Mumbai does a lot of things well – winter isn’t one of them. But while it doesn’t get too cold, the evenings do get a pleasant chill. For me, the first sign that it’s winter is when the skin on my face (which is usually very oily) starts to balance out, & become dryer even. It’s a definite sign that I need to switch to more nourishing skincare so my face doesn’t get dehydrated.
Since the beginning of December I began using five products from The Body Shop’s newly revamped Vitamin E range. The video above explains my skincare routine in detail, but I thought I’d also share mini reviews here on the blog.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Range was first introduced in 1977. Enriched with Wheatgerm Oil, one of nature’s richest sourced of Vitamin E, it’s said to help protect against pollution, cigarette smoke & UVA / UVB rays. The Vitamin E Range has both skincare & bodycare products. Most of the range is suitable for all ages & skin types, although they have a couple of products that are more geared towards oily or dry skin too. This year they updated the packaging a bit on most of the older products & introduced a few innovative new ones too. You can learn more about the range & products on their website.
Since the beginning of December, I’ve been using five products from the range, which comprise of both my morning & night skincare routine. I have also continued using my La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ that I showcased in my anti acne skincare routine video as it does an excellent job at keeping my acne / breakouts / clogged pores in check.
As all the products I’ve been using are suitable for all skin types, I also recruited mom to try the products with me – her skin is completely different from mine, even if you remove the age difference. She has normal / dry skin (more dry in winter), & has never suffered from acne. I thought it would be interesting to see what she thinks of the products as well.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Gentle Facial Wash
The Vitamin E Gentle Face Wash is definitely one of the more unique face washes I’ve tried. The texture is less what I expect from traditional face washes & more like a lotion. It did remind me slightly of The Body Shop Drops of Light face wash that I tested + reviewed earlier this year, but the Vitamin E one is definitely a lot more rich & emollient.
I was a little skeptical about whether something so creamy could cleanse effectively. But after sometimes using it directly on a full face of makeup (yeah on lazy days I sometimes jump into the shower without using makeup remover first) I’m happy to say that it did a very good job of removing my base makeup. However, gel face washes are best recommended for oily / sensitive / acne prone skin like mine & while this didn’t cause any breakouts, I’m not sure it did my skin favours either. My idea face wash shouldn’t strip my skin but should still leave my pores feeling clean, so using this wasn’t fully satisfying for me.
I asked my mom what she thought of it & her verdict was that she absolutely loved it. As mentioned, she has normal to dry skin that never breaks out & just generally looks immaculate even in the absence of a proper skincare routine. I’ve been badgering her to use face wash & moisturizer on the regular (which she does very reluctantly). Even when I’ve bought her face washes meant for ‘normal’ skin she always complained about them being too drying. She absolutely loved the Vitamin E Gentle Facial Wash & was pretty quick to proclaim that it’s the best she’s ever used.
So while this one is stated to be for all skin types, I think it’ll be loved by people with normal to dry or even very dry skin who don’t face issues like clogged pores. Not a bad product, but not right for me either.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner
Toner isn’t the most glamorous or often talked about product. Growing up all skincare basics in magazines started & ended with CTM (Cleanse-Tone-Moisturize) but I still always wondered, what does it really do? But just this year, I’ve realized how important it is. Not only does it gently close open pores, toner also removes any excess makeup, dirt of cleanser left behind. Now I never skip it.
Often toners can be really drying so I was eager to try out this hydrating toner & I must say, it definitely didn’t disappoint. It’s alcohol free, truly great for all skin types. And it’s gentle but very effective. I loved it, definitely one of the standout products from the range for me.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Protect Emulsion SPF 30
The Moisture Protect Emulsion is one of the new additions to the Vitamin E range. Think of it like a super powered day cream – it hydrates, protects & offers broad spectrum UV protection too. I really liked the tall tube like packaging & the pump dispenser, which ensures hygiene & minimises wastage. The formula is pretty runny, almost milk like in texture. It offers a lot of hydration & doesn’t leave a white cast either. I think it’s especially great for busy / lazy people who don’t like to have a very elaborate skincare routine before starting their day.
I really liked this. Since my skin is less oily in the winter, this is just right for me now. When it gets warmer, this just might make my skin a little greasy looking. So it’s great for normal to dry skin, but probably won’t sit too well on oily skin (unless you’re ok with lots of powdering). When my skin is oily I tend to prefer creams that have some kind of inbuilt mattifying properties along with always keeping a powder compact handy.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream
I have a confession to make: I didn’t have an eye cream in my routine for a long time (before this). While I’m sad that I didn’t inherit my mom’s clear skin, I’m sort of glad that I didn’t get the heredity dark circles (count your blessings & all that). But keeping your under eye area hydrated is an important first step to delaying the onset of fine lines & crows feet in that area.
The fine nozzle of this is great because just like the pump packaging of the emulsion, it ensures hygiene & minimizes waste. I’ve enjoyed using this eye cream because it’s really hydrating. I tap it on with my ring finger twice a day – a smaller amount in the morning & slightly more in the evening (the cream promises 48 hour hydration, so if you prefer to use it just once a day at night time, that’s fine too). It’s a good, nourishing, no nonsense eye cream – no complains at all! Another product that’ll work well on all skin types.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturizing Night Cream
The final product I’m going to talk about is the night cream, which I (obviously) use at night time in place of the emulsion. It’s rich (which is definitely something I look for in a good night cream), pleasant smelling & ensures I wake up with soft, nourished & bouncy skin. I think this will easily work well for all skin types, you can vary the amount that you use. Definitely another super product.
All in all I really like the Vitamin E range. It doesn’t make any gimmicky claims, it promises healthy, well hydrated skin & delivers well on that. If hydration is your main concern, this range will be perfect for you. If you’re suffering from any specific skin issues like acne or hyper pigmentation, this range may not really do anything for those concerns. Still it’s a fabulous range for almost all skin types in winter & normal-dry skin types throughout the year!
You can shop the entire The Body Shop Vitamin E Range online here (currently 15% off)
Have you tried any product from the The Body Shop Vitamin E range? What are your thoughts on it? Let’s discuss in the comments! x
