Review: The Body Shop Facial Brush With Lid

I’ll be the first to admit that during my two years around the world, my skin was not my first priority.

In fact, my skincare routine went from decent to shocking almost overnight. This was due to many factors: 1) I wasn’t wearing makeup as often while travelling as I had done while working full time 2) toiletries seem like an extravagant expense when you are on a budget 3) I got super lazy.

So, basically, I went from cleansing, toning, moisturising every evening to simply using face wipes and moisturiser.

And I’d love to say that my skin is no worse off for it, but that would be a lie. I’m 30 now and can no longer pull off a terrible skin care routine, especially after having been subjected to more sun and air pollution in the last couple of years than I’d care to admit.

Since I’ve been in Amsterdam, I’ve definitely stepped up my skin care game. I’m back to being focused on purchasing better quality products and spending more time looking after my skin.

So when I read about the teeny tiny (and it really is teeny tiny!) little facial brush that The Body Shop are currently selling, I wanted to give it a go.

It is essentially a way to exfoliate your face without using a gel or cream exfoliator. You simply remove your makeup as you normally would and then you put some facial cleanser (be it oil, cream or liquid) on to the facial brush and “brush” your skin with it in small circles.

It has to be said that this method can be slightly more abrasive than a normal gentle exfoliant, so if you have super sensitive skin, then it probably isn’t for you. And as with all exfoliators, you probably shouldn’t use it *every* night, as it could start to irritate or dry out your skin. But I have found that I like to use it when I’ve been wearing makeup as it feels as though it’s really cleaning my pores deeper than a regular cleanser applied with cotton wool or your fingers would.

Once you’ve “brushed” your face, you should rinse off the cleanser, dry your face and then either tone and moisturise or simply moisturise, depending on your skin type and how much of a deep clean you think you need.

What I particularly like about this product is that it’s perfect for travelling. It’s small, as I mentioned before, and it sits in its own little plastic base, meaning that it won’t drip into your toiletry bag or pick up any lint or dirt that may be in there (which is definitely a good thing for your face). You do need to make sure you rinse and dry it thoroughly before you put it back in its stand as you don’t want any bacteria to build up in there, though.

After using this product several times, I’ve definitely noticed that my skin is smoother and a little brighter. This may be because I wasn’t really exfoliating at all while I was travelling and so my skin is simply responding to the better treatment (cough), but I do think there has been an improvement. I only wish I’d known about it before I went travelling.

This is no competition for the much-loved Clarisonic, but for those who can’t afford to shell out that kind of cash, or who are going travelling, this is the perfect alternative.