Thrilla in Vanilla — New Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Body Collection
There are moments when life takes such a ridiculous turn, that it seems like fiction — except, of course, that it’s next to impossible to concoct tales so absurd, so far-fetched, so ludicrous. It’s the whole “stranger than fiction” philosophy. Which brings me to 10 days ago, when I developed a skin rash so severe that no amount of oatmeal baths and aloe potions was going to cure the problem. I was scratching as desperately as a flea-ridden dog — and, in the process, scratching off actual layers of skin, leaving behind red marks that turned into bruises or, even worse developing these raised welts that made me look like I’d taken a good lashing. The rash wasn’t localized, either — even the tops of my feet were itchy! At first, I thought I’d been attacked by a battalion of mosquitoes, but these didn’t look like insect marks (and having lived in Puerto Rico for half of my life, I’m acquainted with mosquito bites). I hadn’t been hiking, so there was no possibility of me touching poison ivy. So what was triggering it? Was this an allergic reaction? And if so, what to? I hadn’t eaten anything out of the ordinary or dined out, for that matter, so the allergy had to be the result of some substance with which I’d come in physical contact. I rattled off all the products I was reviewing in my mind and, for a minute, began to suspect that a certain body oil was the culprit of my afflictions (it wasn’t, but it was drying out my skin). And then came the “a-ha!” moment when I remembered that, about four days earlier, I’d spent hours polishing my mom’s silver serving pieces — all without wearing any gloves or relying on any kind of protection. Given the rotten egg smell that this particular product, Tarn-X, emitted, and the burning eye sensation that accompanied its use, I decided to really read the fine print on the bottle. Admittedly, I should’ve done so before handling the substance, but my impulsiveness got the best of me. What did I discover? Well, that the silver polishing cream is considered toxic and should never — I repeat, never — be used without gloves or outside of a well-ventilated room. A bit more Google digging revealed that the polishing cream is a chemical minefield, all of which explained by severe allergic reaction. After visiting my physician, he scolded me for not being cautious (and I hung my head like a child being disciplined by a stern schoolteacher since, well, I deserved the reprimand) and prescribed a course of treatment. He also suggested I be particular vigilant with the skin care products I used, that I opt for body washes and lotions free of artificial dyes, parabens, sulfates, and other potential irritants. I try to steer away from products with yucky additives, but I appreciated his warning.
What does this have to do with Carol’s Daughter, you ask? Well, even when my skin was at its most vulnerable, I decided to rely on the Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla body products. The Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Body Cleanser ($10 at CarolsDaughter.com) was a life-saver during those first few days, when my skin was very raw and sensitive. I’d already been using the body wash for two weeks prior to the “incident,” and my instincts told me it was gentle enough to use during those post Tarn-X days, and I was right. The cleanser is creamy without being overly unctuous, it lathers nicely, making it easier to apply to large surface areas, and it contains such soothing ingredients as aloe leaf juice. Most importantly, it contains no sulfates, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, or artificial colors and is much milder than most body washes — that said, it does contain a fragrance, and it’s not 100% plant-based (the formula does contain an acrylates copolymer, for instance, but none of the less-than-natural ingredients are considered to be irritants or to pose any long-term harm when used in small quantities). The surfactants in this cleanser are derived from coconut (sodium methyl-2 sulfoloreate and sodium cocoyl isethionate), and they effectively remove dirt, oil, and grime without stripping the skin of any natural oils. Moreover, the cleanser is enriched with antioxidant-rich açai extract, panthenol (vitamin B5), and hydrolyzed oat proteins that soothe and soften the skin.
The Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Body Cream ($12 at CarolsDaughter.com), meanwhile, is an absolute delight. Its consistency is thicker than your normal body lotion, but it’s not quite as dense as a body butter. Most importantly, though it feels rich when you scoop it out of the jar, it melts beautifully when in contact with the skin, hydrating and softening but leaving behind no greasy residue or balminess. The lightweight on-skin feel of the moisturizer can attributed to such ingredients as coconut oil, soybean oil, and sunflower seed oil. Interestingly enough, this cream contains no shea butter, but it does smell a bit like shea, which brings me to the most alluring part of this body collection: the fragrance.
Every time I apply the body cream, I feel like I’m slipping into the sultriest aromatic camisole, like I’m donning a silky fragrant robe that exudes sultriness. That, of course, is the result of the Black Vanilla scent, a mix of creamy vanilla, toasted coconut, and sheer musk that’s intoxicating and irresistible. The balance between the vanilla and coconut notes is so perfect that the scent never goes into strictly tropical territory nor does it venture too far into a confectioner’s land of sweet vanilla.
As if the aromatic qualities weren’t enough of a sell, this body cream leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth — it even helped to soothe those welts and hives I developed during my ill-advised experiment with Tarn-X.
Now, I’d experienced the Black Vanilla scent before — in fact, I use the Carol’s Daughter 4-in-1 Combing Creme in Black Vanilla as often as I can — but this is the first time I had the pleasure of experiencing the scent in a non-haircare context. This is the type of fragrance that a woman like myself wants to apply from head to toe — and, thanks to the new Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Body Collection, I can finally do so.
