Berry Necessary — BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet’s Strawberry & Brown Sugar Collection
Every time I reach for one of the products in BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet’s new Strawberry & Brown Sugar collection, the chorus of “Strawberry Fields Forever” pops into my head until I find myself humming the catchy tune. It’s fitting, really, given that the classic tune by The Beatles references a magical place where everything is more pleasant and gratifying than anywhere on the earthly, physical plane— and that’s precisely the type of charmed realm into which my senses venture when I massage the BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet Strawberry & Brown Sugar Vegan Body Cream onto my skin or when I smell the aroma wafting in the room after I light the BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet Strawberry & Brown Sugar Vegan Scented Candle. If scent is a magic carpet of sorts, transporting us to different destinations, then the products in this collection grant access to a place that’s filled with joy and effervescence, where playfulness and whimsy prevail.
Now, if you’ve tried enough products that espouse to smell like strawberry, then you know that it’s a tricky scent to capture. Oftentimes, the resulting aroma feels overly sweet and painfully, plastic-y artificial. Well, this BELOVED by Love Beauty & Planet collection nails the scent. Sure, there is a sweetness to the scent thanks to the brown sugar aroma that’s married with that juicy strawberry scent, but it’s not an off-putting or overwhelming sweetness. In fact, there’s a remarkable creaminess to the aroma (thanks to the addition of a vanilla note) that makes the scent feel inviting and comforting, and the scent even boasts a floral touch (thanks to the incorporation of rose) that adds depth and elegance.
All the products in the collection are vegan, cruelty-free and PETA-approved, plus they’re paraben-, sulfate-, and phtalate-free and 92% of their formulations are comprised of naturally-derived ingredients.Moreover, true to its commitment to sustainability, all the jars and bottles used to package these products are made of either 100% recyclable plastic or glass (in the case of the candle).
My absolute favorite product in the collection, the BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet Strawberry & Brown Sugar Vegan Body Cream ($9.99 at Target.com) hydrates and softens skin thanks to ingredients like avocado oil and sunflower seed oil, as well as capric glycerides (which are fatty acids made by combining naturally-derived coconut oil and glycerin). Plus, all the body care products contain natural strawberry extract which, not only lends them their enticing scent, but is also also rife with antioxidants like vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid. The body cream boasts an almost whipped consistency that’s robust enough to make the application process feel indulgent, but lightweight enough to be easily absorbed by skin, leaving behind none of the stickiness and greasiness that can accompany heftier body butters. My only complaint about this body cream is that my dog finds the scent as irresistible as I do, so I have to try and keep him away when I’m applying it!
For a berry beautiful experience, reach for the BELOVED by Love Beauty and Planet Strawberry & Brown Sugar Vegan Bath & Shower Gel ($9.99 at Target.com), a mild cleanser that contains aloe leaf juice, which hydrates skin and boasts anti-inflammatory properties. You can, of course, use it to lather up when in the shower or pour some under running water and enjoy a sudsy bubble bath. To complete your pampering, at-home retreat, set the mood by lighting the 3-wick Strawberry & Brown Sugar Vegan Scented Candle ($17.99 at Target.com) and let that glorious scent envelop your senses.
Like Strawberry Fields, the destination will feel magical.
