I've got a little of this and a little of that this week. As more and more new things come in, I am slowly but surely working my way through all the goodies! Enjoy!

If there is ever anything that you'd like to read about here or on the Cosmetic Connection site, please don't hesitate to email me. Your suggestions are part of our selection process for new reviews.

Essentiel Elements Shower Gel ($10 for 4.5 ounces) in Citrus Dream
I loved the first Essentiel Elements product I tried (the Wake Up Rosemary Body Bar), so I took a crack at the shower gel (from fourseasonsproducts.com). After using the entire tube, I think I'll stick to the soap bar... The shower gel is rather ordinary, like many of the drugstore ones I've tried (like Oil of Olay or Dove), and I didn't really care for the scent. It did not smell like citrus to me at all - more like licorice, which I can't stand! I also liked the way the bar made my skin feel silky and moisturized, which this gel does not.

310 Invigorating Salt Glow ($13)
After my terrific experience recently with 310's Fresh Fare face masks, I thought this body scrub would be another winner. Nope! The salt scrub concept is great, but Origins and Renee Rouleau have better versions than this. 310's combines sea salt with large pieces of dried lavender and peppermint oil, which sounds great, but it just doesn't hold together well. A good salt scrub should stick like a paste, using the essential oils as glue for the salt and herbs; this one just crumbles, with a pool of oil left in the jar. I couldn't get the mixture to spread evenly on my skin, so I ended up with little salt bits and big pieces of lavender here and there - not really enough to get a good scrubbing going.

Naturopathica Shower Gel ($18 for 8 ounces) in Zesty Lime
I recently picked up a few Naturopathica products including this lime shower gel (I'll be reviewing their Skin Renewal Gel, Pumpkin Enzyme Peel and Honey Vanilla Lip Balm soon). While it's not as refreshing as Lush Back for Breakfast or Deep Steep Citrus, it does have a nice lemon-lime scent with a good amount of lather. It also has milk lipids, aloe vera gel, sweet almond protein so it keeps your skin soft. I went through the 8 ounce bottle rather fast, so I think if it were closer to $10 rather than $18, I might buy it again.

You can find Naturopathica products at ibeauty.com, indulge.com, looks.com (for international orders), naturopathica.com, and Sephora.com.

Leonor Greyl Honey Shampoo ($16 for 4 ounces) and Creme Regeneratrice ($22 for 3.5 ounce tube)
This hair care line has been written up in quite a few women's magazines, so I was curious if it's as great as "everyone" says. I got this shampoo and conditioner from fourseasonsproducts.com. The honey shampoo has a nice rose and honey aroma, but I really didn't find anything all that special about it. It cleans your hair and it smells nice, and that's it. I was even less impressed with the conditioner. My hair is not particularly dry, but it is highlighted, so it can get a bit tangled when it's wet. I like a conditioner that detangles and leaves my hair really soft and smooth. I could almost get those results with Creme Regeneratrice, but I had to use a ridiculous amount of it to coat my hair (and my hair isn't even shoulder length), so I flew through the small 3.5 ounce tube. Considering that it's supposed to be for dry hair, I was really disappointed. I can't see spending over $20 every month for something that doesn't even condition very well.

Phytologie Shampoo ($15 for 6.8 ounces)
I recently got some sample one-ounce bottles of PhytoRhum (for stressed hair), PhytoCidre (for color treated hair), and PhytoJojoba (for dry hair) from arome.net. I must have bad hair karma lately, because these shampoos didn't thrill me either. PhytoRhum smelled so strongly of rum, my husband asked me if I'd been drinking (not a pleasing smell in the shower at 7am). PhytoCidre smells like you're pouring vinegar on your hair, and it took almost the entire one-ounce bottle at once to work up any kind of lather. I noticed nothing in terms of brightening of my color. PhytoJojoba was okay, but not remarkable by any stretch of the imagination. This line is supposed to be better because it's French, but they use basic cleansers and thickeners just like everybody else. The plant ingredients are fairly far down on the ingredient list, so what are you really paying for? I would not recommend these.