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Make a splash
A bath by any other name is still a bath. Anyone can become bored with the same soaps, the regular rinses. Turn up the appeal of your bath-time ritual by following your soak with a fragrant body spray or splash. Enhanced with such extras as skin moisturizers, fruit extracts, and floral scents, they'll make people wonder why you're always smiling when you get out of the shower. In addition, scientists believe there is a strong link between smells, memories, and emotions. Making sure that your sense of smell is often exercised will keep it performing smartly into old age. So you'll smell well and you'll smell great. Here's the latest from product manufacturers to help you decide which products will be best for you.
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Scent Suggestions
As Sigmund Freud put it, expression by scent has always been a universal sign of civilization. But the way one expresses oneself is a matter of preference. The fragrance experts at the Fragrance Foundation, a New York-based national organization that educates about the importance and pleasure associated with fragrance, offer the following guidelines on the selection of these products:- People with blonde hair usually have fair skin and may be happiest with long-lasting, floral scents. Their skin is often dry, causing fragrances that are too subtle to evaporate rapidly.
- Brunettes usually have medium to dark skin that contains natural oils, which help scents last longer. Dramatic oriental scents are often favorites.
- Redheads have extremely fair and delicate skin, which may be incompatible with some fragrances.
Types
Bath Soak: These products soften and lightly scent the skin, and are often enhanced with real fruit juices and moisturizers.
Botanical Splash: After-bath splashes contain botanical herb and plant extracts in fragrant blends that scent the skin after bathing.
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The chart below highlights many of the ingredients commonly found in bath and skin care products. This list is not exhaustive, however, so be sure to check the label of the products you buy to avoid possible allergic skin reactions. Some of the most common categories of ingredients are:- Emollients: Emollients work by forming a protective layer over the skin, keeping moisture in. They are all oils or oil-like substances. Olive oil and other plant oils are very effective emollients. Mineral or silicon oils are also great emollients. Substances like petroleum jelly and lanolin form a water-repellant barrier -- as well as hold moisture in. This softens and relieves dry skin.
- Silicone-based oils: Silicone-based products are synthetic emollients. Like other emollients, they help soothe and protect the skin by coating the skin and retaining water.
- Exfoliants: Exfoliants are acids that help gently dissolve the first outer layers of dead skin and stimulate the production of new layers. They also have good water-binding properties and generally make great humectants. Exfoliants are usually carboxylic (organic) acids.
- Humectants: Humectants are novel chemicals added to soaps, hair care products, and lotions, to help soften the skin and relieve dryness. Unlike emollients, which moisturize by trapping water in your skin, humectants actually attract water to your skin. However, they can be washed off very easily, and therefore do not have the staying power of emollients. Your best bet is to find a product with both an emollient and a humectant.
- Quaternary ammonium compounds: They are incorporated into cosmetic products for a variety of purposes and in various concentrations. Quaternary ammonium compounds have properties of surfactants, disinfectants, preservatives, and emulsifiers, and help make the product easier to use, longer lasting, and more effective.
| Emollients | Ingredient | Description |
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| Fatty acids | | Include stearic acid, lanolin acid, plasmatic acid, and oleic acid. They help soften and soothe skin. | | Fatty alcohols | | Include cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and lauryl alcohol. They help soften and soothe skin. | | Lanolin | | Derived from sheep wool, it helps soften and soothe skin, and prevents skin dehydration. It can cause skin irritations. | | Mineral oil | | Derived from crude petroleum, it helps prevents skin dehydration. It also helps soften and soothe skin, and is nontoxic. | | Plant oils | | Derived from plants such as olives, corn, and sunflowers. They help soften and soothe skin, and prevent skin dehydration. | | Silicone-Based Oils | Ingredient | Description |
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| Cyclomethicone | | Lighter than non-synthetic emollients, they help protect and maintain moisture in skin. | | Dimethicones | | Help protect and maintain moisture in skin. They are lighter than non-synthetic emollients. | | Exfoliants | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Butyric acid | | A beta-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant. It could also be a mild irritant. | | Benzoic acid | | This beta-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant. | | Citric acid | | This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that lightens freckles and similar pigment blotches, and aids in treating acne. Excessive use will dry skin. | | Glycolic acid | | One of the better-known and -understood alpha-hydroxy acids that acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches and treat acne. | | Lactic acid | | A mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches and treat acne. | | Malic acid | | This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches and treat acne. It may cause allergic reactions. | | Salicylic acid | | The best-known and -understood beta-hydroxy acid. It acts as a mild skin exfoliant and is also used to treat acne. | | Tartaric acid | | An alpha-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches. It also helps clear up acne. | | Humectants | Ingredient | Description |
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| Glycerin | | One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin. | | Sorbitol | | One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin. | | Butylene glycol | | Attracts and retains water in the skin. However, it is not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. | | Polyethylene glycol (PEG) | | Moisturizes skin, but it's not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. It also can cause skin irritations. | | Mucopolysaccarides | | Also referred to as glycosaminoglycans, these compounds are a combination of protein and polysaccharide. They are excellent humectants. | | Sodium PCA | | Derived from proteins, it's a natural component of the skin. It is an excellent humectant. | | Aloe vera | | Mainly just water from an aloe plant. It has minimal moisturizing properties. | | Propylene glycol | | Attracts and retains water in the skin, moisturizing. However, it is not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. | | Quaternary Ammonium Compounds | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Dicetydimonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Behentrimonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Behenalkonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Benzalkonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Quaternium-18 | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Stearalkonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Cetrimonium chloride | | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. |
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The More You Know
Opening a bottle and applying fragrance may not seem to require a great deal of know-how. But the more versed you are in the subtleties of fragrance and the different ways to splash, spray, or spritz it on, the more you'll get out of that beautiful bottle. The following tips will help you get the most from your after-bath fragrance:- Before using any fragrance product, test it on a small patch of skin to make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Scientists at the New England Medical Center in Boston say that fragrance allergies are the most common cause of cosmetic dermatitis. Avoid these reactions by testing first.
