Need-to-know news / Beauty Reviews from New Zealand’s most loved Health & Beauty Brands
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser 150ml, RRP $38
Here it is – my FAVOURITE stand-alone cleanser of all time, and I’ve sampled many.
Prior to this I had only ever used one Kiehl’s product before, Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm. Fab product, but not something I use every day, I always take it snowboarding though as it’s a perfect barrier moisturiser.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser $38, is a gentle, liquid gel cleanser that somehow holds it’s form (I can’t think of any other way to describe it lol) so that while massaging it on, you can feel the gel gliding between your fingertips and your face. It’s such a luxe daily ritual that I really look forward to and it works beautifully on removing a full face of makeup as well as fresh morning skin.
LOVE LOVE LOVE and a great price point for a full-size product (150ml) from a premium brand.
Garnier Pure Active Range
An excellent coup for those with sensitive skin, Garnier has just launched a 3 step cleansing and care routine designed for sensitive acne-prone skin.
Garnier Pure Active Sensitive comprises 3 products; a soap-free Pure Active Sensitive Cleanser, a clarifying Pure Active Sensitive Toner and Pure Active Sensitive Moisturiser. The combination of natural ingredients such as zinc to purify and boost skin immunity and witch hazel to soothe irritated skin results in a hypoallergenic and ph-neutral range, perfect for calming and caring for sensitive skin.
Point of difference to note; a gel toner!!! I’ve never seen nor tried one before!
Garnier Pure Active Sensitive range RRP $13.99ea, available from select supermarkets, pharmacies and Farmers.
Clinique Pep-Start™ HydroBlur Moisturiser, 50ml RRp $58
This little blue pot of matte-moisturising perfection has been my daily go-to for the past 2 months. I took it with me to Surfers Paradise anticipating needing some help controlling shine in the warmer conditions and it exceeded my expectations. It’s like a combination moisturiser/primer, which is awesome as it’s one less step when you’re getting ready. I’ve found many ‘blur’ products end up sitting on top of my skin leaving a residue that seems to rub off when applying foundation or BB cream over the top – which kind of defeats the purpose really! This stays on during makeup application and looks great on a bare-faced day as well as one where I’m sporting a full face of makeup. Zero shine plus great looking and feeling skin.
I was gifted this but would absolutely purchase as it’s now a daily essential. Shop it here
To discover your custom fit perfect moisturiser, take the Clinique Hydration Quiz here – that’s how I discovered Pep-Start!
L’Occitane Shea Butter Skincare Additions
I’m a huge fan of this range so am always excited to tet out new additions. The Shea Butter skincare line from L’Occitane not only smells incredible but is pretty much the most effective hydrating collection I’ve used.
It’s got a lovely back-story too, with L’Occitane only purchasing fair trade shea butter from the women producing it sustainably in Burkina Faso.
One of the new arrivals is the limited edition Shea Solidarity Soap, 50g RRP $8. Do yourself and a charitable cause a favour and pick one of these up next time you’re at the mall or shopping online at nz.loccitane.com. The subtle fragrance of the shea range is totally addictive and works beautifully in this solid soap bar which cleans without 
stripping skin. Plus, 100% of the profits are redistributed to fight avoidable blindness. Ask in store if you can’t find this variety as it may have sold out!
I’ve also been enjoying another line addition, the Shea Butter Foaming Cleanser, 125ml RRP $45. With 5% shea oil, this is an excellent in-between cleanser if you’re not a fan of liquid/gel cleansers but aren’t ready to commit to an oil cleansing regime. I’d recommend this for normal to dry skin types, the end result is beautifully clean, but also really soft and hydrated skin.
Other new products in the Shea Butter Skincare Line are; Shea Butter Intensive Hand Balm 150ml, RRP $53, Whipped Body Cream Shea Rose 125ml, RRP $38, Whipped Hand Cream Shea Rose 30ml, RRP $18.
Miri Skincare Kiwifruit Seed Oil & Manuka Honey Balm, 25ml, RRP $12.99
You may have seen me try this on my IG stories last week, in which you’ll remember how surprised I was at the formulation and how easily and quickly it was absorbed. I find most all-purpose balms to be super sticky, which makes them far too annoying to keep on for any duration. Miri’s new offering is different. Made in New Zealand from natural ingredients, Miri’s Kiwifruit Seed Oil & Manuka Honey Balm was created with the intent to combine NZ and South Pacific ingredients into an all natural balm to soothe chapped lips or irritated skin. Suggested uses are; moisturising lips, chapped lips, dry or cracked skin, burns, scrapes, nourishing cuticles, insect bites, prevention of nappy rash, general massage and shaving rashes.
There’s no nasty fillers, preservatives, petroleum, BHA, BHT, DEA-regulated ingredients, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, parabens, PEG compounds, siloxanes, SLS or triclosan.
And it’s STILL lovely and effective.
Available from leading pharmacies nationwide.
Dermalogica PreCleanse Balm 90ml, RRP $75
Described as Step Zero in your cleansing routine, this is a breakthrough product that takes Dermalogica’s double-cleanse regime to the next level. I’m a huge fan of their PreCleanse Oil, it’s in my shower for everyday use, to be honest, but the pump bottle does make it more difficult to travel with.
Enter the innovative PreCleanase Balm that activates on contact with water, transforming from balm to oil. LOVE. There is no cleanse like a Dermalogica double-cleanse, that is a fact. The retail pack comes complete with a double-sided, ergonomically-designed mitt that is heaven on skin (really), and leaves skin “soft, nourished and ready to receive the benefits of your regular skin care regimen”, Caroline Parker, Head of Education for Dermalogica New Zealand.
Available from authorised Dermalogica® skin centres, selected department stores, Life Pharmacies and online at dermalogica.co.nz
Eco Tan Invisible Tan® – Express Self-tanning Crème 150ml RRP $39.95
Confession time; I’ve never, ever self-tanned. Ever. but I’m going to.
After two revelatory spray tans, one before our family holiday on the Gold Coast and one before my trip to Melbourne last month, I realised that fake tan has come a long way since I was in high school. You very rarely see an orange tan-victim these days, in fact, I can only think of one and his name starts with T and ends with Rump. So, I’m going to do it. My dad died from melanoma as many of you know, so my passion for laying out is pretty much zero these days, plus the bikini bod isn’t doing what it should either. In the words of my very wise nail tech, “tanned fat looks a whole lot better than pasty fat’.
So that’s my new motto.
Eco Tan is a cruelty-free brand that uses natural cacao, herbs flower extract, fruit extract and chamomile to create a natural looking glow that is certified organic. To support the Eco Tan range of tanning projects, creator Sonya Driver has also brought a beautiful range of natural body care products to market. These are all vegan, toxic free, synthetic free, cruelty-free and licensed by PETA.
Eco Tan and Eco by Sonya Driver are available at Unichem and Life Pharmacies, Health 2000 and Commonsense Organics, leading health and organic retailers and online at www.naturalthings.co.nz
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