ProductWhores

BBW and Le Sportsac Join Forces

For a limited time, LeSportsac is offering its iconic collection of bags with Bath & Body Works PocketBac waterless hand gel, providing a stylish way to keep hands healthy.  This season, trade in the typical clinical hand sanitizer for Bath & Body Works’ equally effective alternatives in fashion-forward scents.  Paired with matching LeSportsac bags, the colorful formulas kill 99.9% of germs, offering clinical strength without the clinical scent.
 
The pocket-sized bottle contains natural ingredients and powerful germ killers that get hands clean without water (or the alcohol scent), anywhere, anytime.  From November 16th to December 24th, stop by LeSportsac stores or log on to lesportsac.com to snag the bags plus a PocketBac waterless hand gel and a bounceback card good toward your next Bath & Body Works purchase—a savvy solution to winter germs.

American Grown

Bath and Body Works has introduced a new, limited-edition collection of hand washes and shower gels called American Grown.  They come in HUGE, bright bottles, two things that I love because for one, the more product I can get for my money, the better.  (As much as I love some of the super expensive brands I buy, there is always that moment where I'm staring at the empty tube or jar thinking, "Really?  I paid $40 for that and it's gone already?  REALLY"  And then I feel guilty and think that I should be donating that money to orphans or homeless people.  Or, more realistically, my credit card company).  I also love the bright bottles because they're fun and wake me up in the morning when I'm standing in my shower like a zombie wondering what day it is.  The scents were inspired by great American destinations (and yet, somehow they didn't call one "The Mall" - weird).  They come in these five scents:   

Washington Apple: In the fertile valleys of Washington State in America’s far west, growers tend orchards that produce the world’s most crisp, ripe apples.  Formulated with Apple Extract to help nourish skin, Washington Apple instantly evokes your first bite of a shiny red apple, an unmistakably juicy flavor.
 
Napa Grape: In the rolling hills of Napa Valley’s wine country, the alluring scent of ripe grapes wafts through the air.  Breathe in this irresistible fragrance and experience the intoxicating aroma as grape seed oil conditions and protects skin.
 
Siesta Key Lemon: Nothing says summer like fresh-cut Meyer lemons from Florida.  Sweeter than other lemons, the plump, smooth-skinned citrus produces a sparklingly fresh fragrance.  Take an instant vacation to Siesta Key as Lemon Oil refreshes and brightens the skin.
 
Savannah Mint: A frosty glass of iced tea in a hot Savannah summer is twice as refreshing with a cool sprig of mint.  Breathe in this invigorating fragrance and experience the romance of southern charm and gentility while Peppermint Oil energizes your skin and your senses.
 
Montana Sky: Experience the clear, crisp quality of the mountain air in big sky country with formulas inspired by the vast beauty of an endless blue sky.  Bathe your skin in calming spring waters as you inhale a rush of fresh air. 

I've tried the Montana Sky and Washington Apple shower gels and I love them both.  Montana Sky is right up my alley - it's perfect layered under any of my CLEAN scents or the Marc Jacobs Rain Splash that I've been wearing.  Washington Apple smells exactly like a walk through an orchard when all the apples are ripening - if you're a fan of the fruity scents, this one will definitely belong in your shower.  (I also really need to go pick up Savannah Mint because it would be perfect for after a workout.  You know, if I ever get my lazy self back to the gym...) 

The entire American Grown line is super affordable - just $6.50 for a 16 ounce hand soap and $12.50 for a  24 ounce shower gel.  Even better, right now at Bath and Body Works, the entire line is buy one, get one free.  That means you could get a whopping 48 ounces of shower gel for only $12.50!  I know where I'll be going after work today...       

Catch A Shore Breeze

I tend to like the same scents in candles that I always do in perfumes - fruity, spicy, or clean and refreshing.  I'm not a big fan of the floral candles, although oddly, I do like having actual real flowers in my apartment, so  figure that one out.  (I know it makes no sense).  Either way, I think my favorite candle of all time is from CLEAN, so when I saw the new Slatkin & Co. spring scents at Bath and Body Works, I got way excited because they're very similar.  The one I'm most in love with is Shore Breeze.  It manages to smell exactly like the air does when you take a walk on the beach - very clean and fresh, with a hint of salt.  It's the kind of candle I could burn day or night - it's both relaxing and energizing at the same time, exactly like a real walk on the beach.  (Although I sort of hate walks on the beach - I always manage to get sand everywhere or salt water in my eyes or something tragic.  Weird, I know).  And how adorable is the container that the 5.5 ounce size comes in?  It looks so cute in my living room, where I've been burning it for the past few days to try and forget that Los Angeles has been cold and rainy for what seems like forever.  Enough already!  And to make me even happier, Shore Breeze also comes in Scentportable, Home Fragrance Oil, Room Spray, and Wallflowers versions, so I can totally Shore up my entire place.  And I will.  I really, really will.   

