Dona Bath salts are yet another delightfully amazing product in the new line of products featured here on Eden Fantasy's. Unlike various other bath salts out on the market, the Dona Bath salts can be used by themselves or in conjunction with other Dona products as a part of their 5 step ritual. As a product by itself, these bath salts are really great for relaxing and soaking in. Using bath salts is so incredibly easy there is little to no effort involved. All you need to do is starting running your bath water and sprinkle/pour/scoop a generous amount of the salt near, or under the running water. The salt will start to dissolve and disperse throughout the water fairly quickly. I honestly do recommend a warm to hot bath with this particular product; it really brings out its qualities in its aroma. There are other ways to use bath salts such at this particular one, you can always just use a small amount in the bath tub, or a plastic/glass bowl and soak just your feet. This can be rather relaxing but also beneficial in keeping your feet healthy and clean! I have personally done this after a long day at work and my feet don't smell or feel the best, I soak them for a good 20-30 minutes and they feel so clean and smell much better!

There is no scoop included with the container, so I recommend using a plastic measuring spoon if you are looking to measure each scoop out. The container is only 9oz in size which costs $1.11 per 1oz, comparing this to Venus bath salts; those are $1.12 per 1oz. The directions for this product just say "add generously under running water" with no specific suggested measurement. So with that in mind, we will again compare this to Venus Bath salts. The Venus brand suggests to "a few teaspoons" to your bath, so let's just say 3 teaspoons measured out, which equals 1 tablespoon. Using this same formula with 1 tablespoon measuring at 1/2 ounce, Dona bath salts should yield about 18 baths. But I personally like to use about 2 tablespoons to get a more aromatic experience and benefit more from the salt itself. So if you were to use the same amount as I like to, this is actually going to be 9 baths per container. If you limit yourself to one salt bath a week, then it should last you a good 9 weeks.

These bath salts make a great gift for many different reasons, whether as a bridal gift, or a general gift basket. If you know someone that recently just started feeling better after being sick? Why not give them some relaxing soothing bath salts to make them feel even better and help clear them up! Even better, they are all natural without the use of harsh chemicals or parabens making them much safer for your body. These salts are great for soothing inflamed muscles, as well as conditioning and soothing your skin. As far as any allergy concerns, this product I believe is glycerin free, but I would still recommend you take a look at the ingredient list for more detailed information under the "special features" section of this review. This product is for external use only, please do not eat any or drink the water, not only do I imagine it would taste disgusting, but would not be good for you.

If you have ever used rock salt for melting ice in the winter, then you can pretty imagine that this product will look the same. However the quality of the salt is more refined and has more clarity to it. There is not really any coloring on the salt, so your bath water will look just like bath water. The salt itself ranges in different consistencies, small, medium and larger pieces however nothing as big as let's say a dime. You will probably get little white or darker colored rocks/pebbles included with the salt, I'm not sure if this is intentional or not, but most likely because the salt is derived from the Sea. I really like that the salt is dry and there is no clumping or sticking inside the container (I’d still avoid getting water inside it). The salt feels dry between my hands and does not really leave any residue on my skin which is a bonus if you want to use your hands to scoop it out.

Once the salt comes into contact with the water it turns into a pure clear salt, almost looks like pebbles of glass and quickly dissolves into the running water. Since the salt is not colored with any food dyes, your bath water should stay consistent clear water rather than colored. After running the water and the salt is fully dissolved I notice no film, scum, or skin forming on or in the water. However after sliding into the tub and the water had settled and was calm, I noticed there were white fuzzy things floating around. There was maybe 5-10 that I noticed and the best way I can describe it was that they looked like the outside shell of the salt grain it came off of. Almost like as if the layer of ingredients did not dissolve completely into the water. Using my hands carefully, I was able to remove some of this from the water and rub it between my fingers to see if maybe it was white lint/dirt or something else. It dissolved between my fingers and then back into the water when I put my hands back in the tub. It didn't feel unpleasant or really bother me, but I feel it important to mention that in this review. After soaking, I always rinse down the tub and my body (personal preference) however this is not necessary. I found there to be no unpleasant residue on my skin after soaking but it rather left my skin looking healthy and feeling soft.

Here is the best picture I could take, as you can see, no coloring to the salt and various sizes. The larger pieces will take longer to dissolve obviously.

