Latest news with #sustainablebeauty
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
The Body Shop is making a comeback – and launching 7 new products – here are our honest thoughts
THIS time last year, it looked like we might be losing The Body Shop for good. In February 2024, the high-street beauty retailer went into administration, prompting 75 store closures and nearly 800 job cuts in the UK. 8 A combination of dwindling Christmas sales, changes in beauty trends and rising inflation had led to The Body Shop's downfall - despite it being worth £207million in 2023. Once the pioneers in sustainable beauty - the brand was the first global beauty label to unite against animal testing - it looked like it might be closing its doors forever. But, thankfully, it's come back with a bang! In 2024, a deal was struck between The Body Shop and cosmetic retail tycoon Mike Jatania, who acquired the business with his consortium, Auréa. With ambitious plans to keep all 113 stores open, The Body Shop is up and running, and in the black again, cashing in a healthy £2m profit during its first three months with Auréa. The Body Shop's social media accounts are booming, its stores are getting busier, and it's just dropped two exciting limited-edition product ranges - the cosy, warming Tender Tonka, and the zingy, summery Refreshing Passionfruit. Here's everything you need to know. Tender Tonka Limited Edition Range BUY HERE You can't argue with an EDT that costs just £22 - especially when it's as gorgeous as this. This lightly spiced, cosy fragrance has a festive feel to it, despite being launched during one of the warmest springs on record. With notes of creamy vanilla orchid, aromatic incense and fresh cedar, it'll keep you warm on al fresco summer evenings. 8 The Body Shop Tender Tonka Fragrance Mist, £13 A lighter and more refreshing version of the EDT, this spritz is perfect for scent layering. The bottle produces a fine mist, which can be used on skin, clothes, and hair - or used as a base for your favourite perfume. The Body Shop Tender Tonka Body Cream, £20 Another great way to ensure your fragrance lasts longer is to layer it over a scented body cream, and here's the perfect formula. This thick, indulgent body cream has a butter-soft formula that creates a hydrating veil over the skin, thanks to softening shea butter, without feeling sticky. It leaves skin delicately scented and gloriously moisturised, without breaking the bank. New Beginning for The Body Shop Refreshing Passionfruit Limited Edition Range The Body Shop Refreshing Passionfruit Shower Gel, £8.50 Worlds apart from Tender Tonka's soft, cosy notes, Refreshing Passionfruit has a real zesty, fruity kick. This tangy but not overly sweet shower gel lathers into a sensual suds, and has delicious notes of vanilla, apple and peach. It's the perfect companion for an energising morning shower. The Body Shop Passionfruit Body Yogurt, £13 The Body Shop's Body Yogurt products are unlike anything you'll have tried before - think easy absorption, instant cooling and immediate hydration. The gel-like formula quickly sinks into skin, leaving it refreshed and beautifully scented. There's something very satisfying about this lightweight, juicy moisturiser - it needs to be tried to be believed! The Body Shop Refreshing Passionfruit Body Scrub, £19 If you're planning on fake tanning this summer, it's time to invest in a good body scrub. Using a scrub the night before you tan - whether you're doing it at home or going to a salon - helps buff away dead skin, bumps and imperfections, leaving you with a smoother finish. With kiwi seeds and passionfruit oil, plus tingling menthol, the formula leaves skin soft and glowing. Beach bags at the ready - this spritz is your perfect summer holiday companion. Perfect for tossing into a day bag, the quenching formula is packed with juicy passionfruit, soft vanilla and sugary peach. At just £13 a pop, this hydrating, water-based formula is a winner. What will you be adding to your basket this summer? How To Save Money On Beauty Buys IF your purse is feeling tighter than ever before and you're looking to save cash on your make-up routine, have you ever thought of trying out beauty dupes? Here are five of the best recommended beauty buys that are almost identical to the posh versions, but at a fraction of the price. FACE BASE If you can't afford Charlotte Tilbury 's £52 Magic Cream, why not try a dupe that costs just £5.49 from Superdrug? TONE IT UP If Drunk Elephant's £62 Protini Cream is out of your price range, you'll need to check out the new dupe in Home Bargains. TINTING IT With Fenty's game-changer skin tint costing £29, a popular supermarket's affordable alternative might just be the thing for you. GET COVERED At £29 for a Tarte concealer, the new Primark dupe is much more affordable at just £3.50. SPRAY YAY For those wanting to smell fresh without the price tag, Aldi's new Prada and Chloe perfume dupes cost a fraction of the price.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
REN skincare is closing down – stock up on my tested favourites before it's too late
