I was lucky to spend my Holy Week break with my family in Australia. I enjoyed taking the kids to various tourist spots and amusement parks. I also made it a point to do as the locals do: Hoard a few products from Australian beauty brands.
My first favorite was something I found in a hotel we stayed in: Kevin Murphy Young Again Body Wash and Kevin Murphy Young Again Rinse Conditioner. Both smell so good and luxurious. The body wash is best rinsed off with warm water as it leaves skin soft and clean without that stripped feeling. I used the conditioner for my hair, and found it didn’t leave my hair feeling greasy or heavy.
I figured Australia was a good place to pick up a few self-tanning products. And true enough, I quickly found a few products that didn’t break the bank.
There’s the Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self-Tanning Dry Oil which sets in two to three hours, plus is made with argan oil so your skin is glowing, just like a real tan should.
My other pick is the Le Tan Express 30 Minute Tan. This product is best used before you shower, as the effect stops when your skin comes in contact with water. I was attracted to it also because the brand is cruelty-free and uses no parabens.
SPF
SPF is another priority of mine, and beach-loving Australia had quite a selection.
I brought home the Ultraceuticals Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturizer SPF+50. I find I will use this a lot as a daily moisturizer, given how it protects me from UVA and UVB rays. And on days when I’m on the go and can’t be bothered with too many products, this is handy indeed.
I picked up two lip products, incidentally from brands headed by models. Luma Beauty is by Jessica Hart, who believes makeup should make you “feel empowered, confident and radiant at all times.” I was attracted to the brand’s Just a Touch Lip and Cheek Tint in Muse, which can be used on no-makeup days.
My other buy was from Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics. I got the Noni Lip Tint. This organic balm promises to protect, nourish, and condition the lips with the power of noni fruit and the energy of rose quartz.
Grown Alchemist Detox Toner attracted me because of how it claims to help in regenerating damaged cells. Created for most skin types, the toner has several ingredients which are all about preventing fine lines and wrinkles. These include vitamin A, hydrolyzed algin, blackcurrant extract and rose flower water.
My final pick is something that will bring harmony to my home: Aesop Post-Poo Drops. It has tangerine peel, ylang-ylang, and mandarin peel which deodorize in a safe, nontoxic way.