Top 5 Most Useful Things I bought from The Body Shop*

*of course, this is MY list, which means it is relative. Definitely, someone else has bought these product(s) and thought they were terrible and worthy of a long rant like I did here, so please don’t come after me with a rusty axe.

This is a post in response to my very cheeky post from 2 weeks ago: Top 5 Most Useless Things I bought from The Body Shop in a vain attempt to ensure I’m not sued. These purchases are things I genuinely enjoy and purchase repeatedly. I stockpile them whenever there are sales on, which means always (there is a sale every week and I don’t understand why, but I’m not complaining. The Christmas sales are the best)- so I end up with a lot of these.

Whoops.

***

1. Body Soaps

I prefer bar soaps to liquid soap. There’s something simply satisfying about scrubbing it all over yourself, and I find you feel cleaner and firmer for some reason?? With liquid soaps it feels like you’re rubbing conditioner all over yourself and it doesn’t feel CLEAN. I give up trying to explain this concept because there’s obviously some science-y mumbo-jumbo and mind trickery that I am no good at so you need to try it out for yourself.

My favourite is the Chocomania bar soap. All the UK and Singapore stores have phased it out, unfortunately- but I stockpiled 5 of them last year during the sale because it was going at only £1 (50% off!). What is it with The Body Shop and getting rid of nice things?? Why can’t we ever have nice things? The US stores still sell it but it comes in the shape of a heart. Wish they’d ship it to the UK ffs- I’m running low and need my soap fix asap.
Edit: went to Canada and they don’t stock it either. Looks like the US is hoarding them all.

90759m_l

The Chocomania soap comes with little gritty bits in them that serve as an exfoliator. Just like how you expect a cookie to be chocolate chip and bite into a raisin cookie instead, the little gritty bits are actually pieces of coconut shell.
Such heresy.
I wanted to bathe in the ruined dreams of broken chocolate bits.

However, if this isn’t a priority on your list and you’re perfectly happy in scrubbing yourself off with coconut shell, these exfoliator thingamajigs are perfect: you can get clean and smooth at the same time. Especially if you’re really lazy. It’s now winter and you don’t need to get your legs out so you can skimp on full-body exfoliation I guess. Though I still have dry scale-y snakeskin on my legs that show no sign of wanting to budge and probably needs some sort of industrial-strength cleaner, it does slough off some of the dead skin and makes it feel soft.

With the Chocomania soap sadly out of stock in stores everywhere here, I would recommend going for the Shea soap if you liked the scent of the Chocomania one, or the Coconut. I would recommend popping into one of the stores to sniff surreptitiously at them like a drug addict and run home to nab one of the “exclusive” and “limited-time” (read: forever ongoing) sales. It is much cheaper than buying the soaps in stores because you can usually get them for 30-60% off with free delivery even. Sales are best from November-January but you need to decide if you want to hold out for the massive Christmas sale around 20-25 December and risk having the items go out of stock, or get them earlier, but at a lower discount.

I sound like such a cheapskate seasoned shopper gosh.

At full price, most of these soaps are £2. Other ranges can go up to £4-6 if I am not wrong (e.g. the hemp one), but I prefer the basic ones.

2. Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

11182m_l

I admit I mostly bought this because I’m a huge fan of ginger and ginger tea. I had occasions of dandruff 2-3 years ago whenever I got stressed, nothing major so I didn’t think it was anything I should worry about. To tell the truth I didn’t think this would help much. You know how products promise loads of things and never actually do any? (wow what a cynical b*tch I am)

Surprisingly, it did help, and it smells amazing. The smell doesn’t last as long as the cheap ones you get from the pound store and costs four times as much but a little goes a long way and I promise you, it makes your hair and scalp feel great. It feels really cooling and a little tingly and I don’t know if I should attribute it to this shampoo- but my hair grows out a lot quicker and looks fuller. Most importantly, I don’t have issues with dandruff even though the second year of uni is stressing me out beyond belief. It would be perfect if it could help with oily scalps (the product claims to help dry scalps) but I guess you can’t have it all!

I sometimes mix it with cinnamon powder because it smells amazing together and makes your scalp less oily but make sure to rinse it out properly or you will leave cinnamon powder that looks like gritty brown dandruff everytime you move your head.

After I got a light perm 3 months ago I found that this isn’t enough to moisturise my hair, so I’ve been using argan oil (pure argan oil from my old workplace, not the one TBS is selling) and a conditioner from the Rainforest range.

