I love trying new products. And one of the biggest factors for me in deciding whether to buy a product is its scent. Of course, I care about whether the product does what it says it will, but when something is on your face that close to the nostrils, certainly product aromas matter. Here are some of the best and worst smelling products I've run across as well as reviews of their other vices and virtues.
The Worst
Perricone MD Cold Plasma Eye Cream
I was so excited to try this eye cream, which was praised by all the magazines as the ultimate eye cream for hydration, smoothness, and combating dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines: a true multi-tasker. Since this miracle in a jar doesn't come cheap, I sought out a sample from the friendly staff at Sephora. I eagerly cracked open my sample jar when I got home and applied. The first thing I noticed was a slightly medicinal and marine smell, but as it dried the "marine" scent went from slightly sea-air to all out dead fish. I thought that it would fade as it dried, but instead, it just got worse and more potent. I could still smell it several hours later. The final straw was that my fiance noticed it when he kissed me and commented on how bad my face smelled. At that point, I gave up and washed it off. But in fairness to the product, before I washed my face, I have to admit that my eye area looked noticeably smoother and brighter, and it felt soft and hydrated to the touch. So the eye cream does work. I went to sephora.com to read other user reviews to see if people encountered the same problem, and it was a mixed bag. About half complained about the scent and the other half seemed to think it wasn't that bad. Even though the eye cream gave great results, I'm not willing to suffer through smelling like day-old sushi. I normally love Dr. Perricone products, but this one is definitely in my no-fly zone.
Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Goji Berry Facial Mask
Besides being a mouthful, this mask is formulated with the hottest superberry: acai. I guess it was only a matter of time before this antioxidant-laden berry made its way from our smoothies to our skincare products. I'm a big fan of Pangea, a brand whose products boast "free of" lists that are longer than the ingredients lists, a sure sign of a true organic skincare line. Their moisturizers, balancing oil, and eye cream are all fabulous organic products. But this mask was a big disappointment. Aside from the unattractive shade of brownish green, which is difficult to pinpoint without making a direct references to diapers, the first thing that I noticed about this mask was its potent smell. Again, difficult to pinpoint, but it's something of a combination of rotting wood and wet dog. And the scent is potent too, I tried to be a good sport and leave the sample on my face for the full 20 minutes, but I just couldn't take it. Rinsing it off was something of an experience too, since it clung to my skin and would not come off with water and my fingertips, so I had to spoil my white washcloth with that horrid shade of acid green/brown. I can only hope it will come out it the laundry. This mask was very exfoliating, and my skin did feel smooth afterward, although I think I had a reaction to something in it since I woke up with several irritated-skin bumps the next morning. Needless to say, I won't be trying this product again, and it gets the award for the most disgusting-smelling thing I have ever put on my face. Consider yourself warned.
Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizer Cream
This moisturizer is lightweight, hydrating, and rich with antioxidants and other good-for-the-skin ingredients. So what could be so bad? Well, this one make the list not because it's unbearable like the previous two, but simply because it has that "old lady strong perfume" smell that all cosmetics used to have, and frankly, went out with the 80's. In this time when there are so many ingredients (including and especially natural ingredients) that cosmetics companies can use to make products smell good or at least smell neutral, there is really no excuse for this heavy perfumey scent is so strong and unnatural that I can only assume that it was deliberately added to the product. Why, I can't begin to fathom.
The Best
Super by Perricone Hyper Hydrator with Coconut Water
Perricone both made by top and worst list. Super is a new line by Perricone that is marketed toward a younger, hipper, and more eco-friendly consumer. But its products are simple and great for men and women of all ages. I should note that even though this line is loaded with superfoods (hence, the name) and is formulated without a lot of the ingredients that natural-cosmetics connoisseurs avoid (phthalates, sulfates, parabens, etc.), it is not a truly natural line. It is however cruelty-free (no animal testing and no animal byproducts) and the packaging is made with recycled and recyclable products at a low-carbon footprint factory. With all that said, the Hyper Hydrator is a good and very hydrating moisturizer. It leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturized yet non-greasy, and it has the light refreshing but very soft scent of genuine coconut water. My soon-to-be sister-in-law recently introduced Josh and I to coconut water when we visited her in New York, just like coconut water works quickly and effectively to quench your thirst, this moisturizer makes my skin feel instantly hydrated without leaving it greasy as many moisturizers do. And the scent is both light and delightful. At $40, it's a reasonably-priced moisturizer too.
Ole Henriksen Truth Revealed Super Creme SPF 15
This is a fantastic day moisturizer, formulated with repairing ingredients like Omega 3 and other antioxidants, makes my skin glow while protecting it from sun damage. Although it does feel a bit sticky at first, once it dried, my skin feels silky-soft and amazing. Best of all, it smells like a 50/50 bar, a light creamy orange scent. It doesn't get much better than this for yummy-smelling and feeling skin. The anti-aging benefits are just a bonus.
Korres Raspberry Antioxidant Liquid Lipstick
So so many of the Korres homeopathic products smell heavenly that it's hard to pick just one for my list. It's my favorite of the "active-naturals" cosmetics lines. The products are great quality and they simply do what they say. I've never met a Korres product I didn't like. That said, their antioxidant liquid lipstick is AMAZING. I can't say enough good things about it. It has the color potency and coverage of a lipstick but it feels like a gloss and moisturizers my lips like a balm. I only wish they made more colors. But it's new, so I have high hopes. It also smooths the lines on your lips, making them look younger and fuller, and it gives a nice cooling sensation. I only have the Berry shade so far, but I'm thinking of getting the Natural, which is a gorgeous nude-pink. As a bonus, it smells absolutely edible, like berry-vanilla ice cream. Incidentally, it tastes like that too, which is nice because even though I hate to think about, the average woman consumes about 6 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. Disturbing, yes, but we may as well consume pleasant smelling/tasting lipstick.
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