Because everyone deserves to feel like a babe.
Does K Republiq Glass Skin Really Work: A Review
As with a lot of products on this site, I came across K Republic Glass Skin on social media and decided I had to try it out. I’m always so curious to see if new products and fads work — at the moment, it feels like every second ad on Instagram is for a new product promising to give me Korean-style glass skin. Does it really work? This is what happened.
Does K Republiq Glass Skin actually reduce the size of your pores and create a smooth complexion? I tried it out so you don’t have to.
As with a lot of products on this site, I came across K Republic Glass Skin on social media and decided I had to try it out. I’m always so curious to see if new products and fads work — at the moment, it feels like every second ad on Instagram is for a new product promising to give me Korean-style glass skin.
I decided to splash out on K Republiq because the products were created with extreme hydration in mind, which is what ultimately gives you that glass-like look. It’s basically advertised as a glass skin routine. The ingredients list is packed with polyglutamic acid which holds ten times more moisture in your skin than hyaluronic acid. Bakuchiol helps reduce fine lines without drying your skin like retinol, niacinamide helps smooth pores, and vitamin C and squalene help illuminate and plump the skin. I was basically using all these products anyway, but now they’d be concentrated in single product line.
The ads feature women age 20 to 60 with pretty convincing before and after photos. Usually, models for these products are in their 20s with flawless skin, which doesn’t really show how well the products work for everyone. I’m in my 30s, which isn’t old, but my skin isn’t like it was in my 20s. I’m pasty pale, I live in a hot climate, I am very photosensitive, I have sun damage, mild rosacea, and fine lines. The product is marketed for people of for all ages and apparently it’s ten times more moisturising than hyaluronic acid.
K Republiq Glass Skin: A Review
I bought a kit with three pieces: Glass Skin Glazing Essence, Glass Skin Serum and Glass Skin Finishing Glaze.
Shipping was super fast and I had my kit within about three days. It also came with a free Gua Sha. I was happy to find the bottles were large and full to the top with product. They’re pink, bulky and hard to lose. The essence is a spray, the serum is a pump bottle, and the glaze is in an airless pump vacuum bottle — you push the lid down and product comes out the top.
I was going out one the evening I got the package so immediately washed my makeup off so I could use my new products underneath. Deep down, I was kind of hoping my skin would immediately transform into youthful radiance like it seemed to in the ads. Obviously that didn’t happen, but I think it did look a bit shinier…sort of glass-like, you could say.
According to the website, you’re supposed to spritz your face with essence and let it sink in before using about two pumps of the finishing glaze. My skin did feel a bit smoother with the glaze — it felt kind of tight on my face, but not in an uncomfortable way. Make up went smoothly over the top.
I was ready for the night routine when I got home. I washed the make up off, used the essence and a pump of the serum. The serum was pearly-white and went on very easily with my fingers. It dried pretty quickly before I used the glaze. Again, the glaze had the tight-ish feeling on my skin.
What happened
I repeated this routine for weeks, replacing all my products — hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, retinol, and agrilene — with K Republiq. I used the essence and glaze morning and night, adding the serum only in the evening. My skin felt noticeably smoother on the first day and the feeling never went away. Months later, my skin still feels really smooth.
By the end of the month, I was running low and decided to make the most of Black Friday sales. This time, I bought two kits which included the Magic Balm. The mask is a very thick, pearly pink wax-like product that is very thick and melts in your fingers. I put way too much on the first time. A little goes a long way, it even says that on the packaging, but I can’t stress that enough — a little goes a long way. I put it on at night instead of the glaze, because it’s way too thick to go under makeup, and my skin is super smooth by morning.
Pros
Three products replace about seven, the products are packed with moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, and they’re vegan. When I asked my partner if the difference was visible, he said it did. My pores were smaller, mild redness had lessened, and it had a dewy glow about it. My skin didn’t get sick of it, I didn’t develop an allergy or intolerance to it, and I have noticed fine lines aren’t as visible.
Cons
The products are expensive. They’re large bottles that last a while, and you can also get some pretty decent deals on the site, but it’s still significantly more than The Ordinary, which costs about $12 a bottle. I initially paid $99 for the Glass Skin Glazing Essence, the Glass Skin Serum and the Glass Skin Finishing Glaze. I didn’t have to get the pack of three, but the finishing glaze on its own costs about $79, so it was better value to get the pack. I also decided the only way to find out whether the products really worked was to buy the whole routine. I went back about a month later to check out the Black Friday specials and the price was jacked to $119…go figure.
One thing I really didn’t like was the airless pump vacuum bottle the glaze comes in — it pumps well the first few times and then it’s impossible to get anything out of it. The jar does unscrew really easily so you can get every last bit of product out, but you shouldn’t have to do that. The pump function is as much to do with ease as it to do with portion control. The jar instructs you to use two pumps morning and night, and that’s not possible when the pump function doesn’t work. It’s a small problem, but worth mentioning.
Verdict
Krebuliq products really do work and I bought them again. Do I have flawless and glass-like skin? No. Do I still feel the need to wear makeup when I leave the house? Yes. It did not completely even out my skin tone, nor did it fix rosacea. I do not look like the women in the ads, even the ones who are twice my age. But it did help with my skin problems and I do feel as though it’s good for my skin. It looks healthy and vibrant, and it feels great.
Want me to review something else? Let me know in the comments below!
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Review: The Ordinary skincare changed my routine forever. This is how.
If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll know I absolutely swore by three skincare products for the longest time — my facial cleansing bar, coconut oil and sunscreen. That was literally all I used. It’s been three years since I said that and, my oh my, how things have changed. Cue, The Ordinary.
The Ordinary skincare range has quite seriously changed my life. If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll know I absolutely swore by three skincare products for the longest time — my facial cleansing bar, coconut oil and sunscreen. That was literally all I used. It’s been three years since I said that and, my oh my, how things have changed.
Until about three years ago, I didn’t think anything in my skincare regimen needed to change. I had a cleanser, I used coconut oil as a moisturiser at night and sunscreen in the morning and my skin felt great. But, at 31, I my skin didn’t look great. It was starting to dull, I could see more fine lines than ever before, I suddenly had blemishes, and I’d look at my skin in the elevator (albeit under harsh lights) when leaving work at the end of the day and…gasp. And sure, collagen production does decrease after your mid-20s and your skin does to start to look a touch dull, but I just didn’t believe I had to resign myself to this new life with dull skin.
By sheer coincidence, I had been listening to a financial podcast called She’s On The Money while commuting to work each morning. The girls from Adore Beauty were guests on the podcast and they were talking about how much they love facial serums, a brand called The Ordinary, and something called ‘retinol’. It was my understanding that expensive eye creams, for example, were a bit of a hoax and did next to nothing for under-eye shadows or bags. Prior to listening to the podcast that morning, I tarred all facial serums with that same brush.
Well. I was wrong.
One of the girls said she had her skin mapped/scanned before and after using serums with retinol. Her skin had marked improvements post-retinol. Turns out, serums can actually penetrate your skin and change the speed at which your skin ages. I had seen The Ordinary products in a few stores but I had no idea what they were or why anyone would get them. When I got home from work that day, I bought three brand-spanking-new bottles and never looked back.
(Note: The links throughout this post are for readers in Australia and New Zealand. I collect a small commission from sales, it doesn’t increase the price for you and all views expressed are my own. Scroll to the end for an international option :)
What is The Ordinary and why is it so cheap?
The Ordinary is a hair and skincare brand which does not spend money on fancy packaging or marketing. Each product is highly-concentrated, which means there’s no filler — the ingredients you see on the front of the bottle is what you get. This means they can afford to sell each product for about $10 - $15. The same products from other brands can cost between $70 and about $250. The company has made quality skincare products that are very affordable.
