Observation #2: WOW! What a pretty baby blue lotion?

Observation #3: Hmmm… smells nice!

Observation #4: Sometimes I hate my body chemistry.

Basics: Another creamy confection from the Dead Sea. Imagine a pale blue, skin softening, mousse.

Extravagance: When you open the jar, you’ll catch hints of floral and citrus. Really delightful. This one is ultra-girlie (sorry, fellas).

Imperfections: Um, this smells not-so-good on me. As I’m sure you have experienced, I have often had the most beautiful smelling perfume turn rancid on me. This was one of those instances.

I did ask my husband to give it a shot, but I think it was just too darned frilly for his masculine sensibilities. I don’t blame him.

Also, it is so very rich that it takes a little more time and effort to rub it in.

To Sum It Up: I’ll be handing this one off to someone else. Boo. The lotion felt nice going on, was a little slicker than I’m used to, but it worked really well.  Arms and legs stayed soft all day without any re-application. I imagine this would be awesome for folks who have a tendency to get dry, scaly or ashy skin.

I was pretty disappointed that it did not smell as pretty on me as it does in the jar.

Let me know how it smells on you.

Observation #5: I wonder if this scent comes in a candle….

Swisa Beauty Dead Sea Body Butter, Bliss

The menthol content makes it perfect for clearing sinuses, treating migraines, and even soothing itching skin. It is also believed that ingesting peppermint leaves or capsules helps with irritable bowel syndrome, and nausea. Further, the scent of peppermint is said to aid in promoting clear thinking, focus, and restoration of mental fatigue. Read that: Stress relief, people!

Basics: The label on the bottle promises all this: “deep cleansing effect, revives skin, restores softness, refreshing natural scent, revitalizing and rejuvenating, for bath & shower, amazing rich lather.” The label speaks the truth. This product is everything it promises to be.

Extravagances: Wowee, this stuff smells good! For those of you that have used essential oils before, you may note that the smell of a Peppermint Essential Oil is not the same sweet smell that you experience with popular grocery store toothpastes or gum. It is a much earthier smell – kind of like eucalyptus. There is a medicinal quality to it, for sure, but it is so fresh and clean. Plus the fact that there is oil in it does leave your skin very soft. Soft like you don’t really have to moisturize right out of the shower. Don’t get me wrong, while you do have a slickness about your skin when you use this soap, you will not feel ‘scummy’.

Imperfections: Be warned, this is not the mall shower gel… all dense and thick. It is a thinner product… so it is really easy to use too much. The promise of a rich lather is a promise well kept, and a little bit goes a long, long way. Just don’t over-pour this one.

To Sum it Up: I suppose with the awesome healing effects of the dead sea (Dead Sea Minerals are the 5th ingredient), and the soothing properties of peppermint, this is a winner product for those of us trying to do the “right thing” by our bodies. Imagine getting up in the morning and using this as a pick-me-up rather than that desperate grapple for a cup of coffee. (yeah, I know, I’m not giving up my coffee addiction either. but still, it’s a nice idea!)

This product is no longer manufactured. Click here for other great Adovia / SeaOra products

I continue on my quest, friend, and I believe my shovel has struck a treasure chest with this one. I’m still early in my trials (only used it 6 times, so far), so I’ll have to come back to you with the long-term effects… but for know, the treasure is definitely GOLD!

Basics: It is a simple, 1-step process facial treatment. It comes in a small plass jar (I’ve decided to coin the term “Plass” as the glass-like plastic jar that many cosmetic products come in). The container is quite pretty, and again something you wouldn’t be shamed to have sit on your counter or cosmetics shelf. Inside the jar is a slightly perfumey, cloudy gel that you “gently [massage onto your face & neck in] upward, circular motion until desired exfoliation is achieved.” Rinse, pat dry and enjoy your supple, smooth skin immediately.

Extravagance: It Rocks!

