Its been a while since I have done one of these skincare discoveries posts and it isn’t because I have ran out of ideas but simply because I think I need more hours in my day! November has been busy but amazing month for me and as mentioned in a previous post – I have learnt so much in the past 30 days. Its been so rewarding and a great way to start wrapping up 2016.
Anyways, in between working, planning two weddings and general life, I have had endless wonderful hours of procrastination on Instagram and the general internet to bring you my November skincare discoveries. Lately I have had the pleasure of stumbling upon and speaking with the gorgeous Olivia Thorpe, the brains behind upcoming ecoluxe skincare line, Vanderohe. Olivia is just such a refreshing voice in the skincare business and I have really enjoyed learning a thing or two from her. In my recent travels, I have had the wonderful opportunity to look at some fantastic brands, both new and established in their country of origin, they include brands such as Snowfox Skincare, Femmue and DrGL. Finally, whilst trying to find Instagram inspiration for wedding favours, I came across the unique concept and brand – Volition Beauty, a brand which prides itself for incorporating the needs and wants of consumers in their business model. Each of these 5 skincare discoveries all have something exciting, new or innovative to bring to the skincare game and I do believe as each brand progresses and grows, they will definitely be ones to watch!
Vanderohe
Image Source: Instagram @vanderohe
I stumbled upon Vanderohe a few months ago whilst trawling through Instagram one evening (much to the dismay of the Mr hahaha) and was immediately attracted to founder, Olivia’s beautiful feed. Whilst exploring her feed I noticed that she had some sort of wonderful oil in the works and as time progressed I got a sneak peak of what was coming together – the No 1 Nourishing Face Serum.
So what is the Vanderohe No 1 Nourishing Face Serum exactly? Well, put simply it is a concoction of 11 carefully chosen oils that blends synergistically with one another to produce a rare and highly potent combination of skin-healing and skin nourishing properties. This serum/oil boasts multicorrectional properties that target skin issues such as pigmentation, sensitivity and help to protect the skin from early signs of ageing.
I contacted Olivia to find out a little bit more about her mysterious creation and was completely blown away by her response. Not only did she take the time to tell me a little bit about Vanderohe’s No 1 Nourishing Face Serum, she also went into so much detail about the ingredients and the research she underwent in creating this. She also generously shared with me some of her own knowledge about oils and the quality of oils (as we all know I love learning about this hahaha). She was also was kind enough to tell me how her magic concoction came about, “No 1 came about mainly because I just couldn’t use anything whilst I was pregnant with my second son. I literally hated the scent of everything”. This lead to Olivia to taking some workshops on making skincare which initiated her thirst to find out everything and anything about blending oils. Later, a good friend asked Olivia to create a bespoke formulation to prevent scarring as she was having a mole removed from her face. Olivia goes on to explain “I singled out all the most potent ingredients to prevent scarring and started blending. My nose led me to choosing the ingredients that now make up Vanderohe No.1 Nourishing Face Serum”.
Through our email conversations, I could clearly see that Olivia was extremely passionate and incredibly meticulous in exactly what she put the No 1 Nourishing Face Serum. For her, quality is everything and whilst all of her ingredients are certified organic by the USDA and the UK Soils Association, Olivia took it one step further. She explains, “I wanted to find versions of the ingredients that were the ABSOLUTE best you could get in the world and after months of researching I managed to find trustworthy suppliers that were 100% focused on providing the very best quality”, a process which took her almost half a year. She proudly claims that each and every ingredient is grown in their true country of origin and are extracted in their purest form, when she receives each oil she carefully hand blends each batch, being mindful to blend each oil in a particular order so the final scent is the same beautiful complex scent. It is a scent that is so complex and unique, that it has been praised by the head of the Aromatherapy Trade Council in the UK, it is great honour and accomplishment for Vanderohe in such a short amount of time.
Vanderohe No 1 Nourishing Face Serum will be £88.00 for 30ml and is available for preorder from Vanderohe from the 1st December 2016. This serum will be officially available to purchase directly through the Vanderohe website from the 1st February 2017.
