the body shop drops of youth range grows: youth essence lotion & youth cream

the body shop drops of youth skin care range gets two new products.

youth essence lotion and youth cream.

drops of youth is a complementing skin care range for signs of aging. the products use stem cells technology with criste marine, edelweiss and sea holly plant stem cells. stem cells makes the skin renew faster and the skin will look more smoother, fresher and healthier. the drops of youth range also has concenctrate, eye concentrate, sleeping mask and primer. (you can read my earlier post about the sleeping mask and primer here).

the body shop drops of youth - youth essence lotion, 160ml, 17,90€

mixture of water and gel. contains all of the three plant cells mentioned and aloe vera gel. the first moisturising step after cleansing. i recommend it to everyone who need some extra moisture, or wishes to have fresher looking skin. this is a little lighter than the oils of life intensely revitalising essence lotion, so if you have very dry skin that would be better choice.

the body shop drops of youth - youth cream, 50ml, 27,50€

contains the three plant cells mentioned and babassu oil. the cream makes pores look tighter, fine lines smoother and the skin feel bouncier. it is recommended to use the youth cream with the essence lotion and concenctrate to get best results. the cream itself is very light so i don't think it would work for someone who has very dry skin, at least in winter time.

i must mention also the new packages because they are soooo much nicer looking. here is comparison the old packaging (left) and new (right).

the drops of youth concentrate has also been updated since before it had only criste marine plant stem cells and now also edelweiss and sea holly (obs. in the new packaging).

the body shop oils of life

the body shop's take on the rising oil trend is the new oils of life facial skin care line. the line is based on 3 seed oils: black cumin (high concentration of antioxidants), camellia (rich in nutritive oleic acid) and rosehip (rich in omega 3 and 6).

 the main product of the range is of course the intensely revitalising facial oil. the oil can be used by any age or skin type but adult skin benefits from it the most. it nourishes and helps for signs of aging. the formula is quickly absorbing and not greasy. people with normal and dry skin can use it solo or mix it with cream, people with combination and oily skin i recommend to use it as extra moisture in the night. in addition to the 3 seed oils the facial oil has also among other things lavender, rosemary leaf, orange peel and geranium essential oils. price: 36€

my favorite product of the range is the intensely revitalising essence lotion. it's a concentrated mix of water and oil that prepares the skin for the next step's of moisturising. since i have normal skin towards combination i don't necessarily like to use oily or thick products, so this one is perfect for me because it has the moisture of the oil and the freshness of the water. i use the essence lotion morning and evening after cleansing before cream. ingredients include with 3 seed oils e.g. panthenol, sesame- and sunflower seed oil. price: 21,50€

you can choose from 2 creams. intensely revitalising gel cream is lighter in texture and has light reflecting pigments that make skin look radiant. gel cream suits for normal and even combination and oily skin. ingredients include with 3 seed oils e.g. glycerin and olive oil. price: 32,50€

intensely revitalising cream is seemingly far more thicker and nourishing that leaves the skin feeling silky. it suits for customers who have normal to dry skin. addition to the gel cream it has shea butter and soy protein. price: 32,50€ 

the vibe of this range is definitely more luxurious and it shows the direction of the new package design in the body shop. i can find one divisive feature - the scent. some people love herby, natural scent, but for someone it can be too much. in the essence lotion it doesn't come as strongly so i'm able to use it, since i'm not a huge fan of strong scents in facial products.

the body shop spa of the world blissful ritual

this is the third and last chapter of the body shop spa of the world bath&body care collection. you can read about the relaxing ritual here, and the revitalising ritual here.

in this post we will go through the 3 pampering and luxurious products of the blissful ritual.

