The Body Shop is synonymous with 1990s nostalgia. Founded by Anita Roddick in 1976, it was the first global beauty brand to campaign against animal testing in 1989. From cult classics like its body butter to the more niche bath pearls that Gen Z will be too young to remember, the sustainably focused cruelty-free products defined an era.
Since reviving white musk for its 40th anniversary in 2021, the brand has dipped further into its archives with the return of another throwback scent: dewberry. After being discontinued in the early 2000s, the range has been newly reformulated and relaunched, including a body yogurt, body butter, hand balm, bath and shower gel, fragrance mist and the once-iconic perfume oil. Officially launching on 27 January, the dewberry range will be available both online and in stores. However, those eager to get their hands on the nostalgic scent before anyone else can enjoy early access now by signing up to the brand’s mailing list.
As a beauty journalist whose fascination with the industry began as a teenager sampling The Body Shop buys, I vividly remember the juicy dewberry scent and it was the oil and mist I was most excited to revisit. With the perfume oil promising an intense, long-lasting fragrance and the mist positioned as an all-over layering staple, the question was: how would they stand up to time and testing?
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How I tested
I spent a week testing The Body Shop’s new dewberry perfume oil and fragrance mist, looking at scent longevity, formula and packaging. I also considered the fragrance notes and wearability. You can read more about my in-depth testing process at the end of my honest review.
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The Body Shop dewberry perfume oil
Best: for long-wearing fragrance
Scent notes: Dewberry, jasmine, freesia, white lily, cedarwood and soft musk
Recommended application: Dabbed onto pulse points
Why we love it
- Fresh summery fragrance that lingers
- A tiny amount delivers scent potency
- Recyclable glass bottle
Presented in a small 14ml bottle, the perfume oil comes complete with a stick applicator attached to the lid for dabbing onto pulse points. Due to its size, the bottle is a bit fiddly, so I was careful not to spill any. The stick applicator provides a buildable dot of perfume oil, with just a tiny amount delivering immediate scent potency.
Straight after applying the scent I was hit by overpowering notes of berry, taking me right back to my teenage years. While the perfume oil seems a bit sickly sweet at first, it’s worth waiting a moment for the formula to settle on skin. After a few minutes, the oil on my skin emitted a light, fruity fragrance with fresh floral notes reminiscent of long summer days.
With the dewberry range’s scent notes combining dewberry, jasmine, freesia, white lily, cedarwood and soft musk, this blend has a gently uplifting sweetness and creamy warmth. The perfume oil did wear off a bit throughout the day, but it’s easy to top up (the compact bottle fits in any pocket or bag), and I could still detect lingering notes hours after initial application.
Buy now £20, Thebodyshop.com
The Body Shop dewberry fragrance mist
Best: for lightweight scent
Scent notes: Dewberry, jasmine, freesia, white lily, cedarwood and soft musk
Recommended application: Sprayed all over
Why we love it
- Affordable fragrance option
- Lightweight scent for layering
- Recyclable glass bottle
Take note
- The scent is quite strong at first
This bottle has more obvious Body Shop dewberry branding than the perfume oil due to its generous 100ml size. The spray nozzle applicator disperses a generous amount of mist, spreading the bright fruity scent evenly. Just like with the oil, it’s quite strong at first (I filled the room with scent from just a few sprays), but this is impressive for a lightweight mist and indicates its staying power.
While this is a layering layer with a lighter consistency than the oil, I still detected its fragrance on my skin and clothes for several hours. And one or two spritzes was all I needed for a full scent refresh after that.
It feels like a slightly more grown-up version of your standard fragrance mist, thanks to its glass bottle and powerful scent. Being an affordable fragrance option, too, I’m impressed.
Buy now £13, Thebodyshop.com
The verdict: The Body Shop’s dewberry perfume oil and fragrance mist
The 2026 version of The Body Shop’s beloved dewberry range delivers fresh, uplifting fragrance with staying power. While a dab of the perfume oil offers a buildable scent with potency, the fragrance mist disperses scent evenly and has a lighter consistency. Whether you want to revisit 90s nostalgia, or try a new scent for spring and summer – I’m pleased to report these new dewberry fragrance buys don’t disappoint.
How I tested The Body Shop’s dewberry range
To get a clear sense of how The Body Shop’s dewberry range performs in everyday use, I tested both the fragrance mist and the perfume oil over the course of a week, paying close attention to scent longevity, packaging design and overall value for money. Throughout the trial, I also assessed the following:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
IndyBest tests thousands of products to bring our readers full, honest, thorough and reliable reviews. True to form, our skincare reviews are the result of hands-on testing, and we won’t sing the praises of a product unless it’s been tried and approved by one of our expert testers.
Helen Wilson-Beevers is a beauty journalist with many years of experience in skincare. Within this time, she has given her verdict on a plethora of products, from budget-friendly retinols, to tinted moisturisers for IndyBest, making her well-placed to judge The Body Shop’s dewberry range.
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