My favourite products by the ordinary
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5: A natural substance found in your skin, eyes, and joints. When used topically, it rehydrates the skin, increases its capacity to retain water and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
I LOVE hyaluronic acid. It’s the first product I grab after rinsing my face. My skin has never felt so smooth and hydrated.
Niacinimide 10% + Zinc 1%: Also known as Vitamin B3, niacinimide reduces the size of pores over time, improves epidermal barrier function, decreases skin hyperpigmentation, moisturises, and generally brightens skin. It feels very similar to hyaluronic acid on your skin — super hydrating. I use this every day.
Vitamin C: Helps slow early skin aging, prevents sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and acne. It has inflammatory agents, soothes skin and reduces puffiness — basically, it gives you a nice glow.
I was using The Ordinary Vitamin C cream with silicone, but I really didn’t like it. It kind of burned when I put it on my face, and apparently that’s normal, but I really hated it. The silicone also meant my makeup didn’t sit right on my face. I am currently using another Vitamin C serum, but I recently found out it’s not vegan so I’m not going to promote it. However, I do recommend you use a good Vitamin C serum — it makes a really big difference to your overall complexion.
Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%: Increases cell turnover and helps eliminate accumulated dead skin cells on the top layer of skin — kind of like microdermabrasion, but to a lesser extent. This leaves your skin feeling super smooth, brightens your complexion, and it can thicken the skin — smoothing out wrinkles, and reducing blemishes over time.
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion: A really powerful ingredient derived from vitamin A, which increases collagen production and reduces wrinkles over time. It also stimulates the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin tone and fades age spots.
It’s touted as a miracle product, and it very well could be, but I only use a 2% concentration every second day. You can definitely go overboard with retinoid — too much and it can burn you. It also makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, which is why I use it at night.
If you’re wondering why I use retinoid, not retinol: Basically, retinoid is more powerful — it’s the pharmacy-grade solution, whereas retinol is a product of retinoid. It’s a watered-down version.
Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%: A natural antioxidant which occurs naturally in the skin of some fruits, like grapes and olives, and dark chocolate. It boosts antioxidant levels so your skin can repair and defend itself, improves skin firmness, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. It also calms any irritation and is really good for sensitive skin.
I use this with retinoid because it helps the product penetrate deeper into my skin.
Moroccan Argan Oil: Rich in Vitamin E, super moisturizing, hydrating, can prevent sun damage, and reduces the appearance of fine lines. I may not use coconut oil anymore, but I still love using oils on my skin.
morning skincare routine
When you start using serums, the thing to remember is what products you can and can’t mix. I use Vitamin C in the morning and retinoid at night because they can cause irritation when their powers are combined. Lactic acid and retinoid can be used in the same routine…but can also cause irritation. It depends on your skin. Given that you should really only be putting about three serums on your face per session, I like to alternate them.
Step 1:
After rinsing my face in the shower, I’ll dry my skin about 90% and immediately put a few drops of hyaluronic acid on my face. Enough to cover it completely. I do this because hyaluronic acid is attracted to water, so it grabs the moisture on your face and pulls it into your skin. It works just fine if your face is completely dry, but I feel as though it does more if my face is a little damp. After putting the acid on, it dries really quickly.
Step 2:
When that’s all dry, I’ll do exactly the same thing with niacinamide — coat my face in it and wait a few seconds until it’s dry.
Step 3:
I follow niacinimide up with a few drops of Vitamin C — just enough for a thin coat on my face. It’s a powerful ingredient and too much can be damaging, and can make your skin quite sensitive to the sun. I use it in the morning and follow it up with sunscreen (my fav at the moment is Skinstitute) and primer with an SPF filter.
Evening skincare routine
Step 1:
I remove my makeup using ASAP Daily Facial Cleanser. I like this one because it removes makeup pretty easily, it doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight and dry, and I never have breakouts with it.
Step 2:
Like the morning, I’ll coat my face in hyaluronic acid when my skin in about 90% dry.
Step 3:
I alternate products in this step every second day.
On day one, I’ll follow hyaluronic acid with lactic acid. Just enough for a thin layer on my face is enough to leave it silky-smooth.
On day two, I’ll use just enough retinoid to coat my skin. It may be a miracle product, but you can definitely go overboard with it. Once that’s dry, I go in with resveratrol. It’s quite thick and oily so I don’t use too much. I’ll then wait at least 30 mins until it sinks into my skin before using moisturiser.
Step 4:
If I’ve used lactic acid, I’ll moisturize with argan oil. It’s quite thick so there’s no need to use too much — you don’t really want a pile of oil on your face and clog your pores. Your skin will feel silky-smooth the following morning.
If I’ve used retinoid, I’ll moisturise with ASAP Advanced Hydrating Moisturiser. It smells like orange peels, leaves my skin feeling hydrated and is supposed to heal sun-damaged skin and reduce fine lines.
That’s it!
I’ve come a long way from only using coconut oil and, while I still do believe it’s a great moisturiser, it wasn’t doing anything for my skin except moisturising it. Why stop at one benefit when you can boost collagen production and repair your skin from the inside out?
I’m not going to have the skin of a 20-year-old again, but since starting this new skin regime I have noticed my skin is brighter, I have fewer blemishes and fine lines, and my skin feels amazing.
Do you use The Ordinary? Tell me about your favourite products below!
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Does Sand and Sky Really Work? A Candid Review
If you’re a human who uses the internet, you’ve probably come across Sand And Sky – the Australian Pink Clay Mask and Exfoliating Treatment said to be making everyone’s face brighter than sunbeams, but does it really work?
If you’re a human who uses the internet, you’ve probably come across the Sand And Sky – the Australian Pink Clay Mask and Exfoliating Treatment said to be making everyone’s face brighter than sunbeams, but does it really work?
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Sand and Sky is an independent Australian company that fashioned a face mask and exfoliating treatment from Australian pink clay, and its been wildly successful.
The mask supposedly absorbs dirt and impurities, detoxifies, tightens pores, restores the skin’s natural defence barriers, and brightens skin tone, while the exfoliating treatment does all of the above, and resurfaces and mattifies the skin.
As a traveller, I find my skin often doesn’t know how to handle extreme climates. It loves the weather in warm and sunny Sydney, and doesn’t deal with extreme humidity or extreme cold very well. My skin was so dry in summer in Banff that no amount of moisturiser kept it hydrated, and freezing cold temperatures in Montreal weren’t much better.
It was a nightmare, but I know I’m not the only one who has this experience when they travel. So, after the realising Sand and Sky Australian pink clay mask had thousands of fantastic (and honest) reviews, I decided to make the most of the Black Friday sales and get on the bandwagon in the hope of finding something that can fix whatever my skin does while travelling in new climates.
Here is my Sank and Sky mask review.
Sand and Sky Face Mask and Exfoliator: An honest Review
Having spent my entire life in sunny Australia with skin so pasty-white that finding foundation in the right hue is legitimately a struggle, I have mild discolouration from sun exposure, and my nose and the apples of my cheeks have always been slightly red. Make-up covers it pretty well, but I have a fairly uneven skin tone all-round.
(I don’t generally take photos when I have no make-up on so I don’t have a ‘before’ shot, but the one below was taken a few weeks after I started using Sand and Sky.)
Having fallen for a few cult ‘miracle’ products in the past, I wasn’t so sure about Sand and Sky. The products promised to help with almost all my skin issues, but the raving reviews are largely by girls who are young and already supremely beautiful with pre-mask skin that looks radiant with no makeup on. I’m not denying any skin issues they may have, but I, for one, do not look like that in front of a camera with no makeup on. It seemed too good to be true.
