

Nourish Organic Body Wash
Nourish has a horrible habit of discontinuing my favorite scents, but I still constantly rebuy the body wash in whatever scents I can find.  As with all Nourish products, the body wash is made with top notch ingredients and is USDA certified organic.  It has a creamy, pearly consistency and a castile soap base and is really unlike any other body wash I've used.  Particularly if you have dry skin or are in search of something a little gentler and more moisturizing than your average shower gel, I highly recommend checking these out!

Humphrey's Organic Witch Hazel
If you're looking for an affordable toner, I highly recommend making your own with witch hazel.  Witch hazel, if you aren't already familiar with it, is excellent for balancing oil production and cleaning and refining pores, and can easily be infused with herbs and blended with essential oils and other ingredients.  This one, from Humphrey's, is a witch hazel astringent with 14% organic alcohol, but I prefer that to a lot of the preservatives found in alcohol-free witch hazels.  

Silk Naturals Sheer Blushes
I love a lot of Silk Naturals products, but the blushes just might be my very favorite.  The Sheer formula offers buildable color that's easy to work with and blend, so you never end up with accidental clown cheeks.  My longtime favorites are Lovelace (a dupe for Nars Deepthroat), Abstract, and Tchotchke, but with a huge color selection, there are so many great options!  Some shades do contain dyes, so if, like me, that's something you avoid, make sure you read the individual ingredient listings.  

Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Shampoo + Conditioner
I discovered these earlier this year and I'm already working on my second bottles of both!  Of all the natural shampoos and conditioners I've used, this duo has probably the closest feel to conventional products.  The shampoo lathers easily and rinses clean, and the conditioner moisturizes without leaving any kind of residue behind.  Together, they leave my hair soft and bouncy with great curl definition, and while I wasn't sure about the sweet, candy orange scent in my hair at first, I've actually grown to really love it.  

Crazy Rumors Lip Balm
I have a few favorite lip balm brands, but I think Crazy Rumors is the one I've repurchased the most.  Not every flavor has been a complete success for me, but I love the actual balm formula, and I enjoy having so many different flavors to choose from.  My top picks?  Raspberry Sherbet and Plum Apricot.  

Acure Argan Oil
Argan oil is a great multitasking oil packed with vitamin E, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.  I buy it specifically to use in the ends of my hair, but without fail, it always also ends up on my face and body.  There's significant quality variation amongst different argan oils on the market, and I think Acure's oil is one of the best at an inexpensive price point.  

Deep Steep Foaming Hand Wash
With an ever-growing assortment of scents, Deep Steep makes a great healthy Bath & Bodyworks alternative.  Personally, I can't always deal with strongly scented lotions and creams, but I can (and do!) get behind the foaming hand washes.  They have great ingredients, clean well, don't dry out your hands, and smell fantastic.  They're also super affordable (even the double size refills bottles are under $10!), and because they foam, a bottle of soap goes a lot further than you might expect.  Keep an eye out for seasonal scents at Winners and TJ Maxx.

What are your favorite inexpensive green beauty finds?

My empties bag filled up SUPER quickly this time, not because I finished a ton more products than usual, but because most of what I did finish are larger items.  Generally my empties include a lot of smaller, sample size products, so it's pretty satisfying to see so many full sizes here!



Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Shampoo + Conditioner   [Review]
I was a little mixed on these -- especially the conditioner -- when I first reviewed them, but by the end of the bottles, I was sold on both.  The conditioner didn't last as long as other brands, but once I got used to using more product, it was a great fit for my hair.  Repurchase? Yes! I ordered replacements earlier this week.

Alaffia Everyday Shea Vanilla Mint Body Wash
The Alaffia body washes are both massive and very inexpensive, making them a great bang for your buck.  This bottle lasted me a full six months or more and it worked great.  Easy to lather, gentle on the skin, and smelled nice too -- though it had much more of a minty-herbal scent than vanilla mint.  Repurchase? Yes.

Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Body Wash
I like Deep Steep's Tangerine Melon scent in other products, but I didn't love it so much as a body wash.  Plus, the wash itself had a strange, jelly-like texture.  I'm wondering if something was off with this particular bottle, as I've never seen anyone else mention this consistency.  It did make a TON of bubbles though.  Repurchase? Probably not.



Niora Naturals Silk Basic Emollient Makeup Remover*   [Review]
I tried out the entire acne range from Niora Naturals this past winter, and this makeup remover was my very favorite product from the line.  As the name suggests, it has an emollient, lotiony texture, but melts away makeup just as effectively as an oil.  And, the emulsified consistency means that it rinses away much cleaner and easier, giving you the best of both worlds. Repurchase? Definitely!

Devita Fragrance Free Shea Butter Brulée   [Review]
I liked this lotion, but I wish it offered a little more intense hydration.  For a product described as "ultra rich" and "saturated with 100% shea butter," it was surprisingly light.  On the plus side, it's enriched with peptides and vitamin K, which you don't often see in body products, and does make skin look lovely and slightly perfected or airbrushed.  For that reason, I liked using it on my legs when they were going to be exposed, but it didn't keep my skin feeling moisturized for very long.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Acure Organics Tropical Citrus Argan Oil Castile Soap
I hate that I keep coming down on Acure products lately, but the castile soap was another disappointment for me.  The Tropical Citrus smelled great at first, but the scent completely disappeared within a month or two of being open.  The consistency was also very watery -- a lot thinner than other castile soaps -- so while it was cheaper than something like Dr. Bronner's, it seemed less concentrated.  Repurchase? Doubtful.  I can't find it online anymore to link even, so it looks like it may have been discontinued.

Deep Steep Peppermint Vanilla Argan Oil Foaming Hand Wash
Deep Steep's Foaming Hand Washes are awesome.  They're gentle and non-stripping, smell great, and the bottles last a surprisingly long time too.  Peppermint Vanilla was a seasonal scent and not as vanilla-y as I would have liked, but overall, it was a great soap.  Repurchase? Yes!



Suntegrity 5 in 1 Face Sunscreen in Fair + Light (samples)
I've been really into BB/CC creams and tinted moisturizers the last couple months and Suntegrity is one of the best.  Well worth the hype in my opinion.  My only problem with it is that it contains dimethicone, something I usually avoid.  Funny story, but before trying these samples, it had been so long since I'd used anything with silicones, that I'd forgotten just how good they are at smoothing out any texture issues and was blown away with how flawless my skin looked wearing just the Suntegrity and a light dusting of powder.  The 5 in 1 doesn't offer a ton of coverage, but, in addition to fixing texture issues, it also does a good job evening out skin tone and covering minor imperfections and blemishes.  It's also quite moisturizing, and leaves skin looking luminous and dewy.   In terms of colors, Light was too dark for me -- and definitely a little on the orange side -- but Fair was a great match.  Repurchase? Not sure.

Boo Bamboo Bamboo Makeup Remover Wipes   [Review]
I've talked about these before and they're still my favorite makeup wipes.  Gentle and effective, and they don't irritate my skin.  Repurchase? Yes.

Baby Spa Ultra-Soft Baby Wipes
I used these as a face wipe too and they were okay.  The actual fabric of the wipe felt a little rough.  This smaller 10-pack would be great for travel, but beyond that, I don't see myself buying them again.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Young Living Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil
I don't see eucalyptus in a lot of skincare, but my face really likes it.  I use it all the time in DIY toners and masks, and also as a spot treatment on blemishes.  Eucalyptus is, of course, great for any respiratory issues too.  Repurchase? Yes, I already have.



Femme Fatale Cosmetics Heroic Eye Shadow (sample)
I'm still (slowly) chugging away at shrinking my loose eye shadow stash and this sample was the latest to bite the dust.  Heroic, now discontinued, was a pretty gold, though nothing super unique or mind blowing.  Femme Fatale shadows always have great color payoff though and are, as a whole, a formula I'd recommend.  Repurchase? No.  

Rocky Mountain Soap Lemon Lime Lip Butter
I love Rocky Mountain Soap and the lip butters are one of my favorite lip balms.  Lemon Lime was a great fresh and zesty citrus scent, just what the name would suggest.  Repurchase? Yes.

