soap and paper factory = the perfect gift.

i know you are probably panicked because you haven't gotten me a gift yet for my birthday on tuesday -- but don't fret! i've found the perfect present.

the soap and paper factory makes bath, body and stationary products that are exquisitely packaged. so exquisitely packaged, in fact, that they look like already-wrapped gifts! (so you won't even have to wrap my gift, though you would still have 5 days to do so).

and it doesn't stop there, even after they are unraveled they continue to delight with their original, powerful scents. product fragrances include verbena, orange blossom, rosewood, green tea and fig.

i recommend you stock up at their website - soapandpaperfactory.com - so that you will always have a gorgeous last-minute hostess or birthday gift on hand -- and don't forget to get yourself a gift, too. my favorite item, the bath fizz, retails for $36.

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red flower's ocean.

im in a real catch 22 with red flower, the more products i try of theirs, the more i want.

as a rule, i do not like "water" or "ocean" scents. the smell always seems forced and artificial. but, i seem to have found an exception in red flower's ocean line. instead of smelling like some remix on your college trip to cancun, it's more of a cool, rocky, new england ocean, filled with seaweed and periwinkles.

i have tried red flower ocean as a shampoo, conditioner and candle. as of this morning i am saving what is left of my shampoo and conditioner to use during the summer at fire island. this captivating scent is also available as a body wash and moisturizing lotion.

see the all their offerings at redflower.com

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valentine's day bath picks.

right now relaxing and getting ready for valentine's day seems far off, but (wakeup call!) it's not!

this year, makeup loves me's valentine's day coverage will focus on "rose" and "cherry" themed products. as i rush around the tents i dream of these natural and romantic scents. since they are on my mind, i figured i'd start you off with my bath picks for valentine's day 2008 in between some fashion week coverage.

for rose: spaceNK's compelling bath tablets, $28 (picture at left)


for cherry: thymes red cherie body wash, $18 (pictured at right)

are you a rose or a cherry girl? i'm both!

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lavera organic cosmetics coming to the us!

oh yeah! i have just received word that lavera, the german organic cosmetics company, is being brought to my neck of the woods. lavera products will be sold, on a trial basis, at four harmon stores in new jersey (west caldwell, newton, short hills, and clifton) and two bed bath & beyond stores in manhattan.

if you resolved to take better care of your body (particularly by being more natural) or to be kinder to the earth this year, then you have to check out lavera. they have skincare, makeup, hair and body care lines - all totally organic. now that women have become more conscious of making sure what they put in their body is organic, thinking of what they put on their bodies is the next natural step.

i have been using their mango milk shampoo ($15.99) and conditioner ($17.99) for the last two weeks and my hair seriously smells good enough to eat! oh, and if you don't live near any of the stores that will be carrying lavera, fear not - you can shop all of their product lines at their website - www.lavera.com

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philip b. thai tea body wash.

step aside, philosophy. philip b takes unusual, senual body wash fragrances to the next level.

if you are a regular reader, you know a scent has to wow me for me to use it, let alone write about it. well, philip b's thai tea body wash has done just that. it smells remarkably like the spiced/milky thai iced tea available at my fav little thai hole-in-the-wall. the scent is a fusion of coconut, lemon grass, ginger root, citronella, peppermint, and lime. breathing it in somehow both calming and energizing at once, like doing yoga.

helpful hint: the instructions recommend leaving it on for 3-5 minutes so that you can maximize it's cleansing and calming benefits. i agree.

for some (frustrating) reason the philip b. website doesn't have the thai tea body wash listed. it does, however, list two other beverage inspired washes: chai tea and chocolate milk. after my sublime experience with thai tea, i would be very open to trying the chai tea. my beloved thai tea is available at the formidable space.NK apothocary website and boutique for $40.

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big bad mama biker bath fizzzz in jailbait.

it has literally been years since i have taken a bath (no, that's not gross. i assure you; i shower daily). anyhow, after a long day of travel i relaxed in to the tub to read the much raved about eat pray love.

this was also the perfect opportunity to try out my big bad mama biker bath fizzzz, which i was all sorts of intrigued by. it comes in several hilarious fragrance varieties, including beer, weed, herb, jailbait, hooker spit(...just kidding on the last one, but the first 4 are real). i have jailbait, which the big bad mamma biker bodyworks site describes as "wild cherry, of course. bail, bond, & attorney not included".

i liked the kitsch of it all, but would the product deliver? would the cherry be to candy/pop/sweet? the suspense! i drew the bath, added two generous scoops of the product, and hopped on in. the scent of cherry was totally pleasant with a bit of tartness and no forced sweetness. i actually found it to be a very soothing smell that i could tell was draw from fine ingredients. moreover, for a fizz, it delivered the perfect about of oil. the water didn't feel greasy, but i stepped out of the tub perfectly moisturized, which is particularly awesome because now my back, which i can never truly reach, is now super soft.

i think i see myself developing an addiction to this big bad mama biker, and her bodyworks. the bath fizzzz is $12.99 and, though i'm never great at guessing how many of anything is in a jar, i would say you can get at least 10 baths out of it.

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