Awhile ago I got a package in my hot little hands, and I was excited to see it was Burt's Bees Natural Skincare for Men. Naturally (pardon the pun) I gave it to the hubby for testing...
We both try to be as green as possible, and we're really trying to get things as natural as we can in a lot of ways. I thought this would be right up his alley... and I was right!
The Natural Skin Care collection for men is a natural-ingredient line, which is awesome, and it contains no parabens, which is really awesome or completely unnecessary, depending on who tells the tale.
My husband, let's call him "Michael" ('cause that's his name) spread his testing over a few days so as to really get a feel for the products. What he tried was the Travel Kit ($13 USD), which is such a great way to test products. The kit had the following items in it:
*
Natural Skin Care for Men Cologne (.03 fl. oz.)
* Natural Skin Care for Men Aftershave (.5 fl. oz.)
* Natural Skin Care for Men Shave Cream (.5 fl. oz.)
* Natural Skin Care for Men Bar Soap (1 oz.)
* Natural Skin Care for Men Body Wash (1 fl. oz.)
* Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (.15 oz.)
Read on for the reviews.
Day 1 of testing:
Natural Skin Care for Men Shave Cream - Close shaves are the goal for most men, and preferably comfortable close shaves. In the Burt's Bees Natural Skin Care for Men Shave Cream, this is exactly what you get, according to Michael. He loved it, and is tossing aside his current shaving product (Jack Black) for this one. Let me tell you what natural goodies are in this miracle cream: Calendula (from the marigold plant) is a soothing and emollient oil that calms skin; linden also adds a soothing aspect; chamomile is gentle and hydrating, keeping skin calm and full of moisture; sunflower seed, coconut, tangerine, bergamot, lemon peel, orange peel, and patchouli oils add rich scent and delicious slip to the cream. This product is chock-full of amazing ingredients, and it pays off: Michael said this was the closest and most comfortable shave he's 
ever had. A full size is 6 oz and only $8 - and it's 100% natural.
Natural Skin Care for Men Body Wash - Billed by Burt's as "an invigorating buzz," this body wash has coconut, citrus and sunflower oils meant to give skin a great cleansing polish, while cypress and fir oils give great scent. Sadly, this product didn't fare nearly as well as the last, but it wasn't a complete dud. Michael likes a bath product that gives a good lather, and this did not. It felt, according to him, difficult to spread and then difficult to wash off completely. He said he liked it, in fact really liked the smell, but didn't love it overall and certainly wouldn't purchase it. 12 fl oz is only $8, and this gel is 100% natural.
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Natural Skin Care for Men Cologne - I personally enjoyed this one, which is saying a lot because citrusy colognes don't do it for me. But I'm getting ahead of myself - let me tell you about the cologne, eh? Essential oils are the key here, and I'm totally down with that as you probably know since I'm such a fragrance oil fan. Lemon and Orange Oils lend a zippy and invigorating tartness, while Bergamot energizes. Cypress and Fir oils balance the citrus with a grounded woodiness that isn't overpowering. This is the first fragrance I've heard Michael say he'd go out and buy. Great endorsement! Full size bottles run $25 USD for 2 fl oz, and this is a 100% natural cologne.
Day 2 of testing:
- Natural Skin Care for Men Bar Soap - I was interested to see how this t
esting went, since the shower gel was so unimpressive. I thought it was doubtful this product would be able to garner up enough lather to make it purchase-worthy. Even worse, I was worried it would be drying. Boy, I was wrong. Lemon, orange, bergamot and pettigrain (tangerine) oils give this product the signature scent for this line, while rosemary extract and fir oil perk skin right up. This went over very well - the lather was almost perfect, the scent was great, no residue was left behind, and the skin felt conditioned (and not dry!) after the shower was done. This is a repurchase product. A bar of this great soap is only $4 USD, and this product is 99.72% natural!
- Natural Skin Care for Men Aftershave - I'm not really sure what men are looking for in aftershaves. I suspect most want these products to take away any sting that may have resulted from the shaving, and probably it would be great if the skin felt hydrated but
not oily, too.
This aftershave promises to do all of that, using sunflower and coconut oils for moisture, aloe and Vitamin E for soothing, and that great scent we've come to expect from this line. Michael liked the scent (it goes with the rest of the line) and the creamy consistency. This is another winner. 2.5oz is $8 and 100% natural.
Oh, and the Beeswax Lip Balm? Why is there no review here? Um... it's possible that he never saw it. It's one of my favorites, so it may have ended up in my purse. Ahem... sorry 'bout that.
Lanolin, coconut oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, gentle peppermint zestiness, convenient twist-up applicator... what's not to like? $3 USD and 95.29% natural.