Lily Lolo Black Mascara   [Review]
I love how this mascara performs, but it's a little frustrating how quickly it dries up.  I'm good about tossing my mascaras around the 3 or 4 month mark, but Lily Lolo's always dries up on me long before then -- usually after about 2 or 2 1/2 months.  I've also had good luck with other mascaras recently, so I'm not feeling especially loyal to any one brand just now.  Repurchase? Maybe.

See anything familiar?  What products have you used up recently?

Gift guides are a lot like online window shopping and if there's one thing this girl on a budget loves, it's a good window shop.  This year I've put together a series of six guides - each with a specific recipient in mind - and I'm going to run one each week until mid-December.

Today's guide - as I'm sure you've already gleaned from the title - is all about gifts for someone new to green beauty.  Regardless of whether your giftee has already expressed an interest in natural products or they're the last conventional/synthetic holdout in your life, gifts for the green beauty newbie are all about making natural products fun and non-threatening.  We already know that natural doesn't just mean sweaty patchouli and here's your chance to prove it and leave them wanting more!
Deep Steep Holiday Releases
I love Deep Steep products all year, but I get extra excited for their holiday releases.  This year's collection includes relaunches of last year's Peppermint Vanilla and Sugarplum, as well as new additions of Snowflake and Sugar Candy Apple.  Deep Steep products have awesome ingredients and use only natural fragrances but they're pretty perfect for that Bath & Body Works devotee we all have on our shopping list, no?  The holiday releases don't always end up on the Deep Steep website, but they're often at Winners and T.J.Maxx, and they're also available online from iHerb and Vitacost.  

rareEARTH Candles
I featured these in one of my first gift guides and, two years later, they're still the most gorgeous candles I've found.  Completely natural, the candles are scented with only essential oils and made from clean-burning beeswax and non-GMO soy wax.  They're also colored by hand using only mineral pigments and are stunningly beautiful.  

Subscription Boxes: Beauty Heroes + Petit Vour
Subscription boxes are great way to introduce someone to a variety of new products, plus how fun is it to keep getting monthly gifts into the new year?  Petit Vour is an inexpensive vegan and cruelty free box that sends a good mix of samples, minis and full size products.  If you're feeling a little more spendy, Beauty Heroes is a more unique subscription that offers one full size item each month - deemed their "hero" product - plus a sidekick that's either another full size or a deluxe trial size.  

Lina Hanson Global Body Serum
The Global Body Serum is a beautiful body oil.  It has a light texture that smoothes on nicely to both wet and dry skin, sinks in fairly quickly and hydrates super well.  It also smells incredible - a vanilla/citrus scent reminiscent of creamsicles, but also grown up and sophisticated at the same time.  It's an indulgent product that I think almost anyone would be happy to receive.  If you're worried your newbie might not be ready for an oil moisturizer, the serum can also double as a delectable perfume or a luxurious bath oil.  

Rocky Mountain Soap Gift Sets
Rocky Mountain Soap, who has quickly become one of my favorite body care companies, has a great selection of gift sets for the holidays that will allow to show your recipient just how easy it can be to swap out the toxic contents of their shower for awesome healthier alternatives.  Pictured above are the Vanilla Ginger Cake Box and Peace and Calm Gift Set, but there are tons of other scents and arrangements to choose from.

Intelligent Nutrients Hair Products
Intelligent Nutrients makes some of my very favorite hair products.  Ingredients are amazing, almost everything is certified organic, and, perhaps most importantly, the products really work.  For the holidays they've put together a bunch of discounted sets including the two travel ones pictured above - one featuring the Harmonic line and one the PureLuxe - but depending how much you want to spend, you could certainly put together your own gift with full sizes or different products of your choice.  

I hope this is helpful if you're planning to introduce someone to green beauty this holiday season!  Make sure to check back next week for the next gift guide.

