How is Radox proven to relax?

[aadenny]

I've just bought a bottle of Radox 'Moisture Soak' bath oil which says it is 'proven to relax aching muscles and unwind tired minds'. How do they know this? Where will I find the proof?

[mikewith]

This comes from the PR company working for Radox...

We are pleased that you chose to use Radox Proven to Relax Herbal Bath & thank you for your interest in our product. Radox can confirm that we have worked extensively over the past 2 years With fragrance experts, psychologists and research institutes & universities and finally the governing bodies (BACC) that scrutinise and approve such claims. The testing involved product usage at home and panel testing in a controlled environment, using large numbers of consumers. All perfumes tested/launched showed a statistically significant improvement versus a Control.

[aadenny]

Before I pitched this question on Answerbank I'd already asked the company (Sara Lee), the PR agency, and the BACC (the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre). The company rather dodged the issue, but the BACC said it had seen research evidence. However, when I asked the BACC how this was done, I was told the information was archived. It would be retrieved, they said, but would "not be able to go into great detail - material is supplied to BACC in confidence - but I should be able to indicate the nature of the support data." That was over a couple of weeks ago. I haven't heard yet. Originally I didn't want to make a nuisance of myself to them; I just wanted to know how the product was supposed to relax (i.e. it didn't seem to relax me - was I using it wrongly?). I shall mark this down as a piece of corporate puffery. Nothing wrong in that -- I put it in the same category of morality as 'Guinness is good for you', only less catchy and entertaining!

[mikewith]

Nice one -- but surely Guinness *is* good for you!? Not beinfg much of a scientist, i presume the key to the PR reply iis the last sentence... "All perfumes tested/launched showed a statistically significant improvement versus a Control." What is the control? Something utterly un-relaxing (a bath-full of snakes, perhaps) or something as neutral as possible -- in which case many things would be more relaxing. Melrted ice-cream, say. Or Golden Syrup.