Tutti Frutti Beauty — SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Bath & Body Collection Review
I adore SheaMoisture’s haircare and skincare products, so my eyes sparkled a bit when I saw a photo on the brand’s Instagram feed announcing the launch of a new bath and body range: the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Bath & Body Collection. I was first drawn to the deep magenta color of the labels used for the various bottles and jars (yes, I know, how cliché of me!) and the lemony yellow font used atop these labels. Then, I concentrated on the words “superfruit complex.” Like any dutiful beauty aficionado, I’ve long covered the benefits of many a superfruit: açai, goji berry, pomegranate, acerola, blueberry, and so forth. Immediately, I wondered which superfruits SheaMoisture had cherry-picked for these formulations and how they’d perform in terms of hydrating, smoothing, and firming skin. And then, of course, I pondered how these products would smell as a result of the mixture of fruity ingredients. While I adore the Olive & Green Tea products (it’s been my favorite SheaMoisture bath and body range for quite some time), I’ve long been yearning for a fruitier offering but, also, one that didn’t rely too heavily on citric fruits since I’m not particularly fond of anything that leaves me smelling like an orange or a lemon. To my delight, the products in the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex collection smell juicy and delicious, like an exotic island punch with a hint of creaminess, without being too zesty or tart.
All the products in the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex collection feature a shea moisture base, of course, but they’re also formulated with mango butter, a natural emollient that’s a great source of vitamin C, which brightens the skin, vitamin A, which stimulates cellular regeneration and collagen production, and vitamin E, which protects skin from UV rays and free radicals; along with green coffee bean extract, which diminish the appearance of visible aging signs and make the skin appear firmer and tauter. Last, but definitely not least, the formula incorporates an anti-oxidant cocktail consisting of raspberry ketone, goji berry, açai, and guava.
What does each of these fruits accomplish? Well, raspberry ketone has been shown to improves skin elasticity when applied topically. Goji berry contains minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and selenium, many of which neutralize free radicals, fortify the skin’s immune system, promote collagen and elastin production, and improves the skin’s ability to heal itself. It’s also rich in amino acids that lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and help to improve skintone. And it boasts a high concentration of polysaccharadies that help the skin retain its moisture, decrease inflammation, and keep skin from losing its elasticity; along with carotenoids that protect the skin from UV damage. Açai berry is rich in vitamins A, C, and E, brightening the skin, improving elasticity, fighting blemishes, fading the appearance of sun spots and scars, and strengthening the epidermal barrier.Guava extract is also rich in carotene, vitamin C, and antioxidants that help to regenerate damaged skin, remove dirt and impurities, boost hydration level, and keep skin looking vibrant.
Not only does this antioxidant cocktail work wonders on the skin, it smells delicious! No single ingredient outperforms the other in terms of the aromatic experience, so that it’s hard to pinpoint a specific player as having the lead role in this fragrant fruit orchestra. Instead, you experience a melody of mango, raspberry, guava and açai that’s sweet yet tangy, creamy and buttery but also ripe and juicy.
The SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Bubble Bath & Body Wash ($9.99 at Ulta.com) smells so scrumptious you’ll actually find yourself wanting to shower at least one more time daily just so you can experience the fragrance once again and mentally escape to a tropical location within the steamy confines of your shower. The consistency is equally delightful — not too creamy and not too watery — and it’s easy to smooth onto skin and work into a rich lather. After rinsing off the body wash, your skin will feel nice and clean, but it won’t feel dry or itchy as can often happen with shower gels that contain harsh detergents.
If you prefer a beauty bar, the collection includes the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Bar Soap ($4.99 at Ulta.com), but I much prefer the experience granted by the body wash which, by the way, can also be poured into a tub for a sudsy and relaxing bubble bath.
Next, there’s the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Hand & Body Scrub ($9.99 at Ulta.com), which is designed to exfoliate the skin, sloughing away dead cells and revealing a brighter, more youthful layer of skin.In addition to the aforementioned ingredients, this particular product contains coconut shell powder, cocoa seed powder and guava seeds to polish the skin. The consistency is a bit sand-like, which works beautifully with the tropical vibe established by its fruity aroma. That said, unlike other SheaMoisture scrubs — like, for instance, the Lavender & Wild Orchid scrub — it doesn’t contain too much of an oil base so that it can feel a bit abrasive if you have delicate or sensitive skin. I prefer using it on specific areas of my body that tend to get rough and need a harder scrubbing like my feet, my hands, my elbows, and my knees, as opposed to smoothing it all over my body. But there is, however, an easy fix to make the scrub feel less harsh — all you need to do is grab a handful of the scrub and add a drop or two of the SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Bath, Body & Massage Oil ($9.99 at Ulta.com), mixing the two products together so that you do, in fact, have that nice oil base that protects and lubricates the skin.
Needless to say, the oil is also a superb moisturizer. I personally love to apply it onto damp skin right after I towel dry. The lightweight oil contains the ingredients touted above, but it also incorporates evening primrose oil,safflower oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil,castor seed oil, and olive oil — all of which soften and moisturize the skin and which boast molecular compositions that mimic the sebum in such a manner as to be easily absorbed, leaving behind no greasy residue.
Last but certainly not least, the collection includes the ultra hydrating SheaMoisture SuperFruit Complex Body Lotion ($9.99 at Ulta.com), which moisturizes and conditions the skin but which also makes it appear smoother and brighter. I personally love how radiant my skin looks after using this lotion — any winter dullness seems to ebb away.
This stellar body lotion contains shea butter, mango seed butter, green coffee extract, and the superfruit complex at the core of the collection, but it also features cocoa butter, argan oil, safflower oil, honeysuckle extract, vitamin E and vitamin B5 for an even more effective moisturizing experience.
Overall, I’m positively lovestruck with this collection. In fact, it may just dethrone the Olive & Green Tea range as my new SheaMoisture collection of choice!
