Never have I received more requests for a review than for Nécessaire products. (Okay, might be tied with the Billie razor–which you can read here!) Which only makes sense, you see it EVERYWHERE, it seems like every blogger is talking about it–you see the ads all over social media. But does it really live up to the hype? It’s time for a REAL WOMEN REVIEWED assessment! (Where you all weighed in with your feedback!)
Per usual, I wanted to buy this with my own money to test out. Call it part investigative journalism, part curious consumer.
To be honest, I have very mixed feelings about these products–I have been approached to work with them and turned them down because of this fact. (If they would let me only promote the body wash, I might consider it in the future though!) Turns out, you have pretty hot and cold opinions on it too! I asked you all to submit your thoughts over on Instagram stories and your opinions run the gamut of “totally overrated” to “totally amazing!”
Today, I will lay out my [totally unsponsored] thoughts, and summarize YOUR feedback as well. Let’s go!
First, my Nécessaire review:
Nécessaire body lotion:
Verdict: MEH!
Let’s start with the more negative of the two and end on the high note. Short story on the body lotion: MEH. MEH ALLL DAY. It’s just not what I want in a body lotion personally, but I know others love it because they have different needs! Here are the reasons why it didn’t impress me:
It’s unscented:
I am a big scent person. I don’t want a bunch of chemicals and artificial fragrance in my products, BUT, I still want them to smell good. This is unscented, and there is nothing more boring to me than unscented body lotion. TBH on its own, this wouldn’t be THAT big of a deal breaker, say, if the formula was fantastic, I could look past the unscented part, but for me–just meh. For others, unscented may be a positive though! If this came out in their Eucalyptus scent AND they changed the packaging, I would consider repurchasing.
The cap is THE ABSOLUTE WORST:
The absolute worst part about this product doesn’t even have anything to do with the product itself! It’s the damn packaging! It is a SCREW OFF cap. Who on earth has time or desire to screw a cap on and off when other type of packaging exist!? I also inevitably end up dropping the cap almost every time and chasing it around the bathroom floor. Even thinking about this song and dance exhausts me. Body lotion should not be exhausting.
The formula doesn’t absorb quickly:
Another big pet peeve of mine. I am not someone who spends a lot of time applying body lotion post-shower. For some, it’s a ritual that they love, for me, I need it on fast and I need it to absorb fast. If it takes multiple passes up and down my legs to rub in, it’s not the product for me. The directions even say, “massage until absorbed”–I’m about to have a newborn baby, I don’t have time to MASSAGE my lotion in.
It doesn’t do anything special:
They say it’s a “multivitamin for the skin” and that “over time, skin’s tone, texture, and firmness are visibly improved”–I did not find this to be true, however, I don’t think any body lotion can actually increase firmness and I’m not looking to change the skin tone and texture on my body as I don’t have issues with that currently. For others, this might be totally different!
TBH I don’t think the formula is anything to write home about. It doesn’t leave my skin softer or more hydrated than other lotions (others do a perfectly fine job), it doesn’t have a scent to make me feel like I’m at the spa, etc. That being said, my skin is not particularly dry or sensitive and it doesn’t really have any specific needs beyond what a regular lotion would provide me.
Have I re-purchased/will I re-purchase this lotion? No
As reader Carly ranted, “I hate the bottle with every fiber of my being.” And I agree!!
YOU weighed in on Nécessaire body lotion
Pro arguments:
Light + moisturizing
Many pro comments highlighted how moisturizing they find the lotion to be.
Natalie said, “It absorbs quickly and it’s not greasy.”
Katie raves, “Best lotion ever. The only lotion I don’t hate putting on.”
Grace says, “LOVE, I don’t mind that it takes a second to absorb, it feels super-rich.”
Effective + Clean
A lot of you love the results you’ve noticed in your skin.
Jane said, “I’m obsessed. I’ve reordered three times already.”
Courtney, “One of the richest body creams I’ve ever used.”
Haley said, “It fixed my notoriously dry skin.”
Con Arguments:
Packaging needs work
By far the most common complaint is the bottle and cap situation.
Erin said, “I really really like the lotion. Hate the bottle.”
“Just ok. The packaging does not make it easy to use.”
Carly ranted, “I hate the bottle with every fiber of my being.”
Bri said, “I feel like you either don’t get a lot of lotion in the bottle or it gets stuck at the end?”
Not hydrating enough
While some of you raved about its moisturizing capabilities, others weren’t impressed.
Riley said, “It feels like I didn’t put anything on 5 minutes later.”
Olive agreed, “Not as moisturizing as lotions I’ve used in the past.”
It’s fine
Similar to the body wash anti argument, some of you think it’s perfectly fine, but just not worth the hype.
