Right now, I have 8 different shower gels and scents in my shower. The vast majority are from Molton Brown.
I got started on my road to ruin, lol, a couple of years ago, when I got a travel size bottle of deep purple Molton Brown Relaxing Ylang Ylang Shower Gel in my first Barney’s Beauty Bag. I loved the ylang ylang that reminds me of the scented fan I bought decades ago in New York’s Chinatown to keep me somewhat cooler on the subway before it was air-conditioned. Jeff bought me a full size bottle for Valentine’s Day in 2016. Here are the scent notes:
- Top notes: tangerine, cardamom and ginger.
- Heart notes: ylang-ylang, jasmine and orris.
- Base notes: vanilla, cedarwood and musk.
I got hooked on Molton Brown’s scents. They are complex and sophisticated; they’re not single notes. They’re crafted like perfume. There are zillions of scents to choose from, and I am working my way through them!
This past year, I received from a PR company the divine and slightly sharp Delicious Rhubarb and Rose scent that is one of my favorites because it’s so unusual.
I checked out the notes, and the one that I smell most strongly in the beginning is grapefruit.
- Top notes: grapefruit, yuzu and lemongrass.
- Heart notes: rhubarb leaf, rose and spearmint.
- Base notes: vanilla, musk and spun sugar.
From this fall’s Barney’s Beauty Bag, I got a travel size (3.3 fl. oz.) Orange & Bergamot as well as a 1 fl. oz. mini of Rosa Absolute.
I liked Orange & Bergamot with bitter Seville orange, bergamot and neroli a lot. It had a smokey but citrusy scent that was perfect to use in the morning.
- Top note: orange, bergamot and mandarin.
- Heart note: neroli, cardamom and galbanum.
- Base notes: musk, ylang-ylang and cedarwood.
The Rosa Absolute has the slightly musty scent of dried rose petals that you get in cosmetics and bath and body products that contain rose absolute. The key notes are:
- Top notes: blackcurrant, pink pepper and raspberry.
- Heart notes: rose, violet leaf and geranium.
- Base notes: patchouli, labdanum and vanilla.
After the holidays, I decided to splurge on something from Molton Brown because they are currently offering up to 30% off their holiday gift sets and holiday products. I bought a trio of 2.5 fl. oz. shower gels in round bottles that look like Christmas tree ornaments.
Regularly priced at $38, the Festive Bauble Gift Set is on sale for 30% off, $26.60. They are so cute!
The three scents are:
- fan favorite Pink Pepper
- Muddled Plum
- Frankincense & Allspice.
Muddled Plum and Frankincense & Allspice shower gels are seasonal limited editions for the Festive Bauble Gift Set. In addition, Molton Brown sent along a travel size bottle of Coco & Sandalwood.
I was most eager to try Pink Pepperpod that is now called Fiery Pink Pepper because I had heard so much about it. The color of the shower gel is a pink-purple. The scent is peppery and mixed with something else that I can’t really identify. So I looked up the description of the notes:
- Top notes: pink pepper, tangerine and elemi.
- Heart notes: nutmeg, ginger and jasmine.
- Base notes: patchouli, cedarwood and oakmoss
Surprisingly, I can’t detect the nutmeg, ginger or even patchouli. I think it’s a nice mild scent, but not quite what I expected. I think I need to keep using it and see if the scent develops more for me.
Next is the other scent that I thought would really appeal to me: Frankincense & Allspice. It’s bright red. I was expecting the allspice to be a gourmand scent, but I don’t really smell it that much. In fact, I’d say that it’s a rather masculine scent probably because of the cedarwood, guaiaic wood, frankincense, and vetiver.
- Top notes: elemi, caraway and pimento berry.
- Heart notes: frankincense, cedarwood and guaiac wood.
- Base notes: vetiver, patchouli and sandalwood.
The last shower gel in the set is Muddled Plum. I didn’t have any sense of what it would be like. It actuality it is a beautiful sparkly blurple shade. I was so surprised to see the glitter, but it doesn’t leave glitter on my skin. it’s very festive! The scent is quite lovely. In fact, it’s become my favorite of the three scents. The notes include:
- Top notes: orange, saffron and elemi.
- Heart notes: plum, davana and oak-aged rum.
- Base notes: sandalwood, benzoin and musk.
I am a serious fan of benzoin and musk for their depth and calming properties, so it’s no surprise that I love this one.
Serene Coco & Sandalwood, a clear gel, is another rather masculine scent, IMHO, that was also a surprise to me because it is described as “comforting and gentle”. I don’t think I perceive it that way: to me, it’s just manly. It contains coconut and floral jasmine, but it smells strongly of sandalwood and I don’t smell coconut at all. Sadly, it’s not one of my faves.
Here are the notes:
- Top notes: coconut, cinnamon and milk.