85027m_l

I usually get the jumbo-sized 400ml ones and I bought far too much last Christmas (three bottles). It’s Christmas again soon and I’m STILL on my first bottle. Huh. Admittedly if you’re buying it for your family it’ll go down quicker, but it is still impressive nonetheless.

Get the 250ml at £4.50 or the 400ml at £6.50.

3. Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream

94913m_l

This baby is NOT cheap and I would highly recommend going in-store to make sure whatever hand cream you’re getting is something you like the smell of/ works for you. I like the smell of this as it is very fresh and wakes me up but it still needed some getting used to. One of my best friends absolutely loathes the smell though.

I like this one because it’s light enough to not leave an oily film on your hands yet moisturising enough (more than the rose one). I only switch this out for the hemp hand cream (which smells even worse) for heavy-duty moisturising during winter. I even apply it to my nose if it’s feeling really dry and I don’t have any face moisturiser on hand. It’s so light it doesn’t break me out.

In terms of how heavy the different hand creams are,  from what I’ve tried: (heaviest to lightest)

Hemp > Almond > Absinthe > Wild Rose (SPF 15)

They’ve launched a whole bunch of fruit ones but I’ve not tried those yet.

My boyfriend got this for me nearly two years ago (the 100ml one) and it’s still around, though very squashed and crinkled. I’m not sure what I feel about these tubes because they look very pretty, but they don’t bounce back to shape and I’m definitely going to cut the tube to scoop out the remaining hand cream hiding in the cracks I couldn’t smooth out.

Get the 30ml at £5 or the 100ml at £11. I find the 100ml a lot more difficult to misplace, lasts longer, is more bang for your buck and still compact enough to fit in the small pockets of your bag.

 

4. Madagascan Vanilla Perfume Oil (15ml)

95079m_l

This perfume oil is from the Scents of the World range, which is pretty popular in Asia but is apparently being phased out of a lot of western stores for some reason. I have huge issues with this. The Body Shop discontinued their original, wildly popular vanilla perfume oil to huge outcry and I was glad they brought it back in the form of this perfume oil. However… it seems like this is going the way of the Dodo again. I don’t understand it, they must not want to earn money. Stop wasting money marketing new ranges and please bring back all the good things!

Maybe it’s time to start hoarding bottles when I fly back to Singapore in June.

This perfume oil lasts for ages and is not overly cloying. Standard spray-on perfumes tend to overwhelm upon initial application and fade quickly, but this stays on for hours and hours consistently, which I love.

I often layer this with my Chloé perfume because that doesn’t last long, and I like the additional musk. Often, vanilla-based perfumes have the tendency to make you smell like a bakery but this manages to keep the vanilla note without making you out to be a breathing, living cupcake.

If vanilla isn’t quite your thing, you can check out the other scents in this range. They also come in other forms, like a body mist, shower gel, and body lotion. I bought it for $22.50 SGD if I’m not wrong, which is probably around £10-11. I’m not quite sure if you can buy it still but you could try scouring eBay.

5. Vitamin E Moisture Cream

56314m_l

This is one of the best moisturisers I’ve used and it cleared up my acne for the first 2 months of usage. After that the acne bacteria probably got used to it and developed some sort of immunity? I have zero clue about how this works please don’t lecture me about it thanks #badscience

I got it before they started offering the larger 100ml size but it was a bit cheaper then, £11 compared to £12 (they’ve changed the packaging now to a very patriotic British flag design). I got it during a sale, 50% off so I got it at £5.50. I probably wouldn’t buy it at full price (why is my whole blog post about me talking about discounts? I’m so Singaporean) when there are much cheaper alternatives, but if you’re extremely frustrated with your skin and would like to try a cream that is suitable for combination skin, I would recommend giving this a go.

A little honestly goes a long way and I would like to see this cream in a pump dispenser, which will be more convenient and infinitely more hygienic than repeatedly dipping my fingers that have touched every surface possible- even if I washed my hands before application, exposure to air/dust etc isn’t very good either. I used a tiny spatula that was originally used for ice-cream to apply it, but it was a hassle half the time.

The original price for the 50ml is £12. The 100ml is £18 (admittedly the better deal).

BONUSBody butters

This post cannot be complete without the product that probably made The Body Shop so well-known all over the world- body butter!

Screen Shot 2016-01-26 at 17.24.43

Before they started marketing it as such, other brands called moisturisers, moisturisers. Now, every brand is coming up with their own version of body butter in various fruity scents. Sounds fancier, I guess.

In high school, we weren’t allowed to use perfume so the girls would apply these body butters after P.E. (gym) to smell nice. Everyone had their own ‘signature scent’ and when someone happened to buy the same scent there would be inevitable bitching in class with snide remarks (ahh, how immature we were). The class would always smell like a bloody fruit salad after P.E.

