August 9, 2013

Remember Calgon Hawaiian Ginger

Calgon Hawaiian Ginger

I’m a sentimental fool. You know a lot about me but not sure you know what a mush I am about remembering certain times, places, etc…I think I’ve lived a really good life up until now, filled it with many wonderful friends and people, had great adventures with more to come, and smile and laugh often. Through those years I’ve collected so many silly little mementos. I have my first driver’s permit, the bunny and wind up doll my father gave to my mother (and me) the day I was born, the first dollar the tooth fairy left under my pillow, and many more other little memories that I’ve tucked away.

When it comes to making memories beauty isn’t any exception. Certain products, colors, smells take me way back to days gone by. Calgon Hawaiian Ginger happens to be one of those products that has followed me through life for many a fine year. I’d say this goes back to my first year of college or maybe even my senior year of high school or perhaps even longer but I smell Calgon Hawaiian Ginger and it takes me WAY back.

And to this day…I still buy it.

Because it’s freaking awesome.

I think body mists come and go across the drugstore world but there isn’t any one brand that sticks out at me as much as some of Calgon’s fragrances and in particular their Hawaiian Ginger. I feel like it’s the equivalent of cult favorite fragrances like Love Spell as everyone knows about it, has owned in at some point in their life, or at least has misted it once in store.

Elizabeth Arden Sunflower comes to mind as the oldest scent I’ve been using but Hawaiian Ginger comes a very close second to that.

Calgo claims it’s a blend of melon, lemon, and Hawaiian ginger complete with precious woods and musk. To me it smells like my youth…with a whole hell of a lot of sweetness.

Needless to say it’s an old and treasured favorite and I hope Calgon never takes it away (pun intended).

If you never smelled it, well damn you are seriously missing out. RUN to your drugstore and sniff it.

What scents bring you back to your childhood or teen years?

Or what beauty products?

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Tennyoceres

    For me it was ck One and Cool Water. I was really big on gender neutral scents during my preteen and teen years. When I entered college I became more open to other scent types so long as they weren’t sugary sweet floral scents. I still dig the gender neutral scent once in a while. Like right now, I’m working through a bottle of B&BW Rainkissed Leaves lotion.

  • Icequeen81

    I have one of Victoria secret, it is very nice , is a ginger one

  • Jane

    Petite Naté perfume. I would be so flipping happy if they’d relaunch that stuff. There were some additional products like shampoo and body wash, but I only had the perfume. Sigh. I think it’s actually something that would appeal to those of us who enjoy subtler smells sometimes.

    • the Muse

      I WISH I could say I remember what Petite Naté smelled like! I remember the bottle but not owning it or even smelling it! They had powder too as I remember?! 😀

  • heather

    i love hawaiian ginger! started wearing it in high school when I worked at rite aid and they carried it there (sidenote: oh how i miss setting up the new makeup collections & displays when they came in #makeupprobz) and i still keep a bottle around to spritz on when i’m feeling nostalgic.

    ralph lauren’s ralph reminds me of middle school. i got it for christmas in eighth grade (still have it ten years later) and it reminds me of a time when i was just getting into makeup and beauty products!

    • the Muse

      omg yes how could I forget ralph!? hahaha….! 😀 jeez…really bringing me back!

  • Amy Amethyst

    The time I tried Calgon (which was ages ago) I discovered that when it dried down and acted with my body chemistry that it made me smell like moth balls. Not a scent I enjoy!
    Sunflower was one of my 1st perfumes. And Exclamation and Navy. I haven’t smelled them in forever but I know they’d bring back memories!
    Also the 250 things about you was an interesting read! I want to hear your impression of Animal from the Muppets! We have a lot of interests in common.
    I’m in Cali now! My bf delivered here and we took a couple days off with a friend. Fun!

    • the Muse

      moth balls? oh no! exclamation ha 😀 I remember that of course! 😀 gosh that was done years ago but was great fun and I still do a damn good animal impression lol! 😀 YAYYYYY! CA is my fav ;-D hope to be there come October on a little trip!

