Wishes & Wonders: A Christmas Event At The Body Shop [AD GIFTED]

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may receive commissions for purchases made via the links in this post. These are all products that I highly recommend, I would never post about products on my blog that I haven't verified or personally used. 

The festive season is fast approaching which means it's time for one thing; The Body Shop have launched their new range of Christmas products and I am very excited! 

A few weeks ago we went down to their Liverpool One store for their fabulously festive Christmas Launch event appropriately titled Wishes & Wonders. Last year, I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of their newly refurbished Liverpool One store (Happy 1st Birthday guys!) and we had so much fun, so I already knew we were set for a great evening!

If you know me, then you'll know that I love everything Christmas so this event was right up my street. As soon as we walked through the doors, the staff were wearing festive attire, Christmas songs were on the speakers and the spirit of the season just wrapped us up in a big warm hug. I don't know what was more distracting, the huge table of Christmas gifts at the door or the fact that there was a cheeky glass of Bucks Fizz waiting for us whilst we had a browse. 

Can you guess which products I tried first? Yep you guessed it, the new Christmas range! 

This year The Body Shop have two brand new special edition scents which will take you to a place of festive wonder; Spiced Orange and Wild Pine. They seem to have taken a very traditional route with their limited edition range this year and I think it's one of their best yet!

The first set of products we sampled was from the Spiced Orange range which is my personal favourite. The packaging is what I'd describe as 'merry and bright' (excuse the festive pun there) and the scent itself reminds me of a bakery on a Christmas Market or a warm, cosy evening sitting in front of the fire with a hot chocolate. This definitely seemed to be the favourite amongst everyone. 

The Wild Pine range is a lot more subtle, so if you're not a fan of sweet scents I think this is the set of products for you. Are you ready for my extravagant description of the smell? It reminds me of a winter woodland walk with a warm coat, a big wooly scarf and boots.

Both the Spiced Orange and Wild Pine scents come in a wide range of products from Body Moisturiser, to Hand Cream, to Body Yogurt, to Shower Gel, to Body Scrub - there's something for everyone. Plus they are all available to buy separately or as part of a gift set.  

One thing I will say is that The Body Shop have really spoiled us with their selection of gift sets this year, there's something to suit all ages and all budgets and the sustainable packaging is absolutely adorable! Even during the festive season, The Body Shop are still doing everything they can to be one of the most environmentally friendly shops on the High Street and I think that's incredible! 

The Body Shop also have some amazing discounts this Black Friday with 25% off everything (excluding Black Friday collections). So whether you're starting your Christmas shopping early or you don't know what to buy for your Secret Santa, then look no further than The Body Shop - just try not to come out with everything! 

After I'd finished my glass of Bucks Fizz, we went over to Bethany who was giving free hand and arm massages with the new Christmas products. Obviously I chose the Spiced Orange range and she used both the Body Scrub and Body Yogurt which left my hands feeling so soft, smelling divine and me incredibly relaxed! 

They were also offering make up consultations with their new range of beauty products but I didn't have chance to have one as I was too busy trying to find an excuse to buy every single cute gift set I saw. However, I did have a little peek at the new products and my friend Ellie tried some of their new blush and it looked stunning.

I've only recently started using make up from The Body Shop and it's definitely not spoken about enough, not only is it so affordable but it always leaves my skin looking fresh. I can always rely on their beauty products for those no make-up make up days. 

The Body Shop's Advent Calendars are also making a much anticipated return and once again, there's something for everyone. They have three stunning advent calendars this year; the Box of Wishes Advent Calendar, the Box of Wonders BIG Advent Calendar and the Box of Wishes & Wonders Ultimate Calendar. 

I wont tell you what's inside as I don't want to ruin it for you, but trust me when I say that The Body Shop Advent Calendars are some of the best on the high street, not to mention the fact that they're super affordable and there's a calendar for every budget! 

Psttt...The Body Shop Advent Calendars are included in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday discounts! They are very rarely discounted so this is the perfect time to treat yourself!

This festive season, The Body Shop have partnered up with Children On The Edge, a charity that has been supporting some of the most marginalised children around the world since 1990. They help to transform these young lives by creating safe spaces where they can live, learn, play and grow. 