But I’m a sucker for natural vegan products, and there were so many reviews that my curiosity got the better of me and I had to know if it was really worth all the hype.
The Product
I bought the Perfect Skin Bundle as part of a Black Friday package, which included:
1 x Porefining Face Mask + brush applicator
1 x Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment
1 x Sand and Sky ‘Holiday Pouch’
1 x Sand and Sky hairband
On sale it cost $101 CAD, but if you buy it without a discount it’ll cost $122.
It sounds like a lot of cash to hand over, but the items don’t feel cheap. In fact, everything about the packaging of the mask and exfoliator is high-quality, beautiful to look at, and satisfying to hold. The clay needs to be stored in a cooler environment to stop it from drying out, so the pot itself is thicker and heavier than you expect it to be to insulate and protect the product. It’s weighty and feels almost like it’s made of ceramic. The exfoliator tube is smooth matt plastic with a click-lid, and the same beautiful pink branding.
The only things I didn’t really ‘get’ were the ‘Holiday Pouch’ and hairband. Sure, they were part of a package deal, but the pouch is made of the same translucent pink plastic used for inflatable chairs in the early 2000s. It doesn’t have the same high-quality feel as the rest of the packaging and seems gimmicky.
The hairband is white with pink stitching, and feels like a cheap towel. I used it once and decided it didn’t do much a scrunchy couldn’t do, but I can see how it might be useful for people with really curly hair, or people who have a lot of fly-aways that might get caught in the mask.
Application
For best results, Sand and Sky recommend applying the mask on one day, and the exfoliator the next. They also recommend using the exfoliator in the evening so your skin has time to rejuvenate overnight after being scrubbed. So that’s what I did.
Mask
The clay is a dark shade of brownish-pink, and it’s quite thick and very smooth. A little bit goes a long way, so after cleansing and drying my face, I put a bit on the brush and pasted away, avoiding my eyes and eyebrows, mouth, and hairline.
The brush makes application really easy. There’s no mess, and you have a lot of control over the amount of product you’re using. I can’t imagine how much mess and waste there would be if you were only using your hands, and it’s not a cheap product, so the brush is a nice touch.
I read that it’s totally normal to feel a ‘stinging’ or ‘tingling’ sensation after applying the mask. Apparently that means it’s doing its job, but I left it on for 10-15 minutes until it dried and never felt anything like that. I did notice the clay was more translucent around my nose, which means there were more ‘impurities’ there for the mask to draw out, but overall the mask made my face look like a cracked shade of pinkish-white.
Washing it off was ridiculously easy (seriously, it just slides off without scrubbing or anything) and, after following up with my usual moisturiser (coconut oil – it’s the bomb), my skin did feel really, really smooth.
Exfoliator
The product is brown, dense, and granular.
The directions say to use the exfoliator on clean, damp skin. You’re supposed to rub it in with your fingers in a circular motion for around 30 seconds, and let it sit there for five minutes, or until it dries.
Given how dense it is when it comes out of the tube, the exfoliator mixes with the water that’s already on your face and spreads surprisingly easily. I did feel like I had more on my fingers than my face, but I did what I could and left it there until it dried. As with the clay, washing it off was really easy. I followed up with coconut oil, and my skin felt super-smooth afterwards.
The Result
After the first use, my skin was definitely smoother.
Make up application was a smoother process, it looked more even, and my skin wasn’t dry. While there was a brightness to my skin, it wasn’t really noticeable to others – my boyfriend is usually pretty good at noticing subtle changes with all the different products I’ve tried, but even he could only vaguely tell the difference after I pointed it out. My pores also didn’t really shrink like they seemed to for all the influencers, but because my skin looked smoother, I don’t think they were as noticeable.
After a few uses I noticed the redness in my skin had decreased, my skin tone was a little more even, and I suddenly felt a little more comfortable walking outside without makeup on. I used it twice per week for a couple of weeks, before cutting it down to once per week for experimentation purposes and it made no difference.
The Verdict
Having now used Sand and Sky for a few months, I use it on a need-to basis and it does actually make a difference to my skin texture. While I don’t look like a glowing moonbeam and I’m not floored by a newfound brightness to my skin like the people on Instagram, I use it when my skin starts looking a bit red or feeling uneven and it fixes it right up – foundation goes on smoother, powder doesn’t look cakey, and blending is so much easier it’s ridiculous.
Some people say they have breakouts after using it the first few times, but that didn’t happen to me, and I still haven’t experienced the ‘stinging’ or ‘tingling’ sensation others talk about, but that could be to do with the amount if product I’m using. Some people really cake it on, whereas I apply a thinner layer and, as far as I can tell, it still works. I will eventually try a thicker coating so see if that makes a difference, so watch this space!
Overall, I find the benefits of the mask are only visible for me on day one and whatever ‘glow’ I had disappears by day two. I much prefer the exfoliator because I feel like it actually works to make my skin tone and texture more even, and the results are visible for a few days. Having said that, I have a Baiden Mitten that does a pretty similar thing, but cost $50 and lasts for at least two years.
Is It Worth It?
Sand and Sky is pricey. If you forgo the bundles and buy each product individually, one 60g pot of mask will cost you more than $65, and the 100ml tube of exfoliator will cost $57.
Given that the product is all natural, vegan, cruelty-free, and is made and manufactured in Australia with free shipping, the price is totally justified, but if you use it the way Sand and Sky recommend, it won’t last long at all.
Sand and Sky recommend using the mask and exfoliator combo twice per week on average (more if you have oily skin, less if your skin is dry). Sand and Sky also suggest the clay pot contains enough for around 15 uses, which means you could be ready for another in under two months.
Having said that, I’ve almost had mine for four months and, after an average use of once per fortnight for the mask and once per week for the exfoliator, both products still have more than half left. The key is to keep track of how much you’re using – I read one review where someone only got seven masks out of her pot because she piled it on, so it really depends.
Another major selling point is that it’s supposed to decreases the appearance of acne scars quite significantly, and the before and after shots do look pretty amazing. I’ve never had acne so I can’t provide any insight on this one, but if you’re looking to get rid of acne scars, Sand And Sky might be a good thing to try.
The other thing I can’t really look past is that the price is set to USD, even though it’s an Australian company. This means people from the US will pay $78 for the bundle with shipping, while Australians will pay $111 for the same bundle that’s made, manufactured, and shipped within their own country. On one hand I understand that decision, but on the other hand it’s a bit unfair to local customers.
All in all, if you have the cash but you’re on the fence about it, give it a go! It’s a natural, vegan, and cruelty-free product, and if it helps you feel great in your skin, it’s priceless.
Have you tried Sand And Sky, or do you have another product recommendation? Let me know in the comments below!
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Review: Is Function of Beauty Skincare Worth It?
I absolutely love the Function of Beauty hair line, so when I found out about their new range of customized skin care, I was pretty keen to try it out. Here’s what happened.
I absolutely love the Function of Beauty hair product line, so when I found out about their new range of customized skin care I was pretty keen to try it out. Here’s what happened.
For anyone wondering what Function of Beauty is, it’s a brand of hair and body care that customize formulas based on each individual’s unique preferences. Everything is vegan and cruelty-free, and I loved the shampoo and conditioner and have just ordered the larger bottles (read my review here), and I really do think they’ve enhanced the health of my hair.
Queue skin range.
