I know I have been saying it over and over again..."There will be changes happening at Bath and Body Works", but I really haven't gone into any great details as to what we may be seeing change. Of course when you walk into the store now, you do notice more of the drive for body "care" with the Coco Shea and Essentials Collections front and center. But what else could be coming? Or going?
I expect to see Aromatherapy, Coco Shea and for the stores that still carry it, True Blue Spa being more of the focus on body care products, with new scents in the collections. The past few month's coupon mailers are what lead me to think that because they were designed (as were the floor set items) with the thought of "What's Good for our Skin"...and our "Summer Skin" and less theme related seasonal fragrances.
Consequently I think more of the Signature Body Care we have come to know and love will disappear from the stores walls. I was shocked when early on pre-Semi Annual Sale I heard of the list of names of the Signature Body Care scents that would be leaving the store shelves.
Did anyone think they would see the core Forever Red leave?
I didn't. Sure, they clean things out now and again and those fragrances that sell the least will end up as an online exclusive. But this Semi Sale, they took out a small chunk of the wall fragrances...and they aren't done yet.
When they have a semi annual sale and bring back their "flashbacks" it made me feel like those fragrances appeared at that time of year because of the kinds of fragrances they were. Just like we saw Cashmere Glow come back last fall for Holiday gift giving time. Are we to assume that fragrances that came out at certain times of the year...ex. fall...will be always returning at those times of year for a short appearance?
I must say I am liking their direction of offering some "different" forms of body care products. I think it was the Coco Shea Collection that offered so many different forms in the various scents that got me hooked. No cookie cutter- all of the fragrances will have the same items available in them - presentations. I found I stepped out of the box wanting to try different products, instead of walking past the table uninterested.
I loved the body oils, and Honey Body Lotion and the light fragrance mist. And that shower jelly was a great "indulgence" from my daily routine.
With the release of their newest Summer Inspired Scent Collection, those shower jellies are now offered in an array of colors and fragrances. Something for everyone. I must confess I love the Cabana Blue Color and Fragrance.
Who wouldn't love a gift basket of that!
Plus if the testing that went on for Holiday products early this year is any indication, we will be seeing more "fun" forms of body care to come for Holiday Time. And isn't that part of the draw to this brand? Anyone can use a bar of soap to clean their hands...but the New Shape-able Hand Soap? That's fun times ten.
And while it doesn't happen very often, I do like the buy three get three free EVERYTHING body care sale they just had. Sometimes I find I need to replace one or two items of Signature and a few in Aromatherapy. Waiting for an Aromatherapy sale is not fun when you ran out of a favorite shower gel and you don't want to pay full price. Who does that? Ha ha.
With the release of the new fall candles that are testing in a few select markets we get to see another direction they are going in.... Essential oils in everything. In the candle collection named Elements - we are seeing simple essential oils as the scents that will fragrance them. I just shared tonight some photos of the matching wallflowers in that collection. So we should assume that not only will we see the trend of a "good for your body" type of products in body care but a more back to basics approach for home fragrance options as well.
Essential oils were added to pocketbac hand sanitizers released this month and hopefully that will eliminate the over-dryness that can sometimes happen with use.
I am curious to see what will happen to the Accessories part of shopping at Bath and Body Works. I do love my home and finding different accent pieces for it is always a plus. There aren't many White Barn stores in my area (yet) so I depend of finding those small touches in my local B&BW. I hope they continue to offer Home Decor consistently as we wait for the day when we all can shop in a WB store and there is no longer a need to "test" out things in certain markets.
They must be listening to our cries of "we want new scents" when it comes to home fragrance candles. From what I have been hearing from those who were able to shop the test candles a few scents may be new. Fingers crossed for more.
Fragrance is a personal experience perceived uniquely in each one of us, and what someone may love about a scent, another may not tolerate. We need to have choices of not only our tried and true favorites but more out of the box unexpected versions of scent. I think in the next months ahead we will be seeing some of just that.