MOROCCANOIL Body Dry Body Oil

I adore dry oils for the face and body, so imagine my delight when MOROCCANOIL Body sent me their Dry Body Oil ($48) to try. It was nestled in a box with other wonderful products, but my eyes went straight to the Body Oil. Like all MOROCCCANOIL Body products, it comes in a beautiful turquoise box. The oil comes with a regular white screw-on cap, and the sprayer to replace it is nestled in an insert next to the bottle. It's as classy as it gets.

Described as instant moisture that achieves soft, silky results, MOROCCANOIL Body Dry Body Oil Fragrance Originale infuses skin with the antioxidant-rich, nourishing properties of argan oil rich in essential fatty acids, as well as olive and avocado oils. The weightless formula absorbs very quickly to lock in moisture, while soothing dry areas and improving overall skin texture and tone. It is delicately fragranced with the signature MOROCCANOIL scent called Fragrance Originale that evokes to me a beach in paradise. It doesn't smell like suntan lotion or coconut, but it reminds me of sun, sand, and waves. Perhaps I have an active imagination.

If I'm really dry, I will apply the oil extravagantly, pouring a bit into my palm and applying it after a shower. Under normal circumstances (when I'm dry, but not parched), I use the sprayer and apply a light film that I massage into my skin - often right before bed).

I know that you were first aware of MOROCCANOIL as an excellent hair product. There is a really fun YouTube video on the company's site featuring Rosie Huntington-Whitley and her tousled, glamorous hair.

Back to the body products, there are many different types. MOROCCANOIL takes care of all skin types in various delectable scents. Fleur d'Oranger is one of my favorites. You can check them out at the company's Web site or Nordstrom. I think Barneys New York may carry it too. I have other treasures to show you, so I'll be featuring them often.

MOROCCANOIL Body's products are paraben-free. The Dry Body Oil is made in Canada. Shipping is free, and with orders of $55 or more, you will receive a complimentary (and wonderful) hand cream sample. Give them a try!

Photos courtesy of MOROCCANOIL

CREED Acqua Fiorentina Perfumed Oil

I adore CREED Acqua Fiorentina Eau de Parfum ($240), a fruity floral fragrance that was introduced in 2009-2010 (shown below). Master perfumer Olivier Creed, with his son Erwin, created a "statement about the lasting value of fine scent, shared and enjoyed from generation to generation."

The inspiration for Acqua Fiorentina was 15^th century Florence, where artists and innovators, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, sparked a new flame of beauty and culture with Renaissance art that's priceless today. Fittingly, orchards and farms around Florence are the sources for the ingredients in Acqua Fiorentina.

The top notes are lightly sweet greengate plum (often used in cuisine as a dessert plum) and bergamot orange. The middle notes include Renaissance roses, pink carnations, and Calabrian lemons, a finely rendered portrait of fruits and blooms that belongs on a canvass. The base notes are Virginia cedar and Indian sandalwood, two of my favorites. They give Acqua Fiorentina a soft dry-down that's easy on the nose.

That brings me to Acqua Fiorentina Perfumed Oil ($145), which I purchased recently from the CREED Boutique in New York. The day it arrived, I sprayed it on my neck, chest, and arms before bed. I awoke the next morning and wondered for nearly 30 minutes why my whole bedroom smelled so good. Having forgotten my treat before bed, I was worried that a bottle of perfume has spilled. Crazy me! I was the reason my bedroom had that heavenly fragrance. Actually, CREED can take most of the credit. I just had the good sense to buy and use the Acqua Fiorentina Perfumed Oil.

To make perfumed oils, Olivier Creed uses the same crop of handpicked ingredients he uses to make his original fragrance formulations (and he's very picky about his ingredients). Instead of the traditional fine fragrance alcohol base, he crafts an alternative of calendula oil to gently soothe the skin, almond oil with omega-3 for its treatment benefits, and aloe extract to soften and heal the skin.  The result is fine, fragrant oil that's light enough to spray on its own or to layer with its companion eau de parfum.

Interestingly, CREED's first perfumed oils were made for Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, who used the oil to soothe her skin during the long Paris winters and scorching summers - basically any time she wanted a treat. I'll be using my new Acqua Fiorentina any time I feel like it too, but especially before bed. I love drifting off to sleep with a divine dry oil scenting my skin while it moisturizes. I really love awakening to the same divine fragrance the next morning.

The Acqua Fiorentina Eau de Parfum is in extremely short supply. It's my understanding that when Creed cannot source his ingredients, he will discontinue production until he can replace the ingredients with exact duplicates. I'm not sure where you might find a bottle of the irresistible eau de parfum today. I want the flacon, and I'll start my quest now. I bought the 2.5-ounce spray at Neiman Marcus months ago.

I do know where you can find the Acqua Fiorentina Perfumed Oil: at the CREED Boutique, where I bought mine. You should also be able to find it at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and select Saks Fifth Avenue stores, although it's so nice, they sell through the stock quickly upon delivery.

Photos courtesy of CREED, darvillsrareprints.com, and metmuseum.org

Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Dry Body Oil

I guess I was asleep at the switch. I didn't realize that Jo Malone had introduced a dry oil in English Pear & Freesia ($65). When I found out, my credit card jumped out of my wallet at lightning speed. I love dry oils, and I love Jo Malone's English Pear & Freesia fragrance. It was a natural for me.

