Merz Apothecary/Smallflower Men's Bath products-Review and Giveaway!!

Spectacular Gift Shopping Guide!!!

Day 22!!

Well, I promised to share gift ideas for everyone...women, girls, babies....and now I'll let you know about a great place to shop for the men and boys in your life! Smallflower.com (the online store for Merz Apothecary) has a great line of men's bath and body products! I was sent the Archipelago Botanicals Morning Mint Body Wash for review. I am a huge mint-scent fan, but, to get a guy's take on this product, I gave it to my brother. E tried it out the morning after I gave it to him. And it was a hit! This is a very invigorating shower gel that is loaded with milk; oat, rice, and soy proteins; Mint Extracts and essential oils. E said it lathered up really nice and thick. And the fresh, minty fragrance...WOW! It is absolutely delicious! The best part is that the smell of mint lingers for hours after use. Definitely a great scent for a guy, but I have to admit....I would be tempted to use this myself, too! Like I said, I love mint :) 
This is definitely a product to add at the top of your gift shopping list for your husband, sons, brothers, etc! And this Morning Mint line also includes shampoo and conditioner...now that would make for some great-smelling hair!

I found the history of Merz very interesting.
They had their humble beginnings in 1875, when a Chicago pharmacist by the name of Paul Merz opened Merz Apothecary on the North Side of the city. In many ways it was like most other corner drugstores, yet there was a major difference. The clientele consisted mainly of European immigrants, which was why Peter Merz named his shop an apothecary.  In 1972, the 3rd generation of the Merz sons to own the apothecary, Ralph, was ready to retire...but he had no successor. Just one month before the scheduled closing, a young pharmacist named Abdul Qaiyum walked into Merz Apothecary...and a few days later, he purchased it!
"It was out of this sense of history and mission that Qaiyum and his son, Anthony, founded Smallflower.com in 1998. They saw the opportunity to offer an expanded vision of health and personal care on the Internet.
Our challenge here at Smallflower is to meld the Old World approach and knowledge of Merz Apothecary with the New World technology of the Web, without losing the vision and character that make Merz Apothecary special. We're quite proud of the path we've taken so far. When you shop at Smallflower you can be confident that you're dealing with a staff that has intimate knowledge of the products and deals with in-the-flesh customers every day. We're listening to our customers, and that knowledge directly shapes the information and product selection on the site.
Our view is that your health is too important to take chances with. We believe that you're better off with a product selection that has been carefully honed over more than a century. We believe you'll be healthier if you use the finest products from around the world; products that promote external and internal health, and mental as well as physical well being. And finally, we are sure you'll be better served by a staff that has 135 years of accumulated experience and constant interaction with people in need of help. Our goal is still the same as it was on opening day in 1875: to provide the best service and products to help our customers lead happier, healthier lives. If that seems a bit grand, it's not. It's only what you deserve."


In addition to their line of men's products, Smallflower.com also carries a huge selection of natural health, skincare, bath and body, and other luscious pampering products!

Merz Apothecary is giving a 10 oz. Morning Mint Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub to one of my readers!!

Mandatory Entry-

Go to Smallflower.com and tell me another product you think would make a great gift!

Bonus Entries-

2 entries-Become (or be) a public follower of Hope's Cafe. Leave 2 comments.

1 entry-Follow me (Pilgrim86) on Twitter. Leave a comment with your Twitter name.

1 entry-Tweet this giveaway. This may be done once every 7 days, which means a total of twice during this giveaway. Leave a comment with a link to your Tweet.

1 entry-Enter another of my giveaways. Leave a comment for each giveaway you enter.

3 entries-Blog about this giveaway. Leave 3 comments with a link to your post.

Extra for duration of Spectacular Gift Shopping Guide!!

3 Entries-Add my "Spectacular Gift Shopping Guide" button to your blog sidebar. Leave 3 comments with a link to your blog.

1 entry-Join the Smallflower.com Mailing List! (Bottom of every page). Leave me a comment.

This giveaway ends Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Please leave a valid email address in each comment, as this is how the winner will be notified. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to US residents only.

Disclaimer:I was not monetarily compensated in any way for this review. I did receive product for the purpose of review.  All thoughts and opinions are mine.  All quotes taken from teh Merz Apothecary or Smallflower.com website.