More than two decades before the 'clean girl aesthetic' started trending on TikTok, REN was founded in East London with a pared-back, clean approach to skincare. A pioneer in the sustainable beauty space, the brand brought natural ingredients and sensitive skin-friendly formulas to the forefront. Getting its brand name from the Swedish word for 'clean', Ren was created in 2000 when its founder's pregnant wife began experiencing sensitivity from her everyday beauty products. From its bestselling evercalm balm to the barrier support elixir, its roster of products favour bioactives that are kind to both the planet and your skin. It was among the first to eliminate parabens, synthetic fragrances, sulfates and petrochemicals from its formulas, inspiring all the green brands that followed suit. REN's efficacious formulas are not only great for sensitive skin and eczema, but also young skin. I was first introduced to REN as a teenager just getting into skincare, when my parents wrapped up one of the brand's gift sets for Christmas. Its formulas are still a staple of my beauty routine, from the glow-getting tonic to the brightening eye cream. The beauty industry is full of buzzwords and green washing, but REN is one of the few sustainable brands you can trust, with its formulation standards enduring for a quarter of a century. So, when REN announced its imminent closure last month, I was one of its many fans preparing to mourn its loss in the space. Unilever – which bought the brand in 2015 – said it took the 'difficult decision' after a consultation period, blaming 'a combination of internal factors, compounded by market challenges in recent years', Unilever said REN is 'unable to sustain success in the long term'. 'We are proud of the REN team for all they have accomplished during 25 years of business, putting 'clean' skin care on the agenda and creating positive change for both people and planet and thank them as they continue to support us through this closure,' Unilever said in the statement. No date has been set yet for its official closure, but the brand said it will cease trading in the last quarter of 2025. As it winds down, I'm supporting the brand one final time by stocking up on cult classics and new favourites (see its sensitive skin daily SPF), and suggest you do too. Here are the best products to buy from REN while you still can. This has been a staple in my skincare routine for as long as I can remember. The non-invasive facial exfoliator is formulated with smoothing AHA's (lactic avid) and pore refining BHA's (salicin) to brighten and even out your skin tone. It leaves a dewy, glowy finish, gliding effortlessly on with a cotton pad. I've never found a product that both exfoliates and tackles hyperpigmentation while also boosting radiance. I use it every morning to give my skin the best start to the day. It's a great choice for those who usually find exfoliators or BHA toners too harsh on their skin - just make sure to build up to daily use. Delivering radiant skin by morning, Ren's recovery balm has a thick, gel-like consistency, with the product transforming into a lightweight consistency after warming it up in your hands. It's ultra-nourishing (thank you lipids like olive, almond, linseed and jojoba), locking in moisture and strengthening the skin's barrier. My skin feels soft and super hydrated come morning, with redness soothed and the appearance of pores minimised. REN's brightening eye cream is a perfectly weighted formula that instantly nourishes the under-eye area thanks to hyaluronic acid and a skin-balancing duo of elderberry flower and glycogen. Though absorbing quickly, it leaves a subtle sheen that immediately brightens up the area, making it perfect for daily morning use. It also works as a stellar primer, so you can apply concealer straight away. I also just love the fuss-free pump applicator, which is far less messy than the tubs that most eye creams come in. This is a new launch from the brand, but already a firm favourite in my SPF rotation. It's non-greasy and absorbs into skin fast (my two non-negotiables when it comes to sunscreen), with a satin finish and no risk of a white cast residue. Suitable for sensitive and eczema-prone skin, the formula isn't fragranced and is non-comedogenic. Not only does it protect against UV rays, but it's formulated with an anti-pollution complex to tackle environmental aggressors and has niacinamide to protect against blue light damage from electronic devices. REN's gentle cleanser is suitable for sensitive, oily or combination skin. I double cleanse with it in the morning and find that it doesn't dry out skin like other gel-based cleansers, nor leave that feeling of tightness. The formula works to strip the skin of impurities and dirt without losing any moisture, thanks to a strengthening duo of beta-glucan and prebiotic extracts. The cleanser leaves your face feeling soft, supple and ready for the day. REN's barrier support elixir is a product deserving of its cult status. If you've got oily skin already, or don't like the greasy sheen facial oils can leave, then REN's formula is a must-try. It's super lightweight and packed with seven nourishing oils - including camellia and rosehip - to strengthen and soothe skin. It absorbs quickly, so don't fret about using it in the morning before SPF, though I prefer to apply it as the final step of my routine in the evening. It works to tackle redness, hydrate dry patches and restore radiance to skin.
