Bananas For Classic Products!

I can remember working at the Body Shop as a teenager--it being my first "real" job over the holidays. I'd make myself copious jars of samples, blow-dry the shrink wrap on gift baskets (I found this a thrilling chore), and use every last cent of my paycheck on products--all in the name of research, of course. I felt it was my dute to be thoroughly familiar with what I was selling, and I suppose it was even before that, when my crazy love affair with beauty products had began.

Some of my favorite products were their coconut hair oil, banana shampoo, and chamomile eye makeup remover (not that I wore any eye makeup at the time--but I could totally see its potential). Imagine my surprise when I walked into The Body Shop a couple of weeks ago, to find that they had brought back some of their classic old school products!

These remind me of the good 'ol days. The scent of Ice Blue shampoo is minty and fresh--but doesn't have the lingering scent of a shampoo that's attacking chlorine. The Banana scents are just like they state--very banana-y, with the texture and color resembling a finely mashed banana. They don't weigh down the hair, yet do an excellent job of cleansing--something I've always admired Body Shop's hair line for. Although they're meant to be on shelves for a limited time, I was informed that they've gone beyond the original date that they were meant to be stocked--that's a good sign..perhaps they'll keep them out longer!

I've always enjoyed using banana in my hair--it's deeply moisturizing, and the scent (well, to me) is so comforting. If you don't feel like picking up a bottle of shampoo, perhaps a homemade hair mask will be your thing:

*1 cup mashed bananas
*A few dallops plain yogurt
*1 tbl olive oil

Sure, it sounds a little hokey, but massage this into your roots and leave under a shower cap for 30 minutes or more--you'd be amazed at how shiny and hydrated it leaves your mane. Of course the key here is rinsing well. It's one thing to smell like bananas in the shower--an entirely different thing to have pieces falling off of your head on the street. I know this isn't for everyone, but I grew up eating the stuff for breakfast lunch and dinner. If you do try it, let me know!

Project X Pan Update:

Another four bite the dust!

*Stila Convertible Color Eye Liner in Plum - I can't wear plum liner another day--glad this is gonzo. I might add though, that plum is a nice daytime alternative to black and even brown.

*VS Beauty Rush Gloss in Passion Fruit - my favorite scent of the bunch. I probably have six backups.

*VS Beauty Rush Gloss in Strawberry Fizz - also a nice scent, but a little lighter and more sparkly than the Passion Fruit flavor.

*LUSH Shower Jelly in Snow Showers (not pictured) - best kept in the freezer in between uses, these can be so chilling on a warm day, but I prefer the solid soaps. These easily wriggle out of your hands.

That puts me at: eight products down, and two to go! This is the most progress I've made with this project...ever!

How is your Project X Pan going? Do you plan to check out any of The Body Shop classics?

Discontinued and Disappointed.

Hi Sukas, Happy February! Any big plans for Valentine's Day? My apologies for the posting hiatus--change is in the air, and now that the dust has settled a bit, I'm back to my old self.

As a huge fan of Ojon, I was saddened to hear that my very favorite part of the line--Tawaka--has been discontinued.

The Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cream is a favorite around this house--I even caught el hub packing a tube to take with him on a trip last weekend. Now I realize what the scent has been that lingers on him! It's one of the most deeply hydrating moisturizers--smelling of cocoa and mild spices. It's perfect for any dry spots, but can be used as an all over moisturizer--especially for those with dry skin types. It is said that the main ingredient was becoming "too rare", thus they stopped producing the line. You can still find remainders on sites like eBay (the "ball" is another great product to keep an eye out for), but of course sellers are taking advantage of the near extinct availability, and charging likewise.

Are there any long lost products that you only wish would be brought back?

For the past few days, Orly's Country Club Khaki has been on the nails, and I'm really pleased with the formula. Typically, these kinds of nude shades are either too light for my coloring, or else not opaque enough. I'm not one to wait around for three coats of color, so when one coat of polish was enough, I realized that I had hit the nude-brown jackpot! In a world of OPI and China Glaze, I feel as though Orly gets the cold shoulder. I have a few more Orly polishes that came with this order--and if they all run true to formula, I may have re-discovered an old favorite in terms of polish lines.

Are you a fan of Orly? Are there any shades that I need to get my hands on?

In updates, a bit of progress has been made on Project 10 Pan. There have been four items that have been fully defeated on the list:

*Lancome Hypnose Mascara: love the moisturizing formula

*Lancome Cils Booster Mascara Base: nice, but have found a replacement
for less than half the price
*MAC Queen Bee Lipglass: have a backup in tow, but of course this is limited edition
*LUSH Spice Curls soap (not shown): a spicy holiday scent--best left with the holidays

Four out of ten isn't horrible. There are a few items that are well on their way--and to be honest, I'm finding enjoyment in using up the ten items I've set aside. LUSH items have become a bit of a habitual purchase, so they needed to be added to the list as a means of self-control :)

How is your Project going? What have I missed? Fill me in, with your comments!