All products on this page have been selected by the editorial team, however Stylist may make commission on some products purchased through affiliate links in this article
If, like us, you’ve been eyeing up trendy US bodycare brand Nécessaire for a while now, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s finally available to buy in the UK. Stylist’s beauty director Shannon Peter finds out what all the fuss is about.
There once was a time when getting hold of cult international beauty brands required a pricey plane ticket and empty suitcase. These days, not so much. Thanks to social media and a little thing called the internet, we not only have eyes on the comings and goings of the global beauty market, we can also very easily get our hands on any product our bathroom cabinet desires as, more than ever before, brands tend to open up shop to a worldwide consumer base from the get-go. Even when a product launches only to an overseas audience, it’s never long before it lands on UK soil.
But in the case of cult body care brand Nécessaire, we had to wait a little longer.
First launched back in 2018 by an ex-Estée Lauder executive (Randi Christiansen) and former media mogul (Nick Axelrod), it’s been the sole reserve of US customers for four whole years. Thankfully, that’s finally changing as Nécessaire’s products are now available to buy via Space NK.
So why’s there so much buzz around the brand?
There’s no denying that much of the initial appeal comes from the suitably slick and minimalist packaging. That, and the fact that tangerine-tinted shower gel makes almost-daily appearances on the Instagram feeds of many. But, is this yet another case of beauty style over substance? Nothing more than an insta-famous brand without the efficacy to substantiate the hype?
Thankfully, not. Since its inception, Nécessaire’s MO has been to inject body care products with the same love, care and attention currently afforded to facial skincare. That has meant borrowing efficacious ingredients once deemed too precious for our arms and legs to create finessed body care formulas that do a hell of a lot more than rinse away residual sweat.
Take The Body Wash, for example. Its ingredients list reels off heavy-hitters like barrier-strengthening niacinamide, brightening vitamin C and protective vitamin E, as well as omegas 6 and 9, famed for their nourishing properties.
With The Body Serum, the brand also hopes to widen our view of what a body care routine should contain. Chock-full of hyaluronic acid, it lends limbs an extra layer of hydration, particularly welcomed in these winter temperatures.
Sadly, we won’t see the entirety of the Nécessaire’s 11-product-strong collection on UK shelves. Not yet, anyway. Instead, Space NK has cherry-picked a selection of the bestselling products to infiltrate the British shower scene.
Having put them through their paces throughout a week’s worth of showers, I share my thoughts on four of Nécessaire’s best products below.
You may also like
Shower routine: “Shower oils leave my skin soft and mind calm every time”
Nécessaire body care review
The Body Lotion in Eucalyptus
If you ask me, fancy shower gels are up there with fancy hand washes: not exactly a necessary expense, but an oh-so-satisfying treat that I can’t (and won’t) stop investing in. This one leaves your skin feeling clean, yes, but stripped and squeaky, no. I tried the eucalyptus version, which has a scent that’s bracing but, thankfully, not nostril-clearingly strong.
Shop Nécessaire The Body Wash in Eucalyptus at Space NK, £25
BUY NOW
The Body Exfoliator
It’s my new year’s resolution to commit to regular body exfoliation, and this is certainly taking some of the chore out of the task. Its physical scrubbiness comes courtesy of bamboo charcoal and pumice: a blend that isn’t as grainy as the salt-riddled formulas I usually opt for, but still offers a gentle buffing. There are chemical exfoliants in there too: glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids that help dissolve dead skin cells and flush out clogged pores. It’s already helping with the spots that have started to pop up on my chest.
Shop Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator at Space NK, £30
BUY NOW
The Body Serum
The idea with this serum is that you apply a layer over the entire body and then lock it in place with the body lotion on top. Given the fact I really have to psych myself up to even apply body lotion, I’m not wholly convinced that I’ll set aside the time for an extra layer of moisturisation after every shower, but that being said, this light, milky serum is quick to apply and I really noticed a difference in the brightness of my skin after using it. I reckon you could probably get away with using this alone if, unlike mine, your skin doesn’t need much help in the hydration department.
Shop Nécessaire The Body Serum at Space NK, £45
BUY NOW
The Body Lotion
Try as they might, very few body lotion formulas manage to tackle the ultimate moisturiser paradox of being rich enough to thoroughly hydrate the skin, but light enough that they fully sink in before its time to put your jeans on. Necessaire’s, I’m pleased to report, nails this. It feels whipped and buttery in texture, but doesn’t require rigorous rubbing to dissipate. And I particularly like the fact it’s fully fragrance free; I don’t want any lingering scent to mess with the perfume I spritz on top.
Shop Nécessaire The Body Lotion at Space NK, £28
BUY NOW
You may also like
Exfoliating body lotions are the dual-purpose beauty hero every routine needs
Images: courtesy of Nécessaire
Source: Read Full Article