You can smell Shore Breeze and the other new spring scents (I also really love Beachside) at a Bath and Body Works near you  To order online, go to bathandbodyworks.com.

Introducing... The Little Sister to the Scentport!

I'm one of those people who is super paranoid about her house smelling like crap.  I mean, yes, I have animals and a husband who doesn't shower as often as he should, so really it's no surprise I have developed this paranoia.  The best way to combat any horrific odors is to have every room in the house have its own wall plug (it's quite the project making sure the scents all compliment each other).  I fell in love with the Scentport from Bath and Body Works for its great collection of scents and for its nice price tag, especially when you have coupons and they're having one of their big sales!  When I recently begun to be paranoid about my car smelling awful (once again, animals and stinky husband), I went on a search for the perfect way to make my car smell fantastic and I am happy to report I found it!  The little sister to the Scentport - Scentportable - only costs $5.00 and comes in four delicious fragrances.  My absolute fave (thus far) is Pineapple Mango, which makes the inside of my Pontiac Grand Am smell like a tropical beach (unfortunately without the lifeguards or the Pina Coladas).  But I will say my journey to and from work every day is a lot happier as I sniff in the deliciousness of pineapple and mango.  While you'll have to replace your Scentportable after a few weeks (the scent goes away within about three weeks), at $5.00 you don't mind purchasing a refill.  Even if you don't have animals and an unclean husband, you'll still love the Scentportable. 

Photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Milk and Honey

I love Bath and Body Works aromatherapy products.  It might be somewhat mental, but when I use their Stress Relief body wash in the shower before I go to sleep, I always feel more rested the next day.  So I was super happy to find out that they've added a new addition to the aromatherapy line - the Warm Milk and Honey Collection.  It was developed with the help of one of the world's foremost sleep experts, Dr. Michael J. Breus (and as a side note, that's kind of a cool job, right?) and combines cinnamon essential oil, clove essential oil, and other soothing ingredients for a scent that's comforting and soothing, exactly like the warm milk your mom would make when you were a kid.  (It kind of smells like a combination of vanilla, milk, and sugar to me - sweet and delicious).  The Warm Milk and Honey Collection consists of:

• SLEEP Body Lotion ($13) - A creamy body lotion to keep your skin soft and silky, it's formulated with natural soybean oil to nourish skin and glycerin to attract moisture.
• SLEEP Luxury Bath ($16.50) - A bath containing aloe and essential oils, perfect for relaxing in the tub with a good book and a glass of wine.
• SLEEP Massage Oil ($16) - You can either use this as a massage oil or in a bath.  It has sunflower oil in it to keep your skin smooth and the aromatherapy blend of essential oils will lull you to sleep.
• SLEEP Body Wash & Foam Bath ($13) - My favorite product in the line, this body wash give you lots of suds with a relaxing scent.  Its nourishing formula has green tea extract in it, which helps keep your skin young and healthy looking. 
• SLEEP Pillow Mist ($10) - This spray lets you mist your bed with the aromatherapy blend of essential oils - it'll make you breathe deeply and sink into your pillow when you turn the lights out.

According to Dr. Breus, "Many people who have trouble sleeping do not need sleeping pills.  The scents in the Aromatherapy Sleep products are part of an excellent bedtime ritual to help promote a better night's sleep.  I recommend that those who have trouble falling and staying asleep try the formulas before turning to more drastic measures like sleeping aides."  These products will help ease you into a better and more restful sleep by working naturally with your body.  (Not that I don't love Tylenol PM and all, but doesn't this sound like a better alternative?) 

The Warm Milk & Honey collection is available at Bath & Body Works stores and online at BathandBodyWorks.com.

Photos courtesy of Bath & Body Works 

Modern Seduction

I think I've already made it very clear how much I love Bath and Body Works, and each time they release a new scent, I can't resist but to shoot immediately over to the mall to check it out.  Well, I'm glad I gassed up the Pontiac for my latest trip because Black Amethyst is delightful!  A very modern, sophisticated scent which exudes sexuality (if I was even to pretend to be sexy).  It's a delightful mix of floral, sandalwood, spice and vanilla and lasts the better part of the day.  I have the fragrance, and you can bet I'm headed back to the mall to pick up the candle, which I think would be the perfect addition to my already out of control collection of products.  Take a trip to BBW and smell Black Amethyst... as if I ever needed to force anyone to go shopping.

The perfume retails for $26.50 and is available online and in stores.

Photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Blushing Cherry Blossom

I have been a huge fan of Bath and Body Works since I was thirteen.  I can clearly remember when they had that whole country logo and were designed to look like a rustic barn on the inside of my mall back in New Hampshire.  Ah, memories.  Anyway, I love that they have been consistently putting out awesome products but now have grown to include amazingly high-class lines as well.  I feel like ever since they incorporated the additional brands they really upped their own products to match the level of quality.  The new Blushing Cherry Blossom (released just in time for Mother's Day) is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.  This new fragrance is definitely floral (Rose Damascena, White Jasmin, Violet) but also contains Musk, Soft Amber and Creamy Sandalwood which help to tone down the flowery and accentuate the earthy.  This scent is a must check out for anyone looking for a new lightly floral scent that really has depth and stays fresh the better part of the day.  My Aussie mother-in-law is in town and already hijacked it for herself.  Man, between my mom stealing my products and now my other mum doing the same thing, I'm going to be left with... well... Tupperwares filled with products, but whatever, I'm going for dramatic here.

Blushing Cherry Blossom Eau De Toilette retails for $19.00 and can be purchased online or in store. 

Photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

A Candle For A Rainy Day

I love candles. On a cold, windy, rainy day, there's nothing better than cuddling up on the couch, watching a movie with all the lights off and a candle burning. And since it's been practically a monsoon outside here in L.A. for the past week, I've had a lot of time to do just that and test out the various candles I've had sitting in my closet for months. My new favorite? Bath and Body Works' Orange Ginger from their Aromatherapy line. The box says that it's energizing, which kind of insinuates that burning it would make me want to jump up, put on the "Rocky IV" soundtrack and run a few miles. It did not. (This might also have to do with the fact that even venturing outside to get the mail made me look like a drowned rat and I don't even like running when it's sunny out. Unless it's to catch the ice cream truck that used to come around in the summer time. I have been known to do a full on sprint to get my hands on a Toasted Almond). Instead, I found it a really pleasant scent to relax to, citrusy, but with a hint of spice as well. The scent was long-lasting and filled a few rooms, instead of just lingering around only the burning flame. The candles are also really reasonable - $10.50 for a 45 hour burn time, and you can usually get them even cheaper if the Aromatherapy line is on sale or you have a coupon. And you can get the scent in their Home Fragrance Oil as well, which is even more economical. I guess my mom was right. I really should clean out my closet more often!

Holiday Candy

This weekend I found myself in Bath and Body Works for the first time in about a month. Now I know to most normal people that sounds perfectly reasonable, but I honestly can't remember the last time I let four weeks go by between trips to the BBW. Doesn't it suck when real life gets in the way of your shopping fun? I was so saddened at the thought that I had to go buy a Cinnabon just to cheer myself up (and, uh, maybe because their icing is good. So very, very good). The only nice thing about letting that much time go by between roaming the aisles is that it gives them time to restock and put out new, fun things. I love new, fun things! Especially when they smell like candy, such as their recently released Dreamy Chocolate Mint Temptations. It's a shower gel (and shampoo and bubble bath - you guys know the drill by now) that smells like chocolate and peppermint. Once it lathers up, it's sort of like you've been rubbing yourself all over with a big Junior Mint. (But in a much less creepy way than that sounds). There's a matching lotion too, although I sort of think that with scents like these, you probably shouldn't layer them if you're over 9 years old and/or carrying around a Hello Kitty backpack. It's just candy overkill. Like all of the Temptations line, it lathers to a tub full of suds nicely. And I love the scent filling up my shower when I use it in the morning, even though I'm convinced it's making me crave the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha even more than usual. Thank God I'll be back in the land of Dunkin' Donuts (AKA the tri-state area) in a few days and can enjoy a delicious coffee without the $4.50 price tag. Hhhm, this post has turned into an ode to dessert and coffee. Well, what else is new?

Tree In A Box

Even though I love Christmas, I never get a tree for my apartment. I could pretend that it's because I'm against cutting down living things or that I'm rebelling against how expensive it's gotten to buy and decorate a tree, but really, it's because I'm lazy. It's a lot of damn work to make a pretty Christmas tree happen and as a rule, I'm against putting that much effort into something I'll have to throw away in a few weeks. Plus, real trees shed and I have nightmares about trying to vacuum piles of dried up needles. But of course, even though I'm too lazy to get a Christmas tree, I still want my apartment to smell like I have one. This is where candles come in. Usually it's the Gap Holiday one, but this season I've stumbled upon a new favorite - Slatkin & Co.'s Tree. It really does smell like you have a forest in the middle of your living room, and even when the candle hasn't been burning, I can still detect a faint scent of Christmas in the air. It's a pretty good deal too - it sells for $16.50, but the box says that it burns for 50 hours. I think mine is probably going to last closer to 40, but then again, it's not like I have a stopwatch out when I light it, so my math could be a little off. (I hate math. The only time I like doing it at all is when I'm trying to calculate how much a 20% off coupon is going to save me at the mall). I do wish they'd chosen a catchier name for the candle though. I mean, Tree definitely tells you what your nose is going to be dealing with, but it's just so... blah. I can come up with better ones just off the top of my head. What about Everlasting Evergreen? Forever Fir? Pine Power? Hey, this is fun! If you ever run out of candle namers Slatkin & Co., call me! You can pay me in boxes of Tree.