I was recently given the opportunity to test out some products from Kootenay Bath Products. These products are handmade by a woman named Charlene right out of Kootenay, BC. They are all natural with no chemicals or dangerous ingredients.
Charlene sent me Coconut Verbena Lime Shower Gel, Massage Bar, Whipped Body Butter Satsuma, Peppermint Foot Cream & Bubble Bath Salts Chai Spice. It’s pretty difficult to rate bath products on durability LOL so for the purposes of this review durability will refer to the quantity of product needed and how long it lasts. Navigate through the reviews by clicking on the tabs below! Don’t forget to visit the Giveaway tab for a special surprise for you!
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[tab title=”Shower Gel”]
Durability
I’ve used this product a few times now to really get a sense of how much you need to use to get the job done. I have figured that a quarter sized drop on a loofa works perfectly! I found that if I used less than this it just didn’t quite get the coverage that I wanted an wound up having to add more and if I added much more I felt I was just rinsing unused product away. A bottle this size would be perfect for traveling or to try out the product. I would think I could easily shower daily for 2 weeks or more using this product. For a sample size that’s not bad!
Does It Work?
Of course it does! Or at least I think it does – no body has complained LOL Seriously though, its a great body wash – easily comparable to any on the market that I have tried. It has lots of bubbles and leaves my skin feeling soft, clean & fresh. The fragrance is pretty mild with this body wash. I personally prefer a stronger scent to help wake me up but this would be great for some one just the opposite who prefers a more mild scent. Or if you were having a nice spa like bath it would be perfect 🙂
Design
I am a huge fan of the colour – I know weird, the colour. It just looks clean. Anyways the bottle it comes in is pretty standard. Its a plastic bottle with a pop top. There was no security seal on the bottle just a piece of tape keeping it closed. It did the trick and the bottle didn’t leak at all but this might be something that would help prevent a future issue.
Dollar Value
The bottle that I received was a 2oz sample size. A full size bottle is 8 oz and sells for $9.00 on Kootenay Bath Products.com. I know this is a high number for Body Wash to couponers (we know we can get it for $0.99 with a coupon) but you have to think about quality vs quantity here. This is a small business using natural products and eco-friendly processes. I’m not sure I could justify purchasing more than a bottle or 2 but to support the right product it’s worth it!
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[tab title=”Body Butter”]
Durability
The saying “a little dab will do ya” totally applies to this product! This sample size jar will last me for months. Only a small amount will give you a substantial amount of coverage.
Does It Work?
It sure does! I absolutely love the scent! I’ve always been a fan of the Body Shop Satsuma but found it just a bit over powering. The Kootenay Satsuma still has the same scent but just dialed back a few notches which is perfect for me 🙂 After a thin application is leaves my skin feeling silky smooth with absolutely NO greasing or oily feeling after. Huge fan of this product!
Design
The cute little jar this comes in is perfect! I can have it on my desk, in my purse, in the car or wherever without worrying about it. The lid seals tight and the clear jar lets you see just how much you have left! Along the same lines at the Shower Gel, there was no security seal, just a piece of tape during shipping. Again, no leak or spill issue but may just be something to consider.
Dollar Value
A 2 oz jar of Whipped Body Butter is $5.00 from Kooteny Bath Products. To compare prices The Body Shop sells their 6.9 oz Body Butter for $19.00! So if you do the math – Kootenay’s prices are lower than The Body Shop! And I personally like Kootenay’s better 😉
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[tab title=”Foot Cream”]
Durability
This foot cream comes in a little jar just like the Body Body. And like the Body Butter you definitely do not need a lot of this product. I found that just a small amount will do the trick. A jar this size would get me through a years worth of pedicures!
Does It Work?
This product does work but it is probably my least favourite in the group. The scent is really strong, if you have any sort of scent sensitivity this is not the product for you. Although the foot cream did leave my feet feeling much softer I also had that greasy feeling left. I am not a big fan of that. It did actually make make the muscles in my feet feel relaxed and less achy. I have a couple icky callouses (embarrassing!) on my feet and while I have been using this product for a couple weeks, it has actually softened them up a bit! Definite plus!