After being really good with my beauty spending for most of the year, I went a little crazy in November and December and bought a whole bunch of things!  I don't usually do hauls, but one of my blogging goals for 2015 is to film more videos and I thought this was as good an opportunity as any to get started!  Please excuse the um's and overuse of 'really' and 'awesome.'  I tell ya, this video business is a work in progress!




For those of you that aren't interested in videos but still want to see what I bought, I snapped a few photos and will link to as many things as I can below.



The Honest Company
Shampoo & Body Wash
Conditioning Detangler
Conditioner



Nourish Organic
Deodorant - Fresh Fig
Body Wash - Lemon Thyme, Coconut & Argan with Hibiscus, Wild Berries
Body Butter - Unscented
Hand Wash - Fresh Fig




Iherb
Acure Tropical Citrus Castile Soap
Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz
Earthpaste Wintergreen Toothpaste
ELF Studio Stippling Brush

Balanced Guru
Calming Masque
Antioxidant Masque
Tone It Lightly
Tone It Deeply

Raw Skinceuticals
Rosacea Herbal Gel Masque



Winners
Physician's Formula Organic Wear Lash Boosting Mascara
Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Purifying Mask
Deep Steep Peppermint Vanilla Foaming Hand Wash

Shoppers Drug Mart
Physician's Formula Organic Wear CC Mascara
Bare English & Co. Lip Balm - Vanilla Almond, Sweet Peppermint


Just a small spot of shopping, right?  Clearly I have a particular fondness for face masks and body wash and may have gone a little overboard on those fronts.  At the very least, I'm set for a good while!

How are your holiday gifts coming?  I managed to cross off most of my list over the weekend, and was even able to take advantage of some of the great sales that were going on.  If you're still shopping, I've put together my yearly gift guide for green beauty lovers.  I decided to split the guide into three parts this year, so make sure you check back for the other two posts on Wednesday and Friday.  



Dr. Sponge Konjac Sponge ($8.50)
A konjac sponge is a great inexpensive gift for any skincare lover on your list.  Made from an Asian root, the sponges are an eco-friendly, fully compostable tool that gently exfoliates the skin whilst whisking away dirt, makeup, and other impurities.  Different varieties like green tea, charcoal, and aloe vera mean there's a sponge to target almost any skin concern you might have.

Gabriel / Zuzu Luxe Holiday Duos ($15.50 / $18.50)
These holiday duos are a great (and cute) way to try out one - or both - of these lines.  Depending which set you choose, you get either Gabriel or Zuzu's black mascara, plus one of four different lip glosses.  The sets cost roughly the same as one mascara or lip gloss, so you're getting a crazy deal on the pair.  

Rachel's Plan Bee Body Oil ($24)
This body oil, created at customers' request, is a gorgeous oil that's equal parts practical and indulgent.  It hydrates like a dream, but also feels super luxurious going on.  The scent is amazing too: a blend of citrus and vanilla that combines into a great vanilla cake/bakery scent.  It's sweet but not overpowering.

Hugo Naturals Holiday Soaps ($4.30-6.15)
Shaped like snowflakes and Christmas trees, these soaps would make great stocking stuffers.  The soaps are scented with essential oils and colored with mineral and plant pigments and are pretty readily available at Whole Foods and other health food stores.  I have the Vanilla Peppermint Snowflake in my bathroom right now, where it looks adorable and smells like a candy cane.  

Petit Vour Subscription Box ($15-30, varies by location)
Subscription boxes are a great gift for the beauty lover and Petit Vour is one of the best.  Each month brings a carefully curated selection of luxury vegan, cruelty free, and natural products.  Check out my past reviews/unboxings to get an idea of what comes in the box.

Crazy Rumors Festive Collection ($13.49)
Lip balm is a staple for almost everyone, especially in the colder months and Crazy Rumors are a great vegan choice.  The Festive Collection includes flavours like Candy Cane and Plum & Peppermint, which sound pretty perfect for this time of year.

Deep Steep Candy Mint Foot Lotion ($6-10)
I'm pretty sure this made it into last year's gift guide, but even so, I wanted to include it here.  Deep Steep's Candy Mint products smell like sweet peppermint and are lovely in the winter months.  The foot lotion is my favorite from the line - it's super rich and great on dry feet, and it's actually one of my favorite lotions to use as a hand cream too!  If you can get your hands on them, Deep Steep also came out with a couple limited edition scents for the holidays: Sugar Plum and Peppermint Vanilla (which actually smells pretty similar to the Candy Mint.)