Before
I have been using the NueBar face wash bar as a cleanser and regular organic coconut oil as a moisturizer at night. I only wash my face once a day - because I think twice is too much for your skin - but I do rinse it with water in the morning and use either sunscreen (Ultra Violette is my fave at the moment), or a Vitamin C cream that I once got as a sample and haven’t used up yet. So my skin regimen is pretty low-key, but effective. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again - coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer.
I am quite pasty and I live in a hot country. Try as I might to protect my skin from the rays, you can’t shield yourself completely so I have quite a few freckles, some redness around my nose, and small amounts of sun damage here and there.
My skin often gets sick of products, which means I can use something great and it’ll work for a month, before it stops working and my face feels horrid - coconut oil is the only moisturizer I have used that my skin hasn’t suddenly rejected. My skin is quite smooth in texture, so when I cover it up with makeup, you can’t really see any uneven texture.
Function of Beauty Skin Care Review
Much like the hair products, I was asked to complete a skin quiz prior to my purchase to ensure the products would match my skin and that I would get the results I wanted. As with the hair quiz, there were visual aids so I understood how to answer each question, with little info boxes to spell it out for you if you don’t know what any of it means. It was all very quick, easy, and visually pleasing.
I was first asked whether I had dry, balanced, oily or combination skin, how much makeup I use daily and whether my skin is sensitive. I’ve never really had issues with dryness or sensitivity and I do wear makeup, so that is what I selected.
I was then asked what my #skingoals were from a reasonably extensive list. You can only pick three, but really they were all my #skingoals so it was a struggle. I opted to minimize redness, and brighten my aging facade with a touch of ‘anti-aging’ - whatever that means. I liked this section because, based on what you choose, up pops the active ingredient they will use to help you achieve your #skingoals. Mine said ‘Southern magnolia bark extract’. How fancy and exotic.
I then decided what name I wanted on all the bottles (I chose Charlotte…though the desire to have something ridiculous was real. And it really bothers me that I can’t capitalize my name. It’s a proper noun. I am a writer <screams on top of a mountain>). I also opted for no fragrance, sadly, because a main cause of irritation with skin products is scents (though I was curious to know what ‘dew’ smelled like. Apparently the aromas are reminiscent of cucumber. Who knew).
That question signified the end of my quiz experience and I was asked to choose what products I which products I would like, and in what form I would like them to arrive.
Of course, the company recommends you buy all three products.
But upon closer inspection, I saw they all claim to do very different things. I had the choice of a cleanser, which was a no-brainer - you need one of those - along with a serum and a moisturizer. If anything were to be eliminated for me, it would have been the serum because that’s one more step than I usually take when cleaning and hydrating my face, and there’s a moisturizer so serum seemed a bit redundant.
But they really sell it to you.
Not only is the serum the most expensive item on the list at $79.99 a bottle, it apparently has the highest concentration of #skingoal ingredients. So skipping out on the serum potentially means your skin won’t reap all the benefits of the customized range. Who wouldn’t get the serum after that? Nicely played, Function of Beauty.
With the cleanser I opted for a gel, I opted for the fragrance-free serum, and I chose a lotion moisturizer rather than a gel or a cream. I feel like the serum will probably be something of a gel and I feel like lotion hydrates your skin in a way cream doesn’t. Throughout this process, I had visuals on what my product bottles would look like when I selected the different options.
The whole bundle came to $189.99 (which is, frankly, outrageous), and I confirmed my purchase.
The Products
The products came in beautiful bottles. They were a nice weight, smooth, matte and pleasing to hold, and in colors that ombréd towards the top. I was pretty blown away by them, actually. The serum came with an eye dropper that fills itself every time you place it back in the bottle and screw the lid shut. Pretty nifty. The cleanser had a pump device, as did the moisturizer. The cleanser was the largest bottle, which indicates to me that you need to use more of it than the other two products.
Left to right: Moisturizer, cleanser (it did come with a lid, I just misplaced mine), and serum.
Cleansing
The instructions said to use the cleasner first. Because I said I wear makeup, my cleanser was supposed to strip the products off without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
I used one pump to start with and moved the cleanser in small circles over my skin with my fingers, as per the instructions. I quickly realized one pump would not be enough and had to use a second. To be honest, a third would probably have been the better option but it’s so expensive I couldn’t justify using three pumps on my face every day. Two did the job, and my face appeared makeup-free.
The thing I didn’t like about the cleanser was it looked like more of a cream, but it didn’t go the distance. There’s a watery texture to it which kind of makes it feel like it’s not doing very much. It doesn’t foam or anything and basically feels like washing your face with lotion. I wondered whether it was only getting rid of surface makeup and leaving remaining product in my pores. From experience, my skin needs something a bit grittier to be clean.
The Serum
The eye dropper thing is pretty nifty. The instructions say to use half a dropper per application, but first off it’s quite hard to control how much comes out, so I used a whole dropper to begin with. Second time around I learned to control it better and ended up with exactly half a dropper, and it was a good amount.
The serum is much more satisfying to use than the cleanser. It’s a touch milky in color, but feels thicker and like everything you imagine a serum might be. The instructions say to use it after the cleanser, and to literally press it in to your face instead of rubbing it in. So that’s what I did. Half an eye dropper does go the distance and it spread nicely over my skin. It felt hydrating and absorbed nicely over about a minute.
Moisturizing
I waited until the serum was all absorbed and dry before using one pump of the moisturizer on my face. I rubbed it in small circular motions, like the instructions said, without dragging it ‘down’ over my face. It’s supposed to lock in the serum and make sure it does the thing it’s supposed to do. Again, they’ve really made it so the serum feels like a vital step that you just can’t miss.
One pump was enough to coat my face, and it felt like it did what a moisturizer is meant to do. My skin definitely felt hydrated.
Results
My skin felt nice and smooth and moisturized the following day. It didn’t look any different, but the #skingoals changes happens over time so I didn’t read too much. But I will say that some products leave your face looking brighter, and this one did not.
I used the Function of Beauty skin care range consistently for a few weeks and I still didn’t see much of a difference. I continued to question whether the cleanser was cleansing properly and continued to resent that I really should have been using three pumps of the stuff instead of two. Having said that, because the cleanser feels strangely watery, I do not believe a third pump would have cleansed my face any better than two pumps did - it just would have spread a little easier.
I went back to my NueBar and coconut oil combination a couple of times for contrast, and I think coconut tones my skin quite a lot in ways I didn’t notice before. So my skin looked better after that than it did with Function of Beauty. The redness stayed the same (I think that’s genetic - a little like shadows under the eye or something, there’s not much that can realistically be done about that externally), anti-aging I guess it all about hydration, and it did feel hydrated, but no noticeable ‘brightness’.
Verdict
Would I buy it again? No.
For the astounding $189 price tag I expected the products to do quite a lot more than what I saw in the results. I did like the serum and perhaps I would get that again on its own, though I’m still not convinced it did what it’s supposed to do. The cleanser was the biggest let down, which is a real shame because what is a beauty range without a good cleanser? The moisturizer was fine, but for that price, it has to be more than fine. I do wonder how I would feel about these had I not tried coconut oil as a moisturizer, because compared with regular moisturizers, I guess Function of Beauty is better.
I still use the products from time to time because they do leave my face feeling smooth, and sometimes it’s nice to break up the routine, but I won’t be devastated when they run out. I think Function of Beauty managed their hair line so well that I did wonder how they could replicate something so successful. I know there are a lot of amazing reviews for these products, and everyone has a different experience, but I didn’t think they were all they were cracked up to be.
Have you tried the Function of Beauty skin care range? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!
