In the '90s, The Body Shop Was Dope. This Week, They Announced the Closure of 99 Stores in the UK.
We said goodbye to Dewberry a long time ago. Maybe that was the problem.
Her hair was thick, straight, and black. She was petite, but her hair disguised her tiny frame. Over the years, she’d collected a bathroom drawer full of beauty products and fragrances, but there was one she wore every day. She never left the house without it.
It was Dewberry from The Body Shop - a small, roll-on fragrance that smells like the ‘90s in a bottle.
Described as warm summer berries, garden picnics, and country cottages, this fragrance developed a cult following and even had people protesting when the scent was discontinued.
Many of my friends wore Dewberry, but Michelle was the diehard. She’s the petite one with thick, black hair. If I catch a whiff of a scent like Dewberry, I still think of her - even now.
The Body Shop recently announced they’re closing half of their 198 UK stores, affecting more than 2,000 jobs.
“This swift action will help re-energize The Body Shop’s iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term.” - Statement from The Body Shop.
The Body Shop Made Caring Cool
Now, I’m not here to weigh the ins and outs of the company closing doors and shifting their business. I’m here to reminisce about what The Body Shop meant in their heyday because I was there.
The Body Shop was where you shopped in the ‘90s if you were paying attention.
The company was one of the first beauty brands to be socially conscious; they were loud about it. It was part of their primary marketing tactics. It worked. They sold light and clean fragrances and modern skincare made from plants and vitamins. They were boldly against testing products on animals. My friends and I loved it.
“Why don’t more cosmetics take this approach?” We thought.
Then, they did. Other companies caught on to the hype and began to bite into The Body Shop’s market.
Bummed Out
The Body Shop had something I went out of my way for - Vitamin C lip balm. I loved it, and I’d stock up whenever I found it. Then, they discontinued it. They still sell a Vitamin C line of beauty products but discontinued the lip balm. I hardly ever returned to the stores because I knew they no longer carried it.
I felt just like those Dewberry fans felt.
I was bummed out.
I didn’t write a letter or protest - I mean, it was a froofy chapstick - but it was enough for me not to see a reason to shop there anymore.
The Body Shop also introduced body butter before anyone else. Body butter is a thick lotion in a medium-sized round tub. The product felt luxurious and unique. Then, I saw it popping up in Ulta and Ross. The company directed part of its business to wholesale but lost the feeling of being unique and special.
Part of Something Bigger
I wish The Body Shop kept a small vintage section for their loyal Gen. X fans, who were the first generation to believe in what they were doing and get behind their mission wholeheartedly.
My high school experience wouldn’t be complete without The Body Shop. We felt like we were part of something bigger and doing our small part to vote with our dollars since we couldn’t vote at the polls yet.
We wanted a world where we could not wear heavy makeup and fragrance. A world where we supported women in other countries and a world free from testing makeup on animals.
What we got was our favorite products discontinued, and our neighborhood store went wholesale. Natural ingredients in skincare became mainstream, and The Body Shop became that place we used to love, but they didn’t carry that stuff anymore.
Retail is tough. Customers are picky. Companies need to make decisions and keep their business healthy; I totally get it. However, The Body Shop could’ve stayed closer to their roots and the teenagers in the ‘90s who grew up longing for the small things they loved but could no longer get.
Dewberry and Vitamin C lip balm will always be in my ‘90s nostalgia. I just wish The Body Shop felt the same way about their revolutionary products that became cult favorites.
I invite you to listen to my guest appearance on the F’ing Up Podcast, hosted by Deanne Rhynard. Check it out on your commute, dog walk, or lunch break.
Links:
Apple: https://lnkd.in/gXhjfFHr
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g4NiPB8Q
Cheers!
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Based in Southern California, Kit Campoy is a former retail leader turned freelance writer. She covers Retail, Leadership, and Business. Contact her here for blog posts, LinkedIn content, or 1:1 coaching.
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Guess it wasn't just teens; my married older sister smelled of dewberry until she didn't and she introduced me to the the idea of dollar shopping your values