Bar soap has always been my cleaning agent of choice and I never even thought about considering any other type of soap for shower usage. But my wife has strong opinions on bar soap and she has convinced me to give in and try body wash instead. One product we have tried and like is **Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile**, a body wash product manufactured by Colgate- Palmolive. **Soap Commentary:**  Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile is a very good body wash product from one of the best- known names in bath cleaning products. This body wash is one of several different styles/scents that Softsoap offers and its one of the few body washes I have tried. I was always a bar soap kind of guy and I had no intention of switching from my manly Irish Spring over to a girly product like body wash. But the wife convinced me that a change would do me good. She further enticed me by pointing out that body wash doesn't leave soap scum in the tub the way bar soap does. With this added, practical persuasion, I was convinced to give it a try. Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile is a thick wash and it needs to be squeezed out of the bottle. However, don't get the wrong idea and think this body wash is so thick that it will stick to your hands without falling off and splattering on the bathtub floor beneath you. I made this mistake a few times when I first used Softsoap. I would pour it into my hands and then aim for my chest but before contact was made, my hand was turned at a right angle to the floor and most of the body wash fell off my hands and onto the floor. So, while this body wash is thick, it isn't so thick that it sticks to any surface it touches. You have to move quickly and not allow gravity to waste more body wash than necessary. Now, let's talk about the scent of Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile. The smell is quite pleasant with a floral emphasis that smells like flowers from a close distance. Colgate- Pamolive makes this product using natural lavender and chamomile extracts so what you smell isn't some chemical mixture manufactured to smell like lavender. What you get with this product is the real thing, and it is very noticeable when you use it. One additional comment my wife made is that the smell is very soothing and relaxing and when used in the evening, it makes for a nice transition to bedtime. I haven't noticed anything like that, since I always shower in the morning. But I can agree that the smell is nice. Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile is designed to moisturize and it accomplishes this through the use of various extracts along with moisture beads, visible in the liquid. It isn't a substitute for lotion, but I found that it does eliminate some of the itching I experience when I use bar soap. The main reason for this is because bar soap is usually very drying on the skin. Softsoap body wash contains no soap. It is a completely different formula that is dermatologist tested and completely soap free. And because it is soap free, it washes off of the body very quickly, leaving smooth skin behind. Regular bar soap usually takes more rinsing. **Bottom Line:** Overall, I am satisfied with my Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile Body Wash. It does leave you feeling better than regular bar soap and it does offer a nice, pleasant (although somewhat feminine) scent. I'm not ready to throw in the towel (or rag, in this case) and give up my bars of Lever 2000, Irish Spring, Zest, and other favorites. But I have a newfound respect for body washes and I just may have to sneak a few more uses of Softsoap Lavender and Chamomile before the bottle is through.

Bryan-Carey

Houston, TX