step 1. nourish: polynesian monoi radiance oil - 170ml, 21,90€
the new version of the monoi oil is a dry oil. for sure some of you are gonna hate the change and some are gonna love (like me). as a person with normal skin i prefer dry oils since (ofc) they dry up faster and they don't leave oily feel. the polynesian monoi radiance oil you can use either for moisturising body or hair. there is many ways to use it in hair care: 1. apply oil to all hair, leave it for the night and wash your hair in the morning, 2. apply small amount to damp hair before blowdrying, 3. apply small amount(!!) to dry hair to make it look healthy and sleek. i think the scent is lovely flowery scent.
ingredients include e.g. tiare flower, coconut-, brazil nut-, almond-, sesame- and sunflower oil.

step 2. nourish: hawaiian kukui cream - 350ml, 28,90€

from the 2 creams of the whole collection, hawaiian kukui cream is more rich than the camellia cream. i actually adore the nutty scent of this product but unfortunately it's too heavy for me. even it is suitable for dry skin it's still more quickly absorbing than the heaviest body butters.
ingredients include e.g. kukui oil, brazil nut seed oil, cacao butter, shea butter, beeswax.

step 3. massage: tahitian orchid massage oil - 170ml, 19,90€
sensuous massage oil with vanilla orchid, ylang ylang and patchouli. probably my favorite massage oil of the three.

the body shop spa of the world revitalising ritual

this is the second chapter of the body shop spa of the world bath&body care collection. you can read about the first chapter - relaxing ritual - here.

in this post we go through the revitalising ritual, that helps to youthen body and soul.

step 1. scrub: dead sea salt scrub - 350ml, 25,90€

renewing scrub that stimulates blood flow. as you can see from the picture, this scrub is more rough (than the ximenia scrub) thanks to the large sea salt crystals. the sea salt is in oil base what makes this scrub suitable also for dry skin. if you like rougher impact use this scrub to damp skin because when the skin is wet the product melts faster. people with normal skin (like me) there is no need to apply cream after since the oil base of the product leaves your skin soft. only thing i don't like is the smell, i think it must be the rosemary extract.
ingredients include e.g. dead sea sea salt, sunflower-, mango seed- and soy oil.

step 2. treat: moroccan rhassoul body clay - 200ml, 21,90€

here i did a comparing of the moroccan rhassoul body clay (top) and himalayan charcoal body clay (bottom).

rhassoul clay is mineral rich clay that has been used by moroccan women to firm the skin. the product helps to remove extra water and fat. apply thin layer with the body mask brush (18€) to areas that need firming such as tummy, thighs.. and let the product dry completely, at least 10 minutes. (as you can see from the picture, the rhassoul clay doesn't dry as fast as the charcoal clay). rinse with cold water to maximize the firming effect. also with this body clay i must remind to scrub the body before, because the removal will be much easier.
ingredients include e.g. coffeine, guarana extract, kaolin, sesame oil.

step 3. massage: thai lemongrass massage oil - 170ml, 19,90€
stimulating and refreshing massage oil that is an enhanced version of the previous thai lemongrass massage oil.
ingredients include e.g. almond-, oil-, soy-, marula-, sesame-, sun flower- and wheat germ oil.

the revitalising ritual products you will recognize from blue color tag.

the body shop spa of the world relaxing ritual

a bit over a week ago here in finland the body shop introduced new luxurious bath & body care collection called spa of the world. this collection consists of 3 spa rituals and i'm going to write individual post of each ritual.

the first one is relaxing ritual that leaves skin luxuriously smooth and mind relaxed. it consists of 5 products.

 step 1. scrub: axfrican ximenia scrub - 350ml, 25,90€

softening cream based body scrub that is good for dry skin. it has lovely light scent. i recommend this scrub for someone who doesn't want super rough scrub. (very similar to the old spa wisdom product).

ingredients include e.g. ximenia oil, shea butter, beeswax and corn starch (the exfoliating ingredient).

