Philosophy Trick or Treat Set ($20.00) contains 8 oz. Shower Gels in Pumpkin Spice Muffin and Caramel Apple. I’m not one for tricks, so for Halloween, I treated myself to this little kit. I reviewed Pumpkin Spice Muffinwhen it originally debuted last year–I absolutely LOVED it. For the record, I still do. (Writing this post also reminds me that I should stock up!)
Caramel Apple has that crisp scent of ripened apples with the sweetness of caramel wrapping it all up. Philosophy really nailed both of these autumn scents for me, and both make me feel so cozy when I’m lathering up in the shower.
Philosophy’s Shower Gels are absolutely excellent as a body wash, as they lather up quickly, scent up the shower, and don’t dry out the skin. I don’t find the scent lingers post-shower, which is to be expected, as it’s not on you for long. (I personally only want my perfume or a scented body moisturizer to linger.) They also make nice bubble baths, and decent shampoos, though I imagine if you have anything but normal hair, you may want to stick with your normal shampoo unless you’re in a pinch. It’s just a rather basic shampoo that cleanses.
Really wish Philosophy’s shower gels sets were actually value-driven. Normally, full-sized shower gels retail for $16 for 16 oz., and while you’re getting 16 oz. in total here, you’re paying $20 for the opportunity to try two.
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Product: 29/30
Value: 7/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you love pumpkin spice and/or apple scents, I think you’d really enjoy this set.
Philosophy Everything’s Coming Up Rainbows Set ($28.00) includes a 4 oz. Rainbow Sherbet Shower Gel, 4 oz. Rainbow Sherbet Body Lotion, and 0.5 oz. Rainbow Sherbet Flavored Lip Shine. It pulls more like orange sherbet but it has that sweetness from pineapple, too. I loved the scent in the shower, because the getting a sniff of citrus was invigorating in the early morning.
The body lotion smelled exactly the same, but it’s a product that works best for someone who moisturizers daily or doesn’t suffer from dry skin–it’s a lotion, so it has a thin consistency. (My dragon scales need a body butter or cream!) It did absorb quickly, and the scent did not overwhelm me at all but still detectable after a few hours. Similarly, the Lip Shine shared the same scent, and it’s pretty much just a clear gloss with white shimmer. They’re fun and always give me an urge to lick my lips.
It’s a cute set, and I’m glad I bought it so I could try out a new scent. Even though it’s a fun set, it’s not a value set. Full-sized shower gels retail for $16 (for 16 oz.) and body lotions retail for $24 (for 16 oz.), while Lip Shines retail for $10. The set comes with $4 worth of shower gel, $6 worth of body lotion, and $10 worth of Lip Shine–$20 in sum but will set you back $28.
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Product: 27/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Depending on what product you like most, you may just want to grab that one (as all three are available separately in full-sizes).
Peppermint Bark Feel joyful with this delectable mint-chocolate candy bath treat. ‘peppermint bark’ shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath provides a moisturizing lather that gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair as you indulge in the joyful combination of rich chocolate and peppermint-candy scents.
Candy Ribbons May your shower be cheerfully decorated with sweet ‘candy ribbons’ shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath. Feel welcomed by the sweet candy scent as the moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair. It’s the sweet touch you need to feel festive and enjoy the comfort of home during the holidays.
I’m Dreaming Of… White Peach Bring holiday dreams to life during your shower or bath. ‘white peach’ shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath inspires effervescent joy with a sparkling fruit scent. This luxurious, pearlized, rich and creamy formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair and leaves you dreaming of all the warm fuzzies that make the holidays so memorable.
I’m Dreaming Of… White Pear Enjoy a dreamy state of holiday bliss during your shower or bath. ‘white pear’ shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath inspires effervescent joy with a sparkling fruit scent. This luxurious, pearlized, rich and creamy formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair and leaves you dreaming of all the snowy adventures and city sparkle that bring the season to life.
I’m Dreaming Of… White Cranberry Enjoy a dreamy state of holiday bliss during your shower or bath. ‘white cranberry’ shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath inspires effervescent joy with a sparkling fruit scent. This luxurious, pearlized, rich and creamy formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair and leaves you dreaming of all the festive accents that bring the season to life.
Have a Cherry Christmas Have a cherry Christmas with philosophy’s cherry-scented shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath. Feel cherry and bright as the moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair. The cherry-licious scent provides a jolly good time, so have fun and wish others a cherry Christmas too.
The Gingerbread Girl Gingerbread Girl is sparkle, spice and everything nice. This foaming bubble bath and shower gel features a refreshing, ginger-spice scent and gold sparkles to light up your holiday season with joy. This moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions, leaving skin and hair feeling ultra soft.
The Gingerbread Man He cleans, he soothes, he’s back and ready to draw you a relaxing bath. ‘the gingerbread man’ foaming shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath pampers you with a refreshing, ginger-spice scent and an ultra-rich, moisturizing lather that gently cleanses and conditions skin, leaving it feeling super soft.
