Nécessaire Body Essentials Review
Necessaire has been popping up in my instagram feed all summer, so when they reached out to see if I wanted to try their Body Essentials set and join their affiliate program, I immediately said yes. Is it worth the instagram hype? Let me fill you in!
How clean is clean?
Necessaire is a clean beauty brand, with a delightfully exhaustive list of ingredients they don't include in their products, including:
No Parabens
No Phthalates
No Sulfates (SLS/SLES)
No Silicones
No Petrochemicals
No Drying Alcohols
No Synthetic Dyes
No Synthetic Fragrance
No Coal Tar
No Chemical Screens
They seem to work closely with the EWG for their formulations, which gives me confidence in their ingredients.
The Basics
Shipping was very quick (for any Southern California based readers), and omg the packaging is EVERYTHING. Its got a nu-70s minimalist vibe with that font and the neutral colors.
The scent I tried was sandalwood. I would probably normally choose bergamot, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the sandalwood scent is very unisex. Sometimes I feel like sandalwood = men's scent, but in this case, the fragrance is bright and citrus-y enough that I feel it works for any gender.
The Results
Since the essentials set has three products, I'll break it down by product:
The Body Lotion
I've been using this as a hand lotion because in the nightmare hellscape that is 2020, even my hands have suffered. More frequent hand washing has made them super dry. The lotion is entirely unscented and absorbs quickly. I find it's a long lasting hydration that doesn't feel heavy on the surface like some other lotions that have heavier oils in them.
The Body Wash
My main gripe with this one is that the cap is confusing. It was hard for me to tell whether to twist or pull the cap, and it seems either works at random moments. That being said, I love the scent and how long lasting it is. I think the wash could have a more luxurious lather, but as far as fragrance go, this one will leave you with that freshly showered glow for hours.
The Exfoliator
This one might be my favorite of the bunch. In general I'm wary of physical exfoliants because I have very sensitive acne-prone skin, however, the exfoliator is super soothing. The exfoliator seems like some sort of charcoal that melts away after a few passes over your skin, so no worries about polluting sewers with microplastics like some cheap exfoliator brands. I also, strangely enough, found this more moisturizing than the body wash.
The Verdict
Each product retails for $20, which is more than I'd usually spend on shower products. I don't think I'd regularly buy the full set for that reason alone, but I love the exfoliator! The set is also gorgeous so I think it would make a great gift (for yourself or someone else). You can check out their other offerings on their site.