Review: 10 Beauty Products You’ll Wish You’d Known About Sooner

After years of working as an Editor and writer for…

I get it; the amount of new beauty launches every month can be straight-up overwhelming. But with dozens of brand-new makeup, skincare and haircare products launching every single month, how do you tell what’s worth the splurge and what’s better left as a distant memory from your Instagram feed? Fortunately for you, dear reader, I’m always willing to put my skin and hair on the line to test out the newest beauty products on the market, so you don’t have to. So, what’s good this month? Here are of my picks for 10 of the best beauty products available in South Africa to get you through the month… Because I support your decision to treat yourself to yet another lipstick you probably don’t need but deserve.

1. Inoar Hand Sanitiser Gel

Thanks to Covid-19, we’re all using our body weight in hand sanitiser right now. While it’s undoubtedly necessary, the constant use of hand sanitiser, is taking a heavy toll on the condition of our hands. Of course, not all hand sanitiser is created equal and it matters what type of sanitiser you’re using. If you’re tired of your hands feeling like sandpaper then switching to a more skin-loving product like the Argan oil-infused Inoar Hand Sanitiser Gel will help save your hands during this pandemic.

The antiseptic hand sanitiser gel is nourishing and non-sticky, giving you a solution to care for your hands whilst helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19. It contains 70% alcohol ensuring that 99,9% of bacteria, viruses and germs are immediately eliminated, BUT, leaves your skin feeling nourished, moisturised and soft, thanks to the skin-repairing properties of Argan oil. I never thought a hand sanitiser could feel luxurious but this one does! I love using it and my hands don’t feel like they’ve been stripped of moisture after applying it. What’s more, it’s ideal to use on sensitive skin as well as damaged, dry skin. It’s also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
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Grab Inoar Hand Sanitiser Gel online and at leading hair salons for R150 for 500ml.

2. Azana Spa Aloe Vera and Cucumber Micellar Water

If you love to support local, this new gentle micellar water is a must-try. The Cape Town Toiletry Company’s Azana Spa Aloe Vera and Cucumber Micellar Water is infused with soothing aloe vera and cucumber extract to help cleanse the skin and treat sensitive skin, leaving you with a radiant glow. This lekker local product is also vegan, cruelty-free, sulphate-free, and made from 94% natural ingredients.

Made up of micelles (tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules) suspended in soft water, micellar water attracts dirt and oil, without stripping the skin, helping to draw out impurities without drying and agitating the skin. This version from Azana Spa works like a bomb and is beautifully fresh. Forget time-consuming 10-step skincare routines, you can use this multipurpose 3-in-1 skincare product to cleanse, tone, and remove make-up. My skin always looks super clean and feels beautifully fresh after using this product. The mild formula does wonders to help soothe my sensitive skin and I love that it contains antioxidants (vitamin E) and vegetable glycerine to help fight the effects of environmental damage to the skin while leaving your skin feeling moisturised after every use.

Grab Azana Spa Aloe Vera and Cucumber Micellar Water at Dis-Chem for R89.95.

3. Nature Box Almond Insta Lift-Up Spray

If it’s serious volume you’re after, you’ll most definitely want to try the Nature Box Almond Insta Lift-Up Spray. Designed to give you weightless volume and touchable fullness, while also respecting and caring for sensitive skin and scalp, this spray is a true ‘drugstore shelf’ gem.

I’ve been reaching for this spray over the past month when styling my hair and found it gave my roots an impressive lift without any greasiness. It’s a great product to help create volume without that heavy feeling that you often get from a volumising mousse. Using it along with my hairdryer, it really helps to give a great amount of long-lasting lift at the roots. Which is impressive, seeing that it’s an oil-based product. Free from silicones, this lightweight root lift spray is made from 94% ingredients from natural origin.

Grab the Nature Box Almond Insta Lift-Up Spray at Clicks, Checkers, Dis-Chem and Takealot for R99.

4. Biomedcan Sleep

This daily supplement can be used to effectively improve your quality of sleep so you no longer have to worry about the business of counting sheep at bedtime. While CBD is brilliant as a sleep aid on its own, Biomedcan decided to take it one step further by combining the non-psychoactive cannabis-derived chemical with other natural ingredients also known to reduce anxiety and promote sleep to form a powerful sleep supplement, Biomedcan Sleep.

Combining Ashwagandha, Hop, Magnesium Citrate, Valerian Root, Sceletium, and Cannabis sativa L (CBD isolate | 20mg), Biomedcan Sleep promotes a faster and deeper natural sleep. With 20mg of CBD in each Biomedcan Sleep capsule, the ‘Entourage Effect’ works to improve the efficacy of the active ingredients in the product, especially powerful sleep aids like Valerian Root, Sceletium, and Magnesium. I tested the product for a full month, taking one capsule 30 mins before bed each night, and was blown away by how well it worked. I experienced a noticeable difference in my quality of sleep and would highly recommend the supplement to anyone who needs help with their sleep. Read my full review on the product here.

Grab Biomedcan Sleep at Wellness Warehouse, Faithful to Nature, as well as through the Biomedcan website for R549 for 30 capsules.

5. Nivea Love Fun Times Shower Gel

Infused with cranberry antioxidants and a grapefruit scent, this wonderfully fun shower gel is ideal for rejuvenating your senses while you shower. With a grapefruit fragrance, this body cleanser is invigorating and helps to revive and relax you after a long day. It smells absolutely divine and brings a touch of fun to shower or bath time.

I adore the packaging and the product itself leaves skin feeling nourished and clean. The gel-like formula whips into a silky soft foam to cleanse without giving your skin that stripped feeling. If you’re looking for an inexpensive, fun shower gel, you can’t go wrong with this little gem.

