AHHHH . . . a foamy cloud of soapy goodness

so no doubt you're heard all the hubbub about shower gels containing parabens, phthalates and sulfates.

and that hubbub is not good.

won't totally get into the negative details but prolonged (read: daily) exposure to this combination of chemicals can contribute to the big C. leading the long weekend team to find shower gel alternatives that are paraben/phthalate/sulfate-free that won't leave you smelling like baking soda.

here's what we've hit upon: nature's gate velvet moisture body wash. and long weekend stlye especially loves the pomegranate sunflower scent - pure shower deliciousness. whips up to a fragrant, foamy lather that leaves skin not only moisturized but lightly scented with the essence of fresh pomegranates and sunflowers.

AND nature's gate body wash is completely phthalate-free, paraben-free and sulfate-free, wiping that awful chemical combo right out of your shower time. it's made in the good ol U. S. of A. in a little suburban town called chatsworth with no animal testing or byproducts, which is bound to make PETA happy.

$7.99 gets you an 18 ounce/532 ml pump bottle. besides the beloved pomegranate sunflower, nature's gate also has papaya, hemp and aloe vera on tap. available at whole foods markets nationwide as well as some larger chain supermarkets. or you can order directly from their website: http://www.natures-gate.com/ although nothing beats getting to smell these awesome shower gels with your actual nose. which is very hard to do over the internet. unless your computer happens to be equipped with some sort of super duper olfactory app.