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We ditched our normal beauty routines for organic products

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Is it just hype or does it really deliver? A lot of people don't believe in going organic, saying it doesn't do the job other beauty products can.

Fashionista staff members once replaced their entire beauty regimes with coconut oil, while others do the same with cold pressed organic olive oil.

The w24.co.za team recently opted to try a natural, organic beauty regime using only SKOON products for a week.

SKOON is a South African bespoke, natural skin care range that draws inspiration from a time when products were made by hand, with care and from ingredients more often found in nature than at the end of a chemical production line. Expect to smell pure plant oils, rich butters, delicate floral essences and botanical extracts.

Most of their products are over 80% organic and natural. 

Images: Supplied

Lili Radloff, editor of w24.co.za:

I wanted to try SKOON products because I’m a skeptic. I have a very sensitive skin, prone to basically everything that can go wrong with skin. And while I enjoy the idea of natural products, I have often been disappointed in their efficacy. So, I filled out a skin profile on the website and got sample sizes of the following products to try:

Moisture Now Serum
Concentrate Squalane
Tea Rose Beauty Aid Toner
Cleanser and Makeup Remover
Daily Moisturiser
Overnight Hydrating Mask

The cleanser was super effective, even if it took me a while to get used to the texture, which is almost like runny icing sugar. It made short work of removing all makeup and impurities without drying out my skin. At first, I was wary of the serums. In my experience they either cause breakouts, blotchiness or dryness. Not so with SKOON products.

I have to admit that I never use a toner, as I find them astringent. But the Tea Rose Toner made my skin feel fresh, dewy and ready for moisture. I liked the Phyto Red daily moisturizer, but had to use rather large quantities of it, and it ran out before the other samples did. But my favourite of the bunch was the Overnight Hydrating Mask. This product, which feels and looks like beeswax before it melts against the heat of your skin is long lasting nourishment with no side effects like clogged pores and oiliness and leaves no residue. SKOON made my skin look and feel “skoon”, moisturized and generally balanced. 

Marisa Crous, fashion and beauty editor:

A lot of people detest the smell of natural and organic products. Not me. It makes me feel like I'm living my life in a spa - not too shabs. After doing the SKOON skin test, I was sent a combo of products ideally suited to my skin type. Not only do I love the smell, the packaging and the brand name, but I adore the unique way in which you can blend the products together, for example the light-weight Moisture Gel and a serum or concentrate, to essentially custom-make your own formula. The Super Moisturiser is my favourite product. It's nourishing and very thick in consistency - perfect as a night cream. Another winning product was the Regulating Toner in Elderflower, a refreshing, balancing mist, an anti-septic spray that is also very calming. After just one day, my skin already had a visible glow. I felt softer than ever before and breakouts on my chin area cleared up.

Tammy February, book editor, says:

I've always been rather blasé with regards to my skin care regime. While I certainly have my favourite products – which I use frequently – I’ve never been the kind of person who spends a lot of time prepping, washing, rinsing, toning, etc.  So you can imagine how skeptical I was when our beauty editor asked us to give up our usual routine in order to go organic for a while.

However, after trying SKOON’s range of facial products, I’m happy to say that I’m a happy new convert. From the white wash and peptide, to the super moisturiser and toner, I loved the versatility and various textures I could play around with. In the mornings I often opted for a light mix – a moisturiser with a concentrate, while at night, I went for a heavier combination – both of which left my skin feeling beautifully smooth, fresh and hydrated.

Carmen Williams, entertainment and decor editor:

My normal skincare regime is quite simple: cleanse, tone and moisturise. I often skip the toning (don’t judge me) because it usually makes my skin feel taut and dry. I still cleanse and moisturise twice a day though, after removing my makeup with a wipe, and I don’t wear foundation or concealer often. I apply face masks and pore strips about once a month. None of these are organic, so I was interested to see what using organic products would do to my skin. 

SKOON’s range of products are simple, smell great, and made my skin feel the softest it’s felt in a long time. The Purifying Clay Cleanser left my skin feeling clean and refreshed, but not dry. The Regulating Toner was invigorating, and not harsh on my skin. The Balancing Fluid and Super Moisturiser paired with the Rosehip C+ concentrate not only smelled amazing, but made my skin feel so soft, I almost didn’t recognise it. Finally, the Spot Stick is basically the best thing ever invented. I applied it to my annoying white heads twice a day and they just disappeared.
 

Also try...

[comfort zone]'s new Sublime Skin aging range recently launched. The Rich Cream, replumping firming moisturizer, R1200 (60ml, contact 021 790 4161) has ARCHI-LIFT™ technology, which restores the skin’s architecture and bestows a tighter, defined appearance. The formula is rich in nourishing butters and oils, has no silicones and is made from 89% natural origin ingredients. Oh, and it smells like peonies! I mean, hello?!

What we are trying next...

The everyday cream from Skin Creamery, R260.00.

We've heard great things, so be sure to stay tuned for the review.

More beauty and skin advice:

Beauty hacks and product reviews.

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