I’ve always been a fan of The Body Shop. It’s just always been there.
I remember being in the store in Southland as a kid, and being so fascinated by all the delicious scents and “flavours” of products. I also remember when they brought out makeup, and they had these incredible bronzing balls that you just dusted with a brush… mind-blowing. (It may sound like I’m being sarcastic, but I was genuinely enthralled by this as a kid.)
As a teenager, I thought I had “outgrown” The Body Shop, but as with most of my teenage thoughts, I realised that didn’t make any sense — and now I’m completely into it again.
A few weeks ago, my lovely friend Sigute gave me a discount coupon she had for The Body Shop, which I promptly spent that day. We happened to conveniently be in Bangsar Shopping Centre, and after finishing a coffee at Jason’s (obviously), moseyed on over to the The Body Shop round the corner.
Now, I need to say that The Body Shop has seemingly undergone a drastic change in recent years — for the better. As much as I don’t recognise much of my teenage self as my actual self, I wasn’t completely tripping with dissociating from The Body Shop for a few years; I definitely think someone higher up took hold of the reins and steered the company in a younger, hotter, fresher direction.
And so, it is with this chutzpah in mind that I made my two most recent Body Shop purchases: the Vitamin E Moisture Cream and Mango Body Butter.
I spent the voucher on part of the Vitamin E Moisture Cream at first, as I can always do with more moisture on me face. Despite living in a ridiculous hot and humid country, I still struggle with dryness from time to time — generally depending on how much I’ve been blasting the air con. I’m also bit into using vitamins and nutrients to treat skin issues, as I do believe that the outside reflects what’s going on within. But in the absence of completely watching my diet, I thought I’d slap those vitamins on my face instead… and here we are!
One of the things that definitely pushed me over the edge with this purchase was the limited edition Union Jack packaging. I mean, could anyone possibly resist it? Something I personally love about Malaysia is the British influence that still prevails — so many UK stalwarts, such as M&S, Tesco and The Body Shop, thrive over here, and I’m beginning to realise just how nostalgic I get for everything British. It just always hits me in the feels, you know?
Now, onto the product! In terms of appearance, this cream has a baby pink colour and a clearly light consistency — which I like. I have been using the Bliss Youth As We Know It Anti-Aging Moisture Cream but find that it is pretty full-on thick — great for the nighttime, but not always what I’m after. And in case you think this contradicts my previous statement about having dry skin, you must know that I follow a Korean skincare routine and prefer to lightly build up moisture in well-timed and carefully thought-over layers!
So, this adorably-pink and light cream is a welcome change for me. I’ve been using it mainly at night (as I prefer to use SPF in my day cream — keep an eye out for my current suncare favourites coming soon!) and love how it absorbs so quickly. It’s quite a thin, light lotion — more so than a cream — and it glides on the skin so smoothly. But it also leaves my skin feeling completely nourished and soft… so it’s a total win-win.
Here is a little snapshot of the consistency of this Vitamin E Moisture Cream:
Of course I was rather chuffed with myself after this purchase. Having pretty darn sensitive skin means that skincare products can be a bit touch-and-go — things can either be great or go south in an instant. I’m a human wild card!
All in all, this Vitamin E Moisture Cream is a gentle, calming and cooling face cream that, I think, would suit a number of skin types. I think I used the Vitamin E Hand Cream years ago, and I just generally find this line to be non-aggravating and very versatile. I do find that it has quite a distinct, pleasant fragrance, which most non-irritating products would avoid… but I enjoy it!
So, it had been a few weeks since this purchase when I, once again, “happened to” stroll into the BSC store when they were having a bit of a sale. Who was I to resist? Out the front, they actually had a display for their body butters, which I’ve always been a fan of. I remember when I was younger, having their Cocoa Body Butter and absolutely loving that shizz. There’s something so luxurious about slathering on a body cream that literally has the consistency of butter all over yo’ body… ain’t nothing better!
It didn’t take long for me to select the Mango Body Butter — in fact, it was the first one I picked up, and I knew I needed it. As a mango-lover, I thought it would be pretty rude not to.
Here it is, in all its creamy, decadent glory:
Ahh, do you see that richness? Honestly, every time I scoop my finger in this stuff, I feel like I’m getting a little closer to heaven. It really is a nice treat to use, and it leaves my skin feeling silky smooth!
Here’s a little sample of the consistency (this was with just a tiny amount):
Now, if you’re in the market for an absolutely divinely scented beauty product… this is your guy. Honestly, even though I purchased the mini version, I barely need to use any for the scent to linger throughout our whole house. It’s amazing! Smells almost good enough to eat… in fact, I would not at all be surprised if an ungodly amount of people had been sent to the ER having tried to ingest this stuff. It’s that good.
So, these two purchases have left me feeling like a bit of a Queen in my own home — just the way I like it! They’re both fantastic for travelling too, as both products have light plastic packaging and are quite small in size (both 50ml). I actually recently took them on hols with me to the Cameron Highlands, and would be more than happy to bring them on a flight (in my notoriously overstuffed and overweight carryon).
I’m over the moon about these purchases, and can’t wait to buy more from The Body Shop. It’s a brand that has something for everyone, and it’s never let me down.
How about you? What are your Body Shop faves? Let me know in the comments!
Steph x