I Am Bourgeois

I spent my Friday afternoon attending my first event as a “beauty blogger” – The Body Shop’s relaunch of the Body Shop Originals. I love The Body Shop not only because of the amazing quality of their products, but because they use free trade ingredients (which supposedly pays farmers higher prices for the raw materials) and environmental-friendly packaging (bottles are made of 100% post-consumer recycled PET). When French cosmetics giant L’Oreal bought the company in 2006, The Body Shop’s product line expanded to include a wide variety of personal care items without sacrificing their ethical business practices. Although Body Shop fans eagerly anticipate the release of their new lines as the seasons change, it seems that a number of their customers have been clamoring for their old favorites from the 1980s.

Hence, the relaunch of The Body Shop Originals! The Body Shop Originals is a line of fruity facial cleansers, moisturizers, and hair care products that were a huge hit in the 1980s. I’m not sure if The Body Shop was big in the Philippines during the 80s as it is now, but I’m definitely crazy about this new-old collection. The shampoos, conditioners, and body gels smell yummy enough to eat, and with the exception of the cucumber-scented items (I can’t stand the smell of cucumber) I’d recommend these items to anyone who wants a more delicious bath and body experience.

The Body Shop also relaunched a best-selling classic – The Body Shop Body Butters. Personally I find the Body Butter’s formula a little too sticky for Philippine weather, especially during the summer. But they do an excellent job of keeping my legs shiny-looking when I travel to cold, dry climates, and my mom swears by the Shea Body Butter’s ability to restore moisture to her extra-dry skin.

To thank me for being a part of this event, The Body Shop let me choose a bottle of my favorite Body Shop Original. I was immediately drawn to the Banana Shampoo and Conditioner because I’m a huge sucker for banana-scented anything. But since I could only pick one, I chose the banana conditioner over the shampoo; I’m still crazy about the pepperminty Aloe Vera and Pearl Powder Strengthening Shampoo I bought from Human Heart Nature and besides, my HHN conditioner is fast running out. The conditioner did not disappoint; it did a good job of moisturizing my hair and a faint banana scent lingered on my curls for a while. Take note that while The Body Shop does use actual fruit to make their products, they also use chemical preservatives like lecithin and phenoxyethanol, as well as artificial coloring (Yellow 5 and 6). I enjoyed this conditioner and I love how my bathroom smells after I shower with it, but I’m also becoming very conscious about the presence of chemical ingredients in my cosmetics. I probably won’t use this everyday.

Another thing I didn’t like about the Body Shop Originals is that they’re rather pricey – I’m not sure I’m comfy with paying P550 for a 250ml bottle of shampoo or conditioner. On the bright side, The Body Shop Originals are selling for 30% less right now, which means you can grab yourself the banana shampoo or conditioner for just P385. For more information on the products in the Originals line, check out The Body Shop’s website.