It's no secret that I'm a fan of skincare that's formulated with natural ingredients, so when Kirstie first gave us a sneak peek at the new Jergens Naturals collection of body lotions a few months back, I was immediately interested. Packed with a lot more than just a few token essential oils, this line actually lives up to its name.
Another plant-based skincare line I'm a big fan of is Liz Earle, and her Nourishing Botanical Body Cream is a staple in my bathroom. I don't think I'll be giving up that habit any time soon, but I thought it was worth trying out the Ultra Hydrating body moisturiser from the Jergens line just to compare - read on to find out how the two lotions fared...
Packaging
Both products come in a plastic squeeze tube with a flat flip-top lid on the base - easy to use and perfect for ensuring every last drop can be squeezed out.
Application
Liz Earle's Nourishing Botanical Body Cream is a quite fluid formula, which spreads very easily on the skin. My skin also drinks it up quickly, so the surface is left feeling smooth and soft, but not sticky or oily. Perfect if you need to dress right after applying body lotion.
Jergens Ultra Hydrating body lotion is a much thicker lotion, with a whipped texture. A small amount goes a long way, spreading easily on my skin and leaving dry, itchy skin feeling soothed and hydrated. The rich texture also leaves my skin feeling slightly tacky to the touch, however. I usually apply this at night, before getting into pyjamas, so this doesn't bother me and by morning the lotion has completely sunk in. But I wouldn't find this ideal for applying in the morning before dressing.
Fragrance
Fragranced with essential oils of orange, lavender, rosewood and rose-scented geranium, the Liz Earle cream always makes me feel like I'm having a spa treatment when I apply it. The smell lingers slightly, but in a pleasant and not over-powering way. Applied at night, this is a really relaxing fragrance and perfect for winding down with.
The Jergens fragrance is noted only as "parfum" in the ingredients, so I'm not sure what it's based on. I find it stronger and more intrusive than the Liz Earle fragrance and I can't identify any particular base notes. It's not unpleasant, but it's not a selling point for me either.
Advertised
Ingredients
Liz Earle's natural ingredients include shea butter and avocado oil to nourish and soften the skin and echinacea and hops to strengthen, tone and soothe. Vitamin E and beta carotene also help to protect the skin. In addition, glycerin helps to trap moisture in the skin, keeping it hydrated, while lactic acid is a mild exfoliant which helps keep skin smooth.
The list of natural ingredients in the Jergens cream is equally impressive, with cocoa butter, soybean oil, jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil and a blend of safflower, meadowfoam, shea butter and olive oil. All of these ingredients help to hydrate, soften and smooth the skin and ingredients such as glycerin and cyclopentasiloxane also help to provide a smooth application and lock the hydrating ingredients into the skin. Jergens promises that 96% of the ingredients in this lotion are from natural sources and the remaining ingredients are used to help the natural ingredients blend together and remain effective.
Effectiveness
Liz Earle seems to help my skin with regular use. The cream doesn't feel extra rich on first use, although it is lovely, but I have noticed with regular use that my skin feels more comfortable and hydrated.
Jergens is the kind of cream I would definitely go for in cold winter weather. It is rich and protective, so itchy, flaky skin benefits right from the first application.
Price and availability
And so I come to the practical part of the post. There's no denying that, lovely and all though it is, Liz Earle is not exactly cheap at €17.75 for the 200ml bottle. I go through a bottle a month, so over a year, the cost would add up. In addition, this needs to be ordered online (unless you're close to the Wilde & Green store in Milltown), which makes it just that bit harder to get.
Jergens, on the other hand, is now easily available from Boots branches and independent pharmacies. Normally priced at €7.49, Boots currently has a special half-price offer on, so you have even more reason to try the Ultra Hydrating lotion or one of the other products from the range, at only €3.74 (until June 16th) for a 200ml bottle.
Overall Result
Advertised
If price was not a factor, Liz Earle Nourishing Botanical Body Cream would come out on top for me. In the real world, however, I have to admit that price is important, so I am happy to say that Jergens Naturals Ultra Hydrating body lotion is a worthy cut-price option and one that I'll happily alternate with my Liz Earle habit.
