Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream

RRP: from £2

--What does the promo say?--
"Indulge in the tropical, fresh scent of coconuts with our creamy, soap-free shower cream. Enriched with virgin coconut oil, your skin will feel softer and cleansed after every use. Rich, creamy texture. Sweet, light coconut scent. Community Trade cold-pressed virgin coconut oil from Samoa, Polynesia. Community Trade organic soya oil from Brazil."

--Packaging--
The bottle is mostly made of clear plastic, meaning you can easily see how much is left. The iconic Body Shop logo is clearly visible, backed by a brown circle evoking the coconut scent. The black band behind this is sophisticated and minimalistic, as is the text on the bottle, and the black flip-top lid is practical for use in the shower.

--Usage--
Squeeze some shower cream into your hand and rub over wet skin before rinsing off.

--Appearance--
The cream is nacreous in appearance and produces a slight white lather. No visible residue is left on the skin.

--Scent--
The coconut is of course dominant and feels authentic - likely thanks to the incorporation of virgin coconut oil. Sadly, it doesn't last on the skin as well as I might have liked.

--Texture and consistency--
The cream is extremely thick and viscous, but slackens on contact with water. Little lather is created due to the cream being soap-free. A luxurious effect is therefore created.

--Effects on the skin--
Skin feels constantly moisturised: at the moment I am using no other body moisturising product on my arms. I have been using some after-sun due to a touch of sunburn last weekend, but the difference is that while elsewhere on my body the sunburn has peeled (even with use of the aftersun), on my arms the sunburn has healed very naturally with no peeling at all. All hail the power of the oils!

--Value for money--
At £2 for a travel size you can't go wrong - and even £5 for 250ml is hardly going to break the bank. A little of the product goes a long way and it is a joy to use. Mine was a gift, but I would consider spending my own money on this for myself or others. Body Shop, you've done it again.

perfect partners
Coconut Hand Cleanse Gel, £2.50
Coconut Soap, £2.50
Coconut Milk Body Lotion, from £3
Coconut Lip Butter, from £4.50
Coconut Hand Cream, £5
Coconut Oil Hair Shine, from £5.50
Coconut Exfoliating Cream Body Scrub, from £6
Coconut Nourishing Body Butter, from £6
Coconut Treats, from £6
Coconut Body Mist, £8
Coconut Oil Brilliantly Nourishing Pre-Shampoo Hair Oil, £8
Coconut Eau de Toilette, £9
Coconut Essential Selection, from £20
Coconut Premium Collection, from £30

Radox Creamy Shower Wash

RRP: £2.15

--What does the promo say?--
"Want to transform body and mind? Look no further than the new Radox Creamy range, there to put you in the mood no matter how you want to feel. Bursting with fresh fragrances to transform your mood, try one of the new creamy variants."

--Packaging--
The ergonomic shape, and downward-facing flip-top lid, are all practical for daily shower use, even with slippery hands. The white bottle is also nicely contrasted by the bright, eye-catching colours, which also nicely reflect the fragrance in question.

--Application--
Squeeze a 50p-sized amount into your palm and lather up. Smooth over skin before rinsing. Simple :)

--Appearance--
In all cases, the lotion is white and possibly slightly translucent before foaming into a rich creamy lather. This is easy to rinse off when you want to, and leaves no visible residue.

--Scent--
All of the four available scents are distinct and generally deliver on the promises made. My favourites were the romantic (orchid and blueberry) and pampered (shea and ginger), while another BBB tester spoke highly of the calm fragrance (jojoba and camomile). The rejuvenating fragrance, ironically, was a little more lacklustre, smelling more of peach than anything else. Even though the orange oil was detectable, it could have come through more strongly. Nonetheless, all would help to intensify the emotions on their bottles. I always feel pampered when taking a bath at my parents' place (no bath in my teeny flat!), so I would love for that to be available in bubble bath and body butter versions too. The rejuvenating one would be great for the mornings (although I'm a morning person anyway!), and the calming one for the evenings. I'd be happy to use the romantic one whenever I wanted to catch my husband's eye: it's a lovely rich fragrance that isn't too heavy, and one which would hopefully cast his mind back to when we first met (in Paris - only reputed to be the most romantic city on earth!), echoing the sweetness of the Sauternes wine that we drank on our first night together. Sadly I can't remember what perfume I wore...

