Is Nécessaire necessary? A full review

At this point, if you have not seen an influencer promoting the brand, Nécessaire, you might be sleeping under a rock on social media. Nécessaire, who proclaims clean and sustainable body care for anyone, is a semi-luxurious body care line of soaps, lotions, etc. that feature a super clean and modern aesthetic that make them a blogger’s best friend. But they have a steep price tag for lotion and soap, products that I find it harder to justify shelling out a lot for when I can get a decent product at my local drugstore or household retailer. They pretty much exclusively advertise on social media with influencers, and that marketing strategy definitely seems to be working, as it is now the body care set of the Instagram influencer.

I will be the first to admin that I am definitely guilty for buying a book for its cover, and this brand was no different. They are very pretty bottles with a minimalist design, offset with delicious, spa-worthy scents that tugged on my self-care heartstrings. Over the last few months, I have been slowly accumulating their products, knowing I wanted to eventually share a real review with all of you on whether these products were actually worth their price tag. I’ve finally tested the full line of products for a few weeks, as well as all of the fragrances they offer, and am ready to share my honest thoughts.

Before I share my bottom-line review, let’s break down the line a little bit more. Nécessaire considers themselves as set apart from the competition because of their “clean” beauty ingredients, or list of ingredients they don’t allow in their products, including parabens, sulfates, silicones, petro-chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic dyes. Sounds great – although there isn’t a ton of research to support that all of these are truly bad, it certainly doesn’t hurt to remove those from your routine, especially if you’re steaming and breathing it all in in the shower.

But, in my opinion, the biggest pros of the line are two-fold – 1) they are a sustainable brand with a focus on using recycled materials for their packaging, and 2) they include actual skincare ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and vitamins/antioxidants that you would use on your face, offering the same benefits for the rest of your body. For these reasons, I can rationalize a steeper price tag, and decided to originally delve into the line.

So what did I really think? Is this brand that proclaims itself as necessary really that? My simple answer to that is no – these products are definitely not necessary, essential, life-changing, or must-haves in any capacity. However, if you want to indulge, enjoy a spa-like atmosphere at home, or just simply have the money to prioritize sustainability and purchase great skincare for the rest of your body, then they are really wonderful products that do all of that, and honestly just smell really damn good.

There are three scents in this collection, and they all smell excellent – sandalwood, eucalyptus and bergamot – as well as featuring a great line of fragrance-free products for those with more sensitivities. For me, the fragrances of these products are one of the best features. I have never been one for a floral or fruity scented anything; I appreciate musky, earthy, and what are usually qualified as more masculine fragrances, so this line is perfection. If you’re able to indulge in the scents, I definitely recommend you do. I don’t think I have a favorite of the three, but if I had to choose, I would probably go sandalwood. Using the body wash in the shower really makes me feel like I am in an outdoor shower in Antigua last year, breathing in the ocean. It’s truly something special.

I’m going to do a little breakdown of each product, and I’ll share what I love most to what I could live without. You can definitely start with some of the sets they sell on their site, or find their products individually at Sephora.

• The Exfoliator – this is, hands-down, probably my favorite product that they offer. I think exfoliating is super important to maintaining healthy, glowing skin, and this product is really exceptional. It’s a super gentle exfoliator, and it actually turns into a soapier foam that lathers, so it can double as a body wash if you want it to. I think having a physical exfoliator for your body is a definite must in your skincare routine, so if you’re looking to start somewhere, I definitely suggest starting here.
• The Body Serum – if you’ve read my post on keeping healthy skin during the winter, then you know one of my favorite products for skin hydration includes a hyaluronic acid-based serum that I combine with my lotion. The one I use has a self-tanning component, but now I have added this body serum into my routine instead. It has the same base of hyaluronic acid, and it’s super long-lasting hydration mixed in with lotion or even on it’s own. This is probably a close second in terms of the line’s products, and if you are looking to bring a new element with skincare benefits into your routine, then this is my pick.
• The Body Wash – if you’re just looking for the spa in the middle of a pandemic, then this is for you. While I don’t think this body wash has the most amazing lather (key for me), and I still feel like it’s a touch expensive for the amount of product you get, I do feel like this is a product that is worth having if you’re looking for a splurge. I do use this product daily, and I absolutely love the aromatherapy element that it provides with their various scents. Skincare perk? It has niacinamide, which is a hydrator, pore-reinfer, and overall skincare superstar ingredient. So if you want to treat yourself, grab a bottle of this body wash in any of their three scents.
• The Deodorant – this was actually the first product that I tried from the Nécessaire line last summer when I was looking for a natural deodorant to switch to. And I still stan this deodorant, and am using the same tube. Now with the switch to any natural deodorant, you’re going to have to detox your armpits at first, but once you’re set with that, this product in their eucalyptus scent leaves me smelling clean and fresh, without all of the harmful chemicals in a lot of drugstore deodorants. Bonus, it features AHA’s, which are acids that work on getting below the surface of the skin and aid in the resurfacing of skin while also tackling your body odor. If you want to make the switch to natural deodorant, then definitely try this one.
• The Hand Cream – I suffer from dry, cracked hands during the winter, every winter, and so I decided to try this product back before the holidays to try and keep this next to my bed. And this is a really great hand cream if you like something that soaks in quickly and has a creamier texture without an oily residue (I don’t actually mind the oil residue, but I know a lot of people do not). I have a tube of this beside my bed, and a tube that I keep with my skincare to finish off my routine. It’s certainly not necessary for many, but I love that it’s fragrance free, and has a lot of hydrating skincare ingredients, especially because I get painful, dry eczema around my wrists and hands.
• The Body Lotion – this product is a great lotion. Is it my favorite body lotion? It’s not (Keihl’s forever), but it is really great and I do use it in my routine. This is definitely not a life-changing lotion, but I think it’s a great option for sensitive skin, and I definitely love it most combined with the body serum. It’s a pretty thick and rich lotion, but it does absorb quickly, so I would not say it’s heavy on the skin. I would love a pump instead of a screw-cap, and I wouldn’t hate a fragrance given how much I love that element in their other products, but it’s a great lotion to have in the rotation, especially combined with their serum – soft legs for days.

At the end of the day, you don’t need any of these products. But I do think they are stellar and just overall awesome in terms of giving yourself a bit of a treat when it comes to handling your body skincare routines. Right now, we could all use a little bit of indulgence, so I say, treat yourself.

Thank you for shopping my blog post! For transparency, the links from Sephora in this post are affiliated links, which means I may make a small commission on any purchases made using those links. I only share what I love on Pretty Busy Brooklyn, and appreciate your support!