2012-03-04 01:25
Search for gentle & hydrating body washes without parabens, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) etc...
3 body washes that I ordered from a local US spree came by Ta-Q-Bin on Friday (2 Mar) at 11.35 a.m..
The day before, the courier had actually left the HQ at 1.42 p.m. to deliver (according to their tracking system online). Yet didn't come till I had to go out to dinner.
Speedpost or Singpost would have been faster. No idea why the spree organizer chose to mail to me by Ta-Q-Bin. The items didn't even weigh 1kg (Singpost has a 2kg weight limit).
[I had estimated the package would not reach 2kg, and was less than 1 kg when I weighed it upon arrival. I've a garang guni spring hook weighing scale from Daiso. Also, the tracking system states weight at 958g. Interesting that Ta-Q-Bin states weight of the package under the tracking details.]
Waited till past 8 pm, then bro and I went out for dinner. When came back, there was no notice of missed delivery, unlike Speedpost.
So, I checked the tracking system. It turned out the courier had come at about 9.37 p.m. but I wasn't home.
Friday morning, when I checked the tracking system again, it turned out a re-delivery was being initiated at 9.09 a.m.. But I had to go out with bro to get groceries from the supermarket. When will the courier be arriving? Hopefully not while we are out (again).
If it's Speedpost, calling won't help because the operator will just say "don't know".
I called Ta-Q-Bin and asked. The guy at the other end was very nice. He said he'll need to check with the driver. (Wahh... he has contact with the driver.).
At first, he asked me to hold while he contacted the driver, but after he asked for my mobile number, he said he'll call back.
5 mins later, the guy called to say the driver would deliver before 11.45 a.m.. "Can you wait? Just a while more?".
I said Ok, thanked him. And true to his word, the driver arrived at about 11.35 a.m.. Seems like a local Malay guy, in a black T and black jeans, looking tired, no smile but professional.
The slip of paper he asked me to sign was very small, compared to Speedpost's big copy.
While there have been negative reviews about Ta-Q-Bin online (which discouraged me from using it for my customers), I've found that this courier service has 2 advantages over Speedpost:
1) Ability to check with driver about arrival time. Flexibiity in this way. If I hadn't called to check, I wouldn't know when courier will be delivering. My calling probably speeded things up.
2) Auto next day re-delivery (Speedpost, need to call to arrange for re-delivery 1 day after failed delivery, not same day.).
Speedpost's advantages:
1) Deliver during the day. So no need to expect them at night.
2) Deliver by a certain expected timing to me once the package is with the courier. Package has always arrived on same day once the courier has it, except for 1 time when it was brought over to next day.
3) Speedpost is faster.
Example: Speedpost tracking system says package is with courier at 8 a.m.. Package arrives at 10.30 a.m. or 1.30 p.m. the same day. Whereas, Ta-Q-Bin's system says package is in process of being delivered at 1.42 p.m., but doesn't arrive till 9.37 p.m. same day.
So here we have the 3 body washes from the US online store called iherb.
iherb actually ships internationally, but it's cheaper to join a spree if ordering just a few items (reduce airmail cost). Unfortunately, the spree organizer has recently changed management and someone else will be taking over.
So I will be preferring to buy through someone else if possible.
Total cost including Ta-Q-Bin to me = $64.83. Dividing by 3, each gel is $21.61. Pretty cheap, considering this is US order with airmail for just 3 items. In comparison, airmail alone for 3 or 4 similar items from US skinbotanica website is quoted at US$39.26.
Overall, these 3 body washes are non-drying. But not good enough for dry skin.
Left to right: Pangea Organics, Weleda, Deep Steep.
I've tried all 3. So here's the review.
Usually, I find that Ang Moh (Caucasian) scents are strange--their scents of what's nice is different from us. So, their body washes can smell weird, like Carrefour brand shower gels (makes me wonder about the French's sense of smell.).
Body shop items also smell awful and artificial. Don't know how people can buy. They should try Bath & Body Works, though the gels are very drying (despite what reviewers say in their website).
The first one I tried was the Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash. The online reviews at iherb said the brand is good, moisturizing and especially gentle.
I brought it to use after my swim, using it for hair and body (as I always do with body washes). Not into buying separate products for hair and body. More convenient and faster to just use 1 product (saves $ too). Usually, using a shower gel for the hair and body is fine for me.
So, how creamy is this Pomegranate body wash?
First, the scent is citrus (grapefruit), not Pomegranate. It smells spicy when open and apply. The spiciness turns into a citrusy grapefruit scent that smells weird and fake.
It comes out as a whitish-yellow cream. Thick and smooth. In the photo, you can see the tube is not 100% filled. So, there's not a lot in there.
