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Original poster

When did The Body Shop get so grown up...

30 replies

INeedSomeHelp · 28/09/2015 13:57

...and so expensive?

My memories of it are of somewhere teen girls went to douse themselves in Dewberry or Fuzzy Peach or to buy a pot of lip salve.

But I wandered in at the weekend and it's got really serious and grown up with some great looking products.

I bought the Bouncy Sleeping Mask (not only because I was intrigued by the name) but what else does anyone recommend?

OP posts:
TeaAddict235 · 28/09/2015 14:07

It has turned really serious OP. you're right there. Seriously expensive too. Nothing is under £5 unless you want a lip balm or 30ml hand cream. The makeup is too unapproachable too. It doesn't shout out "try me and buy me" like the stuff elsewhere does, so I don't feel inclined to investigate it.

The Vitamin E stuff is good. And when my current face scrub finishes I'll be trying one of their face scrubs.

They seem to have lost their joie de vivre since the L'oreal take over.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 28/09/2015 14:10

More expensive but can't remember when I last paid full price. Last week the discount code for online was 40%. You often get freebies too.
The chamomile cleansing butter is lovely!

Floisme · 28/09/2015 14:23

I agree with Tea and I think it's lost its way. It used to pride itself on being a bit maveric but now it's just yet another corporate brand.

I used to sometimes buy the Vitamin E and the Jojoba stuff but it's years since I even took a look.

FiveandTwentyPast · 28/09/2015 14:42

It was unique thirty years ago when pretty much the only places that sold beauty products were pharmacies and department stores, and the beauty products themselves offered little variety between brands. The Body Shop came along with its new approach to packaging, scents and products. I remember being utterly wowed by their mint scented shampoo the first time I smelled it, there was something beyond Vosene and Head and Shoulders and I could afford to buy it with my pocket money.

Now there are hundreds, if not thousands of beauty brands each one trying to carve out their own niche and the Body Shop has been left for dust. It doesn't know what it wants to be anymore, its core market of teens has long since moved onto trendier pastures, it's not enough of a luxury brand to appeal to grown up women with disposable incomes, Lush has cornered the green and ethical market and pound shops and Superdrug have the budget market all sewn up. The Body Shop has been left floundering about not knowing who it's trying to appeal to, so consequently appeals to no one.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 28/09/2015 15:00

I actually think it's improved a lot over the past few years. Ok, mid 80s and we all wanted cucumber eye gel and a white musk basket (bleeeeargh). Then a) we grew up and realised it was foul b) everyone started doing 'natural' eco friendly stuff.
Now they've upped their game again going hard on the skincare (and getting wild acclaim from the industry) and slowly ditching the teenagery stuff. Nobody actually wants to smell of freaking strawberries after all!

Flambola · 28/09/2015 17:47

I adore their Chamomile Cleansing Butter. I like their body butters as well but tend to get them when there's a half price sale plus 40% off - you can get them for about £3.50 each then!

pussinboots61 · 28/09/2015 18:22

White Musk is the only perfume I use and I often get comments on how nice I smell. The only other thing I buy from Body Shop is the aloe moisturiser.

I agree it's not the same as it once was and they have discontinued a lot of their good products. The hair products used to be good but now the new shampoos are awful and the packaging is terrible.

mumsnit · 28/09/2015 18:25

Agree never buy full price. BS are another highly annoying retailer that ramps up prices and then offer discounts!!

I really love the Fijian water lotus perfume - in fact I'm quite addicted to it! Fortunately it's one they are keeping as quite often they discontinue their ranges.

chanie44 · 28/09/2015 18:35

I buy from the body shop and I like the products I use, although I think they are expensive, without discount codes.

During my last purchase,the lovely sales assistant stacked up lots of offers for me, so my purchases were really cheap.

spankhurst · 28/09/2015 19:24

I miss the days of refillable perfume oils (come back Rose Musk, all is forgiven), henna in packets and elderflower eye gel. It's way too serious and expensive now.

Sigh.

MyNameIsRonnieFuckingPickering · 28/09/2015 19:38

It's not the Body Shop of my kiwi lip balm years but I do quite like some of its products. I wait for a 40% off code and repurchase several items.

