I'm a Beauty Editor, and I Love The Body Shop—These Are the Products I Swear By
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 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.
1. Fresh Nude Foundation
This recent reformulation of The Body Shop's classic Fresh Nude Foundation is totally game-changing. I can't get enough of it. It leaves skin looking glowing and healthy beyond compare and has a refreshing scent and feel that livens up tired complexions. Plus, it's available in 40 shades. I recommend everyone gives it a go.
2. CBD Soothing Oil-Balm Cleansing Mask
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 feeling calmed and nourished.
3. Satsuma Hand Cream
I'm no fan of sickly scents or 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 smell? Think freshly squeezed oranges without the sweet headiness.
4. Mediterranean Almond Milk With Oats Instant Soothing Mask
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.
5. Vitamin C Microdermabrasion
From a sensitive-skin saviour straight on to 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. Be careful not to overdo it. I only reach for this when my skin is really congested.
6. Almond Milk Body Yogurt
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 Body Yogurt is ideal for the winter months when my dry, sensitive skin tends to play up.
7. Vitamin E Cream Cleanser
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.
8. Mango Bath Blend
I like my bath soaks to be luxurious, and this genuinely could not be further away from the sort of products I usually reach for. It provides ample bubbles, leaves your bath water orange and smells like orange Starbursts, but I love it. It's the perfect way to finish off an otherwise drab day.
9. Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
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 everyone 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.
10. Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
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 agree. Needless to say, there's always a bottle in my bathroom cupboard for desperate times.
11. Oils of Life Sleeping Cream
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.
12. CBD Restoring Facial Oil
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.
13. Satsuma Shower Gel
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.
14. Peppermint Pumice Foot Scrub
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 to keep them baby-soft all day long.
15. Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++
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 and super-comfortable, and it contains serious protection.
16. Almond Milk Cream Body Scrub
If you're not massively into body scrubs, this nourishing, gloopy formula might be enough to change your mind. Not only is it suitable for sensitive dry skin, leaves limbs glowing, and boosts circulation, but it's also incredibly easy to use without creating too much mess.
17. Tea Tree Oil
There's nothing revolutionary about this tiny bottle. What's inside is just 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.
18. Shea Hand Wash
This hand wash smells absolutely incredible. It's sweet and creamy but with grown-up, smoky notes too. I keep a bottle of this on both my kitchen and bathroom sinks.
19. Edelwiess Daily Serum Concentrate
Previously known as Drops of Youth Concentrate, one bottle of this serum sells every 27 seconds thanks to its ability to protect skin from external aggressors and fight against ageing. I'd go as far as to say that it's one of my favourite antioxidant serums out there.
20. Shine Lip Liquid
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.
21. Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
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.
Next Up: 8 Cheap Anti-Ageing Moisturisers That Are Just as Good as These Expensive Ones
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous. Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics. While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best. When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.
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