Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash: Hydrate and Cleanse at the Same Time

Last summer I started a little series called Shower Shakeup. I found that I was using the same products in my shower, continually repurchasing the same things over and over. The horror! This is hard for most beauty bloggers to imagine. The reason? These products worked for me. They worked really well. I forced myself out of the box for a week, and I've (sometimes) written about new items in my shower since that time. But I have to admit that there was a reason I was repurchasing those items over and over. They work for me and are just amazing. The first one I returned to? The Olay body wash that I'm a *tad* obsessed with, Ultra Moisture. So, when Olay asked to sponsor a review post about the product, I figured that it was probably high time that I actually fully address this product in my blog.

A quick (30-second) check of my bathroom found 4 full-sized bottles of this stuff currently being used and/or stashed for future use. Not pictured are the bottle currently in my trash (aka the bottle I just finished; I thought fishing it out was a bit odd), and the 2 smaller bottles in my drawer of products for travel.

At first glance, you might think that this is just another body wash. It has a light floral perfume fragrance that is pleasant in the shower but I can't smell it on myself later. (In my book, this is good. I want to smell my perfume, not my soap.) It has a great lather, which I love, even though it doesn't mean anything about how well it cleans me. It rinses off easily and I don't feel anything other than clean.

So, why do I keep going back to this body wash? Because I can't find another one that is remotely close in terms of moisturizing my skin. During the summer I barely need to add lotion (only to my eczema-prone legs). During the winter, if I'm not using this body wash, I need to add a layer of body oil under my moisturizer. There's a whole process involved in sealing moisture into my skin. Olay Ultra Moisture makes things much easier; I can just slather some lotion on right after patting dry--a big time-saver!

Ultra Moisture is definitely very different from other moisturizing body washes. What the sticker on the bottle says in true: there is more than a jar of moisturizer in every bottle. I first started using this product when my dad (also a pediatrician) told me he recommends it to his eczema patients because it has the highest amount of hydrating ingredients of any product on the market. He'd heard this from the dermatologist that he sends patients to, and I've heard it from others as well.

I've tested many other "moisturizing" body washes since then, and very few have ended up being reviewed on 15 Minute Beauty. None of them has been as hydrating as Ultra Moisture. So, yes, this body wash has taken up residence in my bathroom. I'm sure I'll continue to return to it in between all of my product testings.


Sweepstakes!
Olay and BlogHer are offering a $50 Visa gift card! To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment telling me "What are some of the ways you simplify your routine?" Include your email address in the comment as well.
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You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
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This sweepstakes runs from 3/20 - 4/17.

Be sure to visit the Olay Body Wash page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers reviews and find more chances to win!
While weíre on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the "Looking Your Best" posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!


Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a product sample and then paid to write about this product. I was encouraged to give my own opinion and to be honest in my review. Prior to this review I had purchased this product for my own use too many times to count. For any further questions please see my disclosure policy.
Prize provided by BlogHer and Olay.

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More Hydration from your Razor? Olay in your Venus Razor

In the past I've been a bit ambivalent about those strips of product that appear on my razor. Have you ever noticed that they don't really do much? Except maybe make your razor harder to navigate in tighter areas like your underarm?

So, Gillette is releasing a new version of the product sandwiched razor. What makes this different is that they've teamed up with Olay to make the moisturizer actually work.

Why does this matter?

Venus did a little research, and they discovered that 60% of women claim skin concerns when it comes to shaving, including dryness, irritation, nicks and cuts. Even worse, 82% of women are "somewhat to extremely bothered by dry skin". That's a lot of women! So, every little bit of moisture will help.

Inside those bars you'll find some of Olay's typical ingredients, Petrolatum (an occlusive to help seal in moisture) and Glycerin (a humectant that helps to pull moisture to the skin). Satin Care, Gillette's shave gel, is releasing a new product with an Olay tie in as well, though it will contain Shea Butter.

I haven't tried the razor (or shave gel) yet. What do you think? To me it does sound more promising than many of those other razors with stuff on the sides.


Gillette Venus

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Johnson's Baby Challenge Week #4

Well, my 4 week trial of using Johnson's Baby products is coming to a close, so it's time to share my final thoughts. Overall, I'm glad that I did this trial. I found a new way to keep my cuticles well hydrated (Gel Baby Oil is going to become a new winter staple for me), and a great product to help me swatch makeup colors to my heart's content without needing to scrub my arm or lips off in between color changes (that's the Baby Oil). And I learned to embrace Mineral Oil in my skin care.

