By Ann
Wishing all a happy Monday and also Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Last week, you all came out in droves to recommend various body products and I thank each of you for sharing. So many great suggestions! I’m going to take an afternoon this week and camp out at Target in the skin-care aisles with a very long list.
So I thought we’d go for the flip side of that this week. What body products that are part of a fragrance line are really worth the big (or not so big) bucks? I know that Frederic Malle’s Carnal Flower is extremely pricey, but it is pretty wonderful, and it’s nearly a stand-alone scent on its own, no accompanying perfume needed, unless you just want to. (How could you resist scooping out some of that luscious yellow cream?) I’ve been wishing for a while now that they’d do a soap or shower gel/cream in it, and I know I’m not alone. And the few other Malle body products I’ve sampled are top-notch as well. I’ve also enjoyed the shower gel, body lotion and cream in Kai, and in years past have loved Prescriptives’ Calyx shower gel. And one of these days I’m going to treat myself to the Hermes 24 Faubourg body goodies.
What’s your pleasure? And if you’ve got an odd (as in another brand) body product that enhances a perfume you wear, we’d would love to hear about it as well.
LOVE The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Shower Gel. It’s the only thing which I have multiple backups of, because it’s only sold at Christmastime and I’m never sure it will be back the next year.
Just discovered the Salma Hayek Nuance line at CVS. The Super Secret Moisturizing cream (I am sure I am butchering the name)has a wonderful green/tea honey fragrance that would probably layer well with green tea fragrances and keep them going longer. Super thick and rich, too, but soaks in and not greasy.
Not familiar with that line, Sapphire, so thanks for the heads-up. The cream sounds nice; I’m all for anything that keeps often-fleeting scents like green tea, etc., sticking around awhile longer.
Hi Ann– Happy late MLK Day! I have been having a little fun with layering lotions with perfumes the last few months. Nivea Happy Sensation Orange Blossom and Bamboo Extract (could they come up with a longer name?) is a nice light lotion, and is delicious with Baghari, or with Caron Nocturnes. I am planning to try it also with Chanel Eau Premiere. I like the way the lotion plumps up the orange blossom, although not too much– just enough to give a little extra hint of it, in a very nice, fresh, sunny way. The matching Nivea shower gel is also very nice– my kids glommed onto it, and it is a cheap enough luxury, so I plan to keep buying it. Kiehl’s Musk lotion plays nice with Evening Edged In Gold, just adding a little deeper touch of musk, which is fun, kind of like turning up the bass for a song or two when you are listening to a favorite record. But my favorite layering experiment isn’t lotion–it is body powder. Lush Vanilla powder layered under a spray of vintage Bal a Versailles cologne is a cozy, warm extra -soft granny gown of a perfume, made for cold nights. Something about the vanilla in the powder made the old cologne bloom in a rich, yummy, comforting way. Happy layering!
Hi,Mary. Wow — you’ve got the layering thing down to an art! I can’t wear Bal or EEG, but would love to try the Nivea with Baghari and other OBs — yum! And the lotion and shower gel sound nice on their own as well. Thanks for sharing.
I just use plain old Neutrogena body lotions. They don’t make my skin break out in hives. I’ve noticed that they seem to amp perfume, especially the Amouage line. I don’t own any bath and body sets. I just gave my Vera Wang’s Sheer Veil body wash and lotion. It takes me years to finish something like that.
That’s the best of both worlds then. I like the idea of one lotion that will work pretty much with everything. Thanks!
Ann, you know of my love for Carnal Flower body butter – imo it’s a stand alone scent. Also, I have fallen full in love with Iris Poudre cream! Who knew?
xo >-)
Oooh, have not tried that one, but I bet it is wonderful. Can you wear the actual Iris Poudre fragrance?
Not easily, alas. Which is why I was sooo surprised to love the cream so much.
xo >-)
u guys…i am fortunate enough to have had 100ml iris poudre for about 4 yrs and this year my ceo surprised me with the same size carnal flower….i would love to try the b lotions…luckily we have none here…but you have created a NEED to try …bad bad bad girls :-)
Hi, lady. I think the Perfumed Court offers little sample jars of both, so you could at least try them before you committed to ordering a jar.
You are so lucky to have those big bottles. What a sweet CEO! Enjoy them!!
I have not tried this yet, but I was recently reviewing Octavian’s 2009 review of Guerlain Idylle, and was intrigued by his recommendation layering Annick Goutal Splendide body products with FM En Passant for a dewy rose effect.
Thanks for the tip, Nozknoz. I really like En Passant and finding a new way to wear it is very intriguing.
Amouage’s body creams are to.die.for. and can be used alone instead of the perfume they are so richly saturated with scent. Plus a BIG jar is “only” about $100 so they are a good alternative to the spendier perfumes.
Rosine’s body creams are also amazing – I own Une Folie de Rose in the cream and it’s fabulous. In fact, I obtained it via the last Swapmania! :-)
Annick Goutal body and bath items are particularly good too.
I recently got some Natori body cream and I love it – very rich and highly scented, so it can also stand alone. Its comforting character is especially suited to this format.
Flora,
I forget, sometimes, how Twinnie we are! I would dive into a jar of Amouage Epic Cream! I actually prefer it to the perfume.
