This post is not about one of the favorite perfumistas’ topics of [not] hoarding perfumes we love. It’s a great topic, and I have no doubt we’ll talk about it again soon. But today I want to talk about body care products.
As much as I love good smelling products of all kinds, it might be challenging to follow a fragrant shower gel or a body lotion with perfume application. So, it’s a good idea to have products that match perfumes we love. I mean, it’s good as an idea. But with my perfume usage pattern where I wear another perfume every day, it’s not feasible to stock my bathroom with matching products.
The next seemingly good idea would be to get just those products that match one’s holy grail perfumes. It might work for some people who wear their favorites often, but since my most favorite perfumes are those that I wear only for special occasions, I would have not too many opportunities to enhance the experience by using a matching product. And yet… I couldn’t resist and got several wonderful though completely unnecessary items.
I thought about incorporating those body lotions or shower gels into my daily routine separately from matching perfumes but from the past experience I know better than to trivialize special things by relegating them to mundane use.
Last week, as I was going to put on one of my all-time favorites Ta’if by Ormonde Jayne, I thought it would be a great opportunity to use a wonderful matching bath and shower crème that I got a while ago as a gift with purchase.
Several years ago Vanessa warned me what might happen, but I put those words of wisdom in the back of my mind: back then my tube was still fresh and smelled divine.
Today that at one time great bath product still has some vague pleasant aroma (unlike the one Vanessa portrayed in her post), and it still feels nice on skin. But it doesn’t smell of my beloved Ta’if, which probably isn’t such a bad thing since now I will be able to finally use it up since it doesn’t clash any more with perfumes I wear.
But you’ve been warned. And keep in mind: body creams have even worse shelf life.
Images: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
So true ……
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:) I see we had similar experiences.
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I only used matching body products when I had a series of ‘signature scents’. Kenzo Summer, Aromatics Elixir and Gucci Envy body lotions come to mind. I did really enjoy them and used them up. These days my skin is so dry I stick to very unglam products.
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I was weak :) But mostly what I have came as either a part of a set (but I chose to buy it like that) or was a GWP.
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I have never used scented body products. I cannot bear them. On saying that I would like a pot of the Dries Van Noten body butter. I hear from my own reliable sources that it is beyond divine. If that ever happens I will wear it on its own. I cover myself every single day with Neutrogena unscented body cream. No plans to change. Mwah. 💋
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My regular body lotions/creams are also either non-scented or with a generic scent that doesn’t threaten my perfumes. And those that I have are rather in category of your DVN (one-off, very special).
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I seriously need to buy the DVN.
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I use fragrance free body lotions, always. The few times where I have had a mini of a perfumed lotion it has disappointed me. I do use various Yves Rocher scented shower gels but the fragrance only lasts while I’m in the shower so no competition there. By the time I get to my perfume I don’t really smell anything on my skin.
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Most of my body lotions are also scent-free (or generic). As to shower gels, I’m less concerned with mixing scents and more with getting used to the scent if I use it too often and liking it less as perfume.
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This is why I keep my lotions and creams in the fridge. They will last for 10+ years when stored this way. I have a bottle of Penhaligon’s Violetta body lotion that is going on 15 years and still smells perfect. I buy very few matching lotions, but sometimes I like to layer, and the FMalle body butters are so highly fragranced I wear those alone sometimes.
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If I put my lotions (not talking about shower gels) into the fridge, they’ll store well forever since I won’t be using them at all! :)
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I rarely use scented lotions but do have a good number of scented shower gels which I think are more stable and generally do not lose the integrity of the perfume.
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For how long do you have your gels? The one in question is 5 years old (at least).
Body lotions I also prefer unscented.
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Such a shame you were not able to use that shower cream when it was at its best.
I suppose it’s a lesson learned? To use a product of this kind when it’s still fresh and useful.
I never had a shower or body product to match my perfume. Well, except one Atelier Cologne soap but that’s kind of a different story since bar soap won’t go bad so easily and once you put it out, it gets used regularly.
But I wouldn’t mind getting a shower gel of Prada Amber Pour Homme for example.
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I have a separate grudge against soaps: they last forever gradually loosing the scent as well! :)
This winter I’ll make an effort to use at least some of my matching body lotions and, going forward, will never buy any of these matching products or use them rather sooner than later if I happen to get it for free as a part of a set.
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That’s true. Indont have much experience with perfumed soap bars as I mostly use liquid soap
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Interesting post as always, Undina. I’m a complete slacker when it comes to body products and never use them, which is a shame, as there are some great ones out there.
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Thank you, Richard.
I think you’re better off using “stand-alone” products.
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Thanks for the advice, Undina.
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I’m in the Uk and use M&S Magnolia bath products. Cheap and cheerful especially when on offer (like now !) I also have Lavender and put the body cream on sometimes before II go to bed.
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I like Yves Rocher’s shower products, as to the body lotions/creams, I usually use Nivea, and recently I’ve added Kiehl’s cream, both not too fragrant but very moisturizing.
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Hehe, as soon as you mentioned Ta’if that past disappointment came back to me. I am impressed you remembered too! Ah dear, I am often confronted with the ‘use it or lose it’ trope in my beauty product stash. I also have a bottle of Eau Duelle that simply smells weakly of vanilla now. And you have made me think to try my years old and still not used Patou Joy shower gel. ;)
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You see – a power of your word! If only I would have learned from your experience :) But let’s hope I got it now (and maybe, combined with your authority, persuaded someone else not to hoard these even less stable than perfumes treasures).
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