Buttering it Up with The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

Above: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

I have always loved cocoa butter for its subtle nutty, vanilla and chocolate like scent and it is very rich and moisturizing too.  I especially liked Palmers Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick, but unfortunately I cannot find this product anywhere anymore. Luckily, I stumble upon The Body Shop’s Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick and it was on sale!  I picked one up and really liked it so far.

From reading the forums and other reviews, a lot of ladies use this to try to avoid stretch marks and pregnant ladies use these to moisturized their stomachs.  I mainly used the cocoa butter stick as a deep moisturizer for my hands, feet, knees and elbows.  I have had an on going flare up of eczema on my elbows this year and my elbows are very dry from using hydrocortisone and I find that the cocoa butter helps soothes the chafing and peeling.  It is also very moisturizing for my hands and feet too without being too greasy as it absorbs into my skin quickly.  It is also less mess then lotions in jars, tubes and pump bottles, as I tend to get to much product out from these apparatus or I spill and drip product everywhere.  When I carry a larger purse, I like to take this with me, as opposed to carrying a tube of lotion because it is neater and cleaner.  Before and after every use, I clean the surface with a tissue to prevent bacteria from forming on the stick.

My favourite aspect of this stick is the scent!  I love the nutty smell with the very subtle vanilla and chocolate scent.  It is chocolately without it being too sugary and artificial.

Above: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

Getting into a Rose Romance with Pacifica Egyptian Rose Bergamot Body Butter

Above second from left: Pacifica Egyptian Rose Bergamot Body Butter

This is another goodie that I grabbed at the Pacifica secret sale to compliment the perfume spray that I got from them as well. When I tired Pacifica Egyptian Rose Bergamot Perfume, I thought it was a bit too musky and spicy. I find the patchouli overwhelms the rose and bergamot too much but I am happy to find that this is not the case with the body butter version.

The body butter’s scent is more subtle but not too subtle that I can’t smell anything on myself or distinguish the blend of scents from each other. I can definitely smell the rose and the bergamot in the body butter, while I find the amber, patchouli and labdanum overwhelm the rose and bergamot in the perfume. After all, it is called Egyptian Rose Bergamot, I think the rose and bergamot should be more dominate. In the body butter, I can smell the soft floral of the rose and the tanginess of the bergamot. The patchouli, amber and labdanum add a spiciness and muskiness that is just right in the body butter, making it more exotic. In the perfume, I find the spiciness and muskiness too heady for my taste. There is also a “creamy” quality to the scent in the body butter as well, which pleasantly softens the scent. I also think the scent to the body butter is more natural than the perfume.

Like all the Pacifica body butters I have tried so far, the moisturizer is rich without being greasy or heavy. It absorbs into my skin fast and keeps my skin soft for a hours and hours. One thing I don’t like is that the body butter’s scent is not very long lasting. It only lasts about 1-2 hours on me.

FIY you can now subscribe to Bella Koola by email, just click the subscribe by email button on the right hand column and enter your email address. You will get updates whenever I post new entries.

A Rosy Romantic Evening with Pacifica Egyptian Rose Bergamot Perfume Spray

Above: Pacifica Egyptian Rose Bergamot Perfume Spray

This is another goodie I bought from Pacifica’s website during their secret sale. I bought this perfume without smelling it because my local store did not stock this scent and I was interested in trying some rose scented perfumes. The description on the Pacifica website sounds so lovely and wonderful. With the description, I can imagine myself strolling through an exotic rose garden with a cute boy. Pacifica’s creator, Brooke Harvey-Taylor probably had romance on her mind creating this as roses are used for seduction and love in the Persian culture. She based Egyptian Rose Bergamot on an ancient Arabic perfume recipe with notes of Mediterranean Bergamot, Egyptian Rose, Amber and  Patchouli, Labdanum.

On me, the scent is exotic, spicy and warm but the rose is very subtle. I actually don’t really smell the bergamot at all on myself. At first, I find that there is a bitterness and muskiness to the scent. I thought the patchouli was much too strong and overwhelms the rose. It is almost too musky for my taste because I would have prefer the rose to be a bit stronger; but as the muskiness and spiciness dries down, the rose starts to come through making it a more feminine and floral scent.

