Like every other brand, both old and new, Borghese is now on a quest to market itself to a younger crowd.¹ Which I totally understand and think is a good thing. The market has changed a lot. There are “influencers” and most people/new customers take recommendations from people online or on apps versus sales associates or glossy mags. I get it. However, I really hope they don’t change too much. I got a little spooked recently and made a rather larger order of old favorites. This is a nostalgic brand for me. It’s a “nonna” brand, family favorite and a line that I used to use religiously. We all know that a brand will discontinue your favorite product or perfume without asking, so I figured it was the time to buy.
On my quest to pay better attention to body care, I have went back to old favorites like Clarins and now I’ll be using the Italian-American heritage brand, Borghese, again. Like I’ve already said, I hope they don’t change too much. But, we’ll see. I’m not optimistic. They said they weren’t changing their products, but a lot of the older stuff isn’t available online and isn’t in the new packaging.² I also suspect BS because I have both the new version and old/classic version of their body scrub and they are very different. I doubt these reviews will be relevant in a few months since the brand is going through some changes; however, it may be useful if they make some drastic changes, a written history, right?
Here’s some quick body product reviews:
Bagno di Vita Gentle Foaming Shower Gel
This opalescent aqua gel the color of the Mediterranean Sea is one of my old school favorites. It manages to smell both invigorating and relaxing. Smelling this rosemary meets cypress again has made me feel bad that I haven’t used it in such a long time.
Fango Deep Hydration Finishing Treatment
Another one of my favorite Borghese products. This is a dry-oil with the same fragrance I described above with their shower gel (except maybe a little more musky lavender?). Like any good dry-oil, it’s non-greasy but gives you that glow.
Fango Body Refining Polish
This is a sugar based scrub that is not a mess or overly oily. The texture is perfect (in my opinion, of course). It physically exfoliates but also leaves the skin feeling soft and glowy. It smells like herbs and lavender.
OK, so now let’s talk. I also bought something in the new packaging to compare. It’s summer and apparently I want to scrub myself until I no longer have finger prints.
Rinfrescante Sugar Body Polish
This product is absolutely nothing like Fango (and Fango isn’t in the new packaging). This has a similar texture in the packaging (haven’t used it yet), but the smell. ARGHHHH! It’s like watermelons and flowers and smells very mass drugstore-y. I’m not happy about this at all. If I’m doing the “spa at home” thing, it better not smell like Olay. Like I could have just saved my money and bought that new Dove scrub.
Tono Body Lotion/Creme
Ugh, if they discontinue this I will have to fight them. I have no other choice. After the body scrub thing, I’m not optimistic. Anyway, this was available in a lotion and cream. Both had a nice feel and the same herbal scent that I love. The scent is like rosemary, sage and thyme – very old school Italian.
Another product that I used to love was the Bagno di Vita Body Soak but I didn’t see it on their site. It’s like the shower gel but as a deconstructed bath fizzy.
The masks:
Fango Active Mud Mask
This is the mask that I think of when I think of Borghese mud masks. I think it’s the product that everyone thinks about when they think about Borghese. It’s that army fatigue green shade bentonite clay mask that is made to purify. It’s too drying for my face but I love it for body. There’s just something so extra about mud masking your body. And I’m living for that. It smells like clay and
Fanto Delicato Mud Mask
This one is a kaolin clay based mask that is that classic pale green we associate with masking while wearing velcro rollers. It’s as the name would imply, one for sensitive skin types. Like most other clay masks, I find this one drying but it is less drying than their others. Because of this, I do use this one on my face. It also doesn’t have a strong scent like Active.
Fango Ferma Mud Mask
This is the one that is the shade of salt water taffy (pastel purple). It is also my favorite so it’s probably discontinued because this is always my luck. It’s Montmorillonite clay based with Reservatrol. Anyway, it helps with rashy skin, even from shaving and will make your body look sort of Ursula-ish while the purple clay is on. BTW this has wheat in it so keep that in mind if you have allergies. No noticeable fragrance.
The line also has skincare and makeup. I don’t really use the skincare that much despite remember liking a few of the products. The lipstick in Carnevale Red was the shade my late grandmother adored. She loved that ruby red. They also had a florescent orange back in the day that she was all about too. Anyway, I haven’t talked to anyone from Borghese directly so I could be overreacting. And if I am, I’m totally OK with that because now I have a lot of great smelling bath products and muds to smear on my face. Maybe they won’t mess up the brand and it’ll be available at more retail outlets. All I wanted was for them to list their ingredients of their products on their website. Maybe the Influencers will influence them to do this!
Borghese products are available at their website, Saks, Macys and Amazon.
¹Glossy has a great write-up of this and the brand’s history.
²In the article linked above, the rumor is that Borghese isn’t changing much other than a stronger retail presence, larger marketing budget AND changing the packaging. I personally adore the terracotta orange packaging. I mean, orange works for Hermès and I love color/brand recognition. I find the all white very dull and lacking any personality, but I’m also not who they care about right now.
*Products purchased by me. Logo pic from the brand. The two crummy pics are mine. The ones of the new mask packaging is from Borghese. Saks, Macys and Amazon contain affiliate links. Thanks!