Fair Trade Makeup Review: The Body Shop

I have extremely sensitive, combination skin with a tendency to get acne around my chin. I had this idea that by the time I hit 26, my skin would finally be perfect, but sadly that dream has not yet become a reality. I’d switched back to a benzoyl peroxide wash over the summer, but built up an intolerance to it really quickly this time around and decided to find a new line of products to try.

I ended up on The Body Shop‘s website after doing a search for “fair trade skincare.” The Body Shop is not entirely fair trade, but they do source several fair trade ingredients for their formulations and they’re also cruelty free (you can read more about their values here). If you’ve looked for fair trade skin products, you know that producers and consumers alike have a difficult time tracing their ingredients. The Body Shop may not currently be the solution, but I appreciate that they’re trying.

And I really love their stuff!

I purchased:

I’ve been using their products since late August and still really enjoy them. The mascara had a fairly short shelf life (it’s already gone goopy), but it didn’t irritate my sensitive eyes like most mascaras.

On a typical day, I use the All-In-One Face Base alone, but if my skin’s looking splotchy or I’ve got a special event, I’ll layer it over the bb creme, which wears as a light-medium weight foundation. I also love the tinted lip balm; it’s become my go-to item when my lips feel dry. For my skin tone, I found that Tone 02 works best in the powder and 01 works best in the creme.

I also bought their Banana Conditioner and it’s the bomb! My hair is super soft now.

I was not compensated in any way to write this review.

Leah Wise

Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.