Um… I cannot think of a way to say this that isn’t a little graphic… but after about 30 seconds in my case, I realized that as I was massaging (in an upward, circular motion) these little clumps of dead skin started rolling up under my fingers. I was literally rolling skin off of my face. Eww. I presumed that was the “desired effect” and rinsed my face. My face was a little tiny bit red at first, but evened out in just moments. Okay then, next time I decided to work it a little longer – the net result? Tiny rolls of grotesque looking dirty stuff coming off my face. The shame! I thought I was so clean, so on top of my skin care. After that, baby butt soft skin. This stuff works, and I can’t tell you why. Once I had used a second time, I had a little onslaught of blackheads finding their way out of my skin. A necessary evil, if you ask me.

Imperfections: I was flying a little blind with this one, as the instructions are vague, to say the least. Seriously, the only marker you are given is to massage until “desired exfoliation is achieved.” So, I reckon that falls somewhere between ‘none’ and ‘I’ve just peeled off my face!!’ Here’s the real instructions (according to me):

1. Wash and dry your face

2. Gather up about a dime sized dollop of gel in the palm of your hand

3. Using the fingers on your other hand, start massaging small bits into your cheeks, forehead, chin & neck

4. First use you’ll start noticing dead skin rolling off in about 30 seconds (it’s less dramatic after a couple of uses). The entire massage time – about 2 minutes. I’d suggest testing out your skin with shorter massage duration the first couple times to be sure that you are not over doing it.

5. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

To Sum It Up: I promise you will notice smoother, clearer, cleaner skin after your first use. Use it 2 or 3 times a week to keep a fresh face all the time. Now, I’m holding on to hope that I’ll start seeing the “anti-aging” effects that the packaging offers. Will let you know!

Swisa Beauty Dead Sea Facial Peel

Basics: A mineral body lotion, with Dead Sea Minerals, Shea Butter and GreenTea.

Extravagance: Hello Cucumber & Melon! When you first apply, you’ll really only smell the melon. It is a much more dominant scent, and frankly I’m not sure what cucumber does for the skin. Then… as the lotion absorbs, you start getting hints of… well, freshness. I think that’s the cucumber.

It has a very long-lasting scent on the skin. It is a little more aromatic than I am prone to wearing, but I have to tell you, this stuff smells lovely! It is not overwhelming, or perfumey… it just loiters throughout the day.

Imperfections: Forgive me, but I cannot name one.

To Sum it Up: If you always buy the mall store cucumber & melon, but then wish it were… well, better… check this stuff out. It is done well! It may be a little bit feminine for some of you fellas (who am I to say), but guys, this one is not: Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Body Butter

Adovia Mineral Body Lotion Cucumber & Melon

Basics: First ingredient – water, both demineralized & Dead Sea. Seems a good start for a moisturizer! As with all of the products I’ve tried from the Seaora (Adovia) line, this is nice, natural & non-irritating!

Extravagance: I love the way this cream smells. It has that signature Seaora (Adovia) scent. I cannot place it, but it brings back fond memories of my childhood – specific to a beloved Auntie that always loved me and accepted me (even through the ugly teen years). I picked through the ingredients to try my best to identify the scent – and here are some possible elements of this deeeeeeeelishus olfactory delight: Bergamot Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Chamomile… and maybe even Papaya.

Imperfections: It’s a day cream without sunblock. This goes against my very being (I exagerate), but it seems unfair. I love this cream, but I must must must use sunblock – I live in California & have a fair complexion. Grrr.

To Sum it Up: Yay! This is also an amazing night cream – thick and effective without leaving an oil slick on your face! And, though there is no claim of such on the packaging, I’ve found that it is evening out my blotchy red tones. Woohooooo!

Seaora / Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

Some soaps smell super perfumey. Some leave a slick residue. Some break you out. Some don’t last very long. Some soaps suck.

This one… I can’t say ANY of those things about this soap.

