Friday, April 9, 2010

Review: Caldrea Essential Collection


A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the Caldrea Essential collection of home scents and cleansers at Target, and this past week I tried out a couple of items from this new line. To be honest, I was going to pass on it, just because the last thing I need (I thought) was more products to clean with. But the crisp, clean look of the packaging is hard to pass up, and the scents are hard to resist: there is Citron Ginger, Herbs of Provence, and Olive Oil to choose from, and each have their own unique appeal. I finally settled on the Herbs of Provence, which includes notes of Rosemary, Thyme and Sage… although I could swear I smelled Lavender in there, too. And sure enough: once I studied the ingredient list I found that Lavender, Mint, and Lily of the Valley are also thrown in the mix.

The first product I tried was the Countertop Cleaner. It seems to work well, and leaves a slight, lingering fragrance in the kitchen... but to be fair, it’s not for down & dirty jobs. You should still use soap, some elbow grease and even Comet if the job is really tough, especially in the sink. This cleaner says it can be used on tile, natural and synthetic stone, and finished wood. I also used it on our stainless steel range and hood, and it worked fine, but speaking of which… they have another product called “Stainless Steel Cleaner” which sort of baffled me. It seems to be aimed at stainless steel utensils, pots and pans, and to me, I just don’t get the point - ? Aren’t you washing these things anyhow? Why do you need an additional spray to get it clean & shiny?

I also purchased the fragrant candle (in the same scent) which comes in a short, squat jar and states it is a “Kitchen Candle”, although nowhere on the packaging does it claim to take away other offensive kitchen scents like fish or onions. While I do like this candle, for the same amount ($9.99) I'd rather buy another Liberty of London scented candle, as their packaging was prettier and the candle is actually larger (at 10 oz. vs 8 oz.).

From the 3 Target stores I’ve seen Caldrea at, it looks like the hand lotions are a top seller, as most are already sold out. I personally prefer unscented hand lotion myself, but with their rich fragrances, I can see why these would go quickly. Overall I like this line and will probably try other things from it, over time.

5 comments:

Marie said...

Interesting. I have wanted to try the Liberty of London candles but I have quite a few I need to burn at home before buying more. I tend to hoard them!

Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
Spring Shabby Apple Dress giveaway

Critifur said...

Herbs of Provence always contain Lavender, as well as thyme, fennel, basil, and savory. It is a pretty specific mixture. The surprising ingredients are the mint and lily of the valley. Still I want to check out the products. Thanks for the review.

Critifur said...

I checked them out and really liked the olive oil scent. Not impressed with Herbs of Provence.

Unknown said...

I've used the Caldrea line for sometime. When I saw they now have a Target line I became excited. My favs are the home fragrence, the hand balm and the stainless steel spray. To the author's question the stainless steel spray if for your stainless steel appliances (micorwaves, the fridge, stove etc.) It really helps with achieving a nice shine and leaves a wonderful scent behind.

Unknown said...

Love, Love, Love these products. Unfortunately I have to get them from out of town because our Target doesn't carry the product. Clothes smell so fresh and it makes my home smell great.
Thanks,
Michele