Honestly, in all my life I have never had as much difficulty trying to explain or even begin to describe a scent as I have with the Camu Camu scented bath salts. When you first open the container, you are hit in the face with a fairly powerful aroma and near overwhelming one I might add. This will not sound appealing at first, but trust me it gets better, but when you first open the container, it almost smells like an over-chlorinated swimming pool. So it does have for a short while, a chlorine chemical-like smell. Generally, this shouldn't be a problem unless you plan on smelling this directly from the container. After about 10 seconds of letting the container air out, the aroma reduces quite significantly, but still noticeable. At this stage, there are a few ways I can try to explain what I pick up. First, I pick up on the salty smell, but it is fairly well covered up with a somewhat light vanilla floral with subtle suggestions of light fruits such as berries. As it airs out even more, it becomes more enjoyable for me to actually smell. At this point it honestly reminds me of sitting on the beach when I used to live in Australia, my feet in the cold water and the smell of air, wind, ocean, salt and sand filled my senses. Just thinking about this aroma and having it remind me of Australia makes me kind of home sick.

Now you are probably thinking of that chlorine scent I described and at this point deciding you’re not choosing this scent. Well, when I thought this scent was complex enough and hard to describe, I was further shocked when I placed the salt under running water in the bath tub. I have a rather small bathroom in my apartment, so whether I have the door open or closed the aroma still will fill the bathroom up. Once again, the Camu Camu decided it wanted to play tricks on me and change its aroma profile again. For me, once it filled the bathroom the aroma become a sweet, subtle and light perfume like smell. But not like your traditional perfume, but a rather gender friendly light aromatic pretty smell. This is the part of the aromatic experience I have the most trouble describing. My fiancée (who is one of the pickiest people I have ever known when it comes to smells) commented that it smelt very pretty and relaxing. In fact, she liked it so much that she even took a bath using this product. In both cases on her and me, the aroma was pleasant, and actually stayed noticeable on our skin for a couple hours after leaving the bath tub. On our skin, the aroma was fairly light, so if we were to hug each other, we could pick up the scent, but not really so much if we walked by each other. I'd like to also point out that the night she used the bath salts, she did not rinse out the tub, so the next day when I took a shower, the whole bathroom filled with the aroma again because of the tub not being rinsed out originally.

After using this product a few times now, I find it performs like most other bath salts out there. While it does have nourishing ingredients and minerals, I cannot see a huge difference in using this vs. let’s say Venus brand. Don't get me wrong, this really nourishes conditions and makes my skin look healthy, but not to a noticeable degree that would separate it from other comparable quality bath salts. However the main performing feature is the scent in this particular product. Camu Camu in this product is intended to be a mood-lifting and energizing formula! I personally find it relaxing and soothing myself, but after my bath I do feel slightly more energized and maybe uplifted. This could just simply be a mental state, or my body reacting in this particular way to the product. Again, comparing to Venus bath salts, those made me feel very relaxed and sleepy. I also like the fact that after soaking in the bath salts I do not feel it necessary to rinse off afterwards due to any residue.

Because I have been using various bath and beauty products, I can't say for certain as a product by itself how well it will perform in nourishing your skin. Everyone's skin is different and will react differently to such a product like bath salts. I can certainly say that when I use the Dona bath salts, that my skin feels soft and nourished with a healthy appearance. Used in conjunction with other Dona bath products, the results are even more amazing, for example---before using any Dona bath products I was using Venus bath salts maybe 1 - 2 times a week. After receiving Dona bath salts and Dona body polish, my skin has quickly started to appear healthier, feel softer and even the red bumps (Keratosis Pilaris) on my upper arms have significantly faded and healed. So overall I am very pleased with the performance of these bath salts and other Dona products. If you were to follow the 5 step Dona ritual, I can only imagine the results would be even more fantastic. Finally, don't forget to check out the "special features" section of this review for information on the 5 step Dona ritual.

From what you can see on the product page, all of the Dona Baths salts come in a purple colored lace design on the label. While personally from a male perspective, this does nothing for me in terms of visuals. It really doesn't matter what the container looks like to me as long as it works. Each container is home to 9oz of bath salt that is fairly well protected with a screw on cover. The container is made of plastic and is number 5 PP (Polypropylene) recyclable; it's not the easiest plastic to recycle so you may have to go through a local recycle program. The container is sturdy and should survive most falls to the ground from your average waist height. It's overall an appealing design and should make a great gift, however is not the most travel friendly container. If you plan on using the product once or twice while going on a trip or vacation, I’d suggest transferring enough salt to a smaller plastic container with a sturdy cover that will stay on.