Basics: Well, uh, it’s soap… with “Pure Dead Sea Mud and Minerals.” That’s a good start. 1st ingredient: Dead Sea Mud. It is virtually unscented (there’s a slight smell, but it’s not a “scent” per se… like, you don’t smell like this soap when you get out of the shower. It’s last ingredient is fragrance. I can’t smell it. Also, it washes off sooooooo clean. When you use it, you actually feel like you just got out of the shower. Not a joke… I mean, I feel really clean. And, the bar lasts for a very very long time. It doesn’t just turn into a gooey mess, and wash down the drain. Plus, it’s black.

Extravagance: IT DIDN’T BREAK ME OUT! Okay, you have heard me complain about my stupid sensitive, acne prone skin for a while now. I used this on my face for a month… and no major catastrophic breakout. Yipeeeeeee!

Imperfections: It is a tiny bit drying for me. I moisturize faithfully, and my skin is buttery soft… so nothing dramatic here. My husband, who also used the soap daily, is not a big moisturizer, and his skin loves this soap.

To sum it up: Yep! If you are a fan of the Dead Sea Mud – here’s your chance to get the fab results with a lot less mess.

A note to those of you with skin conditions: I think this stuff would be GREAT for you as well. It’s very mild. One thing to consider is the last ingredient (fragrance); the actual ingredient listing is “natural extract” so it may be worth a try. Let me know.

Here’s a full list of the ingredients, in case you want to know:

Dead sea mud (silt), 80% palm/20% palm kernel oil, dead sea salts, magnesium, sodium, potassium, demineralized water (aqua), natural extract (fragrance).

Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap

But for those of you living where the winter climate is wet, freezing, blustery and downright damaging to your skin… now is the time to start making reparations to the inevitable damages of winter weather!

You all know of my love for scrubs and moisturizers, and they are great for both repair and maintenance, but there is so much more you can do!

Cleanse your body, purify your skin, and slough off the winter chafing now… with the magic of the Dead Sea. You already know about the healing powers of the Dead Sea, now it is time to try it. I dare you!

Basics: It is exactly what it says it is… Dead Sea Mud. The only ingredient. That’s it. Yep, the silt from the shores of the Dead Sea. Mud.

Extravagance: It’s from the Dead Sea, people! C’mon, it’s like having a posh resort visit you… and it is a lot less expensive than taking a month off work and carting yourself to far away lands (though perhaps,  a little less exotic.)

Imperfections: This stuff is a right mess.

So, when I suggested to my husband that we try the body mask together, I didn’t consider that our 15 minutes of letting the mask set would really provide for an afternoon of giggles, scrubbing and plain old messy fun!

We first heated some water, and poured it into a bowl. We placed the convenient mud pouch into the water for a few minutes to offer a more soothing “spa” experience, then… we slathered each other in mud (forgive me if I give too much of a visual.) Husband had the idea that perhaps it would be easier to spread, and cover more ground if you will, if he wet his hands a little before grabbing a fistful. Don’t do that. I’m just saying… splatter and drippings all over our pristine white tile.

Then, we covered our couch in towels, and sat down to watch part of a movie we had DVR’d. As the mud dried, we felt stiffer and stiffer… and the humor got crazier and crazier — we imagined ourselves on the Planet of the Apes; we made more than one attempt at “the robot” ; we had the best time!

Once dry, we jumped into the shower, imagining the mud would slide off of us and we’d feel refreshed and cleansed…. Have you ever tried to rinse off caked on, dried on mud? We laughed, we cried, we ruined a wash cloth… and the mud came off… revealing rosy, clear, clean and soft skin. Yay!

To sum it up: Get this mask! Make an afternoon of it. Have fun!!!! Totally worth the mess. Also, when done with the mask, moisturize moisturize MOISTURIZE!! Any type of cleansing this good requires a good replenish on the moisture when you’re done.

There is enough mud in the bag for roughly 2 full body slatherings… I suggest you work as a team!

