The Body Shop launched a new range a couple of months ago, the Oils of Life collection, based on oils pressed from 3 powerful seeds.
This is one of their most luxurious ranges yet. After over two months of excessive testing let me tell you what’s so special about it and which products I think are the best! But what results can you achieve with this range and ultimately who will benefit from using it?
This is going to be a long one, so make yourself a cup of tea and get comfy.
The power of 3
The secret is in the name ‘Oils of Life‘ because the key three ingredients in the range are three powerful seed oils.
Why has The Body Shop decided to use seed oil? Well, seeds give life to new plants so they’re packed with nutrients to sustain that fragile new life, making seed oil one of the most concentrated sources of essential nutrients on Earth.
The Oils of Life range is infused with oils known for their supreme revitalising and restorative properties on the skin.
Black cumin oil from Egypt.
This oil is known for it’s concentration of antioxidants. They’ll help to protect your skin from premature ageing as well as brighten your skin instantly. Anti oxidants help to fight free radicals, which speed up the ageing process, so using anti-oxidant rich products pays off long term too as they will prevent premature ageing and help to keep your skin looking younger for longer.
Camellia oil from China
It’s naturally rich in nutritious oleic acid. It’s very special because the lipids it’s composed of are easy for the skin to absorb. This makes it a perfect hydrator, but it will also protect your skin by crating a protective layer form the harsh environment, like wind or cold.
Reship oil from Chile
It’s rich in repairing Omega 3 and 6 oils. Omega 3 is associated with anti-inflammatory properties and it does a great job in reducing redness or irritation in sensitive skins. Omega 3 and 6 are know as essential fatty acids, because are essential to our body’s processes They will help with cel renewal. This is why they’re so great to use on your skin.
These seed oils are very powerful and together they create a very effective blend, which has scientific proof to deliver results.
The range
There are four products in the range.
- Lovely Oils of Life Essence Lotion use it post-shower to soothe, balance and rehydrate the skin.
- Oils of Life Facial Oil, which is the most intense treatment within the range. Please don’t be afraid of young oils even on combination or oily skin as they’re great at balancing the skin. Make sure to use only 3 drops. Apply them to the palm of your hand, warm it up and press onto the skin. A little goes a long way.
- Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Cream, which is perfect for night time use or anyone who likes a more nursing, thicker textures. Dry skin types – look this way!
- Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Gel Cream. If you like a lightweight, easily-absorbed formula or have combination to oily skin, the cream gel would be your favourite.
Not just a money machine!
Before learning about the Oils of Life range I viewed The Body Shop as a big international commercial brand, which looks after their profit most of all. Today I’m grateful I was invited to learn about the range and talk to industry experts about the range.
When chatting to industry experts we focused a lot on the ingredients, after all they’re what the range is about, but we also talked about the way those precious seeds are being sourced and picked. That’s when I discovered that The Body Shop, besides profit, also cares about the environment they’re sourcing their ingredients from. This has massively changed my perception on the brand, in a positive way of course.
All the seeds are picked by hand, which helps to support local communities in the countries the seeds are sourced from; Egypt, China and Chile. Through sourcing them by hand The Body Shop reduces wastage as each picker will asses if the seed is ripe enough to be picked. This also helps to keep the price lower. It’s refreshing to see a big international company, with such a huge market share caring about the environment and sustainability.
The Road Test
Reviewing in order of application, the Essence Lotion was wonderfully soothing on the skin. You have to shake it before use as it’s a Bi-Phase product, and you need to make sure it’s properly combined to be effective. Apply a small splash to the palm of your hand and press into the skin. You’ll notice your skin feels instantly refreshed and hydrated. I particularly appreciated the power of the Essence after I used a facial scrub or performed a home microdermabrasia, because it was instantly rehydrating my skin, preventing that tight pulling effect.
I was really struck by the distinctive smell of the range. It’s the same across all the products and despite being appealing I have to admit found it quite intense at the start. It disperses after some time but you may want to swatch test it before buying the entire range.
The Essence Lotion is actually my second favourite item in the range, after the Facial Oil . I like the way it makes my skin feel. I tend to use less moisturiser when I use the essence and my skin is equally well hydrated and balanced.
The Oils of Life Facial Oil is “the thing” to get in the range. That’s where the power of the entire range is concentrated. This is a very good product with a good price tag. A facial oil for £28 makes it a great buy; it’s a dry oil formula so you could use it day and night.
When I was testing the range I used it twice a day. It’s done a great job in balancing my skin. I found this oil helped to soothe my skin sensitivity. Recently I was using it on the red and post pimple area around my nose, to sooth the skin and reduce redness and flakiness. It didn’t take away these skin complaints as if by magic, but helped a lot to reduce sensitivity and redness. This is one product definitely worth investing in.
Finally, you have a choice of two different moisturisers. Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Cream could be perfect for the night, with its richer more nourishing formula. This is also the perfect choice for dry skin types. There’s Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Gel Cream in the range too, which could be used as a day cream for those of you who prefer lighter formulas, which is absorbed quickly. This would work better for anyone with combination or oily skin.
Two moisturising formulas in the range allows anyone, no matter their skin type, to benefit from the powerful ingredients.
Who is The Oils of Life range best for?
This range should satisfy many, because seeds are the core of this range and they’re such a powerful source of nutrients for the skin. If you experience skin sensitivity and redness look this way. If your skin needs nourishment or needs balancing it’ll do the job too. Anyone 30 plus would benefit from using the range because black cumin oil is full of antioxidants and will help to prevent premature ageing. It’ll fight the first signs of ageing such as fine lines and loss of firmness, thanks to the rosehip oil, which helps to strengthen your skin, and it’s rich in omega 3 and 6 so will also help to support collagen production.
Looking good!
Do you need the entire range or just one or two products?
That’s a tricky question. This is by far most luxurious range in The Body Shop’s repertoire. With carefully selected ingredients and gorgeous packaging it simply stands out. It’ll look good on your bathroom shelf, but is it going to be good for your skin too?
Some of my blogging friends would consider buying only the Facial Oil and spend their money on one high end product, but personally I only partly agree with this approach. It comes down to budget. You can buy the entire Oils of Life range – indulging two formulas of the moisturiser – for £93, which gives you all the necessary products to have the perfect skincare regime. Whereas if you decide to spend most of that money on one luxurious beauty product, serum for instance, you may still need moisturiser and have no money left to buy it.
Ultimately the range is excellent, with such powerful ingredients it’ll definitely deliver results for those of you who are looking to battle the first signs of ageing. Having the full range always helps to achieve better results as products complement each other, and you’ll develop good skincare habits for the future.
I genuinely enjoyed using this range but would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve had a chance to try the Oils of Life range.
You can find all the products online here, or from your local The Body Shop store.
