burt's bees vs nivea body lotion

Nivea is my go-to brand for body moisturisation. They do my all-time, cure-all hand cream, which I have repurchased and repurchased over the years, and I recommend above all. At uni, my housemate had been using this Nivea lotion, and it made her legs ridiculously soft, so I thought I would give it ago. Whilst at home, I remembered I was given this Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Lotion for Christmas, and I thought I would compare the two and see which comes up on top..

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion, £5.10 for 250ml:
+ Takes roughly 3 minutes to absorb, which is good.
+ Does last for a long time, I would say about 6 hours.
+ Good on legs, I use it after shaving and it helps moisturise very well.
+ Very lovely, fresh, clean, smell.
+ Good value for money, but you use quite a lot each time you apply.
- It leaves the skin feeling like there is a sheen on top, theres no product left, but it feels sort of like barrier cream, if you know what that is. Over time, this wears off, but it does feel a little plastic-y at first.
- Bad as a hand-cream, leaves the hands feeling very sticky.

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion, £5.99 for 70g:
+ Quicker than Nivea, it's dry within about 2 minutes. A close run, but it matters when you're in hurry!
+ It has a buttery feeling when it's sunk in, as opposed to a sheen, which is really
+ Works really well as a hand-cream.
+ Comes in a smaller size for popping in your hand-bag and travelling!
+ Doesn't feel as waxy as a lot of their butters/salves.
+ Not inexpensive, but a little goes a long way.
- Although it feels more hydrating than the Nivea, it doesn't seem to last as long, I would say 3-4 hours at best.
- Has a less 'fresh' smell. I don't mind it, but I know Milk & Honey isn't it everyones taste, my mum in particular isn't fond of it.

The verdict is pretty inconclusive really! Both claim '24 Hour Moisturisation' which I am skeptical of anyway, both are for normal-dry skin, and claim a non-greasy feeling, which is true. The Nivea has a wide-range of choices, including Irresistibly Smooth, 'Touch of Happiness' (sounds like drugs or something?!) and Firming Body Lotion with Q10 Plus. Burt's Bees obviously do a wide-range, too, from a Richly Replenishing Cocoa and Cupuacu, Radiance Body Lotion, and a France Free Lotion with Shea Butter and Vitamin E. So there is a wide selection. I really like long-lasting, fast absorbing, hence my choices. Both of them I'd re-purchase, and are good value for money, so really it just comes down to your favourite scent, I think!

Anyway, I'm off to a Private View this evening in Hackney, which my work is in! I hope it goes smoothly.. haha.