Still, at least it masked how bad the guys smelt.

My favourites have got to be the Papaya (limited edition, OOS), the Raspberry, and the Shea (which I have never owned but have always wanted to). These tubs never seem to run out and I have only managed to finish one. I have 6 unfinished ones, because The Body Shop keeps sending me free tubs along with their sales, or I pick up some because they are 60% off or something and I couldn’t resist.

***

I hope this post didn’t end up being a shameless plug for products. These are things I have honestly tried and loved and they worked for me. Of course, I would recommend visiting a store to try them out (the staff members are usually very generous with samples) and please, please, do patch tests for stuff you put on your face especially if you have sensitive skin. I would recommend waiting for sales and purchasing the products online, unless money isn’t an issue and you can’t be bothered with deals and sales.

The Body Shop is definitely more expensive than drugstore alternatives like Nivea, but I like the extra care they put into packaging and their various campaigns to help the environment and people in need. Plus, if you wait for the sales, some of their soaps and moisturisers can be cheaper than the drugstore alternatives too.

Read my other post where I lambast useless Body Shop products here (fairly, of course)!

Top 5 Most Useless Things I bought from The Body Shop*

*of course, this is MY list, which means it is relative. Definitely, someone else has bought these product(s) and thought them the best thing since sliced bread, so please don’t come after me with a rusty axe.

***

1) Thirsty Feet Moisture Socks

19424m_l

These remind me of the weird shoes they used to have in Ancient China.

9a717e81883667b25382bc3575a4aa8b

You’d think they’d know better than to take fashion tips from people centuries and centuries ago, but then again people are wearing Native American headdresses for music festivals, so evidently not.

Okay, so the thing is- these are sleeping socks. You slather moisturiser on your feet, put this sorry excuse of a sock on and wake up to baby soft feet.

Which would be a good idea, if only they would stay on my feet. Given that the average shoe size is 5, you’d expect them to cater them to women around this range- they’re stretchy, after all- but noooo, it’s oversized socks for you! And you! And you! Oversized socks for everyone! 1!1!1! I wake up to dry feet in these harsh British winters (okay, I kid) and have to waste time in the morning hunting for these frustrating incompetent feet things under my duvet. Not ideal.

These socks stain too, btw, after I slathered the gingerbread body butter from TBS and now it looks like I sweat orange sweat. Wonder why they haven’t recommended any sort of foot cream that doesn’t stain to go with it?? It looks atrocious and after 3 uses I have given up and decided to use it as a very overpriced cloth to clean my mirror- which works great, in case you’re wondering.

I would recommend this only if you have bigfoot-sized feet (name practically explains itself) or if you would like to procure a glorified overpriced surface cleaner. All yours for only £7!

 

2) No More Rough Stuff Smoother

24166m_lI probably am doing this wrong but I don’t know what this is supposed to do for my feet, after rubbing them with this blue monstrosity (takes bloody ages and I just can’t be arsed to be honest) which only seems to hurt my hand.
Are they supposed to be nice and smooth? Because I sure don’t see any difference. Maybe my feet are already passably smooth and that’s why it’s not doing much.
Who knows.
I know they recommended this for elbows too but it bloody hurts and after one try I’m not doing it again. Which side am I supposed to use? The differently sized edges do come in pretty useful for smaller bits, but it’s not doing much for me. The cheap Chinese grater-like thing my mum acquired years ago worked tons better.

It’s only £4 for this sandpaper-like block, so give it a try- you may get better results than I did! The only use I’ve got out of it is observing the black mould spots on it grow and spread as I leave it abandoned on the bathroom shelf. Future microbacterial scientists, anyone?

 

3) Cooling Gel Eye Mask

53356m_l

I don’t have puffy, tired eyes much and when I do, I forget to put this it in the fridge, so it’s essentially useless. I’m not walking two floors down to put it in the fridge along with my bacon and vegetables and week-old fruit and waiting half an hour then walking down again to get it and come up.
Nah.
By then I just want to sleep.

I much prefer a hot flannel over my eyes or anything warm really. I liked the hot packs from Taiwan that were chemically activated or something, you pressed this metal tab in the silicone pack that would trigger the chemical reaction and it eventually solidified into a hard crystal lump. It gave heat for hours and hours and it was amazing for period cramps and sore eyes. You then had to put it in hot water to reverse the chemical reaction, ready for the next use. It was fantastic and I cried bitterly when they started wearing away and burst one after the other after years of use.