Candy Cane experience pure joy during your shower or bath with candy cane foaming bubble bath and shower gel. invigorate your senses with a crisp peppermint scent as you enjoy a rich, foaming lather from head to toe that leaves skin feeling ultra clean, hydrated and soft.
The Heart of the Season giving is the heart of the holidays. our cranberry charity shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath will make you feel good outside with a rich, moisturizing lather and warm inside, knowing you are supporting the Joyful Heart Foundation. ($20.00)
Evergreen fresh, lively evergreen awakens the spirit of the season. this shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath captures the woodsy essence of fresh evergreens in a moisturizing formula to gently cleanse and condition skin and hair to leave you feeling all spruced up.
Chocolate Chip Cookies indulge your senses with philosophy’s chocolate chip cookies high foaming shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath. this extra rich and creamy formula provides a gentle, high foaming lather and smells absolutely delicious, like chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven. it’s gentle enough for everyday use and leaves skin and hair feeling ultra clean and soft.
Glow and Behold rekindle your childhood glow as you lather with this miraculous shower gel. glow and behold is our celestial citrus shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath created to lift your holiday spirit to joyful new heights. behold a sense of wonder as the sparkling, moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair.
Snow Angel feel like an angel amidst the snow, as you lather from head to toe with our snow angel shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath. this luxurious, moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair. the pearlized blue and fresh, clean scent capture the essence of a fresh snowfall and evoke the childhood joy in us all.
Spiced Cookie this bath treat has a lot of spice and even more spirit. spiced cookie shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath provides a moisturizing lather to gently cleanse and condition skin and hair, as you crumble to the scrumptious sugar and spice scent.
Silent Night find peace and tranquility with our soothing lavender shampoo & shower gel. the moisturizing formula gently cleanses and conditions skin and hair, as the soothing lavender scent brings a sense of calm to your silent night.
Philosophy Cookies n’ Creme Shower Gel ($16.00 for 16 fl. oz.) is a new-for-fall scent that is as sweet as you’d expect it to be. It starts with a very basic sweet vanilla aroma, but then the deliciousness of chocolate cookie comes through; it’s exactly what I remember Cookies ‘n Creme ice cream smelling like.
This is a rather foodie scent, and as such, quite sweet, but I don’t find it synthetic or overwhelming, but this is not a scent that lingers. One of my favorite things about Philosophy’s shower gels is that they smell amazing when you’re using them but don’t leave you smelling like food all day. It lathers up incredibly well, and a little dab will do you–probably a quarter’s worth (maybe a touch more) should get you sudsy in no time.
Before the boy started stealing my bath products (OMG, he uses TWO PUMPS of my Kate Somerville cleanser–I use half a pump, AHH!), a bottle like this would last me months. With his “generous” usage, a bottle lasts about a month and a half. And can I just say I can’t wait until full-sizes of Pumpkin Spice are back?
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Product: 28/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Personally, I like it, but it’s not my all-time favorite scent, but I do love the formula and all that. If you like sweeter, foodie scents, you might like this one!
Video Review: Philosophy Cookies ‘n Creme Shower Gel
Who doesn’t love Cookies ‘n Creme? What, you don’t? Are you serious? Can you make me not like Cookies ‘n Creme, ’cause my waistline would appreciate it? I will probably do a regular review write-up for this, though I’ve reviewed so many shower gels before, and this one smells as the name describes, so there’s really nothing to report… but anyway, video! I can’t believe I spent five minutes talking about shower gel, sigh!
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Product: 27/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like sweet scents, you might like Cookies ‘n Creme!
No foundation / Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful
Feels Like a Tinted Moisturizer, Looks Like Foundation
Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful SPF 20 ($30.00 for 1.25 oz.) is certainly the hybrid foundation it describes itself as. It delivers a nice, medium-coverage finish that’s just slightly dewy but not oily, but it feels more like a tinted moisturizer than a liquid foundation. It’s even on the moisturizing side (but I wouldn’t skip the moisturizer!).
The texture is very creamy and almost gel-like, though it is a water-based foundation with the first inactive ingredient being water. It’s easily applied with fingertips (again, like a tinted moisturizer) or with a foundation sponge/brush. I found it wore very well, without any fading, settling, or migration over an eight hour period. I have warm undertones and a light medium skin tone (NC25), and I found Beige to be a good color match for me. I think the semi-matte finish of the foundation helps it stay natural-looking, and the creaminess of the product (without being heavy or thick) also helps to keep it from accentuating dryness.
I so rarely think of Philosophy for anything but skincare and bodycare, but the foundation was a definite–pleasant–surprise. I forgot to take photos of the packaging, and I’ve literally had that on my to-do list for three months along with a bajillion other things, so instead of waiting around for that to happen, I said on with the review! The packaging is a flat, slim squeeze-tube that’s easy to control–it really looks exactly as it is pictured in retailer product photos.
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Product: 29/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like the feel of tinted moisturizer but need more coverage than they often offer, Philosophy’s Superbeautiful might be the best of both worlds.