Lathering is minimal, but better than Bath & Body Works Breathe Comfort Soap-free Vanilla Milk body wash (that had no lather at all, despite its "high lather" claim).
Breathe also came in a tube and cream-based.
I have now learnt that cream type of body washes are not good. Avoid.
For Weleda, need to use a lot to get enough wash for the entire body. So, it's used up faster. Only 200 ml.
For cleaning power, it's good. Does not leave the floor slippery. Cleans the body and hair well.
For after shower scent...it does linger but the smell is weird (poking up the nose, artificial spiciness). So.. I'd rather not have it linger on my skin.
For moisturizing effect... it does not dry out the skin. That's true to what the online reviewers say. However, it's not especially hydrating.
I don't want to buy this again.
Ingredients list: You can see there's alcohol there. Alcohol is supposed to be drying to the skin. It doesn't say if it's been tested on animals (except on myself).
Then I tried Pangea Organics Italian White Sage with Geranium & Yarrow.
When I opened the cap and smelled it, it was very nice to me. Essential oils have a very soothing effect on the mind. I thought the scent was wonderful.
I read it aloud with a fake advertisement voice to bro, "Italian White Sage with Geranium & Yarrow, Mind: Uplifting, Body: Balancing.".
He said, "Good description...".
Then I put it under his nose. "Smells like Harpic." he said.
Tsk. He just doesn't appreciate essential oils. This is the 2nd time he's said a nice shower gel scent I like smells like Harpic.
I smelled it again... and because of what he said, it did smell just a little like the toilet cleaner.... *displeased*
Darn.
First off, the bottle feels somewhat thick, rubbery. It actually came a little sunken in at the side, due to shipping I guess. But after unscrewing the cap, screwing it back on and then massaging the side, the shape was restored.
The back says, "A little goes a long way", and that's true. Lathering is absolutely a dream! Excellent, very beautiful, luxurious, smooth lather. A joy to spread and use. Truly creamy compared to so-called "creamy" washes like the one above.
Comes out as a rather thick, clear, yellowish liquid.
The scent is a blend of soothing essential oils. Perhaps, their other flavors will smell better, but this is Ok. They have a few other flavors in their shower gels series.
This brand has good reviews (that's why I bought).
As for hydration/moisturizing quality... I think it's better than Weleda, though the difference is not great.
It washes squeaky clean, without getting the floor slippery (a very important point). Leaves the skin with a light scent and gentle on the skin. Non-drying.
Great also for the hair, though might be a little drying. Unusual that no hair dryer is needed after toweling. No dripping water and hair is surprisingly dry after toweling. Good for hotel room use when traveling, saves the need to use hair dryer.
Next: Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Body Wash.
It says "We do not test on animals" on the back of the box. On the tube, it says "a rather luxurious lather" (which isn't true).
Of the 3 washes, its scent was the strongest, permeating outside the box when I first opened the package. Unfortunately and disappointingly, it smells very artificial and cheap. Neither tangerine nor melon at all.
More of a cheap citrus/fake pineapple.
Comes out like wet hair gel from a tube. Light yellow, like marmalade from a tube, though more liquid.
For lather, it's Ok but not luxurious as it claims.
Hydration-wise, minimal. Non-drying, but not hydrating either.
Don't want to buy this again. And not keen to use again (but have to).
Beautiful color of the gel in the tube in the light, though.
It says "Chemical & Preservative Free. No Sodium Lauryl Sulfate".
"Try Me" "We aim to please"....I like this on the box.
Update on airmail cost if ordering from iherb: 5 March Mon
I just discovered that it would have been cheaper if I had ordered direct from the iherb website than joining the local US spree.
Using "International Airmail" option, while no tracking number, is a flat rate of just US$4 for orders over US$40 (up till US$80 and weighing 1.814 kg or less). Estimated average delivery time to SG 9 days.
If I had ordered these 3 items direct from the website, the airmail option would have cost only US$6. Calculating this: $31.93 (items' cost) + $6 = US$37.93
Using bank exchange rates, it would have cost SGD 48.17 only.
But I paid SGD 64.83 for the spree and the airmail wasn't direct (spree organizer used Ta-Q-Bin. Extra waiting time for spree organizer to receive items, then mail them out to me, then waiting for courier to arrive).
Iherb is more of an exception than others, for such low shipping. Obviously, they negotiated with the carriers/couriers for lower rates. Usually, airmail for just a few items is very high, much more than the cost of the items, making it very expensive to order online.
Iherb's airmail fee structure looks perfectly designed for customers buying just a few items.
I haven't tried ordering direct yet, but I most likely will be trying soon. Considering getting others to spree for this, but probably not, due to lack of tracking number and unknown airmail cost for large orders.
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