Seaora / Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Mud

Basics: Liquid soap with very light amounts of exfoliating granules. Comes in a convenient bottle with the top on the bottom (so you’ll never have to try to balance the bottle on its head to get the last little bit of your product out). Is best used with a wash cloth or sponge to maximize the effects of the very subtle exfoliation qualities. Use circular motions to achieve near perfection (I followed the instructions directly from the back of the bottle… and I agree. Whole-heartedly!)

Extravagance: Smells so good! I used the Milk & Honey variety, and cannot even explain how delicious this smell is. Not too strong, and while the scent lingers post-shower, it is not over-whelming at all. Plus, there is no greasy or soapy residue when you get out of the shower. And did I mention that it SMELLS REALLY GOOD?!?

Imperfections: I cannot name one.

To Sum it Up: Try this. Even my husband loves it (and not just because it doesn’t leave the bathtub slippery after I use it.)

Swisa Beauty Sensation Dead Sea Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash

I’m getting older, and it is frankly not a concept I’m in step with. So, as the next step on my quest to defy the effects of aging, I decided to try the Ageless Future Detoxifying Mask by Dead Sea Premier. Who could deny that the name alone is very enticing?

Basics: It’s a mask (yep, that’s why it is in the name). It is low maintenance – no special 5-step process or ritual. Simply put, it measures out pretty much as much as you need in 2 pumps. You spread it thinly across your face and neck. It goes to work to detoxify your skin, and “helps to eliminate the four signs of aging: fine lines [I have those], uneven skin tone [don't even get me started], poor skin texture [not yet, but I'm going to fight that], surface dullness [yep.]”

Extravagance: I’ve been trying to find a way to describe how this product feels. I’ve toyed with many over-the-top descriptions… some that I was flat out told were not conveying the magic in it’s workings. So, here’s my non-descriptive description – it foams (actually it’s really more of a bubbling) when you apply it. I let it sit on my skin as all of these tiny, itty-bitty, microscopic bubbles pop. The first time I used it, I giggled. The second time, I giggled. The third… I’m sure you get my point. It tickles, and it feels really good. My husband described it as an “invigorating tingling sensation.”

So, the best thing I can liken it to is having a million little fairies blowing on your face… Meh, maybe that’s going too far. How about hundreds of teeny fingers giving you a massage? I don’t know. I think you’re going to have to try this one yourself.

Also, the packaging is beautiful – small glass bottle, with a good sized pump to make application easy. And you won’t be ashamed to have it out on your counter, if you choose.

Imperfections: None. Seriously. I will, however, offer this advice… moisturize after you use it. It will leave your skin feeling a little tight – which, to those of us who were taught that the #1 key to keeping youthful skin is moisturizing, is a no-no.

To Sum It Up: All-in-all, it is pretty rad. It’s quick enough that you can add it to your morning routine – wash your face in the shower, apply the mask (in lieu of a toner), rinse and moisturize. You will have firm, supple, even-toned skin for the day. I haven’t been using it long enough to speak to the “ageless future”, but I’m hopeful.

Learn More About Dead Sea Premier Ageless Future Detoxifying Mask

I will always be searching – until I find the perfect products. My most recent trial: Dead Sea Premier’s Night Cream Complex.

Basics: It is a night cream with anti pigmentation elements, and claims to disappear damage done by sun and age. I’m in!

Extravagance: It’s one of the Dead Sea Premier’s double duty products. I love that! There is a gel that you sparingly apply, let sit for 30 seconds, then rinse with water. The gel is supposed to “absorb the oxygen from the water to your skin.” Not sure what that means, but I’m sure it is really cool! And it smells good!

Imperfection: The cream is really heavy, which I’m certain is part of why it works to really moisturize skin. I did have a couple of very small whiteheads pop up the morning after I used the product, but my skin was very smooth and supple.

To sum it up: The cream may be a bit heavy for my skin, but I think it is mostly in the effect that I can feel it  on my skin. It did not wreck my efforts for clear skin, and left my face feeling and looking fresh. I’ll keep using it, though I have to admit, I probably won’t make it an every night thing.

Dead Sea Premier Night Cream Complex