Snowfox Skincare
Image Source: Instagram @snowfoxskincare
Snowfox Skincare is an extremely new skincare brand that I stumbled upon in my recent travels overseas. From what I know and understand, they haven’t officially launched yet but their products are currently available to purchase online. The brand focuses mainly on simple, natural based skincare that delivers in performance. Their philosophy is to keep skincare simple with only a cleanser, sheet mask and moisturiser available in the range to clean, detox and hydrate and protect the skin.
One thing that I personally found interesting about the brand is that they claim to use 100% natural or naturally derived ingredients in all their formulations, with some ingredients coming from organic origin. Due to this, their products are best used within 3 months of opening. After three months, whilst products are still safe to use, the smell and texture may differ slightly. Their formulations do draw inspiration from Eastern skincare trends but also do incorporate the simplicity of Western skincare principles. They do use some traditional asian herbs and botanicals in their formulations. Snowfox Skincare also prides themselves on containing no parabens, SLS, petrochemicals or phthalates in their formulations. What I do love about them is that they do have the Asian Beauty mindset BUT with the Western mindset on focusing on being more natural with unnecessary synthetics in their formulations.
When I did come across the brand earlier in the month, I did pick up a few sheet masks and a cleanser from the brand. The ingredients of the sheet masks did impress me greatly as there are minimal synthetics in the ingredients listing (reminds me a little bit of my highly raved about 5YINA Divine Sheet Masks) and they do feel quite cooling on. I haven’t yet opened or tried the cleanser but I do think this is a brand to watch over the next few months! Their packaging and overall philosophy is really interesting and it will be great to see what they do next.
You can check out the Snowfox Skincare website here.
Femmue
Image Source: www.femmue.com
Femmue is a brand which I have seen floating around on Instagram and also on websites such as Glow Recipe, Beautibi and Bisou Beauty Bar. It has always been a brand that has caught my interest via social media as the brand’s general aesthetic and packaging is not only quite beautiful but also so practical as well. Moisturiser in a jar pump? Yes please! I swear that all companies should do pump packaging as a standard – its so much more hygienic.
What is that makes Femmue skincare so special in comparison to other Korean brands? Well, as mentioned earlier it was the look and feel that got me initially excited about the brand. However, when I spoke with the brand’s creative director, Kelly, I discovered that Femmue is so much more than pretty, feminine packaging – it was the determination to create something that in her eyes was perfect. For Kelly, the product is not just about results, it is the whole experience for the Femmue user. Everything from the scent, the packaging, the texture of the product and of course it’s performance is something that Kelly is so passionate about in her line. Everything from these areas must meet her high standards, which is why all the moisturisers, although lightweight and sink into the skin so effortlessly, do pack a punch in terms of hydrating the skin. It is also the reason why all her packaging is so beautiful to look at but also highly functional. Kelly’s meticulous attention to detail in how her product looks, feels and smells is apparent in all areas of the Femmue line.
Kelly’s formulations, although not 100% natural, do try to incorporate where possible, the finest natural active ingredients, with some even derived or are native to South Korea’s infamous Jeju Island. Her philosophy is that flowers and botanical plants and herbs have the potential to heal and nourish the skin but through aromatherapy and scent, help lift and calm our spirits. Most of the products in the Femmue line have the most divine botanicals scents, which are all naturally derived and in no way synthetic. The only exception is her Global Cera Smart cream, which is made for sensitive skins and does not contain any essential oils that could potentially trigger a reaction. This is the cream that I purchased and whilst, I haven’t used it just yet, I was most impressed with the tester on display – this sunk into the skin so effortlessly and felt instantly hydrating. Femmue focuses heavily on evoking on all the senses and draws inspiration from florals and femininity to bring all round luxurious skincare experience.
Keep an eye out on what Femmue brings out next shortly – there are some really, really exciting products due to be launched in the next few months (I can’t say what just yet but it really has me excited!!). Femmue can be purchased from the Femmue website, with limited products available from Beautibi, Glow Recipe and Bisou Beauty Bar.
Volition Beauty
Image Source: Instagram @volitionbeauty
How often is it that YOU get to decide what you want or expect in a product? I would assume that the answer for most of us is not very often. Volition Beauty came up on my radar recently due to its really unique take on creating skincare and beauty products. The company’s whole premise is that new products shouldn’t be decided on by executives and a handful of people in suits – it should be driven by consumers. At the end of the day – it is us, the consumer that understands our needs and wants and Volition is a platform for consumers and beauty professionals to utilise their knowledge and creativity to find a solution in their beauty stash.