Pretty Bath Fizzes in Chamomile Dream and Three Wise Men ($6.50 / $7.50)
Pretty is a small Toronto company with some of the cutest packaging around.  The Bath Fizzes use a base of baking soda and citric acid, along with moisturizing shea butter and coconut oil.  Whether you opt for one of the permanent scents like Chamomile Dream or a seasonal one like the frankincense-infused Three Wise Men, I don't think you (or your gift recipient) will be disappointed!

Vapour Organics Elixir Lip Gloss ($22)
If I had to pick one favorite lip gloss brand, I think it would be Vapour Beauty.  The glosses won't dry out your lips and they have a perfect, creamy consistency.  The packaging is elegant - with a brush as opposed to a regular doe foot applicator - and there's a great selection of colors to choose from.   

Have you already finished your holiday shopping?  Or are you a late shopper, just getting started now?   

Also, don't forget to check back for the final two parts of my gift guide later in the week!

It's that time again: empties!  I couldn't fit everything into one photo, so I guess this was a good month for finishing things up.  Sometimes I feel like these posts are just rehashing reviews or other blog posts, but this time around, there are several things that never quite made it to other posts, so it should be interesting...



Nürish Organic Rejuven-EIGHT Day Cream*  [Review]
This day cream's impressive ingredient list features manuka honey,  raspberry seed oil, blueberry seed oil, cranberry seed oil, pomegranate extract, and broccoli seed oil - to name just a few.  It's a soothing, lightweight moisturizer that's great for reducing redness.  I did find it left my skin a little shinier than usual when used in the morning, but I had no problem using it at night, so I enjoyed it that way.  
Repurchase? Probably not.  I'm really much more into face oils these days.

Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz  
There's a full review forthcoming on this product, so I won't go into too many details here.  I've been searching for a less expensive replacement for my much loved Intelligent Nutrients Styling Gel, and the Spiral Spritz is my favorite so far.  It's a light, aloe-based hair gel that works really well for scrunching curls.  It gives a light hold and doesn't leave hair feeling crunchy or sticky.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

South of France Lemon Mint Liquid Soap   [Review]
This is my second bottle of this castile soap, which I mainly used as a body wash.  When I bought it, Lemon Mint was the only scent that was made with only essential oils, but it's since been discontinued.  I'm not sure if the newly overhauled South of France line has any products without fragrance.  
Repurchase? No longer available.

Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Body Lotion
Tangerine Melon is my favorite Deep Steep scent, but even so, I found this lotion a little too heavily scented for me.  Compared to the body butter, the lotion is lighter and rubs into the skin a lot easier, but it also has retinyl palmitate (retinyl palmitate + sun exposure has been linked to cancer.)
Repurchase? The body lotion?  No.  This scent in other products?  Very likely.

Deep Steep Lavender Chamomile Hand Cream
This was a extra tester I was given at work (points to you if you noticed the 'try me' sticker in the photo.)  I liked the hand cream, but it feels very similar to Deep Steep's body butters, so I'm not convinced it's worth spending roughly the same amount for a tube 1/3 of the size.  If you want something small to carry with you, go for it, but otherwise, I'd recommend just buying the body butter.  
Repurchase? Probably not.

Now Foods Vanilla Lip Balm   [Review]
I was pretty unimpressed with this balm initially, but I pulled it out again recently in my quest to finish up all my started lip balms and it was decent.  It's on the waxier side - the first ingredient is beeswax - but once you warm it up a little, it's pretty nice.  It's definitely not a one-swipe balm, but if you don't mind taking an extra minute or two, it does a pretty good job.   
Repurchase? Probably not.  There are other lip balms I like more.

