by Caroline S.
Packaging: the bottle is a rather classy frosted plastic which looks expensive and is appealing to both men and women.Application: I've always been tempted by John Masters Organics products but I've never actually tried any until now - so I was genuinely excited when I opened the bottle for the first time.
Don't be put off by your first sniff of the body wash in the bottle. It may seem rather strong and sweet - but this is because it is very concentrated and the vanilla is what hits you first.
When you actually lather up in the heat and steam of the shower, you quickly discover that the foam of the body wash is as far removed from sickly sweet as you can imagine. The vanilla undertones do come through but the main blast of the fragrance is pure, fresh orange. I say "blast" because that is truly what it is. A full assault on your senses of exquisite, juicy, organic orange - the sharpness of the citrus really wakes you up, as though someone has decided to peel an orange right under your nose!
Personally, I love the smell of orange but I generally am not the biggest fan of oranges for actually for eating. However, using this John Masters body wash genuinely made me crave a big, juicy orange to bite into! My mouth was watering! I've never yet tried any orange-scented body wash/bath foam that smells so genuine - and I've been using natural products for years. If you are coming to this straight from regular use of synthetic soaps, then you are in for the biggest surprise of your life!
The vanilla lingers underneath as a gentle, soothing fragrance and takes the edge off the citric tang. It has the effect of making you feel as though you are being wrapped in a huge, soft, fluffy, warm towel. The gel and lather feel very silky and luxurious on the skin and you really do get a sense of indulgence - so it is perfect for grabbing a bit of "me" time, even when you are in a rush!
The only problem I had was that the gel is very thick and concentrated and was difficult to squeeze from the bottle. I would have preferred a pump dispenser - or even a more easily squeezable bottle. I also found that the best way to create a really foamy lather was with a puff - when you apply straight onto the body, the wash slides smoothly over the skin but does not really foam. The end result is the same, however I found that I used far more product when I didn't use a shower puff, so it is not as cost-effective this way.
Ingredients: The key ingredients are: blood orange, bourbon vanilla, pink grapefruit and milk thistle. Blood orange and pink grapefruit are known for their stimulating properties and vanilla is claimed to be soothing and comforting to the senses. Milk thistle is widely used in detoxification. The cleansing agents in the John Masters body wash are derived from corn and coconut - and so are creamy and gentle on the skin, without stripping any natural oils. It does not contain parabens, SLS, DEA's, MEA's or TEA's, artifical colours or GMOs. Certified organic by EcoCert/QAI with no ingredients tested on animals.
Results: Not only did this organic body wash leave me feeling mentally and emotionally uplifted, it also made my skin feel thoroughly cleansed and fresh. It is difficult to get the right balance between moisturising and feeling squeaky clean - but this does both brilliantly. Safe for use even on babies, it is suitable for washing intimate areas and also for use after shaving and on delicate skin - it does not sting at all. It leaves your skin soft, smooth and moisturised but without any greasy/oily residue. I didn't find that the smell lingered on my skin particularly, so it wouldn't interfere with the smell of your perfume etc - unless you specifically wanted to layer the fragrance by using the accompanying John Masters Blood Orange and Vanilla body milk.
Pros:
The smell is truly uplifting and refreshing
It leaves skin feeling clean and soft
Is suitable even for sensitive skins
It is a very concentrated formula
A small amount goes a long way if used with a puff
Suitable for use on the face
Cons:
The very thick gel can be difficult to squeeze from the bottle. This product would really benefit from a pump dispenser
It doesn't lather easily
It may be too expensive for everyday use.
John Masters Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Wash (£17.57) and the John Masters Organics range are available from Naturisimo.com