Helloow! I’m back after a busy weekend filled with social gatherings and lots and lots of me time. Especially the latter was something I desperately needed so I didn’t have the energy to post anything over the weekend. But today is Monday: a new day, a new week, so let’s get started!
I have sensitive skin and I went into TBS after having tried many different cleansers and toners from the drug store. All to no avail: anti zit stuff gave me dry patches, stuff for dry skin made me break out or it did both at the same time. I went through it all: itches, rashes, redness, burning sensations, you name it. I went into TBS quite desperate and ready to give up hope. The lady in the shop was very nice, heard me out and told me I’d most likely have sensitive skin (no one had been that savvy yet up until that point) and recommended the Aloe Vera line. The range is fragrance, color, alcohol and preservative free, meaning it has as little in it as possible. That, to me, sounded great. I tried it, loved it and have been using it ever since. I’m confident I’ve been using this range of products for more than 5 years now. My two favorite products in the line: the calming toner and calming facial cleanser.
The Body Shop: Aloe Calming toner & facial cleanser
Let’s have a look at the two products. First up: the cleanser.
TBS Aloe Vera calming facial cleanser
A thick white substance that is fairly gloopy comes out of the bottle. Don’t be fooled by however much you think is left in the bottle: this stuff lasts you a long long time. Whenever I think my bottle is nearly done I still manage to squeeze out enough for it to last a good few months. Just make sure you shake it up well enough and it will keep coming out. And that is the only dislike I have about this product: the packaging. You cannot see how much is left because the bottle is opaque, but take it from me: it goes along way.
What I like about it is how you dispense the product: through a little nozzle which is hygienic and doesn’t give you too much product. The texture of the product is rather thick, but feels very nice on the skin. TBS claims it feels refreshing and I think it does. It also has a nice neutral smell. Plus as you can see from the list of ingredients: Aloe Vera is very clearly part of this product as it’s second on the list.
Cleanser ingredients:
Aqua (Water) (Solvent/Diluent), Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera Gel) (Skin Soothing Agent), Pentylene Glycol (Solvent), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Emollient), Elaeis guineensis (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Butylene Glycol (Humectant), Cyclomethicone (Emollient), Glycerin (Humectant), Glyceryl Stearate Citrate (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Sorbitol (Humectant), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Orbignya oleifera (Babassu Oil) (Emollient), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Disodium Phosphate (pH Buffer).
I personally use this cleanser to take off my make up by putting some on a cotton wipe and wipe my make up off my face like that. I don’t use it as a face wash, as water can be too drying for my skin. Too ensure all of my make up is gone after a long day, I finish off my nightly skin care routine with a bit of the Aloe Vera toner.
TBS Aloe Vera calming toner
Not everyone is a fan of toner, but I honestly cannot live without it. It makes my skin feel clean without it being irritated and I really like having this step before I put on my night cream. Even if I haven’t worn make up throughout the day and I spent my day indoors, I will still clean my face with at least the toner before putting on my cream. Not only because it’s a habit, but because I feel it helps my skin to absorb the cream and actually make it work.
This product has no disadvantages. It does what it is supposed to do and the packaging is easy to handle. The toner comes in a clear bottle which is great and the list of ingredients is very very short.
Toner Ingredients:
Aqua (Water) (Solvent/Diluent), Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera Gel) (Skin Soothing Agent), Pentylene Glycol (Solvent), Butylene Glycol (Humectant), Sorbitol (Humectant), Glycerin (Humectant).
Like the cleanser, I put a bit of this on a cotton swipe and use it to wipe any excess dirt of my face and neck. It feels very refreshing, does not have that typical ‘after-toner’ feel to it at all yet cleans my face sufficiently. It does leave my skin slightly red, but not to an extent where it is problematic. I went through a patch a few months ago where it did give me a bit of a ‘burning’ sensation, but I only had it once or twice and it went away again. My skin must have been irritated by something else for the product to react with that other product to have caused that reaction.
Price wise, I also think these products are quite reasonable. Yes, you will shell out more money than when you go to a drug store: these products cost around 10 euros each. To me however, they are well worth the money.
What skincare do you use?