  • Angie

    Ooh Hawaiian ginger, how I love thee! Tommy girl really takes me back too, well the generic spray can version of Tommy girl. lol. I had so many of those Designer Imposters cans. Love’s baby soft is such a throwback also.

  • Kimmwc03

    Petite Nate reminds me of my grandma (who is gone now). I also have fond memories of Sunflower, Ralph, Tommy Girl and Love’s Baby Soft.

  • Nora

    Mens Obsession and Drakar Noir brings me back to high school big time. That is all the boys would wear and way too much of it! Smelling it now brings me back and also makes me gag.

  • niche

    A couple different scents. Gap used to have these scents called grass and heaven. I think there were a few other ones too. They were so popular at my high school. And all the Calgon scents. I remember getting a set of mini bottles, including Hawaiian Ginger which I remember was super popular with all the girls. The other one that triggers memories is Clinique Happy. I remember when it came out, everyone had it.

  • Ryou

    I think Escada Island Kiss was my first high end perfume, actually. I was SO happy when they re-released it last year! 😀

  • Zang

    Ah, how I love nostalgia. For me, it would have to be a certain large tubed Bath and Body Works chapstick. They don’t make them anymore, but the pack rat that I am, I found an old one and boy, did it take me back! It took me back to 8th grade, meeting my friend who took my innocent self to B&BWs for the first time, making too big of a purchase and regretting how much money I spent there because all the lovely scents were so new to me; at that time, going to the mall was so new, also. lol

    B&BWs’ Juniper body scent also makes me nostalgic. It would remind me of Christmas in high school and receiving this gift from my friend.

    But, for Calgon, it would have to be their old Lavender scent. I’m not sure if they make it anymore. The new one is Vanilla Lavender, which I have not sampled or as Muse put it “sniffed” yet.

  • melissa

    i don’t remember if i smelt it awhile back at walmart or not i wanted the parisian something can’t think of the word that was with it LOL but my husband didn’t like the smell so i sit it back down 🙁 i don’t want him to think i stink lol..but i did get a bottle of body fantasies in pink vanilla kiss & it smells awesome !

  • Gwen

    Love’s Baby Soft…mixed with Jovan Musk for Men smells like 1981 MAKE OUT TIME!! Hehehehe!!! 🙂

  • Susan

    Might have to try this. I used to love B&B Works White Ginger and Amber fragrance. I finally used up the rest of my stockpile, lol.

  • Elle

    Hawaiian Ginger and also Moon Petal Musk from Calgon both smell sooo good and unique.

    It’s B&BW Plumeria scent that brings me right back to my childhood though as I received a set of the lotion and shower gel as a gift one year and thought that it was the best thing I had ever smelled back then 🙂

    Also, the B&BW Toasted Hazelnut, but that one’s is discontinued and unlike the Plumeria is not available online either 🙁

  • SkylerWhite

    Mine was Loves Baby Soft Musk, Coty White Musk, Ambush, Tabu, Salon Selectives Hairspray, Pumping Curls by Loreal. Any mix of these fragrances and I can pinpoint the semester of middle school exactly! I was late to the Calgon party, did not discover morning glory til I was 30 years old. I just tried their Sweet Crush which they claim is grapefruit and peach. I really dig it.

  • Aging_Beauty

    So funny that you’ve posted this! I never tried Calgon sprays or lotions before but when I was in FL back in April I bought Hawaiian White Ginger lotion and spray and have been wearing it all summer! Wonderful stuff.

  • Ann

    Haven’t thought about Hawaiian Ginger in yonks! I used to really like it, nice that they still make it. My teens were dominated by Charlie and Babe (Margeaux Hemingway was the model for it). The tagline was “You’re Fabulous Babe!” Ummm, not really. Yes I’m old damn it! 🙂 I’d probably hate them both now. Actually, I think they still make Charlie.

  • Tiffany Daniels

    Anybody remember the Georgio craze? That�s all the girls in my high school in New Orleans wore�.it�s definitely a memorable fragrance