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Showers Worth Getting Up For
By Melissa Miller
Winter. Even though the days are shorter, this doesn’t
make waking up early any easier. We all need a bit of
inspiration not to hit that snooze button a few times.
Here are some shower products that will make your morning cleansing
ritual an invigorating, welcome experience.
Smooth, Sensual, Elegant
For a sensual shower, try Tocca’s new Bagno Profumato in
Stella (foaming bath gel, $19 for 8oz). I’ve given this as
gifts to many friends and it always receives rave reviews for
its beautiful, rich blood orange aroma. Tocca’s Bagno
Profumato in Florence, a soft orris rose fragrance, is also
lovely. The bath gel has a silky texture and is loaded with
olive oil, oat amino acids and flower extracts.
Another decadent choice comes from Philip B.,
known for his luxurious, natural hair products. He has created
Thai Tea Body Wash ($35 for 5.5oz), a creamy blend of Thai
Tea, honey, peppermint, lemon grass, ginger root and
citronella extracts. The fragrance of this moisturizing wash
is transcendent. Take a big whiff and you’ll be able to face
the day with that necessary smile. Find Tocca and Phillip B. at
BeautyHabit.com
Sephora.com recently introduced
its Brown Milk of Palm Bath Collection, including a
Shower
Lotion ($12 for 6.7 oz.), a thick,
fragrant cleanser with a lotion-like consistency. It leaves
the skin soft and lightly fragranced with a warm, sweet aroma.
For an ultra hydrating wash, try Origins Perfect World Creamy Body Cleanser with White Tea ($25 for 6.7oz). Containing shea butter, glycerin, sweet orange and
apricot kernel oil, it takes care of winter dry skin woes.
Also, Origins Pomegranate Wash Bubbling Body Cleanser ($15 for
6.7oz) will revive your senses with its juicy aroma and
coconut oil for heaps of suds.
For an elegant shower French style, try Catherine Memmi Les
Basiques Black Vanilla Shower Gel ($18 for 500ml). This rich,
complex vanilla fragrance will have you bathing in utter A.M.
luxury. Catherine Memmi Shower Gel is also available in
Almond. Find Catherine Memmi products at
FourSeasonsProducts.com.
Little Wing Naturals Calming Bath and Shower Gel ($17 for 8oz) contains
tangerine, orange, sandalwood and geranium essential oils for
a bath that will sooth and balance your senses. This blend is
exquisite and unlike any other scent I’ve tried. This is a
must have for those mornings when you need a little extra
motivation to get moving. Also try their Aphrodisia Bath and
Shower Gel, with a sensual mix of ylang ylang, patchouli,
cedarwood and orange essential oils.
LittleWingNaturals.com.
Refreshing and Clean
For a refreshing lemony experience, try Elariia Avocado and
Lemongrass Shower Cream ($17.50 for 16.8oz); it’s a creamy
mix of moisturizing and fragrant oils. Elariia’s ultra gentle
Double Latte Shower Cream ($19.95 for 13.4oz) is also a
morning pleasure. The subtle, clean milk aroma, with a just
hint of a morning latte, will get you through your shower. Elariia is available at
HSN.com.
Gingerale is good on an upset stomach, and it also definitely
works as a cure for any morning sleepyhead. Try Demeter’s
Lots-of-Uses Happily Foaming Bath Gel in Gingerale ($16 for 8
oz.); its fizzy, comforting aroma will have you leaping into
the bath. Also try this gel in Demeter’s eye-opening Tomato;
the rich fragrance contains a white grapefruit note that adds
the ideal amount of zing to any shower. The tomato gel is also
the perfect hand soap. Demeter is available at
FashionPlanet.com.
Another morning wake-up call is
Frédéric Fekkai’s
Apple Cider Body Wash ($20 for 8 oz.). Based on an age-old
French recipe, this wash cleanses and exfoliates the skin
naturally with apple cider. Frédéric Fekkai is available at
NeimanMarcus.com.
Lather Sea Kelp Body Wash ($18 for 8oz) has a clean, fresh scent, and nourishes
the skin with seaweed oil, aloe vera and vitamins. It’s
available on Lather’s Web site at
LatherUp.com.
