Four Aussie Skincare Favourites You Need To Know About Now

When it comes to good old Australian ingenuity, I like to think we’re a pretty clever bunch. We have Aussies to thank for WI-FI, lawnmowers and even pacemakers. And although we’re world-renowned for our exceptional sunscreens, I think the rest of the Aussie skincare we’re creating deserves a shoutout too. So with Australia Day later this week, I thought I’d spend today’s post talking through four of my favourite Australian-made products that deserve a spot on your shelf no matter where you live.

Alpha-H Vitamin E Serum with 1% Ceramide Complex: skincare infused with vitamins isn’t anything new, in fact, most brands offer a Vitamin A and a Vitamin C product in their range, and at least one product formulated with the very popular Vitamin B. But I think Vitamin E is often overlooked as not really doing that much when in fact, its soothing and reparative properties rival the wrinkle diffusing abilities of Vitamin A in terms of usefulness in my book. If I’ve used too many actives, or my skin has flared up from a new product, or wearing a mask all day has given my cheeks a literal grazing then this is what I reach for. Healing, calming and comforting, the Vitamin E Serum with 1% Ceramide Complex is perfection on dry, dehydrated and irritated skin. Alpha-H also makes a fantastic Vitamin B Serum with 5% Niacinamide, which I used for years (formally called the Vitamin B with Copper Tripeptide Serum), but I’ve since graduated to this fellow Aussie alum that packs a bit more of a B Vitamin punch…

Aspect Extreme B17 Serum: this stuff is incredible. It was one of the first products to make the Aspect range back in 2007 and has become one of their best selling products, and for good reason. Packed with Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) , Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) – see, Vitamin B Superstar! It also contains Lecithin and Glycerin to improve hydration and an edit of antioxidant-rich botanicals like Kakadu Plum, Lemon Myrtle, Mountain Pepper, Desert Lime and Davidson Plum (so it smells like the most deliciously Aussie skincare too!). My skin loves this serum; it looks and feels brighter and healthier when I use it and it’s become a firm staple. I’d rather not do the maths on how many of these I’ve bought in the past, but I know that I have two in reserve right now and one on the go and if that doesn’t prove true product love I’m not sure what does… Full review here.

Ultra Violette Clean Screen: I love this product, but I actually don’t use it as intended. Let me explain. This is a tinted sunscreen, it’s not a foundation or tinted moisturiser with SPF, it’s a sunscreen that happens to have colour. And as such to get the full advertised SPF50+ protection it’s recommended that you use 4-5 pumps of the stuff. Now, I’m super pale, I joke that I make Casper the Ghost look sun-kissed, so for me personally, applying 5 pumps of this heavily tinted cream is going to give me a face that doesn’t even almost match the rest of my body. So, I apply regular white sunscreen as normal (see below), and do a pump or two of this applied like I would foundation (dotted all over, mostly on the cheeks) and blended out. It gives a great glowy base with a more even skin tone and cancels out some of my typical cheek redness. Would I recommend it as a stand-alone SPF? Maybe – if the tinted colour is a good match for you, but otherwise I really love it as an everyday barely-there base, as long as I’m getting my proper sun protection elsewhere and not relying solely on this.

Bondi Sands Hydra UV Protect SPF 50+ Face Fluid: it wouldn’t be an Aussie skincare list without at least two SPFs! And the Bondi Sands brand stocks a sunscreen option for everyone, but my personal favourite has to be the Face Fluid. It’s the least shiny of any SPF50+ I’ve ever found, it plays nicely under makeup, it re-applies perfectly (especially if you do a quick mist first) and it doesn’t sting my eyes. If all that wasn’t enough, it comes in a very nifty 40ml bottle which is big enough to last a while but small enough to slip into handbags and beach totes, so there’s no excuse to forget to slip, slop, slap. Note: this is regularly on sale, often up to 40% off, so I tend to shop around stock up when it’s on offer.