The Body Shop and Walk In Her Shoes

The Body Shop and I go way back. They had a store near my high school, and the majority of my first skincare forays happened within their walls. I used their Chamomile Shampoo for about eight years. I used to chronically hoard those little bath pearls that you burst in the water, releasing the oil within. My very first retail memory is picking up a small rhinoceros-shaped soap, admiring it, and inadvertently walking off with it (rolling off. I was stroller-aged). I was then marched back to the store an hour later to apologize and pay for the now-battered rhinoceros. Congratulations, TBS, you were the catalyst for my first and only shoplifting.

That said I've been admiring from afar the direction TBS has taken- the packaging has improved, the range of scents has become obscenely broad. It's not just vanilla or white musk, it's a olfactory rainbow as soon as you walk in. And now there's cosmetics, too. Be still my beating heart.

I ventured back into my local TBS (Claremont Quarter - Perth girls would do well to investigate this one) recently because they'd wisely stacked the Chocomania collection in the front window and I was powerless in the face of it. Once inside I discovered a stack of clearance products - mostly fragrances with a few eyeshadows - and resigned myself to carrying a bundle out with me. Behold!

Neroli Jasmin is the perfect day perfume I never knew existed. I have this tenancy towards fairly smoky, incensey perfumes that really should be evening or winter fragrances, and really struggle with the lighter scents. This one is light, but its still got jasmine as well to thicken it up and the final result is sweet and intriguing and omg love.
And I had to get some Chocomania, and considering how fast I burn through scrub I figured that was the least guilty of the options. And whats more, it does smell like chocolate. I'm reminded of Coconut Rough, but that may well just be me. And also a scrubby thing because I was told to and I am nothing if not obedient, especially if my dermatologist is the one ordering me.

And upon further inspection TBS is holding a promotion tied in with a charity fundraiser (of course) called Walk in Her Shoes, in association with Care Australia, to raise money for the 70% of those below the poverty line who are women. In store you can buy a $9.95 pedometer and aim to walk 10 000 steps a day between the 18th and 24th of March, choosing to seek sponsorship or otherwise.
This is a win on so many levels - a cheap, nice looking pedometer with a very basic operation, an additional push to exercise more, and TBS will give you a card redeemable for one professional makeup application along with your pedometer. There is no downside. This is awesome.

TBS's site for the challenge is here, and the awesome clearance range is here. And lets be honest, I'll be back soon. They had a range of beauty oils and mattifying treatments that I'm thoroughly intrigued by.