Cream Of The Crop from page

7

loclavi skin creams
encompass everything
from an unscented
lotion that comes in a
bottle, yours
a few dollars at
drugstore, to an
imported cream, made
with natural oils, a
hint of hibiscus in its
fragrance, that costs
$ 50 for 1 ounce.

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According to Cameran Howell of
Lori Karbal in Birmingham, price
often depends on what's in the stuff.
Howell explains: ''The quality of
ingredients varies," ranging from
handmade, all-natural oils and fra-
grances to a series of chemical ingre-
dients no one can pronounce. Of
course, the former are more costly;
they're also better for you. One of
Howell's favorite natural ingredients
is olive oil, because lotions with this
as a base "don't leave you greasy."
Olive oil is immediately absorbed
into the skin, unlike a petroleum-
based product, like Vaseline, which
just sits on top.
There's also the packaging.
Obviously, a delicate glass bottle
with a gold rim is going to cost a
great deal more than a throwaway
plastic one.
How the lotion is made is anoth-
er issue.
SM Novella's Body Milk for Men
comes in an elegant glass container,
about the size of a coffee mug, and is
from Italy. The price: $72 at Lori
Karbal.
But while many lotions are pro-
duced en masse, this one is made by
hand, from start to finish, by monks.
One of the biggest sellers at Lori
Karbal is the Bliss Body Butter. "It's
rich," Howell explains.

The Body Butter comes in a nice,
large tube and in a delicious collec-
tion of scents — plum, lemon and
sage, vanilla bergamot — which cer-
tainly adds to its appeal. It sells for
$32.
Another popular cream is Red
Orchid's Soy Body Whip, $26 for
16 ounces, in fragrances like blood
orange and chocolate, poppy and
citrus, among others.
If poppy and plum aren't for you,
consider Mario Badescu's unscented
Super Rich Olive Body Lotion for
$22. Or for something a little less
pricey, but equally yummy, there is
the Lori Karbal house lotion. This
creamy concoction comes unscented
in 8- and 16-ounce bottles. You can
then select your own fragrance from
among Lori's huge collection of aro-
mas like rosemary, baby, sweet pea,
pear and peach.
If money isn't a concern, you
may want to consider the V-Tonic
line, new from Fresh. This mint-
scented unisex lotion sells for $48
for 6.8 ounces, among the store's
most expensive.
Howell notes, however, that these
costly lotions are very rich, which
means that a small dab should take
care of the dryness for a long time.
Other creams are less expensive, but

—ream

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