A Texas resident recently went viral after she called out what she sees as a massive decline in quality at Bath and Body Works. With over 585K views on her recent TikTok video, the user known as fettychini_ is putting the brand on blast for its body sprays, which she claims are essentially useless in their current state.
She didn’t hold back, claiming, “I feel like you reach a certain age where you realize that Bath & Body Works is genuinely a scam.” Fettychini_ spritzed it in her car, claiming it’s only good as a car freshener. She alleged, “It doesn’t matter if you spray 10,000 pumps of this on your body. By the time you exit your room, it is gone.” The TikToker added, “How much is this again? These are like $16 or more. It doesn’t make any sense.”
A quick look at the comments section revealed a community that largely agreed with fettychini. One user claimed, “They changed the formula… there’s more alcohol than fragrance.” Another wrote, “It’s watered down.” Many shoppers seemed to only value it as a sale item. One user stated, “I only buy bath & body works when it’s 5.99 I will not pay 18 dollars for a body spray. Purchase when it’s on sale only.”
An unjustifiable expense
Fettychini_’s criticism extended beyond just the sprays. She claimed, “Now their body scrubs barely have any sugar. I’m just rubbing cream on my body. No dry skin is being exfoliated, no dry skin is being removed.” Now, the video just records her opinion of the products at the store, and shouldn’t be treated as anything but one customer’s opinion. However, it is worth noting that she isn’t the only customer to wonder at these changes.
On the Bath & Body Works subreddit, user Colossalbeansoup created a post less than a fortnight ago asking, “Anyone else notice the rapid decline of b&bw?” The Reddit user alleged that since last summer, products have felt smaller, more expensive, and generally “s–tier.” The post also noted, “They shouldn’t be shifting toward more “luxury” items and colognes because they’re not a luxury brand and that’s okay! Not everything needs to be.”
One commenter saw the change as the brand being unsure about its target audience. “I remember a time when the price sticker on their bottles of lotion said $8.50. People WANT nostalgia.” They noted that they miss the simpler, fruity scents and realistic packaging. The user claimed that Bath & Body Works has “totally lost the plot” in its attempt to compete with designer labels. They stated, “If I want perfume I will head to Ulta.”
Despite this wave of negative feedback, the company maintains that its commitment to quality remains as strong as ever. According to their website, they have been a trusted name in personal care for 35 years. They emphasize that in 2024, they reformulated their body care range to meet consumer demand for products without parabens and sulfates.
They also highlighted that their products are dermatologist-approved and undergo rigorous, science-driven testing to ensure efficacy and safety. In a different instance, a customer claimed she recently opened a Glossier perfume only to find a worm-like thing inside the bottle.
The brand claims that its teams test for everything from texture to shelf life, and that their Ultimate Hydration Body Creams and lotions are designed to provide continuous hydration for up to 48 hours. Bath & Body Works also says that consumer feedback is central to their process. For that, they use targeted testing programs to refine formulas. In a different instance, in order to sell the strengths of an eye cream, a Sephora employee allegedly first shamed a customer.
Still, for shoppers like fettychini_, the experience doesn’t seem to match corporate promises. She has reached a point where she no longer buys these items as gifts for others, viewing it as a waste of money. “I’ll be low-key soft launching to people. Please don’t ever give me Bath & Body Works anymore because I don’t want you to waste your money,” she said.
While some loyalists in the comments swear by layering products or shopping only during the semi-annual sales, the overall consensus from the critics is that the magic is fading. It is a tough spot for a brand that built its reputation on being an accessible, everyday treat.
Bath & Body Works has not commented directly on these claims, though they did admit that they have not “kept pace” with their customers. In their Q1 earnings report, CEO Daniel Heaf said:
“Let me start by taking you back to the diagnosis that we gave in November when we said that body care is the most competitive category and that the offering — our offering has not kept pace with the consumer. That is why, as part of the consumer-first formula, we have prioritized investment in body care, and we are expecting stronger, more relevant innovation to begin showing up in the back half.”
He concluded, “while Body Care the performance is not — was absolutely not where we want it to be, we understood the drivers, we took action and we remain in the very confident in the category’s long-term potential for us.” We await the results of this action.
Published: Aug 17, 2026 04:45 am