In an earlier post, I mentioned that Tanamera Tropical Spa Products are made in Malaysia and of export quality. During my visit to one of Tanamera’s retail outlets, I was given a few products to try out. Having sniffed most of the products at their outlet, I had no doubt bathtime would be even more pleasant with the following products:-
(1) Brown Formulation Body Soap (125g/RM15)
All Tanamera soaps are based on a unique formulation of tropical herbs and essential oils. There is only one Facial Soap (Black Formulation) and three Body Soaps (White, Brown & Green Formulation). The brown, black and green soaps are rice based scrub soaps using three types of grains as the exfoliating agent. The white soap has a more moisturizing and softening effect on the skin.
The Brown Formulation soap contains herbs (turmeric, wild ginger & cinnamon) and grains which create a gritty surface that helps in removing dead skin cells and improve blood circulation to the skin. Like other Tanamera product, the soap is packaged using recycled materials. The outer packaging doesn’t need to be torn to remove the soap. it’s just neatly folded into the middle where there is a separate piece of paper holding the folds in place. The name of the product and description are printed on that middle strip.
Once you remove the soap from the outer packaging, you’ll see that the soap is protected by a sealed white plastic covering. This also ensures that the scent of the soap doesn’t dissipate. There’s something quite rustic about the packaging in general.
It’s a very solid piece of soap and doesn’t look like it’s the sort that will go soggy after a while. Since it doesn’t contain SLS/SLES, there isn’t a lot of foam/lather but it’s adequate. The surface of the soap has a gritty feel and when applied to the skin, it really does feel like I am using a scrub.
Patchouli oil has been added to the Brown Formulation Soap but it isn’t a strong scent. It’s a pleasant enough scent but I wouldn’t have minded if the scent was slightly stronger. After using this soap. my skin does feel smoother than when I use regular soap.
Overall, I like the heavy feel of the soap, it tells me that the price is justified and actually, it isn’t nearly as expensive as some other soaps out there which have natural ingredients. I also like the fact that it doubles up as a scrub so that a separate scrub is actually unnecessary.
Tanamera’s Himalayan Rock Salt Scrub is also available in a 450gm jar and Organic Brown Sugar scrub in a 350gm jar. Of course, a sachet of scrub isn’t travel-friendly at all and it’s best to depot the entire contents into a jar or tub. It’s also easier to extract the scrub since you don’t want to get the sachet wet.
Whether you are transferring the scrub into a separate container or using it straight from the sachet, it’s advisable to use a spatula or if you don’t have one, use a spoon to take out the amount you need. You don’t want any water to get into the scrubs. Both scrubs are recommended for usage after soaping to maintain the oily barrier to skin.
Both scrubs are 70% organic content and the rest completely natural (ingredients), they contain water soluble oils that will not clog waterways and are said to be suitable for sensitive skins. Opening the sachets released their respective fragrances. The Himalayan Rock Salt scrub has ginger, lemongrass, lemon and lavender essential oils to help with poor circulation and stress exhaustion while the Organic Brown Sugar Scrub has Ylang Ylang essential oils for relaxing and rejuvenating the senses.
I knew I was in love with the Himalayan Rock Salt Scrub the moment I opened the sachet. It was a “WOW!” moment, the combination of all those essential oils was simply perfect. The scrub granules are very small and fine. There is an oily film over the scrub and that makes it really moisturising.
It was such a pleasure scrubbing my skin with this particular scrub. I had to remind myself to use it sparingly otherwise I might not make it last a week. Whether it was my feet, knees, elbows or shoulders, every area scrubbed was instantly smoother. Everyone should have the Himalayan Rock Salt Scrub in their bathrooms.
With the Organic Brown Sugar Scrub though, I was less enchanted, perhaps because I am just not that into the Ylang Ylang scent? I couldn’t convince myself into liking this scent. I much preferred the Himalayan Rock Salt scrub scent but then again, scent is a very subjective matter.
The scrub granules in the Organic Brown Sugar scrub are bigger than the Himalayan Rock Salt scrub and as such, I found it a bit harder to use as they kept falling off my skin. Also, there seems to be less oil in the Organic Brown Sugar scrub so that makes it drier. No doubt the effect was the same, skin became smoother after using the Organic Brown Sugar scrub but I also preferred the Himalayan Rock Salt scrub for its finer texture.
