L'Occitane Bonne Mere Soap (Milk)

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $7 for one bar

THE SKINNY: I love a shower experience that leaves me feeling calm, relaxed and just a little pampered.

L'Occitane Bonne Mere Soap (I used "Milk") fits the bill.

The creamy soap glides on and just makes skin feel soft and refreshed. It has a simple, light aroma and is ideal for every day use.

It comes in three scents and seems to be a better option for skin -- and the environment with L'Occitane's RSPO-certified pal oil.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Opt for L'Occitane's Bonne Mere Soap if you want to feel pampered or get a great spa-style gift for a friend.

-- Tested by Carrie

Lollia At Last Perfumed Shower Gel

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $22

THE SKINNY: Lollia At Last Perfumed Shower Gel had a bright fragrance ... or was I just imagining that because of the yellow bottle?

Either way, this shower gel smelled really nice. Summery and light, but without a lingering smell on your skin; so go ahead and wear that perfume.

It had a great bubbly lather and felt super silky -- probably in part because of the shea butter and jojoba oil formula. It was nice, but a little pricey for everyday use.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep, but I won't buy this one.

CHECK IT OUT: Lollia come in the August POPSugar Must-Have box. (This service is awesome if you love mail and a variety of fun products every month.)

-- Tested by Carrie

Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Hand Soap

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $10.50

THE SKINNY: This is a brand I had never heard of but when Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Hand Soap, I liked the look of it.

The soap looks great on my bathroom counter with a classy plastic pump bottle. The look is much more "me" than some of the recent purchases I have made at other places.

So I was equally happy when the soap both worked well and had a pleasant fragrance. It is light and fresh. I've also been using this for a week or so now and it has not dried out my hands -- another major bonus. The formula is made with aloe vera gel, olive oil and essential oils cleanse and condition.

And the price is comparable to other hand soaps. So there's no real reason not to give it a try.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: You can find this fragrance (No. 21) and six others on the Caldrea website.

-- Tested by Carrie

Alex and Ani Scent 7 Bar Soap

RATING (out of 5 stars): 1 star

COST: $14 for 7 ounces (1 bar)

THE SKINNY: I am not sure why this product was in a recent Glossybox. It has to be a men's product.

Alex and Ani Scent 7 Bar Soap has one of the most masculine smells around -- a lot like Old Spice actually. And I knew it the second I opened the package.

I immediately gave it to my boyfriend to use. He seemed to like it OK, but at $14 per bar ... really?

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss ... or give it to your boyfriend.

CHECK IT OUT: Supposedly this is a women's product. Learn more from Alex and Ani.

-- Tested by Carrie

Anatomicals You Need A Blooming Shower

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $5.50 for 10 ounces

THE SKINNY: Have you ever tried a product and could not decide whether you love it or actually hate it? That's the situation I am facing with Anatomicals You Need A Blooming Shower Gel.

The sudsy gel cleans well and leaves my skin feeling fresh.

I just can't decide if I love or hate the scent. It has an artificial rose smell, which I admit sounds pretty bad. But some days I just really like it.

It reminds me of my childhood somehow.

So I am wondering if anyone else has tried this one out. Let me know what you think in the comments or on Facebook.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I'm still debating.

CHECK IT OUT: This Anatomicals product came in a recent Glossybox.

-- Tested by Carrie

Bliss Soapy Suds Body Wash + Bubbling Bath

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $18 (bought on sale for $10)

THE SKINNY: Bliss had me at "blood orange and white pepper." I can't turn down anything that promises the scent of orange and spices. It's my favorite.

Bliss Soapy Suds does smell heavenly, exactly as I imagined it would. The scent is strong in the bath, but fades quickly so it doesn't mess with any perfume you want to wear that day.

But as a soap, I'm not impressed. The suds are lackluster, and I've tried everything: a bath pouf, a fancy bath sponge, a washcloth. I don't find the soap moisturizing (my normal liquid bath soap is either Ivory or Dove), and it doesn't give me any confidence that I'm actually getting clean.

And as bubble bath? Forget about it.

Use it for the smell on days when you aren't really that dirty.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I do love the smell.

CHECK IT OUT: Bliss offers a variety of bath products in the blood orange and white pepper scent. I might try something else.

-- Tested by Shay

Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au the Blanc Shower Gel

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $42 for 200ml

THE SKINNY: Glossybox has turned me on to Bvlgari with three items in recent boxes (but that's enough now Glossybox, mix it up some!).

The Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au the Blanc Shower Gel is a luxury product for sure. It has a great light but intense aroma (if you can imagine that). You can smell it a lot more during use that afterward.

This is not something I would use every day, because it is very pricey and perfume-based shower gels just don't seem to do enough for my skin.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. Little goodies like this are a perfect pick-me-up for a relaxing shower or for use during travel.

CHECK IT OUT: You can buy direct from Bvlgari online.

-- Tested by Carrie

Philip B Hair and Body Shampoo

RATING (out of 5 stars): 1 star

COST: $35 for 11.8 ounces

THE SKINNY: Philip B's Hair and Body Shampoo came in a recent Glossybox and I should have known right away that something was up when I read the name on the label -- "Nordic Wood."

Giveaway No. 2 -- "Hair and Body Shampoo."

This product is not for women. What woman uses the same thing on her hair and body? Or wants to smell like the woods?

Glossybox, you fooled me! I thought all products that you sent us were for women.

The scent was very strong. Very woodsy. Very manly. And it stuck in my hair for hours. Ugh.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. I gave it to my boyfriend and the smell is no longer appalling but I don't really like it either.

