DTG, you love sending packages and yet I don't recall having seen you in the swap-shop thread.
I've only ever tried regular, thanks to Eru, so I'm open to suggestion.
Di You are very much not alone. I know I used to feel nauseous walking past Lush in Victoria Station when I commuted that way to and from Croydon; the smell of all the products together was so cloyingly overpowering. I know Taurië had the same thing, and I seem to recall Enchie (?) too. It does seem to get better (or you get acclimatised) after a while! But there is always mail order (and they are an intelligent articulate bunch on the other end of the phone too).
I’m somewhat nervous about recommending face cleansers, as I have had sensitive-skin problems with a lot of stuff and as I’ve posted before am mostly resigned to olive oil now! The best way to get to know things is to go into the shops and chat to the assistants, who are invariably really keen to send you home with samples to try. Of all the London stores, I’d recommend the Victoria one for friendliest staff.
Of the Face Moisturisers,
Skins Shangri La and
Afterlife are the richer ones, with
Skin Drink a more budget relation.
The body moisturiser I adore is
Sympathy for the Skin, with almond oil, cocoa butter and fresh, organic bananas and an infusion of vanilla pods. But you might also like to look at
King of Skin, which is a body butter you rub over your skin in the shower, containing bananas, oatmeal, avocados, cocoa butter, shea butter, almond oil and coconut butter. I was going to stop there, but I should also say that the masage bars shouldn't be discounted - they make great body butters.
As for showergels:
Skinny Dip (cocoa butter, white chocolate and vertivert) is the most luxurious skin conditioning one that springs to mind. I like
B Never (the honey one) best of all when my skin is having a hissy fit. Sadly it’s discontinued. But - if you do mailorder- it’s worth asking if they have any bottles in stock as they do make this one up especially for their forum posters.
I'll let one of the others bombard you with ideas as to the best bath ballistics and solid bath oil blocks for dry skin!