| Product: |
Original Source Tea Tree and Mint Shower Gel |
| Date: |
04.07.05 (385 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Wakes you up, cheers you up, refreshes, cleans
Disadvantages: A bit strong
***Background***
I first encountered this shower gel in 1998, when I was a student. At the time I was living on £15 a week, so I could not afford to splurge and always bought the cheapest shower gel available. One day I was really depressed and my flatmate had a bright idea - why not use her wonderful minty shower gel? This would surely do the trick.
I remember being quite impressed with it and on occassions pinching a bit from her bottle when I needed a bit of a boost. At the end of the academic year, however, when the shower gel was out of sight, I kind of forgot about it. That is until recently, when I saw it on a 2 for 1 deal and desperately needed some shower gel.
***The product***
The product comes in a see-through rectangular bottle and contains 250 ml of dark green, rather artifical looking, product. It has a black pop-of cap with a hook, which conveniently allows you to hang it up in your shower.
The opening of the bottle has a strong plastic cover on it, with a X-incission. This prevents water from mixing with your shower gel if you forget to pop the cap back on. It also means that the product does not run out very easily if you tilt the bottle.
The product usually costs £1.99 and is available at most drugstores and supermarkets as well as on the Original Source website (more details below). I suppose this is the normal price for a decent shower gel, but do look out for 2 for 1 deals!
On the front of the bottle this shower gel promises to give you the "most motivating and reviving shower experience you've ever had."
Original Source prides itself on its natural ingredients and plant extracts. The product uses natural oils, not synthetic fragrances. On the back of the bottle is a charming little story about how the Original Source range of shower products was inspired. The story goes that Ellen Wakeman, daughter of missionaries in New South Wales, disgraced her family when she ran away to join the Australian gold rush. In the outback she learned everything about the healing powers of plants and developed herbal cures. Original Source claims to include many of the same ingredients discovered back then.
The bottle also tells you to expect a cooling and tingling sensation from the cool peppermint oil contained in the product and warns people to be careful if they have sensitive skin.
And for all your animal lovers out there, it will be a relief to hear that this is is not tested on animals!
***My experience***
The alarm rings at 6.30 a.m. and I moan. Do I really have to get up? Can I not just phone in sick? No, I have to get up and go to the place I hate so much - WORK!!! I am tired, I am grumpy and there is no way I will wake up 'properly' before 10 a.m. Or is there?
I let the water run in the shower until it is warm. I jump in. I wash my hair. Then I grab the bottle of Original Source shower gel. I start applying it, massaging my body firmly. It does not lather up much at all.
The minty vapours start travelling upwards, they hit my nose. And *ping*! Suddenly my senses awake. I am conscious. I feel good and even somewhat happy, despite the prospect of having to go to work. In fact, I feel strangely motivated and ready to go to!
My body starts to tingle and feel icy cold and fresh. It is almost like a little burning sensation that is waking up my skin and every nerve in my body. On occassion I have found the sensation to be a little bit too much to take - bordering on painful. But usually it is just enough to get me going.
I jump out the shower and towel myself dry. For the next few minutes I can still feel the effects of the peppermint oil. By the time I get dressed, however, they have subsided. The only feeling that remains is a feeling of utter cleanness. And I am strangely awake and ready to start the day.
Initially, the peppermint smell does stay on my body, but it tends to disappear within an hour at the latest.
***Other uses***
Apparently, the shower gel can also be used as a shampoo. Since I have very thin hair that tangles easily, I do not dare try it. But I think people with ordinary hair or men with short hair may well be able to put it to this use.
I have used it in the bath as well. It does not produce as many bubbles and lovely foam as ordinary bath products would. It also has quite the opposite effect from most bath products - rather than relaxing you and sending you to sleep, it will wake you up and revitalise you. Worth a try, though!
***Free sample***
If you have not tried this yet and do not want to spend £1.99, why not visit the Original Source website? Here you can get a 50 ml sample for free. Mine arrived in less than 5 days.
You can also order up to 3 other samples on this site. They cannot be ordered at once. A few days after you receive your first sample, Original Source asks you for feedback. Once you have given the feedback, you can order your next sample.
***My verdict***
I love this shower gel. It is the best I have ever tried. Amazingly, this is one of the few products that keps its promises - for me using this shower gel has certainly been the "most motivating and reviving experience" I ever had. If I come home from work and I am feeling down, I often have another shower with this gel, just to make myself feel better. I am honestly considering taking a bottle into work for those days where I need to work late and start feeling down. I am hoping it might keep me going a little while longer.
So go on! If you have not used it yet, why wait any longer before ordering your free sample?
Enjoy!
***Further info***
PZ Cussons
Freepost NWW 1380
Stockport SK3 0YL
www.originalsource.co.uk
Summary: A refreshing way to start the day.
|
|
