New Zealand Treasures // Antipodes & Kio Kio



Despite being but a hop, skip and jump away from the beauty that is New Zealand, I have yet to travel there. I know of quite a few people who holiday there and love the extreme sports they offer, such as skydiving and bungy jumping. I have a fear of heights and all things extreme, and have to admit that if I were to travel over the water to NZ I would spend my time perusing the local cosmetic and skincare offerings. I recently came across two new (to me) New Zealand brands, and am so impressed with the things I’ve tried.

Antipodes is a brand that I’d heard about in the bloggersphere for quite a while, and though it is sold nationally in Myer I had never taken the plunge and tried something for myself. While in Sydney, Myer had a discount on the brand, and my ever-growing interest in skincare was piqued and two products made it into my basket.

The Grapeseed Butter Cleanser ($46 AUD) was my substitute for the Alpha-H Age Delay Cleansing Oil (which I really like) and I am pleased to say that it is working nicely for me. The thick formula removes all of my makeup well, and my skin has relished the hit of moisture that it brings to my skin without adding any shine or grease.  I remove this with a flannel (and have just bought some muslin cloths to try with it next) and it makes a big difference, I don’t feel the need to exfoliate anywhere near as often as in the past. It comes with a small plastic spatula which I use to scoop it out, keeping it clean and I remove it in the shower so it really cleans out my pores.

The Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream ($49 AUD) has been such a treat to use, the spicy scent is moreish and I make time to really massage this into my skin to reap the most benefits from it. It has helped with my dry patches and overall skin condition immensely, and for that reason alone it comes highly recommended from me. I use a cotton tip to remove a small amount to prevent bacteria from my hands entering the jar, and the packaging is such an attractive addition to my skin care compartment.

 

Kio Kio is a brand that I had never heard of before, and a few weeks ago I was sorting through my beauty samples and came across two body lotion sachets from the brand. I decided to give them a go (and make a move with my empties mission!) and promptly fell in love.  The brands focus is on getting back to nature, and they draw inspiration from the beauty of New Zealand for their products. They have a range of 4 ‘Pacific-inspired’ scents, one of which is Frangipani & Puriri which takes me back to family holidays in Bali and days spent by the pool, mocktail in hand. I found this scent pretty, but not something special enough to purchase for myself once my nose caught a hold of the other scent from Kio Kio…

 

Pacific Tiare and Ti Kauka are ingredients that I have not heard of previously, but am now a fan of! The scent of these lotions really lasts on the skin, and the formula is light enough for summer but still hydrates and softens the skin with ease. According to the brands website, the scent is a mix of gardenia, white flowers and citrus in a Pacific ocean inspired base, and I have already popped this onto my Christmas wish list (and will probably end up buying it for myself  ($39.00) and sneaking it under the tree!)

Antipodes is available from Myer, David Jones and AdoreBeauty, Wholefoods in the UK and all around New Zealand. See more stockists here! Kio Kio is available online here and a stockist list is here. I am really loving all of these products, and my skin is thanking me for it.

Have you been travelling to New Zealand before?

What country of origin does most of your skincare come from?

 

*Paid for these products myself, am not affiliated with either company though I wouldn’t mind that. Honesty, always.



An Epic Empties for October

I made an effort to use up things in my cabinets that were almost done or at least halfway, and truth be told I am really pleased with myself for using up as much as I have. I’ve split them into categories, I hope you enjoy the mini reviews!

Shower

 

Garnier Anti-dandruff Sensitive Shampoo I have a feeling that they have discontinued this ‘sensitive’ option from the anti-dandruff range, which is a shame as it is the one that works best for me. Doesn’t dry my hair out, and keeps my scalp happy.

Lush Sugar Scrub I must admit that I am not a lover of this Lush product. I didn’t get to use it very much before it turned to mush (despite being kept out of water) and though it left my skin soft, the loose form of it was a bit of a pain and I found it a bit too rough for me.

Botani Spirulina Salt Scrub* This is one of my very favourite scrubs, I love the zesty scent and the way it feels sticky and sloughs off skin well. I rationed this tub out for as long as I could, but am glad it is gone now and I can head out and buy a new one from Priceline (once I’ve used up some other scrubs I have lying around!)

L’Occitane Shower Gel in Captivant* This unisex scent was really lovely to use, the bottle is pleasing to the eye and the gel itself was soft and didn’t dry out my skin. L’Occitane shower products are quite pricey and make nice gifts, but I will be trying out their shower oils next time for something new!

