A Simple Self-Care Routine With The Body Shop

AD info | The shampoo, charcoal mask, body butter and hand cream were gifted by the brand. The grapefruit soap was bought myself.

Looking for a few new beauty products to switch up your self-care Sunday routine? Me too! Recently, I’ve been on the hunt for vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable replacements for all the products I’ve been using. So when The Body Shop reached out and offered me the chance to try some of their products, it felt like perfect timing.

I’m already a massive fan of the brand – the Camomile and Vitamin E ranges are amazing! But, with such a huge selection of fantastic products, there’s – of course – still lots to discover! I was sent four of The Body Shop’s best sellers: the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Mask, the Hemp Hand Protector, the Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and the Almond Milk Body Butter.

Here’s how I incorporated them into my self-care routine and what I thought of each one…

STEP 1: Hydrate your hair and scalp

The first product I tried out was the Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. This is designed for dry, flaky scalps, and claims to leave the skin on your head ‘feeling soothed and rebalanced’. Ginger, with its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, reduces itchiness and leaves the scalp feeling fresh and comfortable. The other star ingredient, vegan silk protein, also helps to lock moisture into the scalp and hair shaft, treating dryness at the root – literally!

I don’t really suffer with itchiness or dryness on my scalp, but I was keen to see if this would make any difference to the way my scalp and hair feels in general. The ginger scent is pretty strong when you first pour the product out of the bottle. However, I don’t feel like it lingers throughout the day and the scent is actually pretty inoffensive when you compare it to other anti-dandruff shampoos or hair products – I’m looking at you T/Gel! 👀

The formula is clear, runny, and lathers well. It feels cool and refreshing when applied and – most importantly – it doesn’t leave a residue on the hair/scalp. I have to say that my scalp does feel more moisturised after using it, and this in turn has had a huge impact on the way my hair looks/feels. My hair has felt incredibly soft since I started using this ginger shampoo and it doesn’t get greasy quite so quickly either.

I’ve had a peek and the rest of The Body Shops’s ginger line, and I’d be really interested to see what Ginger Conditioner is like. I don’t tend to apply conditioner to the roots so I’m curious to see how an anti-dandruff would work!

STEP 2: Look after your body

Before we get onto the Almond Milk Body Butter, there’s another body care product from The Body Shop that deserves some attention: the Pink Grapefruit Soap. I’m a sucker for things that are grapefruit scented and this is no exception. This soap is zingy and refreshing, making it the perfect thing to rub all over your body in the morning. This leaves you smelling citrusy and clean all day – pairing it with the pink grapefruit body mist or eau de toilette really helps to soak in the scent of summer.

Once your hair and body have been washed, it’s time for moisturising. I’ve tried quite a few body butters from The Body Shop – the Satsuma and Pink Grapefruit ones are usually my go-tos. As if it wasn’t already obvious that I’m a massive grapefruit fan! But I hadn’t actually used the Almond Milk Body Butter before.

The almond milk body cream is targeted at dry, sensitive skin types and is said to offer 96 hour moisture. I can’t say I’ve put this to the test, but I do notice that my skin feels soft and supple from the moment I apply the body butter up until my next shower.

The scent is really luxurious… and the texture is too. This body butter is rich and creamy, but not so thick that it takes ages to sink into the skin. It’s also not the kind to leave your skin feeling sticky for hours. I’ll admit that there is some tackiness right after application, but this disappears fairly quickly!

The Body Shop always nails it with their body butters and this is another that I’ll be adding to my rotation 🙌

STEP 3: Unclog those pores

Next up, skincare. I love a good pore-clearing product so I was really excited to test out the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Mask. This contains bamboo charcoal which absorbs oil and draws out dirt. It also contains green tea leaves and tea tree oil which are both known for their anti-inflammatory properties. All good so far!

Upon application, I noticed that the product was a little grainy so I had to be quite gentle when I rubbed it in – my skin does not do well with manual exfoliation! Other than that, it applies nicely and dries down pretty quickly. The mask does feel instantly cooling but I wasn’t super fond of the ‘intense tingle’ (as the website describes it). For me, it felt a little too uncomfortable. This could just be because my skin is quite dry in parts though. I’m sure that oiler skin types might not have this problem!

After using this mask, I do find that my skin tends to get less oily and that my pores are less visible. I’ll for sure continue to use this product, but I think going forward it’s best if I apply it solely in my T-zone (where my skin tends to be oiliest). Doing it this way means that the drier parts of my face won’t get irritated which is key to maintaining my skin barrier!

If you’re looking for a quick, pore-clearing product that you can add into your self-care routine each week, this definitely ticks the boxes. Just make sure you don’t apply it on dry or irritated skin!

STEP 4: Revive dry hands

So, we’ve covered the skin on our body and face, the last thing we need to do is to give our hands a bit of TLC!

My hands have been VERY dry recently so The Body Shop’s Hemp Hand Protector has been a very welcome addition to my collection. When it comes to hand creams, I’m a firm believer that the thicker they are, the more effective they’ll be… and this motto once again rings true! The texture is super creamy and – despite it being pretty solid when it comes out of the tube – this hand cream rubs in really well. It doesn’t feel sticky or gluey, in fact, it has an almost silky finish (which I suppose is down to the hemp seed oil).

Hemp seed oil is packed with essential fatty acids which makes it the perfect ingredient for a heavy-duty hand moisturiser. My hands feel extremely soft after using this and, most importantly, they stay that way! This isn’t the kind of product that masks dryness and then disappears down the sink when you wash your hands. It really does stick around and help your hands retain their moisture.

Given how long this product has been around, I’m surprised I haven’t tried it before! This is one I’ll definitely be repurchasing … and perhaps even buying for friends and family. I can see this being a great stocking filler!

So there you have it, a simple yet effective self-care routine using some of the most popular products from The Body Shop!

Fancy trying the bestsellers above? Or are there any other The Body Shop products you have your eye on? Use code 21758 and you’ll get 20% off your next The Body Shop purchase (excluding sale, gifts & gift cards)!