Today I am wearing Folie du Rose with Ubar. A great combo!
xoxo >-)
The mention of the Amouage body creams made me think of you, Musette, and I was hoping you’d weigh in. You two are proof that great minds (noses) think (sniff) alike …
I’m thinking these might be good for me to try one day (when I’m flush, ha!) as most of their scents are just too “much” for me, so maybe the cream would be just right for those of us who need a little less oomph.
well, you might be surprised – epic cream is heavy-duty. it’s actually heavier than the perfume, imo but what I love about it is it’s all-enveloping slickery-satiny smootheroisity.
xo >-)
Now that’s some fancy writing! If the cream is that potent, maybe I’ll give it a pass. Ahh … money saved. :)
Une Folie de Rose with Ubar? What a combo, I seriously need to try that!
The Gold Woman body cream is pure ecstasy and I want Epic and Lyric too. Oh, and Ubar cream of course!
not available in HK boohoo…i want to have that feeling of wanting to dive into a jar of cream!
Malle’s body lotions are pure moisturizing luxury. My closest friend gave me a pump bottle of Parfum de Therese body lotion several years ago. It smells better than ever, and the scent lasts almost as long as the edp.
They really do an extraordinary job with their ancillary products. I want to love PdT, but can’t quite wear it, so maybe the body lotion would work for me. Thanks …
MOR Cosmetics has a fabulous line of soaps, body creams, and gels. I love their gardenia scent as a complement to the while flower frangrances including my favorite Tuberose Criminelle.
AND – the MOR soap is made from shea butter and is the creamiest most decadent soap I’ve ever used!
It sounds like a great line, Alison. And how cool that their gardenia works well with TC — what a find!!
My favorite scented cream is ormonde Jayne’s Frangipani body lotion. I find it even better that the perfume, and it layers beautifully with all my beloved tuberose/jasmine dames and with most aldehydic florals – and the citrus note ties well with Shalimar too.
I also love the body lotion from Fermes de Marie – it smells cool and wintery like its namesake “neige” (snow).
Like walking on a mountain admist freshly fallen snow!
One of the very few clean scents I like- and layers well with anything.
Mmmm, Zazie, OJ’s Frangipani is wonderful; so glad to hear the lotion is even better. And best of all, it plays well with others. Gotta love that! The neige cream looks to be a treat as well. Thanks …
Ren has a couple of really good body creams, also oils and body poilishes. I really like their rose otto oil in the bath and the neroli grapefruit body cream. They dont include sulfates or synthetic colors in heoir blend. No affiliation by the way :)
Those sound lovely, especially the neroli cream. I’ve sampled a few of their products and liked them, but our Barney’s Jr. doesn’t carry any kind of health/beauty/home scent items anymore — waaah! Will have to go exploring …
I have two of the Parfums Delrae body creams and they are really luscious: Amoureuse and Bois de Paradis. You’d have to like those scents, of course. Sometimes I put on only the body creams and no perfume–the scent really lasts, though it is subtler.
Thanks, Calypso. I do like the Amoureuse and have been tempted by that body cream more than once. I just wish they (or someone like TPC) would do samples of it. Guess one of these days I’ll just have to take the plunge.
The carnal flower body butter is amazing- I use my sample pot as solid perfume rather than body butter..The scent is so strong and true that I was tempted to buy that instead of the travel sprays – truly lovely.
Lavanya, I’m with you all the way on that. You really don’t need the perfume, although those travel sprays are nice. One day I’ll spring for them, but right now my little samples will get me by. I’d never use up either of the bigger bottles, much as I love the scent.
Yeah..I finally ended up buying the travel sprays (birthday gift)..but it was a difficult decision..:)
I adore Diptyque’s Voile Satin oil for body and hair. I can’t really afford it right now but it really does make my skin and hair feel and smell amazing. Their Tam Dao shower gel is a thing of beauty as well…and also out of my budget. I’m not a lover of perfumed body washes either. I have sensitive skin but this one doesn’t irritate like most do.
I really like Anjolie Ayurveda soaps and oils. They aren’t bank busters…I can afford to treat myself with a little something from them. Their Saffron Sandalwood Body Oil is so beautiful and layers well with many of my favorite scents, especially Safran Troublant as do their Sandalwood Saffron & Royal Saffron Almond Milk and Honey soaps.
My new favorite bath treat is something I found on Luckyscent. It’s Tade Turkish Bath Black Soap. It works wonders on my painfully dry winter skin and is the best shave cream ever. Again, at $20 I can afford it once in a while.
Hi there, Joanna. Those Diptyque goodies do sound great. I think I’ve seen sample packets, etc., of them on eBay from time to time. Thanks for the mention on all the others, especially the saffron-sandalwood body oil. You must be psychic — I’ve just been craving some Safran Troublant lately (need to get a couple of samps) and body products that work with it would be heaven!
hello u! what timing. yesterday, i found a mmm store in HK…The saleslady lathered me with the untitled body lotion…really special. i need to sample this carnal flower body butter! l’occitans shea butter is awesome and they have just come out with a shea butter face cream, that leaves the skin soooo soft and hydrated … i may need some. BTW, ur package is finally ready…just need to get to the post office now:-)
Hi, sweet lady. So glad you got to try the MMM lotion — it is really nice, isn’t it? And I know you’d love the CF as well. Will have to try that shea butter face cream; it sounds lovely. And thanks for thinking of me. Take care …
l occitanes shea butter cream is AMAZING and a staple in my house.
Wow — two glowing recommendations! It really must be something else. Thanks!
You know, that I’m thinking about it — wonder if the MMM body products would work with Chanel’s Cristalle? Hmmm …
i was just thinking…it would make a great layering item..my daughter said i smelled like a friend…she only wears infusion d’iris. i see what she means…but didn’t feel the difference. so i thought it would be great to layer with iris no 3…the”perfume” (prada) it has been soooo long since i have used cristalle! almost like it needs a single strong note to lift it!
oh and i went to the p office yesterday :-)