--Texture and consistency--
 As mentioned, lovely and creamy, and lathers up well. Stays on the skin for as long as you like, but rinses off easily when needed.

--Effects on the skin--
Genuinely seems to moisturise the skin deeply and in a long-lasting way. Very impressive.

--Value for money--
At £2.15 a bottle, it's definitely affordable, and there should definitely be a scent to suit everyone here. Would recommend.

Dove Caring Protection Body Wash

 RRP: £1.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Nourishment that protects your skin. Our Caring Protection body wash protects the surface of your skin while cleansing. It contains NutriumMoisture with a high level of natural oils and skin natural lipids. The combination helps restore the protective surface of your skin to keep moisture in. Feel the care of the rich and creamy formulation. Naturally protecting, always beautiful."

--Packaging--
The predominantly white bottle is calming and gender-neutral, while the hints of gold and royal blue provide a touch of class. The small blue flip top lid is easy to open and secure to close, even with wet hands, and minimises wastage thanks to its effective dispensing action.

--Application--
Rub into wet skin while showering, delight in the silky lather for as long as you want, and then rinse off.

--Appearance--
The gel creme that initially comes out of the bottle is white and almost pearlescent. This transforms into a robust yet luxurious white foam that leaves no visible residue on the skin.

--Scent--
Freshly laundered cotton is the primary scent evoked; the overall effect is homely and natural rather than seeming overly perfumed, so shouldn't interfere with your usual choice of eau de toilette.

--Texture and consistency--
Creamy and indulgent. As mentioned, a rich lather builds up on contact with water, and it stays on your skin for as long as you want it to before rinsing. 

--Effects on the skin--
In truth, I noticed no difference in terms of moisturisation compared to the other shower gels that I currently have on rotation (a selection by Lush, Deep Heat, and Bath & Body Works). However, it's possible that over a longer period of time a difference might manifest itself thanks to the sunflower and soybean oils that this product contains.

--Value for money--
At a mere £1.99 a punt (less if you catch it on offer, as it is at Boots currently), it's worth a shot for the heavenly shower experience this provides. This product's silky lather is hard to beat, and definitely welcome after a hard day's work, a full-on gym session, or a poor night's sleep. Definitely give it a try. 

Radox Nourish Shower Cream

 RRP: £1.25/250ml
 
--What does the promo say?--
"We've selected and combined natural ingredients with our feel good fragrance to create this nurturing blend. Your Nourish shower cream, with shea butter and ginger, will leave you feeling confident and ready to take on the day."

--Packaging--
The opaque plastic bottle is an ergonomically pleasing shape, meaning it's not only attractive aesthetically but is also less likely to slip out of your hand in the shower. Plus, the flip-top lid is easy to open, closes securely, and doesn't seem to promote leakage. The red plant design is also eye-catching against the shower cream's pale orange colour.

--Application--
Rub into wet skin while under the shower, and then rinse off. Simples, as they say.

--Appearance--
The pale orange cream becomes a luxurious white lather that doesn't leave any visible residue on the skin.

--Scent--
You have to sniff hard for the ginger, but it is there - so great for those that don't like the smell of ginger to be too overpowering. It also tempers the shea butter, meaning that it, too, is not overwhelmingly chocolatey.

--Texture and consistency--
Builds up to a silky lather without being sticky, runny or irritating. 

--Effects on the skin--
Has a softening effect that lasts all day. Not bad for £1.25!

--Value for money--
Excellent. An inexpensive treat. Even though mine was free from Radox's PR, I would definitely recommend this to others and purchase a further bottle for myself.
 
perfect partners
Nourish Liquid Handwash, £1.90/300ml
Nourish Herbal Bath, £1.25/500ml

Dr Hauschka Lemon and Lemongrass Vitalizing Body Wash

 RRP: £12.95

--What does the promo say?--
"Natural essential oil made from fresh lemongrass emits a gentle citric fragrance, encouraging vitality and brightness. Invigorating and awakening summery notes of lemon and lime stimulate the mind, creating a wonderful burst of refreshment."

--Packaging--
The blue-and-white squeezy tube that we have, which we bought just a few weeks ago, seems to no longer be available, despite being perfectly serviceable. Instead, it's apparently been replaced by a purple and white pump-action bottle, which doesn't necessarily seem like it would be *more* effective. Oh well. If any of you try it, you'll have to let me know.

--Application--
Lather under the shower and rub onto damp skin before rinsing off.

