Yes, I’ve Tried That Crazy Wrap Thing.

UPDATE: Check out my full review of It Works Body Wraps (aka the Crazy Wrap Thing)

Have you tried that crazy wrap thing?

I believe in miracle products.

No, seriously. I do.

Any time a product offers unbelievable, overnight results…well, I believe it.

To some extent, this is because I’m an optimist. It’s also because I’m kind of lazy. Anything that promises to clear my skin, suck out my cellulite, and give me a six-pack – especially with little to no effort on my part – is worthy of my willing suspension of disbelief.

Why am I telling you this? Because I need you to know that I’m not setting out to prove the ineffectiveness of the Ultimate Body Applicator. I genuinely hope that “It Works.” I wouldn’t have spent my money on a product that I hoped would fail.

image courtesy of itworks.com

So before I get into my review, let me get a few things out of the way:

1. I am not affiliated with It Works in any way. Since I stand to gain (or lose) absolutely nothing from the sale of It Works products, I’m able to write a 100% unbiased review.

In my experience, nearly all of the “reviews” of It Works products that I’ve seen are not reviews at all – rather, they are product testimonials, which is an entirely different thing. By definition, a testimonial “…consists of a person’s written or spoken statement extolling the virtue of a product.” In other words, a testimonial is part of a sales-pitch and will ALWAYS be positive. This doesn’t mean that testimonials are false – but it does mean that they are carefully selected to help sell a product.

2. I purchased a set of 4 Ultimate Body Applicators ($99 + shipping) with my own money from a friend. I didn’t receive anything for free or at a discounted price.

3. The recommended application is 4 body wraps, although I’ve seen many product testimonials touting significant results after just one wrap. I’m writing this post after my first application, and I will follow up with a second post after I complete the full treatment with all 4 wraps.

4. If you read through many of the online testimonials, you’ll notice that the most dramatic results are often achieved by combining the body wraps with other It Works products – creams or dietary supplements, etc. In order to provide a targeted review, I’m trying out JUST the wraps.

5. Let’s go ahead and state the obvious. I’m already pretty slim, so we’re not likely to see super dramatic results from wrapping my stomach. I considered wrapping my thighs instead, but I would’ve had to purchase two boxes of wraps (one for each leg), and I didn’t want to invest over $200 in a product that I’m not sure will work. And I’m just not brave enough to post close-up pictures of my butt online. Besides, I’ve seen plenty of product testimonials saying that wraps are for people of all shapes and sizes. And I want to see if there’s a six-pack hiding somewhere under there.

6. All of the photos in this post are 100% unedited. In the interest of integrity, I won’t even crop out my bathroom sink (sorry about that).

So here are my “Before” pictures, taken immediately before I applied the wrap:

The Ultimate Body Applicator: Wrap #1

The It Works website describes the Ultimate Body Applicator as “a non-woven cloth wrap” and that it’s “mess-free and simple to use.” The “powerful, botanically-based formula” is supposed to “deliver maximum tightening, firming, and toning results in as little as 45 minutes.”

Step 1: Each wrap is packaged individually, so you just remove one from its package and unfold it. You’re supposed to apply it to the area (in my case, my abdomen) with the cream side against your skin. But to be honest, both sides felt equally creamy and slightly slimy, so I have no idea if I put it on the right way. (This is where distributors will point out the importance of having a trained consultant do the wrapping for you.)

Step 2: Secure the wrap with a form-fitting cloth or plastic wrap. I used plastic wrap, straight from my kitchen pantry.

Step 3: Leave it on for at least 45 minutes. Make sure that you drink plenty of water before, during, and after the application. It’s recommended that first time users remove the wrap after 45 minutes, just to make sure that there’s no allergy or adverse reaction. Since I’d tried a wrap once before* a couple of years ago with no problems, I left mine on for about 3 hours. It mostly stayed in place, although by the end of the 3 hours it was bunched up in a few places. But it was definitely in place for the first 45 minutes. It wasn’t particularly comfortable, but it wasn’t unbearable either. I would describe it as progressively annoying.

[*I tried a wrap once before, about two years ago. I purchased it with my own money from a friend (a different one) who was a distributor at the time.]

Step 4: Remove the wrap and rub the leftover cream into your skin. Results will be progressive over 72 hours.

12 hours after wrap:

36 hours after wrap:

72 hours after wrap: (I forgot to take a profile shot)

Let me post those photos again side-by-side.

Dangit. No six-pack yet.

I didn’t take before and after measurements, so I suppose it’s possible that there was a very small change, but the pictures don’t reflect that. That’s okay. The It Works distributors who I know personally have been pretty open about the fact that not everyone will see results after one wrap. The real test will be after all four wraps – and that’s coming up next.

Stay tuned.

P. S. Remember, this review is ONLY about my own personal experience with the product. Your experience might be completely different from mine. If you’ve tried the Ultimate Body Applicator, I welcome you to share your results, both good and bad, in the comments below.