Freshly laundered clothes, a lavender field, the smell of soap, and the scent of cleanliness… These are the memories evoked by a well-known fragrance overseas. It’s Pure Grace, from the brand Philosophy, a brand appreciated for its skincare and body care products, now easily available in Europe. I’m trying out some products from this brand, and what immediately caught my attention is Pure Grace.
The brand
Philosophy for those who may not know, is an American brand founded in 1996 by Cristina Carlino. Carlino had already made her mark in the beauty industry with the creation of BioMedic, a specialized line of skincare products that accompany dermatology and plastic surgery treatments. BioMedic was acquired by the L’Oreal group in 2001 and developed for the international market under the guidance of La Roche Posay. The Philosophy line is Carlino’s other creation, which led to an acquisition by a beauty giant. Philosophy achieved success thanks to its promotion on the American TV channel QVC. The brand’s products won over stars like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Pompeo, who became promoters of the brand. The acquisition by the Coty group in 2010 was the next development, definitively establishing Philosophy in the market.
The products
The first product launched by the brand was “Purity made simple,” a facial cleansing product that is still on the market and a best-selling item. Philosophy offers skincare products, fragrances, and body care products such as shower gel and creams in various scents. The best-selling fragrance of this brand is Pure Grace, also available as a scent in the shower gel and body cream line. From Pure Grace, some variations were then born, such as the fragrances Amazing Grace and Grace Roses.
Pure Grace, the scent that smells like clean
The fragrance Pure Grace is well-known overseas. Many describe it as a scent that smells like clean. The olfactory sensation immediately perceives the feeling of freshness: lavender and bergamot are in fact the ingredients that compose the fragrance. The initial notes give way to sweet and floral jasmine, until the musky base becomes the most persistent and dominant note. If I wear Pure Grace, people often ask me what perfume I am wearing. It is a fragrance that stands out: it recalls a clean laundry and a field of flowers. The packaging, thanks to its extreme simplicity and linearity, is chic. The only flaw of this fragrance is its duration. At least on me, it doesn’t last all day.
Amazing Grace
As already mentioned, the Grace line has other variations. Among these, Amazing Grace has also been a successful sales product, of which I have had the opportunity to try the body wash and body cream. The Amazing Grace line has a different scent, where the citrus notes of bergamot and mandarin prevail. Even in Amazing Grace, floral notes and musky base are present. The scent is good, but in my opinion, Pure Grace remains something special.
The INCI of these two body products is not for green enthusiasts. But both the body wash and cream do not dry out the skin and have a good moisturizing effect.
Here is the INCI of the Amazing Grace body wash:
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Fragrance, Ppg-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Citric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Glycol Distearate, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Laureth-2, Hexyl Cinnamal, Disodium Edta, Limonene, Bht, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Sulfite, Hydrolyzed Silk, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, FD&C Red No. 4 (CI 14700), FD&C Yellow No. 5 (CI 19140), D&C Red No. 33 (CI 17200).
and that of the body lotion:
water (aqua), fragrance (parfum), macadamia ternifolia seed oil, isocetyl stearoyl stearate, glycerin, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, dimethicone, glyceryl stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, peg-100 stearate, stearic acid, phytosterol/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, tocopheryl acetate, potassium ascorbyl tocopheryl phosphate, xanthan gum, carbomer, diazolidinyl urea, triethanolamine, methylparaben, propylparaben, tetrasodium edta.
Strength Point: Fragrances
So far, I have had the chance to try out Philosophy’s body products and some of their skincare products. I am currently testing a few of the latter, but aside from a couple, I haven’t been particularly impressed, especially considering their composition. However, I have tried several shower gels in different scents, such as Senorita Margarita, Melon Daiquiri, Coconut Frosting, Raspberry Sorbet, and Vanilla Birthday Cake, which are all attractive thanks to their various fragrances. With their colors and minimalist yet chic packaging, they make great objects to display in the bathroom or to give as gifts.
The body creams also have excellent fragrances that match those of the shower gels. In terms of moisturizing and hydrating, however, the results of these creams are not much different from those I obtained using less expensive products available at the supermarket. In my opinion, the strength of the body line is its fragrances, and Pure Grace is the one I loved the most.
In conclusion
Philosophy is a brand that deserves attention both for its scented body line and for some of its skincare products. Among the products I have tested so far, Pure Grace is the one that has received my unconditional approval. We are certainly not talking about high-end perfumery, but a pleasant product with a well-distinguishable fragrance that immediately gives a sensation of cleanliness and sensuality. Of course, the appreciation of a perfume is subjective, but I believe that Pure Grace is a fragrance that can please many.
Pure Grace is now available in Europe. In Switzerland and Italy, Philosophy’s line is sold by LookFantastick and Marionnaud. perfumeries. You can also find it on Amazon.
