Alaffia • Everyday Shea Moisturizing Body Wash • Gels/Soaps

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tempescape on 4/7/2013 12:57:00 PM more reviews by tempescape

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

Bought it to use as body wash but it gave my chest a few spots after only two days use which is strange (and sad) as it acted as a really good moisturizer for my super dry skin. Started using it as hand soap and it moisturized amazingly. No need to use lotion afterwards. If you're the kind of person who wants that squeeky clean feel though this product isn't it. It washed great but leaves what I feel is a shea butter film. Ran out of shampoo and tried it out on my 4c naturally afro hair and GA-DAMN! My hair felt softer than any shampoo I've used since the now discontinued (sob) Creme of Nature (green top/cream colored bottle) moisturizing shampoo that every ethnic person alive still cries over. It makes your hair THAT soft). Soooo, it's now my only shampoo/conditioner and hand soap. It's so good i'm not going to buy the same brand singular shampoo/conditioner versions. It's lasted a crazy long time also, about 3 months so far and there's still a quarter of the bottle left. Like I said though, if you have oily skin stay well away. If you have dry hair though run to it. It'll cut down your curly hair product and possible cut out your need for conditoner forever.

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Charlotte8403 on 3/3/2013 7:04:00 PM more reviews by Charlotte8403

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

i really wanted to like this stuff. it had a good smell and had a really nice lather, but i am allergic to something in it. i am 28 and have never had an allergic reaction to anything, so its odd. disappointing!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Andee on 1/20/2013 8:02:00 PM more reviews by Andee

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Been using this for a few years. I started out using the unscented, but WholeFoods was out of it last time I went to restock my supply, so I tried the Vanilla Mint and liked it a lot. Very invigorating, but not drying at all. Really, a tremendous buy, gentle and no parabens or anything else I try to avoid. I alternate with Boscia, which I love, which is slightly more moisturing, but a ton more money.

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heyjoni on 1/3/2013 3:33:00 AM more reviews by heyjoni

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this gentle body wash and have the unscented version. I've been endlessly sifting through products to find the most eczema-friendly ones for my picky, sensitive skin. The combination of shea butter and coconut oil is a winner, and the big win is that there are no sulfates. The ingredient list is pretty simple, which is refreshing, and you get a lot of body wash at a great value. (Generally $9-$10 for 32 fl. oz.) The downside is that it isn't the most moisturizing soap in the world (try Canus Goat's Milk soap), but it's so gentle that I'm pleased with it for the most part. Just have lotion at the ready.

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littleredbird1 on 10/16/2012 11:37:00 AM more reviews by littleredbird1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I've been using the Unscented version for quite some time and figured this product deserved a review. This is my HG body wash. I have extremely dry skin and suffer from eczema and seborrheic dermatitis. Scented products, much to my dismay, irritate my skin, and cause rashes in all the worst places. It actually took me quite some time to finally discover this. I've tried every cheap drugstore body wash plus many other unscented/chemical free body washes (Jason's, Alba Botanica, etc.). Nothing results as good as Everyday Shea. While it isn't completely fragrance-free (I detect something), it isn't offensive and never irritates my skin. Since using this body wash, I have had no rashes! It leaves my skin very soft. My only complaint is that it's quite expensive for my college-student budget. The bottle DOES last me about 3-4 months, but at $12.00 a bottle, it hurts just a smidge. Still, sometimes, I wish I could just run to Target and get the cheapest bottle of some soap there, but unless I want to suffer the consequences, I will stick with my Everyday Shea. From reading other reviews, I want to try it as a shampoo as well.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

caile on 7/31/2012 6:36:00 PM more reviews by caile

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

This is a great multi-tasking, natural product.
I mostly love it as a body wash and keep a bottle in the shower. I also use it once in awhile for washing my hair although it can be a bit drying. On occasion I have used it for washing my face in the shower, and if one wanted to have one product to do it all, this could be it.
By the sink, it's great as a hand wash and for washing delicate items without leaving the film behind that typical castile soaps do.
I use the lavender one which is not overpowering in scent and does not seem to linger past use.

