Confessions of a bath/shower gel junkie! I haven’t touched a bar of soap in months if not years. I love to try new products (even if they are old standards but I’ve never tried them so they’re new to me.) My tub & shower are cluttered with bottles, tubes and an assortment of containers of cleansing products for the face, hair and body. A more organized person would probably be appalled by my clutter … an easily amused person would laugh at me and wonder how I could possibly ever use, much less need, so many different products. The truth is … I don’t. Well at least I don’t need them all, but I probably do use them all … eventually!

The back corner is reserved for the rejects … things I don’t really care for and should probably throw out, but I’m much to frugal to do so. I figure if they stay around someone will eventually use them. And even if it’s only Skye using them to wash her Barbies, at least I won’t feel the guilt of placing a less than empty container in the trash. My rejected Suave Shampoo and conditioner and Avon Sleep therapy body wash reside in this corner. The top ledge of the shower surround is where the products that I use on a regular basis reside. My ElizabethArden 2-in-1 facial cleanser, our Matrix Amplify shampoo, and since Christmas, my Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash With Natural Colloidal Oatmeal. The shower caddy hold products I use on occasion, but not everyday, and products that (hopefully) my son and hubby use daily.

Why do they rate the shower caddy and my products are relegated to the ledge? Have you ever seen an 11 yr old boy (or a grown man, for that matter) stare into the fridge for 5 minutes and then demand … “Where is the milk? I need milk for my cereal! Are we out of milk?” … then you walk to the fridge, reach in, don’t even bother to look, and extract the gallon jug of milk? Male mumbles some form of “oh, I didn’t see it” … you think “yeah, I know it was hiding behind the 4 ounce jar of olives” … and life goes on. Well the same principle applies to the shower! I figure if it’s dead smack in front of their face … MAYBE, just maybe they’ll be able to see the products and will use them.

So … why did I buy Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash

I didn’t … it was a gift! My mom likes to have a wish list from all family members at Christmas time, and I try to make mine up with a variety of types of gifts and price ranges. She always buys too much, always spends more than she should, and while I know I’ll be getting a big ticket item or two, I try to include some smaller inexpensive items too. This year, those included a can opener, bedroom slippers, and ‘good’ lotion or body moisturizer. I was thinking she’d stop by Bath and Body works or some other specialty shop and I was hoping for something in a fresh but not to sweet scent … but I didn’t include any specifics. Much to my surprise when I opened my gifts, my lotion/moisturizer request had been filled by an Aveeno gift set, complete with body wash, body lotion, single use packets of powdered bath moisture additives, and trial size facial products. So along with the full 12 oz. Bottles of lotion and body was, I also got to try lots of other Aveeno products.

I was thrilled with the gift, and knew I’d use all the products but to be perfectly honest, I didn’t think a lot of the shower gel. I would have been just as happy with only the lotion, because I am fairly devoted to Avon’s Tranquil Moments shower gel and White Diamonds shower gel … using the Tranquil Moments almost daily and the White Diamonds either when showering before going out for a special occasion, or just when I happen to want to enjoy that particular scent. So basically, I thought I was ‘set’ with shower gel. But I have to say, I think the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash was possibly the best part of the package … and was definitely what my winter dry skin needed. I don’t suffer from eczema or other more serious skin ailments, but due to central heating and (probably too hot) daily showers, I do have noticeably dry skin especially during the winter months.

What is Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash like?

The product is packaged in a somewhat flattened oval bottle with a wide flip-top cap. The shape of the bottle is relatively easy to grip even with wet hands and the flip top prevents the hassle of having to keep up with a completely removable screw top. The body wash itself is a very thick shimmery white creamy gel. It can easily be dispensed onto a wash cloth, bath scrunchy pouf, or your hands without fear of it running as a thinner product might. This one stays in a glob till you work it into a lather. The abundant lather is rich and creamy with the tiniest hint of a vanilla and oatmeal scent. I personally don’t care for the scent, and would probably much prefer the unscented product, but it’s not an offensive or over powering scent. I just don’t particularly care for bath products that smell like baked goods.

For general cleansing, I prefer to use the product on a nylon bath scrunchy ... it makes a fantastic lather and soothing properties of the oatmeal and emollients in the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash work well with the the gentle exfoliation of the scrunchy. Those lucky enough to enjoy the occasional shower with a loved one will find Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash to be the perfect product to share. The product, applied directly to the hands, worked into a bit of a lather and then smoothed over one another's body feels amazing. Sensually smooth and erotically slippery but not at all greasy or oily. Whether simply combining showers to conserve water and time ... or with more risqué intent, you won't be disappointed with this product.

Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash is soap-free and dye-free, so it's even gentle enough for sensitive skin and it is dermatologist tested and recommended.


What do I love about this product?

Unlike other shower gels, which I love, but which are primarily intended as fragrance products, this product does not leave my skin tight or dry but rather leaves it feeling truly hydrated and moisturized. And unlike some moisturizing shower gels, this product does not leave my skin feeling coated or oily. It rinses clean, yet it still leaves my skin soft and supple and feeling completely moisturized. Aveeno states that this formula ” combines natural oatmeal, long known for its ability to soothe skin, with rich emollients to replenish dry skin and keep in moisture even after you rinse.” and I agree. My skin feels soft and hydrated after my shower, and the moisturized feeling doesn’t go away as soon as I’m dried off and dressed.

I also use this product when bathing my daughter and I feel comfortable doing so. I don’t worry about it being too harsh for her delicate young skin as I would with some of the other fragrance oriented shower gels that I like. Her baby soft skin feels even more wonderfully soft after her bath than before, and she smells only lightly of sweet vanilla … which I find more acceptable for a 5 year old than say smelling of Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds.

What do I dislike about this product?

As mentioned, I’m not thrilled with the scent. But even so, I don’t find it offensive and it certainly hasn’t made me not want to use the product. I just think if I buy more, I’ll buy the unscented version.

If I were to be nitpicky, I suppose I would include that the bottle is a bit unattractive. In a designer bathroom this is going to definitely be a linen closet or vanity cabinet product and not one that you’ll want to keep out on the tub surround or counter top … unless you dispense the product into a more attractive and decorative container. In my utilitarian, family mish-mash of a bathroom, the beige and blue plastic bottle just blend right in with all the other less than beautiful bottles and tubes and jars. Needless to say, neither Martha Stewart nor Laura Ashley have showered at my house lately.

Price, Availability, etc.

Some might put the $7 price tag in their ‘cons’ section, but for me this seems to be a reasonable price for such a good product … and so much of it. Unlike the 6, 7, and 8 ounce bottles of shower gel often found in specialty boutiques, Aveeno provides us with a hefty 12 ounce bottle of product. And with its rich abundant lather, a little of this product certainly goes a long way.

I’ve seen Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash product at almost every discount department store and drug store I’ve been in lately. Wal-mart, Target, Eckerd, CVS, etc. and in the cosmetics/beauty aisles at several grocery stores including Publix and Kroger. Around gift giving holidays you may also find this product in gift sets along with the body lotion and other Aveeno products though these may be a bit harder to find in some areas than the individual products.

You can also purchase Aveeno products online from retailers such as Drugstore.com and MediChest.com

~ Final Thoughts ~

Whether your skin is dry from harsh outdoor conditions, humidity destroying central heating, a bad habit of super hot showers, mild but irritating skin conditions or just genetics … Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash is definitely worth a try, and may become a must have item! Used in combination with Aveeno’s daily moisture lotion, it just gets even better!


Recommended: Yes