Bathing beauties

This week, we’re taking a look at bathing beauties: body oils and bath products to make taking a bath an even more sublime experience. Is that possible? Yes, it is…

This week, we’re taking a look at bathing beauties: body oils and bath products to make taking a bath an even more sublime experience.

Is that possible? Yes, it is. With fragrance.

The emotive energy of fragrance is well documented, and also the theme of smell as experience. In times past, we found good food – and good mates – through a sense of smell. Objects emit molecules so we can smell them; fragrance hits the olfactory bulb then the limbic system of the brain, and electrical impulses are linked with memory to produce a reaction.

Nowadays, there are 1200 perfumes launched every year, but the perfumed bathing products pictured below include some timeless classic perfumes just perfect for a bath: calming lavender, sweet rose, and refreshing citrus.

I shot some of the new releases and a few old favourites in the bath and body oil market, against these beautiful white Gracious Living Turkish cotton towels available at homewares at Farmers stores nationwide and www.farmers.co.nz. I love a clean, fresh towel, and a soothing bath, so I am going to reward myself shortly by combining them. Go on, treat yourself, too. Here are some great places to start…

Dr. Hauschka is extremely serious about their fragrances. In fact, I attended a luncheon to hear from their Perfumer Jorg Zimmerman, a German who studied at Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France, and the world’s only fulltime perfumer employed to work with natural fragrances. Dr.Hauschka believes in nurturing the senses with perfume while nourishing skin. Read about it here on Thread. Their Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Bath Essence ($44) and Moor Lavender Calming Bath Essence ($49) are incredibly pure, with strong essential oil blends added to botanical oils to soothe the skin. I can’t decide on my favourite as lemon is so fresh and invigorating, and lavender is so calming. I recommend you get both! www.drhauschka.co.nz

New brand, Temple Tonic, features a range of luxurious organic body oils, produced right here in NZ. Temple Tonic body oils come in a variety of scents, all on a base oil blend of sunflower, grapeseed, macadamia nut, rosehip, and pomegranate seed oils. I’ve been using May Chang, Mandarin & Goji on my skin after the shower, and I love it. You can buy them online for $42, and one for babies at $30, from www.templetonic.com

Clarins Splendours Shimmer Body Oil has the prettiest contents; it’s basically the snowglobe of the beauty world! When you shake it up the gold flecks get busy in a flurry of activity and give the shimmer to the aptly-titled Shimmer Body Oil. It goes on super shimmery then dries off to a subtle shimmer and the botanical fragrance remains behind. It contains essential oils of grapefruit and mandarin, scented with ylang ylang and tonka bean. $67 at Clarins counters for a limited time from 4th November.

The Aromatherapy Co. Therapy Range Body & Bath Oil, Cuticle oil, and Healing Balm are natural, New Zealand-made skincare products with 100% pure essential oils. I tried the cuticle oil out on my own dry nail beds and slept on it. It has Vitamin E, jojoba and evening primrose and feels fabulous. The Body & Bath Oil contains rose, patchouli and ylang ylang – which, if you know perfume, is basically a great combination for most expensive fragrances on the market, so you’re in for a scented treat with this oil! The Healing Balm comes in a gorgeous wee tin that would be perfect for the first aid box and features a blend of tea tree, lavender and natural bees wax to soothe rough patches. www.thearomatherapycompany.co.nz

Weleda Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion and Citrus Creamy Body Wash are refreshing lemon and orange oil-based body products from Weleda that really invigorate your senses with their fresh zesty scent. The lotions – which also comes in Sea Buckthorn, Pomegranate, and Wild Rose – retail for $33.90 – $36.90, and the Creamy Body Washes are $19.90 each. www.weleda.co.nz

River Veda is a beautiful range of skincare sold by New Zealander Megan Douglas, whose name you may recognise from her days as a model and fashion designer (and daughter of Roger Douglas). Now she’s fascinated by all things organic and therapeutic from nature. Megan has two lines under World Organic brand, which is sold direct through personal consultants: River Veda, and the lower priced line, The Organic Skin Co. They have BioGro certification, and have recently increased the organic percentages in their products. Pictured above, River Veda Honeysuckle and Rose aroma bath and body oil $43 is a pure blend of organic cold pressed oils to either add to your bath water, or to yoru skin post-bath. It’s 100% natural with 98.1% organic ingredients. www.worldorganic.co.nz

Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub for a New Skin ($68) has a three-fold purpose for skin soft as a baby: it softens, smoothes, and firms, using natural bamboo powders. It soothes with shea for deliciously smooth soft skin. The tiny grains felt wonderful on my skin and it imparted a gentle fragrance that felt fresh and clean, leaving super soft skin. Use it in the bath then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Voila – new skin. Get summer-ready skin from Clarins counters nationwide.

The NZ made Olive and Tebe brands are produced on site at Simunovich Olive Estate in Bombay, south of Auckland, at the most incredible scenic olive groves and restaurant that you must visit when you have the chance. But right now, we’re talking baths. Olive is very affordable, sold through pharmacies and on their website. The Olive 100% natural skin care oil $34.95 is also popular with mothers of babies I’ve talked to as it is free from mineral oils, parabens and silicones and can be used by anyone. Added to the olive leaf extract base, are rosehip oil, sea buckthorn, calendula, kiwi seed extract, and gnger extract, Use it for scars, stretch marks, fine lines and ageing and dry skin. www.simuolive.co.nz

Antipodes is a personal favourite New Zealand brand of mine. Their new Delight Hand & Body Cream $42.90 is a rich handcream, containing macadamia nut oil for its high palmitoleic acid (Omega 7) qualities, to intensely hydrate skin. It smells amazing, with gardenia flower giving it an old-fashioned and charming fragrance. This fragrance complements the vintage styling of the packaging; we love squeezing the metal tube! www.antipodesnature.com

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil ($79) has 100% pure plant extracts to firm and tone skin. Use after bathing for a delicious and beneficial experience. It’s great for stretch marks and after pregnancy too. It contains essential oils of geranium, mint and rosemary to tone and stimulate skin. Hazelnut oil moisturises skin to rehydrate after the bath.

Words and photos, Megan Robinson
23 October 2013