I have to confess that in my shower, when I ran out of the Body Wash last week, rather than taking out my backup bottle of Johnson's Baby Body Wash, I was really missing my usual Olay and so I just went back to using my Olay. My skin missed it, I'm not sure what makes it so different but really it is.

But, on a recent quick trip to my local big box store, I did grab a few more tubes of Creamy Oil Cocoa & Shea Butter. I've long been devoted to my Cetaphil cream, but I confess that it didn't seem to really cut it in the moisture department in the dead of winter. The Creamy Oil seems to a better job of sealing in the moisture my skin picks up in the shower and I'll be slathering myself with this stuff all winter long!

Have you tried any baby products on your own skin? What did you think?

Johnson's Baby

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Johnson's Baby Challenge Week #3

Time for a quick update on my Johnson's Baby Skin Care Challenge. If you remember, I'm using a few Johnson's Baby products over a 4 week period to see if there are any changes in my skin and how I like the products.

I'm still using the Baby Oil constantly to remove lipsticks as I continue my Lippie Love series. This stuff really is amazing. The lipstick just melts off. No residue, no scrubbing, it takes only a few seconds. It is pretty amazing. I've started applying Gel Baby Oil twice a day to my hands and cuticles to amp up my moisture. I'm feeling hydrated but not dry and cracked. So far, I call that a success!

I'm having less success with the Body Wash. I've said before that it is a nice body wash- it lather well, seems to get me clean and rinses easily. But, it is less hydrating than my old stand-by from Olay. This does seem to be balanced out by the increase in moisture that I'm seeing with Creamy Oil Cocoa & Shea Butter instead of my Cetaphil cream. However, I don't think I'll be using the body wash after completing my trial.

I have one more week! Stay tuned to see what I think after my full four weeks.

Johnson's Baby

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Johnson's Baby Challenge Week #2

Last week I shared my Johnson's Baby Skin Care Challenge with you. So, this week I thought a little update was in order, and I'll share one of my favorite uses for a Johnson's product. Overall, I really have been enjoying the products that I chose.

Baby Oil: I've mostly been using this to help out with my Lippie Love series. A little bit of baby oil on a cotton round... that lipstick just melts off. No residue, no scrubbing, it takes only a few seconds. It is pretty amazing.

Gel Baby Oil: Things have taken a turn for the colder here in Michigan, and I've been using this on my hands and cuticles every night. So far it has helped, though I will likely need to either amp up my use or start using the Creamy Oil as well.

Body Wash: This might be the most disappointing of the products that I'm using. It's fine. It has a nice lather, I'm using the Cocoa Butter version, so it smells like that. It gets me clean. It's somewhat hydrating. I think it's the most disappointing only because it seems to be fine and hasn't blown me away with the hydration level like the other products. So, it is fine. Definitely a nice body wash. But, I had hoped for more hydration from this product.

Creamy Oil Cocoa & Shea Butter: I have 2 complaints about this product. First, I have been leaving it in my shower, and the cap collects water. So, when you first open it, you get splattered with cold water. Kinda sucky. (Hopefully the Johnson's people will read this and fix it!) Second, the tube isn't big enough. Because I want to have lots of this around and just use it all over! I've loved slathering this on when my skin is a bit damp, it really seals in all of the moisture. It makes my skin super soft, and the effects last until my next shower, so at least a day. I'm already planning to use this well into the winter, so I'll be stocking up. Even though it doesn't come in a "big" size, it is very affordable so it is still easy to stock up.

Read on to learn more about the alternative uses of an iconic product.

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Whish Shave Crave: A Cream to Save Your Skin?

First, I have to fully admit that I've used this product many times in the past, but not written about it. I have gotten samples at blogging events over the years and I think I've had samples sent to me to review a few times as well. It hasn't appeared on the blog previously because I really wasn't sure how I felt about it. You'll see why in a bit.

Whish's shave cream looks more like a moisturizer than a shaving product when you look at the ingredient list. You'll see ingredients like squalene, shea butter and even raspberry butter. The product is the consistency of a thick body lotion and it feels just like one as well. It doesn't really whip itself up or foam or do any of the typical things that us lather obsessed consumers are used to and expect from a shave product. Instead, it just looks and feels like a body lotion that is sitting on top of the skin.

