Welcome to the Cosmetic Report^™ newsletter. It's our goal to bring you unbiased information about cosmetic products and trends so you can make educated buying decisions. If you've been searching for straightforward beauty information and advice, you've found it here. The Cosmetic Connection Panel of reviewers are consumers just like you who face the same issues and challenges, and look to the beauty industry to help solve them.

Vicky is a 38 year old office manager who has always loved makeup and skincare products. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona where the dry climate and high summer temperatures make taking care of your skin and melt-proofing your makeup a challenge! Vicky has dark brown curly hair, dark brown eyes, and a medium/light olive complexion. Her skin is normal-to-oily (t-zone) with large pores and occasional breakouts. Her hair is fine, highlighted, on the dry side, and Vicky regularly straightens it with a ceramic flat iron.

CRABTREE & EVELYN ENGLISH FLORAL COLLECTION
I think of myself as a cosmetic "junkie" - always needing the whole kit-n-kaboodle of makeup, skincare, fragrance, haircare. But not all at once! Personally I seem to focus on a specific group at different times. Lately I have been more and more interested in fragrances, especially the kind that are out of the ordinary and unique.

I had heard that Crabtree & Evelyn had created a new group of fragrances called the English Floral Collection, or Pure Luxury Collection, which consists of just five classic flowers. They are the Evelyn Rose, a specially bred rose; Gardenia; Freesia; Wisteria; and Lily of the Valley.

I was curious as to how Crabtree & Evelyn would make these very basic scents stand apart from other renditions. I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to find out!

The first fragrance I tried was the Evelyn Rose Eau de Parfum and the body lotion. I tend to shy away from rose-based perfumes simply because they have always smelled too "heavy" to me, not at all like the way a rose smells when it is uncut. So, with high hopes, I layered the fragrance by starting with the body lotion. This light formula felt marvelous going on - scented just enough to create a lasting base on your skin, but I was pleasantly surprised at the texture of the lotion and the afterfeel of it. It absorbed quickly and left my skin unbelievably smooth because it has (yay!) my favorite ingredient in it: shea butter! I usually don't expect much from a scented body lotion but I was impressed by the Evelyn Rose. I was equally impressed with its staying power - even after 8 or 9 hours the fragrance lingered on my skin.

Since the lotion provided such a fine base, I went easy on the eau de parfum; just a quick spray at the nape of the neck and lightly in the crook of the elbows. It was just strong enough to leave that fragrance "trail" when you pass by, yet not overpowering. You definitely smell roses in the top note, but the dry down is the most interesting part because you can smell the violet, jasmine, and peach.

My next selection was the Gardenia Eau de Toilette. It comes in a simple, beautiful glass spray bottle with a silver cap. I was glad the Gardenia came in the eau de toilette strength because I personally think of Gardenia as a rich, heavy scent. I loved the top notes of gardenia, and middle notes of honeysuckle & jasmine, but the amber bottom notes just didn't smell right on me unfortunately. The staying power is great; I find it very annoying when you pay good money for a quality fragrance only to find that you don't really smell it anymore after a couple of hours. Just that hint of fragrance is all I'm after!

Freesia Bath and Shower Gel was next on the agenda. I have always loved freesia as a flower, and Crabtree & Evelyn has done a good job of duplicating the scent of a pot of fresh freesia in this fragrance. They also threw in a bit of rose and jasmine to give it a subtle twist. This gel has exceptional fragrance to it - I didn't need any other product (lotion or powder, etc.) to keep the scent alive for 5 or 6 hours! A little bit on your sponge creates a lot of lather, too.

A fragrance I had never tried before came to me in the form of body cream and perfumed dusting powder: floral and creamy with a little bit of musk, Wisteria reminds me of an old-fashioned perfume that was worn on special occasions only, or on Sundays. I don't care for the way this fragrance smelled on me, just something a little "off" I think, but body chemistry plays such a big role in how something smells on you.

The Wisteria Body Cream comes in a heavy glass jar that holds almost 7 ounces of the smoothest, creamiest stuff I have ever used! It has the same qualities as the lotion, creamy but light on the skin and quickly absorbed, and it makes your skin feels like satin. The fragrance stays with you for awhile, too, but I layered on the dusting powder just to get the full effect. I generally don't like powder because I think it's more trouble than it's worth, messy to apply and gritty to the touch. But Crabtree & Evelyn's dusting powders must be extremely fine-milled because, even though talc is the main ingredient, it feels smooth and not chalky. As with the other products in the line, the powder is highly scented and long-lasting.

My favorite item, and as it turns out my favorite scent as well, was the Eau de Parfum Traveller in Lily of the Valley. This is such a fun product! It's a roll-on, portable tube of fragrance. Carry it in your purse and you don't have to worry about spills or leaks! I think it's refillable, too.

I remember using the Avon lily of the valley perfume when I was a kid, muguet I think they called it, but I hadn't really been drawn to it as an adult. But when I applied some of this to my wrists I loved it instantly! It is flowery, true, but there is a crispness to it that prevents the lily of the valley from being too sweet. I think I smell a little bit of citrus in it that gives it sparkle. Again, like the other C&E fragrances, a little goes a long way.

I think Crabtree & Evelyn offers good quality fragrances and ancillary products for the money. The single-note fragrances are making a comeback - simple but classy, and your nose is not confused by dozens of notes mingling together. The Floral Collection is definitely something to try.

You can find Crabtree & Evelyn at crabtreeandevelyn.com, and in their retail stores across the country.

We hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!