Natural Skincare Review: Odylique Original Gift Set
The best kinda beauty gifts are kind to your skin and the planet.
Odylique tick all the boxes when it comes to natural ingredients and environmental impact.
But are their products as effective as they are green?
As an ambassador for Ethical Superstore, they sent me Odylique’s Original Gift Set to try out with no obligation to write a review on my blog.
Before I get to the products, I’m going to share my thoughts on natural vs organic. Why? Because I’m not one of those people who spreads fear of the word ‘chemical,’ but I do care what I’m putting on my skin for a bunch of reasons.
Why I choose organic products
The word ‘natural’ doesn’t really mean anything.
Although you will probably agree that ‘ingredients with a natural source’ is an obvious definition, the lack of regulation around this term means that it easily gets manipulated.
Clean beauty is a profitable trend, like, the trillion-dollar kind… yet there can be all sorts of controversial ingredients, including liquid plastics (which are not banned in cosmetics in the UK in case you were wondering).
The solution? Organic certification.
Organic logos to look for:
When a brand displays the Soil Association or Ecocert logos (called COSMOS from 2016), they have to meet a high standard of criteria that covers more than just their ingredients. A few examples are:
no animal testing
protecting biodiversity
organic farming methods
using natural resources responsibly
protecting human health during manufacturing
not genetically modified (GMO)
organic or sustainable palm oil
Who is Odylique and are they sustainable?
Odylique is an award-winning family business. They were one of the first brands to be certified organic in the UK.
Odylique’s natural beauty products are unique because they do not outsource to factories. All their products are made by hand in their eco-friendly workshop in Suffolk. This means they don’t need to use harsh, irritating preservatives and they have complete control over their supply chain.
They even source their ingredients ethically, choosing Fairtrade ingredients when possible. Odylique have also sourced all their packaging from the UK and EU to reduce their carbon footprint. They use a mixture of glass, plastic and recycled plastic.
Odylique’s green credentials
Odylique’s products are certified by the following green credentials:
Soil Association Organic
COSMOS Natural
Fairtrade
Peta Cruelty-Free
They have also received Ethical Consumer's Best Buy rating and the Ethical Shopping Guide accreditation.
Odylique’s ingredients
30 years ago, Margaret, the founder of Odylique, used her training as an aromatherapist and herbalist to make natural creams to soothe her children’s delicate eczema-prone skin.
Decades have passed, but the family business has the same values - to only use plant-based, therapeutic (active) ingredients that are kind to the environment and your skin.
Odylique’s products are free from parabens, sulphates, phthalates, petroleum, microplastics, synthetic ingredients and common allergens (including nuts, milk, gluten).
Odylique is a cruelty-free, vegetarian brand. A few of their products, like their skin repair balm, contains certified organic beeswax but many vegans are happy to use beeswax from sustainable beekeepers that protect their buzzy friends.
Inside Odylique’s Original gift set
There are four products inside the Original Gift Set. A cleanser, a moisturiser, a serum and a repair balm for dry skin. The products have hydrating, healing ingredients, ideal for dry or mature skin.
The packaging is thoughtful which I appreciate. The gift set comes in a simple black box made from recycled cardboard and designed to be used again as a handy storage box. The pink ribbon adds a touch of elegance.
The full-sized products are:
Odylique silk touch cleanser
Vegan: yes
Size: 20ml
A cleanser is essential if smooth, healthy skin is one of your priorities. They can, however, be very hit and miss.
Odylique’s Silk Touch Cleanser is kinda fascinating.
It starts off as a clear gel, but once you massage it around your damp face it transforms into a milky-coloured liquid.
Made using vegan glycerine (no palm oil), the Silk Touch Cleanser is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E. It doesn’t have a huge amount of lather (it’s more creamy than foamy) but it is simple to apply and comes off easily with a reusable bamboo face pad.*
Ingredients
Water, Cold-pressed sunflower oil*, Non-palm plant glycerine**, Castor oil*, Sugar emulsifier, Essential oils of Lavender* and Ylang-ylang*
*Made with organic ingredients **Organic origin (total 98.4%)
Effectiveness
I know exactly what I like in a cleanser and Odylique did not disappoint.
Odylique’s Silk Touch Cleanser removed my makeup well, although it did sting a tiny bit when I got it in my eye (whoops). The instructions say not to use it in your eyes but I’m clumsy so it was bound to happen (I usually remove my mascara with organic coconut oil* first which is gentle on my sensitive eyes).
The cleanser left my skin feeling clean and soft. It did not feel tight at all and didn’t aggravate my sensitive skin.
I would definitely recommend the Silk Touch Cleanser*. It can be bought individually (95g) for £20 or you can sample it as part of the gift set with the other products featured in this post.
Odylique avocado 24hour replenishing cream
Vegan: yes
Size: 15ml
Odylique’s replenishing cream contains the wonder ingredient sea buckthorn which promotes collagen production, regenerates new skin and protects against UV rays.
