Making your own skincare products in pursuit of a cleaner beauty regime can be really rewarding, and it's something I'm personally loving as I find new recipes to replace things I finish off.

But I also get that it's not something everyone wants to dive in to, particularly as we seek to find our true "skin type" when using natural ingredients.

If DIY isn't your thing but you're keen to know what you're slathering into your skin (our largest organ after all), then this post is for you!

Guest blogger and self-confessed houseplant addict Jennifer Joyce gives us the low-down on the core range of products from clean beauty makers Edible Beauty Australia.

Over to Jen!

As your existing skincare and makeup products empty it presents an opportunity to consider how more natural products could replace what has gone before.

This was exactly the position I found myself in when I decided to try Edible Beauty Australia.

Uncertain about whether DIY options such as DIY Beauty With Biome's Naked Beauty Bar were for me, though keen to extend my conscious consumerism efforts to my skincare regime, it was timely that I met the wonderful team from conscious.kin at a Peppermint Magazine Pep Talks event in June this year.

conscious.kin is a family-owned and run business started by three sisters that aims to bring together the best natural, organic beauty brands in Australia and NZ. Their curated range includes certified organic to waste-free, social enterprise to vegan and lots in-between.

On the back of their infectious passion for clean beauty and buzzing with good vibes from the event, I visited the conscious.kin showroom in New Farm, Brisbane, with the aim of exploring options for making the contents of my beauty cabinet more eco-friendly. Plus who doesn’t love trying new products?

Recommended by the staff and marketed as the travel kit version of Edible Beauty Australia’s “Core Four”, the On the Fly Travel Mini Set seemed like a good beginner’s foray into clean beauty.

The set.

CLEANSE & PURIFY | No. 1 Belle Frais Cleanser - 30 mL

This cleanser is like a breath of fresh air on the skin. Coconut oil acts as a base to remove impurities and leave the skin fresh, radiant and hydrated.

TONE & UPLIFT | No. 2 Citrus Rhapsody Toner Mist - 30 mL

The ultimate in uplifting and refreshing skin care, this tonique nurtures the skin with a unique blend of antioxidant rich fruits and herbs.

PLUMP & BOOST | No. 3 Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum - 10 mL

A youth and beauty booster. Hyalouronic Acid and Beta Glucan provide smoothing and plumping actions.

HYDRATE & REFINE | No. 4 Vanilla Silk Hydrating Lotion - 15 mL

A light-weight hydrating face moisturiser with a luxurious satin consistency.

My experience.

Like any skincare set, the benefits are most evident with combined use and while the addition of a toner and serum were two extra steps compared to my current, (admittedly quite basic) skincare routine, it felt I was giving myself a mini facial each time I used these products.

The simple, minimalist packaging felt very exclusive and luxurious and as though they’d be at home on the products menu of any high-end day spa.

The travel-size bottles were perfect for our wedding and honeymoon to the Maldives and held up much better than a lot of supposed travel products in that they didn’t leak all through my toiletries bag! 

No. 1 Cleanser

It wasn’t until I started using the No.1 Cleanser that I realised how much my previous cleanser—which had been the staple of my regime for the past five years—had been leaving me feeling “squeaky clean” with dry redness on my cheeks. By contrast, the No. 1 Cleanser was gentle and left my skin feeling soft, supple and without that feeling of tightness.

Also my first experience with a milk cleanser, its emulsifying texture took a bit of getting used to, and on occasions where I’ve worn heavier-than-normal makeup I’ve needed to double cleanse. Overall though this product was my favourite from the range and has now taken pride of place at the beginning of my skincare routine.

No. 2 Toner Mist

Continuing in chronological order, this product was also my second favourite from the set.

There aren’t many things better than the feeling of coming out of a warm shower to a cool spritz of fruit and herbal goodness on your face. The immersive experience meant I was a bit heavy handed on this product and given my withdrawals, I am likely to go back and purchase this one especially as we are leading into another sticky summer. 

No. 3 Serum

My least favourite of the set, perhaps owing to my all-round lack of exposure to serums, the No. 3 Serum didn’t do a lot for me. It was easy enough to apply, but I didn’t see any real benefits from its use. Other reviewers have sung its praises though so I could be the outlier! 

No 4. Hydrating Lotion

I used the Hydrating Lotion at night only, as I didn’t want to go without SPF coverage during the day. The product had a light but substantial texture and left a nice dewy feeling on my skin which held well overnight without being oily by morning. I may consider purchasing as a replacement night cream in the future.

The vanilla smell was soothing but not overpowering and the product description akin to silk was on point. 

The verdict.

For me the experience showed that moving away from mainstream skin and beauty products doesn’t mean compromising on choice, quality or luxury and that a wide array of options exist for those who aren’t yet ready to DIY.

Check out conscious.kin and Edible Beauty Australia for more inspiration.

Win your very own On The Fly Travel Mini Set! Head to Instagram to enter, thanks to the generosity of the Edible Beauty Australia team!

Jen Joyce is a healthcare communicator and conscious consumer who lives in Brisbane. The products in this review were purchased by the contributor and opinions are an honest reflection of her experience.

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