At first I wasn’t sure if I would like this perfume because I find it too herbal and spicy but as the rose starts to come through more I start to like it better. With the rose coming through more, it smells fresher to me. Egyptian Bergamot Rose is definitely a stray from some of my sweeter scents. I imagine myself wearing this more often at night because it is warm, spicy and strong. It is definitely a more “mature” and sophisticated scent to me that I hope to grow to like more because I do like the smell of roses. This scent lasted me approximately 3-4 hours and the lasting power is the same layered with the matching body butter. Stay tuned for the review on the Egyptian Rose Bergamot Body Butter.

My Spring Pacifica Perfumes Haul: Egyptian Bergamot Rose Body Butter, Perfume and Tahitian Gardenia Perfume

Above: Nerola Orange Blossom Candle; Egyptian Bergamot Rose Body Butter; Perfume; and Tahitian Gardenia Perfume

Hi all! On Monday I received a nice surprise. My order from Pacifica came. What a nice surprised to end a cranky work day and to start the week. This haul is from the “secret” sale that Pacifica extended to me and all Bella Koola readers or anybody who stumble upon this sale via my website. My picks are Egyptian Bergamot Rose Body Butter, Egyptian Bergamot Rose Perfume and Tahitian Gardenia Perfume. As a bonus, since my purchase was over $50, I received a free Nerola Orange Blossom 3 oz candle. I can’t wait to try these goodies and report back.  I have never tried anything with a dominate rose note before nor do I know how Egyptian Bergamot Rose smells like because my local store does not stock this scent. My new favourite scent is Tahitian Gardenia from the body butter and I can’t wait to layer the scent with the corresponding perfume spray. Stay tuned.

Getting Some Tropical Romance With Pacifica Body Butter in Tahitian Gardenia

Last December I stumbled upon Pacifica’s Tahitian Gardenia Body Butter and when I tried it, my first thought was “pretty.” However, I held off buying it, only to find out that Tahitian Gardenia Body Butter is a perpetual sell out at the store. It was the same situation on Pacifica’s website as well. In fact, Tahitian Gardenia is one of their best selling scents. I agree because it was love at first sniff for me. I find the scent very romantic and I think of a tropical garden on an island. Apparently, gardenias are a symbol of love, unity, grace and strength.

Until recently, I usually stay away from florals because I find most of the floral scents I tried are too heady for me. However, I find Tahitian Gardenia very green and fresh without making me feel I was working in a flower shop 24/7. The gardenia is sweet and soft with a dose of orange flowers making the scent a bit spicy and tangy. I really like how the orange flowers breaks up the floral scent, giving it more depth. Other notes include jasmine, ylang ylang and tea leaves.

The body butter is rich and moisturizing without being greasy and it absorbs very fast into my skin. On my skin, I find the orange flower scent is more evident than the gardenia scent. While the initial gardenia and orange flower are evident without being overpowering, the scent mellows and fades very fast on me. The scent fades within two hours on my skin. I think it may be longer lasting if I layer it with the perfume spray, which I ordered from Pacifica’s website during their secret sale. Since the scent is very green and fresh, I think this would make a pretty scent, especially for the daytime or wear at night to conjure up some romance with your honey.

Pacifica products, the are without Parabens, Sulfates,Propylene Glycol, Phthalates, GMOs, Triclosan and Petro-chemicals. Pacifica products are cruelty-free and 100% vegan and gluten free.

Pacifica Perfumes “Secret” 25% off Sale for Bella Koola Readers Last Day!

Logo credit: Pacifica

Just as a reminder that the Pacifica Perfumes “secret,“ sale ends tonight June 9 11:59 PST. You get 25% off your entire order before shipping and any applicable taxes. I will probably be picking up a few spring/summer floral body butters and perfumes. At the moment any orders over $50.00 will receive a free Nerola Orange Blossom 30 oz Soy Candle . Use the discount code: bellakoola when checking out. Happy Shopping everybody!

And remember you can now subscribe to Bella Koola in a reader or by email. Just click on the links on the right hand side column: “subscribe in a reader,” or “email subscription,” and enter in your email.

A “Secret” Sale at Pacifica Perfumes for Bella Koola Readers

Logo Credit: Pacifica

Just as a reminder, Pacifica Perfumes has a “secret” sale offer for all Bella Koola readers. Please use the discount code of bellakoola at checkout for 25% off your order. It is an extension of an existing “secret,” sale but my discount code will work until June 9, 2010 midnight (11:59 PM PST).

