I am often given body moisturisers and lotions as gifts and although I moisturise a few times a week I still seem to have a never ending supply of the stuff. I feel fairly certain this is something I will never have to buy myself as I already seem to have a life time supply and it's my birthday next month so no doubt I will increase my supply further. Once lotion in my ever expanding supply is the Botanics Moisturising Body Balm. I am a big fan of the Botanics range and have been lucky enough to receive this one of quite a few occasions.

- The Packaging -
The packaging for the Botanics range is very clean and simple in appearance and this is no exception. The body balm comes in a clear plastic tube with a clear plastic cap lid. The lid is easy to open/close and doesn't leak any cream when not in use. The opening of the tube is quite small so it is easy to get a controlled amount. It is very easy to use the tube and in particular I like that it is see-through so it is easy to see how much cream is left. I usually prefer a pot so that it is possible to get every last bit of cream out but I have found these tubes are easy to cut open if you wish to be super economical with you cream. There a label on the tube which displays the brand Boots and the name of the product. The Botanics slogan 'The Power of Plants' is shown and it is labelled as containing active plant ingredients which are authenticated by Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. We are told the cream will 'lightly hydrate and soften skin' and that it contains Ginseng and Cocoa Butter. The label is white, black and green in colour and shows a plant in the background. There is no list of ingredients but I know that the Botanics range uses natural ingredients in their products. The overall appearance is clean, simple, natural and functional but yet there is something quite attractive about the packaging for this range. I really like that it is very unisex but still kind of stylish. I have bought items from this range as gifts for my husband. I find it is hard to find skin care items that are suitable for men that are neither too expensive nor cheap and tacky. Botanics suits this purpose perfectly.

- Applying the Cream -
The cream is quite thick like a body butter rather than a lotion and it is cream in colour. It smells absolutely amazing. The cocoa butter provides a creamy sweet scent which would appeal to women but isn't so sweet that it would be too feminine for a man. This is complimented perfectly by the ginseng which adds a slightly more masculine kick. It is a totally unique scent and it is perfectly unisex. The cream rubs into my skin nicely leaving my skin feeling hydrated and soft. It doesn't leave my hands feeling too greasy and I don't feel the need to wash them after applying the cream.

- The Results -
After using this cream all over my body a few times a week for a couple of weeks my skin feels great! My skin is smooth, tight, soft and feels very hydrated. It does everything I would expect from a body balm. The best bit is, even if I do say so myself, I smell so good! Using this after a summer holiday has helped me keep my tan a little longer and has prevented my skin from becoming dry and peeling. I haven't had any irritations from using this even on my legs after shaving. Overall I am very happy with the results.

- Price and Availability -
This body balm is only available from Boots and is currently priced at £3.17 for 200mls which is such a good price you would be mad not to give it a try. It is also included in a 3 for 2 offer at the moment and you can collect Boots points too!

- Would I Recommend? -
It probably doesn't come as much surprise to you that I would 100% recommend this body balm. It is a lovely body balm that works very well on my skin, smells divine, is perfect for men and women and is ridiculously cheap. If I ever run out of lotions and moisturisers this is what I will be buying.