Johnson's Baby

Sometimes, a brand is so well known and has been accepted by the public for so many generations that it's name becomes synonymous with the product they manufacture - for example, Hoover for vacuum cleaners or Coke for cola based drinks. Similarly, some brands immediately spring to mind at the mere mention of a type of product and for me - and I am surely not alone - Johnson's is the name that I immediately associate with baby oil or tears-free baby shampoo.

They probably have been slightly tweaked and modernised from time to time but the bottles look exactly the way I remember them from when I was small ! They probably even looked pretty much the same when my parents were kids or even possibly my grandparents as the packaging mentions "The original Johnson's Baby softness trusted by mums for over 100 years". It has certainly stood the test of time and continues to be a market leader, even with all the modern natural/organic/luxury/budget ranges that have been introduced over the years. A friend of mine with a young son asked me if it didn't annoy me that the bottles were pink and wouldn't it be better if they had a more unisex colour ? I must admit, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind but I had two girls before Pierre so maybe I'm immune to all things pink and girly !

The products are so well known that I hardly need to tell you what they're like ! The soft cream really is soft and sinks into baby's skin leaving it lovely and smooth and soft with no greasiness at all. It's gentle enough to be used all over the entire body - I even use it on Pierre's face when his skin looks dry - and it comes in such a big tube that I have absolutely no qualms about borrowing it for myself as well ! The smell is so reminiscent of babies, it's the olfactory version of snuggling up in a big soft towel that's been lovingly warmed on the radiator while you have a bath - perfect for destressing and feeling snuggly at the end of a long day.

I have to admit that until I had both bottles at hand to scrutinise, I could never see any difference between the baby cream and the baby lotion. I use them interchangeably for moisturising baby's (and my own ! ) skin and I just assumed that the only difference was that the cream had a very slightly thicker texture. However, after carefully reading the labels, I noticed that the lotion says : "Apply directly on to skin to perfectly moisturise or apply on cotton wool to effectively remove oily substances that water alone cannot".

I've just had one of those lightbulb-above-the-head moments ! I've always disliked baby oil because it leaves such a greasy residue, even if it does work really well for treating severely dehydrated skin and for removing cradle cap. Next time I use it, I'll be sure to try removing the oily residue with the baby lotion as suggested.

Speaking of baby oil, it's always difficult to squirt out a small amount without making a big mess so I was very impressed with Johnson's baby oil gel. The product can be used in exactly the same way as normal baby oil and has the same properties but it's not so runny and is much easier to handle. A marked improvement when you have a wriggly - not to mention slippery, if you've been using baby oil - baby to keep hold of !

I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted but if you've never tried Johnson's Baby Soft products, I highly recommend them. It sounds like an advertising slogan but if they've been around for over 100 years, generations of mothers surely can't be wrong !

star rating : 5/5