Marina said, “Works fine, but not worth the price tag.”
Taylor said, “I like it, don’t love it! The body wash is a must, the body lotion is a nice to have, but not essential.”
Ali said, “It’s like, just lotion.”
MY Nécessaire body wash review:
Verdict: I LOVE this product!
Now, on to the GOOD review! I love the body wash! Many of you did not agree with me, but I love it for several reasons, however, at the end of the day, I do want to set the record straight that this is just a body wash. Let’s not expect it to have magic powers. What I love about it:
It smells AMAZING. Like a spa.
The eucalyptus scent is far and away my favorite–the best body wash I’ve ever smelled. I have also tried the sandalwood and it smells good but the eucalyptus is much better. I won’t re-buy the sandalwood!
Showers are my zen, happy place, and to me there is nothing more relaxing than a nice hot shower and now that I have experienced adding a luxurious, heavenly-scented, expensive smelling body wash into my shower routine, I feel like I can’t go back. The scent is what keeps me coming back. It’s something I’m willing to pay up for, but not everyone feels this way!
The formula is very gentle and hydrating:
Another big plus, it doesn’t leave skin feeling stripped and dry it out like a lot of body wash does. It’s sulfate-free and contains niacinamide which is a really great ingredient that locks in moisture, repairs skin’s moisture barrier, and is great for all skin types.
My other favorite body wash is the Beautycounter version (it just doesn’t smell as good IMO) because it’s SO hydrating–it’s truly like lotion–and I was skeptical that this one would be too drying because body wash that bubbles up/foams tends to be more stripping, but it isn’t at all! (Perhaps this is why I’m not impressed with the lotion? Because the body wash leaves my skin pretty hydrated already?)
I love the packaging:
I really like the packaging, it keeps water out and is super easy to open. It’s a twist top so you just twist it once to open and close.
It lasts a long time:
Some people said the opposite, but I’ve found with this product a little bit goes a LONG WAY. I think if you’re running out of product quickly, you’re just using way too much!
Will I repurchase?
Yes! I have repurchased multiple times and will continue to!
YOU weighed in on Nécessaire body wash
I put out a call on Instagram to gather Necessaire feedback from you all and got HUNDREDS of responses. It’s safe to say, you all either love it — or feel meh about it. I rounded up the most common feedback points below:
Pro arguments:
Smells great
Many of you are obsessed with the scent selection — particularly the eucalyptus scent.
Karla said, “It smells like a spa and it works as a bubble bath too!”
Jen says, “Spa in a bottle!”
Life-changing for sensitive skin
Another huge pro theme was the benefits on sensitive skin.
Amy raved, “For the first time ever, my skin didn’t get the usual itchy dryness this winter.”
And Emma said, “I used to have itchy skin all the time. No more!”
Brittney agreed, “So happy to have a luxurious fragrance-free option. It cleared up the bumps on my arms and legs.”
Light, moisturizing and versatile
Overall, many of you are hooked on the long-term benefits of a light wash that delivers moisture!
Carrie says, “It’s the best and you can shave with it or use it in a bubble bath.”
Emily shared, “It makes me want to shower all the time.”
Con Arguments:
It’s just “ok”
Many of you have tried out the body wash thought it was fine, but don’t understand the hype.
Hannah said, “Just seemed like regular old soap with a nice smell to me.”
Mia summed up,” Not life-changing.”
And maggie said it was “anti-climatic.”
Jenny said, “I like it, but wasn’t amazed.”
Too pricey/Small bottle
The most common anti-argument was by far the price point.
Eva said, “Too expensive for a body wash. Fun to try but wouldn’t repurchase.”
Coleen agrees, It’s a nice smell, but not worth the price.”
Sari said, “I go through it too fast, not worth the expense.”
In conclusion:
Overall, I think the biggest selling points of this brand are that it’s cleaner–according to the website, free of sulfates, phthalates, parabens, petrochemicals, mineral oil, silicone and talc; also free of BPAs and GMOs, so if that’s important to you like it is to me, that’s a big win. It’s also ideal for sensitive, dry, or under hydrated skin. If you have relatively average skin with no issues, I don’t know that you’ll see a big difference with these products in terms of performance specifically. On the flip side, if you struggle with rough/dry/bumpy skin, it seems like these products are definitely helpful to address those issues!
If you are willing to pay up for a luxurious shower experience and are a big scent lover, you will love the body wash. If price is a big factor for you, this is not going to be your brand! However, I do think it would make a really nice gift! (Like the scented body wash in a gift basket for a new mom!?)
Regardless, the least risky way to try is purchasing from a retailer like Nordstrom or Sephora that accepts returns, should you decide the product isn’t for you!
