Patently Obvious Rosemary and Lavender Hand Wash Review

Typical price:

£3.49

We like:

The performance; the recycled plastic bottle; it's paraben-free

We don't like:

The lack of straightforward information about the ingredients and how it manages to be "kind to the planet and antibacterial" at the same time

SmartPlanet judgement:

Ingredient names such as Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol made us a little worried about the green credentials of this hand wash. While we wouldn't call it the most natural hand wash ever, we are happy that our ingredients-check showed no harmful stuff and no parabens. We like its performance and we like the design of the recycled bottle and think it's a brilliant way to take Carex users a step closer to being extreme greenies.

Score:

Contact:

Nice Car Company at http://www.patentlyobvious.co.uk

This hand wash has just about everything we could want. It works wonders, cleans our hands without drying out our skin and it comes in a 100 per cent recycled plastic bottle that's incredibly well designed -- it looks chic and it has a cool spout that ensures there's no dripping anywhere. Patently Obvious' Rosemary and Lavender hand wash even claims to be good to the environment while still being antibacterial. What more could we want?

Well, Patently Obvious could be a little more straightforward. We don't like just being told that it's "tough on germs, mild and kind to our skin (and the planet, too)". We would like to be told how that's possible, which we aren't. Also, the CI 60730, Cocamide DEA and parfum on the 25-long ingredients list don't instill the same trust in us as lavendula angustifolia (lavender oil) does. The ingredient Tris (tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) citrate -- though it isn't harmful to us -- doesn't exactly make us feel like we're washing our hands with the most natural of soaps.

Plus, the scent is more that of babywipes than rosemary and lavender. We don't actually mind that, but it doesn't add to a 'natural' impression of the hand wash. That said, it doesn't include parabens, which we appreciate big time -- even if the ingredients list is long, tongue-twisting and not so exciting for a fan of straightforward organic ingredients.

On the ethical side, we're very happy to find that Patently Obvious doesn't test any of its ingredients or finished products on animals. The products are manufactured in the UK by Universal Products Lytham Manufacturing Ltd (UPL), which assures us all employees are treated fairly and the raw materials are sourced responsibly.

By manufacturing and only distributing in the UK, Patently Obvious also keeps transport emissions to a minimum. The company also shows it's down with the green kids by packaging the hand wash in a bottle made in the UK from 100 per cent recycled PET plastic -- old drink bottles to be exact.

And that's the point with Patently Obvious, we think. It's made for 'new greenies' -- not extreme green consumers. It's for those who want a hand wash that's more environmentally friendly than Carex but without compromising performance and looks. As it's available from Boots, it also appeals to the mainstream by being easy to get hold of, which we're all for.

While Carex users might find Patently Obvious' hand wash expensive at twice the price, we think it's worth paying more for any mainstream attempt at getting rid of harsh chemicals and using recycled packaging -- and giving us good performance and a cool design.

Score breakdown:

 

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