- If you have dry skin, your fragrance should be applied several times throughout the day. If you are using an after-bath scent, try using a moisturizer before applying the scent. Dry skin does not hold fragrances as long as oily skin.
- If you have oily skin, go lightly. Fragrances interact with skin oils to intensify the scent.
- Your diet can affect the way a fragrance smells on your skin. If you eat a diet that is high in fat and heavy on spices, fragrances will be more intense. Also, dramatic changes in diet, such as becoming a vegetarian, can cause dramatic changes in the way a fragrance smells on your skin.
- To make your fragrance last, layer it all over your body, starting with toilet water, or eau de toilette, as a building block. The perfume form of the same scent can be added as a final highlight, as it is the most concentrated form of fragrance. Apply it at the pulse points (on the wrists, behind the ears, crook of the elbow, base of the throat, chest, behind knees, and inside the ankles).
- Because of its alcohol content, fragrance rises as it evaporates. If it is applied only behind the ears, it will eventually rise and disappear. Instead, spray fragrance onto the skin from your feet to your shoulders.
- Fragrance should be subtle. No one should be aware of your fragrance unless he or she is closer than an arm's length away. Fragrance can be the most subtle, personal thing you share with those around you. In addition, when applying your fragrance, consider that some people have chemical sensitivities or severe allergic reactions to fragrances.
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Warnings
Chances are that your choice of a bath soak or after-bath splash will not make you sing the blues, but keep these precautions in mind:- FD&C Yellow #5 can cause life-threatening asthmatic reactions in people who are allergic to aspirin.
- Lemon juice and apple juice contained in some bath splashes can cause allergic skin reactions in some people. It is always a good idea to perform a patch test on a small area of skin before incorporating any new cosmetic into your beauty bag. This will help you to avoid allergic skin reactions.
- Some ingredients in fragrances may stain fabrics. Avoid direct contact with clothing.
Side Effects
One of the more prevalent side effects of fragrances is allergic contact dermatitis. Many people develop local skin rashes as a result of allergies to various components of their fragrance. Do a patch test on your skin with any new fragrance. Apply a small amount of the fragrance to your skin in an area that is normally covered by clothing (the inside of the wrist for example). Leave it on all day. If no redness or itchiness occurs, you are probably not allergic to any of the substances in the product.
If you already know that you have an allergy to a given substance, read the product ingredient list carefully and avoid products that contain substances to which you are allergic.
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Websites, Organizations & Manufacturers
Body @ Best
Phone: 1-877-4-AT BEST
www.body-at-best.com
CTFA: Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association
www.ctfa.org
The Fragrance Foundation
145 East 32nd St.
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-725-2755
Fax: 212-779-9058
www.fragrance.org
Monell Chemical Senses Center
www.monell.org/chemical.htm
Revlon World Headquarters
625 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10022
www.revlon.com
State of Mind
32-02 Queens Blvd.
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 888-818-8888
Sources & Further Reading
Books
1. Michalun, N. and M. Michalun. Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetics Ingredients Dictionary. New York: Milady Publishing, 1994.
2. Stone, Jeff and Kim Johnson Gross. Scents: Chic Simple Components. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993.
3. Winter, Ruth, M.S. A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1994.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
1. DeGroot, A.C. "Adverse reactions to fragrances. A clinical review." Contact Dermatitis 36:2 (1997): 57-86.
2. Johansen, J.D., et al. "Identification of risk products for fragrance contact allergy: a case referent study based on patients' histories." American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 9:2 (1998): 80-86.
3. Larsen, W., et al. "Fragrance contact dermatitis: a worldwide multicenter investigation (Part I)." American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 7:2 (1996): 77-83.
4. Scheinman, P.L. "Allergic contact dermatitis to fragrance: a review." American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 7:2 (1996): 65-76.
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