I recently got the opportunity to try some beauty products, both skin care and makeup, from organic, beauty brand, Odylique, formally Essential Care. Now if you know me or have seen any of my skincare blogs or videos, you will know that I don’t follow an organic routine (I’m just not that fussed tbh) but that’s not to say I wouldn’t happily try and put to the test some organic products. Odylique were kind enough to send me the Timeless Rose Moisturiser, the Balancing Citrus Super Tonic, the Essential Care Mascara and the Organic Mineral Lipstick in Praline and I didn’t waste any time in putting them to the test.
The first item I put to the test was the Balancing Citrus Super Tonic. Housed in a clear, sturdy bottle (the formula is also clear) with a pump spritzer, it certainly looks the part (although we all know not to judge a book by it’s cover). It doesn’t dispense the finest of mists but spraying it from a distance does take the edge off of the impact on the face. The scent is divine. I’m not a lover of rose scents but there’s something about this formulation that makes it smell like an exotic rose with a lychee twist. Now I’m pretty sure there isn’t any lychee in it according to the ingredient list but whatever it is (could be the Bergamot), it gets a huge thumbs up from me, to the point that I found myself spritzing it just for it’s fragrant. Now the thing with face mists for me is that, although I do incorporate one in my routine as a hydrating step after I acid tone, it’s not so easy for me to tell whether the mist is actually doing anything more than making me feel refreshed if not slightly wet. I certainly didn’t notice it closing my pores, balancing sebum secretion or refining the texture of my skin as it claims.
Item number two was the Timeless Rose Moisturiser. Packaged in the same style clear bottle as the balancing tonic but with a pump that makes it clean and easy to use, the moisturiser is an off white, ivory hue with the same sweet exotic rose scent. Neither thick nor runny, it applies wet but doesn’t take too long to absorb. It leaves skin soft and hydrated if not slightly tacky after application. It’s said to be great for those with sensitive skin or those with rosacea, which I can’t vouch for as I don’t suffer from either, and contains antioxidants which is said to help reduce fine lines and counteract the effects of ‘free radicals’ and sunlight which destroys collagen in the skin and causes it to age. Now I’ve not used this long enough to say whether it does or does not reduce fine lines so I won’t comment on this. For me, this was a nice, lightweight yet nourishing formula that hydrates the skin. Job done.
Whilst the skincare fared well, I wasn’t so sure about the makeup. Take the Organic Mineral Lipstick in Praline for instance. The colour in the bullet looked like a dusty rose which is right up my street although once on, it pulls quite mauve with a slight grey tinge to it. On me, it looks like a cool tone MLBB shade which is buildable but I run the risk of my lips looking a bit blue when I do, like they do when I get cold. The lipstick is an in-between formula. Not sheer but not pigmented either. It’s a satin finish so imparts a bit of a sheen on the lips and I’d have to say, is quite comfortable to wear. Being ‘sheeny’, the lipstick doesn’t stick around for long but does fade gracefully but maybe being a ‘MLBB’ shade helps. Whilst it’s not a bad lipstick, it doesn’t particularly stand out and for the price, I’d expect a lot more.
I was hesitant at trying the mascara because those of you who are familiar with my preferences know that I am an avid user of waterproof mascara. I happily put up with using oil eye makeup remover on a daily basis to achieve a curl that holds throughout the day. I class my lashes as ‘special needs’. However, I decided that I might as well test it for those who are naturally blessed in the lash department and don’t require scaffolding to hold their lashes in place all day. The packaging, like the lipstick, is uninspiring. Green. Plain. Bland. The wand is your bog standard, nothing to see here. However, upon first application, I was hopeful. The formula was surprisingly dry. Brand new mascaras, waterproof or not, tend to be rather wet. It normally takes me a couple of weeks for me to get to grips with a new mascara, once it’s finally dried down, and for it to get to grips with my lashes. Only then does it begin to show it’s full potential, build in volume without weighing down on the lashes. My first impressions were premature. Although dry, the formula was just odd. It did nothing. No volume. No length. No separation. I just kept layering and layering but nothing. I just didn’t see the point of it.
Overall, the skin care gets a thumbs up. The Balancing Citrus Super Tonic is a refreshing, hydrating mist (nothing more) and the Timeless Rose Moisturiser leaves skin feeling soft and supple (I’m not sure about it reducing fine lines though). The makeup on the other hand? The lipstick was alright but somewhat underwhelming, and for the price, I’d expect a lot more. The mascara was just a massive disappointment, although surprisingly not the worse mascara I’ve used.
Have you tried any products from Odylique?