The Body Shop reply

Well, after a few days the Body Shop did reply (reinstilling my faith in customer care).
Some excerpts:
We would like to reassure our customers that The Body Shop takes the safety of the products it sells very seriously. All formulations developed for The Body Shop are subject to careful evaluation by independent external safety assessors. In fact, The Body Shop has already voluntarily restricted its use of certain preservatives because of concerns about their possible skin sensitisation effects and because of its stance on animal testing.

...we have a responsible approach to the use of chemicals in our products. We proactively assess the chemicals we use against criteria of health and safety, environmental impact and our Against Animal Testing policy. As a result, we prohibit the use of a range of common chemicals in our products.

Although the markets that sell our products make the decision of setting the price, we believe that the excellent quality of the products and the Community Trade programme that sources high grade ingredients from all over the world is set at a fair and reasonable price.

We do encourage all our customers to try the products in-store before making a purchase. Moreover, our trained staff is always on hand to demonstrate the product usage and answer any questions that you may have.

Due to the different skin characteristics of the skin on different parts of the body, The Body Shop has actually developed different product categories to cater to the relevant needs of the different parts of the body. For example, the Bath & Body category, which is meant to be used for the body has ranges for different skin types (eg. normal or dry skin) and different products within the range such as shower gels, body lotions and body butters. These products can be used all over the body depending on skin type or need. They are not recommended for use on the face as the skin on the face is actually thinner than the skin on the rest of the body, thus having
a different set of needs.

Although we do try to include as much relevant information as possible on the product packaging, sometimes the ingredient information, which is a legal requirement, takes up much of the copy space. However, if you ever have any questions about product usage or anything else about the product, please do feel free to approach any of our friendly store staff or write in
to us again.

So, if I go by their mail, I am supposed to try the shower gel in the store, use a separate range for my thin face skin and just continue to be their valuable customer. Amazing how I develop a thick skin for other soaps in the market.. which don't even promise to moisturise.

The Body Shop "Moisturising" shower gel

I recently bought an Olive shower gel and not the other shower gels from Body shop because it specifically said "moisturising". I had an unpleasant sensation of skin tightening and a whitish dryness all over my body after bathing with it. Shock is a mild word for what I felt. Body Shop and all it stands for seemed like just another marketing farce. I felt cheated and foolishly foolish. I have of course, read the labels and they scream chemicals... but at least they should do what they say they will!

I mean, even an ordinary cheap soap does not dry skin like that. And to clarify, I do not suffer from dry skin, it's merely not oily. Where is the organic olive oil from the farmers' co-operative? Has it been completely overpowered by "necessary" chemicals to make the gel lather? Soap free gel lather, let me be precise.

I feel that I and people like me, who are natural beauty conscious are complete suckers for their propaganda. I have been using Body Shop for some time now. Been happy so far. So, very confidently I bought a big bottle of the gel, not a small one.

I am surprised that I wrote them a letter...I know what happens at "customer care". But I guess I was too upset. Incidentally the Tea Tree shower gel for oily skin does not dry my skin at all!

And wanna hear a joke? When I mentioned the dryness to the store lady, she tells me "Ma'am, you're not supposed to use the shower gel on your face." !!!!????? So now shower gels are only for specific body parts? Err... can they make that clear on their bottle?

The last time I fell for this natural product thing was at the famous "Khadi"... a ritha and honey shampoo for dry hair. The only use I could find for it, was to clean my bathroom... really, it was that bad. But the Body Shop would be too costly a floor cleaner.

My good sense always knows that it's only fresh homemade stuff that's guaranteed... besan followed by sesame oil is best for bathing and moisturising; simple and effective.... but as I said, I am a sucker for these empty promises.

Well, I'll tell you if I hear from the "ethical" company with "values".