It’s fair to say that over the years, a lot of products have come my way. As a beauty editor, I have experienced first-hand some of the best and worst products that the industry has to offer. (I’m talking everything from $3 lipsticks to super-expensive eye creams.) So while the products in my beauty cabinets are constantly on rotation, some very special products hold a permanent spot—and a huge number of them are from The Body Shop.
I know what you’re thinking. It’s odd to find a beauty editor who’s obsessed with a brand famed for its sweet-smelling body cream and musky, teenage-dream perfume, but please hear me out. When it comes to beauty, bodycare is my one true love (always has been, and always will be). So it’s easy to believe that I’ve spent an arguably unhealthy amount of time perusing the shelves of one of the most-loved bodycare destinations.
When I first stepped foot in The Body Shop 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 taste changed, I started paying a little more attention to some of the other products The Body Shop had to offer, besides my go-to tubs of body butter and zesty shower gels. By the time I hit my teens, I was regularly nourishing my hands with the coveted hemp hand cream and borrowing my mom’s vitamin C serum. (I was ahead of the times. What can I say?)
Fast-forward to now, and I can safely say that The Body Shop is responsible for some of my most favorite beauty products of all time, including my desert-island must-have Camomile Cleansing Butter and the almond milk mask 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 me) 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. But if you ask me, everyone seems to be overlooking the truly game-changing products the brand has developed over the years, like its best-selling anti-aging serums and expert-favorite cleansers.
Oh, and did I mention that it’s 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 leaves my sensitive skin feeling calmed and nourished.
Truthfully, I find myself reaching for soothing face masks more often than I’d like to. My sensitive skin often flares up when I’m trying out a new product, and I like to have an arsenal of products that I know I can trust to calm everything 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 a fruity fragrance isn’t usually to my liking. Having said that, this hand cream is nourishing without being too thick and greasy. And the scent? Think freshly squeezed oranges (but not the sickly sweet kind).
This product 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. Be careful not to overdo it. I reach for this when my skin is really congested.
Once upon a time, my go-to body moisturizer was The Body Shop’s body butter, but then the body yogurt came along. Whereas the butter is thick, rich, and sometimes difficult to absorb, the body yogurt is lightweight and airy, sinking into your skin in a matter of seconds. Plus, it leaves behind the dreamiest of scents. My favorite is this calming Almond Milk Body Yogurt, which is ideal for the winter months when my skin tends to be drier and more sensitive.
For days when your skin seems to be on its best behavior 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.
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 great. 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. Please, Body Shop. Make 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 five-star reviews don’t disagree. Needless to say, there’s always a bottle in my bathroom cabinet for desperate times.
When my skin is seriously parched, this little pot of cream provides it with a welcome drink. Made with three different types of precious seed oils, it leaves skin plump, dewy and radiant.
Before I discovered this stuff, I wasn’t much of a face-oil person. My oily but sensitive skin type often makes it hard to find oils that don’t make my skin break 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.
I know it’s not very glamorous, but this hardworking foot cream is absolutely brilliant. It’s rich in essential fatty acids. 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.
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 the first place to introduce my teenage skin to the drying abilities of tea-tree oil, and I’ve remained loyal ever since. Just dab the tiniest amount to soothe red, angry spots.
This hand wash smells absolutely incredible. It’s rich and citrusy with grown-up, smoky notes. 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 aging. I’d go as far as to say that it’s one of my favorite 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 color without any hint of dryness.
On days when my skin is a little oily and congested, I reach for this purifying clay mask. Apply it to your T-zone if your skin is generally dry, or apply all over if your skin is oily. It really does help reduce the appearance of pores.
