Gentle enough for newborns, gentle enough for me
Written: Oct 25 '02 (Updated Nov 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A gentle wash that can be used as shampoo, body wash, or face wash
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: It's a great, gentle washing product for anyone, not just babies!
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| mashimaru's Full Review: Johnsons Head To Toe Baby Wash |
NOTE: This review is about using this product on myself, and not on a baby. I’m not a mommy … yet!
My husband is a super-cool guy. He’s also spontaneous and has a bit of wanderlust. In comparison, I’m a worry-wart and a homebody. So whenever he suggests one of his wild impromptu road trips, I’m always exhilarated and exasperated at the same time.
What usually happens is that we’ll go out on a Friday night, and instead of going back home, he’ll say – let’s blow off all responsibilities and go somewhere for the weekend! What?!? An unplanned trip to destination unknown? It’s always a bit of a shock to my anal-retentive nature, but you know, I really do love the rush. These little jaunts have led us to a cabin in the woods in Alabama, a casino in Mississippi, and the blue waters and white sands of the Florida beaches, among other places.
Fun road trips aside, I know I’m sounding like a high-maintenance diva, but I need my stuff. I need my shampoo and face cleansers and creams. Hotel shampoos and soaps just don’t do it for me. (And you don’t even get those in a cabin in the woods!) But sometimes, I’ve had to brave my husband’s impulsive little excursions with nothing but the contents of my purse to guide me. I can't survive such primitive conditions! So a stop at a drugstore is an absolute necessity.
By now, I’m all too familiar with the midnight trip to a drugstore, where I look for all my precious stuff to make me comfortable during our few days of wild abandon at who-knows-where. But I’m often wary about buying a lot of stuff that I already have at home. A bottle of this and that really adds up – even if I buy the tiny travel-sizes! Wow, I guess I use a lot of products. I always marvel at how guys can get along fine with just a bar of soap and a toothbrush – it’s amazing.
So it was on one of these trips that I discovered Johnson’s Baby Head-to-Toe.
I remembered vaguely from a makeup message board that women often used Head-to-Toe as a face wash. Someone also commented that the ingredients for Head-to-Toe were nearly identical to a face wash called the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash. And since both products were made by Johnson & Johnson, they were essentially the same product, with a different fragrance.
Ingredients for both products (from drugstore.com):
Johnson’s Head-to-Toe:
Water, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroampho PG, Acetate Phosphate, Fragrance, Quaternium-15, Tetrasodium EDTA
Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash:
Water, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroampho PG-Acetate Phosphate, PG-acetate Phosphate, Fragrance, Quaternium-15, Tetrasodium EDTA
Well! They do look nearly identical. (In fact, the extra ingredient in the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash looks like it may be a typo.) And since a 6 oz. bottle of the Purpose wash is $5.29, and a 15 oz. bottle of Head-to-Toe is $3.79, it looks like Head-to-Toe is much cheaper!
What’s also great about this product is that it’s used to wash babies from “head-to-toe” – so it can be used as a shampoo and a body wash.
Head-to-Toe is a clear liquid with the sweet baby scent of all Johnson's Baby products. It comes in a 15 oz. pump, and also a 9 oz. bottle (I bought the smaller one – which only cost me $2.00).
How this product works:
* This product works as a face wash!
I used this product to wash my face. It gently cleaned my face without irritating or drying it, and I could even use it around my eyes without any stinging. (FYI: my skin is combination/sensitive.) I can be pretty picky about face wash products, but I thought this product worked very well!
* This product works as a shampoo!
I used this product to wash my hair. It didn’t create a stiff foam, but it got my hair quite clean, and it was very gentle – it didn’t strip or rough up my hair in any way. (If you've ever used the regular Johnson's Baby Shampoo to wash your hair, it's the same sensation.)
* This product works as a body wash!
I poured it on a washcloth, and it lathered up nicely. I felt clean and refreshed when I rinsed off. (Did I mention that it smelled nice, too?)
Conclusion:
This product was simply fantastic. It was great to find a product that took care of several needs with just one, inexpensive bottle. So all I bought for my trip was a bottle of Head-to-Toe and a sunscreen lotion, instead of a bunch of different items. And that was all I needed. (Well, I also got a toothbrush and paste, natch.) This was a great cost-effective solution, and all my needs were taken care of.
I found myself using this product even after our spontaneous trip – whenever I need a gentle face wash, shampoo or body wash – sometimes I feel like I wash too often, so my regular products feel harsh on my skin. And sometimes, I just like the sweet, soothing scent.
What surprised me was how well this product got me feeling clean, anywhere I used it. I thought that because it was gentle enough for babies, it might be too gentle for me. But no, it really works. It really cleans me from “head-to-toe.” (My husband loves it, too!)
I still like my regular products, and I won’t be replacing them permanently with Head-to-Toe. And I don’t use Head-to-Toe when I’m feeling extra grimy. But I’ve found Head-to-Toe to be a great alternative whenever I need something gentle.
And this product is great for traveling, because it cuts down on the bottles you need to pack – not all my trips are unplanned, you know! (Suggestion: The 9 oz. bottle with the flip-top cap is probably better for traveling than the 15 oz. bottle with the pump.)
And although it may not be a satisfactory shampoo and body wash for everyone – it’s still a pretty good face wash product. The ingredients are very similar, if not identical, to the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash. So Head-to-Toe may be a good, cheaper alternative to anyone who likes, or thought of trying, the Purpose cleanser. It costs less than $4.00 for a 15 oz. bottle – and very few face cleansers are cheaper than that.
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Edited to add the following:
User SHeineman has also noted that Head-to-Toe has identical ingredients as another Johnson & Johnson face wash: Clean & Clear Oil-Free Foaming Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin.
http://www.epinions.com/content_73587789444
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Denouement:
After several spontaneous trips during this past year, I’ve finally learned my lesson: now I keep my gym bag full of necessities in our car at all times, so that I’m prepared for my husband’s flights of whimsy. And in this gym bag is a bottle of Johnson’s Baby Head-to-Toe. (I’m ready, let’s go!)
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Edited to add the following:
I wanted to add a few other things I use this product for:
* I use this product as a hand wash - Sometimes I need a gentle hand wash, when my hands are basically pretty clean, but I want to do something more than rinse with water: such as after I apply my face cream, or after I do the dishes. (I wouldn't use this to wash my hands with after I handle raw meat, for example).
* I also use Head to Toe to wash my makeup brushes.
Basically, whenever I need a mild soap for anything, Head to Toe fits the bill! It's a great product to have around.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mashimaru
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 in Electronics |
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Location: California
Reviews written: 116
Trusted by: 38 members
About Me:
"Heavy is the head that eats the crayons!"
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