step 2. treat: himalayan charcoal body clay - 200ml, 21,90€

purifying body clay mask that cleanses and draws up impurities. apply thin layer with the body mask brush (18€) and let it dry up 5-10 minutes before rinsing. i really recommend the brush for applying - it's much less messier and it helps you to get thin enough layer. another important advice is that you should scrub your body before applying the body mask, otherwise it will get stuck..

ingredients include e.g. charcoal, kaolin and sesame oil.

step 3. relax: egyptian milk & honey bath - 250g, 20€

(of course i forgot this product from the collection picture..)

i haven't tried this product by myself since i don't have a bath tub. it's a powder that you apply to the bath water and it becomes milky texture. after doing all the work (scrub+mask) you can relax in this softening and moisturising bath. only negative thing i would find about this product is that you need to apply 5 spoons of powder to the bath - i think you don't get more than 4-5 baths from the bag.

ingredients include e.g. plant based "milk", honey, olive oil, almond oil, sesame oil, sunflower seed oil and black cumin seed oil.

step 4. nourish: japanese camellia cream - 350ml, 28,90€

here is closer look to african ximenia scrub and japanese camellia cream.

the japanese camellia cream feels so soft and silky, and it literally melts to the skin. the cream has light floral scent from the camellia flowers. the camellia cream is lighter than the kukui cream i'm introducing in the last chapter (if you are comparing and thinking between these two).

ingredients include e.g. camellia seed oil, shea butter and mango seed oil.

step 5. massage: french lavender massage oil - 170ml, 19,90€

relaxing massage oil with lavender and chamomile oil. lavender used in this product is harvested from south france which is famous of the quality of the lavender. if you loved the old lavender massage oil, you are gonna love this one too, since it's an enhanced version.

base oil is mix of almond-, sesame-, and jojoba seed oil.

these products are for more demanding customers who are looking for luxurious products. you are maybe thinking about the price, but actually the litre price is less than in the normal body butters and srubs. a really good idea is to buy some of the products with friends and do spa nights together.
you can of course mix products from different rituals to better suit your needs. the relaxing ritual products you will recognize from the purple color tag.

dove summer glow normal to dark skin

i actually found this product on the back of a shelf few weeks ago and i decided to give it another go.

the first picture is from may but since finnish summer has been rubbish and i have been working all the time, the color of my skin is pretty accurate. in the second picture i have 2 layers of dove summer glow. i'm sorry the lightening is different (even both have been taken same spot, in the evening and with flash..), but you can see how dark color it gets already with 2 applications. i think that is one of the reasons why i haven't finished using it.

dove summer glow is actually a body lotion with gradual self-tanning. i think if you have dry skin you can really benefit from this product compared to other self tanners but since i have normal skin the drying time is really long and i just hate the greasy feeling. though i give plus from easy application - its really easy to get even finish.

if you don't want such dark result, try the one for fair to normal skin.
this product is a real bargain self tanner since the price is around 6€.

summer favorite: garnier ambre solaire dry mist

in my opinion garnier ambre solaire dry mist is the most comfortable sun protection there is. when you spray it on your skin the formula is a little creamy but after 5 minutes your skin feels dry and silky. i just absolutely hate greasy feeling on my skin so this product is perfect for me. SPF 20 is what i use in finland (for body) but in beach holidays i always use SPF 50.

for face i have 3 different products. the clarins cream i use for the whole face. la roche posay stick i use for spots that burn easily - like eyelids, cheekbones and nose. i have also a lip balm with sun protection. all of these have SPF 50 and i wouldn't never use anything less (for face).

in this post i wanted to talk about sun protection generally. this is a subject i take really seriously since i have fair skin and i burn quite easily. UV radiation can cause skin cancer and it is also one of the biggest reasons of premature skin aging. always choose sun protection that has both UVA and UVB protection.

UVA rays - they go deep in the skin and contribute the forming of free radicals. free radicals can damage collagen and elastin fibres. over time this can be seen in the skin as wrinkles and slackening.