CHECK IT OUT: This is a pricey product available on the Philip B website.

-- Tested by Carrie

Organix Teatree Peppermint Body Wash

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $6.99

THE SKINNY: My skin is sensitive and quite persnickety at times, so I was thrilled to find a body wash that smells great and does wonders for my skin.

I bought Organix Teatree Peppermint Body Wash on a whim during a Ulta visit and have not been disappointed. (This brand is quickly becoming a favorite; we also loved the Organix Creamy Oil Body Lotion.)

The body wash left my skin very clean -- and smelled great without being overpowering -- and helped keep it from drying out too much.

The body wash is also sulfate free, which is good for me and the environment.

And I keep hearing that Tea Tree Oil helps keep the mosquitoes at bay (a huge bonus in this area right now). At less than $7 for a good-sized bottle, this product is a deal!

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Learn more about the Organix line or shop at retailers such as Ulta.

-- Tested by Carrie

Prestiche Essential Oil Bar Soap

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RATING (out of 5 stars):3.5 stars

COST: $16.99

THE SKINNY: This little soap from Prestiche comes with a great big scent.

Created with essential oils, vitamins and natural ingredients, it smells fantastic and cleanses well.

But it is pricey. The bar is small. 

It leave skin feeling great, but I could not get over the sticker-shock.

Maybe it would be a nice item for a gift basket. Or maybe the folks at Glossybox will put another Prestiche item in an upcoming box.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. Like the product, just not sure it is affordable.

CHECK IT OUT: Prestiche has a good-looking line of bath products. I might wait for a sale.

-- Tested by Carrie

Olive Natural Beauty Bar

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $10

THE SKINNY: For starters, this natural soap smells amazing. It's made with lemon, lemongrass and lavender oils, and I smelled it as soon as I opened the Beauty Army box in which it came.

I would seriously wear the scent as a perfume. (The company does make a body spray in this scent.)

Beyond the smell, this is a gentle soap that removed my makeup with irritating my eyes or making my skin feel really tight. It rinses clean fairly easily. Plus, the soap holds up well over time in the soap dish. It doesn't get slimy or start to disintegrate.

This bar is 100 percent natural and made from organic extra virgin olive oil to soften your skin and make it glow.

The Olive Natural Beauty company formed in 2009 and uses olive oil as the base of many of its products.

I might be tempted to give up my normal cleanser for this.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. It's been a long time since I've used a bar soap for my nightly cleansing routine, and I really like this one.

CHECK IT OUT: This soap also comes in the following options: honey, rose, rosemary and fennel.

-- Tested by Shay

Heartland Fragrances Blood Orange Exfoliating Soap

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $8

THE SKINNY: Who would have ever thought to tuck a loofah inside a glycerin soap?

That's just what you get in Heartland Fragrances Exfoliating Loofa Soap. I used Blood Orange and the first thing I noticed was the aroma -- fantastic and sweet, almost mouth-watering and fresh and eye-opening. It was a great start to the morning.

The soap is gentle and moisturizing and comes in a variety of scents (even some just for the fellas, too).

The soap is designed to increase circulation and help rub away rough patches of skin. And it delivers.

But while I really enjoyed the luxury soap from my October Glossybox, it is a little too rough on the skin for general use. Save it for those spots that need extra work.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. This is a great splurge.

CHECK IT OUT: Find out more about the Heartland Fragrances line and order direct (which seems to be the only place to get these soaps online). And make sure to check out Glossybox -- my absolute favorite subscription box!

-- Tested by Carrie

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $16 for 16 ounces, free sample on your birthday month

THE SKINNY: Oh how I love Philosophy shower gel. Love, love, love.

The super sweet scents coming out of the bottle mellow as soon as they mix with water, and this soap really does smell like warm vanilla birthday cake. This soap lathers well -- not too much, but enough to make you feel clean. And it feels like it's good for my skin, leaving it feeling silky soft.

I would use Philosophy soap all the time if it weren't for the price. (I'd skip the sweet scents and pick a citrus one instead.) I just can't afford to pay $16 for bath soap! I even cringe at the half-off sale price, thinking I can get something just as good at Target for half that amount.

But it never does compare. When I win the lottery, this soap will be in my bathroom year-round!

Philosophy swears this soap can be used as shampoo or bubble bath, too, but I'm a little scared to try it. Have you?

KEEP OR TOSS: Definitely keep. It's a luxury!

CHECK IT OUT: Explore all the shower gel scents at Philosophy's website. While you're there, sign up for email notifications about sales and get your free sample on your birthday.

-- Tested by Shay

Dove Men + Care Extra Fresh Bar Soap

RATING (out of 5 stars): 5 stars

COST: $5-$6 for a 6-pack

THE SKINNY: It started with a sample that came in the mail. The tiny bar of soap was gone in a hurry and I was asked for more. That's how my man's love affair with Dove began. 

Not only does he love this product, it makes him smell great (but not too smelly). Some of the other men's brands out there have super-strong smells that almost knock you out. This is light enough (I like Extra Fresh) he can use it and then finish with his favorite cologne without making me cringe. And gone is that feminine scent that would linger on his skin when he would would steal my soap out of the shower.

His skin is also softer than ever.

Dove is a brand I have trusted for yours and I am so excited to see that they have a line for the fellas. Some guys might still have issues associating the Dove brand with women but this is something you should buy for your guy; he will love it!

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. You and your man will love it.

CHECK IT OUT: Dove Men + Care is a fairly new line that has more than just soap. Dove now has deodorants and other body washes for your guy as well.

-- Tested by Carrie