Perfume Pen Pals: Neutrogena Rainbath




Katie,

For me, summer vacation has come to mean traveling from one house in which I don't write to another house in which I also don't write. The vacation houses are always more scenic than my own but they also have more ants and less water pressure and so my state of mind remains about the same.

This year would have been no different if only on the morning of my departure I hadn't tried to carry too many things, stumbled and, with great force, slammed my leg into the stairs. People always say accidents happen in slow motion but for me the accident was instantaneous and it was the whole week after the accident that happened in slow motion.

Call in the cereal spatter analyst!


Nothing could be done except limp around and try not to think about my injury. Or sit very still and do nothing but think about my injury. A friend once tried convincing me to run a marathon, saying that at some point during the 26 miles, it becomes all mental. Which is exactly why I won't run a marathon: if it were all physical, I could do it, but the moment it turned mental, I'd curl up on the side of the road and wait to die.

Now I know what you're thinking: "Dan's no barrel of monkeys when he's healthy, so spending a week of confinement with him and his owies must be agony." (Susan says hi.)

But you're wrong, KP. I found hot showers helped mitigate the discomfort and it was there I discovered a colossal bottle of rich, copper-colored shower gel called Neutrogena Rainbath.




Have you heard of this stuff? It's apparently been around for decades and is sold everywhere in America except the places I shop. Neutrogena says it's "a unique fragrance of spices, fruits and herbs," which both undersells it and oversells it. Because Rainbath basically smells like old-school Brut.


"Oooh...just splash it on all over, eh Henry?"


I guess in 2014 there's no advantage in saying something smells like Brut and that's a shame because Brut smells great. Or smelled great. The new formula isn't the same but then nothing is the same, our minds and bodies are breaking down, we're all enduring a protracted decline and we're haunted by our memories of better times. Or maybe that's just my bum leg talking.

Anyway, the smell of Rainbath stays on the skin remarkably long and one morning when I emerged from the shower Susan said, "You smell like the '70s!" Which, as you know, is the best compliment you can give someone who loves fragrance. It's like telling an actor he reminds you of a young Brando.

This is all to say that everything is fine now and I smell great. How was your summer?

Dan

32 comments:

  1. Bravo!!! What a great letter containing some timely info.

    I have a grandson who is going through a phase of being soooo into the 70's. His 18th birthday is coming up and he really wants a VW Bus. This is something we will not be able to purchase for him. You expressed it best--we too are enduring that protracted decline and are haunted by our memories of better times. Yet, we're still young enough to remember that we sure didn't want our grandparents living with us in our hippie bus. Which is a great possibility should we splurge and spoil our grandson for his birthday during this declining stage of our lives.

    Enter your timely letter. Now, I know one of the gifts he will be receiving from us. We will give him a copy of your letter and a bottle of Rainbath. The message on the beautifully wrapped package will read, "You may not be able to live in the 70's but you can certainly smell like it."

    Thank you so much Dan--and Katie, for sharing this with us. I am really sorry about your fall and the painful condition you had to endure over the summer. Glad to hear you are doing better now. And so very happy that you discovered Rainbath and shared your findings with the rest of us.

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    1. What a lovely note. Thank you.

      I understand your thinking regarding everyone living together in a VW Bus, but imagine the resulting stories! We should all pitch in and buy him that Bus on the condition that the three of you spend a summer in there together. And then write about it.

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  2. Henry looks disappointed she gets to be the one that likes it. Again always information that sends me out to try new things. xo M

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    1. Good observation. There is a touch of regret both in Henry's voice and expression at the end.

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  3. Yes, Even a Perfumer Loves the Rainbath scent... :-)

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  4. Dan - I don't normally comment here, but gosh, well, I'm one of those decades long Rainbath lovers. Nothing smells like it in the soap department and I applaud Neutrogena for keeping it on so long. And it does stick to the skin, so when I use it, I must choose my fragrance wisely. Ok, so I've been wearing it long enough that I remember begging my Mom to buy me a bottle at the drug store when I still lived at home. They sell it everywhere up where I live now - even this massive liter sized bottle! It was very sexy stuff when it came out! I also love the original Neutrogena bath oil, which I've also been using forever, and which smells divine. Cheers!

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    1. Thanks Ann. I'm curious if you've noticed any change in the scent over the years. Because, to my nose, it smells so uncompromisingly of its original era.

      And yet nothing ever stays the same, does it? Neutrogena Rainbath and Smokey Robinson's face, those are the only two things that come to mind.

      Maybe I'll write Neutrogena and ask. (Only about Rainbath. I don't imagine they'd have any insight into Smokey.)

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    2. Dan: It's always smelled the same to me, but I wouldn't swear to no changes, and the last bottle I actually used up was purchased about 2 years ago. It lasts me a long time. I've not bought a "new" one yet, b/c as with Vanessa below, I'm out of shelf space. I keep fearing that they're going to change the original "sesame" body oil b/c it smells so divine - after all these years I think it's some sort of orange blossom concoction. I see they've added some new products to their overall bath line, and that always smells fishy to me - you know someone in marketing or accounting is pushing sales....

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  5. Have never heard of this particular shower gel - possibly because I have about six or seven bottles of shower gel on the go at any one time, and a bag of hotel contraband minis in the wings if I ever did run out. I see Rainbath is available over here should that distant day ever come. Meanwhile I had a chuckle reading this, especially about your approach to running. I was thinking just yesterday that I should consider walking 10000 steps a day, then realised that that equates to one hour forty minutes at a brisk pace. So that is never going to happen on a daily basis. Even forty minutes would be a stretch. Maybe I'll just do a few stretches instead.

