As a member of the ultra-sensitive, everything-makes-me-break-out club I am always on the look out for gentle cleansers of the hypoallergenic variety. I avoid so-called beauty bars for their sandpaper-like effect and bodywashes are used grudgingly since most drugstore brands dry my skin, most likely due to the presence of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Propylene Glycol or something equally abhorrent.

Enter Sliquid Splash, a gentle, ph-balanced feminine wash. Initially I had zero plans to order soap from a sex toy site, but quite a few members raved about it and I'm a sucker for goods made in the USA, so I gave in.

I decided to experiment with grapefruit thyme since it sounded similar to COOKS® Citrus Wash which is my favorite for scrubbing up in the kitchen. The 8.5 fl oz (255mL) bottle arrived with lovely pink contents courtesy of FD&C Red #40. I was very happy to see Made in the USA and NO ANIMAL TESTING on the label, but less thrilled to spot DMDM Hydantoin, an "antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser," among the ingredients. Yes, you read correctly. The F-word.

The Founder and President of Sliquid, LLC, Dean Elliott, said in an Eden Fantasys interview:

"We {use} less than one half of 1% of a non toxic, synthetic additive to help move our plant cellulose and an equal amount of a newer school preservative to help reduce the chance of bacteria being introduced to the product."

I'm 99.9% sure he was referring to the DMDM Hydantoin. It's presence was a slight disappointment, but since the amount was minute and I experienced no irritation, I ordered a second bottle.

And that's when my rating for Splash changed from 4 stars to a solid 5. The second bottle, honeydew cucumber arrived and the changes were immediately noticeable. The most obvious would be the physical:



Gone was the stylized female face from the label, replaced by a monochromatic lotus and ♀ (Venus' Hand Mirror). Gone was the soft green liquid and in its place a translucent, cloudy liquid. More importantly, DMDM Hydantoin was gone from the ingredient list! In fact, the Splash label now reads "Free of DEA, gluten, glycerin, glycerol, parabens, PEG, propylene glycol, sorbitol & sulphates" and best of all "100% Vegan Friendly." Well done Sliquid, BRAVO!



They had me at hypoallergenic, but then Sliquid went and made the product better. I figured if they could take the time to improve on an already great product, I could take the time to gush about it in a review.

Enjoying Splash is very easy. Remove the cap, remove the safety seal, screw the cap back on, give the bottle a squeeze, and you're ready to go.



It works equally well on fingertips, a washcloth, or even a bath sponge.

Splash was love at first lather. Splash (both old and new) has the consistency of melted ice cream and a slick, slippery feel. As such, it pours easily. It is not thick like a commercial shower gel, so there is no need to squeeze the bottle with all your might. Do so and you'll be washing your hard earned money down the drain. This stuff is not cheap — quality products never are — but a little goes a long way. I believe my first bottle lasted a month even though I used it as a full-body cleanser. It was also artificially colored pink, but the newer Splash is translucent.



Aside from my love for Sliquid's ethical choices, Splash does a great job of washing. I use it after my workouts, i.e. when I'm at my sweatiest and most fragrant. By the time I step out of the shower my skin feels calm, refreshed and I smell delightful. The wash does have a scent (with the obvious exception of 'unscented'), but thankfully it is not overpowering and doesn't cling to the skin for hours.

I enjoyed the two scents that I tried: grapefruit thyme and honeydew cucumber. However, I expected citrusy notes from the first and neutral-fresh from the second. What I got from both was a sweet and melon-like aroma. I'm going to give the unscented bottle a try next time I place an order and I'll keep my fingers crossed that EF adds 'White Tea Pear' to their inventory.

In the future I hope Sliquid releases scents with a heavier dose of citrus, but as they are formulated now I have only one complaint: bigger bottles please!