From Purpose to Profit: What Would Anita Roddick Think Today?
A Founder Who Changed the Face of Beauty
Before the rise of “clean beauty” and before ethical sourcing was a marketing trend, there was Dame Anita Roddick.
She founded The Body Shop in 1976 with a clear mission: to offer ethical, naturally inspired skincare that made a difference — to skin, to communities, and to the planet. She believed business could be a force for good, and she proved it.
Her brand stood for:
- Simple, plant-based ingredients
- Fair trade sourcing
- Cruelty-free formulation
- Packaging with purpose
- Transparency over trend
She was bold. She was ahead of her time. And for many of us starting out in natural skincare, she was our north star.
What Changed?
In 2006, Anita Roddick sold The Body Shop to L’Oréal — a decision that sparked controversy, even though she hoped it would bring her values to a larger platform. After her passing in 2007, the company changed hands again, sold to Natura &Co (Brazil), and most recently in 2024, to the Auréa Group, following years of financial instability and declining trust from loyal customers.
While ownership changes are common in business, many long-time customers feel the product has drifted far from its original promise — most notably in its formulas.
A Cream That Doesn’t Feel the Same
The Body Shop’s Hemp Hand Protector was once one of its cult classics — praised for its richness, reliability, and real-deal results.
But recent reviews have told another story. Long-time users say the product no longer feels the same, no longer performs the way it used to, and may have been reformulated to cut costs, not elevate quality.
We don’t say this to criticise. We say it because we understand what happens when corporate shareholders take priority over ingredient sourcing, transparency, and long-term customer trust.
What We Took From Anita’s Vision
At Made In Hemp, we make our products in with love, integrity and plenty of research in small batches, right here in Australia. We test every batch. And we put formulation integrity above everything else.
Like Anita, we built our range around:
- Plant-based ingredients
- Products made to work — not just to sell
- Respect for the earth and for the customer
- Fairness, quality, and independence
When we removed lanolin from our original hand cream, it wasn’t to follow a trend. It was because we’d found cleaner, more effective plant-based alternatives that worked better and felt better. That decision just happened to make the product vegan too — but performance was always our priority, just like it was for her.
Honouring the Past, While Building a Future
We don’t want to replace what The Body Shop was — but we do hope to continue what it stood for.
Anita Roddick showed that purpose-led skincare could thrive, and her legacy deserves to be protected, even if the company she built has changed course.
In a world of acquisitions, profit pressures, and diluted values, we remain proudly independent — and committed to making products with soul, not spin.
