Review: The Body Shop Strawberry Body Puree & Body Mist

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all having a great week so far.

To be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of strawberry-scented products. I usually prefer flowery or musky scents over fruity ones, but I’ve been eyeing these at The Body Shop for months. After a lot of thinking, I finally decided to get the Strawberry Body Puree and the Body Mist. So, here’s my review!

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Puree

Packaging

It comes in the classic TBS 250ml clear plastic bottle. I love that it’s transparent because you can easily see how much product is left! The pump has a handy twist-up lock, making it super mess-free. You’ll find the ingredients on the back and the expiration date at the bottom.

Texture & Feel

The texture is more of a gel-lotion, and it’s this pretty pink color that is just so aesthetically pleasing! On the skin, it feels really soothing and lightweight. It feels a little bit sticky right after application, but definitely not greasy. It takes a minute or two to fully sink in, but the good news is it doesn't leave any residue on my clothes!

The Scent

It has a very light, slightly sweet strawberry scent. But if I’m being honest, it smells a bit too artificial for me. Compared to other TBS lotions, I also find that the scent doesn't linger very long on my skin. It’s nice, but not exactly what I expected.

• Moisture Level: Not quite moisturizing enough for my dry skin, though it does leave my skin feeling soft.
• SPF: None! So you’ll definitely need to layer some sunscreen over it if you’re heading out.
• Ingredients: It does contain parabens, but personally, I don’t mind that.
• Ethics: TBS is against animal testing, which is always a huge plus in my book!
• Price: Rp 149.000 for 250 ml (September 2013)
• Rating: 3 out of 5
• Repurchase? Probably not.
• Recommend? Yes, for those who just need a light-textured lotion for daily use!

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Mist

Packaging

This one comes in a 100ml glass bottle. It’s a bit bulky to carry everywhere and I’m always afraid it might break. I actually preferred their old plastic bottles, but the glass one looks much more elegant on the dressing table. The spritzer works well and distributes the mist evenly.

​The Scent

This is a total winner for warmer days! Unlike the puree, the mist smells sweet and lovely without being too "sugary" or "childish." It feels very summery and surprisingly, it doesn't smell artificial at all. It’s perfect for daily wear when you just want something fresh.

Longevity

Since it’s a body spray, it doesn't last very long on me, it only lasts about an hour or so. You’ll definitely need to re-spritz throughout the day.

• Price: Rp 139.000 for 100 ml (September 2013)
• Rating: 3.5 out of 5
• Repurchase? No, I think I'll try a different scent next time!
• Recommend? Yes, if you’re looking for a fresh, fruity summer scent.

Fun Fact!

Did you know The Body Shop uses organic alcohol from sugarcane in Ecuador? You can watch the video I’ve linked below if you want to know more about their community fair trade projects!

Thanks for reading. See you in the next post!

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If Life Deals You Lemon, Make a Lemonade

I am not talking about recipes today.

I am not really talking about lemons or lemonade either. I just don’t know how else to say this: I think I chose the wrong path, and it feels like it is ruining me, slowly.

I am a seventh-semester student at Universitas Indonesia, majoring in Metallurgical Engineering. Two semesters left. Just two. Everyone says it like it’s nothing. But every day feels heavy. Seven semesters of staring at metals, equations, and things that never quite make sense to me. Sometimes it feels like a foreign language I keep trying to learn, even though I know I will never speak it well.

This major requires math, chemistry, and physics. I know that. Everyone knows that. I’ve tried to accept it. I’ve tried to like it. I’ve tried to understand it. I read until my eyes hurt. I study until I feel sick and tired and empty. I stay up late, do the assignments, finish the lab reports.. putting all my effort into everything. But the grades stay bad. The understanding never really comes.

It hurts because I am not lazy. I am not careless. I am trying. I really am.

But somehow, I am always behind.

Sometimes I look at my friends and I feel smaller. They talk passionately about corrosion, extractive metallurgy, heat treatment, future plans, careers. They sound so sure. In those moments, I feel like I don’t belong there at all. Like I’m just sitting in the same room but living in a different world. In their eyes, I feel like the stupid little person who can’t keep up. I envy them. I envy how confident they are. I envy how clear everything seems for them.

My GPA is a mess, and I know it. I don’t need anyone to remind me. With only two semesters left, I don’t even know how much I can fix. The future feels blank. Empty. Like a screen that won’t load. Everyone else seems to know what they want to be, while I’m still stuck asking myself the same questions over and over again.

Metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, nanotechnology.. these words fill my books, but my head feels full of nothing. I read and reread, but it slips away so easily. Sometimes I honestly think maybe I’m just stupid. Maybe I’m not meant for this at all.

People say if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. So I try. I really do. I sit here with my pile of sour fruit, forcing the sugar, hoping it will somehow taste better. But right now, everything just tastes like rust.

I’m tired. I’m stressed. I feel like I’m failing. There are days when I don’t even want to step into the lab anymore. I feel like I’m drowning there, surrounded by experiments and reports, learning how materials break under pressure while I’m the one who is falling apart.

I know I have to keep going. I don’t really regret the past. I just don’t know what to do with the future.

Graduation is getting closer. Instead of feeling relieved, I’m just scared. Sometimes I ask myself what I’m even doing here. What happens when I graduate and everyone expects an engineer, but all they get is.. me?

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