Sample Stash #2: Body Lotion

The problem with ordering necessities like body lotion online is that sometimes you miscalculate how much you have left and end up running around in a slight panic searching for something to tide you over until said necessity arrives at your door.  Luckily I had these samples to get me through...



Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Nourishing Body Cream
I really like the idea of a body cream made with a powerhouse ingredient like sea buckthorn, and Sibu's cream makes the most of it by including not just the seed oil, but also the fruit oil and even whole pureed berries.  The cream has a light scent and is what I'd consider a medium weight moisturizer.  It does a good job overall, but I did feel like I needed something more on particularly dry spots like elbows.  

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion
I hadn't tried the body lotions before, but Sea Buckthorn is my favorite scent from Weleda, so I was excited to give this sachet a whirl.  The lotion is light and non-sticky and while it's a little on the runnier side, I still found it did a good job hydrating my skin.  As expected, it also smells delicious - bright and citrusy - like the rest of the Sea Buckthorn line.

Nourish Organic Lavender Mint Body Lotion
I usually love Nourish's products, but this one was a pretty big disappointment.  Alcohol is high up in the ingredients and the lotion has an alcohol smell that easily overpowers any lavender or mint.  On the plus side, it dries incredibly fast, again, probably due to the high alcohol content.  Definitely not the most moisturizing of lotions, it wasn't enough for my skin this time of year.  (Nourish's Body Butter, on the other hand, is a complete win.  Review coming soon.)

Desert Essence Coconut Hand and Body Lotion
For me, the main downfall of this lotion was the scent.  Desert Essence's Coconut products are favorites for a lot of people, but I find the scent is way too sweet and verges on fake, suncreen-y coconut.  I put it on before work and was catching whiffs of it all day.  When I came home from work, I could still smell it in my bedroom, and I smelled it again, strong as anything, the second the water hit me in the shower TWO DAYS LATER.  

The lotion itself I liked and was considering purchasing either in unscented or another scent, but for some strange reason, while the coconut uses potassium sorbate as a preservative, all the other varieties are made with Japanese honeysuckle.  I guess I won't be buying it after all!  

AromaCrystal Gardener's Dream Cream
This is an interesting cream that claims to do a bit of everything.  It contains arnica, essential oils, and a bunch of herbal extracts and is purported to help with dry and itchy skin, rashes, cuts, muscle pain, eczema, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, arthritis, acne, bug bites, sinus issues, and probably much more!  I used the sample all over, as a body lotion, but I bet it would make a great hand cream.  It has a thicker texture that takes a bit of effort to rub in, but it does absorb well and doesn't leave you feeling greasy.  The scent, which smelled to me like a mix of mint and pepper, wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't offensive and it dissipated pretty quickly too.  

The Seaweed Bath Co. Lavender Wildly Natural Seaweed Body Cream
I liked this one a lot!  It took a few minutes to fully absorb, but once it did, heavy hitters like argan and kukui oils left my skin incredibly soft and hydrated.  Presumably because of the seaweed content, a lot of The Seaweed Bath Co.'s products have warnings about consulting a doctor prior to use if you have a thyroid disorder, are pregnant, or have any other medical conditions, and while I'm not overly concerned, it does give me pause.  I've had thyroid imbalances in the past and I'm not sure about the effects of topical seaweed application on a regular basis, so more research would be needed before I'd commit to the full size.  

Green Beaver Boreal Body Lotion
I've gone through a couple of these samples in my day.  The tiny tubes are perfect for carrying in even the smallest handbag, and the lotion itself is pretty fantastic too.  It has a very subtle scent, which is perfect if you're ever stuck on a crowded subway and have a desperate need for hand cream (not that that's ever happened to me, of course) and it moisturizes really well.     

Have you used any of these?  What's your favorite body lotion?  



Contains affiliate links


6 comments

  1. Love the Sea Buckthorn range from Weleda, I definitely recommend the body oil as well :) X

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a huge fan also of Weleda Sea Buckthorn and ditto what Tania says about the body oil! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Sea Buckthorn products all smells so good! I'll have to give the oil a try soon :)

      Delete
  3. I don't think you have enough samples :P. Have to agree with you on the scent of Dessert Essence products, way too fragrant and fake. Haven't tried any of the ones mentioned but I have a Weleda lotion sample waiting to get used.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, absolutely not enough samples! I've started making a good dent in them though :)

      Delete