Kynk Shea Moi
Shea Moi is a raw, whipped shea butter, enriched with rice bran oil and scented with lemongrass and geranium.  I think I got a funny batch, as this smelled burnt and I know from selling Kynk at work that they don't all smell that way.  The burnt + lemongrass combo reminded me of a barbecue, so it got delegated to my feet, where I wouldn't smell it as much.  The actual product worked well, but the smell totally turned me off.  
Repurchase? No.

Kynk In the Raw
In the Raw is pure, raw shea butter that's been whipped to a lighter consistency.  This had a little of that burnt smell too, although much less than the Shea Moi.  Looking at Kynk's website just now, they do say that "shea butter has a slightly smokey and nutty aroma acquired from traditional extraction methods," so I guess that's what I'm smelling in these, although I've not experienced that with any other shea butter products.  
Repurchase? Probably not. I think I'll try whipping shea butter myself though, as the lighter texture was really nice.



Boo Bamboo Makeup Remover Wipes*   [Review]
As face wipes go, I think Boo Bamboo's are the cream of the crop.  They remove every speck of makeup - even mascara and eyeliner - without a struggle and have never bothered my skin in the slightest.  I prefer not to use wipes on an everyday basis, but if I was buying them for a special occasion or travel, these would be the ones I'd buy.   
Repurchase? Very likely.

Kaia Juicy Bamboo Bamboo Cleansing Cloths
After the Boo Bamboo, I was on a bit of a wipes kick and dug these out of my sample box to try.  They do an okay job removing makeup, but they also left my face feeling a little dry and irritated. 
Repurchase? No.

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap (samples)
An old favorite and something I always keep on hand.  I used these two samples to clean my makeup brushes, but there really are a million and one uses for Dr. Bronner's.  
Repurchase? Maybe.  The unscented is still my favorite.

Priti NYC Soy Nail Polish Remover Wipes   [Review]
I've been consistently impressed with these wipes, so it was a sad day when I found a polish that this wipe could not beat.  We all know glitter polishes are terrible for removing, and Priti's wipe could not budge Color Club's Apollo Star.  I'm not sure if it was just a question of needing more actual product than the wipe holds or just a horrible polish to remove, but I ended up doing a two step process with Suncoat's Gel Remover, followed by Sante's remover on top of the Priti wipe, and it still was a struggle to get off!  
Repurchase? Possibly.  I still have several wipes left, but I think I want to try the liquid remover next time.

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar in Light Peach   [Review]  
I'm not sure if this is my second or third jar of Sleep in a Jar, but needless to say, I'm a fan.  I used to use it on its own, but these days I prefer using it to set another, cream concealer.  It doesn't give a ton of coverage, but it's excellent at brightening up the under eye area.  
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

Silk Naturals Perfecting Powder (sample)
I generally use powder foundations, but I like using a finishing powder on top of certain parts of my face.  The Perfecting Powder was fine - did the job - but it didn't stand out much either.
Repurchase? Not sure.  I have a few samples of other finishing powders I want to try first.

Urban Minerals Foundation in Missus Multicultural (sample)*   [Review]
Urban Minerals is a local-to-me mineral makeup line with a focus on accommodating all skin tones.  What's unique about the foundation - beyond the extensive color range - is that it includes a whole host of skin-friendly ingredients like nettle, aloe, chamomile, calendula, marshmallow, sea buckthorn, and white willow bark.  When I first wrote my review, I thought Missus Multicultural was my best match, but I may need to revisit that, as coming out of this long winter, I think it was a little too dark for me.
Repurchase? Not right away.  I have several other mineral foundations I want to work through.

Cee Cee & Bee Café Mocha Soap
I was lucky enough to win four travel size Cee Cee & Bee soaps in a giveaway from Natural Kath and of the lot, Café Mocha is the one I gravitated to first.  It's palm oil free, and produces a rich, creamy lather that smells like a yummy mix of coffee and chocolate.  Coffee grounds also provide a light exfoliation.  Just a personal preference, but as someone who generally only uses bar soap on my hands, I've realized I much prefer smooth soaps, without any exfoliating particles, so I found myself wishing it didn't have the coffee grounds.  
Repurchase? Probably not this specific one, but there are a couple others Cee Cee & Bee soaps I've got my eye on.