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    1. Vanessa, The instinct to measure anything in terms of the time it takes will almost automatically disqualify it. I could retroactively revoke entire years of my life if I were to consider each of my actions and the time it took. Time itself is more valuable than everything with which I fill it. I'm not sure if that means I should do more or do less but, like you, there's no way I'm counting steps.

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  6. Reading the account of your leg injury made my legs hurt. Ouch. My sympathies, and I hope that you heal as soon as possible. I am frowning as I type this because pain sucks.

    Around this time of year, I (like said 18-year-old grandson) like to surround myself with things from the 70s, so I'll watch a lot of horror movies from that decade and listen to David Bowie. It's lovely. So, this Rainbath suggestion is timely for me, and I appreciate you sharing, Dan.

    Also, I liked the awkward way that Henry applied Brut to his nipples first. As one does.

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    1. That's Barry with the nipples, Nora. (I believe that's the first time I've ever written those words.)

      And of course he's awkward. I'd like to meet the man who can slap alcohol on his nipples and not look awkward. That's not true. I don't want to meet that man at all.

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  7. Yes, I agree, that one moob was getting a LOT of attention. Made the girl seem superfluous.

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  8. Dan-Glad to hear all is fine and that you smell great! (Btw I do too!)...I stumbled across Katie's highly informative and very entertaining blog just last week. It's everything I wanted in a fragrance blog and more. Read from end to beginning (that's right-two days of well read material while recovering from sinus surgery) I am sad to see the last activity on this blog was August 30th :( Did I miss something?
    Coincidentally, I just purchased Colonia shortly before coming across this blog. I think I will learn to "lurve" it. Would love to hear more insight from Katie and you on the different Acqua di Parma scents...and what new scents you both recommend for Fall and Winter 2014.
    -Suzn
    Current scent: Brandy (not the singer but the horse lovin' fragrance) Fan of Annick Goutal Petite Cherie and Eau d'Hadrien, Creed Spring Flower, Guerlain Champs Elysees and David Yurman to name just a few in case anyone cared :)

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    1. Hi Suzn - welcome aboard! You've missed nothing, I've just been sluggish in my perfume activity of late. Real life has been getting in the way, despite my best intentions to lose myself in perfume sniffing and writing and videoing. I do apologize to faithful fumies old and new for going AWOL. I endeavor to be back soon.

      My fall/winter 2014 perfumes are Santa Maria Novella Patchouli and Cartier L'Heure Promise (from their Les Heures line). I've practically drunk through my SMN Patchouli, I'm kookoo about it.

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  9. I used to spray the inside of my coat with Brut c.1972 (I was 13) to remind myself of some boy I was crazy about/maleness in general. Then I'd I kiss my inner elbow whilst wearing the coat to get the full lonely girl effect. Thank god my secret is finally out; and that an expert has consolidated my view that Brut was irresistable.....

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  10. huu I've just tried Rainbath, smellls very, very musky evoking mustaches and hairy chests. Don't get much herbs, spices, and fruits. Cybele

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  11. I'm missing you on YouTube! I hope you begin uploading again soon. What's this busy enjoying life stuff? Get back to it! :)

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  12. Ok, I now have Rainbath, Sesame Oil, Jubilation XXV, a little bit of Homage, Elixir Perfumer's Reserve, and many other of your picks. In fact a whole Malle coffret is heading my way. But where are you? I feel like a new bride ditched at the altar. Anyway, I thank you, and do hope you come back soon. Happy New Year!

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  13. There used to be another product in the "Rain" line by Neutrogena - Rainbar. A translucent turquoise blue bar containing solid "scrub beads," smelling like Rainbath. The last I saw of this bar of soap was in 1995 in Boise, shopping a clearinghouse store. I bought six bars. The problem with Rainbar was that it lasted approximately two weeks...it simply melted. But it was amazing!

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  14. Purchased a bottle of L'Ambre des Merveilles over the weekend, and I think that fans of Rainwater might like this as well. It is really a comfy, cozy golden, autumnal scent. As one who works in an office, it is office friendly and would work well for evening wear as well. (And I'll bet I'm not the only one who misses Katie's insights and amusing musings about new perfumes and newsworthy goings on in the "fumesphere" these days. Hope to see her back here soon!!)

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  15. Oops meant to say "Rainbath" by Neutrogena not "Rainwater." I'm actually a fan of Rainbath myself even though I do think it skews a little on the masculine side. But as Katie might quip, "Manly yes, but I like it too.!"

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  16. ohhh Katie- we miss you!!

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    1. I'm here, hovering in the perfume-misted shadows. About to launch back into the fray.

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  17. Where art thou Katie Puckrik? Seriously missing you. Want to know your thoughts about many perfumes, but especially Moon Bloom and Shangri La by Hiram Green if you've had time to give them a sniff.

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    1. Thanks for keeping the home fires burning. Back momentarily.

      I appreciate the tip off on these whiffers. I've currently got a tuberose bee in my bonnet, so especially want to investigate Moon Bloom.

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  18. Thanks for the info. Have tried neutrogena products before and i love them. Although they were very effective, they didn't smell that great.

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  19. I have this total knee-jerk negative reaction to wearing anything remotely Brut-ish aromatic fougerey. I cannot do it. It feels like wearing men's Y-front tighty whiteys (and I don't have the, er, proper parts for that).

    But I love, love Rainbath. Love it. Would probably not love it if it stuck around on my skin much after teh shower, but my goodness, it's wonderful.

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    1. mals86, sounds like Rainbath has the sensitivity not to overstay its welcome. You touched on a good point - sometimes smells are best enjoyed fleetingly, or in passing.

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  21. Dropping in today to say thank you for the memory of Rainbath 🫶

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