For Men: C.O. Bigelow Elixir White Cologne

A reader recently asked me for suggestions on cologne for men, and I had to sniff around a bit (pun definitely intended) to decide what to recommend. Now, my man is known to spritz on Ralph Lauren Romance Silver for a night out, and having bought it for him, I am partial to that fragrance. It's classic and clean, with what I would describe as "woodsy" notes that give it a little edge. I'm a huge fan. But I wanted to smell a few other colognes before I just reached for my fall-back scent. And I'm glad I did, because I found what I think may be another winner.

C.O. Bigelow's Elixir White, from the "Barber" collection, got my nose's attention during a recent trip to Bath and Body Works. Oh, I know, most men stay far, far away from such a store. And I agree that it CAN be an assault to the senses, particularly during the pine-y holiday season. But when I picked up this bottle (of which I like the quasi-industrial looks) and spritzed it into the air, I was pleased.

Here's the company's description:

“Modern, bright and refined, C.O. Bigelow’s Elixir White blends clean citrus notes of bergamot, grapefruit and mandarin with undertones of peppery wood spices.”

It runs for $19.50 for 2.5 fl. oz.

Let me say, though, that I didn't have the opportunity to smell it ON someone, which is key when trying fragrances. But upon first sniff, it seems like a good scent for not much money. I'd be interested to hear if anyone out there has tried it, and if so, what they think. Anyone?

UPDATE: The mister sniffed the top of the bottle during an outing last night and shook his head. Guess he doesn't agree.

Korres Achillea Conditioner

First off, let me just say that I got this conditioner, which normally retails for 19 dollars, for a grand total of 3 dollars at TJ MAXX. Otherwise, I would not have purchased it, because...well...19 dollars for conditioner is a little bit ridiculous.

But since I was presented with the rare opportunity to try something high end for that cheap, I had to give it a shot (and yes, I checked the expiration date, wondering why it was so cheap--still good for another year).

This conditioner is made for all hair types, and contains no silicones or mineral oil. For this reason, I thought it might be good to "co-wash" with, which is what I did for this review.

The pros:

I love the smell. It's got a fresh herbal and clean, soapy smell. The scent lingered so that when I shook my curls later in the day, I got a nice whiff of the fragrance. Nothing too strong, but it was nice to know that I smelled good.

My hair was not weighed down, which can sometimes happen when you "co-wash" (i.e. use the conditioner in place of a shampoo). It curled nicely and was bouncy all day.

The cons:

It doesn't feel the way I'm used to conditioner feeling...there's not much slip to it, and it's very thin/runny in consistency.

I had to use quite a bit to get it through my hair, as it seemed to just disappear into my hair once applied.

The "Hmmms":

Even though it didn't feel like there was much slip to it, it still detangled my hair enough to run my hands through, and it also seemed to provide adequate moisture.

Because I had to use so much, I'm thinking my 8.45 oz bottle will not last me a very long time.

Even though I've said it didn't weigh my hair down, it DID feel like it took a lot of rinse-time to get it all out and my hair didn't have that same silky-wet feeling that I usually get from conditioner.

All in all, it's not a bad conditioner, but I'll tell you what...I wouldn't pay 19 dollars for it.

Tocca Stella

Tocca Stella:
I received a free sample of this from Luckyscent.com recently, along with 2 other samples, which I'll talk about in a moment. Tocca Stella was the clear winner of the three. Wearing this, I feel like I should be lounging around in vintage lingerie, sipping bathtub gin. Actually, I'm sure bathtub gin is gross, but I'm trying to sprinkle some fairy dust here. Stella is romantic, but not overpowering, and the lasting power is pretty decent, which is good, considering that this stuff goes for 68 bucks. If I could afford this, and if I didn't already have an ample selection of fragrances I should be using up, I'd consider buying this fragrance for my collection.

Now, for the other two samples:

I Hate Perfume's In the Summer Kitchen: In a word, BLECH!!! The smell is indescribable, and certainly not something I'd want on my person. Utterly incomprehensible that someone would ever purchase this and apply it to their skin.

Profumi Capri's Luna Caprese: Very, very similar to Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue, maybe a bit lighter and fresher. Poor staying power.

For more complete descriptions of these scents, go to www.luckyscent.com

How to Save $14.96

A year ago I wouldn't have believed it, but it turns out that my all-time favorite hair gel, DevaCurl's Angell, which I thought I'd be buying for the rest of my life, has been replaced.

Enter the new holy grail of hair gels:

L.A. Looks. That's right. Now I know what you're thinking: L.A. Looks? Next you'll be telling me that Jordache jeans are boss, especially if you tight-roll 'em!

I know. The L.A. Looks brand has been around since 1987 and you probably forgot it existed until you randomly went to a Big Lots and saw it on an endcap. But here's why you shouldn't disregard this brand. For $2.99, I got 20 ounces of L.A. Looks Curl gel that defines and holds my curls just as brilliantly as my $17.95 for 12 ounce Angell. Should we do the math? LA Looks: about 15 cents an ounce. Angell: about a buck fifty per ounce.

I think the LA Looks bottle says it best: X-TREME VALUE! (¡Precio Increible!)

And seriously, my curls respond beautifully to both products, and I use them exactly the same way. Once applied in a scrunching motion to the underside and top portions of your hair, both create a "cast" that surrounds each curl that you then scrunch out once it dries to reveal soft, well-formed ringlets.

The only thing I miss with the Angell is the heavenly, heavenly scent. But I think I'll live.

Deliciously Scented Softsoap

Now, I feel that I should preface this post by declaring that I am primarily a bar soap kinda girl, specifically the kind manufactured by Herbaria, The Soap Nut, Pacifica, and, last but not least, good old Dove. I think bar soap is more economical, better for the environment (less packaging waste) and I just...prefer it. But I also love variety, and so I like to keep liquid body wash handy for when the mood strikes me.

This is my current fave: Softsoap Honeysuckle & Orange Peel. The scent is sweet, light, and not at all cloying (which, I find, some honeysuckle dupes can be). I don't pick up on the orange peel as much, and that doesn't bother me one bit. The formula is the same as every other Softsoap formula I've tried, which is to say that it is lightly moisturizing, leaves a smooth feeling on the skin, and rinses cleanly.

It's solid stuff. Well...actually, it's liquid, but you get my drift, right. :-)

Sevin Nyne

I got a Sephora publication in the mail the other day and had a good laugh when I saw their ad for a new self-tanning product. "With a gorgeous glow as her ultimate beauty accessory, actress/singer Lindsay Lohan introduces Sevin Nyne Tanning Mist--her sunless secret to achieving a flawless tan." That's right, Lindsay Lohan is the "spokesmodel."

I find it strange (and hilarious) that a company trying to market a self-tanning product would want to link themselves to the most orangey, oompa loompa-y, self-tan snafu-ing celebrity there is!

Am I wrong? See these photos if you don't know what I'm referring to!

Seriously, Sevin Nyne? Seriously?!

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash

I'll be honest, I don't really know how effective this product really is in the fight against acne. I just know that it smells AWESOME.

In the past few months, my skin has been pretty clear. I haven't attributed this to any product, though. In fact, I like to think that my body is finally realizing that it's simply not right for a 29 year old to have breakouts. Time to grow up, right skin? (And yes, I just knocked on wood).

But anyway, back to the cleanser. All I have to say is that it smells authentic, just like a pink grapefruit. Tart, sweet, juicy, and refreshing. It's perfect for my morning shower.

I have already repurchased! ME! Repurchasing! Ooh- I just had an idea. NEXT TIME ON PRODUCT ADDICTION: The items I like enough to actually buy more than once! :-)