Massage without the mess

Zoë massage lotion from Luz de la Riva is a thick, creamy lotion that can be used as a massage aid or as a general body moisturizer. It contains several natural ingredients and is available in three scents: Marrakesh, Wild Orchid, and Sweet Chérie. The product is not labeled as an edible massage product, so do not ingest. The lotion also contains (vegetable) glycerin; thus, users with sensitivities to that ingredient should keep this product away from their naughty bits (this product should not be used as a sexual lubricant to begin with).

Zoë massage lotion is very thick and creamy; rather than run down skin, it will stay where it is placed. The product is very slick and smooth with no grains, granules, or textures of any kind. Whether using a larger amount for massage or a smaller amount for simple skin hydration, the lotion rubs easily into skin and takes moments to several minutes (depending on amount used) before absorbing. After absorption, skin is left soft and smooth, not sticky or greasy.

The massage lotion is available in three scents: Marrakesh, Wild Orchid, and Sweet Chérie. The Wild Orchid is listed as having the following notes: Capucine, Vanilla Orchid, Cattleya Orchid, Clemetine, Camellia, Hydrangea, Musk, Soft Woods, Blackberry, and White Amber. The Wild Orchid smells very floral with a hint of blackberry underneath. The scent is not overwhelming when in use; the scent lasts on skin between 2 to 3 hours before fading and can really only be smelled by sniffing close to the skin.

This is an external use only product: do not ingest.

As a massage aid, Zoë massage lotion performs adequately. Because of the large number of oils in the ingredient list, the product does glide across skin and it produces a slick surface for massage. However, those used to using only oil massage products might find that the lotion absorbs into the skin quicker than they would like, or it provides a little bit more drag than they are used to. I found that as long as the massaged area was continuously worked (thus moving the product about and not allowing it to absorb), the skin remained slick - of course more product could be applied if more slickness is desired. Much more of the lotion is needed for a massage than one would need when using an oil.

As a body moisturizer, the product worked nicely as well. Obviously a much smaller amount was needed for each body part, and it absorbed more quickly because of using less. After absorption, skin is smooth, soft, and lightly scented (as mentioned above, the scent is detectable for about 2 to 3 hours before fading).

Zoë massage lotion comes in a clear plastic bottle with a white label wrapped around it. The bottle holds 5.25 fluid ounces of product. The front of the label has the product name and scent along with a drawing of a woman. While the woman is nude, no naughty bits are shown, and the drawing is not offensive or overtly sexual in any way. The bottle could easily fit in with other body care product packages without drawing too much attention to itself. Also, the bottle has a pump top dispenser; rather than unscrewing the pump and allowing the rest of it to pop up, the pump top simply rotates left or right to lock or unlock it so the product can be dispensed. This makes traveling with the bottle easier than with other average pump top bottles.