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*TOP REVIEWER* pawnshop_rose on 7/29/2012 8:47:00 PM more reviews by pawnshop_rose

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

The first few times that I used this it left my skin soft and clean. But after a while my skin turned very dry and a little itchy. I tried using it as a facial cleanser but it left my skin red. I think that this is an ok product but the ph is a little high.

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Bcakes on 4/26/2012 3:11:00 PM more reviews by Bcakes

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

a nice basic plain body wash, however was allergic to something in it kind of because it gave me a rash when i used a lot of it. but if i use it sparingly with a delicate hand it is fine.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Mere828 on 1/17/2012 11:00:00 AM more reviews by Mere828

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

-Bought for 3 important reasons: 1. Huge bottle w/ a convenient pump. 2. REAL shea butter that's close to the source. 3. NO parabens or weird synthetic fragrances added. It was on sale and I wanted to try a natural body wash out.

-I REALLY like this body wash. Even though it's natural, it's certainly not lacking in terms of lather. It's easy to use, with the pump when you're in the shower & you don't have to fuss with replacing it so often because the bottle is HUGE. It's relatively unscented and moderately moisturizing.

-(Note: If you have very dry skin and are used to using chemical-loaded washes, I would suggest something heavier. This would probably work best with normal to oily skin types.)

-The scent is a mild shea scent. It's not completely unscented though, it does have that "natural" cosmetic fragrance to it, but it's completely "fragrance free" technically, so they don't add anything to it, which is great! If you're into natural & simple products, I would definitely give this a whirl!

-(For reference this bottle is a whopping 32oz! I believe it's usually $14, but I bought it on sale from Whole Foods for $8!)

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Seaweedy on 9/21/2011 9:55:00 PM more reviews by Seaweedy

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

This was way too drying for me. I was using it to wash my back which is prone to bacne. I use acne meds also on my back. This body wash left my back hurting, flaking, peeling, and dehydrated. I am not sure why but I am suspecting the high pH. Was ok for the rest of my body but not
my back.

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smake on 9/20/2011 11:42:00 PM more reviews by smake

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

Freaking love this product! Awesome, awesome, awesome. Beats Dr Bronners unscented as a body, facial and hair wash too. Smooth & silky. Not drying like Bronners! Simple, elegant formula...

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sleepymeko on 9/14/2011 6:02:00 PM more reviews by sleepymeko

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Dry, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Brown, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I have eczema--I'm just going to put it out there so that you will understand the pain that I go through. I cannot use normal detergent or my skin becomes extremely itchy and I start developing scales on my torso and legs. Your typical lotion breaks me out in a rash--which is why I made the switch to melting unrefined African shea butter and coconut oil in a bottle while I shower, and later slathering it on my skin when it is damp.

And my skin looks freakin' flawless.

On to the review. As you can imagine, your everyday soap does some horrible things to me. Five minutes after bathing, it feels like my skin is on fire and even worst... It is burning and itchy at the same time. Then if I continue to use the soap, my skin gets flaky and dry. No bueno!

I've been using black soap for a year, but it just makes my skin way too dry. So I decided to try something new while I was at the grocery store. This seemed appealing. Although it was ten bucks, it's 32oz so you get a lot for your money. And best of all, it has shea butter--the very ingredient that has cured me of my sickness.

I has been two days and my skin feels fantastic. My skin doesn't feel stripped of its natural oils and I feel nice and fresh. I bought the vanilla mint since I read on the bottle they don't use artificial fragrances.

Definitely a keeper!

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*TOP REVIEWER* avironneur on 7/30/2011 9:39:00 PM more reviews by avironneur

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

PRODUCT: Everyday Shea Body Wash (Unscented)

Price: CANADA – 10-15 CAD for 950ml

USA – 10 USD for 16 oz

INGREDIENTS: Aqueous Neem Leaf (Azadirachta indica) Extract, Handcrafted Shea Butter Soap (Saponified Shea (Butyrospermum parkii) Butter and Virgin Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Oil), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sucrose

pH: Reported to be between 8-10 (alkaline)

USES: Various – my primary uses for this include handwash, face wash, and body wash (its intended purpose) — this also makes an excellent dish soap or even mild cleanser when necessary.

