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Today, I’m going to give you a Brand Review on Antipodes, a organic cosmetics brand from New Zealand.
Antipodes’ specialty is the use of a star ingredient: manuka honey, the best honey in the world. Manuka is very present in New Zealand, and the bees that revel in the manuka flowers produce particularly healing, antibacterial honey.
It is the honey used in the hospital for burn victims. When I went to see a farmer in New Zealand, she sold me a jar of organic honey, saying her neighbor used it to treat an injured horse. Anyone who has tasted manuka honey will recognize authentic manuka honey. It has such a special taste, not necessarily pleasant, even a little bitter. Its effectiveness on pimples or pigmentation is incredible (leave a small layer of honey on the face for 30 minutes, like a mask).
Unfortunately, you can’t spread honey on your face 24/7 because it sticks everywhere, so I’m always interested in products containing honey. And learning that Antipodes uses this star ingredient in almost all its products. I bought one, then two, then 4 products.
What a shame I discovered the brand years after my trip to New Zealand. Antipodes was on sale in all pharmacies and organic stores in New Zealand.
This article is NOT sponsored
At Antipodes, natural ingredients are grown without chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers
Antipodes products are completely free of parabens; sulfates; phthalates; silicon-derived ingredients; synthetic ingredients; genetically modified (GMO) ingredients; ingredients of animal origin (except for products from live bees such as honey); artificial colorants; artificial fragrances; chemical UV filters; mineral oils; petrochemicals (such as propylene glycol); phenoxyethanol; BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole); ethanolamines and ethoxylated ingredients.
Apart from honey, all ingredients are VEGAN.
Antipodes is quite expensive, so don’t hesitate to buy the mini sets, between 10,2€ and 25€, which are often on sale before Christmas and during winter sales, or permanently on their official website.
In Europe, you will find Antipodes products at Sephora, Galeries Lafayette, Marionnaud, Lookfantastic, FeelUnique, on their official website, or on Amazon.
Vanilla Pod Cream
Ingredients : Aqua (Water), Glycerine, Squalane (Olive) Extract, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Butter, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Nut Oil, Rosa canina (Rosehip) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Macropiper excelsum (Kawakawa) Leaf Extract, Dehydroacetic Acid; Benzyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Vitis vinifera (Vinanza® Grape) Seed Extract, Leptospermum scoparium (Mel) Honey Manuka. Fragrance of Vanilla Pod & Mandarin: Coumarin, D-Limonene, Linalool, Citral, geraniol.
My first purchase was the set composed of Divine Face Oil serum and Vanilla Pod cream. I liked Vanilla Pod so much that I cut the tube to get the last remaining ml. In the mini sets, the Vanilla Pod cream is in the shape of a tube (it’s a bit like toothpaste). 11ml is enough for a month, knowing that only a small amount is needed peruse. The Full size is in the usual jar shape. I definitely prefer the tube format, even if this tube is fragile and ends up being perforated in places.
As you can see, it has a fairly rich creamy texture (shea butter). The smell is discreet but delicious. It’s not really the smell of vanilla, but a similar smell, which I like very much.
Once spread on the skin, the cream penetrates quickly. However, it shines a little. Dry and normal skin will love it all year round. Oily and combination skin will prefer to use it only in winter because it is still quite rich. In any case, it does not give pimples, no purging, no allergy. It has a calming, repairing side very appreciable. So even in summer, I use it as a night cream to repair my skin that has been mistreated by the sun.
I love it so much I’ve ended up buying the full-size version.
Price: 8€ the travel size at FeelUnique and 10,2€ at Antipodes. Full size : 36€ at Sephora, 37€ at Marionnaud, 30,8€ at FeelUnique, 30,6€ at Antipodes, 36€ at Amazon
Aura Mask
Ingredients : Aqua (Water), Leptospermum scoparium (Mel) Manuka Honey, Persea gratissima (Avocado Pear) Oil, Glycerine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate. Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Metrosideros excels (Pohutukawa) Flower Extract, Daucus carota (Carrot) Seed Oil, Vitis vinifera (Vinanza® Grape) Seed Extract. Fragrance of Vanilla & Mandarin: Coumarin, D-Limonene, Linalool.
It’s my favorite mask! It saved my skin weakened by hormonal acne and maskne.
I love it so much that I can use it every day if I think about it. It has a creamy texture but more liquid than a cream. This mask is indicated as the ideal solution for acne-prone skin. The texture is surprising because we are used to using denser masks than this, which dry the skin when we have acne. It’s the opposite: you have to moisturize, and the Aura mask is the best acne antidot.
With manuka honey as the second ingredient, it’s obvious why it is so gentle on the skin while being moisturizing (glycerin), nourishing (avocado oil), and antioxidant (Vinanza grape seed extract).