Grab the Nivea NIVEA Love Fun Times Shower Gel from Takealot for R36,99 for 250ml & R59,99 for 500ml.

6. Salome Menstrual Pain

Nothing stops joy in its tracks quite like the scourge that is menstrual cramps. During my monthly shark week, ibuprofen is my best friend but, truth be told, popping painkillers for 2 days straight isn’t my idea of a good time. Luckily, I’ve just discovered a more natural alternative I can turn to when Aunty Flo’s got me down. 3Sixty Biomedicine’s latest product within the Salome range will hopefully be the answer to many women’s battle with painful menstrual cramping, even those as young as 13 years old.

The menstrual cramp treatment draws on natural ingredients, including yarrow (which has antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects) to help offer relief for spasms associated with menstrual periods which usually occur at the start of your menstrual flow, lasting anywhere between 8 and 72 hours. While most of us reach for painkillers during this time Salome Menstrual Pain is a great, safe alternative to managing painful menstrual cramping.

As luck would have it, I got my hands on this product just a day before Aunty Flo paid me a visit. The capsules worked wonders to help soothe the pain from my menstrual cramps over the first 2 days of my period and I felt better knowing I wasn’t overdoing it on the ibuprofen. When the pain starts, you simply take one or two capsules three times daily and wait for relief to set it. The product is intended for mild cramps, but even women who struggle from severe cramps have reported great results using the product.

Grab Salome Menstrual Pain from Takealot or the 3Sixty Biomedicine website for R157.04.

7. Avène TriXera Nutrition Nutri-fluid Cleanse

In the market for a cleanser that is kind to sensitive skin and the planet? This biodegradable, soap-free formula gently cleanses, nourishes, protects, and moisturises even the most sensitive skin. It is safe for the entire family, and can even be used for kids ages 3 years and up. The cleansing multi-tasker can be used on the face and body and is a winner of note for dry and very dry sensitive skin. What’s more, the high-tolerance formula ensures it doesn’t sting eyes or irritate the skin.

This foaming gel is super easy to apply and rinse off the skin and leaves your skin feeling beautifully nourished and soft. The formula is made up of Glyceryl Mono Oleate (a brilliant lipid-replenishing agent), Selectiose (to restore the skin’s protective barrier), and the famous Avène Thermal Spring Water (to soothe dry skin that is irritated with tightness). My skin can get horribly dry during the winter months so when I’m struggling with crocodile-like skin this is my go-to cleanser. It helps to soothe my skin and restore it to its pre-winter glory.

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Grab the Avène TriXera Nutrition Nutri-fluid Cleanse at Dis-Chem for R195.

8. Inoar Resistance Lotus Oil

Saying this oil is a gamechanger for dry hair does not even begin to describe how amazing this little product is. When you buy a bottle of the Inoar Résistance Lotus Flower Oil you get 7ml of pure hair happiness in a bottle. This wonder oil is composed of plant ingredients that penetrate deep into the hair fibre to give back your hair’s natural moisture. The oil has a slightly thicker, almost gel-like consistency and works to strengthen and repair the hair while reducing frizz and restoring health and shine.

I’ve been using this oil on my hair for weeks and apply it whenever my hair needs a good pick-me-up. Every time I use it I’m blown away by how much healthier my hair looks and feels from just a small drop of this liquid hair gold. I mostly use it on dry hair and work it through my strands before heading out the door. It not only tames frizz but leaves hair feeling super soft as well. What’s more, it’s cruelty-free, vegan, sulphate-free, and paraben-free.

Grab a bottle of Inoar Résistance Lotus Flower Oil from hair salons and online from Inoar at R130.

9. Gatineau Perfection Ultime Skin Perfecting Cream-Serum

The Gatineau Perfection Ultime Skin Perfecting Cream-Serum is the perfect multi-tasking product for anyone looking to skip a few steps in their daily skincare routine without compromising on results. The lightweight formula combines the potency of Gatineau’s anti-ageing serums with the comfort of a cream to make it even easier to infuse the skin with high levels of targeted active ingredients. Featuring a long list of targeted actives including plumping Hyaluronic Acid, antioxidant White Tea and anti-ageing Centella Asiatica, this new breed of serum is a must-try for anyone wanting to target early signs of ageing.

This ‘pressed serum’ has the potency of a serum and the comfort of a feather-light cream and works as a hydrating treatment for the skin. The cream melts into the skin almost instantly leaving the skin feeling soft and moisturised. It can be used on its own as a moisturiser or layered under a separate moisturiser for even greater anti-ageing benefits. After a few weeks of using this product, my skin had a beautiful glow and felt wonderfully hydrated. If you’re looking for a product that will intensively treat the skin whilst delivering a soft, smooth and dewy glow, Gatineau Perfection Ultime Skin Perfecting Cream-Serum won’t disappoint!

Grab the Gatineau Perfection Ultime Skin Perfecting Cream-Serum from Woolworths for R1,150.

10. Maison Berdoues Collection Grands Crus Selva Do Brazil EDP

Spring is almost here, which means it’s time to pick your summertime fragrance! Selva Do Brazil is a summer revelation for those days when you’re feeling energised and ready to take on the world. If you love light, fresh fragrances you will adore the simplicity of this botanical perfume. Petitgrain from Paraguay, tonka bean from Brazil and Gaiac wood from Argentina come together to create a fragrance that is both alive and racy.

Housed in a beautiful glass bottle, each with a unique design printed on the bottle, this fragrance will light up your dressing table all year round. This bright and beautiful perfume would make for a lovely gift for a special person in your life as the bottles themselves are just a thing of beauty.

Grab the Maison Berdoues fragrances from Foschini for Beauty for R1,595 each for 100ml EDP.