An embarrassingly long-overdue post. Products sent by the OBL Club for honest reviews

100% natural and organic are music to my ears when it comes to skincare. I love all things clean beauty, and Kathy Sue-Ann’s products meet the most stringent criteria in this area: no harsh chemicals, free of animal testing, no harming substances like parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, artificial fragrances, preservatives etc. Handmade locally in London, the formulas are based on a mix of natural extracts meant to moisturise and restore glow, including rosehip oil, shea and cocoa butter. Here are my thoughts on the three products I’ve tried so far.

Kathy Sue-Ann’s Rejuvenating Rosehip Facial Serum (£22 / 30ml)

This is the absolute star of the collection for its mix of clean and effective natural ingredients, namely rosehip and jojoba oils (two of the best facial oils available), vitamin E, and carrot seed essential oil, rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. This combination gives it a glowy, slightly orange tint that makes skin look healthy and brightened, while intensely moisturising to remove any signs of dryness. I used it during two 13-hour flights and I was impressed with the effects, preventing my skin from the annoying dry patches and dullness that cabin air tends to cause. I currently use it once a week or so when I want to give my skin a break from daily acids and retinol, and I love reapplying it throughout the day when I’m at home. My favourite part about it has to be the divine smell of all these oils combined with lavender, such a pleasure to use! Only one slight criticism: although I very much like the idea of a tinted glass bottle, I feel that the dropper could be improved to better keep the oil inside during application, as it constantly tends to drip everywhere.

Kathy Sue-Ann’s Anti-Ageing Eye Balm (£6 / 4.25g)

Now the name of this product might be a bit confusing, as the word balm makes you think of a liquid, creamy consistency that comes out of a tube. However, it actually comes in a solid tube format, which can be directly applied on the skin, and then massaged in. While it’s closer to a lip balm than a traditional eye cream, this does make it in some ways easier and quicker to apply. The formula is based on coconut and jojoba oils, with the addition of vitamin E, shea butter, and lavender, carrot and frankincense oils, all of which are meant to hydrate the skin and keep it in a good condition. While bold claims such as ageing and wrinkle reducing or tightening might be a bit trickier to verify on my skin, I can confirm that it does indeed help to maintain the smoothness of the eye area with its rich, dense texture.

Kathy Sue-Ann’s Super Nourishing Organic Body Butter (£22 / 200ml)

This is an absolutely brilliant product, no doubt about it! Firstly, the smell is insanely divine, it’s almost like chocolate pralines on a cozy afternoon while drinking a nice tea – or something like that, I’m sure you all get it. And secondly, it leaves skin so smooth and soft and shiny and nicely scented, all because of the beautiful mix of shea and cocoa butters, coconut oil, soothing aloe, and a touch of grapefruit essential oil that just adds even more oomph to the already amazing fragrance. Now I know natural body butters really well because I like making my own and I tend to use a mix of the same ingredients, although mine never comes out as great as this one. So I do understand the graininess and solidification of the formula and I know how to warm it in my hands to melt it before applying. But if you’re not used to all-natural body balms, then this will be a completely new experience to you and it will take some adjustment – and a tiny bit more work than applying more processed versions.

Have you used any of Kathy Sue-Ann’s products? What are your thoughts on clean beauty?

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