I have pleasantly enjoyed all the Pacifica products I have tried because they smell so lovely. Pacifica uses all natural ingredients without parabens. They also have some unusual scents such as Avalon Juniper, which is a grapefruit, heliotrope and juniper blend. For a small independent company, they have a great scent range and product range. I look forward to trying some of their floral and fruit ranges for the spring and summer. You can read about my experiences with Pacifica products here. Will anybody be shopping at Pacifica during this sale? Happy Shopping!

A Pacifica Perfumes “Secret” Sale for Bella Koola Girls: 25% off Your Entire Order

Logo credit: Pacifica

Good evening all. The marketing team from Pacifica contacted me last week and offered me an extended “secret” sale to share with all  Bella Koola readers or to those who love to search for great deals on beauty goodies.

At the moment Pacifica only ships to Canada and the USA. For those who have an American address there is free shipping for all orders over $50.00. Unfortunately, free shipping is not applicable to Canadian addresses. Please note that all goods are subjected to federal and state/provincial taxes. For Canadian orders shipping to a Canadian address are subjected to GST and provincial tax. If you have any questions regarding shipping, feel free to contact Pacifica via their website: http://www.pacificaperfume.com/

I have really enjoyed the winter range Pacifica products I picked a few weeks ago and I can’t wait to try some of their spring ranges. Will anybody be picking up any goodies with this sale? You can read about the products I have tried so far here.

Glysomed Hand Cream Great as a Body Lotion Too

Image Credit: Glysomed

I have been using Glysomed for both my hands and body on and off for the last five years and I think it is one of the best drugstore products available. My hands and body get especially dry during the cold and dry winters here, especially when it is about to snow. It is also a great moisturizer for the warmer months too. Although the tube says it is a hand cream, I like to use this on my body too to hydrate my skin and to soothe away the itchiness from dry skin. Glysomed dries and absorbs into my skin very quickly and my skin stays hydrated for hours and hours.

Over the years, Glysomed’s texture has changed. It used to be a thick sticky and silky feeling cream from the silicone; however, nowadays, it feels like a regular thick frothy cream, without the stickiness. I actually prefer the old sticky version better because my skin feels silkier. The hand cream has a “triple action formula,” of Glycerin to hydrate and restore the skin’s moisture balance; Silicone to lock moisture and protect hands; and Chamomile to soothe and calm dry and irritated skin. The scent is pleasant and natural.

I have the one that is scented but the scent is not so overpowering that I can’t wear perfumes of another scent that would conflict with the hand cream’s scent. The scent is not very long lasting. I can smell it in the tube and as put it on my body, but once the cream dries the scent is no detectable. This also comes in an unscented version.

Is Mediterranean Fig Anything Like the Newton Fig Bars? Pacifica Mediterranean Fig Body Body

Pacifica’s Mediterranean Fig Body Butter is another unexpected buy for me because it strays from my usual scents of fruits, florals, vanilla and cocoa scents. I was actually expecting a sweeter, warmer and fruitier scent, almost like one of my favourite morsels: Newton Fig Bars. Instead, Mediterranean Fig smells very green and woodsy. It is actually quite lovely because it reminds me of a rainy day in the woods. I want to go hiking in the Lynn Canyon Valley just thinking about it, where I can smell the moisture, moss and woods. The notes include palm, cyclamen, sweet fig, moss, clove and woody sandalwood. The scent is gender neutral but lends toward masculine to me because of the woodiness of the sandalwood and the greenness of the moss. There is a slight spiciness herbal scent to it by the clove. On my body Mediterranean Fig starts of very green and a bit woody but towards the end of the scent it starts to smell slightly floral from the cyclamen; however, the floral scent is not strong enough to detect, unless I really sniff myself or if somebody gets in really close. Mediterranean Fig’s scent is extremely short lived, only lasting about 1-2 hours, much shorter than Avalon Juniper. The body butter is rich and hydrating without being greasy. It absorbs into my body quickly. Mediterranean Fig is a nontraditional scent but very wearable and subtle. Give it try if you are looking for something different from the usual sweet fruits, florals and woody orientals.