COMMENTS: This is sutainably produced (part of the proceeds from each purchase go to the Togolese collective that produces the shea butter used in Alaffia, Everyday Shea’s parent company’s products. The price means that this is also very economical and can be (see uses above) a replacement for several other products. This allows me to achieve (or get closer to achieving) the ever-elusive minimalism in the shower that I, intolerant of clutter as I am, am always seeking.

CONCERNS: The pH is rather high for a facial product but either the addition of neem oil or the diligent use of a toner (witch hazel in my case) has mitigated this issue for me. The addition of cocomidopropyl betaine to the formula is important as this allows the product to foam in hard water, preventing excess residue, a common problem with other castile or soap based products (Dr Bronners, I am looking at you)

RANKING: 5 out 5 – highly recommended. Versatile, inexpensive, and conscience-friendly.

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*TOP REVIEWER* AmyDbaby on 3/6/2011 12:15:00 AM more reviews by AmyDbaby

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

Just a great product! I've gone through two bottles now and think it's a keeper. Lathers well, rinses clean, moisturizes well. It's cheap, perfect ingredients, and I LOVE the big bottle with a pump (was used Korres and hated the packaging although I loved the scents.) I can't wait to try the shampoo and other products in the line.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* staci01 on 9/21/2010 5:30:00 AM more reviews by staci01

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Other    

Itch itch itch itch ITCH!!!! This summer I was using this in the shower and for shaving and it worked great until I noticed that some of the nicks I got from shaving were not healing. This went on for three weeks and during that time my legs became so itchy! Also was breaking out all over my legs. When I stopped using this the problem persisted and then when I also stopped using the Everyday Shea lotion then my legs stopped itching and the nicks started to heal up. A gal here on MUA alerted me to the fact that there is natural latex in shea butter and some people are allergic to it. I guess I'm included in that group. I think companies that put shea in their products should put a warning label on their products so people like me won't have to go through what I did. Giving this a 1 for the itchiness but I'd love to give it a 5 for everything else as it's a good product if your skin gets along with shea butter.

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spyglassweb on 8/27/2010 12:04:00 PM more reviews by spyglassweb

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Love this body wash. I was looking for an alternative to The Body Shop shea or coconut body wash, which I love but is pricey compared to how fast I go through it. Dove brand works nice but is full of chemicals. I still like TBS the best, but this is a perfect every day wash. My skin is left soft and smooth and I like all of the scents. I will repurchase at Whole Foods

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*TOP REVIEWER* lotusfairy on 8/9/2010 2:27:00 PM more reviews by lotusfairy

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I used this two ways: as a body wash and as a shampoo as the reviewer gingerama below tried. As a body wash, this was very moisturizing and cleaned gently without stripping the skin or leaving a residue. I decided to try the scent in vanilla mint which was very nice. As a shampoo, it lathered ok and moisturized well. My hair felt filmy in some parts like my roots, but my hair looked and felt soft and shiny. It amazingly didn't take away any volume from my hair or pull out any curls. I think I will try to mix this with another shampoo and see how well it goes. The good thing is that I didn't have to follow with any conditioner. I just used a light leave-in spray conditoner in the morning and I was good to go.

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SweetDreamsThrice on 8/6/2010 12:15:00 AM more reviews by SweetDreamsThrice

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I was looking for a body wash of some sort, with natural ingredients and no animal testing. So I went to Whole Foods and found this awesome body wash! I got unscented because the other smells were just weird, plus my dad is allergic to fragrance. It's lathers nicely, and it's really moisturizing. And if you wanna add your own fragrance, just put some fragrance or essential oil in the body wash.
I also have the moisturizer, and it's really good. Kind of watery, but good.

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*TOP REVIEWER* gingerrama on 6/1/2010 6:25:00 PM more reviews by gingerrama

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Fine   Eyes: Green    

[Review updated 2011-08] Full name: Everyday Shea Moisturizing Body Wash. Available (at present) in three versions: Unscented, Vanilla Mint, and Lavender. The manufacturers, Everyday Shea, are an extension of Alaffia.