This, combined with antioxidant-rich avocado oil and Fairtrade shea butter has resulted in a luxurious moisturiser that is full of vitamins and fatty acids.
The frankincense essential oil helps regenerate new skin cells while the sea buckthorn provides omega 7 - ideal if you’re trying to soften the signs of ageing.
Odylique’s 24h Replenishing Cream can be used both day and night. It is rich but absorbs quickly without feeling greasy.
The moisturiser has a yellow tinge to it, which I’m guessing is the avocado oil, but it doesn’t tint your skin.
Ingredients
Aloe vera juice*, Cold-pressed avocado oil*, Extra virgin olive oil*, Raw Fairtrade shea butter*, Horsetail*, Rosemary*, Sea buckthorn*, Non-palm plant glycerine**, Essential oils of Bergamot* (bergaptene-free), Frankincense, Lavender*, Orange (sweet)* and Ylang-ylang*, Plant origin moisturisers & emulsifiers, Sugar-cane alcohol* (please note that we do not add any alcohol to the product - there is a very small amount of organic alcohol residue contained in one of the ingredients; a biodynamic herbal tincture. By law this must be listed on the product label.)
*Organically grown & produced **Organic origin (total 94.13%)
Effectiveness
I’ve been using Odylique’s replenishing cream twice a day and I am completely in love with it - I actually prefer it to my usual Green People moisturiser as it makes my skin silky soft.
I like that it’s a day and night cream in one because I prefer simplicity and can’t be bothered with loads of different products.
The active ingredients give it a slightly heavy, creamy texture but it absorbs quickly into my skin leaving it feeling silky smooth. It’s perfect for dry skin in the winter months but I would happily use this in the summer too. If you prefer a lighter day cream in hot weather you may prefer to use it seasonally.
The recyclable plastic tubes in the photos are part of the gift set - perfect if you want to sample before you invest. The full-size Avocado 24h Replenishing Cream* comes in glass packaging and costs £25 for 50ml.
Odylique Superfruit Concentrate
The Superfruit Concentrate is actually made from oil which is a little confusing but it absorbs into my skin within ten minutes and doesn’t feel greasy. I have no problem using it in the daytime.
Odylique have said it can be used over and under makeup, or any time you need a boost of radiance. I’m not normally a huge oil fan but I sure felt radiant after one use. It left my skin with a natural glow.
Serums are concentrated formulas which makes them super powerful. The Superfruit Concentrate contains sea buckthorn, rosehip oil and pomegranate which gives it cell-renewing and repairing properties.
It’s definitely not an essential item but if you want to improve your skin health - particularly if you’re always looking tired like me - then it’s a really lovely extra.
Ingredients
Cold-pressed avocado oil*, Jojoba oil*, Concentrated (CO2) extracts of Pomegranate*, Rosehip*, Rosemary* and Sea buckthorn fruit*
*Organically grown/produced (100% of product)
Effectiveness
The Superfruit Serum was my immediate favourite; it has a subtle, natural tint to it (from the polyphenols) which immediately brighten up your face without it looking orange (I am super pale by the way).
Because the liquid has a dark orange colour to it I would recommend letting it soak in before jumping into bed if you have white pillowcases, although I’ve had no issues with staining.
Even though it is made from oils, I felt happy to leave the house right after applying it. Unfortunately, I didn’t try it with makeup because the sample was too small. I also can’t offer any long term results.
Edit: I found the sample size in the gift set a little too small to properly test this product for long term results, but I liked it so much I bought a full-size Superfruit Serum for myself. At £33, this is the most I’ve ever spent on an individual skincare product! I can now confirm that it is lovely to wear on top of makeup too.
Ultra rich balm
Vegan: no
Size: 5g
Odylique’s gift set comes with a small pot of repair balm that is aimed at extra dry bits, like elbows.
Made from organic, sustainably sourced beeswax, this balm is ideal for eczema, psoriasis or patches of dry skin you need to protect from the wind.
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil*, Raw Fairtrade shea butter*, Coconut oil*, Beeswax*, Sea buckthorn fruit extract*
*Organically grown & produced (100% of product)
Effectiveness
It works as a barrier cream but isn’t greasy and the 100% natural ingredients don’t block your pores.
This was my least favourite product out of them all. There was nothing wrong with it, but I wouldn’t buy the full-size version. Mainly because I didn’t really need it.
It seemed slightly out of place in the gift set. I would have preferred a larger bottle of the serum instead.
I imagine it would be more appealing to someone with eczema or anyone that has cracked hands from all the extra handwashing this past year (and it does have really good reviews).
Odylique’s Ultra Rich Balm comes in two sizes, 50g for £12 or 175g for £20.
Featured Product links:
You can buy Odylique’s full range of makeup, cosmetics, sun cream and toiletries here at Ethical Superstore.
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Are you a fan of natural skincare products? Let me know in the comments below.
Sophie xx