The best products from The Body Shop
From cleansers to face scrubs, shampoos and SPFs, these picks are some of the best products available from The Body Shop
Founded by Dame Anita Roddick in London in 1976, The Body Shop has been a staple high-street brand in the UK and beyond ever since. With a range of products including skincare, bodycare, haircare, fragrance and more, you can be sure to find an affordable solution for all your beauty needs, from moisturising body butters, fruity shower gels, face masks and more.
But which The Body Shop products are the best? We’ve taken every skin type, concern and budget into consideration and put countless The Body Shop products to the test to determine our very top picks. First, read on to discover some key information to consider before you make a purchase.
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Best products from The Body Shop: At a glance
- Best for all skin types: Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++ | £22
- Best for sensitive or dry skin: Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter | £6
- Best for oily skin: Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask | £7
- Best for dull skin: Vitamin C Glow Boosting Microdermabrasion | £18
How to choose the best products from The Body Shop
What types of products do The Body Shop sell?
As you may be able to tell from the name itself, The Body Shop sells a range of different beauty products designed with every part of our bodies in mind.
From facial skincare to hair and body products, fragrances and even makeup, there are almost 100 The Body Shop products from which you can choose.
One of a handful of completely cruelty-free and ethical beauty brands, The Body Shop has also made the commitment to becoming fully vegan by 2023, with all of the products included in our roundup, bar one, already vegan.
The brand’s range is growing all the time, with new and innovative products being introduced regularly. So, below we’ve rounded up our favourite tried-and-tested buys, along with some of the brand’s bestsellers.
How much do The Body Shop products cost?
Compared to other high-street and online beauty retailers, The Body Shop’s come in at a range of different price points, with most being incredibly reasonable. As we’ll highlight below, there’s also the option to buy smaller trial or travel size versions of certain products, which will enable you to test certain products on your skin, scalp or body without having to invest a significant amount in them to start.
How we test The Body Shop products
At Expert Reviews, we know that hands-on testing delivers the most complete information about a product. As such, we test all of The Body Shop products we review, from body and skincare to hair care and more.
The products here were selected from a number of key categories across the range. To test them, we apply the products to clean, dry skin or hair, noting their effects with use. In terms of skincare, we monitor how the skin feels several hours after application of a product, and since products work for a range of different skin types and concerns, we test them on the appropriate skin type. For hair care, if testing an anti-dandruff shampoo, for example, we’ll check the scalp for any flakes some time after use.
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The best products from The Body Shop to buy in 2023
1. The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++: Best for all skin types
Price: £22 | Buy now
Regardless of your skin type, a good SPF is integral to any good skincare routine. Suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin, dry, combination or even oilier skin, this SPF combines a moisturising lotion, high SPF50 protection and anti-pollution properties into one product.
One of the easiest ways to defend your skin from premature ageing is to use SPF everyday, and this one includes UVA and UVB protection and has been dermatologically tested. It’s non-comedogenic, which means that it won’t block pores or lead to breakouts or larger-looking pores, plus ingredients such as vitamin C and red algae extract make skin look brighter and healthier in an instant. The moisturiser blends into skin nicely, with almost zero white cast. And remember: wear it daily, rain or shine, to get the full benefits.
2. The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter: Best product for sensitive or dry skin
Price: From £6 | Buy now
Melt away tough makeup such as waterproof mascara, bright lipsticks and heavy foundations, as well as any SPF, in just a few swipes with this creamy cleansing butter. If you’ve been considering integrating a thick, buttery cleanser into your skincare routine, then the gentle formulation here will leave skin feeling nourished and refreshed.
With camomile extract picked here in the UK in the county of Cornwall, this cleansing butter has a bright and uniquely floral scent, while also having a soothing effect on the skin, regardless of your skin type. It’s especially great for those with sensitive skin, while even being suitable for contact lens wearers and those who struggle with irritable eyes.
3. The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask: Best product for oily skin
Price: From £7 | Buy now
One of our favourite at-home facials, this purifying glow mask is ideal for those with particularly oily skin or clogged pores. Apply either using your fingertips or invest in a face mask brush (we’ve even repurposed a few of our old foundation brushes to serve a new purpose), evenly spreading the clay mask onto your face, making sure to avoid the eye area.
Leave on the skin for around 10-15 minutes before washing off, where it will exfoliate the skin in the process, too. Note that you’ll most likely experience a tingling sensation as this face mask gets to work, so if you have sensitive skin, we’d recommend applying a small amount of it beforehand, much like you would with a patch test, to ensure that it doesn’t cause a negative reaction.
4. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil: Best product for blemish-prone skin
Price: From £10 | Buy now
For many, this glass bottle may have been their first introduction to the brand, back when they were first starting to see blemishes and acne appear as a teenager. This small but mighty bottle is a must for anyone dealing with inflamed pimples or irritable skin. But that’s not where its powers end; it can also be used to treat issues such as athlete’s foot and nail fungus, or help wounds heal that bit faster.
To apply to the face, simply dispense one or two drops onto clean fingers and dot onto any blemishes – these could be visible or blind pimples under the skin. If you find this product suits your skin, The Body Shop has an entire Tea Tree Oil range of skincare products, which includes cleansers, toners, face masks and more.
5. The Body Shop Ginger Anti-dandruff Shampoo: Best product for dry, flaky scalps
Price: From £3 | Buy now
If you’ve noticed visible flaking or dandruff, or often experience an irritated, dry or itchy scalp, this is the shampoo for you. Including soothing ingredients such as birch bark and white willow bark extracts, it reduces the urge to scratch or further aggravate your scalp. It’s also great for cleaning the hair and scalp thoroughly, without stripping it of any natural moisture.
Available in a 60ml travel size option for £3, you can try out the shampoo before investing in the full size bottle that comes in at £12. We also can’t get enough of the fresh and energising ginger scent of this shampoo.
6. The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Microdermabrasion: Best product for dull skin
Price: £18 | Buy now
For those of us with uneven skin texture, dull skin or dry patches, this exfoliating scrub gently buffs away dead skin cells to leave smoother, brighter skin. Even if you don’t suffer dull skin, using this product before you apply the rest of your skincare products can mean your moisturiser or eye cream will penetrate into the skin better; they won’t just be sitting on top of dead skin. Simply wet the skin and massage a small amount around your face in circular motions, but avoid the eye area.
We love the glowy, fresh-feeling this product delivers; it’s a great way to get the look and feel of a professional microdermabrasion treatment at home. And you’ll only need to use it once a week to benefit from its glow-boosting effects.
7. The Body Shop Almond Milk Body Yogurt: Best product for hydrating skin on your body
Price: £12 | Buy now
If you’re someone who becomes rather impatient while you wait for your body lotion to sink into skin and dry sufficiently in order to get dressed, let us introduce you to The Body Shop range of Body Yogurt. Their silky and hydrating gel-cream consistency absorbs almost instantly into skin, leaving it feeling nourished and incredibly smooth. A combination of rich and creamy shea butter and hyaluronic acid helps the skin to naturally retain moisture, making this a great all-year-round option for dry or normal skin types.
The Body Shop Body Yogurts are available in a variety of different fragrances, such as Strawberry, Mango, British Rose, Pink Grapefruit and even Avocado. Our favourite is the Almond Milk option for sensitive skin, thanks to its subtle sweet scent that doesn’t interact with any other fragrances or products that you may apply thereafter.
