Jennifer Berg

A shop full of revitalizing scents and skin-soothing serums has opened up just where Chicago needs it most: in the hangover-inducing regions of Rush and Division. Sabon, now with two Chicago locations at North Bridge Mall and 1152-54 North State, (312)981-1234, offers an array of bath and body products that boast exotic pedigrees: soaps are made using a centuries-old Australian technique while body scrubs and sea salts contain materials from the Israeli countryside and minerals from the Dead Sea.

The State Street Sabon feels like a gallery for bath-time goodies with products housed on dark wood shelves and backlit in soft white light. A circular stone sink is lined with lotions and scrubs that customers are encouraged to try by an exceedingly knowledgeable staff. The team of employees acts rather like soap sommeliers, carefully suggesting products based on customers' scent preferences, skincare demands and special needs--we hope it's not a hint that the man who convinced us to slather on the apple-lavender body scrub proudly stated that the product can relieve insomnia as well as help clear acne.

The cash register is piled with soap flakes in ice cream hues; the pale yellow lemon, peachy-pink "freedom" and cocoa-colored vanilla soaps resemble delicate chocolate shavings. At $25 a pound, the soap flakes can be placed in closets to scent clothing or, for more traditional folks, can be lathered up and used as plain old soap. Face products include a line of jojoba-based potions especially good for warding off the sun's damaging effects; the aloe cleanser ($13) has healing properties that help cool down sunburns. Body lotions are fragrant combinations of ginger-orange, lavender-vanilla and coconut-vanilla; textures range from the light, SPF-enhanced Sorbet Gel ($22) to the ultra-thick Butter Cream lotions ($25) meant to hydrate severely dry skin. The butter cream is also great for smoothing out stretch marks. Not that we're suggesting anything.

(2006-06-06)

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