The Body Shop Vitamin C moisturizer review

I have reviewed many skincare products from The Body Shop over the years. They were the first brand I tried that actually worked for me (the Aloe Vera line) but I have been dipping my toes in some other products over time. Some have been successful, some not so much. One thing I struggled finding in the ranges was a good moisturizer that actually does something for my skin. Many of their moisturizers just aren’t rich enough, but then earlier this year I tried their CBD moisturizer for the first time and loved it, so I had high hopes for this one.

Skincare review: The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Protect Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 PA+++

I actually bought this moisturizer before the other one, but it took me a while to get to it. The reason? This one has SPF so I knew it had to be a day time moisturizer in the summer time. So I had this sitting on a shelf for some time but I am happy to now be trying this. It retails for around €20 which is not too bad if this is any good. FYI: I have dry/ dehydrated, sensitive skin that can be quite reactive. That said, I don’t have any other skin concerns that I need to look out for and so often I am okay especially because my skin has gotten used to my using skincare. So it may be good to know that I haven’t had a reaction to any skincare in quite some time.

What does this moisturizer have to offer?

So this moisturizer is from the Vitamin C range. This isn’t a range that is necessarily great for sensitive skin. However, I became interested in it as my skin can be quite textured and I have found that Vitamin C is a good ingredient my skin loves to help with some of that. So I have liked a few products from this range in the past, but this was one I had yet to use. The claims on this are that it not only is a moisturizer, adds radiance and glow but it also has SPF. Now I would recommend using an actual SPF with this as you don’t tend to use enough moisturizer to get the SPF protection on the packaging. One thing that is good to know is that this has quite a strong zesty scent so this should not be used if you are sensitive to any sort of fragrance.

What is the ingredient list like?

Let’s scrutinize the ingredient list. Now bear in mind that I am not a cosmetics specialist and my know how on skincare ingredients is limited, but this is what I can discern from this list:

Aqua/Water/Eau, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Isododecane, Octocrylene, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Caprylyl Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil/Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer, Parfum/Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Sorbic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Limonene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Potassium Sorbate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol.

The main ingredient is water which is quite standard for a moisturizer. The texture is actually quite this and this goes on quite white. You really have to work it into the skin to get it to blend in. The second ingredient is a chemical sunscreen, then there are some moisturizing ingredients as well as glycerin. There is also alcohol in this but it seems to be the fatty kind, not the drying one. Then there is sesame seed oil. The Vitamin C is a Camu Camu extract which is listed in the lower half of the ingredient list, under fragrance even. This means the concentration is low, but with vitamin C it can be quite strong and unstable so I think that it will really boil down to how the entire formula comes together how this will perform.

How was my experience using the product?

So far, this is the first time I have tried a The Body Shop moisturizer for the day time that I actually like. This is thick, works well under makeup and because it is thicker I feel it works well enough to moisturize my skin as well. I actually prefer thicker formulas over very watery ones when it comes to moisturizers. What I do notice is that I do need to pair this with the right hydrating serum for it to really sink in. I can only feel this being absorped by my skin, which is a sensation I have had with previous Vitamin C products I have used. It doesn’t make my skin go red and now that I have nearly used this up, I can say that this is a good one for my skin type.

My final thoughts

The Body Shop Vitamin C moisturizer is one I have fallen in love with. It is rich enough to actually moisturize my skin, but it is lightweight enough to work under makeup. It is a bit tricky to work into the skin as it can look quite white but it eventually gets there just fine. The scent will not be to everyone’s taste and can be quite strong, but I feel it dissipates quickly. Overall I feel this is a moisturizer that get’s the job done. Do I find my skin looks more glowy and radiant now that I have been using this for a while? The answer is no, but that’s not why I bought this. It has been working quite well with my texture but this Vitamin C is not as strong as a Vitamin C that is dedicated to creating that glow. I think there is just too little Vitamin C in this for it to have that kind of impact.

Would I recommend The Body Shop Vitamin C moisturizer?

If your aim is to buy a moisturizer that does it all, then you will not love this. If however, you want a moisturizer that just moisturizes your skin, this works well for my skin type. If you want something with a strong Vitamin C to reap those benefits, this will not be for you as it just isn’t strong enough. However, if you have sensitive skin then other Vitamin C products may be too strong so it can be good product to get a Vitamin C journey started.

What is your take on vitamin C as a skincare ingredient?