I used to detest menthol, I had even written about my dislike towards the ingredient in a few of my posts. However, ever since I’ve moved to Italy, I’ve grown fond of it. The evanescent tickle of coolness that menthol brings is something that I need during the warm months here. For me, it feels like summer six months of the year in Italy, and, surprisingly, there is no widespread habit of using air conditioners here; I have a suspicion that some people see air conditioners as the embodiment of the devil. Not too many people or places use air conditioning, even in the midst of summer. Nobody can convince me that eating outside in sultry weather is enjoyable; only a masochist would find pleasure in that, but I’m not here to judge anyone’s preferences. 

The formula is relatively simple. There are alcohol, water, menthol, preservatives, and there are aromatic compounds in the case of a fragranced version. If you tolerate the ingredients, you will be fine. However, I would say that fragrance could cause some problems to people, and alcohols can bring up temporary reddening. 

You can spray the product directly onto your skin or clothes. I usually apply it on my skin, but it works equally well with breathable T-shirts; my go-to are Uniqlo’s Airism T-shirts, as you can feel the breeze go through them. You can experience the full potential of the product in windy or air-conditioned spaces when the draught touches your skin, and the menthol evaporates, giving you a feeling of freshness – the cooling effect*. In areas we little to no air circulation, you may get a burning sensation, so if it isn’t windy outside, your best bet is to use the spray along with a portable fan to get the cooling effect. Honestly, my body appreciates whatever distraction from the heat it can get. I even prefer the tingling and burning instead of focusing on the fact that it’s hot outside, and I am overheating and sweating.

I wouldn’t recommend using the spray on your face, though, and on any particularly sensitive parts of the body, as it may prove too sensitising. I suggest you get any of the fragranced formulas because the unscented spray will make you stink like surgical spirit, and quite frankly, it’s rather embarrassing.

This product is fantastic for warm weather; if you’re like me and you can’t stand the heat, then this spray can bring you some reinvigoration in the most challenging times of the day. I recommend pairing it with menthol wipes like those from Biore [aff] or any other brand; they are pretty popular in Japan. I wish Western brands jumped on the menthol bandwagon too.

Ingredients: 

Ethanol, water, menthol, ethoxydiglycol, menthoxypropanediol, eucalyptol, menthylethylamino oxalic acid, PCA menthyl, camphor, perfume, isosteares 20, isosteares-20, borneol (Yesstyle.com)

The Mandom Gatsby Crazy Cool Body Water is available from Yesstyle.com [aff]. 

*Update 04/08/2021:I did not explain it well enough in my original review. The alcohol in the product helps to evaporate sweat, which lowers the skin’s temperature a bit, giving the sensation of coolness.