UVB rays - they go only to the outer layers of the skin but they are the ones that cause burning and skin cancer.

after being in the sun remember to moisturise your skin. these are 2 products that i found in my collection for that purpose. the body shop mojito body sorbet you can keep in the fridge to maximize the cooling effect. this product is a really light moisturiser but it works for my normal skin. usually after taking sun i want something with more calming aloe vera in it, so this nivea moisturising after sun lotion i have used in beach holidays. sometimes i buy the aloe vera gel as well.

my facial skin care routine || skin care tips || the body shop products

for few years now i have used skin care products from the body shop. what i'm looking for in facial skin care products is good quality but not overpriced. after trying many products i have found my perfect combination.

my skin is normal, more towards combination skin than dry skin.

daily use

i don't like to use products on the face that have strong scent - that's why my favorite product range is the aloe vera, it doesn't have any perfume. i also love the aloe vera creams texture, because they are moisturising without being too thick.

the skin in my face is mechanically sensitive which means it can get irritated with a lot of touching. that's why i don't wash my face with water and cleanser in the morning because then it will get red. instead i only wipe my face with the aloe toner. i love toners that are mild enough to also wipe the eyes. in the morning i apply the aloe day cream and moisture white shiso 2 in 1 brightening eye cream. this eye cream is really great if you have dark circles because it reflects light well. it also has metallic applicator that removes puffiness.
i have also been trying new products in my morning routine, read my post about the vitamin c glow boosting moisturiser and vitamin e eyes cube.

in the evening i use the seaweed cleanser to wash my face. this cleanser removes make up better than any milk formula cleanser that i have tried. the seaweed range is for combination skin so it suits for me. i finish my cleansing with the aloe toner. in the evening i apply aloe night- and eye cream. i like to use this eye cream for the night because its nice to have soothing effect after removing eye makeup.

 as you can see the day cream is more light and gel-like, the night cream thicker. its important to use both day- and night cream because they have different functions. day cream protects the skin and night cream repairs.

weekly use

once a week i use the vitamin c microdermabrasion for exfoliating. this scrub is really effective with a lot of exfoliating particles. if you have thick and oily skin, you can do the exfoliating twice a week, and if you have thin and sensitive skin, you might want to do it only once in 2 weeks. exfoliating removes the dead skin cells so it makes the skin look more radiant. it also helps the serums and moisturisers absorb better to the skin.

depending my skin's condition, i either use the aloe mask for moisturising or tea tree mask for purifying.

extra products

one product that i couldn't be without is the tea tree oil. it helps to get rid of pimples fast but gently. normally i don't use waterproof make up but when i do i have the waterproof makeup remover ready.

the other two products are really mostly summer products for me. the soothing aloe gel gives relieve to the face after being in the sun. vitamin e face mist gives the face extra moisture fast when needed.

st. tropez self tan bronzing mousse

st. tropez has a lot self tan products to choose from - lotions, oils, sprays - but the mousse is my absolute favorite. the formula is light-weight and it dries up super fast. the mousse also has a "help color" so its easy to see where you have already applied. the real color on your skin forms in 8 hours and after that its recommended to wash the excess color away - then you will have a natural tan that doesn't smell! thats one reason i love this product so much. i usually apply this self tan on in the evening and then go shower in the morning.

 on the top is my skin on it's natural color and on the bottom with 2 coats of the bronzing mousse. (photos taken with flash).

i don't use self tan really often, but in the summer i don't like to look like the color of A4 :D and when i use self tan, i don't like anything too crazy, i still prefer the tan to look natural. if you wish for darker result, there is also the dark bronzing mousse.

before using self tan exfoliate your skin and apply moisturiser. i usually do this one day before that my body is moisturised but not greasy. use a tanning mitt to apply the self tan to get an even finish.

i have seen conversation going on in youtube about body hair and self tan claiming that you must shave all away before applying. of course even me i shave the bits where i have dark hard hair but for example in my thighs and arms i have white hair and they have never affected to the result.