The concept of Volition Beauty is relatively simple, if someone has an idea – any idea, simply submit it to the Volition team and they will welcome it with open arms. The idea can simply be an ancient ingredient that has been discovered in recent travels, it can be a chemical formula (for the science wizards out there!) or it can simply be a product we wish existed but doesn’t…yet. The talented individuals at Volition Beauty will look into the idea and see if it feasible, right for the brand itself and if there is market potential in the area. If the idea is chosen, Volition will work with the individual to create their dream product. Once the product has been created, a campaign is submitted to the website where other people (thats people like you and me) can vote for the product. If there are enough votes to develop the product, then the campaign is considered a success and is made to be available for purchase to the general public on the Volition website.
What I love about the concept of Volition is the fact it incorporates consumers into the design process as every single product on the website is an idea of individual who has found a gap in the market. It is a space for consumers to vote on what they would potentially purchase later down the track and is a wonderful platform for innovation in the beauty industry. The concept of Volition is so unique and is one where it really does listen to the feedback of others. The brand is built on the needs and wants of consumers and I think that is such a powerful concept.
Currently, I am loving the sound of some of the products already available in store such as the Helix Restorative Eye Gel – an eye gel that is designed to sit perfectly under make-up and the Detoxifying Silt Gelee Mask – a mask that aims to draw out impurities but also to hydrate the skin. There are also some really interesting campaigns at the moment too – my favourite is Pomona Custom Gel Sheet Mask – where you can create your own gel sheet mask with ANY liquid. Yes any liquid, it can be smoothie, a cold pressed juice or even red wine!
Find out more about Volition Beauty, click here, there is just too much to share about this amazing concept.
DrGL
Image Source: www.drgl.com
DrGL is a Singaporean brand developed by the renowned Dr Georgia Lee, celebrity doctor who specialises in botox and skincare. Dr Lee created the line after suffering a serious allergic reaction to a product that resulted in blisters covering the left side of her face, causing severe hyperpigmentation. It was from this experience that led her to create her own treatment cream, which saw results in diminishing her hyperpigmentation. This amazing discovery opened a new door for Dr Lee and helped to created a new found interest in developing her own skincare range and DrGL was born.
The DrGL line aims is a line that is aimed towards a range of different skin types. Dr Lee, who is heavily involved in developing the products within her line, strives to combine cutting edge science and high performance results. For her, the ingredients that she incorporates into her line must be the best as she wants to ensure that all ingredients are in its most pure and potent form. The choice of ingredients for Dr Lee is also important as she believes in keeping formulas as simple but as potent as possible and that every ingredient in her product has a purpose. She believes that incorporating too many ingredients has the potential to irritate and cause sensitivity to the skin. Dr Lee also firmly believes in keeping all her textures as lightweight as possible to be suitable for the hot and humid Singaporean weather.
When I recently had the opportunity to have a play and explore the DrGL range, I was completely blown away by the textures of all of her products. Her sunscreen was without a doubt an absolute highlight for me and I regret not purchasing it! It was lightweight and milky but sunk it so beautifully into the skin and did not in anyway leave a white cast. The sunscreen literally felt light as a feather and it was almost like nothing had been applied on to my skin at all. Living in Australia, I am always in the search for a good sunscreen, but I have never had a sunscreen feel so weightless on my skin like the DrGL one. The other product that really had me interested was her Skin Repair Serum which uses active plant stem cell extracts to help stimulate human skin grow. This serum is a potent formulation which can help to not only protect and prevent the skin from signs of ageing but also to replace damaged skin cells with new ones, over time helping the skin to heal and minimise scarring. The before and after photos that were shown to me were quite astounding and it really had me curious on just how effective the DrGL range could be!
To find out more about the DrGL range and her diverse range of products, do look at her website here.
Have you heard or used of any of the brands discussed above? What were your experiences? If you could pick any of the brands to try in the above list, which would you choose? Please share your comments in the comments section below!
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