MyNameIsRonnieFuckingPickering · 28/09/2015 19:38

Can't remember the last time I was in one of the shops though.

PetiteBateau · 28/09/2015 19:39

What I really dislike about the body shop these days is the massive fuck off hard sell you get when you go in. I might just want to pick up one or two items ( products I've been using since the body shop first opened) & the sales assistants try to push me to but a load of stuff I don't want or need.

PetiteBateau · 28/09/2015 19:40

But = buy

Original poster
INeedSomeHelp · 28/09/2015 20:29

For those of you who do shop there, there's a 40% voucher code doing the rounds just now if you Google it.

OP posts:
SinglePringle · 28/09/2015 20:33

But none of their new good stuff (there are a couple of oil ranges and that Bouncy Sleep one) are valid for the discount code. Annoying.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 28/09/2015 20:42

I agree the Chamomile cleanser is amazing. The ladies on the Korean skincare thread can probably point you in the direction of cheaper and better sleep masks, they are a big part of Asian beauty.

pdxs · 28/09/2015 21:59

I think their nutriganics range is pretty good... esp eye cream which is non irritating

From friends who work at HQ. .. Their body butters are one of their key products

MairzyDoats · 28/09/2015 22:08

Has anyone tried the facial oils? They look interesting. I love the chamomile cleansing oil.

DragonsCanHop · 28/09/2015 22:22

I purchased the daily facial oil yesterday Mairzy I received a free sample after buying their barely there foundation (I love it, so light and £12)

I liked the smell of the oil when sampling so paid £28 for the oil bottle and used it this morning.

I washed my face normally and the applied the oil and let it set before applying my boots moisturiser, I have a couple of spots trying to surface this evening and I'm not prone to spots so not sure?

I've been using the new boots moisturiser for a few months with no issues, I've had compliments from my teen girls that my wrinkles are less angry looking Grin I will stick with the oil for now, I really like the smell and how light it feels.

Grok · 28/09/2015 22:37

I use the vitE serum oil. I like the smell and texture. Works as evening regenerator or as everyday layer under moisturiser if your skin is drier.

My only complaint is that my eyes are now feeling sensitised in the outer corner which also happened after a few months of using the vit E moisturiser which I had tostop using. Not sure if something in their Vit E range just has something that doesn't agree with my skin though

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 29/09/2015 06:21

I wouldn't put anything with an oil in near my eyes tbh. I like the Vit E range, takes me back to the 80s like nothing else!
I use facial oils a lot and had a look at the new BS range. The ingredients look good, but for that price (until the range is admitted to the % off deals) I'll stick with Neal's Yard.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 29/09/2015 06:23

Pdxs- I can understand that about the butters. No other company has the texture right IMO. The Cocoa butter butter is my all time favourite.

ToadsJustFellFromTheSky · 03/10/2015 10:24

I've actually re-discovered The Body Shop recently. I loved it as a teenager but I've never felt the urge to go and look in for years...until recently that is.

I will admit to being surprised when I went back in. It's changed so much since I was teenager and yes, it has got really expensive. I bought two of the body butters and some body mist and I'm actually kind of embarrassed to admit that I like them a lot, especially the body butters.

I think I will be going back in again soon to stock up. Has anyone tried the make-up? I've heard it's good.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/10/2015 12:39

I'm not a huge make-up wearer or perfume wearer (don't wear it to work, on my non-work days it depends if I CBA)

I love:
Camomile Cleansing Butter (with a hot cloth to buff off) though I didn't like the Camomile Eye Make Up remover

I love the Absinthe range Grin. I buy the handwash to use in the shower (there's no bodywash, pah, so the handwash is only a smaller bottle but it smells lush)

I got a Freebie gift bag in June that I 'gifted' to my DD (she loves BodyShop)

I did my Wedding Makeup with BodyShop (1995) and it looked really good (preen)

I have a Loyalty Card thingey so it does rack up some % off/free things as well as the discounts which are nice.

The Sleep Mask- it's okay , I use it as part of an intensive pamper night but it doesn't have me running to the jar.

Dd likes the bodybutters, they aren't my thing, but I love the pink grapefruit scrub.