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Vegan Skincare: NueBar Face Wash & Body Wash Bars
I’d been looking for a vegan face wash and body wash that doesn’t use harsh detergents for a long time without any luck, until I came across NueBar - the tiny Australian zero waste beauty and skincare company. Here’s what happened.
I’d been looking for a vegan and ethical skincare brand that doesn’t use harsh detergents for a long time without any luck, until I came across NueBar - the tiny Australian beauty and skincare company.
I generally struggle when buying soap and face wash. I hate the dry, stretched feeling that comes after using soap on my skin - it feels as though my skin will shrivel unless I moisturise immediately, and I just don’t think skin is meant to feel that way.
When one of my readers commented on my Caring for Natural Hair post asking for a vegan shampoo bar recommendation, I came across NueBar and realised it basically had everything I was looking for.
NueBar has a full range of vegan, cruelty-free, CG-friendly (more on that later) and natural beauty products, and everything has been formulated by the owner Katie, who also happens to be a naturopath. All shampoo bars, conditioner bars, body washes and face wash bars are handmade in Australia, all packaging materials are plastic-free and recyclable, and the ingredients are natural, organic and Fair Trade.
I didn’t think it was possible to incorporate all those things, but omgosh it’s the dream.
I am very grateful to have been gifted these products to try, but I am not being paid to write this and I am under no obligation to give them a good review. This is my honest opinion. SO, let’s get to it.
(Note: This post has affiliate links but clicking on them doesn’t cost you anything extra - you just get some super karma points :) )
NueBar Vegan Face Wash Bar
I opted for the Normal Skin bar because my skin tends to err on the side of dry if anything, but you can get different bars for oily or acne-prone skin, mature or dry skin, or fragrance-free bars if you’re sensitive to scents. If fragrance is not a problem for you, I do recommend choosing the scented option - it smells phenomenal.
The first thing I noticed when I took the square face wash bar out of the box was how light and ever so slightly textured it felt. Not grainy, but definitely a natural surface compared with the impossibly smooth feel of mass-produced soaps.
I could feel the essential oils lightly on my fingers when I held the dry bar, but it didn’t dent when I touched it - a good first indicator as to how quickly it will disintegrate in water, and how long it will last.
On top of all that, NueBar say their wash bars are soap-free, which basically means that they don’t use lye to make them (this is what makes soap alkaline, definitely not the correct pH for skin which has a mildly acidic pH). NueBar also don't use harsh sulfate based detergents so the wash gentle and good for skin health, and have managed to achieve it all without the use of palm oil - which is great because it destroys rainforests - which is a pretty big achievement, given how much hidden palm oil is found in hair and skin products.
Before
I workout six days a week, which means I sweat six days a week and my face doesn’t like it. I tend to break out along my hairline and around my chin where natural oils build up.
I have tried a few different products over the last six months, including natural scrubs, gentle foamy cleansers and a charcoal face wash bar, and none of them really got rid of the problem, so I figured breaking out was likely a byproduct of working out, and I would have to live with it.
Test one: Without Make up
After the gym, I wet my face with warm water and smoothed it over my cheeks and forehead. I find this easier than rubbing the soap in my hands first, and I’m the only one using the bar sooo it doesn’t matter. Despite the bar’s textured feel, the product was smooth on my skin and didn’t feel grainy at all. It also didn’t foam much, or start to soften or disintegrate in my hand.
When I thought I had enough on, I used my fingers to gently move the product over the rest of my face, the way I usually would to cleanse it. It felt light and smooth, and smelled amazing - not overpoweringly so, it was nice and subtle. I rinsed it off, dried my face and noticed I didn’t get that dry and stretched feeling on my skin, but it definitely felt clean. I moisturised like I normally would, with coconut oil, and that was it.
Test two: with make up
I wear sunscreen, primer and foundation if I’m leaving the house for any reason other than to go grocery shopping or to the gym, so cleansing products I use need to be able to get it all off. After a day of wearing a full face of cosmetics, I basically followed the steps above, but I made sure to rub a little more product on my face this time, and spent more time using my fingers to really make sure it was lifting the cosmetics off.
Because it doesn’t really foam, it doesn’t really feel like it’s getting everything off so I was a little skeptical as to how it would go in the make up department. Once I thought I’d rubbed it all away, I rinsed my face, dried it, and got a clean make up removal pad with some toner to see if there was any residual make up left on my skin.
It was clean.
result
My skin hasn’t broken out in almost three weeks, which is a first since I started working out profusely. I found that surprising because it honestly doesn’t really feel like NueBar is doing anything better than other products while you’re using it, but the results are noticeably better. Not only have I not broken out at all, but my skin feels hydrated, cleansed and fresh.
The bar itself hasn’t disintegrated at all, and I use it once a day - so that’s almost 14 uses and it barely looks touched - the big F on the top has shown no signs of fading. Other bars I’ve used have become slimy and/or noticeably smaller after just a few uses, which ultimately means you’ll have to buy a new one sooner.
NueBar recommend letting each bar dry after use to avoid further disintegration, so I pop mine to the side, outside the shower, when I’m not using it.
Verdict
Given the positive results, I would definitely continue using the NueBar face wash. The bar dries well and doesn’t feel sticky after use so you can take it travelling or on holidays without worrying about it getting squished in your bag. At $16 for months worth of product, it’s very well priced and I would say a worthwhile purchase.
NueBar Vegan Body Wash Bar
There are a lot of similarities between the NueBar face wash and body wash in terms of texture and scent, but the body wash bar is larger, foams quite a lot, and designed for full-body use.
As a soap-free bar, the body wash is meant to help retain the moisture in the skin. It also has ghassoul clay - a brown clay from the Atlas mountains of Morocco - to draw away impurities.
It’s also probably worth noting that this particular product was a finalist in the 2020 Australian non-toxic awards for sustainable products.
The other thing I love about NueBar is the ‘bit bags’ (see pic below) that you can get for body wash, shampoo and conditioner bars. You know how soap eventually gets small, flimsy and breaks into a couple of pieces when it gets too small and you start abandoning those pieces because they’re just too small. Queue bit bag. Pop all those extra bits into the bag, secure it with the draw string, and wet the whole bag to use up those last bits of bar. Each bag is labelled with a W (body wash), C (conditioner) and S (shampoo) so you don’t get them mixed up.
The Bar
The first thing I noticed was how light-weight it was, and how much I didn’t realise how great the smell of orange and cocoa butter would be. Unlike the face bar, I submerged the wash bar in water before use, before I lathered it in my hands. It foams nicely and has a smooth feel on skin. It didn’t start to shink in my hands from the first use and holds its shape very well.
Like the face bar, it doesn’t feel like it’s doing much at the time, but again the proof is in the results. My skin didn’t feel all tight and stretched like with regular soap, but cleansed and hydrated. It has now been about two weeks exclusively using the NueBar body wash and my skin still feels fresh and clean.
Verdict
I have now been using the body wash every day for about three weeks and the W has only just started to fade, so I expect it to last quite a long time. And at $23 a bar, that’s what you want. It’s not cheap, but given that the ingredients are all natural, fair trade, vegan and cruelty-free, and the bar is hand-made and will last quite a long time, I would say it’s a worthwhile spend if you have the money to spare.
I would definitely get it again because I just love the ethos of the company, the product is clean and good for my skin, and I love knowing I’m supporting small local businesses.
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Australian Pink Clay Mask Review: What Happened When I Tried Hurtig Lane
Australian pink clay is having a moment right now - featuring in loads of skin care products all over the joint which promise to make your face sparkle vampirically. The mask by Hurtig Lane is the latest on the market, but does it work?
Australian pink clay is having a moment right now - featuring in loads of skin care products all over the joint which promise to make your face sparkle vampirically.
