Welcome Our Favourite Products, a monthly feature of the products keeping our skin glowing, mood lifted and health high. It's a combination of the new things we've tried over the previous month and historic repeat purchases that we think you might love too. And as part of our editorial policy, every product we write about is vegan, cruelty-free and 100% natural and where possible organic. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of incorporating clean beauty and wellness products into your daily routine — or even finding them, we hope you find the following helpful. And as a reminder, a constant favourite of mine — clean filtered water. Drink it frequently, daily. Here's what I'm loving this month:
Summer has arrived here in New Zealand and with the shift in weather comes a change in my product line-up. I’m definitely more focused on my skin regime than makeup but I have included (and forgotten I had) a (M)ANASI7 All Over Colour. If you’re a makeup minimalist, this is an ideal product to give your skin that extra luminosity to eyes and lips. Less is more this month.
UMA Pure Calm Wellness Oil
Founded for Women by Women UMA sourced all their organic potent botanicals to create this Ayurvedic oil. Intoxicating and ultimately herbal, this botanical formula relies on the power of Geranium, Jasmine, Sandalwood and Clary Essential Oils to create a unique and intoxicating scent. Roman Chamomile Essential Oil works to de-stress while Vetiver grounds and centres. At the end of a long summer day, nothing is more enticing than crawling into bed for a good night’s sleep, and Pure Calm is everything I need to wind down. Start with your feet, massaging onto the bottoms of your feet, between your toes then work into pressure points, pulse points, temples, behind the ears. Inhale from your palms. Add this to your routine, and your skin and soul will thank you.
Kahina Giving Beauty Prickly Pear Seed Oil
Extracted from a rare cactus in the Middle East, Prickly Pear Oil is highly concentrated in fatty acids and potent antioxidant Vitamin E. It’s a single-ingredient product to fight free-radicals, restore elasticity and brighten under-eye circles. For the most part, genetics and diet are going to influence the appearance of your under-eye area — too much alcohol, excess sodium in your system, fatigue, allergies can exhibit themselves as eye puffiness or dark circles. If dark-circles are a concern, Prickly Seed Oil is a good place to start. Up your potassium to flush out the sodium that causes puffiness. I would not say I have dark circles if I have had consecutive late nights and 6 am starts, some puff yes, but I’m older now and should care more about these things. The glass rollerball is super-cooling, the intent here, to stimulate lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness. Just two strokes under each eye will have you feeling altogether bright-eyed. And if you’re not already, keep your eye cream or serum in the fridge too. You’ll feel like you got that extra hours sleep.
(M)ANASI7 All Over Colour Chamoisee
I wore make-up when I was much younger, I worked in retail, and it was mandatory. It was also around the time I started wearing contacts, and there was not that emphasis on my eyes, and I wanted to draw attention to that. But not too much. This is why I find Korean makeup so appealing. It’s focused on dew and looking younger. The look is much more subtle. For an ethereal golden glow, I turn to Chamoisee. On its own the warm rose gold hue adds vibrancy and luminosity to the eyes, you can build layer (either by using more or of another product) for an intense colour payoff. I’ll also use (M)ANASI7 All Over Colour for a wash of colour on my lips. Who does not like a multitasker?
KNC Beauty Supa Balm: Rose
I’m not faithful to lipstick, I own one, this one but I do like balms. I first heard of KNC when their lip masks were all over Instagram. A discovery via Pinterest. I’d not bought a tube of balm in the longest time, the Olio E Osso Balm was my last purchase — the stick glides on super easy, but I needed a balm with more hydration. Supa Balm is that. Perhaps it is the New Zealand summer. It’s warming (and drying) up here. Supa Balm is a thick balm, kind of like Luca’s if you ever used that but with more hold. The Kokum and Shea Butters make this balm super moisturising, and the subtle rose note is perfect. And like the collagen-infused sheet masks for your lips that started it all, Supa Balm combines high antioxidant Moringa and Kukui Oil as essential fatty acids to plump. No more dry lips. And this balm is ideal for layering.
Sachajuan Hair Repair
This one I received in my order from Adore Beauty, and it arrived around the time I had split ends, read, I had not trimmed my hair in forever. It was terrible. I’ve never bought a hair mask, hot oils yes but masking is very mainstream now and if I do this frequently for my face, why not my hair? Another brand — also natural and vegan I tried around the same time was Mr Smith, (an Australian brand, also PETA Certified). I don’t think that switching to natural or organic products any longer equates to inferiority. Many drug store and salon products are formulated with thirty or more synthetic ingredients that suffocate the scalp (because naturally, our hair wants to grow), with toxic chemicals which can cause more imbalances. Think autoimmune reactions, dandruff, dry scalp and hair loss. Our hair naturally wants to grow, but when we put toxins directly on our scalps, we’re clogging the pores in our scalp. And now with summer, hydration is more vital. Hair Repair is uncomplicated. You massage into washed hair, leave for 5–10 minutes. Rinse well. Pumice your feet in the meantime. All Sachajuan products are formulated with Ocean Silk Technology, extracts from two cold water algae — Rhodophycea and Chondrus to improve elasticity, add shine and protect. Wheat Protein controls seals in moisture and prevents breakage while Castor Oil hydrates dry, damaged ends and promotes hair growth. Days on, and you’re still reaping the benefits of deep conditioning!!!!
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