--Appearance--
A pale yellow-green cream that lathers up slightly into a whiter foam. No visible residue is left on the skin.

--Scent--
Smells of lemon and lemongrass. The other ingredients - such as avocado, sunflower oil, quince seed, and lime - don't really come through. Scent does not really linger on skin after use.

--Texture and consistency--
Creamy and luxurious. Does not lather up as much as commercial shower gels or creams.

--Effects on the skin--
Cleanses body skin effectively, without stripping or irritating the skin. Makes skin feel softer and soothed.

--Value for money--
£12.95 seems fair and reasonable given the high quality of natural ingredients and positive, luxurious experience while using the product. In Germany, it's the equivalent of £8 today, but I suppose you do have to factor in the cost of importing it. Would definitely recommend purchasing this lovely product - even more so if you can buy it in Germany.

perfect partners
Lemon Bath Oil, £18.25
Lemon and Lemongrass Body Oil, from £3
Lemon and Lemongrass Body Moisturiser, from £3

Dove Creme Mousse Body Wash

RRP: £2.90

--What does the promo say?--
"What is the Dove Difference? Creamy Nourishment. A beautiful pearlescent crème formula, unlike any other, transforms into a lush lather allowing our highest concentration of NutriumMoisture™ to nourish skin deep down or more beautiful skin. For best results use every day. Dove Creme Mousse Body Wash Brightening [...] rejuvenate[s] dull skin."

--Packaging--
These plastic bottles stand up on their lids in the shower so that you can be sure of the mousse being right at the opening where you need it every single time. The designs are discreet, and yet the turquoise and navy versions distinguish well between the respective brightening and nourishing versions. This means that your odds of grabbing the wrong one on a sleepy morning should hopefully be low!

--Application--
Only about a tablespoon of this is needed for a lather that covers your whole body. Take double the amount for an even more generous effect. Lather, enjoy, and rinse.

--Appearance--
The brightening formula is more pearlescent than the nourishing one, but both creme mousses are brilliant white, while washing off invisibly.

--Scent--
Both just smell soapy, which in a way is a shame, but in another way feels right given that this product's USP is texture, not scent.

--Texture--
Creamy and luxurious just as promised, although occasionally proves a little difficult to rinse off.

--Effects on the skin--
While pleasant to use, I haven't noticed any immediate or long-term changes to my body skin during my trial of these products, so any joy you get from this product is likely to be purely sensory and short-term, rather than practical or truly restorative.

--Value for money--
These products are an absolute dream to use and really make your routine a luxury. However, the claims they make are far too vague and I don't think you can really expect to see much in the way of genuine nourishment or brightening here.
 
perfect partners
Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash, £2
Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter Body Wash, £2.40
Dove Cream Silk Hand Wash, £2.30
Dove Complete Care Pampering Set, £3.75  

Baylis and Harding Wild Rose and Raspberry Luxurious Shower Creme

RRP: £3 for 750ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Pamper yourself with our Wild Rose and Raspberry Leaf luxurious shower creme - as refreshing as spring rain."

--Packaging--

While the packaging is simple but effective, with glorious vibrant colours, this is detracted from by the fact that all of the Baylis and Harding packaging is remarkably reminiscent of the more upmarket Molton Brown range.

--Application--

Slap on while under the shower, lather up, and rinse off. No problems there.

--Appearance--

No visible residue is left on the skin after using this pearlescent shower creme, which lathers into off-white suds.

--Scent--

One of the more faithful of the range - while the grapefruit soap did not smell as expect, this tallies up more with its theme (rose), with just enough of a twist of raspberry to add something extra without being too sweet. 

--Texture and consistency--

A bit more viscous than perhaps its higher-end equivalent would be, but at such a low price, who really minds?

--Longevity--

The bottle of course is huge and so will serve you well, especially as the amounts required to soap up are relatively small.

--Value for money--

I don't think anybody can be left in any doubt at the value presented by Baylis and Harding's products. However, I still feel that the branding is a little too close for comfort to the higher end brand that it aspires to resemble, and that a more individual identity would only boost its sales.

perfect partners

Wild Rose and Raspberry Sensuous Bath Foam, £3 (750ml)

Wild Rose and Raspberry Moisturising Hand Lotion, £2 (500ml)

Wild Rose and Raspberry Cleansing Hand Wash, £2 (500ml) 

www.baylisandharding.com