The mask by Hurtig Lane is the latest on the market, but does it work?
I consider a lot of factors when I’m picking skincare products - are they cruelty-free and vegan? Is the packing reusable? Is the product full of words I can’t pronounce or is it as natural as possible? Is it affordable? And more importantly, does it work? I was lucky enough to try a sample of the Hurtig Lane mask before it was on sale and, IMO, it comes super-freaking-close to ticking all those boxes.
As I’ve said in a couple of other reviews, my pasty skin has been exposed to the Australian sun for a touch too long and I have mild discolouration. My nose and the apples of my cheeks have always been slightly red and my skin tone is basically just a tad uneven. To combat these things, I started trying pink clay masks that promise to draw out toxins, impurities and reduce the sizes pores while locking in moisture to give you a spritely glow.
Here’s what happened when I gave Hurtig Lane a whirl.
Hurtig Lane Australian Pink Clay Review
There are all sorts of clays used in skin products all over the world - white clays, yellow, green and red - but pink clays have unique properties that do wonders for your complexion. Pink clay specifically contains silicia - a natural ingredient that helps with skin regeneration and collagen production - along with zinc and magnesium that are natural anti-inflammatories and can help rejuvenate damaged skin.
All pink clay masks promise to help with dryness, discolouration, uneven skin tone and give wearers a nice glowy look. While the active ingredient in all pink clay masks is, well, pink clay, not all masks are made equally. Hurtig Lane’s mask claims to use a significantly greater percentage of pink clay, along with an infusion of aloe vera, rose extract and - my skin care holy grail - coconut oil.
The Product
The standard package includes:
1 x Australian Pink Clay Face Mask, 120ml
1 x Brush applicator
The standard package costs $83 AUD, the double package (which includes two mask pots and brushes) is $149 and the triple package (which includes three of everything) is $211.
You can also use my promo code GLOBALSHUFFLE when you check out for a discount.
It may look pricey at first glance, but this mask is actually a lot cheaper than other masks. Sand And Sky, for example, costs $15 less than Hurtig Lane, but the pot only contains 60ml - half the amount.
The packaging is also made from high quality and sustainable materials. The product, which arrives in a recyclable cardboard box, sits in a Pyrex glass jar with an acacia wood lid - both of which are totally washable and reusable - and the application brush is made of sustainable bamboo. Winner.
Application
Hurtig Lane recommends using the mask after washing your face with warm water and a gentle cleanser, so that’s what I did.
After drying my face, I applied a thin layer of the mask - avoiding my mouth, eyes and hairline. The product is a dusty pink colour and has a creamy whipped-like texture. It applies smoothly and was easy to distribute evenly over my skin, and it smells great.
The directions say to leave it on for 10 minutes, but I got distracted and I’m pretty sure mine was on for more like 20. In any case, it was definitely dry by the time I arrived back at the sink. The clay became almost translucent around my nose, which means there were more ‘impurities’ there for the mask to draw out, but overall - like competitor masks - my face looked like a cracked shade of pinkish-white.
To remove the mask, Hurtig Lane says to use warm water and ‘gently massage in circular motions to boost circulation’. I did that for a while until I felt like my circulation was sufficiently boosted, before going all in with warm water and rinsing the remaining product off, which was super easy to do.
I followed it up with my usual moisturiser combo of coconut oil and black castor oil and my skin felt, well, pretty hydrated.
Result
My skin felt smoother immediately after washing the clay off.
The mask definitely hydrated my skin and evened out the tone and discolouration right from the very first application. It worked so well I didn’t feel the need to apply make up before taking a few snaps afterwards with no make up (like the one below), and I never take pictures without make up, so that was a nice surprise.
I did notice a brightness to my face in a way that no one else would, but that has been my experience with face masks in general. There are loads of Instagrammers who seem to use face masks, and BAM, they glow, buuuuut I am yet to use a face mask that has that kind of effect. Nevertheless, I am more than happy knowing I can see the glow, because that’s what matters.
My skin texture stayed smooth over the next few days even after going to gym a few times and wearing a full face of make up, so I’ll definitely finish the pot.
Is It Worth it?
While Hurtig Lane’s Australian Pink Clay Mask may seem expensive at $83 a jar, it does have features other brands lack.
For example, I could not find how much actual pink clay is in other masks by competitors such as Sand and Sky and Alya, so I can’t do a comparison, but each pot of Hurtig Lane’s mask is said to contain 55% of OG Aussie clay. The remaining 45% is full of natural oils and extracts that combine to make the clay something you want to put on your face - any more than that would be like sticking your face into a solid pile of mud, so we can probably all agree that 55% is quite a high ratio.
Along with possibly more benefits of Australian pink clay with the higher percentage (refining pores, detoxifying skin, removing impurities, reducing redness, I could go on), Hurtig Lane are strong on the ethical products front - I think that’s really what sets them apart.
Based in Barcelona, the company has a range vegan make up brushes, jewellery and vegan leather-free straps. All products are PETA-approved, and the company is really in to paying manufacturers properly and maintaining an equal-opportunity work environment for men and women of all nationalities. While a lot of other brands are vegan and PETA-approved, the packaging materials generally aren’t sustainable or reusable, and the companies haven’t necessarily made it their mission to be as ethical as possible.
At the end of the day, I think if you have the money to spend on taking care of your body with high-quality and natural products, it’s cash well spent, and Hurtig Lane’s pink clay mask is definitely worth a shot.
Promo code for 15% off: GLOBALSHUFFLE
Have you tried Hurtig Lane, or is there another mask you love? Let me know in the comments below!
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Aveda Damage Remedy Review: How I fixed dry and damaged curly hair
I’ve struggled with trying to find the balance between hydrating and weighing my hair down, but I never used thick or leave-in conditioners because I thought they’d weigh my hair down and flatten my curls…until I discovered Aveda’s conditioner range. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them now. This is why.
I never used thick or leave-in conditioners because I thought they’d weigh my hair down and flatten my curls…until I discovered Aveda’s conditioner range. Now, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it. This is why.
I’ve struggled to find the balance between hydration and flat curls. I have really fine hair that goes limp easily if it’s overloaded with conditioner, but also knots easily and takes forever to detangle. During my last cut, the hairdresser said, ‘these ends! I comb them and they instantly turn to knots’. She then suggested sending me home with some leave-in conditioner. I was resistant because my hair does flatten really easily with heavy products, but she convinced me the one she was recommending (Baby Got Bounce, by Evo) was really light but effective.
She was right — it was light and it really did stop my hair from turning into a giant, tangled mess after a couple of days. I was more than surprised.
Life = changed.
Why did I resist this for so long? The downside was that Evo isn’t curly girl-friendly — full of silicones which would eventually leave my hair brittle and dry. I liked the results so much that I kept using it, but resolved to find a decent leave-in that was CG-friendly before too long.
Then I found Aveda — a range of natural, cruelty-free, organic hair products that my hair LOVES.
Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner
After cleansing my scalp with Curlsmith Core Strength Shampoo, I reached for Aveda for the first time. The reviews said it was really hydrating, but that it would weigh hair down if it went too close to the scalp. I never put conditioner near my scalp anyway, but — to me — this meant it was a really heavy product with a tendency to flatten curls. I was hesitant, but the moment I started smoothing it through my hair, I was hooked.
I detangle with my fingers before using a detangling brush to make sure my hair is completely smooth and knot-free. It’s significantly more time-consuming than just going in with a brush, but it stops a lot of breakage because you can feel the resistance with your fingers. If you’re only using a brush, you can’t feel that resistance and will likely brush right through the knot — breaking strands as you go. What I look for in a conditioner is how easily I can detangle the majority of my hair using only my fingers.
