The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum Review

What they say:


I shamelessly copied & pasted the following extracts from TBS's website.


"The tara bush, also known as the spiny holdback bush, is native to Peru, where it grows in a semi-arid environment with scarce water. The seed of this plant contains all the moisture that it needs to germinate, without relying on rainfall. Its ability to survive in extremely dry conditions makes it an ideal active ingredient in our pre-moisturizer serum, where it helps skin retain moisture and continuously hydrates for up to 12 hours. What’s more, scientific tests have proven that using our pre-moisturizer with either our Vitamin E day cream or night cream significantly increases their moisturizing effect. 


Best if you want to: Smooth and refine your skin with a concentrated pre-moisturizer that also protects it from harmful environmental elements.

How it works:

• Vitamin E, wheat germ oil and rice bran oil help moisturize, nourish and condition skin, while protecting against premature aging and environmental aggressors.
• Tara bush seed extract helps promote both immediate and long-term hydration.
• Organic Community Trade honey moisturizes and conditions the skin.

Water, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Honey, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena Strigose Seed Extract, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Benzyl Benzoate, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Linalool, Potassium Sorbate, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone. "

What I say:

I picked this up during the last TBS 3 for $30 sale along with some backups of my HG face cream (TBS Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream and the Nourishing Night Cream reviewed here ). It is a pre-moisturiser serum, and is meant to be used in conjunction with your usual moisturiser to give its moisturising properties an extra boost.

I generally wash my face twice a day, once in the morning with a cream cleanser and once at night with a deep cleanser (will do reviews soon!), and although both cleansers are pretty mild and won't leave my skin feeling tight, I feel that it makes my skin TOO squeaky clean if that makes any sense? and squeaky clean skin does not like cold Vancouver air. Not to mention, squeaky clean skin translates into "ok go nuts!" in sebaceous gland language T.T.
I like to apply my moisturiser immediately prior to applying my foundation, I find that my foundation spreads easier that way and I get a lighter coverage, however, I also dislike going about with that "squeaky clean skin in the cold" feeling until such time as I put on moisturiser, my solution? this serum.
Let the photos explain.

Formula feels like a watery gel. Pay attention to the lines and wrinkles on my skin.

Easy to spread and quickly absorbed by the skin.

Leaves your skin soft, lines are less visible as the skin has been plumped up.

As you can see from the photos, the serum plumps the skin thus making all the fine lines and wrinkles appear less visible. On the face, it gets rid of that "squeaky clean" feeling and adds some light moisture. Although the moisture it adds is by no ways enough (at least in winter conditions) it is enough to last me through getting dressed, some breakfast, styling and drying my hair and brushing my teeth. After that, my real moisturiser goes on xD.
Does it help my skin retain moisture for 12 hours or increase the moisturising effect of my day or night cream? I honestly can't tell for certain xD because my moisturiser alone is enough to keep my skin hydrated and moisturised for more than 12 hours, I really only use this to keep my skin moist between cleansing and my moisturiser, and for that it definitely does the job! I'm interested to see whether it'll be a sufficient moisturiser on its own during the summer months. Hmm will keep you guys posted!

Damage: C$20 for 30ml, and before you comment on the price, let me show you this photo:

See the date written in blue ink on the bottom of the label? That's the date I started using it, 08 December, 2009. I initially used it both morning and night, but for the past 2 months or so, I've cut it down to morning use only because I don't really need it at night. This means that one bottle has lasted me for almost 4 months and I still have about 1cm of the product left in the bottle. Deal!! Besides you can always wait until their sale xD
All in all, it's a "Yes!" from me and a definite re-purchase!

In other news....

SOY MILK IS EVIL!!!!!
Why you ask? Because it did this to me:

T.T
Vitasoy was on special and we stocked up like mad, I drank one every day for breakfast and it gave me GINORMOUS, GIGANTIC, MONSTROUS, HUMONGOUS spots T.T
I'm pretty sure it's not from anything else because I haven't changed anything in my beauty regime, it wasn't that time of the month, and I haven't broken out like this in a long long long time!
I don't know how reliable Acne.org threads are, but on a Google search, I ran across several dozen posts about soy milk causing breakouts. Any of you ladies experienced this?
Le sigh, I guess the bare face MBD review will have to wait :(