CHICAGO, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Both St. Ives and Aveeno body lotions promise to calm dry, itchy skin. But in a winter comparison, the Viewpoints Blogger Reviews Panel preferred St. Ives to the more expensive Aveeno brand.
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The lotion showdown
In January, Viewpoints (www.viewpoints.com) provided eight female bloggers in the U.S and Canada with St. Ives Naturally Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Lotion ($5.29, 21 oz.) and Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief 24hr Moisturizing Lotion ($9.27, 18 oz.). The women used the products for more than a month, evaluating scent, absorption and effectiveness.
Scent
The Aveeno lotion is fragrance-free, but Amy Bradley-Hole, from Little Rock, Ark., and blogger at FreakyPerfect, detected a smell that was "terrible, almost medicinal." The St. Ives fragrance got better feedback: "It had a faint smell of oatmeal and butter… a nice combination," said Sheila Hill, from Pleasant Point, NJ, at Pieces of a Mom.
Absorption
Both Aveeno and St. Ives absorbed well. Sarah Mock, York, PA, writes at How I Pinch A Penny that St. Ives is now a "winter favorite." Randi Chapnik-Myers from Toronto, Ontario, and blogger at momfaze, on Aveeno: "My skin drank this stuff like water on a hot day. And it's cold outside."
Effectiveness
Which lotion was more soothing? Kathy Zucker of Metro Moms Network in Hoboken, NJ says Aveeno "did an outstanding job on chapped hands." But St. Ives stole the show. ChaosChronicles blogger Lian Dolan of Pasadena, Calif.: "I was not that impressed to get a sample to try, but (St. Ives) is a sophisticated lotion that delivers." Mock also "highly recommends (St. Ives) to combat dry winter skin."
St. Ives is consumer favorite too
On Viewpoints, consumers rate both the Aveeno and St. Ives lotions higher than average, but the St. Ives (94/100) is slightly more popular than Aveeno (91/100). "The bottom line is that unless you specifically need a fragrance-free lotion, you'll probably be quite happy with the St. Ives lotion. And you'll save money too," says Viewpoints Founder and CEO Matt Moog.
Viewpoints (//www.viewpoints.com) features 475,000+ consumer reviews on 34,000+ everyday products for the home and garden, health, bath and beauty, babies and kids, plus money categories. Both reviews and ratings are available free of charge and without registration.
Contact: Carol Fowler 312-656-9727
SOURCE Viewpoints
The harsh conditions of winter can wreck havoc on your skin. I start to feel it immediately in my hands beginning in mid-October. As the winter months trudge on, my skin becomes more and more dry, flaky, and crackling.
It's a challenge to find a lotion that works well for my hands AND for my body. What works for my body is often too greasy or too sticky for my hands. It's seems to be a constant battle and one that I would prefer not to fight.
As a member of the Viewpoints Blogger Review Panel, I was invited to take part in a lotion showdown. Viewpoints pitted Aveeno Skin Relief and St. Ives Naturally Soothing lotions against one another, and asked its bloggers to put each lotion to the ultimate test.
Although Aveeno is a highly trusted name in skincare, I tried to go into my testing with an open mind. I used both lotions for a 14-day period. I applied the Aveeno on the right side of my body and the St. Ives on the left side of my body for the best comparison.
EFFECTIVENESS
The first thing I noticed was that both lotions were equally effective. Both kept my skin moisturized for beyond 12 hours and usually up to 24 hours. I wasn't itching and my skin felt soft and smooth.
SCENT
There's no comparison here. St. Ives wins hands down. The scent was light, not too fruity or flowery. It left no trace of a scent hours after you've left a room the way many scented lotions often do. It had a faint smell of oatmeal and butter, which is a nice combination.
ABSORPTION
The Aveeno takes the cake here. It seemed to seep directly into my parched skin and didn't leave behind a sticky or pasty feeling. Whereas the St. Ives wasn't necessarily greasy, but it left my skin feeling wet as if the lotion was just sitting on the surface of my skin rather than being absorbed into it.
PRICE
The Aveeno retails for about $9 per 18 fl. oz. bottle. The St. Ives retails for about $4.50 for a 21 fl. oz. bottle. Big difference for lotions that are relatively similar.
OVERALL
This was a tough decision. I liked both lotions, but in the end, I have to go with Aveeno, primarily for its excellent aborption. But I have to say that I am not thrilled by the scent. While it's not overwhelmingly bad, it's just bland and blah. If you're on a tight budget, stick with the St. Ives. If you are in the mood to splurge a bit, spring for the Aveeno.
Either way, you won't be disappointed with either lotion!
Disclosure: Viewpoints provided me with 2 bottles of lotion to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.