Using this product is definitely hydrating. It feels much better post-shave than many other shaving products in terms of hydration. Love this part, especially during the winter when I'm scrambling to keep every bit of moisture in my skin that I can.

Here is the part that I'm not really sure about. All of that added moisture comes at a bit of a price. All the hydrating ingredients do make it easy for this product to get gunked up in my razor. I'm not such a big fan of that. I like being able to just shave both legs and then worrying about rinsing out my razor. With Whish I rinse after each swipe and still have a few issues. By the end of the shave I can barely see the razor's blades they are so gunked up with shave cream and hair. I do wonder if part of the issue is my shower head- I have one of those really big "rain" style shower heads, so I don't have very high pressure to rinse everything out of the blades. I don't have a problem with any other shave product, only Whish. It also seems to be unrelated to new or old razor blades, length of time since last shave, etc.

The end result of using Whish is a clean shave with well hydrated skin. So, the result is great. I just am not quite sure about the razor clogging.





Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream

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Saturday Plans: Shower Shake Up!

As promised yesterday, in my blog revamp post, each day will have a different special post. Saturdays will be "Shower Shake Up" days, in which I share a great new product that I've been using each morning to help get ready for the day. Obviously this is an extension of my recent shower posts. I loved forcing myself out of my morning rut, now I just need to force myself to share everything with you!

So, look for soaps, body washes, body lotions, scrubs, etc. Shampoo and Conditioner could go here, but I'll be including those in my Friday Hair posts.

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Pure Silk Shaving Cream: Super Foaming Action to Protect and Soothe Your Legs

Another day, another product I've been secretly loving in my morning shower.

Pure Silk is made by the same people that make Barbasol, so they obviously know shaving. It comes out as a somewhat stiff foam, tons of bubbles everywhere. It spreads very easily and I like that it stays really foamy. This is definitely the best choice for those of us that are addicted to foam. It stays put and I found it helps a lot with my shave.

The whole shaving process is definitely well lubricated. I've yet to have a nick while using Pure Silk. I've also noticed that my shave is very smooth, though I'm not sure that it is any smoother than when I was using Skintimates. As well, one of my biggest complaints against Skintimates is the can. I swear it gets rusty in about 12 hours of being in the shower. Pure Silk is in a rust free can, love that!

Pure Silk is made in the US. I've been somewhat appalled as I watch the ABC News Made in America series. I'm trying to make more of an effort to buy things made in the US, though I fully admit that it can be really difficult to find some things made in the US.

Pure Silk Shave Cream

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Nuxe Paris: Nature and Luxury in One, All the Way From Paris

Nuxe is a French Natural Skincare Brand created in 1957 by a Parisian pharmacist. It's one of those cult brands that is a best seller in pharmacies in France. The products were on my list of "must buy" items when I went to France a few years ago, though that purchase was sacrificed due to lack of suitcase space. Nuxe is more available on-line now so a trip to my beloved 7th Arrondissement is not necessary to get my hands on some. Though, now that I think about it, that might not be a good thing. An excuse for a trip to Paris? Yes please!

This spring Nuxe released a new body collection, and I have to share my 2 favorite products from the line, the 24HR Moisturizing Body Lotion and Fondant Shower Gel. Both have an amazing scent that seems like it should be found only in a posh and exclusive spa. The packaging says "almond and orange flower petals", though I swear I smell some sandalwood in there as well.

The 24 hour Moisturizing Body Lotion is pretty thick for a lotion, so much so that it is hard to get out of the pump. I found myself impatient for lotion, so I just unscrewed the top and moisturize via a more direct route. It feels amazing going on, sinking into my skin pretty much right away without any residue left behind. It does last for the 24 hours claimed, and I found it was enough moisture for all but the driest parts of my body.

Fondant Shower Gel has the same amazing scent, which I love in the shower. It isn't a high lather shower gel, though it definitely cleans and rinses off easily without stripping my skin.

Overall, the scent definitely makes these products worth it.

Nuxe Paris

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Philips Bikini Perfect

Yesterday I shared the Schick Quattro Trim Style, which is one big honkin' razor with a bikini trimmer. Yes, I used the word honkin'. And for the second day in a row I'm covering a topic that I usually avoid because... Well, because my dad sometimes reads my blog. Dad, go away, you are still supportive. Go grill some meat or something, Andy and I need more dinner ideas.

