The Body Shop celebrates 50 years of ethical beauty

For 50 years, The Body Shop has fuelled the beauty world with its unwavering passion for clean and ethical beauty products. A significant milestone for any beauty brand, this big birthday is also a major win for the natural beauty movement.

The Body Shop is an iconic British High street brand and has cemented its place as one of SA’s favourites thanks to its wide variety of cruelty-free, high-quality body care, skincare, hair care, makeup, and fragrances.

Over the coming months, The Body Shop will celebrate with several exciting announcements, brand activations, and product launches. Think of it as a year-long celebration!

The brand also welcomes its new platform, Rebellious by Nature™, which highlights The Body Shop’s bold spirit.

“The Body Shop’s 50th Anniversary is a celebration of both our rich heritage and our future,” says Linda Sinclair, Head of Beauty and Wellness Investments at the Clicks Group. “Fifty years ago, Dame Anita Roddick dared to dream differently, and this celebration is a massive thank you to our incredible community, our dedicated teams, and partners across the world. The Body Shop stores have always been unique spaces for human connection, fostering powerful, emotional bonds across geographies and generations. This anniversary is a testament to our enduring ability to be a force for good.”

“To help mark this incredible milestone, we have a strong innovation pipeline with exciting launches planned throughout the year,” Sinclair adds. “We’ve brought back our most requested 90s fragrance – Dewberry – an iconic scent that taps into joyful nostalgia,” she says. “We also recently introduced our limited-edition ‘Night Sky’ collection – a bespoke body care offering inspired by the serene beauty of the night sky.”

But that’s not all. The brand also recently launched two special-edition body care ranges: Ajwa Date & Honey and Velvet Fig & Pistachio. Each is defined by rich textures and warm, sensorial fragrance profiles, elevating daily rituals into special moments of self-care.

We have plenty to look forward to over the coming months, but with the 50^th birthday celebrations, our editor’s been (nostalgically) looking back at a few of her all-time favourite products.

“I’ve been a fan of The Body Shop since the brand first launched in SA, and over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a long list of favourite products.

One of the very best hand creams I have ever used is the Hemp Rescuing Hand Protector. It has a non-greasy formula that deeply moisturises even the driest of hands. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how dry my hands get – this sorts them out.

I’m also a long-time fan of the Camomile Sumptuous Makeup Cleansing Butter. This gentle butter removes even the most stubborn makeup (waterproof formulas don’t stand a chance), and it’s so gentle on the skin that even those with very sensitive skin can use it.

When it comes to body butter, there’s nothing that competes with The Body Shop’s timeless range of body butters. With a variety of fragrances to suit every preference, these butters are filled with the very best, deeply nourishing ingredients. I personally love the Shea formula for very dry skin, but I’m also partial to the fruity goodness of Pink Grapefruit and the island-y Coconut.

For my face, I really love the Vitamin E Moisture Day Cream. Light and fast-absorbing, it helps protect skin and restore hydration. It has a lovely fresh scent and leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed.”

Another exciting limited-edition range is White Tea & Elderflower; delicate, fresh, and beautifully comforting, the fragrance blends soft notes of white tea and elderflower with a warm floral finish for a calming, uplifting sensory experience. More than just body care, the range turns simple daily routines into moments of self-care and appreciation, a chance to pause, reset, and give back to the people who give so much to everyone else.

Keep an eye on The Body Shop’s various platforms to stay updated on all the exciting things to come.