| Product: |
The Body Shop Body Butter |
| Date: |
02/03/07 (186 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Delicious smelling silky smooth moisturiser
Disadvantages: Not cheap
What do you want for Christmas? A question I hate, as I can never think of things on the spur of the moment! And you always end up getting surprises which you didn’t really want!
But last Christmas I received a classy bag from Body Shop containing lots of Strawberry goodies. As my usual body lotion was nearly finished I decided to look in my bag. Body Butter! I opened the tub and released the most wonderful smell of fresh strawberries. Reading the accompanying leaflet I was even more impressed with Body Shop as a whole, as they support Community trade and as this is Fair trade fortnight, I thought it most appropriate to mention.
Firstly the Body Butter :-
My pot contains 50 mls, round and deep dull red in colour, with a label showing juicy strawberries on top. It states that it is Strawberry Body butter, I believe there are alternative flavours- flavours? Believe me, you really want to eat this as it smells like food! It also states it is made using strawberry seed oil to moisturise normal skin. This provides omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that help to repair the moisture barrier of the skin, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness. Hard to believe there is so much goodness in a tiny strawberry seed.
On the base is a peel off label, stating it is made in the UK and that Body shop is against animal testing. Inside this label is a list of all the ingredients, unfortunately neither of the lists are in English! (but I probably wouldn’t recognise a lot of the names anyway!) and the fact that Body shop support community trade.
I do recognise some though! Cocoa butter is made using cocoa beans from Ghana and shea butter also from Ghana, which has a high level of antioxidant vitamins a, e and f, which help to protect and nourish the skin. There are also some colourings. The tub is also recyclable.
The smell and the texture
A lovely smell of fresh strawberries. If you have ever eaten the strawberry and cream sweets, then you would think this is what is in your pot. It doesn’t smell like any other body product I have used, certainly very fruity.
The texture is like butter! But the spread from the fridge variety, though much smoother, it is much firmer than tubs of face cream.
Using it
I tested it first of all on my hand, the butter melts as you rub it into your warm skin, but I noticed the smell of strawberries became much fainter, after a few minutes I had to sniff quite deeply to smell it. So it won’t interfere with any perfume you want to wear. But even an hour later my hand that I had treated was still nicely moisturised and although I don’t think my skin is particularly dry, the other hand felt quite different. Strangely enough I could smell the strawberries again! Quickly absorbed the skin feels moisturised but not greasy.
After my shower the next day, I treated my feet, arms and legs. All felt nice and soft even at the end of the day. It is better to apply to moist skin as the pores are open, but I have massaged some in to my feet at night, and had my husband wondering what I’d been using as there was such a nice smell of strawberries!
My thoughts
It took me longer to apply the body butter than my usual lotion, but I did spend longer massaging it in, which is a benefit to your skin. It won’t last as long as my usual body lotion and lastly it is more expensive than my normal everyday lotion! But I did like it and I like the concept that I am helping other people have a better life. (Of course a lot depends on the size of your body how much you use!)
Cost
Mine was a gift, but I have checked the cost and size of tubs. There is a tub 200ml size costing £12.
More facts about Body shop and the products they use:-
Quote
“For centuries the women of Ghana have used cocoa butter to moisturize and cool their skin in the African heat. Since 1995, The Body Shop has been buying cocoa beans from the Kuapa Kokoo company in Ghana, a fair trade co-operative with over 30,000 small-scale farmers. The money made by the co-operative enables the development of community projects such as schools and village wells in addition to providing the farmers with income to support their families.”
“Shea butter is one of nature's great moisturizers. Ghanaian women have used it for centuries to protect their skin from the dry Saharan winds. So who better to buy ours from than the Tungteiya Shea Butter Association, Northern Ghana. An association of around 400 women from 10 villages, we ensure a fair price for their product. Since trading with The Body Shop the women have been able to dramatically change their lives with water pipes and wells saving hours of water collecting, better housing, medical care, food, and self esteem. Importantly, they are also able to give their children, particularly their daughters, and the chance to go to school.”
So who benefits from community trade, and how?
Everybody benefits.
• The Body Shop gets great ingredients and products; it also provides them with a better way to do business with fairness, respect and trust.
• Suppliers benefit from receipt of actual orders, fair pricing and support in trying to meet their wider community goals in the ways that they have chosen. They gain access to markets and develop necessary business skills.
• Customers get high quality products and ingredients from around the world and an opportunity to support community organisations and to make a difference by how they spend their money.
• Business is provided with a model of ethical trading and the opportunity to learn from our successes and failures and respond to the increasing demands for better standards of global trade.
So I’m really happy with my Strawberry Body Butter, I’m protecting the planet, I’m helping people in other countries and I’m treating my skin to some much needed moisture.
This is one Christmas suggestion I’ll have ready on the tip of my tongue for next Christmas!
PS available in other delicious flavours, not sure which one to try next.... Pink Grapefruit, Brazil nut, Passion fruit, Papaya,Almond or Coconut, the choice will be difficult.
Summary: Body butter using products supporting people in Ghana, and great for my skin too.
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