the price in finland is around 40€. i bought mine from ebay ~20€.

the body shop vitamin e eyes cube

the body shop has launched bunch of new products this year, the newest here in finland is the vitamin e eyes cube. it's a stick form eye cream that includes wheat germ oil (vitamin e source) and soybean oil.

what i love about this product that it has a cooling effect so it feels very fresh in the skin. the formula is well moisturising (but not too thick), and the product has mica in it, so it reflects with the light to make dark under eyes look lighter.

what i see as the negative is the size. i think it just depends of ones opinion, but i feel it's a bit clumsy to use. for example, it's hard to apply the product to the inner corner of the eye area, which is my driest part.

however, i find this product nice to use in the summer time, and the price is not bad - only 10€.

the body shop vitamin c glow boosting moisturiser & instant glow enhancer

two new products to complement the vitamin c range.

vitamin c glow boosting moisturiser 24,80€

i normally don't like face moisturisers that have strong scent, but the citrusy scent of this product is so fresh that i actually love it. the formula is gel-cream and it's great for summer time - i love the cool effect it makes in the skin. i have been using this almost two weeks now and i feel it's moisturising enough for my normal-combination skin, but i'm not sure how it works on a very dry skin. main ingredients are vitamin c (from camu camu berries), soybean oil and aloe vera gel.


vitamin c instant glow enhancer 19,90€

peach toned cream that freshens dull looking skin. personally i didn't see so much of a difference on my face after applying this product, but my skin is in pretty good condition right now, so maybe it works better when your face actually looks dull and tired. main ingredients are vitamin c (from camu camu berries), honey and glycerin. apply after the moisturiser.

skin care happy hour: the body shop virgin mojito body care collection

i'm so excited about these products! mojito is my absolute favorite drink and these products mimic the fresh scent really well. the main ingredients are of course lime and minth.

the virgin mojito collection is launched today in finland. i'm sorry to inform that this collection is limited edition, so go get it will it lasts!

shower gel 8,70€, body scrub 18,90€
































the shower gel has a little difference compared to the body shop's other shower gels - instead of honey it has glycerin as moisturising ingredient, so this shower gel is vegan. the scent of this product is just pure mojito, so juicy and fresh.

the body scrub is very similar than the fuji green tea scrub. not my cup of tea, since i prefer rougher scrubs.


body sorbet 15€, body butter 19,50€

the formula of the body sorbet is light and gel like, i prefer to use this product, because it suits better for my normal skin. the body sorbet is a great summer product, because it has aloe vera in it, so i use if after being in the sun. to get the most fresh effect, put it in the fridge before using.

the body butter is for all skin types and i would categorize it in the middle - the formula is thicker than in the fruity ones, but lighter than in the nutty ones. sometimes in thicker creams the scent can get a little stale after applied on the skin, but this one stays fresh.


body splash 22,50€

the body splash is light fragrance that you tap on to your skin (pour either to your hands or straight to the area you want to put it and tap the skin to make it absorb). when i tried the body splash, the scent was first strong alcohol like, but when it has been in the skin for half a minute or so, it starts to warm up and the scent is so delicious. with lime and minth there is also coconut.

the collection includes also fun gift sets in form of a shaker and cooler, really great for a cocktail loving friend ;)

the body shop fuji green tea body care collection

today here in finland the body shop launched new body care collection - fuji green tea. i must say i'm not an expert of tea since i don't like to drink it, so i don't really know how green tea smells like, but i would claim the scent of the fuji green tea products is more citrusy and fresh - to my prefering. perfect body care collection for spring and summer time.

the re-design of some products (body wash, scrub and lotion) is succesful in my opinion - the products look now more expensive, in a good way.

green tea is known from its antioxidant and detoxing qualities. the green tea leaves what they use to make these products are collected from mount fuji in japan, where comes the name to the collection.