 

Imperial Leather Foamburst in Summer Zest (Mandarin, Lemon & Ylang Ylang) I quite like the creamy foam that this turns into, and the scent range is all really lovely. For some reason I didn’t quite fall in love with this, though Chris seemed to really enjoy it.

Gillette Satin Care Wild Berry Shave Gel This was a super sweet can of shaving gel, and I found the scent to be quite artificial but enjoyable nevertheless. I think I will try a shave cream next, just to get some more moisture into my legs.

The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel This. Was. Amazing. My MIL brought this back from Thailand with her and wasn’t a fan of the scent so gifted it to me. I used up most of this while in Sydney, and am sad to say that this amazing scent is no longer available =( If and when I see it again, I’m stocking up!

Clear Conditioner I was intrigued and tried this purely because Miranda Kerr fronts the brand, and has awesome hair. This feels very similar to Pantene and Sunsilk conditioners to me, and I found it didn’t nourish my hair very much. These sample sizes are $1 at Coles, lovely to try out new things
without a lot of commitment!
 

 



SPRAYS

 

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy Deodorant This pops up in empties all the time, it is my favourite deodorant and I have a stockpile in my cabinet because I pick up a few cans every time they are on sale. I am going to buy the Rexona Clinical Protection deodorant soon, now that the weather is warming up.

 

The Body Shop Berry Luscious Body Spray In an effort to use this, it functioned as a lovely room spray throughout the house. My sister kept asking what smelt so good, but wasn’t happy when I told her this was no longer available!

Impulse City Collection ‘New York’ Body Mist This was also used as a room spray, and was ironic as my parents were IN New York as I sprayed this here in Australia. Nice scent, but nothing I’d rush out to buy again.

 

MAKEUP

Australis Duet Palette This contains a row of shadows under a row of lipglosses. Most of the shadows are smashed to smithereens, and I despise glosses in pan form, so I am tossing this.

Calvin Klein Lipgloss in Taffy This gorgeous pale pink shade came free with a Strawberrynet order, but was obviously old stock as it has ‘turned’ already. Smells awful, so out it goes.

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara sample I loved this mascara, it smells strongly of roses and I love the tapered tip of the wand. I used this up a long time ago but recently stumbled across it in a makeup bag, so am tossing it. I am hoping to get a full size of this for Christmas, as a ‘mascara’ splurge.

FACE

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads El cheapo from Kmart, I prefer the Priceline branded rounds as these fall apart quite easily.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub Minty and yum, this sugar based scrub worked a treat for my flaky dehydrated lips. Chris always asks why I can’t just use my toothbrush like he does, but I think he is just jealous of my sugar hit.

Taut Collagen Orange Drink This concept freaks people out a little, a drink which is supposed to stimulate collagen production which contains shark cartilage. Tastes like yummy orange medicine, but the benefits are unproven for me and I won’t repurchase. This came in a sample subscription box.

L’Oreal Youth Code day cream I was using this way before I was heavily obsessed with makeup and beauty, and I loved the thick but light texture of it. Very hydrating, and I think I would repurchase again and maybe use as a night cream. Very old and pretty much empty, this had to go.

My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid facial sheet masks These come in packs of 2 and I stock up when we visit Thailand. Obsessed with learning about hyaluronic acid lately, I loved getting a shot of hydration with these super soaked facial sheets.

Garnier Clean Sensitive Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Have already shared my thoughts on this here  but suffice to say I will not be repurchasing.

 SAMPLES

Clinique Superbalanced Foundation To be honest I used this once and forgot to go back for the rest, so can’t comment on the actual product. I like that the sample was in a light shade, however.

Kiehls Clearly Corrective White, Clarity-Activating Toner I was only able to get 3 uses from this sachet, but the idea itself is intriguing and I’d like to pick up a bottle to try it out. I have a comparison post coming up on Kiehls toners.

Kio Kio Frangipani & Puriri / Pacific Tiare and Ti Kauka Body Lotions I have a full post coming up on these, but I really enjoyed the scents and got a few uses from these sachets.

L’Oreal Ever Pure Rosemary Mint Conditioner* Absolutely loved the smell of this, and am trying hard to work through some other conditioners before I run out to buy a full size. Luckily I found a few more samples of it in my stash, so can indulge until I can justify a big tube.

 

Phew, that is a lot of empties.

How many products did you finish off this month?

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.