Nuka Lime Spearmint Green Tea Soap
Nuka is an Ontario company whose palm oil free soaps are sold in bulk at my Whole Foods.  I bought this way back in December and used half the bar then, before deciding it was too drying on my hands.  Now that the weather's warmed up, it's been quite lovely and I haven't found it drying at all.  The blend of lime, spearmint, and green tea also smells fantastic.  
Repurchase? Very likely, but only in the warmer months.

There's no getting around it: I'm pretty picky about scents.  There are a lot of times that I find myself loving everything about a product EXCEPT how it smells.  Inspired by that, plus the "Best of 2013" lists that are popping up everywhere, I want to talk about some products that I think smell amazing.  And, while the scents may be what got these products featured in today's post, the best part is that every single one of them is also fantastic beyond just how they smell!



Deep Steep Candy Mint Foot Cream
A combination of refreshing peppermint and sweet cocoa butter have this cream smelling like delicious candy canes.  It's rich but rubs in easily, so although it's marketed as a foot cream, I find it equally good on my hands.  

Ella's Botanicals Lemon Meringue Hydrating Lotion
Another dessert-y scent, Ella's Lemon Meringue Lotion blends together lemon and vanilla and smells like delicious lemon cake.  It's also completely non-greasy and moisturizes like a dream.

Young Living Stress Away
I can't imagine doing a list of smells without including some kind of essential oil.  Stress Away is a blend of vanilla, lime, copaiba, cedarwood, ocotea, and lavender that smells pretty phenomenal.  It's sweet but also a little woodsy from the cedarwood and is great for destressing and relaxation.  

Kahina Giving Beauty Facial Cleanser   [Full Review]
I've raved about this cleanser several times now, but I'm not sure I've fully expressed just how much I love the scent!  It's a hard one to describe - soft, sweet and a little floral, but also fresh and kind of herbal.  The main scent notes are neroli and blue tansy.  

Skin Essence Organics Chocolate Mandarin Hand & Body Balm
Made with cocoa butter, mandarin, and sweet orange, Skin Essence's balm smells exactly like a Terry's Chocolate Orange.  It's also intensely hydrating and great for sealing in moisture.  It can be a little greasy when you first apply it, so it's great for right before bed, when you can let it soak in and work its magic without having to immediately touch a million and one things.

Nourish Organic Almond Vanilla Body Wash   [Full Review]
Nourish's body washes are creamy and quite moisturizing and the almond vanilla scent is so yummy!  It's sweet but not sickly and makes me feel like I'm washing myself with cake batter.

KYI Lavender Chamomile Sweet Almond Softening Oil   [Full Review]
KYI's Softening Oils are fantastic body oils and the lavender chamomile scent is hard to top.  I mostly smell chamomile, with just a hint of lavender.  It's soft, relaxing and soothing - especially perfect at night.

Lina Hanson Global Body Serum   [Full Review]
Another citrus and vanilla scent - although this time it's yuzu, grapefruit, and vanilla - Lina's Global Body Serum smells like the grown up version of Ella's lotion. It's still decadent, but less of a foodie scent.  The serum is also packed with oils that heal and nourish the skin and is one of the quickest absorbing body oils I've used, making it a great time saver too!

Weleda Sea Buckthorn
I've mentioned multiple times how much I adore Weleda's Sea Buckthorn products.  The scent is bright, fresh and citrusy, and always reminds me of The Body Shop's Satsuma, which I loved as a teen.  (Keep in mind that I haven't actually smelled Satsuma in years, so I could be completely wrong about the resemblance.)  I like the whole line, but my top picks are the body wash and hand cream.  


Somewhat ironically, compiling this list ended up being kind of eyeopening for me.  Before this, if you were to ask me what kinds of scents I gravitate towards, I'd have been quick to identify fresh, citrusy, or minty ones.  So, it surprised me how many of my favorite smells are pretty sweet.  Nothing too sugary or candy-like, but sweet nonetheless.  Funny how that turned out!

What kinds of scents do you enjoy most?  Any standouts?




Contains affiliate links