The smell isn't Far Away it's in your face! (Avon Far Away Shower Gel)

Member Name: xxfoxyredxx

Product:	Avon Far Away Shower Gel
Date:	08/11/08 (117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Highly fragrant and skin softening

Disadvantages: Very highly fragranced and you have to use alot of product to get a decent lather

I never know what to buy my Mother for Christmas she's a very tricky woman! So when my Avon catalogue was delivered and me never knowing what to buy from it because I don't actually like Avon (but love my Avon rep, Anita) I plumped for ordering this just for something to buy really. Well not just this product actually. A little Avon Far Away Gift Set to be more precise with a small bottle of this it in it, the matching skin softener and a small bottle of perfume (£5.00). Oh and it comes in a rather nice box as well and I thought it all looked rather nice and looked a rather good buy. (This little set is on sale now).

Seemed it was a nice little gift for mum ...until chatting and Mum mentioned my Avon order had been delivered (this) and that she hoped I hadn't got it for her. A bit disappointed I said no and how come she hoped it wasn't for her? Her answer was a bit blunt and deflating actually 'I don't like cheap crap ta Melanie!'. I was a bit upset at that until I realised there was no one else to give it to so ho hum things weren't that bad after-all! I'd have to give it to myself and Avon or not I do like little sets of things to pamper myself with!

The Packaging....

Well normally it's a an off white colour bottle with a gold flip top lid at the bottom. I have read it is available in a 150ml size but personally I haven't seen that to be honest. My tube (which remember is part of a gift set and is not available to buy separately) is 50ml. Regardless of the size all products of course smell the same. All bottles look very similar too. There is a picture of a tassel up the top of the bottle, 'Far Away, Shower Gel' is written on the front (with some stuff in foreign languages I don't understand) and it all looks rather neat and simple. Then on the back more stuff is written in foreign languages, ingredients are listed, size is stated, the recycle symbol is on there, and finally contact details for Avon are given. I actually like the packaging. It's simple, understated and doesn't look cheap or nasty and it doesn't scream it's an Avon product.

Using It....

Well mine has a screw on/off black plastic screw on/off lid at the bottom of the squeezy tube. Of course I'm sure that most people would simply flip the lid up to open though and dispense some of the transparent gel out (cos they'd buy the big bottle lol). The consistency of this is really great. It isn't a thick stodgy gel but it doesn't just run out everywhere including hands all by itself, making this unmessy and fuss-free to use.

So how much you use and how you apply it to your body is of course entirely up to you! I use a scrunchy and use a decent sized blob. The more you use the more lather you get and as soon as you apply this on to damp/wet skin away it goes into action very quickly indeed. More is more with this product. The more you use the more thick white luxurious bubbles you get. A small amount cleans you but you don't get that lather which if you want to shave your bits and bobs is a bit of a drawback so I don't find this product that economical really due to that fact and I like my bubbles afterall.

The smell.. well it's ok. I quite like it but it's rather cheap and distinctive really and a bit...well...loud.

Avon say that the smell is of of Jasmine, Freesia and Osmanthus Flower, Orange Flower, Peach and Sandal Wood, Vanilla, Musk and Amber and sure you can sniff, detect and identify the majority of them whiffs but for me the vanilla is a little on the top heavy side of things and screams through the fragrance like a naughty school child does in a classroom full of well behaved children!

It's very sweet with a muskiness that lightly drifts over the top of it and it is pleasant enough with a hint of fruitness and a definate smell of flowers about it. It is (as I've alreadysaid) rather heavy and it is distinctive having been around for quite a few years now. As soon as I got into my friends car last night she said are you wearing Far Away and suddenly I felt a bit cheapened and exposed and we were going somewhere rather posh as well! So I was kind of put off by that remark to be truthful! Going somewhere nice wearing Avon just isn't cool but the only soothing part is that if people know the fragrance then they probably have ordered and used it too! lol

Anyway I digress slightly! So.... we've established that the shower gel foams up and the more you use the more lather you get from it. It feels nice and gentle to use and doesn't irritate the skin. The smell is strong and feminine (rather than girly) and very softening on the skin. When you get out of shower and dry off skin is left feeling wonderfully hydrated and none sticky to the touch. The smoothness is wonderful and I really take my hat off to Avon for this and this alone. At no point either using this product or over a few hours after using it does my greasy skin get greasier, it just stays gently hydrated and I have no dry bits of skin after using this and no tightening at all. I can feel I haven't used a soap or a soapy product!

More importantly than anything and a thing a lot of us forget to address when reviewing a shower gel of this type is 'does it clean you?' Well yes it does! I feel clean and refreshed and my skin is left fragrant and has a glow about it. I'm happy with the feeling of clean this provides me with.

The smell is quite heavy from the shower gel alone so you do have to be very careful what fragrances you use after using this or you could get a bit confusing and smelly in a not so good way! I'd use this with musky perfumes and fragrances that are not too heavy and let this provide most of my fragrance. I'd also be happy to use this and this alone in the summer months and of course this is great used in conjunction with other products within the same range to layer up the scent (but it's all going to be highly fragrant and long lasting!).

Now I used the shower gel 11 hours ago now and I can still smell it particularly around my neck and shoulders. The smell does transfer onto clothes but it does wash out of them easily. It also washes off skin easily leaving no residue.

Overall....

If you like the fragrance of the Far Away perfume then this for you is a must buy in my opinion. If you like heavily fragranced shower gels that keep you smelling of something for hours on end without turning into a funny smell or losing it's vibrancy then once again this is brilliant for you. What I'm trying to say I guess is if you like the fragrance this is a marvel! Would I buy it again? No and that's only because I find that the smell a bit to heavy and aging for me and I don't want to have to use the perfume with it as I like my designer fragrances a bit too much and I find this a bit difficult to match up smell wise with the other stuff I own.

This product is only available from Avon at around at £3.00 for the 200ml bottle but do look out for the offers! In my opinion best suited to older females!

Summary: If you love the fragrance this is brill!