What has happened to Body Shop?

[puddingsforsandy]

Yes I know it was sold off a long time ago but it's unrecognisable in terms of products and prices. Half of the stuff I used to buy years ago like their body butter and perfume oil have really gone up in price. The perfume oil must have changed ingredients as the smell is so weak compared to a few years ago. Their makeup is Mac prices.

The sale stuff are rubbish and still expensive.

Does anyone here still shop there?

The Japanese washing grains were made from Adzuki beans.

That I remember.

Why would anyone go into the shop when you can get 40% off online!!
Unless you have no internet

That's right HazelMcWitch, I remember they had a distinct beany smell to them too.

My DD (11) likes Body Shop stuff so we go in from time to time. I've bought a few bits like lip balms and a nail buffer which are good but I was given a set for Xmas which is nothing special - average smelling shower gel, ridiculously glittery body lotion, bloody annoying body puff thing - but probably cost at least £20.

I used to buy so much from there in the 80s and 90s - I can still smell the Pineapple Facial Wash and Strawberry Perfume Oil! My friends and I all used to get each other gift baskets and I remember making up a lovely one for SIL when she had my niece who is 18 this year. They had so many USPs back then but these days they're no different to anywhere else, in fact many other places have nicer stuff at better prices.

Body shop smells so nasty.a generic smell,evocative of Persil and BO

I used to wear Fuzzy Peach perfume oil and no one ever needed to look to see if I was in my office at work because they could smell where I had passed the length of the corridor.

I was friends with one of Anita Roddick's daughters at school and stayed at their house a couple of times. Really lovely family. We made the most appalling cake and all the grown ups forced it down and said it was scrumptious . Nicest house I have ever seen, they lived in even back then, when the Body Shop had only been up and running for a couple of years.

I remember discovering it when I moved to Edinburgh as a student in the eighties. I used to love going there and treating myself. I too wore the Dewberry, and also loved their Elderflower Eye Gel (like I needed it then!).

I think it seems really expensive now and rarely go there, though I have been reminded on this thread of their Hemp handcream which I used to like, and I got a small giftbox of Olive shower gel and moisturiser from DH at Christmas - not used it yet but has quite a nice smell.

I like Bomb Cosmetics. They are much more reasonably priced but nice stuff and well presented.

I'd forgotten about the elderflower eye gel! I liked their kiwi lip balm in the early 90s. Smelled lovely. BS used to be packed in the 80s. The banana conditioner was better then as it seemed like it had real banana in it and smelled more natural. Wasn't there a cucumber cleanser?

IMO BS have shot themselves in the foot with their pricing strategy - prices all up, and then they offer huge discounts regularly. The result being I no long feel them to be a shop I can walk into and pay a fair/proper price to buy something.

the BS on our (very busy) high street closed down last year.

We've got two BS in our local shopping centre (and a Lush.) I don't suppose that can last. I heard it was the parties that they do best out of and that keeps them going.

Passionfruit facial cleansing gel wash thingy.

Smelled divine.

I remember the kiwi lip balm. Agree totally about the pricing, I just go in the shops to try things now, very rarely buy anything, just put in an online order every now and then with all the codes, but have done that less and less often because I CBA. But you feel like you're being ripped off if you go in the shop and pay full price now.

There used to be a Bomb Cosmetics shop near us but it only lasted a year or so and IIRC it was only really bath stuff and soap.

All these products bring back such memories! The White Musk scent always reminds me of slathering my legs in the body lotion every morning before putting grey woolly school tights on in the freezing cold.

Ooh and I've just remembered I bought my now DH aftershave from there - it was in a black bottle I think and smelt musky I think. It used to send me all of a quiver when he wore it.

I used to love it years ago. All the little bits they had, the face blotter paper,blackhead removers and other little gadgets, and I LOVED Ananya.

Yes, L'oreal thanks-I'm pretty sure you ruined it.
I don't like the hypocrisy, the original supposed ethics obviously aren't important now and lots of people don't know this so they're still making some money out of that. I won't shop there now.
However, one exception. I suffer quite badly with dandruff and the ONLY product I find really works is their anti-dandruff ginger shampoo. I wonder if Lush do an alternative...

I loved the perfume carousel!

Wonderful memories of being in sixth form circa 1992 and legging it out of the Body Shop for having a perfume fight with my friend.

Haven't been in there forever, but it was the place to go back then

The parties/people selling at school fairs etc are a nightmare - you feel compelled to buy but it's all at full price and just the same as what you can get in the shops. I've no idea how anybody makes money doing that.

So many memories from this thread - I'm now thinking about Morello Cherry lip balm and Oceana perfume which haven't crossed my mind in years!

You can make your own "Japanese wash grains" by grinding dried aduki beans in a coffee grinder. That was the only ingredient in the product - Body Shop just did the grinding for you and put it in a nice pot. If you have some bits which are still too big, either carry on grinding or sieve it through a tea strainer.

I read that tip in the 80s when everyone was starting to complain about their prices going up

Cambridge it was "Oceanus" and it always reminds me of being in hospital giving birth to DD.

But I could never quite get past the fact that it was a perfume with the word "anus" at the end

Morello cherry lip balm in little glass pots and the eye gel....thought I was so grown up....

Yes we used to love it at school in the 90's. The cotton bags were very 'in' too.

Not been in one for years!

For all those talking about the Japanese Washing Grains there is a link here for how to make your own and it couldn't be easier!

Guess what I'm doing this afternoon now...!

I don't have a coffee grinder, I wonder if my jug blender will do it?

Actually, I may have a small crumb making attachment somewhere that may be better.