Design
Same positives and criticism as the Body Butter. I love the little jar, it is a perfect size to keep in my nail bag!
Dollar Value
This foot cream is available in 2 different sizes from Kootenay Bath Products – a 2 oz or 4 oz jar. The 2 oz jar sells for $6 and the 4 oz jar sells for $8. Based on the size versus the price the 4 oz jar is definitely the better deal. Comparing these prices once again with The Body Shop they are pretty equal.
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[tab title=”Massage Bar”]
Durability
Unfortunately the Massage Bar was broken when it arrived 🙁 but I actually didn’t mind. Having smaller pieces made the bar easier to work with. You do not need much of this bar to get the skin lubricated enough to work with. A massage bar this size should easily last through a half dozen or more massages – of course depending on how much and how long you work for. It is a bit on the fragile side so if you want to keep it as a full size bar you need to be careful to not use much force when applying.
Does It Work?
This is actually the product I was most excited to try! As some of you may know, I recently graduated a Massage Therapy program at school and am working on setting up my own practice 🙂 Although, one bar is not suitable to be used on multiple people, I actually really like it as a massage medium.
The scent again is a little strong (eucalyptus) but isn’t over powering. This would actually be really great to use on someone who has a cold to help clear up the sinuses and relax the chest muscles. The ingredients also work well for soothing tired, achy muscles. Ryan (who was my lucky test subject) said it left his skin dry and cool feeling.
When first applying the bar to the skin I found it a little crumbly by it quickly melted and absorbed onto the skin. A few passes of the bar on the skin you are working with provides enough lubrication to effectively work on muscles without causing any irritation to the skin. I found I could work on an area for about 10 minutes before having to reapply.
Design
As I mentioned before, I actually found it easier to work with the broken off section of the bar instead of the larger portion. The flat sections provide easy gliding of the bar. The “bubbled” sections are intended to provide some muscular relief. This product is easy to use on yourself or another.
It would have been nice to see this bar in a small box or case instead of a plastic bag. Since the bar can be used repeatedly when it gets put back in the bag it does smear just a bit.
Dollar Value
Kootenay Bath Products sells this 2.5oz – 3oz bar for $5. I think this is a really reasonable price for this product and I would absolutely consider purchasing it in the future. A bottle of massage lotion generally retails for between $10 – $15 so when comparing prices it’s a great deal – especially if you will just be using it for your family.
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[tab title=”Bubble Bath Salts”]
Durability
I got 2 baths out of this package of Bubble Bath Salts with different results. The directions say you can add the whole package or divide it up. For best results I would definitely recommend using the whole package.
Does It Work?
It does work but not as well as I was hoping for. In the first bath I added the salts when the tub was about half full and although I did get bubbles they only last a few minutes once I got in. On the second try I added the salts as soon as the water started running and I got a lot more of a bubbling they again faded fairly quickly. However, the wonderful scent did last the entire bath.
Design
There isn’t a whole lot to say about the design of this product. It is a sweet, subtle colour with a nice scent. It was simply packaged in a small baggie with a twist tie. In the full size product, it would be nice to have a little jar or something more secure to store them in.
Dollar Value
These bubble bath salts sell at a half pound for $8. I couldn’t find a product just like this at The Body Shop or Bath & Body Works so it is hard to exactly compare prices. However, bath soak at BBW is $17.50 for 15 oz. I would definitely say this is a reasonable and comparative price!
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[tab title=”GIVEAWAY”]
And now the best part! A giveaway for you! Kootenay Bath Products has been kind enough to offer up this awesome prize pack for one lucky reader! Enter for your chance to win a Chamomile Dergamot Shower Gel, Mandarin & Mango Whipped Body Butter and 2 Bubble Bath Salts – 1 Chai Spice & 1 Coconut Lime Verbena!
Kootenay Bath Products is also offering a 15% off discount if you are interested in purchasing any of their fine products! Discount will be given in the form of a refund after purchase.
Enter below by logging in through Facebook or using your email address. You can also earn a bonus entry by “Liking” Kootenay Bath Products on Facebook!
Congratulations to Cally T! You are the lucky winner 😀 You will be receiving an email from Kootenay Bath Products soon!
Thanks to everyone who participated!
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