Cleanliness is next to..........

..........recklessness!

I have to come clean!  
I must admit that, after a lifetime of bar soap, I have become addicted to shiny bottles of bath and shower gel. What to blame this sudden change in bathing habits on.........ships and hotels of course! Sounds ridiculous, but those home away from home places have changed me by teasing me with little bottles of delicious, heady goodness. They wake one up with bracing, exotic perfumes that go way beyond less costly drug store varieties. Yes I'm now definitely enjoying my morning shower much more. Sadly I will be saying goodbye to bars of Yardley's Lavender and other long time favorites in the bathroom........bring on the Molton Brown. If you're British, you are most likely familiar with this long established company, if not go here for a delightful introduction.

On ships I've been doused with the good stuff. Aveda, L'Occitane and Molton Brown. In good hotels (very good I have to admit)I was spoilt big time. I absolutely loved the special shower gel made for the Boscolo hotel in Venice, but have been unable to find it for retail sale. It was in the beautiful South African safari camp where, on my two visits, I fell head over heels in love with England's Molton Brown Invigorating Suma Ginseng body wash! To my great surprise, the recent expedition ship to Japan and Russia treated me to Molton Brown's fabulous citrusy Vitalising Vitamin AB+C body wash and lotion in my cabin. In the public ladies rooms on board they had glorious big pump bottles of MB's Naran Ji soothing hand cream, the best thing ever. I'm sure other passengers wondered why I was in and out the 'ladies' so often. Little did they know I just wanted a squirt of the hand lotion! When I arrived home I decided, in a moment of recklessness, after squeezing the last drops from the bottom of those little bottles I brought back, that I needed to buy my own bigger bottles........I was hooked.

Here's a link to Molton Brown for online ordering. I was able to find both my bath and shower gels at my local Saks Fifth Avenue, also the Naran Ji Hand Lotion - however they don't stock the hair products, also wonderful.

My other shower love is my sponge.....for applying said 

body wash - or soap. When home in England, at top of my 

shopping list is always a note to replenish my stock of 

these Ramer bath sponges found at the huge UK chain Boots 

the Chemist. They are not natural sponges, just the softest, 

silkiest man-made sponges ever. I always travel with one, 

and I have gifted others with them - everyone loves them.

Well, I guess this is my cleanest post ever. 
I'm not a shareholder in either of these companies, and I 
don't usually promote brands, but these are great products I 
wanted to share with you.
Just good, clean fun!

Bar soap or gel? Which do you prefer to get you going 

in the morning......or help you relax at night?

Any recommendations for bath and shower products

you enjoy? Tell us about your favorites.