Life: The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea White Rose Leeds Event

Last week, on a beautiful (and extremely rare up in Yorkshire) sunny day, I attended my very first The Body Shop event in aid of some of the new and upcoming ranges they have in store for us all. As well as some compatible bonding with fellow friendly Leeds bloggers, some general comical chit chat, and making the most of camera opportunities without feeling as though the whole world is wondering why on earth I'm snapping a bowl of water and a hand swatch, I also had the chance to get a preview of the exciting forthcoming spring/summer assortments and get an insight into their already launched products. There were 4 focused selections; the Fuji Green Tea, Virgin Mojito, Vitamin C and Honey Bronze, with some makeup bits and bobs thrown into the mix and with the super helpful Tom and Shannon aside to inform us as we moved along, I learned a great deal about each one and had nothing but delightful scents graced along my nasal passage all evening (even with a cold!). 

We started with the main focus of the event, the Fuji Green Tea ceremony. We all know about how healthy and benefiting green tea is on the digestive system, packed with nutrients and antioxidants it has powerful detoxing effects on the body which for the skin, will make you feel exactly the same; rejuvenated and revived. The range is split between 3 parts; cleanse & detox, replenish, then refresh and is made up of 9 individual products that are bound to energize your senses. 

Tom and Shannon were on hand to demonstrate each product which meant we were able to test, smell, and conclude for ourselves how lovely they were (and they definitely were). First there was the 'typical' pampering bath goodness, the Fuji Green Tea Body Scrub, Fuji Green Tea Shower Gel, Fuji Green Tea Exfoliating Soap and something ultimately unique and something I was highly intrigued by, The Fuji Green Tea Bath Infuser and Bath Tea. This little gem works by popping the bath tea into the infuser and then dipping it into your bath as the tap is running to surround the water with uplifting and unwinding results. During our exploration of this specific product, one volunteer (which happened to be Rhianna from robowecop) had the chance to experience the feel of the Bath Infuser and Bath Tea, followed by a hand massage later on. Although my hands weren't dipped in there, I had a feel and couldn't believe how silky the water felt; I can imagine being soaked in an entire bath would be luxurious. 

The following steps contain the moisturising and conditioning treatments for the skin; the Fuji Green Tea Body Lotion, Fuji Green Tea Body Sorbet, and Fuji Green Tea Body Butter. Like every other TBS product, these seemed to apply like an absolute dream and felt amazingly hydrating on the skin, in particular the sorbet. I first tried the sorbets last year and absolutely fell in love with how light and cooling they felt. As you can probably guess, this was another hit and with the Green Tea scent, it made it even more invigorating. Finally, there was another awakening addition to The Body Shop's list of products, the Fuji Green Tea Eau De Cologne which completed the crisp, herbal scent of the Green Tea range in a very wearable way (and it even had a hint of my beloved jasmine). Topped off with a provided cup of Twinings Green Tea for ourselves, we rounded up this successful taster.

Next, were a couple of newbies from the Vitamin C range, the Instant Glow Enhancer and Glow Boosting Moisturiser. Once again, the staff were ready to show us all the key factors of each product and we were up close and personal to see the effect they had on the skin! The Instant Glow Enhancer is there to give an instant fix for healthy looking skin and can be applied after moisturiser and in between moments in the day to touch up any dull places, in particular those that catch the light such as the forehead and cheekbones. Just from a tester on the back of the hand I could see the way it enhanced the skin and gave it that rosy, natural glow with a soft, velvety finish. The same relates to the moisturiser, it brightens up the entire complexion and leaves you feeling revitalized with the fresh smell of crushed berries and orange which of course, does no wrong in my eyes (or nose). 