An inexpensive treat is St. Ives new, delightful
Citrus
Moisturizing Body Wash ($2.69 for 13.5oz). This has the
perfect energizing grapefruit aroma to get you up and going.
Find it at
HarmonDiscount.com
Au Naturale
For an all-natural shower without sodium laurel sulfate or other chemicals, try
Zia Naturals Skin Care Ginger Gardenia Body Wash ($11.95 for 8.5oz). The sexy and
slightly spicy gel will leave your skin smooth and scented;
available online at ZiaNatural.com.
EpicureanSoap.com
 Bath/Shower Gel in Beautiful ($10 for 16oz) has the heavenly fragrance of osmanthus and ylang ylang.
This gentle, natural liquid soap contains shea butter, castile soap and hemp oil.
MadameRenaud.com Peppermint Patty Body Wash ($8.50 for 9 oz.), with the
scrumptious scent of mint and chocolate, is a morning
essential. The combination of these two aromas is rejuvenating
and calming as well as wonderful for combating headaches.
EO
Products Rose and Chamomile Shower
Gel ($9 for 8oz) is an all-natural body cleanser (no sodium
laurel sulfate) with a beautiful, aromatic essential oil
blend. Also try EO Shower Gel in enlivening Juniper and Lemon
or their wonderfully refreshing Grapefruit and Mint. Available
at EOProducts.com.
 Skin, An Apothecary Honey Gel
($18 for 8oz) is an all-natural blend of pure alpine
honey, papaya, pumpkin, and vitamin E and wheat germ oils.
This mild formulation works well for babies and those with
sensitive skin or eczema.
It’s available in Natural (unscented), Cranberry, Apricot, Kiwi, Lemon and Mango.
Another original creation: Suds, a thick, creamy blend of shea butter and
glycerin packaged in a large tub that you scoop out and use like soap.
I sampled it in Strawberry, which smells exactly like fresh strawberries
with a bit of cream. Delicious. It’s also available in a
variety of other scents including Tangerine, Chocolate,
Lavender Mint, Java Been, and Spiced Pumpkin at
SkinAnApothecary.com.
LUSH Creamed Almond and Coconut Smoothie ($11.95 Canadian for 8oz) is a delightful cream soap with a delectable scent blend of
vanilla, jasmine and ylang ylang. It moisturizes and soothes the skin with glycerin and sweet almond and apricot oils.
Pass the Bar
For those who prefer bar soap, try Bigelow Vanilla Soap ($18 for three 5.5oz bars
at
BigelowChemists.com). Each bar has a unique wood carved appearance and lush
vanilla fragrance blend.
Esoaps.net stunning
Glycerin Soap
(2 for $5) is comprised of colored
glycerin with beautifully arranged shavings of shea butter
soap inside each bar. These soaps look like little pieces or
art!
They are available in a variety of scents; Pomegranate,
Vanilla & Lace, and Strawberry Daiquiri are among my
favorites. Esoaps.net also offers traditional Shea Butter Soap
with silk amino acids.
Scrub-a-Dub
Try an invigorating scrub to get you up and at ‘em, such as
Lather Bamboo
 Lemongrass Foaming
Body Scrub ($19 for 5.5oz at
LatherUp.com).
This unique product, with a zesty lemongrass scent, uses bamboo as a gentle exfoliant. It
lightly foams and can be used as a body cleanser.
For the comforting aroma of honey on a cold morning, opt for
Zia
Naturals Brown Sugar Body Polish ($18.95
for 12 oz.). This decadent treatment will leave your skin soft
and moisturized with honey and safflower and soybean oils.
Another A.M. winner is Little Wing Naturals
Energizing Moisturizing Body Scrub ($24 for 16oz) with sea
salts, coconut oil and pink grapefruit, lime, ginger and May
Chang essential oils. This warming and stimulating scrub is a
reason to get out of bed early in the morning.
Awake Energy Source Body Care Set ($50) contains
everything you need to combat dry skin including Body Scrub
(4.5oz), Shower Moisture Cream (7oz) and a Sisal and
Cotton Body Mitt. The Body Scrub buffs away dry skin, and the
Shower Moisture Cream contains moisture beads that stimulate
and moisturize. The set is available at Beauty.com
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