The Body Shop

The Body Shop soaps are unique. I have used them since 1994, since we have no BS-​shops here at home, I buy approx 15 soaps every time I have been on holiday. The soaps make my skin smooth, they don’t «split» — and there is almost no perfume in some of their soaps (can’t stand perfume). The girls in the shops laugh (a nice laugh !!) when I buy 15 soaps, so do I, and even in London they recognize me at my nest visit three or four days later ! I can recommend their soaps. I have also given soaps to friends of mine, with the result, that they forbid their familymembers to even touch the soap, my friend wants to keep them for theirselve due to the smoothing effect on the skin, not only hands, but the hole body, so please continue with the soaps — I prefer vanilla, but shea is also ok.

Ditto to Arabella’s review about Body Shop resting on its once-​upon-​a-​time eco/​green/​fair trade laurels. I worked at one of their stores years ago and was so disturbed by some of their management and selling tactics (Arabella’s gift box incident is just the beginning) that I ended up doing a bit of investigative research on the brand… what I unearthed (note that they are merely «against» animal testing) led me to quit — it seems to me, a place that markets itself as altruistic and noble and crunchy-​granola should at least try to hit the mark… otherwise its merely profiteering from some people’s benevolence.
When I quit, I lodged a formal complaint with corporate and actually got a call back from the head office *and* an apology from my manager… but I still refuse to shop at their stores.
Prior to this, I was a devotee of their body butters, but each time I went in to pick one up, the price was the same, but the containers had shrunk… which I feel is a reflection of this brand’s lack of regard for their customers in general.
Anita may have had good intentions (RIP)… but you know, that’s how greedy corporations have paved road to hell.

The Body Shop rocks for so many reasons.
I love how they were one of the first companies to take a stand against animal testing. I think this is one of the reasons that the Body Shop is doing so well today.
I love their shea butter moisturiser, the mango version is also very yummy but i find shea butter is better for my skin.
I use their aloe Vera range of skin products which are great.
The staff are fabulous here, always willing to help you out and you can even get a free makeover if you like.

I would never go to the Body Shop in the name of its historically green credentials. Being owned by Loreal or whatever as opposed to the legendary late Anita Roddick, I’m afraid that ship has sailed. The Body Shop is, nonetheless, a good option for gifts when your reliance upon Lush is starting to become obvious, your Space N.K. obsession financially untenable, and you need something for the person who already has everything.
The Liverpool Street Station branch of The Body Shop is smallish but well stocked with all of the usual bath, body and makeup suspects and a mixed bag of staff. Some I encountered last time I visited were overly friendly, some downright scary.
Take the girl who rung my purchases in who was practically barking at customers about special gift deals while serving me. Inoffensive enough until I shirked the offer of an ugly Body Shop branded gift box: «£3 but 10% goes to charity». I’m sorry WHAT? £2.70 for an unremarkable cardboard box which propagates the shop’s brand and doesn’t even have a USP like being made by monks at dawn or anything?!
The shop assistant was so unimpressed by me she looked as if she would have thrown a Naomi Campbell should a phone have been to hand. Slightly strange staff and inordinately expensive cardboard boxes aside, The Body Shop Liverpool Street is handy. Just pop upstairs to Paperchase for packaging, there’s no time during this season for altercations with an affable bath and body shop’s scary staff.