When I received this "skin protectant body lotion" to test, I was both impressed and appalled with the viscosity of the product. For the most dry, cracked and ailing parts of my skin, it felt good going on, healing even. For the normal majority of my body, the lotion is just too thick to work with.
Living in the southwest of the USA, I have dry hands as a rule. I use a lot of lotion several times a day on hands, arms and legs, but the Vaseline Clinical Therapy Body Lotion is still uncomfortably waxy for me. I always need to grab a towel and clean the excess goo from my palms after application. It's too bad, in a sense, as I really did want to like this product. I used it for months, in both climates both hot/dry and cold/windy, hoping the lotion would grow on me.
I tried to engage my husband as a tester, as he also is a daily lotion user. He termed the product too rich and "greasy" and found it hard to rub in. We decided to use the lotion on our somewhat scaly lower legs and be content to wash our hands after use, reapplying another lotion for our dry palms.
My sense is that I am not precisely the target market for a formulation subtitled, "Intensive Rescue." My skin, while dry and sometimes cracked in hot spots like cuticles, shins and elbows, is not really in need of a clinical strength lotion. I prefer a more elegant formulation that sinks in and leaves only a moist, dewy sensation behind.
For persons with severely dry skin, I suspect the lotion is a godsend. The ingredients are sound, including glycerin, mineral oil, herbal borage oil (thought to be helpful for ecxema and other skin problems), soybean oil, Vitamin E and lecithin. Tapioca starch provides a slight "powder" sensation, while active ingredient dimethicone adds a protective "glove-like" residue. The titanium dioxide adds the opacity seen in sunscreens (as it's the last ingredient on the list, there would not be enough to add a useful SPF factor).
Both the "lightly fragranced" and "unfragranced" versions are scented, which in both cases is mild, pleasant and reminiscent of days on the beach.
Vaseline makes good, solid lotions in general, and I would recommend this product to anyone with very dry, cracked and bothered skin. It's also an excellent supplementary lotion to keep in the medicine cabinet for dry skin emergencies, or to add a protective skin barrier in cold, windy climates.
However, for daily wear on normal to slightly dry skin, my conclusion is that the Vaseline Clinical Therapy Body Lotion is a bit of overkill. The bottle advertises "for extremely dry skin"...and that is the demographic that will make the most of this unique product.
Amazon sells this product in packs of three in both lightly fragranced and unfragranced versions:
Vaseline Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Body Lotion, Lightly Fragranced, 6.8-Ounce Bottle (Pack of 3)
Vaseline Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Body Lotion, Unfragranced, 6.8-Ounce Bottle (Pack of 3)
