I recently received a bottle of the Champneys Classic Rose Bath Cream from my lovely mother in law to be. I was very grateful as this is not something I would buy for myself because of the price which is £7.00 for 300ml but also because I've generally been put off rose scented products before. They always seem to smell too synthetic for me. This is a shame as I truly adore (though my hayfever doesn't) the smell of sweet fresh garden roses. My Mum has a big rose bush at the bottom of her garden which I love to linger by in the warm summer months. I find the fragrance irresistible, for me the fragrance is far more captivating than the flower itself. I think this is part of the problem though, I always feel let down when a rose scented product doesn't truly smell of roses, instead they invariably smell something similar to pot pourri.

The bath cream contains rosehip seed oil which I believe helps rejuvenate skin cells and smooth wrinkles through its hydrating and moisturising properties. Though this is not where the rose fragrance comes from, as far as I know rosehip seed oil does not have much of a scent to it and so it's often used in aromatherapy as a base oil. The rose fragrance in the bath cream instead comes from parfum. The cream also contains plant sugars (this helps explain why the cream smells so sweet) which helps the skin absorb moisture.

Like so many rose scented products the cream is a pale pink colour and comes in a very simple but fairly stylish clear container, which bears the classic Champneys logo. On unscrewing the gold coloured lid (originally the cream came with a red coloured lid like in the dooyoo picture but this has now been changed) I am immediately hit with the fragrance which I was pleased to find is lovely. It's very strong, which I like and super sweet yet this doesn't make it smell sickly. Well I don't think it does but then again I do like sweet things. I do think it's the kind of fragrance that could divide people, if that makes sense. Some people I'm sure would find it romantic and feminine whilst others may find it old fashioned. Though I do think this bath cream would suit a woman of any age and in particular I think it would appeal to girly girls. Whilst I normally like a bit of spicy kick in my bath and shower products I like the fragrance none the less. I initially thought I would prefer it if it did have a subtle spiciness to it to give it a bit of an edge which could counterbalance the sweetness but this thought was fleeting as I think it's good enough as it is.

The cream is lovely and thick but still pours smoothly from the bottle. A small pour is plenty to provide a good frothy foam covering. This is good as it means a 300ml bottle has the potential to last for a long time. The foamy bubbles are not just for show, they do last whilst bathing, which I always like if I'm having a long relax in the bath. The water feels nice, not greasy at all like some bath creams with oil can be but soothing on the skin. Once the cream is added to the bath the fragrance is intensified and reminds me of romance (or maybe that's just me getting carried away). I find it nice to light some candles and lie back and relax. Whilst I don't think the fragrance smells overly synthetic it's by no means discreet smelling either. Admittedly, its not as authentic smelling as the highly praised Moroccan Rose products by REN, which have a much truer garden rose smell because they only use 100% natural fragrances. But that said, this is an unfair comparison as REN products are ridiculously expensive in comparison to this bath cream.

Reading the bumph on the back of the container tells me that I will be left feeling relaxed yet uplifted. Which I have to say after bathtime I did. The sweet fragrance of rose lingers on the skin for a good while after bathing. I also love that it fills the whole house with a delicate rose fragrance too. After soaking my skin felt relatively soft but I did need to apply moisturiser, which I would do anyway as I have dry skin but I would prefer the bath cream to be more moisturising as this is what I was expecting. The cream has a very long list of ingredients, some of these known to irritate sensitive skin so unfortunately I would say it might be best to avoid it if you suffer from sensitive skin.

The Classic Rose Bath Cream is sold in Sainsburys stores at a price of £7.00 for a 300ml bottle and is also available to buy from the Champneys website (www.champneys.com) for £6.50 but there is a £4.00 delivery charge. I have enjoyed using this bath cream but because of the price I don't think I would buy it myself, maybe if I was feeling flush I would. It would definitely be gratefully received though if I am lucky enough to receive is as a gift again.

Thanks for reading.