The Body Shop Drops of Youth Skincare Challenge

Since turning 26 in November last year, it’s finally dawned on me that I’m not getting any younger and that I had better take this thing called ageing seriously. I feel like wrinkles, dark circles and tired skin are just around the corner so it’s time to up my game in the skincare department. So when The Body Shop challenged me to use their Drops of Youth range everyday for 28 days, I jumped at the chance.

This really was a challenge for me, as my skincare routine was haphazard to say the least; beauty blogger I am not. Some days I give myself a full on at-home spa treatment and other days a dab of face wash in the shower is as good as it gets. I know how important it is to keep your skin moisturised, but when I was in a rush in the mornings (which let’s face it, is most mornings for me!) I wouldn’t even cream my face. Shock, horror.

The Challenge

Then in stepped The Body Shop and their 28 day challenge where I had to use products from the certified organic Drops of Youth range morning and night, including the brand new Youth Cream. 28 days is the time it takes for a cycle of skin cell production and replacement, so the perfect time to see a difference. This was my daily routine during the challenge:

Morning:

• Cleanse (I use Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser with either a muslin cloth or the Magnitone Barefaced Brush)
• Apply Drops of Youth Concentrate all over the face
• Apply Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate around the eyes
• Moisturise with the Youth Cream
• Finish with Drops of Youth Wonderblur

Night:

• Cleanse
• Apply Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate
• Apply Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask

*This post features PR samples. Please see disclaimer for more info.

Before I tell you the results of the challenge, I’ll tell you a bit about each product and what I thought of each one.

Drops of Youth Concentrate

“Quickly absorbed and non-sticky, skin appears smoother, fresher and feels more supple. Pores look tightened and fine lines appear smoothed. Skin has a more healthy luminosity.”
I’d never used a concentrate before, so didn’t really know what it was or what it was for, but with the harsh February winds I was glad for the extra TLC I was giving my skin. The applicator mimics a syringe, where you press a button in the lid to pick up product and again to drop it onto your skin. I found this a bit of a faff and couldn’t always pick up or release product, so I took to just ‘stroking’ my face with the applicator instead. That sounds weird, but I promise it will make sense when you see it! Besides the application issues, I really like this product. It removed any tightness I had after cleansing and absorbed into my skin quickly without feeling oily or heavy. You really only need a little with this so although the bottle seems quite small it will last a long time.
Drops of Youth Concentrate | £25

Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate

“A youth-enhancing concentrate enriched with Edelweiss plant stem cells, which instantly refreshes the eye contour, and smoothes out the appearance of fine lines, bags and fatigue.”
This has a cooling roller ball applicator, which you press down to get product into the ball then roll around your eye area. I get quite puffy eyes after a night’s sleep so the cooling sensation of the roller ball always felt great in the mornings. Again, a little goes a long way with this, so don’t make the mistake I made on my first use of pumping too much product into the roller ball. The area under my eyes had been feeling quite tired and dry but since using this my bags have reduced and eyes are less tired looking.
Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate | £19

Drops of Youth Youth Cream

“A refreshing moisturising cream infused with our three plant stem cells. Reveals fresher, smoother looking skin nourished with moisture. It leaves skin with a velvety-soft finish.”
This is a new addition to the Drops of Youth Range and I was worried about trying a new face cream as I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and the rest of my face is ‘normal’. I needn’t have worried as this cream has a lovely smooth and light texture which left my face feeling moisturised all day without clogging my pores or leaving my t-zone looking greasy. I think if you have dry skin that prefers thicker balm-like creams then this cream might not be for you. I feel I am repeating myself here but again a little goes a long way with this cream and it absorbs quickly. I love how soft it makes my skin feel and the velvety softness lasts all day.
Drops of Youth Youth Cream | £20

Drops of Youth Wonderblur

“A lightweight blur that instantly smoothes skin texture and visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores for an even, flawless finish.”
When I received this I was excited to have found a cheaper alternative to my beloved Benefit POREfessional, but sadly this is just not for me. Although the Wonderblur did minimise my pores, it is a tad too pale for me. Once applied it left my skin looking ashy and no longer glowing. If you’re a paler skin tone to me, I think you’ll love this.
Drops of Youth Wonderblur | £17

Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask

“A cream-gel leave-on mask which moisturises skin overnight. Skin feels softer, plumped up and is visibly bouncier.”
This mask has such a fun, unique texture. It really is a cross between a cream and a gel, or a cream-gel as The Body Shop puts it. You have to kind of scoop it up rather than dab it onto your fingertips but once you start rubbing it into your skin it becomes really easy to apply. The tricky bit is not to scoop up too much. It does come with a scoop but that soon got forgotten about! It’s sticky when first applied and I was worried I’d wake up with fluff stuck to my face but once it sinks in all stickiness disappears. This has really helped minimise the puffiness I used to wake up with.
Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask | £24

My Verdict

All-in-all I am really happy with the Drops of Youth range and I will continue using them. I would purchase all of the products besides the Wonderblur as it is just not for me. Although the prices are more than what I’m used to paying at The Body Shop, a little really does go a long way with these products – I’ve used them twice a day for 28 days and I still have a lot left!

It’s hard to pin-point the difference each product has made to my skin as I didn’t trial them individually, but overall my skin looks a lot healthier, I have a visible glow, my bags are reduced and my skin feels soft, supple and well-moisturised. I can’t comment on the ageing side of things as fortunately I don’t have any fine lines or wrinkles yet *touch wood!*. I’m hoping that by starting to use the Drops of Youth range now I can hold off the signs of ageing a little longer. Prevention is better than cure after all, right?

I’m curious to know if you’ve ever tried the Drops of Youth range and what you thought of it. Have you started using anti-ageing products yet? If so, share your recommendations down in the comments below. May we all be wrinkle-free together forever!