This vegan, cruelty-free Body Shop Edelweiss Skincare range is pleasant and is presented nicely enough to make a suitable gift if you buy the set. The Edelweiss products themselves feel reasonably fresh and invigorating when I apply them and I’ve quite enjoyed using them. But, although there was no heavy residue or oiliness the hydration didn’t seem to last very long and I do find the very long list of ingredients extremely off-putting. I also think they are over-priced.
Pros
- The Edelweiss Serum is light and refreshing
- The Edelweiss Day Cream penetrates quickly
- Suitable for sensitive skin
Cons
- Long ingredients list
- No lasting benefit
- Over-priced
My experience of The Body Shop Edelweiss range
When The Body Shop asked me to review their Edelweiss range and gifted me some of the products they wanted me to use, I was delighted. I have fond memories of this brand from their very early days and always loved their innovative approach, natural products, and fair-pricing so looked forward to receiving the serum and day cream they offered me.
On receiving the products, I liked the dark green and silver packaging used which gives this range a clean, almost clinical feel, and when I opened the products, they were gently and pleasantly fragranced.
I have quite dry and sensitive skin, and also get fairly regular rosacea flare-ups, so used it sparingly at first. Fortunately, I had no adverse reaction to either the Edelweiss serum or the day cream and so incorporated it into my daily routine, finding it pleasant and very refreshing on application. The serum didn’t feel sticky and the cream absorbed quickly, leaving a reasonably good base for my normal make-up afterwards too (although not as smooth as a primer).
However, there was no improvement to the levels of hydration in my skin which continued to feel like it was drying out as the day progressed, so definitely no 48 hour moisture hit that the product suggested I should experience. And because the day cream has no built-in SPF factor, I did have to start using a light sun cream too so it began to feel like I was having to apply a lot of layers!
So, we’ll now look at all those factors in a little more detail.
The serum is light and refreshing
I like the feel of this serum – it’s absorbed quickly, doesn’t feel sticky, and has a lovely, cooling feel on application. You also need only use a few drops of it, so it goes a long way too. However, even after using it for several weeks, I didn’t notice any lasting improvements to skin hydration.
The Edelweiss Day Cream penetrates quickly
I find that some moisturisers feel like they are clogging up your pores and creating an impenetrable barrier between your face and the world! This day cream though has a pleasing, gentle fragrance so it’s a light moisturiser that penetrates quickly, and leaves a reasonably good base for make-up too if you wear it. But as with the serum, I didn’t notice any lasting benefits in the levels of moisture in my skin.
Suitable for sensitive skin
My skin is very sensitive and can react very badly to new products. However, I have had no adverse reaction to these Body Shop Edelweiss products. They seem really calming and gentle and I have enjoyed using them.
Long ingredients list
There are a lot of ingredients in these Body Shop Edelweiss products. That’s not to say that is necessarily bad, although I don’t think they can all be classified as ‘natural’.
However, there are some good ingredients, including leontopodic acid, the unique and powerful antioxidant extracted from the Edelweiss flower.
The Body Shop does also provide a complete breakdown for each product and explains why they are there which is helpful. At least you have clearer information which can help you to decide whether or not you want to smother it all over your face! Unfortunately, I still don’t feel completely reassured by what is a very long list of ingredients.
No lasting benefit
Whilst the products are very pleasant on application, I don’t perceive any lasting benefit in terms of hydration levels or smoothness. I believe there are products that achieve this more successfully.
Over-priced
I think The Body Shop products are over-priced – at £32 for 30ml of the serum you are paying a premium price for a nice product, but not a premium one. There are better products out there for less money in my opinion.
My verdict on The Body Shop Edelweiss skincare review
I remember The Body Shop when it first opened (yes, a long time ago!) and it was a brand that offered a completely fresh approach to face and body products, using minimal, natural ingredients at an affordable price for its customers who were mainly in their late teens and early 20’s at that time.
So I’m a bit disappointed with the later iterations of this brand and think it has lost its ‘why’ over the years. Is it offering a range of products that is innovative and that truly caters for the natural and environmental demands that consumers now have? I think the answer is no and that they are still trading on its reputation from years ago – maybe that’s why they have been through so many buy outs.
That said, these products are nice enough. I haven’t tried the whole of The Body Shop Edelweiss skincare range, but enjoyed using the serum and the day cream. However, I was gifted these products by The Body Shop for the purposes of this review and wouldn’t buy them for myself. I don’t think they are terribly effective, the day cream offers no sun protection, I find the long ingredients list a little worrying and they are expensive for what they are. It does make me wonder just how much of that money goes to their social media influencers for promoting their products.
So, in my opinion, this range is nice enough and I really did want this review to be more positive. However, I think there are better alternatives out there and I find myself again thinking that maybe The Body Shop has had its day…
Alternatives to The Body Shop
I have been lucky enough to try a number of products over the years and can make the following recommendations:
Feel Skincare range – all vegan. Read my Feel Skincare review for more information.
Studio 10 Beauty – particularly for slightly more mature skin. Take a look at their vegan products here.
Ark Skincare – age-related ranges including teens – all vegan.
More vegan beauty articles
I hope this review of The Body Shop Edelweiss range has been useful. If you would like to see more of my vegan beauty articles, here are some examples below:
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