Aveda passed the test with flying colours.
It detangled So. Easily.
Totally floored.
What usually takes me 20 very painful minutes in the shower took me 10 — Aveda saved me half the time detangling my unruly tendrils. Pretty sure I almost cried with relief. I used a fair bit, but I didn’t care — I could feel my hair softening as I raked the thick and creamy product through.
I left it in for a few minutes, before rinsing it out.
Aveda botanical repair strengthening leave-in treatment
Once the conditioner was rinsed out, I reached for the leave-in. Again, super resistant because I knew I’d just conditioned with a really thick and hydrating product — surely a leave-in from the same brand would stretch out my curls and leave everything in one flat mess…?
Needless to say, that did not happen.
I used a smaller amount of this one because my hair was already tangle-free — probably the size of a bottle top, used my fingers to rake it through the ends of my hair, before using a detangling brush to make sure it was evening distributed. It felt smooth on my hair and brushed through really easily.
I followed with Sashapure curl cream and a gel, wrapped it in a microfibre towel for about 15 minutes, scrunched it, then let it air dry.
The results
My hair hasn’t felt that hydrated for a really, really long time. The curls are thick, full, and hang really nicely around my shoulders. Normally the ends are a tangle of frizz my day two, but that doesn’t happen with Aveda. My hair holds on to the moisture for days and feels soft for days. It’s incredible. And something I honestly didn’t think was possible.
I’ve been using these two products together for about two months now, and I’ve just bought my second bottle of conditioner.
price
The only downside is the price point is quite high. Both products cost between $48 and $52 each, and they’re not large bottles. I find I need to use a fair bit of the conditioner, which means I go through it really quickly, but it’s honestly worth it for me — I save so much time, and my hair feels so much healthier. But I do think these are luxury products and not everyone will be able to budget for them. If that’s the situation you’re in, check out my Shea Moisture review :)
Have you tried Aveda, or is there another brand you use? Let me know in the comments below!
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Ultra Violette Sunscreen: An Honest Review
Looking for a vegan and cruelty-free face sunscreen that is actually good for your skin? I tried Ultra Violette aaand it’s the bomb. Here’s why.
Looking for a vegan and cruelty-free face sunscreen that is actually good for your skin? I tried Ultra Violette aaand it’s the bomb. Here’s why.
(this post contains affiliate links, which just means I’ll get a small commission if you use them. Don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra :)
As someone whose great, great grandparents lived in all places cold, my Frosty The Snowman-esque skin is unable to deal with the harsh Australian rays.
I get burnt. Easily. I once got burnt in the window seat on a plane. It’s real sunny up there and no one was more surprised than me, so now I always wear sunscreen on airplane…and just about everywhere else since I was 19 because, yo, the sun can be great in small doses but over time it ages you and makes you look all leathery and gives you cancer and, as someone who can see the damage it has done, I just think everyone should be wearing sunscreen.
I’ve been on a quest it find a really good one vegan sunscreen for my face for while. I used to use a brand I will not name with SPF 30, which was really quite good for a long time, but I had no idea if it was cruelty-free or vegan, and I eventually realized I was putting it on my face with absolutely no idea what was in it. For all I knew, it could have been aging my skin more than the sun.
I was in Sephora one day and told my boyfriend what I was looking for. He went off looking and came back with Ultra Violette Queen Screen, which I had somehow missed while scanning the store. I looked it up and not only was it vegan and cruelty-free, it was SPF 50 and made by a small Australian company - and if anyone knows how to make good sunscreen, it’s Australians.
I was sold.
I’ve now been using it for about six months and I believe I’ve found the holy grail.
Ultra Violette Vegan Sunscreen
When I look for a face sunscreen, I need something light and non-greasy that will go smoothly and undetected under a full face of foundation.
Not only does Ultra Violette protect your skin from UV rays - according to the bottle - the product is full of antioxidants and will actually help your skin live its best life.
The company has a few different kinds of sunscreen, and I do want to try the waterproof ones, but for now I want to stress that I am only reviewing the Luminising Sun Serum. This is largely because it’s the one Chris found on the day, it had this cool eye-dropper thing and promised to ‘illuminate’ my skin. I would like to try the Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Sunscreen, but we’re sticking with the serum for today.
Review
The Ultra Violette Queen Screen Luminising Sun Serum comes in a blue glass bottle with a white eye-dropper lid. It’s aesthetically pleasing, the glass means it’s not really light in weight - you wouldn’t just chuck it in your bag, the eye-dropper is smooth and rubbery and everything it should be - it’s quite soft and easy to squeeze and doesn’t feel like it’s going to crack. You can also see the product through the bottle and there is a light sparkle to the serum that shines through. Getting the product out is as easy filling the eye-dropper by squeezing it in the bottle, and then again on to your hand. I don’t know how easy that will be once I start nearing the end, but it’s been about six months and I’m only about halfway through, so I still have quite some time before that happens.
The product is white and it does appear to have tiny flecks of sparkle in it, which I guess is the ‘luminising’ property. I wasn’t crazy about that part because, while it can look great when you’re 19, as you age sparkles like that can make you look older, so I really hoped it would not be too visible under make up.
ingredients
You know how I said earlier that Ultra Violette has ingredients that benefit your skin more than just shielding it from the sun? Well, here it is.
Kakadu Plum: This Australian plum has 50 times more vitamin C in it than an orange and has generally been hailed as an all-round excellent thing to put on your skin. It’s in a bunch of really fancy skin serums and I was kind of stoked to find it was in my sunscreen.
Dragosine Plus: This one apparently keeps your skin feeling bouncy and protects it from the entire solar spectrum. It’s also a powerful anti-aging agent.
There is also a lot of hydrating glycerine to make sure your skin doesn’t dry out. Winner.
Application
The sunscreen feels very smooth to touch and glides easily over skin, spreading smoothly and quickly. Ultra Violette says you should use three eye-droppers worth of product with each application. THREE. I mean, sure, but about half an eye-dropper was more than enough to coat my face…so…that’s a thing.
The serum has a rose scent which you immediately notice, but it doesn’t smell like sunscreen which is excellent. Chris put it on once and said, ‘oh, I smell botanical’ - I think that’s the best way to describe it. Botanical, rose-like, but not overpoweringly so.
Appearance
You are left with a light sparkle to you face after application. It’s not like OMG MY FACE IS COVERED IN GLITTER, but it’s definitely there. Again, not crazy about that part.
When I put make up on, I could not see the sparkle anymore - which is what I wanted. It does mean that if went make up-free I would have a sparkle to my face, buuut I guess that’s fine for now.
The other thing I want to mention is that people of colour often have problems with sunscreens leaving a white cast over their skin. I can’t speak on that issue personally, but from everything I’ve seen and read, apparently Ultra Violette does not leave a white cast, and there seem to be quite a few people with darker skin tones who use the product.
Sooo shimmery
My hand doesn’t usually glow like that
does it work?
Yes! I have not been burnt on my face since using Ultra Violette, besides that one time I went to the beach. Guys, it’s not waterproof. But it doesn’t pretend to be so that was my own fault. I mean, I didn’t use three eye-droppers full that day either, but actually in that instance maybe I should have. The company does have a waterproof sunscreen - the Extreme Screen which is water resistant for 4 hours - and that’s really what I should have used when going to the beach. For everyday use, under make up when not in the water, Queen Screen shields you from the UV rays.
