I have been using Calgon products since I was a little kid. For a birthday present one year I received a scent sampler of shower gels, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
More recently, I adored their limited edition orange creamsicle scent and whipped right through an entire tube of the old lotion formula in that scent. The lotion was alright but nothing earth shattering. I’ll admit it, I used it because it smelled friggin delicious.
The Nourishing Body Cream is a new formula designed to be richer and more moisturizing than the old. I can definitely feel the difference between this lotion and their old formula, but the difference is not incredibly dramatic as far as performance goes. My general feeling of the Calgon line is that their wonderful fragrances tend to be more worth it than the product itself. I’m willing to overlook the less-than-greatness of this body cream because it just smells so good.
That is not to say this is a bad lotion. Not at all. It’s just not a product you’re going to use and then proclaim “GOOD GOD, MY SKIN! IT IS SO MOISTURIZED AND SOFT!” — more like “Mmmmm. That smells yummy.” It’s packed with the usual suspects you would see in a body cream– Vitamin E, Vitamin A, and Aloe Vera. Nothing particularly innovative or unusual there.
The first scent I tried was Morning Glory. Morning Glory is described by Calgon as the “delicate hush of a perfect morning with soft petals swirling all around you”. The top notes are star anise, apple, and orange, joined by geranium, rose, violet, and supposedly sandalwood but I don’t smell it in there at all. Which is a good thing for me. I get a strong apple note with some fresh florals. “Fresh” is the easiest way to describe this scent. It’s sweet without being cloying or cheap, and overall quite pleasant. This is the kind of scent that I would love to have as a room plugin or something, it’s that nice.
I also tried out Tahitian Orchid. In the past I used up a tube of Tahitian Orchid shower gel. I already knew I really liked this fragrance, and I still do. I’m pleased that it hasn’t been changed in this new product. Calgon describes Tahitian Orchid as “seductive rhythms of the South Pacific and the hypnotic beauty of white orchids”. Jasmine, mimosa, and orchid compliment the additional notes of lemon, melon, and leafy greens. This scent is definitely more heavily floral than Morning Glory, but again they manage to keep this one from verging on cloying very well. It’s a good floral for those who usually aren’t that into florals (in other words: me).
If you’re typically into sweet & fruity scents and want to branch out, both Morning Glory and Tahitian Orchid are excellent choices. Both fragrances are airy, light, and pleasant enough to use every day. The scents don’t linger too long on the skin, but you could always layer them with the accompanying body mists for more “oomph”.
Calgon products are available at pretty much any drugstore, but I usually see the best selection at Rite Aid. If you’re intrigued by the scents, I suggest trying the body mists. Let a great fragrance just be a great fragrance; if you need serious moisturizing performance from a body cream you may need to look elsewhere.