As a personal opinion I find this packaging discreet, I really am not going to be bothered or embarrassed if someone see's I am using an aphrodisiac bath salt. But because the word aphrodisiac usually suggests enhancing sexual desire, you may otherwise want to keep it hidden from those you do not wish to know about your product. The backside of the packaging has an ingredient list along with the follow wording "The Spice of Sensuality" and "Super-fruit & Aphrodisiac-infused. Relaxing bath salts from the Dead Sea. Nurture your body; arouse your senses." They also list the safety features such as "Paraban Free" (If I’m not mistaken, a typo on the label, should be "Paraben Free"). Finally a website is listed as www.DONAbyJO.com but at the time of this review being published it is not currently up. Latest word from the manufacturer is that they are in the process of setting it up.

Aphrodisiacs.

While the Dona product line insists that all the products are infused with 1 of 6 known and proven aphrodisiacs, there is still a lot of debate on this subject. While there is no hard evidence I could personally find, I think this will vary based on a person to person basis. An aphrodisiac is supposed to evoke or stimulate sexual desire, but again this will be on a personal basic between each person. The aphrodisiacs in these products are the scents themselves; Açaí, Blue Lotus, Camu Camu, Goji Berry, Mangosteen and Pomegranate.

Ingredients.

(INCI)---International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients
Sodium Chloride - Magnesium Sulfate - Silica - Maltodextrin - Sodium Hyaluronate - Beta Glucan - Panthenol - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - Allantoin - Aloe Barbadensis - Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Oil - Laminaria Digitata (Algae) Extract - Myrciaria Dubia (Camu Camu) Fruit Powder - Fragrance (Sadly fragrance can mean many things)

Additional Features.

Each product is;
-created with natural and naturally derived ingredients obtained from renewable resources.
-Eco-friendly and biodegradable.
-free of mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin, and other petroleum derivatives.
-free of parabens, sulfates, harsh chemicals, or preservatives.
-is cruelty-free and not tested on animals.

The 5 Step Dona Ritual.

1. Relax---"Slow down and set the sensual tone."
2. Cleanse---"Purify your body using luxurious lathers, exfoliators, and gels."
3. Nourish---"Make your skin touchable and kissably soft."
4. Illuminate---"Enhance your natural beauty and space."
5. Engage---"Share the fun with sensual play products."

While I have high respect so far for the new Dona line of bath and body products, my only wish is that there was more accessible information of the line available. In time I am beginning to feel the "aphrodisiac" is being pushed too much as a marketing pitch. Some customers will find that these products do help to increase their sexual desire. However, some people such as myself will find them high quality and lovely smelling, but nothing that really makes you feel aroused sexually due to an ingredient inside of the product.

On a positive note, I would like to point out that compared to many other bath salts, this particular product does have quite a few ingredients that aid in smoothing and moisturizing your skin. Rather than just soaking your body in salt, you can have the added benefits of moisturizing ingredients. I think this whole line is more than fairly priced! I have browsed at other websites that are now selling the line, while some offer the same prices here; many are still more expensive than Eden Fantasy's. So I plan on ordering these from Eden Fantasy's because they are cheap in cost, I can use points towards the purchase, get a free gift with the order and safely know and trust in Eden that I will be receiving great products and customer service. Overall my rating is going to be 5 stars for this product, I think it performs well and smells great when taking a bath. It has given noticeable changes in my skin health and appearance.

Overall my experience with Dona bath salts and their products in general have been near 100% positive in every aspect. The products seem to deliver on pretty much everything they are designed to do. I have noticed that my skin is really starting to change in appearance and health, especially using this product in conjunction with other salt products. I think so far the greatest and most enjoyable part of experiencing these bath salts was the fact that my fiancée actually did finally enjoy something I did in a bath product. Generally we are the opposite, so it was really nice for a change for her to take an interest and enjoy using this product with me. This has also been a great addition to my new bath and body products addiction lately because it really aids in reducing pain in my back and muscles after a long work week.