- Heart notes: jasmine, cedarwood and copaiba.
- Base notes: sandalwood, guaiac wood and vetiver.
So as you see, I’ve been getting a lot of experience with a variety of Molton Brown Bath & Shower Gels. I think it’s great that I have gotten 1 and 2 oz. travel size bottles so I can experience the scents before committing the $30-32 for a full size. So far, my personal favorites are Ylang Ylang, Rhubarb & Rose and Orange & Bergamot as well as the limited edition Muddled Plum. What are your favorites?
Finally, if you’re a fan of Molton Brown Bath & Shower Gels as well as Hand Wash, Lotions and other products, check out the sale now where you can get up to 30% off on sets of travel size and full size bottles. Molton Brown has free shipping. Go for it! SALE! Up to 30% OFF + Free Shipping. Valid: 12/25 – 1/15
Choose a FREE Deluxe Size Sample (1fl oz) with every order. Valid: Ongoing Offer
These look so sultry, sensuous and luxurious.. Relaxing Ylang Ylang Shower Gel seems like an absolute my thing.. Though i have a sensitive nose, yet i am intrigued to try them all…
I think Ylang Ylang is my favorite, too!
The Rhubarb Rose in my cabinet is entirely your fault. And I <3 ya for it. 😉
Sounds to me like Frankincense and Allspice should maybe have been named Frankincense in the Forest (or Frankincense Forestry??? lol) instead? I like cedar and vetiver so I'm still intrigued. And I had wanted to try the Muddled Plum too, so that set is tempting if it's still in stock.
You might like Frankincense & Allspice because it is woody. Muddled Plum is lovely – it’s my fave of the three so far, but it is a spicy sweet fruity scent that’s like spiced holiday punch. If I were ordering again (which I cannot afford to do!), I would get the biggest variety set with the smallest sizes because I’d like to try as many of the scents as possible. I’m glad you like the Rhubarb & Rose because I do too – I think it’s a weird one, and not something I would have thought I’d like, but I do 😉
Well here’s wishing for a huge variety set to land on your doorstep sometime! Dear Molton Brown PR, if you happen to read this please send my friend here some love! 😀
And yep, ANYTHING rhubarb gets my attention. The ever-present question though, is does said “rhubarb” product actually smell like rhubarb? I’ve sniffed plenty that do not. But Molton Brown got it right! And I think as long as they keep making it, I’ll occasionally pick up a bottle. I’d be just as happy with a straight-up rhubarb fragrance, but the rose part is equally lovely and they complement each other quite well.
I’m liking your description of the plum as spiced holiday punch. That sounds fab!
I bet those smell amazing!
You know I love Molton Brown far more than anyone should LOL. How are you liking Pink Pepperpod? I thought it was my absolute favourite, but then I discovered Coco and Sandalwood… actually, each time I use a new shower gel from them, it becomes my favourite.
Renu, you and Helen started me down this path, I think 😉 I need to use Pink Pepperpod, now called Fiery Pink Pepper, more. I had expected it to be my fave, but it isn’t as spicy or even as strong a scent as I hoped. I also have to keep going with Coco & Sandalwood because it has so many notes that I love, but somehow it seems so masculine to me – even though I often like masculine scents. So far, my faves are still Ylang Ylang, Bergamot & Orange and Rhubarb & Rose. I like Muddled Plum too, but I think they made it just for the holiday sets. I still have lots more scents to try. I think after I finish up what I’ve got, I’ll buy a set with the 1 oz. sizes so I can try more scents.
This is such a cute set! As you know, I am a huge fan of MB!
I’m not sure whether I caught this bug initially from you or from Renu, lol. Maybe both xoxo
The Christmas ball packaging was a cute idea. I bet your bathroom smells divine
It’s great that you get to try new scents at sale prices even if they aren’t your favorites. The ones you like sound terrific and make me wish I was better about tolerating fragrance.
My nose isn’t sophisticated enough to detect all the notes, but I know I’d love these. I love many of the notes in each.
That trio is so cute! I think I would very much enjoy Muddled Plum!
Muddled Plum is my fave so far among the three. Very holiday-ish
That packaging is so adorable! I’d love to try these
The Molton Brown “ornaments” smell so good too!
These all sound really nice and I love the packaging for the bubble trio!!!
They’re supposed to be little Christmas ornaments. They look so cute especially in person!
The Rhubarb one is absolutely heavenly!! I am still rationing mine from last year.
I understand completely! Rhubarb & Rose is one of the most interesting scents!
That little 3-pack gift set is adorable. I love how luxurious all the MB scents are.
The gift set is adorable. There’s an outlet for this brand now so I’m going to hit it up next time I shop at that mall.
Those are so cute! I might like the Plum one but the rest aren’t quite my type!