After trying the Kiehl’s Iris Extract Skin Essence, I knew I wanted to try some alternatives. It was the first skin essence I tried and it was a product I had never used before. So what is a skin essence? It is a step in your skincare routine that you apply after cleansing but before moisturizing. The product helps to have your skincare sink into the skin much better. If you have dry skin like me, it’s an absolute life save. So how did I fare with this The Body Shop version?
The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion
with Vitamin E, Wheatgerm Oil and Bioformented Hyaluronic Acid
The reason why I wanted to try this is because it is much cheaper than the Kiehl’s version. This is €15 for 160 ml, whereas the Kiehl’s product costs €43 for 200 ml. I have tried other products from the Vitamin E line and have loved them enough to repurchase. In short, I was excited to try this and see if I liked it as much as the much more expensive version.
What is also good to know, is that The Body Shop now does this in 4 other versions. They do one in their Roots of Strength, Drops of Youth, Oils of Life and Drops of Light lines as well. Depending on your skincare needs, there is an essence for everyone. What’s more is that they all retail for the €15-€17 mark.
The Packaging
In terms of packaging this is a nice looking product. Not too long ago, The Body Shop restyled all of their packaging and I think it has been for the better. What I like about it is how it looks quite sleek, yet the branding and what the product actually is, stands out quite well too.
How I Use It
The bottle comes with an opening and I like using this just as it is. I simply pour some of it into my hand and apply it to my cleansed skin. You can also use this on a cotton pad if you like, but I feel that wastes quite a bit of product as most of it is soaked up by the cotton pad. I would rather not waste the product and I just rub it between my hands and then rub it all over my face. I like to let it sink in a little bit before I move on to the next step.
The Product
The product looks a bit, ehm, weird once you pour it onto your hand. It has a surprisingly thick texture. The Kiehl’s one was the consistency of water. This has a gloopy texture to it. It is still watery, but you can tell something else is mixed into this to make it thicker. Personally, the texture just feels a bit off putting and I would prefer the Kiehl’s over this.
While this isn’t a problem for how the product works, it does influence how much product I use. While this may be cheaper, I am also going through it a lot more quickly too. I have been using this just a few months now and I’m nearly 2/3 of the way through using it up. The Kiehl’s Essence may be much more expensive, but it also lasted me nearly 2 years with daily use.
Does the product work though? Yes it does! This layers well under my skincare, it feels nice once it is on my skin and it isn’t too fragrant. It is easy to use and I haven’t noticed a difference in my skin becoming drying or reacting negatively to this, even in the dead of winter.
The Conclusion
Most The Body Shop products I try I absolutely love. While this product gets the job done, the texture just throws me off. I also don’t like how quickly I am going through this. So while The Body Shop Vitamin E Skin Essence is cheaper than the Kiehl’s and works very similarly on my skin, I am still on the fence whether I will repurchase this. Maybe I’ll just try one of the other essences they now have on offer.
Have you ever tried a skin essence before?