By this if your room is next to the kitchen or if you aren’t forgetful and lazy like me. Or if you have a mini-fridge in your room. Or if you live in Canada or Russia, simply leave it next to your window.
Or if you’re channelling your inner Cyclops.

 

cyclops02

 

4) Tea Tree Blemish Gel

58330m_l

I don’t even know what I bought this for because I just bought it to try to make my order up to a certain amount to get a free bottle of shower gel or moisturiser or something. I don’t know what it’s supposed to do but I guess it’s for acne, so I used to dab it on spots. It made no difference whether I used it or not, I might as well be dabbing water on- it’s just lying at the bottom of the drawer unused. For a tiny little tube (2.5ml!!!), you’d think it’d be cheaper or at least effective. The reviews on the site rave about how it clears up spots quick, but for £6.50, I could achieve the same results with toothpaste at 1/10 the price.

 

5) Foundation Brush

10583m_l

This brush is annoyingly flat, like a paintbrush, and just as streaky. Liquid foundation goes on in streaks and requires intense blending, and never quite goes right for a hopelessly makeup-noob like me. I returned it to the TBS store in despair, saying how it didn’t work out for me, and the shop assistant told me, conspiratorally, that she didn’t use it either, and told me to pick up one of the fluffier ones instead to avoid streaking.

I did take her up on her offer, but it didn’t work out much better either, and I’ve found a beauty blender works so much better.

Buy this if you love streaky foundation, lines on your face, or are a makeup expert that can make everything work for you. It’s not cheap (£12), considering how you can get a whole Real Techniques basic set for the same price, but hey, if you have money to blow, be my guest.

***

I hope you enjoyed reading this acerbic, tongue-in-cheek blog post and if The Body Shop ever sue me for gross misrepresentation of their products, at least I can say I had fun writing it! *hair flick*

Of course, it’s all about finding the right products that work for everyone, in my opinion- and you unfortunately need to go through a lot of trial and error (and debt) before you find what works for you. I may not like these products, but take my advice with a pinch of salt, since I am a very bitter and sarcastic person and probably very incompetent in the use of such beauty/ body improvement products.
I always buy things on impulse without considering what I need (I bought two foot products even though my feet are alright, just because it was a 50% off sale) so yeah, there you are.

I will do a separate post on the top 5 most useful things I bought from The Body Shop next, by the way- maybe they won’t sue me after all.

The Body Shop (TBS) All-In-One™ INSTABLUR™ Universal vs TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm Primer Comparison

Long long ago, (five to six years ago), no one used this magical thing called a primer. Now, it has become just another oh=so-very important and crucial and definitely, hands-down, one of the most needed things in your makeup routine. (read this in a slightly sarcastic tone for full effect)


Alright, so last year, The Body Shop has launched the

ALL-IN-ONE™ INSTABLUR™ UNIVERSAL

Sounds really promising. Lighten up on the Trademarks, guys.

Being a huge fan of The Body Shop, I knew I had to try this out right away. I stopped by my nearest shop and the shop assistants gave me a good-sized sample of it and showed me how to use it.

My immediate reaction?

Wow, this feels (and smells a little) exactly like the TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm!

It smoothed over my pores, reduced the redness (temporarily) of my acne, and my skin felt smooth and silky to the touch.

After touching my face, I realised that the primer began flaking off and started coming off in bits, like eraser dust.

I left with my sample and brought it home for comparison, not quite sold on the idea yet.

After comparing the two products side-by-side and using them under makeup (heavy and light), I realised that the TONYMOLY actually worked as a better primer for your bare face and under light makeup, but faded the vibrance for heavy makeup (I guess so, since it wasn’t marketed as a primer in the first place)

However, out of the two, the TONYMOLY won hands down for lasting power, and it smoothed over my pores much better. It even smells refreshing, with a slight lemon scent that is not overpowering at all.

I have used the TONYMOLY on its own over moisturiser and no makeup for years now, and I love how matte it makes my face look, and I always get compliments on my skin when I use it (if you’ve seen the state of my acne, you’d know how amazing that is.

For people living in Asia, I would definitely recommend the TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm as a cheaper alternative to The Body Shop’s Instablur™ because it lasts longer, doesn’t flake as easily, and smells better without being overpowering. 

For UK consumers, you might find the Instablur™ more affordable, especially during 50%-off sales, but if you do stop by Korea or see a sale on Korean cosmetics (there is an online shop for Korean skincare products, but I can’t remember which one it is), I would definitely recommend the TONYMOLY instead, especially if you have oily/combination skin that would result in the Instablur™ flaking off really quickly.