English Pear & Freesia is a fruity floral with a burst of King William Pear in its top notes. White freesia (always one of the most fragrant flowers in a bouquet) is among the scent’s heart notes. Amazingly, its dry-down includes patchouli, white amber, and musk. I don't smell the patchouli, which I normally despise. I do smell the musk.

This luxurious, moisturizing oil scents the skin and is silky to the touch. The innovative, light texture is said to be ideal for warm weather - in my mind any weather. Dry oil hydrates the skin, but is dry to the touch. This one leaves behind nothing slick that would interfere with clothing, just lovely, scented hydration.

Given that "dry oil" is a relatively odd term, you might be wondering, "How can an oil be dry?" A dry oil is an oil that has been rendered almost free of water, contaminants, and impurities. Most dry oils for skin care are absorbed rapidly and don't leave you feeling sticky or greasy. A few do - but not this one. If you like English Pear & Freesia, you might want to look for this dry body oil.

You can find Jo Malone online and at department store counters everywhere.

Photo courtesy of Jo Malone

Use and Protect Your Skin Care Oils!

Oils manufactured for use in skin care, particularly natural and organic oils, will go bad over time - just like oils for cooking do. Whether refined or not, all oils are sensitive to heat, light, and exposure to oxygen. Rancid oil has an unpleasant aroma and acrid taste, and its value is greatly diminished. You wouldn't want to use an old olive oil for cooking. You don't want to use an old oil on your skin either. Not only will it develop an unpleasant aroma, it will lose its original effectiveness.

The other day, I reached for a dry oil spray that I have had for a couple of years. While it once had a fabulous fragrance, it had developed an "off" smell. I tossed it, which was unfortunate, given its price. I have no one to blame but myself - I didn't use it fast enough.

Here are some tips for using oils for skin care (moisturizer, massage oil, etc.).

1. Don't buy more than you can use in 6-12 months (I'm guilty!).
2. Store your oils in a cool, dry place where the temperature is relatively stable - not in your bathroom where they will heat up.
3. If the oil is in a clear glass or plastic container, store it in the box it came in or a cabinet with no light exposure.
4. If you have a choice, buy oils that come in opaque containers.
   
5. Consider storing your oil in the refrigerator if it's pure (no preservatives).
6. If your oil develops a musty or unusual odor, discard it.
   

You will protect your investment and ensure that your oil will perform as promised. I'm keeping my new Melvita oils in their boxes because both are in transparent containers.

When you do have to dispose of an oil, remember to put it in a sealed non-recyclable container and discard it with your regular trash. Don't gum up the works and put it in with your recycling.

That's Friday's tutorial! :) Not a sexy subject, but important for skin care!

I'll post our Friday Forum later today. I'll have to run off sometime today to find out how many ribs I broke last night when I fell (my diagnosis). An area rug I had put down for the "snow mess" near my front door moved, and down I went! Like I needed this.

Photo courtesy of stanford.wellsphere.com

Melvita Bio-excellence Extraordinary Dry Oil

Melvita makes a nice dry oil for the body and hair. Given that "dry oil" is a relatively odd term, you might be wondering, "How can an oil be dry?"

A dry oil is an oil that has been rendered almost free of water, contaminants, and impurities. Most dry oils for skin care are absorbed rapidly and don't leave you feeling sticky or greasy. The Melvita Bio-excellence Extraordinary Dry Oil ($33) is a fragranced, extra-mild combination of plant oils, gathered from the "four corners of the earth." Extraordinary Dry Oil sprays on the properties of its plant ingredients to soothe, repair, and hydrate. It leaves a pleasantly silky protective film on the skin. It's also said to be suitable for use on dry or frizzy hair, thanks to its non-greasy texture. I haven't tried it on my hair, given that any weight is too much weight on my hair. I might try it next weekend for a treatment, though.

You can spray this oil on without massaging it in, but it feels so good to rub it in. If you apply it right after bathing, the oil will help your skin trap and retain moisture. I also apply it before bed so that I can sleep easy knowing my scales will be gone in the morning.

It's main ingredients are sesame oil, safflower oil, jojoba oil, camelina oil, argan oil, oily extract of strawberry, vitamin E, and 100% natural fragrance. How does it smell? Hard to define! It's a bit earthy/herby, but not either alone. It is said to include a blend of voilets, pears, and mimosa, but they are not distinguishable to me. Actually, the fragrance smells like an oil that would be delicious on a baguette!

Melvita is French organic body care and beauty products leader. The company is located in the heart of the Ardèche countryside. Founded in 1983 by beekeeper and biologist Bernard Chevilliat, Melvita (meaning “honey and life” in Latin) has been a pioneer in the field of organic beauty for more than 25 years and is a passionate advocate for the complete organic lifestyle.

You can purchase the Bio-excellence Extraordinary Dry Oil at SkinStore. Beautorium also carries Melvita products, although it doesn't appear that they carry this product. Both online sites have specials at the moment. Beautorium is offering 10% off Melvita and two free travel-sized items with a $50 purchase of Melvita. Use the promo code MELVITA at checkout. SkinStore also has a gift with a $45 Melvita purchase. I want the argan oil! It's on its way.

Photo courtesy of SkinStore