So how can you do your bit? Well, every time you shop at The Body Shop or donate your reward vouchers this Christmas you will be helping to fund up to 195,000 days of education, to build brighter futures for refugee children. Isn't that incredible!? 

Then it was time to have another browse around the store and pick up any treats we fancied or some gifts for Christmas - I did both! 

Whilst I was having a little mooch, I noticed that The Body Shop now sell their own range of Sleepy Products and I cannot wait to give them a try. They're selling the range as part of the cutest little gift set (new for Christmas) containing products from their 4-Step Bedtime Routine, helping you to hit the pillow faster and improve your sleep quality - sounds right up my street!

I couldn't leave without treating myself to something from the limited edition Christmas range so I bought some of the Spiced Orange Body Yogurt, after Bethany used it during the hand and arm massage I was basically sold. It smells absolutely incredible and the scent lasts for ages! 

I picked up some lovely little gift sets, most of which I can't show as they are presents for people but one particular gift set that really caught my eye was the Foam & Merriment Shower Gel Trio. It contains three of the most popular scents including mango, pink grapefruit and strawberry in cute little shower gel bottles and do you want to know the best part? It's only £6! Tell me that isn't the most perfect stocking filler!?

I also stocked up on one of my absolute favourite products from The Body Shop; their classic Camomile Cleansing Balm. I could sit and write an entire blog post on why I love this product so much, it takes off every last bit of make up whilst being so gentle on the skin and leaves it feeling so soft and smooth. If you haven't tried it yet then i urge you to add it to your evening skincare routine, you wont regret it! 

After an evening of chatting, browsing and pampering we headed home feeling very festive with some of our favourite The Body Shop products in hand (mostly paid for by ourselves, of course!). Although The Body Shop very kindly gifted us with some lovely little treats too! 

It was so lovely to spend the evening with my friends Lauren, Ellie and Sarah and a massive thank you to the gorgeous team at The Body Shop Liverpool One who always host the best events - it's always such a pleasure to attend and a real honour to be invited. 

Don't forget it's still 25% off this Cyber Monday, plus you can get the Orange & Stockings Essentials Gift Set for FREE when you spend £40! 

Which The Body Shop products are you going to treat yourself with?

Lots of Love,

Meg x

[DISCLAIMER: I was invited to The Body Shop Event with no obligation to post about it. We were gifted some items, however none have been included in this blog post. This post is in partnership with The Body Shop for their Black Friday offers and contains affiliate links, as disclosed at the start of the post] 

The Body Shop Liverpool One: New Store Launch

If you're a regular here on my blog then you'll know that I've been an avid fan of The Body Shop for years, they're one of my holy-grail brands who's products I know will never let me down. So you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to the launch of their brand new store in Liverpool One!

The Body Shop is one of my go-to brands when it comes to buying natural beauty products. It's always one of those stores I just have to call into when I'm having a shopping day, whether I'm going in for something specific or just to try some of their new products, it's always guaranteed that I'll come out with something - I just can't help myself!

Mum and I headed into Liverpool early in the evening, grabbed something to eat and then made our way over to the newly refurbished store in Liverpool One. The Body Shop is located on South John Street, right next to the Liverpool One Q-Park so you can't miss it! 

As soon as we walked through the doors I couldn't help but notice how bright it looked, I absolutely love the new sustainable workshop inspired interior. It felt as through I was in a Body Shop grotto and the employees were little festive elves, although I'm not sure they'll appreciate me saying that. 

We started our evening with a quick browse around the new store and a chance to try some of the new Christmas products. The store is so well organised, everything has it's own little section so it's not overwhelming if you've never been in before and don't know where to start. Although if you get excited over new Body Shop products like I do, it is difficult to decide what you want to go and look at first; skincare, gift sets, make-up, body butters, the NEW re-fill station - they've literally got the lot! 

If you're looking for some last minute Christmas gift inspiration then look no further than The Body Shop, they've got some gorgeous gift sets in stock that would be perfect for your loved ones this festive season, or just as a little treat for yourself for getting through this crazy year! 

