Starting a new job created the perfect opportunity for a long overdue home office cleanse. Not an office as such, but a desk space separated from my bed by a screen. With an en-suite shower room, there would be particularly sedentary days WFH when I would barely clock 50 steps between bed, bathroom and desk, until school pick up. As I was clearing out old lab samples, I uncovered 2 drawers full of empties I’d optimistically saved up over more than a year, thinking I’d post about them much sooner than now. Time for a trip down memory lane to see how much I remember of these natural skincare products.
Evolve Organic Beauty Rose Quartz Facial Polish
This is a gentle natural exfoliator for anyone who wants smoother, brighter skin without an aggressive scrub. Hibiscus extract helps break down dead skin to keep future breakouts at bay, while organic rosehip oil supports cellular renewal. What I particularly like is that it leaves skin feeling nourished rather than stripped. It’s a good choice if you want to improve texture and dullness but still prefer a soft approach to exfoliation.
Evolve Organic Beauty Kalahari Dream Cleansing Oil
Along with Caudalie’s cleansing oil, this will have been one of the cleansing oils that converted me to a regular user. Today this format is my daily go-to for gentle and nourishing makeup removal. It melts away makeup, SPF and the day’s build-up without leaving that heavy, greasy film you get with some oils. With soothing chamomile and calendula oils to help support the skin barrier, this one is ideal for sensitive or sensitised skin.
Evolve Organic Beauty Hyaluronic Eye Complex
Clearly I had a strong Evolve phase – this brand is often in my skincare toolkit for its beautiful organic formulas. This lightweight rollerball gel gently tackles fine lines and puffiness around the delicate eye area, with hydrating hyaluronic acid helping to plump and smooth. I wish I had this during the never-ending heatwave this summer, I would’ve kept it in the fridge so the chilled rollerball could de-puff even more effectively.
Evolve Organic Beauty Salicylic Rescue Serum
The last of this edit’s Evolve empties, I always try to have a salicylic acid product on hand for my sometimes congested and hormonal breakout-prone skin. Combining salicylic acid with soothing aloe vera and copaiba balsam, it clears congestion and calms skin at the same time. This is a great example of how blemish products have progressed from harsh drying solutions to gentle treatments.
Dose Salicylic Acid 2% Serum
This is a great value option for blemish-prone skin. Its small molecular size allows it to penetrate deeply into the pores, helping to target congestion where it starts. Straightforward, effective and easy to incorporate into your skincare routine, it provides a great preventative approach to breakouts.
Pai Salicylic Acid 2% Clarifying Booster
The ultimate solution for sensitive skin, for me Pai can do no wrong. This fragrance-free, COSMOS Natural-certified booster can be applied neat or mixed in with your usual serum or moisturiser. I find breakouts tend to come back to the same area (jawline) so this works well as a targeted treatment – especially as the bottle is only 10ml.
Inlight Night Balm
Part of the aptly named Skin Aid Kit, this travel-size pot is one of five certified organic herb-infused mini balms that can be used for red, itchy skin, bruises and sore muscles – perfect for the whole family.
Lavera Barrier Balance Serum
This feather-light, vegan serum delivers hydration through hyaluronic acid and prebiotic botanicals. It absorbs quickly, feels non-sticky and is particularly good for sensitive skin. nothing ground-breaking, but if your skin barrier is compromised, this is a gentle way to bring it back into balance.
UpCircle SPF25 Mineral Sunscreen
This SPF25 Mineral Sunscreen is a solid everyday option for gentle sun exposure, such as spring and autumn days or time spent mostly indoors. An easy all-year-round choice, it does have a bit of a white cast, so best for fair to light skin.
Balance Me Gradual Tanning Drops
My number one empty has to be this one, for its realistic sun-kissed glow without streaks, biscuit scent or orange tones. Mixed with moisturiser, 3 drops for 3 consecutive mornings gave me a beautifully believable tan. Shame it’s been discontinued!
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