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Beauty Board: Body washes

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2009

If you're never quite sure whether the ads for popular beauty products can be believed, relax. Our 4you Beauty Board is made up of veteran testers ready to try the latest when it comes to all things beauty. We'll share what worked and what bombed with the hope of making life a little easier for you.

This week: If you're never quite sure whether the ads for popular beauty products can be believed, relax. Our 4you Beauty Board is made up of veteran testers ready to try the latest when it comes to all things beauty. We'll share what worked and what bombed with the hope of making life a little easier for you.

This week: body washes. Did we clean up, or were these suds duds?

Fruits & Passion Carrot Cream Body Wash

Available at www.us.fruits-passion.com; $14 for 6.7 ounces

"Smooth, velvety and lightly foaming, this shower cream cleans and tones the skin ... leaves skin soft and protected after rinsing."

Rating: B

Michelle says: I love fruits and vegetables. Mom told me years ago to eat them every day, and the advice stuck. She never said anything about washing with them or wearing them. But if you read the ingredients on many beauty products these days, these two food groups pop up frequently. As much as I love carrots (good for the eyes, Mom always said), I never thought I'd be scrub-a-dub-dubbing with them. I felt a little like Bugs Bunny. The lather is more creamy than foamy, and it definitely left my skin feeling soft. The question is: Will I start twitching my nose? I never thought bathing would be such a mouth-watering experience, but now I'm working up an appetite thinking of the other flavors from the Fruits & Passion Nourishing Collection: avocado, pineapple, sesame, olive and cocoa. It's a delish experience, without the calories.

Michelle Bearden, 55, is the religion writer for the Tribune and TBO.com.

Wholearth Certified Organic Body Wash

Available at www.wholearthbeauty.com and www.anthropologie.com; $22 for 8 ounces

"A USDA certified organic body wash that showers you in natural luxury. Its luxuriously rich lather is infused with nourishing, natural ingredients that cleanse and leave skin soft, smooth and conditioned."

Rating: B-

Cloe says: This body wash is "certified organic," which means the ingredients are grown according to the strictest standards. Those good-for-your-skin ingredients include apple juice, coconut oil, shea butter, sesame seed and jojoba oils, which left my skin feeling soft and silky - almost like I had lotion on. It has a soft, pretty fragrance and it's surprisingly thick and creamy, too. But being thick doesn't mean it lathers. I poured nearly three times the amount of other washes in my sponge and couldn't manage to work up a good lather. And for me, bath time without suds is no fun.

Cloe Cabrera, 43, is the Tribune's fashion and beauty reporter.

ecoTOOLS Clean Skin, Cleaner World Body Wash

Albertsons, Target, Walgreens and other local retailers sell ecoTOOLS products; call for specific product availability; $7.99 for 12 ounces

"Removes impurities, revealing fresh, clean skin without being harsh to you or the planet! Refreshing botanical cleansers create rich lather."

Rating: C-

Kim says: The instructions on this bottle read: "Apply generously to a bath sponge or washcloth and work into a rich lather." Well, I tried, and applied and applied. But this earth-friendly body wash just didn't want to suds up. And the scent? I was underwhelmed. I appreciate all the do-gooder stuff: the $1-per-product-sale donation to environmental organizations, the no-testing-on-animals policy, the recyclable bottle. But if the product doesn't please, I'm not going to use it. This one was booted out of the shower the first day.

Kim Franke-Folstad, 51, is editor of 4you.

Noah's Naturals Age Defying Brazilian Body Wash With Acai Berry

Available at Wal-Mart and www.noahsnaturals.com; 6 ounces for $10.99

"Made from plant derived cleansers, this mild, creamy body wash provides effective cleansing while keeping skin's natural oils intact. Acai extract, along with jojoba oil, vitamins and natural emollients, restores the natural suppleness and moisture levels of skin, leaving it silky and soft to the touch."

Rating: B-

Wendy says: The hip "superfruit" acai berry is turning up in an array of supplements and beauty products these days. The virtues of the fruit from Central and South American palm trees are much touted and debated. It's supposed to be chock-full of antioxidants, making it a natural for skincare products. Noah's Naturals body wash - which does not contain parabens, petrolatums, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol or phthalates, and is not tested on animals - is a gentle, fruit-scented wash that doesn't feel soapy. I would prefer a few more suds. My skin felt clean, but regrettably didn't have any lingering perfume from the wash. I want to feel clean and smell good. And miracle berry or no, it's a little pricey. I am a devotee of Philosophy shampoo, bubble bath and body wash, which runs about $6 more for almost three times as much product. And smells yummy for a good while. I'm willing to pay for what I like, but Noah's Naturals didn't make me a convert.

Wendy Whitt, 43, is the Tribune's Sunday planning editor.

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