The absolute disaster that arrived at my door
Honestly? My first impression was terrible. When the West&Month Collagen Body Moisturizer arrived, the packaging looked like it had been through a war zone. The box was crushed, and there was this weird, oily residue on the outside of the jar that made me gag a little. I was THIS close to returning it. I didn’t even want to touch the stuff, let alone smear it all over my body. I thought, great, another overpriced lotion that’s going to leave me feeling like a greased-up rotisserie chicken.
Then I opened the lid. The smell hit me like a freight train. It wasn’t exactly rotten, but it had this medicinal, synthetic scent that lingered in my bathroom for hours. I tried using it for three days, and I swear, my skin felt stickier than before. I was sitting on my couch, stress-eating an entire bag of salt and vinegar chips because I was so annoyed by how tacky my legs felt, and I genuinely considered tossing the whole jar into the trash. It didn’t absorb. It just sat there. I couldn’t put my pajamas on without feeling like I was being glued to the fabric. It was a total nightmare.
And the instructions? They were practically useless. “Apply evenly,” it says. Sure, easy for you to say when the product feels like thick, lukewarm glue. I honestly don’t know why the consistency changes so much depending on the room temperature, but it’s infuriating. I was ready to write a scathing email to customer service and demand my money back. I’m not a patient person. I don’t have time for products that make my morning routine feel like a chore.
The turning point
But then, I had a moment of pure laziness. I ran out of my regular lotion and didn’t feel like driving to the store, so I forced myself to use the West&Month stuff for one more week. I decided to change my technique. Instead of globbing it on like I was icing a cake, I started applying it while my skin was still damp right out of the shower. I also started using way less than I thought I needed. That was the magic trick. Suddenly, the “glue” feeling vanished, and it actually started sinking into my skin instead of just sitting on top of it like a layer of plastic wrap.
The redemption
I hate to admit it, but my skin looks… good. Like, actually firm and hydrated. I’ve been using this for three weeks now, and the weird crepey texture I usually get on my thighs during the winter is basically gone. It’s annoying because I really wanted to hate this stuff. I wanted to be right about my initial disgust. But when I look at my legs, they look smoother. They don’t look like they’ve been through a drought. The collagen and shea butter combo is clearly doing something, even if the application process is still a bit of a high-maintenance drama.
The scent, which I loathed at first, has actually faded into something I don’t mind anymore. It’s subtle now, or maybe I’ve just gone nose-blind to it. Either way, it’s not the chemical disaster I thought it was. My arms feel soft, and the little fine lines I was starting to notice on my chest seem less obvious. It’s frustrating when a product you want to return actually performs. It makes me feel like a fool for being so dramatic, but I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes.
I’m not saying it’s a miracle in a jar. It’s not going to turn back time or make you look twenty again. But for keeping my skin from feeling like sandpaper? It works. I’m begrudgingly impressed. It’s a solid moisturizer, provided you can get past the initial learning curve and the weird smell. I’m still annoyed that I had to work so hard to figure out how to use it, but the results are hard to argue with.
If you want to try it yourself, here’s where I got mine.
Final verdict
Would I buy it again? Maybe. If I find it on sale, I’ll grab another jar. But I’m not paying full price if I can avoid it. It’s a decent product, but it’s definitely not for people who want something that works perfectly the second you open the lid. If you’re willing to baby it and learn how to apply it properly, you’ll be happy. If you’re looking for something that smells like a spa and feels like silk, keep looking. I’m keeping this one, but I’m doing it with a major side-eye.