 body wash (8,70€), exfoliating soap (7,50€), body scrub (18,90€)

fuji green tea body wash: fresh shower gel that doesn't have actual soap in it, so it doesn't dry your skin. inside there is among other things green tea extract and honey.

fuji green tea exfoliating soap: the soap has crushed peanut in it, so it doesn't just clean, but also exfoalites. other ingredients in the soap are i.a shea butter, green tea extract and leaves.

fuji green tea body scrub: the body scrub has a quite strong scent at first, almost like strong alcohol scent. the formula is gel and it has small round exfoliating particles. this product is probably the only one that i'm disappointed of, because i like rough scrubs and this definitely isn't one. but for sure there are customers that they will appreciate mild scrubs also.

body sorbet (15€), body lotion (15€), body butter (19,50€)

moisturising products for all different needs.

fuji green tea body sorbet: the body sorbet is the lightest, the formula imitates real sorbet texture. this product is best used in the summer, for example after taking sun. it has aloe vera in it, and if you keep it in the fridge before applying, you will get really refreshing feeling. other moisturising ingredients are honey and sesame seed oil.

fuji green tea body lotion: the body lotion is very usable for also normal skin type customers like me. body lotion consists i.a sesame seed oil, shea butter and tea tree extract.

fuji green tea body butter: the body butter says to be for all skin types. the formula seems to be similar than for example in the pink grapefruit and satsuma body butters, so i wouldn't necessarily recommend this to very dry skin, but definitely a great body butter to use in summer time. moisturising ingredients in the body butter are shea butter, soybean oil and brazil nut oil.

bath tea (19,80€), bath tea sieve (5€)

really funny and inventive product in the collection is the bath tea. it has green tea extract, aloe vera and basil leaves in it. it saves you a lot of trouble if you will buy the sieve as well, because then you don't need to clean your bath tube after the bath. really cute gift idea for someone who was bath tube.

eau de cologne (22,50€)

my absolute favorite product from the collection! the eau de cologne is a mixture of green tea, citrus fruits and flowers. at first it is really strong and fresh, but after a while the scent warms and it is in its best about after 30 minutes from applying. the eau de cologne lasts longer than the body mists, but less than the eau de toilettes.

the fuji green tea collection is part of the regular range, so it is not limited edition, yay!

the body shop drops of youth bouncy sleeping mask and wonderblur

continuing with new products from the body shop. in march (here in finland, in the uk they came to the stores in january) we welcome 2 new products to the popular "drops of youth" skin care range - bouncy sleeping mask (28,50€) and wonderblur (26,80€).

bouncy sleeping mask is a moisturising mask that you leave on for the night. you can use it alone or apply it after your serum or night cream (let it dry awhile before going to bed). the mask moisturises on its own but it also works as a barrier and keeps the moisture of the night cream inside. in the morning face looks fresh and elastic. bouncy sleeping mask contains among other things sunflower oil, babassu oil and edelweiss stem cells, which renews skin. other great ways to use the mask is to apply it before flight to avoid dryness that airplane air can cause, or before going outdoors when there is minus degrees or hard wind.

the formula is kind of sticky cream-gel, but don't let that fool you, it feels wonderful in your face. i think the best results can be seen if you are over 30 years old - if you are younger, turn to this product for extra moisture or if you feel your skin is looking dull.

"blur" primers really became a thing in 2014. even this is already second blur primer addition to the body shop primers. the idea of blur primers is to make the skin look more flawless. wonderblur is light blur primer that smoothes the appearance of fine lines and pores.
 i personally don't like super matt effect in the make up, so i apply primer only on top of open pores and not in whole face. if you have oily skin, you may look for more mattifying product, but if you are like me, this might be enough for you. wonderblur also claims to hydrate the skin for 12 hours. of course i don't know for sure because i haven't measured the moisture content of my skin, but i really haven't felt that kind of effect..

here is me only with moisturiser on the left and then with wonderblur on the right.