I absolutely LOVE all the new Christmas products but my personal favourite is the Joy and Jasmine range. It's such a gorgeous, fresh, winter scent and I literally became obsessed with it, so much so that I was telling everyone to go and have a smell. 

As we had a browse around the store, there were samples of the new vegan menu from Wagamama for us to try which were also delicious. The team at The Body Shop Liverpool One are so welcoming, friendly and extremely knowledgable on all the products in store; they were always on hand to give recommendations and offer advice which was super helpful, especially if you're really indecisive like me.

After spraying, smelling and trying out some of the products it was time for our guided tour. The lovely Ryan took us around the new store and explained the concept behind everything they'd included; from supporting local artists to their motto of doing a random act of kindness. It was extremely informative and gave me an excuse to try even more of the products that I'd missed the first time round. 

On our tour we saw the brand new Refill Station, a special feature of a select few Body Shop stores. You can pop in to any store with a refill station, fill an aluminium bottle with your favourite refillable haircare, shower gel or hand wash and then once you've used it all up, you can bring it back to refill. I'd definitely recommend having a look at the refill scheme if you're trying to find little ways to help the environment. 

Another new concept, which is one of my absolute favourites, is the FREE (yes, I repeat, FREE) gift-wrapping service. Any purchase from the Body Shop can be gift wrapped for free by a member of staff which not only saves you time on the Christmas wrapping but is perfect if you're absolutely hopeless at wrapping presents like I am. 

The Body Shop advent calendars really are something special. There's so much choice and something for every budget, they'd even be perfect stocking fillers if you could share the products between everyone on your 'to-buy-for' list. The blue advent calendar is exclusive to eight stores in the UK and luckily, Liverpool is one of them, so if you're really looking to treat yourself then that's the one to go for! 

After our guided tour, we had another chance to browse and pick up anything that had caught our eye (which for me, was basically the whole store). Mum and I bought a few early Christmas gifts and treated ourselves to some other bits too but I won't say too much as that's all for another blog post! 

It was so refreshing to actually be able to take our time and have a good mooch around the Body Shop, to be able to talk to the staff and try products that we wouldn't usually look twice at. I even had the chance to chat to some of the bloggers who were also attending, including the lovely Ellie who came over to say hello! I'm pretty sure I convinced her to buy a Joy and Jasmine gift set, and we couldn't help but notice how cute the product names are; the 'Sweetness and Sunshine' gift set is definitely what I'm all about. 

After two hours of pampering, chatting and browsing, we left The Body Shop with a bag full of treats and a list of products we couldn't wait to try. It's incredibly inspiring to see how The Body Shop and the team at the Liverpool One store are working hard to become one of the most sustainable, environmentally friendly brands on the high street. Plus the new store is absolutely gorgeous, one of the team described it as 'old school Body Shop vibes' and that's exactly what it is! 

It was so refreshing to be back at a blogging event, chatting to likeminded people and generally just enjoying ourselves. Thank you to the incredible team at The Body Shop Liverpool One for inviting me to such a fabulous event, every time I get to work with my favourite brands it's always such a pinch me moment.

 If you're in Liverpool One, go and say hi to the fabulous team at The Body Shop and have a browse of their new store. Oh, and if I hadn't mentioned it already, go and try the Joy and Jasmine range - you won't regret it! 

Body Shop Haul Pending...

Lots of Love,

Meg x

My Must-Have Skincare Products From The Body Shop

Trying new skincare products is one of my favourite things to do. Since finishing my course of Roaccutane and finally having the clear skin I always dreamed of, I've been able to experiment with new products and I must say that I've found some absolute game changers!

Skincare has always been something that I've been interested in. Having had acne from a young age, I've done my fair share of research and I've found that using natural skincare has endless benefits.

The Body Shop is one of my favourite brands when it comes to buying natural products. Not only do they have amazing morals and ethics, but every single product is made from natural ingredients meaning your skin and body are getting the best. I've been a fan of The Body Shop for years and although there's still a lot left for me to try, I thought I'd share some of my favourite products that are essentials in my skincare routine.