Now onto my favourite of the bunch, the brand new Virgin Mojito range, due to be released at the end of May/into June. There were 5 products presented on show, the Virgin Mojito Body Scrub, Body Butter, Body Sorbet, Shower Gel, and something unfamiliar to those standard sets, a Body Splash, to bring in a twist of frequent fragrance. There was no doubt about it, I loved each and every one. The scent was unreal, I can't quite put my finger on it but the mix up of mint and lime made a delicious fruity and zest exhilaration. Some were under the impression you'd step out of the shower smelling like you'd been on the lash all night until morning. Now, I'm not a regular cocktail drinker but if alcohol did come across that delicious with absolutely no after effects and instead plenty of freshness, I'm sure I'd be more of a drinker. 

When we got told we were the first ones to be let in on the Mojito products I not only felt special but was also quite concerned I wasn't going to be able to shout from the rooftops just how heavenly it is. Luckily, we were able to spill and now I can't wait to get my hands on it. I reckon it would make the perfect summer holiday collection!

Lastly, we were enlightened with the makeup stash, beginning with the eyeliners which are already out on the shelves ready to grab. Passed down the line and trialed out on even more hands were the Matte Kajal in black and white, the Bold Oversized Felt Liner, Skinny Felt Liner and Gel Pen Liner. As an eyeliner novice, I only really go for what works for me and I was certainly more biased towards the Matte Kajal and the Skinny Felt Liner. The tips of the pen were fine enough to create a steady stroke and held enough boldness in there for an in depth look. 

Then, to finish off, there was the gorgeous Honey Bronze selection plus a few vibrant eyeshadows for us to admire. I feel like I struggle and slack on both experimenting with bright, risky shades for the eyes and instant tanning my utterly pale torso. I don't particularly mind being pasty all year round. If it was a choice between accepting my inner ghost or walking around looking like David Dickinson, I'd go for the first option in fear of taking a complete wrong step during the tanning process. However, all the Honey Bronze products revealed to us seem to be suitable and easier for the likes of me and may just be a mind changer. 

Unveiled to us were a combination of both liquid, powder and cream products. The Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel For Face and the Honey Bronze Tinted Leg Mist were first up; the Leg Mist being another newbie. I love the idea of this because it means legs no longer have to be the odd ones out. Its easy blending immediate natural tan fills in those pesky pale patches with a simple spray application and without that oily residue being left behind. Next, there was the Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder with two brand new shades included in the range. This honey-enriched mattifying powder is said to give skin an even finish with a subtle sun kissed glow and with all this in mind, as well as the cutesy bee hive inspired packaging, I'm now on a mission to find the perfect shade for me (because the irony of this is bronzers can often look cakey on my pale complexion). The last of the Honey Bronze products were a pair of highlighting sticks, shaped very similarly to a certain hyped lip balm which personally, for me, were the stand out of the bunch. I absolutely loved the compact style and the fuss free applicator and the way they appeared on the skin once brushed swiftly along the cheekbone. Both shades illuminated the complexion with a delicate shimmer and a beautiful, natural flush but the lighter shade (of course) won the competition for best results on fairer skin. 

Tom's hands seemed to radiate all products greatly and the same goes for the selected eyeshadows. The Colour Crush Eyeshadow's and a tropical Cube Palette weren't something I'd reach for as everyday shades but somehow I think the warm to dark ratio of the greens, blues, beiges and yellows would work when creating an intense, killer eye. (Top tip: we were advised to slightly wet the brush before applying the eyeshadows to give it that more softened look).

As you have most probably presumed with the picture and text heavy post, I came away from there full of newfangled logic but that wasn't the only thing I left with. We were kindly given a goodie bag with lots of samples and miniature goodies for us to try out which was enough to stop me from purchasing everything in sight (I'm a trier before a do-er and I wanted to give the products a go first - stay tuned for a separate blog post!). It was such a brilliant, fun filled evening enjoyed by all! A huge thanks to Leah for inviting me along and to Tom and Shannon for all their in depth passion and enthusiasm - it was really lovely and refreshing to see. 

What are your favourite The Body Shop products?

Bridie x

Also, just to mention a huge thank you to everyone who entered my Blue Vanilla giveaway, I picked a winner at random yesterday and that so happened to be Chloe from thechloelook.com. Big congrats to Chloe and I hope she gets some good use out of the perfect summer dress!