Oldies but Goodies: The Body Shop's 'The Originals'

It has been AGES since I went into a Body Shop.  I have been using Lush for years now.  However, as Lush got more and more expensive, I started to seek alternatives for my bath and body needs.  Then, walking through the mall one day, I spied a huge poster for 'THE ORIGINALS'.  And the best part?  They were 3 for $20.  Good luck coming out of Lush with much for that kind of money!

So I picked out three of my favorites from back in the day.

Banana Shampoo and Conditioner
This was a winning duo for me in high school.  As a competitive swimmer and lifeguard, I was a pool rat.  As a result of all of that sun and chlorine, my hair typically felt like straw.  The banana line was the only thing that tamed the beast and allowed me to run any sort of combing device through my hair.

That was then.  What about now?  I had been faithful to silicone free hair care from Lush for over 6 years, so th first thing I did was check to mke sure that there were no silicones in the banana line.  Since there were none, I picked up a bottle of both the shampoo and conditioner.  From the very first time I used these, I was in LOVE.  My hair seemed more moisturized, less frizzy and softer. And the smell...oh the smell...it definitely brought back memories.  I have been using the banana shampoo and conditioner for almost 2 months now, and the love has not faded!  I have not reached for my beloved Veganese (Lush) at all.  My hair is just as soft and manageable as it was after the first time I used this duo, and there doesn't seem to be any problems with build up.

Ice Blue Shampoo
This was another favorite of mine when I was younger.  I love that it's blue, and so minty.  I love that it's pepperming and not spearmint.  And there is also a bit of vanilla mixed in there.  YUM!  I have used it a couple of times since I got it, and it's just as nice as I remember it.  I can already tell that this will be a summer favorite for now.

As for the history of this product...it was apparently developed by Mark Constantine, who now owns Lush.  He and the Body Shop did not part well, and he was not allowed to take any poduct/ formula that he developed for the Body Shop when he left.  Mark has since developed a soap with the same scent as Ice Blue Shampoo.  His soap, also called Ice Blue (which was supposedly going to be called 'Ice Blue F**k You') is not as nice as this shampoo.  Though the smell of the soap is identical in the store, when I used it in the shower, it had definite pee undertones.  So the Lush soap version went in the bin after only two uses.  On the other hand, the Body Shop's Ice Blue Shampoo smells just as magnificent in the shower as it does in the bottle.  Not to mention that it does lovely things to my hair.  Sorry Mark, this round definitely goes to the Body Shop!

Check out the rest of the originals line on the Body Shop web page.  And vote for your favorites HERE so that they stick around for many years to come!