This is an excellent basic wash, fine on sensitive, irritable skin (this one, anyway) that tends towards dryness. I'm using the unscented version.

It is, as you'll see from the ingredients, very basic indeed. Minimal ingredients.

(1) SHOWER GEL / BODY WASH: Applied using a poof, a facecloth, or just bare hands. Foams up slightly, rinses off well, and leaves skin--well, clean and calm. I'm still moisturising afterwards: just oil, applied either in-shower then rinsed off or (if skin is drier) left on skin at end of shower.

(2) HAND WASH: decanted into empty bottles by bathroom and kitchen sinks. Very good: moisturising, but decent lather and cleans well, also good on smell-reduction from cooking etc. (washing hands twice).

(3) FACE WASH: I've also used it as a facial cleanser: works well, and leaves skin clean but not taut. Removes most sunscreen. Removes heavier sunscreen, or more of it if cleansing twice: either twice with the Everyday, or once with it and pre-cleansing with oil (mineral, sunflower, safflower, sweet almond, sesame, avocado,...), cleansing oil (Garden of Wisdom, Silk Naturals), or a makeup-removing creamy-cleanser (Clinique comforting cream cleanser, Earth Science ADE). Worth a try for makeup removal too, but not eyes.

(4) UPDATE: is there anything this stuff can't do? adding SHAMPOO. I acted as a guinea-pig for the Green board. Thought this stuff would be like Dr.Bronner's: but no. Leaves hair clean and *reasonably* detangled, scalp in good happy nick. Following up as per usual with conditioner, which will have at least as much to do with hair condition. Washing hair twice; first quick wash, second one leaving shampoo on and down length of hair for a few minutes; final cold rinse after conditioning.

(UPDATE TO UPDATE) Note: not as detangled as I'd like, and I wouldn't do this every day; but fine in case of desperation, and good mixed with another shampoo. Ex. I moved from my lovely luxuriously-priced Phytojoba shampoo to a 50:50 mix of Phytojoba and the Everyday. Also: the formula of the unscented body wash is near-identical to that of the unscented shampoo--as confirmed by the manufacturers (I emailed them, being nerdy that way). So no need for both.

(5) 2011-08 UPDATE: Also GENERAL CLEANING STUFF: I've used this--as one would castille soap--for cleaning makeup brushes, for hand-washing delicates, in the laundry, and for washing dishes.

So an unequivocal all-round thumbs up. Functionality aside, Everyday Shea gets bonus points for being very cheap. Around USD 10.00-15.00 and CAD15.00-20.00 for a giant pump bottle, 32oz/950ml. Readily available from assorted green shops (got mine from Whole Foods) and online.

Further bonus: a good ethical choice. Cruelty-free, vegan, and made with Fair Trade sustainably-produced shea butter. Alaffia Sustainable Skin Care are a Togolese-founded company, work with cooperatives, and in addition 10% of sales go directly to community (empowerment) projects: more here (click "continued" at the end of this review to activate the link).

INGREDIENTS: Water, Aqueous Neem Leaf (Azadirachta indica) Extract, Handcrafted Shea Butter Soap (Saponified Shea (Butyrospermum parkii) Butter* and Virgin Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Oil), Cocamidopropyl Betaine.

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cmars29 on 2/6/2010 12:29:00 PM more reviews by cmars29

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other, Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I have been looking for a body wash/soap for a while that doesn't contain parabens, sls, and all the other crap, this product actually contains some of my favorite skin care ingredients! This is a huge bottle, 32 oz, for 10 bucks! It doesn't latter up a lot but that doesn't bother me. I bought unscented since I hate smelling like soap or other artifically fragrances. It really leaves my skin feeling soft and moisterized. It's a bit watery, again it doens't contain all the waxes that can clog your skin. Another great thing about this is 10% of sales goes a good cause.

Ingredients:
Neem Leaf extract, handcrafted shea butter soap (certified for fair trade), Virgin coconut oil, sucrose, cocamidopropyl betaine

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No