Facial Skincare

Vitamin C Glow Protect Lotion SPF 30

This is one of my newest purchases and something I've really been enjoying using these past few months. I noticed my skin was looking very dull and tired so my friend recommended the Vitamin C range from The Body Shop. It's specifically made for dull, tired, grumpy skin to give it a little glow boost for a brighter, more radiant complexion. 

I can fully confirm that my skin is literally GLOWING after using the Vitamin C Glow Protect Lotion, so much so that people are actually commenting on it! It smells like a tropical wonderland and a little bit goes a very long way. It's not as lightweight as I'm used to but it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and, with an SPF of 30 it's protecting my skin from those harsh UVA/B rays - SPF is super important when buying a moisturiser! 

I've also heard that Vitamin C can help with scarring and as I have a fair bit of acne scaring on my cheeks, it's something I wanted to test. Although I've not noticed a drastic change yet, my scars have reduced in colour and definitely aren't as noticeable. 

Vitamin E Eye Cream 

Using an eye cream has never been an essential in my skincare routine because I've never really needed it. However recently, the dark circles under my eyes have been very prominent and no amount of concealer was working. I went in search of something to help and came across the Vitamin E Eye Cream. I'd heard really good things so couldn't wait to give it a try. 

It aims to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles as well as protecting the fragile skin around the eyes. I apply it both morning and evening and my under eyes have never looked brighter. As with most Body Shop products, a little goes a long way and it's no wonder it's one of their best-selling products because it's certainly a firm favourite of mine! Why didn't I find it sooner!? 

Body Moisturisers

Strawberry Body Butter

You'll have seen me talk about this Strawberry Body Butter in my Roaccutane Holy Grain Products as it's been a firm favourite of mine for years. It melts into the skin and I absolutely love using this after I've had a bath/shower in the evenings as it leaves my skin feeling soft and smelling amazing. All the Body Shop Body Butters are brilliant, but the Strawberry scent is absolutely delicious - it smells like calpol and I'd eat it if I could! 

Strawberry Body Yogurt 

The Strawberry Body Yogurt is one of those purchases I make time and time again. It's perfect for when you're in a rush and haven't got as much time to moisturise, especially for me when I've overslept which is most mornings (a queen is never late, everyone else is simply early - 10 points if you know where that quote is from). 

The lightweight, gel formula absorbs into the skin instantly so it doesn't leave you with that horrible sticky feeling. I can literally apply this to my body and then get dressed straight away. It's also made to apply to damp skin too and it smells amazing! 

Face Masks

Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask 

The Himalayan Charcoal Face Mask is potentially my favourite Body Shop purchase I have ever made. I first heard about it watching Jade Billington's Skincare Video, she spoke so highly of it so I had to give it a try. 

I'm not exaggerating when I say that since I've been using this mask, my skin has never felt so cleansed and glowy. It aims to draw out impurities and refine the appearance of pores to give a healthy looking glow. As you watch it dry, you'll notice that the dark patches cling to where you have excess oil and you'll probably find it tingles a little bit when you first apply it but that soon fades. 

I can't even describe how refreshed my skin feels when I wash it off; it's so soft and has such a natural glow. It's the perfect face mask to use when you feel like your skin needs a real deep cleanse, especially after a full day of wearing heavy make up. I could literally rave about it all day, it's bloody brilliant! 

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Face Mask 

Although Roaccutane was amazing in clearing up my acne, I do still get the odd breakout. I've always used tea tree as part of my skincare routine, so I invested in the Tea Tree Face Mask and it's done an amazing job of minimising my breakouts. I noticed a few more breakouts after the first few times using the mask, but I think it has to bring out the impurities to get rid of them. 

I've been using this for around two months now and I can confidently say that my impurities are few and far between, my skin is incredibly clear and it's one of my favourite products. It's not as harsh as the Himalayan Charcoal Mask but the combination of the two is a dream! I use both once a week. 

So there we have it, my Body Shop favourites! 

I should mention that all products have been purchased by me and this post isn't sponsored in any way, I just really love The Body Shop! Also, all products mentioned have been perfect for my sensitive, acne prone skin! 

The Body Shop have literally changed my skincare routine for the better and I can't wait to try out more products in the future. Let me know some of your favourites in the comments! 

Lots of Love,

Meg x