The Body Shop Oils of Life Essence Lotion
Works for
1 of 1 advertised claim delivered
MoisturizingPanthenol, Betaine + 9 moreStrong evidence
“skin feels replenished with moisture and appears softened.”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
betaine, glycerin.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: helianthus annuus seed oil, nigella sativa seed oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy6 strong irritants: Alcohol denat., Parfum + 4 more — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~45–55%
Propanediol~4.4–5.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
More about PropanediolUndecane~4.3–5.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps create a non-greasy finish on the skin
More about UndecanePanthenol~3.3–4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolGlycerin~2.8–3.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinTridecane~1.9–2.4%
Sesamum indicum seed oil~1.9–2.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A good moisturizing plant oil. Due to the high linoleic acid content, it helps soften the upper layer of the skin, reduce water loss and support skin barrier function
More about Sesamum indicum seed oilSodium chloride~1.6–1.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to stabilize mixtures of oil and water, and create thicker, gel-like product textures
More about Sodium chlorideRosa canina fruit oil~1.4–1.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A great emollient. Contains vitamin E (tocopherol) which may give it some anti-oxidant properties. Can contain volatile compounds and can be irritating
More about Rosa canina fruit oilCamellia oleifera seed oil~1.2–1.4%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An emollient that does not leave a greasy finish
More about Camellia oleifera seed oilBetaine~0.95–1.15%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
More about BetaineAlcohol denat.~0.8–1.2%
- Irritation risk
- High
Produces temporary toning effect. Can help dissolve other ingredients or preserve products
More about Alcohol denat.Sodium benzoate~0.25–0.5%
Caprylhydroxamic acid~0.75–1.1%
Parfum~0.7–1.05%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumNigella sativa seed oil~0.7–1.05%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and support the skin's barrier due to the high content of linoleic acid
More about Nigella sativa seed oilPotassium sorbate~0.3–0.6%
Disodium edta~0.6–0.9%
Linalool~0.55–0.85%
Parfum~0.5–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumTerminalia ferdinandiana fruit extract~0.45–0.65%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant extract that might have some anti-oxidant effect in skin, but evidence is lacking
More about Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit extractLimonene~0.35–0.65%
- Irritation risk
- High
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
More about LimoneneParfum~0.3–0.6%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumMauritia flexuosa fruit oil~0.3–0.6%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
More about Mauritia flexuosa fruit oilGeraniol~0.25–0.45%
Parfum~0.2–0.4%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumCitronellol~0.2–0.4%
Parfum~0.15–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumTocopherol~0.15–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
More about TocopherolCitric acid~0.15–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
More about Citric acidHelianthus annuus seed oil~0.1–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
More about Helianthus annuus seed oilIngredient list view
Water, Propanediol, Undecane, Panthenol, Glycerin, Tridecane, Sesamum indicum seed oil, Sodium chloride, Rosa canina fruit oil, Camellia oleifera seed oil, Betaine, Alcohol denat., Sodium benzoate, Caprylhydroxamic acid, Parfum, Nigella sativa seed oil, Potassium sorbate, Disodium edta, Linalool, Parfum, Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit extract, Limonene, Parfum, Mauritia flexuosa fruit oil, Geraniol, Parfum, Citronellol, Parfum, Tocopherol, Citric acid, Helianthus annuus seed oil
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| The Body ShopOils of Life Essence LotionYOUR PRODUCT | Derma ESoothing Relief Lotion | Pacifica BeautyHardcore Happy Power Shimmer Body Lotion | Krave BeautyGreat Body Relief | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 58% | 58% | 58% |
| Price | — | $14.00 | — | $25.68 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 4 of 9 | 3 of 9 | 4 of 9 |
| Key difference | — | Colloidal Oatmeal | Gluconolactone | Ceramide Ap |
| Irritancy | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
| Drying alcohol | Contains drying alcohol | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
Product summary
Based on the ingredients included, "The Body Shop - Oils of Life Essence Lotion" works well for moisturizing the skin. As we expect from a proper moisturizer, the formula includes a combo of effective humectants and emollients. These are the two different types of ingredients that are essential for improving the skin hydration and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Panthenol, betaine and glycerin in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Emollients in this formulation (nigella sativa seed oil, sesamum indicum seed oil, helianthus annuus seed oil and undecane) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.
Ingredient callouts
- This formulation also includes panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) at about 3.30% - 4.00% concentration. In this concentration, panthenol works effectively to improve the skin barrier and reduce inflammation.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains a bunch of common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide any known benefit for the skin. It might not be the best choice if your skin is sensitive. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "The Body Shop" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 22.00CA$ in Canada, for 50.00A$ in Australia, for 23.59$ in the United States and for 17.06£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 14 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulationspdfs.semanticscholar.org
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5Triglyceride composition of Sesamum indicum seed oilonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 6
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