Verdict
At $47 for 50ml, it’s on the pricy end. The company’s suggestion to use three eye-droppers of the stuff every day would definitely mean you’d go through product a lot faster than I do using half an eye-dropper (I’ve had mine for six months and I’m barely halfway through), but I also think it’s for the overall health of your skin so it’s worth it in that respect. The product is also vegan and cruelty-free and Australian-made, so I do think it’s worth supporting a company that values those things.
Along with bonus properties, like Kakadu plum, that help your skin, I think Ultra Violette is actually committed to making quality products.
What’s your favorite sunscreen? Let me know in the comments below!
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I Tried the Frank And Oak Subscription Box. Here’s What Happened.
Is the Frank And Oak ‘Style Plan’ Subscription Box worth it? I gave a go and here’s what happened.
If you’re in North America and Facebook detects that you’re remotely interested in clothes, you’ve probably come across ads for the Frank And Oak monthly subscription box, and hovered over it, wondering if it’s really worth it.
There’s no subscription fee and you can opt out of a certain month, or unsubscribe completely at any time for no cost whatsoever. You can also return any items you don’t want within 30 days for a full refund (they’ll even pay shipping), and they’ll only keep a styling fee of $25 if you return everything. This means that if you received nine items and only keep one, they won’t charge the extra $25.
On top of that, all their materials are sustainable and ethically sourced from around the world, everything is recyclable (including the tags), and their clothes are very practical and made to last. Considering the horrid effects of the fast-fashion industry (looking at you, H&M), Frank And Oak know where it’s at.
Anyway, back to the box…
My personal style can be a little out there – I don’t hold back when it comes to glam makeup, fancy (thrifted) skirts, and giant platforms. This can (and has) resulted in some unwanted attention in the past, so when I move to a new city, I like to check out the fashion trends so I know what to expect. Knowing I was moving to Quebec in a matter of weeks, I decided to subscribe to the Montreal-based fashion box to see what French Canadian style was all about.
Here’s what happened.
Frank And Oak Style Plan: A Review
After drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid and clicking on a <gasp> Facebook ad, I arrived at a beautiful-looking website and was asked to pick from the men’s box or the women’s box, and place a range of style preferences (preferred patterns, whether I liked casual, classic, or creative styles, colours I’d never wear, sizes for different items of clothing) and what I would usually spend on shirts, dresses, pants, ect. I chose the cheapest in all areas.
Everything was very visual – I was asked to select a range of preferred outfits and items from images, and knew exactly what I was selecting at all times. It was an easy process and I felt confident about my choices.
Two days before the box is due to be dispatched, I would get an email to preview the box and confirm the items.
It should be noted that if you don’t confirm or decline the box for that month within two-days, the box is automatically confirmed, your credit card is billed, and the box is shipped.
Box 1
I was road-tripping around Jasper, Alberta with no internet, and had no idea the email for my first box had arrived. Three-days flew by and, low and behold, when I got back and realised more than $300 had been billed to my credit card for clothes I’d never seen before, I immediately contacted Frank And Oak to explain the situation.
Surprisingly, they were extremely accommodating. Since the box preview fell over a long weekend, they hadn’t shipped mine yet and happily gave me a refund.
Crisis averted, and I was looking forward to actually being able to preview the next month’s selection.
Box 2
I was living in Montreal by the time box two came around, so I was super-excited to take a look.
The previews come with nine stylist-selected items already in your box, with a price on the top right-hand corner of the page. You can thumbs-down any items you hate and never want to see again, then refresh to see new items in their place.
I wanted to see allll the options (maybe there were ones I’d like better if I kept going?), so I kept thumbs-downing things to see what else they had, and then eventually I ran out of options, the price dropped significantly, and I couldn’t go back and thumbs-up anything I rejected.
I used the chat function to ask a human if there were any more items, and some new ones popped up, though because I look terrible in pastel colours, I had to reject more and the number of items diminished again. I ran in to this problem a couple of times.
Eventually someone at Frank And Oak told me they might be adding more items later in the day, so I waited.
When I got back to the preview screen, most items I wanted were sold out and the cost of the box was hovering at around $200 for what I perceived as less items.
Since none of the items I really wanted were available, I decided to skip that month and wait for the next one.
Box 3
Third time lucky, right?
The email came, I previewed the box immediately and liked way more items than I had the previous month. Win! I thumbs-downed a few odd colours that would make me look like I had liver failure, but kept most of them, including some jeans, a scarf, a fluffy navy sweater, two black dresses, some 40s-style tweed pants, black boots, and a few other things.
For the first time in three-months, I hit ‘confirm’ and almost immediately got a receipt. It cost $224, but for nine items, it looked like a pretty good deal. So far so good! It wasn’t until I got the shipping notice that I realized what was actually going on.
You have to confirm the items you want to keep by clicking on the image. There’s no thumbs-up button to do this, you just have to know to double-click the items you want. I didn’t do this on any of the items, so the top three were automatically confirmed for me, and the shipping notice read that I was only receiving three items for $224, rather than nine.
One item was a $70 scarf (to put this in perspective, the last scarf I bought was $1 at a garage sale) and I tried really hard not to think about it.
Because I’m living in Montreal, impressively, the box arrived the next day. There were indeed three items in the box and, I have to say, they were beautifully folded and packaged.
what was in my box
The first item I picked up was the $70 scarf. It was a deep red, finely woven, and thick enough to withstand a Canadian winter, but not chunky. It was stunning. I was floored. The picture above doesn’t do it justice.
I’m a traveller so I usually thrift clothes, or buy cheaper ones, so wearing brand on the higher end of the scale was an experience I hadn’t had in a while.
The sheer quality of everything was a nice surprise – it’s something I didn’t even consider, but it made deciding what to keep astonishingly difficult. All items were extremely well-designed, and made from soft and wearable materials that had a nice weight to them – something fast-fashion labels just don’t have.
The black dress didn’t look all that remarkable from the outside – it looked like a few other dresses I’d seen on racks everywhere for years. It was shorter in length and sheer with small buttons down the front, but didn’t feel like it would blow everywhere in the wind or cling to my tights on cold days.
The sweater was thick and warm. I think I was imagining something slightly oversized when I saw the preview because I’m small and things usually look big on me, but it was surprisingly fitted with room underneath for layers, and sat just above my hips.
On top of that, everything fit perfectly.
Is It Worth It?
The thing with subscription boxes is that they’re meant to be great value. I’ve signed up to a few beauty boxes in the past, and have received quite a few items for a seemingly low cost, so I assumed this would be a similar thing.
While you do save around 20% on each item with the Frank And Oak Style Plan, for regular humans who work for a standard wage in Canada, it’s not cost-effective. What I didn’t realise upon signing up is the more you ‘confirm’ to your box, the higher the price goes. For example, I added a Thinsulate snow coat recently and, with three other items in the box, the cost of the whole box jacked up to more than $500. Sure, you’re getting a discount, but it’s not a huge one.
All in all, if you’re happy to spend a little more on quality, durable and sustainable attire that will last, then yes, the Frank And Oak Style Plan subscription box is totally worth it.
If you’ve been gawping at the cost and can’t fathom spending that much money on only a couple of items, then maybe it’s not for you, but I wouldn’t rule it out. Signing up is a risk-free process – you never pay for anything you don’t want, and if you proceed with the box and don’t like any items when it arrives, it’ll only cost you $25. If you can part with $25 or more for the sake of curiosity, then I’d give it a try.
At the end of the day, I probably wouldn’t have picked out any of the items I received from a rack in a store, which is kind of the point of investing in a stylist. In that capacity, it’s a fun and interesting thing to try.
Have you tried Frank And Oak, or another clothing subscription box? Tell me what you think in the comments below!
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