While things are looking up for ethical beauty consumers, with a plethora of sustainable, eco-friendly brands hitting the high street, the products don’t always live up to the hype. The lotions, potions, creams and serums might have spot-on green credentials but if they don’t work, give you spots or are generally useless, it all becomes a bit pointless. After all, who wants to splash out on rubbish, even if it is ultra green? So it was with a hint of trepidation that I took on the task of seeing whether Skin Nectar’s Radiance Oil, £21, really lived up to its billing.
Created by qualified aromatherapist, Venita Machnicki, Skin Nectar uses 100 percent organic, natural essential oils in its products and the Radiance Oil is no exception. Available in four variations - The Balancer, The Hydrator, The Rescuer and The Rejuvenator – it’s a blend of pure essential oils plus a carrier oil, all formulated to address specific skin problems. With my normal skin, I chose The Balancer, a fragrant mixture of Rose, Jasmine and Neroli oils. Claiming hydrating, calming and radiance boosting properties, the oil smells utterly divine, although if you loathe rose, it’s not recommended since the rose component is pretty pungent.
The oil itself is not surprisingly a little greasy but it does absorb quickly. There’s no SPF involved either, so I used it as a serum along with my regular sunscreen and found it worked better with a little extra help. After a week, I’d gotten used to putting what smelt like perfume on my face every day and it did make my skin look plumper and a little fresher, although it did have to contend with me burning the candle at both ends. As you only use two to three drops each time, the 10ml bottle lasts for ages, making it pretty good value too. While it definitely works better under moisturiser, for providing your skin with an extra shot of hydrating and plumping power, it’s brilliant.
Skin Nectar Radiance Oils are available from: www.skinnectar.co.uk
| READ MORE... | |
 |
GREEN LIVING Top 10…essential oils Essential oils have long been a medicine cabinet mainstay. Venita Machnicki, aromatherapist and founder of organic beauty company, Skin Nectar, rounds up the most useful |
 |
GREEN LIVING Scents and sustainability: the Green Grocery's organic scent Combining rose, sandalwood and jasmine essential oils, the Green Grocery’s Love Letter perfume is organic, eco-friendly and utterly gorgeous |
 |
GREEN LIVING Spring beauty: the green way Lou Dartford, make-up artist and green beauty blogger, shows how it's done |
 |
GREEN LIVING Perfume: how natural are you willing to go? In a world of synthetic fragrances it's important to remember that there are natural alternatives. Here's where to buy them, what to look for and... how to go beyond patchouli |
 |
GREEN LIVING PICK OF THE DAY: MuLondon Organic Lavender Moisturiser Handmade, 100 per cent organic and PETA approved, MuLondon’s organic lavender moisturiser is perfect for dry skin |
