The Crocodile Files: Quench Shea Body Products

It's cold outside, which means we're in danger of getting in touch with our inner crocodile and letting it take over our skin. For me, this means time to bring out the big guns and big butters. And shea. Lots of shea.

Quench Bath and Body have several shea products, and I got to try both the oil and the body whip. Out of the two, my favorite is the oil, mostly because the ease of use. It spreads evenly and is immediately absorbed, leaving no oily residue while fully moisturizing and making the skin feel comfortable even when it's bitter cold and snowing outside. It's quick, easy and effective, and as an added benefit it also extends the wear of my perfume of the day. This oil is unscented and has a faint smell of a nutty vegetable oil that fades as soon as it's absorbed.

All that doesn't mean that the body whip isn't a good product. It's made of 20% shea butter, which is quite rich. But the buttery texture demands more time and elbow grease in order to work it fully into the skin. The result is great, but considering my favorite body cream from L'Occitane, Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream, has 25% shea butter and a softer texture that makes it easier to apply, I'm not swept off my feet.

Quench Shea Body Products are available from the company's website. I got mine as a PR freebie.

Black Soap

There's something a bit disturbing about a black soap. The muddy color doesn't seem right for a product that's supposed to clean, and the smell isn't all that great, either. But the African Black Soap Facial Wash from Quench , a small company that offers a handful of products based on natural African ingredients, is a real gem.
(Despite the somewhat annoying web site)

I've been using it for the last couple of weeks with great results. At first, I was worried that the "squeaky clean" feeling it gave me while washing my face meant that the soap was stripping the skin, but to my surprise it didn't. I didn't get the all too familiar tightening sensation that screams for moisturizer.

The cleansing action is very good. It washes away all the grime, including makeup, leaves my skin soft, doesn't cause any irritation, redness or breakouts and doesn't leave any residue behind. All that, without drying and causing skin go into an overdrive of oil-producing. It seems to be gentle enough even in cold weather, which is very welcome right about now. Despite the non-cosmetic scent and the simple packaging, this cleanser feels almost like a luxury product.

They claim the soap is made of organic materials, but the label of the sample I was sent has no further details or a "certified organic" stamp. Also, the list of ingredients doesn't seem to be full. I wasn't too worried, because my allergies have yet to be triggered by a non-mass market product.