REVIEW: THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN C DAILY MOISTURISER SPF30

I've been in the market for a new day moisturiser for a while and this The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser caught my eye back when I was perusing the website for bits to treat myself to.

I needed something good for my skin and what's better than Vitamin C for taking dull skin from drained to glowing? A few sleepless nights coupled with stress have left my skin looing very lack-lustre lately. This moisturiser is specifically designed for dull skin so really it was calling my name. I also know that when I take vitamin C as a supplement my skin loves it. It also has a built in SPF 30. It sounded perfect. It's a very thick cream for something I would consider a 'day' cream but it spreads easily and it sinks in very quickly. 

I apply it and literally within seconds it's disappeared (although I always wait a couple of minutes before applying makeup over it - it's just a force of habit). It's got a zingy orange scent which was going to be obvious from the name and packaging - oranges and vitamin C go hand in hand. It's not overly powerful and after applying foundation it's unnoticeable.  I first used it in the evening on the day it arrived at my house. I'd double cleansed (standard when I'm wearing a heavy coverage foundation), gone through the rest of my usual evening skincare routine, patted on Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and then applied this. It really stung my face. It made it feel itchy and although there was no swelling, it was really red. Dave even asked me if I was OK (and he rarely notices things like that). To be honest it bought tears to my eyes. Nevertheless, I persevered with it (it's an expensive product for me to just throw away) and gingerly applied it after my morning routine the next day. I don't use serums in my morning routine - I simply cleanse, use a Lush toner and then apply moisturiser. It didn't sting that time, there was no redness and no itchiness. I was baffled but I'm assuming it simply reacted with the cocktail of products I apply before it at night.  I won't use it at all at night now but as a day moisturiser it's absolutely fine. I enjoy using it because of the speed it sinks in and the way it's fragranced.

In all honesty, I haven't noticed a big difference in my skin. I've been using it for a few weeks now and it's not made a very noticeable change. It's brightened my complexion slightly and leaves my skin feeling soft but towards the end of the day I don't feel as hydrated as I used to when I was using other moisturisers. My skin is very dehydrated though so perhaps this would perfect for those that don't need as much hydration as me. It was a good product to try and it's alerted me to the fact that I need to be more careful with what I choose to swap in and out of my evening routine but I don't think I would repurchase it.  It's not really what my skin needs but, like I've said before, it could be perfect for anyone with a less dehydrated skin type than mine. 

I feel a little disappointed because I love The Body Shop and this is the first product I've ever come across from any of their ranges that I haven't instantly fallen in love with. The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF30 (RRP £12.00) is available from The Body Shop stores and The Body Shop website. You can follow The Body Shop on Twitter and Facebook for news, product launches, competitions and much more.