I find here my favorite metal tube format. This tube is stronger than the travel size one from Vanilla Pod, so I can fold the tube and store it more easily in my travel kit. There is a very discreet little smell. As I really like this mask, I now associate this smell with the smell of well-being.
In case of active acne, use this mask 7 days in a row to see a clear improvement. Then, when the acne is gone, you can use it 2 to 3 times a week to continue repairing the skin barrier and deeply moisturize the skin. It can be left on the face for 15 minutes, but it is not a drying mask, so I leave it on while watching the series. Some people use it in a thin layer in the summer, as a cream of the day.
Price : 34€ at Sephora, 35€ at Marionnaud, 25,6€ at FeelUnique, 25,6€ at Amazon, 28,9€ at Antipodes, 28,9€ at Lookfantastic, travel size with 2 other products for 25€ at Sephora
Immortal SPF15
Ingredients:Aqua (Water), Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isostearic Acid, Glycerine, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocoglucoside, Hyaluronic Acid (Plant), Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet Almond) Nut Oil, Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Citrus grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Punica granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Extract, Althea officinalis (Marsh Mallow) Root Extract, Gandoderma lucidum (Reishi) mushroom extract, Vitis vinifera (Vinanza® Grape) Seed Extract, Actinidia deliciosa (Vinanza® Kiwi) Fruit Extract.
It is very hard if not impossible to find a day cream with SPF, which does not give pimples. Bio, it is even rarer.
Immortal Day Cream offers only SPF15 protection, but it’s more than enough if you protect yourself with other methods such as a covering hat or just sitting next to a window during the day. It’s one of the only creams with sun protection that won’t give me pimples.
Unfortunately, I’m not 100% satisfied with this cream, especially with its price, because it leaves a slightly sticky film, which does not suit me in summer. In winter, it is perfect, well moisturizing, and nourishing. I think it has something to do with the weather in New Zealand. Their summer is not as hot as you can get in Europe, so their cream is always a bit more nourishing than it should be for the European summer.
The sunscreen comes from zinc oxide, so it’s perfect for acne-prone or masking-prone skin, but it takes a little time to spread it out so that it melts into the skin. So I highly recommend this day cream with sun protection in winter, but not in summer.
Price: 39€ at Galeries Lafayette, 32,18€ at Antipodes, 29,6€ at FeelUnique, 36€ at Amazon
Divine Face Oil Serum & Apostle Serum
Divine Face Oil : Ingredients: Persea americana (Avocado Pear) Oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Nut Oil*, Rosa rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil. Fragrance of Jasmine & Sweet Orange: Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool. *Certified organic by BioGro
Apostle:Aqua (Waiwera®) Water, Cyathea medullaris (Mamaku Black Fern) Leaf Extract, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Amigel® (Sclerotium Gum), Vitis vinifera (Vinanza® Pinot Grape) Skin Extract, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Vitis vinifera (Vinanza® Grape) Seed Extract, Actinidia Deliciosa(Vinanza® Kiwi) fruit Extract, Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Extract, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract*, Gandoderma lucidum (Reishi Mushroom) Extract. Fragrance of Green Apple & Cardamon: Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. *Certified organic by BioGro
I have a small problem with the serums at Antipodes. I am used to using very liquid serums. This allows me to use up to 6 products in a single routine. At Antipodes, the serums are so thick that I can only use one cream afterward, and that’s it.
For those who are satisfied with a simple routine: cleansing – serum – cream, it’s perfect! Because with a few drops of serum, the whole face is perfectly moisturized
I have a preference for the Apostle serum because my skin does not react to it. It is perfectly moisturized and pampered. The anti-spot effect is very slow, but it works in some recent spots. However, I have a small problem with its smell that I don’t find pleasant at all. Even if it fades once it is spread on the skin, for me, either a serum smells good, or it doesn’t smell at all.
The Divine Face Oil serum contains rose hip oil and my acne-prone skin, does not like this ingredient at all and pimples appear very quickly.
The serums are often sold in mini sets with the Vanilla Pod cream for only 11€. Take the opportunity to test the products!
I have been told very well about the Hosanna serum (Antipodes link), but after two not so convincing tests with the two sera above, I did not want to test it, preferring clearly the very liquid NIOD’s serum.
My opinion
In short, if Antipodes’ serums didn’t convince me, I really liked the Aura creams and mask. I think that normal and dry skin will be able to use Antipodes all year round. Combination, oily or acne-prone skin can use Antipodes during the evening routine or in winter. In any case, even in the case of active acne, these products are very gentle and help tremendously in the skin’s healing and hydration. The products are more expensive than other organic brands, but it is so concentrated that each tube/pot lasts a long time. Antipodes is always a good investment.
You can buy Antipodes products at Sephora, Galeries Lafayette, Marionnaud, Lookfantastic, FeelUnique, on their official website in French, or on Amazon.
On the official website of Antipodes, you will find a lot of products in miniature version (15ml) for 10,2€. It’s a great way to test the products without spending too much.
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