Smell this

My favorite scents are a combination of peppermint, mint, eucalyptus, white tea, and citrus. Its no surprise that when I come across a body product that has any of these combinations, I end up purchasing it! These body products leave my skin feeling soft. I have soft smooth skin in general due to genetics and skincare.

I live in a tropical country with 100% humidity and the heat sometimes drags me down so I've got my AC blasting constantly in my room. The biggest problem when spending a majority part of my day indoors with AC is the fact that it dries out my skin. I was given a luxurious body lotion by a student of mine that smells like a spa!

This lotion is by Como Shambhala and is made without sodium lauryl suphate. In fact their ingredient list is pretty small. I like it because #1 it smells good with the combination of eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, and peppermint. It also melts into my skin without feeling too greasy within a couple minutes. There is also a nice tingling sensation from the peppermint.

The lotion is supposed to be an "invigorating" lotion but the reason why I like eucalyptus and mint is because they are calming scents to me. I use this lotion after my evening shower before I get ready for bed.










There is a local brand of home spa products here that have opened up branches all over the island called Mt. Sapola. Every time I pass their store, I can't help but take a deep breath in because the stores all smell like entering a spa! They also have a whole range of Rosemary-Eucalyptus body products that I adore. I am always replenishing my body wash from Mt. Sapola

This Rosemary-Eucalyptus body wash does not have an overpowering smell but just enough to get you saying 'aaahhhhh' in the shower. This body wash also doesn't strip my skin dry (unless I use scalding hot water - which sometimes happens because my shower head has a weird temperature problem) and works well with my loofah.

I have also tried their Rosemary-Eucalyptus salt scrub as well and prefer this one to Bliss's Hot salt scrub because the scent is not an overpowering Eucalyptus scent. I like to blend a scrub and a body wash together on my loofah so its an exfoliating body wash. I don't particularly like the oily residue that all body scrubs I've tried in the past leaves behind on the skin.






When it comes to perfumes and colognes, I have a pretty picky nose. I started wearing CK one when I was 11 in 6th grade when that scent was all the rage in the 90s and over the decades, I've collected quite a number of perfume bottles of different ranges of scents. Clearly, the scents that I loved, every little drop was used and the ones I didn't love were barely used. In college, I used a combination of Dolce Gabbana Light Blue (that scent still evokes memories of college), Coco Chanel Mademoiselle (really sweet smell), and Burberry Brit (which I still love and use on occasion). Post-college, I stuck with Burberry Brit but have mostly been drawn to natural scented oils that I could get at Whole Foods because my nose needed some calming scents due to living in New York. I discovered Jo Malone in New York and have loved her colognes since then. The brands colognes are meant to be mixed up and paired together to make something completely individual.

A bit sweet but mostly citrusy. This is a perfect scent for a hot summer day. Considering where I live now is mostly just hot all year round, this is my go-to scent for the day time. According to their website, this is a "Peppery basil and aromatic white thyme bring an unexpected twist to the scent of limes on a Caribbean breeze."

This scent is a light floral scent of White Jasmine and Mint. This is the scent that hooked me onto Jo Malone's line. The scent is described as "Just-crushed wild mint adds a dash of eccentricity to an exuberant bouquet of jasmine, lily, orange flower and rose."
Its a little exotic but mostly refreshing scent.




















All opinions regarding these products are my own personal opinions alone. The pictures are taken from the companies websites which are linked to this blog. No companies or product endorsements here. 

Affordable Beauty Thrills

Every now and then I find a product that I love with the added bonus of an affordable price point. 

(All under $15) These are my faves.

1) Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo with Peppermint, Tea Tree, and Eucalyptus

Basically this shampoo combines my two favorite ingredients in Bath, Shower, Body products: 

Eucalyptus and Peppermint. 

This shampoo is a great everyday shampoo and doesn't weigh my fine, silky Asian hair down to a flat greasy mess. 

2) Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner with Peppermint, Tea Tree, and Eucalyptus

This is the conditioner version of the shampoo above. A great pairing. 

Basic conditioner to use every 2-3 days on the ends of your hair. 

I leave it in my hair while I soap before rinsing for extra moisturizing benefits. 

3) EOS lip balm

I've already mentioned this lip balm in this blog before. 

The shape of this cute little dome shaped balm is perfect for stowing in your bag and re-applying throughout the day is hygienic because you don't have to stick your finger in a pot. 

The yummy flavors are also an added bonus. 

4) NIVEA Sun Kissed Beautiful Legs

This gradual fake tan lotion is the best one for fair skinned folks like me. 

The gradual tan makes it look less orange-y and muddy brown looking. Its very slight. 

I'm always looking for ways to run inside in the comfort of AC when the temperatures rise and the sun is making the most UV damage but I don't really want to look pasty all year round. 

This lotion is not greasy or messy like some self-tanners out on the market. 

You can apply it in the a.m. while you are wearing your shorts, skirt, or dress. Just don't wipe your hands on your clothes!

Clay Cleanser by Shizuka NY

After reading about Shizuka NY’s Clay Cleanser, hearing some testimonials, and after some seriously scrutinous back and forth (note: I’m NOT a big spender when it comes to high-end facial cleansers); I decided to give my scrutiny a rest and just buy a bottle.  So, what made this product so captivating in the first place?

1

   

     1.       It’s made with Moroccan lava clay. I’ve heard that clay cleansers have generous anti-aging and skin detox qualities as it helps refine pores and tighten the skin, so the main ingredient itself was enough to tempt me. Quite simply, I’ve never used a clay cleanser before and the thought of it on my skin sounded well, nice.

       2.       It claims to “lift impurities from the skin” and “aids acne-prone skin and minimizes minor blemishes”. I don’t normally have oily skin, but due to all the sunscreen, moisturizers and make-up I’ve been wearing (mixed with NYC’s current “stinky-hot” air (yes, that’s how I would describe it!)), my pores needed a little TLC.

I’ve been using it for a week now and admittedly look forward to using it at the end of each day!  It’s best used on dry skin and goes on wonderfully smooth and light. Its delicate scent no doubt comes from a few of its alluring ingredients: green tea, pearl protein, lotus flower, German chamomile, and licorice root extracts. As an added bonus, especially during the summer months, the cleanser also includes a little peppermint oil which leaves my skin feeling cool and refreshed. 

New Obsession: Lip Scrub by Sara Happ

I've been using my toothbrush to exfoliate my lips until I discovered Sara Happ's Lip Scrub is AMAZING! I originally picked up the scrub to replenish my professional make up kit. As a rule for stuff in my kit, I have to test it first. I am addicted to the scrub! Its a permanent fixture on my bathroom sink. Looks like I have to pick up a second pot of lip scrub for my kit.
I own the peppermint scrub (I'm a sucker for mint!) and use it about 2x a week. You put a small amount on your lips and then tissue it off - this leaves the lips super soft.

With packaging like this, who could resist picking up this lip scrub? I think this scrub would also make a fantastic gift for a friend, mother, sister, etc.