Dona body wash - soap discontinued by System JO - review by Gary A.

I think it's pretty self-explanatory as to what this product is and what it is used for but I will indulge you and explain it anyways. This is a gel-like shower and bath body wash by Dona, it is all natural and using it is simple! You can use a wash cloth, loofa or whatever else you might like and apply generously and start scrubbing away. There is a pump feature with this bottle which is great, making it easy to dispense your body wash. It smells great and using it solo is fun, but even more fun when washing someone else with this product. I have found another use for this and that is when bathing in Dona bath salts I will sometimes at the end of my soak rub my body with this body wash in the same scent. The end results regardless is to leave you feeling fresh and clean and smelling oh so good.

Check out the ingredients on this product and make sure that you aren't allergic to any of the ingredients. Sadly there is glycerin in the body wash, however you can always do a test spot to be certain of any reactions.

This body wash reminds me of a golden honey or maple syrup with a thick gel consistency. It is slick and slippery but quickly lathers up on a wash cloth with some water. It is really easy to dispense with the pump in the bottle and I think it feels great. It can make the shower floor a little slippery so I would be careful, however it is really easy to rinse off the body. I have found it is also easy to rinse out of the wash cloth I use but there is a reason for that. Sadly the downfall to this is that the texture is not highly concentrated leading to less lather, making it easier to rinse out of my wash cloth since there isn't as much in it. After my shower I don't really feel any residue on my skin but it leaves me feeling very clean.

Oddly enough I went with camu camu in this body wash rather than the pomegranate. I wanted to try something different and felt that maybe the pomegranate would be too sweet. The camu camu is very unique and hard to describe, but in my best attempt it reminds me of a fresh and crispy light vanilla and clean cotton smell like you might find in an air-freshener. However it does not have a strong aroma and does not smell chemical in any way, it smells very natural and pleasant. When lathering the body wash all over my body I can smell the camu camu and it fills the bathroom lightly enough to enjoy it, but not overwhelming. After my shower the aroma dissipates fast but stays on my skin for a good hour.

I am somewhat torn on the performance with this product. I generally use C.O. Bigelow Elixir Black body wash from Bath and Body Works in an 8oz container. It is highly concentrated and it lasts a long time while also lathering up extremely well. One pump equivalent to Dona body wash is enough to lather and wash my body 2 or 3 times over. However with Dona body wash, I need to use at least 2 full pumps to get a decent lather to cover my whole body. This is the only downfall to this product, which leads to the price being very high for a short lasting body wash. However, I do find the Dona body wash to clean my body just as well as my usual body wash and it smells a lot better. Overall I also like the way the Dona body wash feels on my skin.

While the pump feature is great, it's probably the only positive thing that I can say about the packaging. I have ordered 3 camu camu body wash products by Dona, and personally know others who have ordered various scents of the body wash. In all cases (10 or more bottles) all the caps are broken and leak. First, each time the cap is almost impossible to open to allow the use of the pump. You have to twist it counter-clockwise for it to pop-up, however most of the time it won't work. After some trial and error and pulling up while turning I finally got it to pop up. To go along with this annoying part, body wash gel would seep and leak out of the top when the cap pops up on a one time basis.

Sadly it doesn't end there, while the pump functions correctly after it is popped up, it leaks by itself. I will have it sitting out on a shelf, or in the bathroom, and the liquid will very slowly drip and ooze out of the nozzle. Not sure why or how, but it does this will all 10+ bottles from what I have learned so far. This also brings me to the conclusion it is not travel friendly at all. Sure you can lock the the pump back down, but it will squirt out a full pump then lock into place. With the leaky bottle and all, it is not ideal for travel.

In my experience with Dona body wash I have found it takes a lot of the product and a fair amount water with time and patience to get the lather I enjoy. Comparing it with my other body wash I find Dona gives me a much better clean feel overall each time I use it. One particular night I accidentally left the body wash in the shower and a roommate decided to use it and they have fallen in love with the smell. So be warned, hide your body wash.