When I started university last October my friend gave me a 'survival' kit as a going away present. It contained a lot of useful things to get me through the year including spices, post-it notes and sweets etc. Anyway, she also packed some shower gel in the box, which turned out to be Tesco's Wake Up Tea-tree and Mint variety. So here's my review of the product:

=== Packaging ===

The first thing that struck me about this product was how similar it looked to the Original Source brand. Perhaps this is a deliberate way of getting people to pick up and buy the product without looking closely at the label. It is a simple stand-up bottle, with the cap on the bottom to ensure the liquid runs down to the opening when you wish to use it. There is no handle, which is a pain, but I guess that is what keeps costs down! The bottle is much rounder in comparison to the angular Original Source variety. However, it has taken the idea of having a clear bottle showing the liquid inside and bold typography on the front. As well as the Tesco logo, their Wake Up variety has the words 'Wake Up!' in large capital letters, followed by the words 'tea tree and mint shower gel' in a box underneath. On the back you have the usual information including directions and ingredients and the bottle is suitable for recycling. It also specifies it contains essential oils and 'added mint zing' and boy are they right!

=== The shower gel ===

The shower gel itself is a bright green colour, which is quite appealing because it is so different to the usual pastel shades. However, the smell is really over powering. You can immediately sense the mint, which over-rides the tea tree scents. It was so strong that it reminded me of Vic vapour rub, which is not particularly desirous or pleasant. However, the smell makes the product unisex because it is not overly feminine or masculine. This would be good because the whole family can use it.

I normally shower in the evenings, so the 'wake up' effect is lost on me, but I would imagine it would brighten you up in the mornings should you use this gel. Just like vapour rub, it opens up the sinuses and creates a fresh kind of feeling. It is quite cool on the skin too, which I've never experienced with other shower gels, which was quite nice.

The gel itself lathers up very well, particularly if you use a shower puff. The gel can also be used directly on your hands, with a flannel or a sponge. I use a small amount each time and the 250ml bottle seems to last forever - much to my dissatisfaction!

As with most shower gels, this product stings quite a bit if it comes in contact with your eyes. This one is perhaps even more painful because of the strong scents. However, if this happens you should wash immediately with water and generally try to avoid contact in the future.

=== Price and availability ===

This product in particular is only available to buy from Tesco, but I'm sure you can find other supermarkets doing a similar version for the same price. Mysupermarket informs me that this product costs just £1, which is excellent value for money, because the shower gel is good quality and you get quite a lot in a single bottle. It would definitely be worth trying this version if you've used Original Source before, because there is such a difference in price and you could save yourself some money.

=== Conclusion ===

This product was not for me; therefore I wouldn't buy it again. The scent didn't appeal to me whatsoever, which is the main factor I look for in a shower gel. However, it is a good quality and I wouldn't rule out trying other Tesco shower gels with a more feminine scent. The bottle is simple enough, but it would be great to have a handle so it can hang up in the shower. I give this 3/5.

[Review may also appear on Ciao under the username Strawberry_123]