It’s fair to say that over the years, I have had a lot of products come my way. From £1 lipsticks to £400 eye creams, as a beauty editor, I have experienced first-hand some of the best and worst products that the industry has to offer. So while the products in my beauty cupboards at home are constantly on rotation, there are a number of (very special) products that hold a permanent spot—and a huge number of them are from The Body Shop.
I know; it’s an odd thing to hear a beauty editor who is obsessed with a brand famed for its sweet-smelling body cream and teenage-dream musk perfume, but please hear me out. It’s no secret that when it comes to beauty, bodycare is my one true love—always has been, always will be. It’s easy to believe, therefore, that I’ve spent what some might deem an unhealthy amount of time perusing the shelves of one of the UK’s most-loved bodycare destinations.
When I first stepped foot in my local The Body Shop store at age 11, I filled my basket with Strawberry Body Butter and White Musk EDP. (If you know, you know.) As the years went on and my tastes changed, I started paying a little more attention to some of the other products The Body Shop had to offer, besides my go-to body butters and zesty shower gels. By the time I hit my teens, I was regularly borrowing my mum’s vitamin C serum (I was ahead of the times—what can I say?) and nourishing my hands with my coveted hemp hand cream.
Fast-forward to now, and I can safely say that some of my favourite beauty products of all time have come courtesy of The Body Shop. From my desert-island must-have Camomile Cleansing Butter to the almond milk mask that my face can’t live without, The Body Shop has the most wonderful way of delivering high-performing efficacious skincare (usually perfect for sensitive-skin sufferers like myself) at a really affordable price. However, the sad truth is that The Body Shop is all too often considered little more than a charitable bodycare brand that makes great festive gift sets for distant relatives. Although, if you ask me, everyone seems to be overlooking the truly game-changing products the brand has developed over the years, from best-selling anti-ageing serums to expert-favourite cleansers.
Oh, and did I mention that it is also an official B Corp, so you can shop away knowing that you’re doing a bit of good too? Keep scrolling for all of The Body Shop products that I simply can’t be without.
Few things make me happier than ridding my face of the day’s dirt with a rich, skin-soothing cleanser. This particular product not only melts away makeup and grime in a matter of seconds, but it also leaves my sensitive skin feel calmed and nourished.
Truthfully, I find myself reaching for soothing face masks more often than I’d like. My sensitive skin often flares up when I’m trying out a new product, and I like to have an edit of products that I know I can trust to calm everything back down. This is one of them. Formulated with creamy oatmeal and almond milk, it calms, soothes and nourishes all at once. I’d bathe in this stuff if I could.
I’m no fan of sickly scents and sticky formulas, so anything that champions an autumnal fragrance isn’t usually to my liking. Having said that, this limited-edition vanilla pumpkin range that The Body Shop release in the run up to Halloween is usually my favourite beauty launch of the year. The hand cream is nourishing, without being too thick and greasy. And the smell? Think freshly-baked pumpkin pie without the sickly headiness.
From a sensitive-skin saviour straight onto a product that means serious business. Not for the faint-hearted, this exfoliating treatment uses crushed garnet stones to powerfully exfoliate and leave your complexion looking its glowing best. Careful not to overdo it. I reach for this when my skin is really congested.
Once upon a time, my go-to body moisturiser was The Body Shop Body Butter, but then the body yogurt came along. Whereas the butters are thick, rich and sometimes struggle to absorb, the body yogurts are lightweight, airy and sink into skin in a matter of seconds. Plus, they leave behind the dreamiest of scents. My favourite? This calming Almond Milk Yogurt is ideal for the winter months when my dry, sensitive skin tends to play up.
For days when your skin seems to be behaving itself as best as it can and you don’t want to do anything to upset it, this nourishing cleanser is all you need. It’s jam-packed with vitamin E, so expect soft, supple skin that just looks healthy.
If a milk-and-honey bath was good enough for Cleopatra, it’s good enough for me. Add a few scoops of this powder to your bath and prepare to emerge with the silkiest of skin. The smell is also up there as one of the most calming scents ever.
Anyone who comes to me with any kind of skin concern walks away with a tub of this stuff. In fact, I’m sure that anyone who knows me is sick to death of me harping on about how great it is. But really, it is. Ideal for anyone who is looking for a way to remove their makeup without stripping their skin, this nourishing cleansing balm makes for the ultimate first cleanse. I can’t get enough of it. Seriously, I can’t. Please, Body Shop. Bring out a bigger tub.
If you have any sort of scalp irritation, this unsung hero could be just what you need. I don’t have notable dandruff, but those I know who do swear by this shampoo to keep everything in check. Formulated with ginger essential oil from Sri Lanka, it not only rids hair of flakes but also soothes aggravated scalps, and the abundance of five-star reviews don’t disagree. Needless to say, there’s always a bottle in my bathroom cupboard for desperate times.
When skin is seriously parched, this little pot of cream provides it with a welcome drink. Holding three different types of precious seed oils, expect skin to be left plump, dewy and radiant.
Before I discovered this stuff, I wasn’t much of a face oil sort of person. My oily but sensitive skin type often makes it hard to find oils that don’t either break me out or cause some sort of reaction. This stuff, however, does nothing but soothe, lock in my skincare and leave my complexion seriously glowy. It’s all I have ever wanted in a facial oil.
You didn’t think I’d forget to mention a zingy shower gel, did you? It’s a simple shower gel, sure, but the uplifting zesty satsuma scent can’t be beaten first thing in the morning.
It’s not very glamorous, I know, but this hardworking foot cream is absolutely brilliant. It’s rich in essential fatty acids, and I just pop some on my feet every time I get out of the shower or bath, and it keeps them baby-soft all day long.
Like so many other people, I really struggle to find the perfect product that offers daily sun protection. Most formulas are thick, leave a white cast and/or break me out. This moisturising lotion, however, is lightweight, hydrating, super-comfortable and it contains serious protection.
If you’re not massively into body scrubs, this nourishing, gloopy formula might be enough to change your mind. Not only does it smell like a spa, leave limbs glowing and boost circulation, but it’s also incredibly easy to use without creating too much mess.
There’s nothing revolutionary about this tiny bottle. What’s inside is pure tea tree oil. However, The Body Shop was one of the first places that I discovered to sell this on a mass scale, and I’ve remained loyal since I first discovered the drying abilities of tea tree as a teenager. Just dab the tiniest amount to soothe red, angry spots.
This hand wash smells absolutely incredible. It’s rich and citrusy but with grown-up, smoky notes too. I keep a bottle of this on both my kitchen and bathroom sinks.
One bottle of this youth concentrate sells every 27 seconds thanks to its ability to protect skin from external aggressors and fight against ageing. I’d go as far to say that it’s one of my favourite antioxidant serums out there.
For those who suffer from dry lips, this lip liquid couldn’t be better. Infused with nourishing oils, it delivers subtle shimmery colour without any hint of dryness.
For days when my skin is a little oilier and congested, I reach for this purifying mask. Applied just to the T-zone if your skin is generally drier or allover if it’s oily, this clay mask really does help reduce the appearance of pores.
