GLOBALLY gorgeous
THE APPEAL OF INTERNATIONAL INGREDIENTS
FROM ASIA ...
Along with being a delicious addition to Asian cuisine, heavenly aromatics such as lemongrass and ginger add a zingy, invigorating hit to bath and shower regimes, while the earthy spiciness of cinnamon and turmeric bring powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to skincare.
The ginger in (1) The Body Shop’s Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo, $24.95, helps soothe and clear a flaky scalp. (2) Nivea Shower Lemongrass & Oil, $9.48, has tiny pearls of sunflower seed oil that burst once the lemongrassscented gel hits your limbs.
(3) By Nature Radiance Boosting Face Serum, $12.99, uses turmeric alongside vitamin C to brighten and energise tired skin.
In (4) Essano Superfoods Certified Organic Cinnamon Detoxifying Mask, $15.99 ground cinnamon helps to naturally draw out impurities from congested pores.
FROM AUSTRALASIA...
Native to Australia and New Zealand, the pungent oil of the tea tree is a much loved ingredient for its antiseptic and healing properties. Manuka honey has similar qualities but the added advantage of being extremely hydrating. Kakadu plum is a prized antioxidant that can protect us from environmental stressors.
Exotic dilo nuts wash up onto pristine beaches in the Fijian islands, where they are cold-pressed and used to make reinvigorating facial oil.
The tea tree component puts the balance in (1) Labonics Balance Mist, $29. (2) Bees Brilliance Original Manuka Honey Mask, $54.99, is the ultimate in pure honey masks. It doesn’t smell great, but (3) Pure Fiji Dilo Oil, $65, is full of anti-ageing goodness.
(4) Designer Brands KIND Invigorating Body Wash, $16.99, cares for the skin with kakadu plum and aloe vera.
FROM AFRICA ...
The butter extracted from the nuts of a shea tree adds an intensely nourishing element to moisturisers, while marula oil can be used to rejuvenate skin as well as hair. Sipping on rooibos tea is a great way to improve your health but its anti-imflammatory and antioxidant properties are also an excellent addition to beauty products. And the soothing sap of an aloe vera plant has been used for hundreds of years to treat everything from sunburn to dryness.
(1) Skinfood Indulgent Body Wash Bar, $3.99, whips shea butter with coffee grounds to help perk up tired skin.
You’ll often find aloe vera in sun-related products such as (2) Bondi Sands Aloe Vera After Sun Moisturising Gel Spray, $14.99. In (3) De Lorenzo Elements Sandstorm Texture Spray, $26.90, rooibos extract helps to strengthen hair and promote growth. (4) Glow
Lab Facial Oil, $22.99, includes luxurious marula oil for its essential fatty acids that keep the skin’s barrier healthy.
FROM SOUTH AMERIC A ...
A large chunk of the world’s coffee comes from this part of the world and some of it ends up extracted or ground into skincare to energise and boost circulation. The deep purple berries of an acai tree are used as an antioxidant in skincare and supplements, while creamy avocado is rich in essential fats and minerals. And who doesn’t love the chocolate scent of silky cacao butter?
(1) Sukin Coffee & Coconut Exfoliating Masque, $21.50, uses coffee to energise and polish. (2) Garnier Fructis Colour Last Shampoo, $7, uses acai berries to make colour more resistant to environmental fading. Avocado oil in lipsticks such as (3) Living Nature Electric Coral Lipstick, $33, keeps lips soft and supple. (4) Weleda Skin Food Body Butter, $29.90, gets its buttery, nourishing texture from both cacao and shea butters.