Hey there, beauty enthusiasts! If you’ve been hanging around my little corner of the internet for a while, you’ll know that I’m head over heels for K-Beauty. I mean, who isn’t these days, right? But you also know that I’m a curious cat when it comes to exploring new shops and discovering hidden gems in the beauty world.
So, buckle up, buttercups, because today I’m taking you on a wild ride through my latest adventure – a shopping spree at Nature Republic! That’s right, the K-Beauty retailer that’s been on everyone’s lips (and faces) lately. Let’s dive into my experience, the good, the bad, and the downright fabulous, and find out if Nature Republic lives up to the hype. Grab a snack, get comfy, and let’s get started!
You see, I first caught wind of Nature Republic opening up shop in the UK a few years back, but alas, our paths just hadn’t crossed yet. So, when I finally decided to take a trip to London (hello, city of dreams!), I knew it was fate calling me to check out this beauty haven in person. Can you really blame a girl for being curious?
But here’s the thing – my London trip was jam-packed with activities, and I had to be super strategic with my time (I mean, who wants to miss out on all the fun, right? especially since it has been way longer than I ever could have imagined since my last time in London (was not part of the plan, let me tell you that)). So, in true beauty blogger fashion, I did a little pre-shopping on iHerb to get a taste of Nature Republic’s offerings. Yep, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on these goodies and see if they lived up to the hype.
Now, let me take you through my experience at the Nature Republic store in London and share my thoughts on the products I tried.
What is Nature Republic?
Well, you already know the answer to this one, but let’s take a step back and see what Nature Republic is all about. First of all, it’s a K-beauty retailer – but with an interesting twist. Not only are they dedicated to ethical production and sustainability practices, but their products feature natural ingredients like aloe vera, green tea extract, and clay. In other words, you can trust that Nature Republic is committed to giving you clean and safe beauty products.
So now that we know a little bit more about the brand, let’s talk about my experience in the store.
Where are the Nature Republic stores located?
Yes, there are two Nature Republic stores in London. One smaller store is located in Westfield in White City while the other is located on Charing Cross Road right next to Pure Seoul.
My experience with shopping at Nature Republic
Westfield
The store in Westfield is rather small but very conveniently located. It is great as you can visit it when you have other things you want to pick up and you can find them all in once place. The store carries the vast majority of the products available in the UK and the prices seem to be the same as in the other location.
The first thing I noticed when I stepped foot into Nature Republic was how wonderfully curated their shelves were! Everything was organized by collection, making it easy to find what I was looking for.
The staff at Nature Republic were also incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about their products. They were more than happy to provide me with samples and suggest different items that might work best for my skin type. This was helpful and made my shopping experience much easier.
Charing Cross
The Charing Cross store, on the other hand, is significantly larger than the Westfield one and consequently does carry a few more products from the rather limited selection that is available in the UK from this brand.
Once again, the staff at this store was super helpful and friendly. They knew the products very well, however, they did leave me to my own devices since it was obvious that I knew what I wanted. I did not, not really unless you count all the products I did not get the day before from Westfield. However, I do prefer to be left alone when in store but I do appreciate that they would have helped had I asked them to.
Now, let’s talk about the checkout experience, which, honestly, was a total breeze in both cases (in both London store). I didn’t face any issues, and guess what? I even scored some samples each time – score! Plus, they had this cool offer going on where you’d get an idol photocard for every £40 or £50 purchase. How fun is that? I am sure K-pop fans/collectors would have appreciated it way more than I.
In the first store when asked whether I am a fan of the group that was part of the promotion and said no, I did not get the card but got additional samples. The second time I did say yes, as who knows, someday it may come in handy aka I can surprise one of my friends who may turn out to be a closeted fan.
Side note: I am a fan of Korean music as well and while I do enjoy some K-pop, I prefer RnB and HipHop as well as ballads, let’s nto forget about those.
With my second purchase, since it was above £100 I guess, I could’ve also snagged a miniature acrylic idol stand, but I decided to skip it because, well, it required some extra steps like sharing on social media and visiting the store again and all that jazz. Your girl was just too busy soaking in the London vibes to jump through those hoops, you know? But hey, maybe next time! Had I known about it the first time, maybe I would have gone for it but only heard about this promotion on my second visit.