Everyone who is not my dad can read on for more about this trimmer.

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Annmarie Gianni Skin Care: Rosemary Peppermint Body Wash

A body wash is a body wash is a body wash. Right? Well.... maybe not.

Like all of the products from Annmarie Gianni, this body wash is all natural and organic. The scent seems to lean more towards the peppermint side than the rosemary side, but smells like something you'd find in a spa. I loved smelling it first thing in the morning and found myself reaching for it over other products just to have the peppermint scent.

Because it doesn't have surfactants like other body washes, you won't be able to achieve the high foam most Americans are accustomed to having in their morning shower. Do not fret, there is a little bit of foam, and the body wash seems to do just fine without it.


15 Minute Beauty Fanatic readers can get 10% off with the code 15minbeauty until July 9 on the Annmarie Gianni Skin Care website
Annmarie Gianni Skin Care: Rosemary Peppermint Body Wash

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Eco-Armour: A New Way to Shave

Eco-Armour is a new shaving foam created by a husband and wife team. Rather than my typical shaving gel/foam that comes in a decidedly non-green aerosol canister, this is a liquid that comes with a pump. Depressing the pump gives you a light foam, definitely not "dense", but with some decent body to it.

According to the directions, you should apply this foam to all desired areas and let it sit there for a minute to let it do its thing. This part kind of sucks-I had to move out of my lovely hot water to avoid washing it down the drain and that induced a bunch of non-shaving friendly goose bumps. During this time the foam/bubbles disappear pretty quickly, but you can feel that it is still on if you touch your skin. Then apply a second layer and shave away. This second layer does seem to disappear quickly too, but you do not need to reapply. The product is still there and will work, I really think the bubbles mainly help to spread the product in a thin layer.

During shaving I swear I was thinking... is this stuff there? Is it working? The razor did run pretty smoothly over my skin, but without the huge amount of foam I've grown accustomed to, I wasn't sure what to think. Once I had rinsed off, it was immediately apparent that the Eco-Armour had done its job. My legs were insanely, insanely smooth. Loved it!

Eco-Armour also is formulated to help save your razor blade. Applying a little product over the razor before you get out of the shower is meant to help keep the blade in good shape. I've been doing this for a week or so, though I haven't noticed a difference yet.

The product comes in Eucamint2 or Pomango. Eucamint is a eucalyptus, pepperminty and herbal scent that I found to be refreshing but not overpowering. Pomango is just what it sounds like- a yummy pomegranate and mango blend that I also loved. The product comes in 7.4 ounce or a TSA approved 3 ounce size. While that doesn't sound like a lot, this product seems to go a looong way with just a little product.

Eco-Armour

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Annmarie Gianni Skin Care: Coconut Body & Face Oil

I know what you're thinking. This is obviously just some oil with a coconut scent. Who wants to smell like coconut all the time, isn't that what sunscreen should smell like? Not really appealing. All of that is wrong.

First of all, this oil does not smell like coconut. To me it has a light herbal scent, but a bit tangy with some lavender scent. I know I've smelled something like this before and could likely do a better job of explaining, but it is escaping me at the moment. I'll update when I think of it.

The coconut in the name actually refers to the coconut oil that is the main ingredient in this oil. Apparently coconut oil is quite a bit smaller in structure than other oils, so it is more easily absorbed into the skin. The formula also contains quite a few other herbal ingredients such as lavender, rosemary and green tea. Many act as anti-oxidants in addition to hydrating the skin.

I've been using the oil immediately before I get out of the shower. It sinks in right away and I don't need another moisturizer over it. It's the perfect summer moisturizer.


15 Minute Beauty Fanatic readers can get 10% off with the code 15minbeauty until July 9 on the Annmarie Gianni Skin Care website
Annmarie Gianni Skin Care: Coconut Body & Face Oil

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Shower Shake Up: One Week of Routine Changers

A quick glance back at my favorite beauty product posts shows something rather surprising. I'm definitely stuck in a rut when it comes to my shower routine. I have all of these new products around my house, and some of them really are quite lovely. I use them, for a day, a week or even longer. But then what happens? I go back to the old products, and I never write up the new ones. And I forget about them. Rather sad for someone as product obsessed as me.

Read on to take another quick peek at the products that have been my fall back, go-to products for quite a while now.

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