Feel the burn: Lavera's aftersun gel put to the test

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on the beach
An organic aftersun with no nasties and excellent moisturising properties: sound too good to be true? Valentina Jovanovski put Lavera’s aftersun gel to the test
 

With new products launched on an almost daily basis, it’s no surprise that consumers are becoming increasingly savvy about what they put on their skin. This has proved a boon for pesticide, paraben and chemical-free organic skincare, which has seen a 20 per cent annual increase, according to consultancy firm Organic Monitor. One brand enjoying the boom is German organic giant, Lavera, whose popular face and body care products are approved by BDIH and NaTrue, both certifiers of natural cosmetics. Having made a name for itself as a purveyor of natural products that really work, I was wanted to know whether Lavera’s latest launch – the aftersun gel, £6.90 – would live up to expectations. As someone who’s new to organic skincare but a habitual sunburn sufferer, I was also curious to see how Lavera’s organic offering compared to the conventional aftersun, I normally use.

Made from organic aloe vera juice, cactus extract and organic liquorice root, as well as lavender and rose essential oils, the gel is formulated to soothe and moisturise tight, dehydrated skin. I found the smell of the gel slightly medicinal at first: not necessarily unpleasant but not perfumed or flowery either. Although it contains lavender and rose oils, you wouldn’t guess it by its scent. However, the gel does feel soothing and cooling on the skin, similar to traditional aloe vera gel but less potent. The consistency is also thinner than usual which makes it feel more like a lotion. Unlike traditional aloe vera, however, Lavera leaves no residue on the skin. It goes on smoothly and doesn’t produce an oily sensation, which is important if you’re already feeling sweaty after a day in the sun.

After using the gel for a week, I came to the conclusion that it works best as a summer replacement for night cream. It deals well with redness and minor burns, although I think I’ll be sticking to aloe vera for the sort of sunburn caused by an overly ambitious trip to the beach. The bottle is also quite small for a product that’s intended for full body use, so I’d probably save it for my face. Overall, it’s worth the £6 investment, but I’ll be keeping this organic gel on my bathroom shelf and taking my old faithful, the traditional aloe vera, with me on holiday.

Find out more: www.lavera.co.uk

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