Overall, my experience with Nature Republic was a positive one. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, the stores are well-curated and stocked, and the checkout process is smooth and easy.
So if you want to visit the stores or if you have the possibility to do so, I highly recommend it.
Alright, folks, it’s time to dish the deets on the products themselves and spill some tea on where else you can snag these Nature Republic goodies if jet-setting to London isn’t in the cards for you (I feel you, wanderlust woes are real!). Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on experiencing these K-Beauty treasures.
Nature Republic products – first thoughts
I’ll be honest with you all – I haven’t tried every single product I purchased from Nature Republic just yet. I mean, I don’t want to open them before it’s their time to shine in my skincare routine, right? But here’s the cool thing about K-Beauty brands, including Nature Republic: they’ve got clear expiration dates printed on their products, so you know exactly how long they’re good for even before you crack them open. Plus, they come with that nifty little jar symbol, which tells you how long you can enjoy them after opening.
So, rest assured, I’ll be pampering my skin with these goodies in due time and sharing my thoughts along the way!
For now, I can tell you that their moisturiser aka the Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream that I picked up from iHerb left me with a good impression. I have not used it properly which is why I have not reviewed it just yet. However, I love the texture and feel of the moirtsuirer on my skin. It does have a mild fragrance to it, but it feels very spa-like overall and the moisturiser is very hydrating as well as a very good fit for my skin. I look forward to using it once I am done with my current moisturiser and then will be back with a proper review :). I was curious to try this one as it was my first every Nature Republic product plus one that played a huge role in me deciding whether to visit the stores in person.
Another product I tried from Nature Republic is the California Aloe Vera Cleansing Tissue. Oh, my darlings, these babies are the real deal! Infused with aloe vera water extract, they gently whisk away makeup, dirt, and all those pesky impurities without wreaking havoc on your skin. And can we talk about the soft, fabric-like texture for a second? It’s like giving your face a loving hug, minus any tugging or pulling that some other cleansing wipes might subject you to. I am not usually a huge fan of cleansing issues, but I did only use them to remove makeup and then afterwards as a toner while using an actual cleanser in between. They are super travel friendly and exactly what my skin needed on my trip while having to deal with harsh London water. This short trip thought me that it was not all the chemicals in the lab that I was exposed to during college that were ruining my skin but the water treatments themselves.
Okay, you guys, let me introduce you to another gem I’ve recently added to my skincare arsenal: the Nature Republic Jeju Sparkling Cleansing Water. This magical potion is like a micellar water/toner hybrid that I managed to snag on sale (score!). Now, here’s the catch – it was discounted because its expiry date is coming up soon, so I didn’t have much time to waste before giving it a whirl.
But hey, sometimes life throws you a ticking skincare clock, and you just gotta roll with it. So, I dove right in and started using this fabulous find. The Jeju Sparkling Cleansing Water is formulated with sparkling water from Jeju Island, which is known for its healing properties. The result? A lightweight cleansing/toning hybrid that not only removes makeup like a dream but also leaves my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed without any tightness or dryness. It is a nice addition to my skincare routine, especially after cleansing. Much better than even the tissues!
For now, this is it, but I am looking forward to trying out more of the products I picked up as well as those I have on the way.
Where can you shop for products from Nature Republic?
Obviously, you can shop for the products at their two locations in London. However, if you are not in the mood to visit or are not London based, you can shop for them on their official UK website.
Additionally, they have a US website as well.
Does neither of these options work? No worries.
As mentioned above, Nature Republic products are also available on iHerb. However, here they are often sold out so you have to track them closely, but it is an option,
Better options for anyone wanting to try the product and does not reside in either the US or the UK are:
- YesStyle (get an additional discount with my code BLUSHSUEDE24)
- Style Korean (more about my shopping experience with this retailer here)
Seriously though, Nature Republic is an incredible brand that has a much more luxurious feel to it than other K-beauty brands but one that does not come with the same price tag as the “true” luxurious ones. I am sure you won’t be disappointed if you decide to try it out. Let me know if you have any questions and, as always, happy shopping! 🙂
Have you guys tried anything from Nature Republic before? What’s your experience been like?
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