Menthol, you say? I knew menthol was a good decongestant, that it's used in some cigarettes, cough medicines, mouth washes and toothpastes, that it relieves minor aches and pains (think IcyHot), but I had never come across menthol in a lotion before. So I did a little research.
It turns out that Lubriderm's competitors, Aveeno and Eucerin, both have a menthol itch/skin relief lotion in their product ranges. It also turns out that the reason why these brands have a menthol variant is because menthol has itch relieving/preventing properties, i.e. it's an antipruritic - something I never knew! No wonder these brands are adding it to their skin relief ranges!
Now being satisfied with my menthol knowledge, I believe it's time to get down to business. How menthol-y is this menthol variant?
The initial scent out of the bottle is a very quiet, almost non-existent, menthol scent that barely covers the plastic-y base smell of the lotion. In use, though, watch out! The menthol comes alive and tingles the skin and the nose pleasantly with its simple, cough-drop-esque scent.
So, did I smell like I had lathered myself in Vicks VapoRub? About five minutes after I put the lotion on my arms and legs, I asked a passerby to smell me. Admittedly, they did look at me like I was crazy, but when they realized I was serious, they took a breath and answered 'no'. When I asked if I smelled of menthol they also said 'no'.
Fantastic - I can confirm that if you use this lotion you will not smell like a walking medicine cabinet! Thus, I would categorize this as a fragrance success - you get the cooling menthol benefits without the overwhelming menthol stench!
I wonder if Jergens Soothing Aloe Vera lotion (launched Nov 2011) is trying to compete with all the menthol variants that have recently launched... ?
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