If you don’t believe me, watch me spray it into the newsroom. People raise their heads and perk up. One reporter gets visibly relaxed. Aura Cacia, a favorite brand of mine, suggests a bottle or two of its latest offerings is an economical bargain, considering it gives you a spa feeling at home. The popular Lavender Harvest line has opened the door for peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree.

Multitasking Harvest Collection scents come in aromatherapy mineral bath; bath, body and massage oil; and mist for room and body.

Peppermint Harvest promises “refreshing” and lavender, a favorite of my next-desk neighbor Mary Meaux, promotes “calming.” I love that my daughter got a whiff of “purifying” Tea Tree Harvest and it gave her memories of my pampering her through childhood aches. Eucalyptus has an “awakening” label.

I don’t worry that I don’t have a bathtub. I can use that packet of bath grains for a grainy rub down and foot soak. Wouldn’t that have been nice after my sprint down Procter Street to catch up with the News Mardi Gras float?

These goods are free of synthetic fragrances, colors or preservatives.

  In other smelly-good news: Vermont Soap Organics has made my happy list again with a new collection of certified organic and USDA approved moisturizing shower gels in Sweet Orange, Country Lavender and Sweetgrass Shea. Besides the aroma and feel, I love the extra-large pump head ideal for folks who shower without benefit of their glasses or contacts. They’re proud that it’s a “shake first” product, because it helps keep everything natural. It leaves the entire bathroom smelling like a spa.

  CleanWell wants to promote that it’s free of controversial triclosan, a known endocrine disrupter and synthetic chemical that mimics or blocks hormones. Well, I’d never heard of them, but I’m glad to know this stuff does more than  kill germs and smell amazing. Look for the sprays at Target in original kid-safe and the invigorating new orange vanilla that leaves hands soft. It really does clean well.



  Hairs to lookin’ good

 I’m a sucker for fancy bottles, but even more of a fan of stuff that works. HerCut comes in slightly more sexy versions of some hair coloring squeeze bottles that my chemistry teacher’s wife saved for our lab chemicals. What memories.

 I’m squeezing out shampoo and conditioner for The Shag. The line is designed for special needs of styles from the blunt, bob and pixie to long layers. The science of the shag formula comes from patent-pending Ionic Polymer Technology that creates separation and weight dispersion through negatively charged macromolecules that repel each other and create controlled separation. Whew. I actually do feel a positive difference in my hair, especially with the HerCut catalyst.

    It also notes women with a shag (curls really, in my case) are rebels who rock, roll and never fall flat. Yep, that’s me.