OSKIA is one of those brands that has been on the peripheral for a while that you can feel just ‘bubbling under’ about to hit the big time.
Firstly, their website is great. I like a brand that puts themselves out there with confidence: This is Who We are, What We Do and Why. It’s also full of great tips in general and has a full background on their key ingredient MSM – and why it is the backbone of the range. They label themselves as ‘nutritional skincare’ which appeals to me – there is definitely a link between what you can eat and what you can use topically.
The Micro Exfoliating Balm has worked its way into my ‘always in use’ box (I sense a blog post on that box coming up!) and I am really enjoying it.
So:
What’s in it?
Full Ingredients
PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL*, GLYCERIN, SESAMUM INDICUM (SESAME) SEED OIL, DECYL OLEATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, METHYL SULPHONYL METHANE (MSM), GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE, SILICA, TRIBEHENIN, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, GLYCERYL BEHENATE, HELLIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, COCO GLUCOSIDE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER*, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT, PARFUM (NATURAL FRAGRANCE), MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) OIL, CITRONELLOL, GERANIOL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, ZINC GLYCINE, AQUA (WATER), INULIN, ALPHA-GLUCAN OLIGOSACCHARIDE, ALEURITES MOLUCCANA (KUKUI) SEED OIL, ROSA CANINA (ROSE HIP) SEED OIL, TOCOPHEROL, DEHYDROACETIC ACID.
*ORGANICALLY CERTIFIED INGREDIENT.
The exfoliation ingredients are a mixture of silica and pure MSM granules.
What’s good about it?
It has a really lovely creamy, rich texture and holds its form in the pot.
A lovely list of ‘nutritional’ ingredients – this feels expensive on the skin.
Skin is left really soft, glowing and really smooth.
Gentle enough to be used 2/3 times a week and suitable for all skin types.
It has a won a multitude of awards – and awards usually mean something when the brand in question doesn’t pay for advertising in the glossys. It means the beauty department like it enough to give it an award over a paying advertiser. Which is a big deal.
What’s bad about it?
Nothing is bad with the product itself – but it’s not cheap. It’s £46.00 for 50ml. That would make me use it as a ‘treat’, when I prefer to use something as often as I need. The outer packaging is unnecessarily bulky and large. Considering research shows most people bin the box as soon as they’ve opened it, that seems a little excessive.
But that’s about it.
All in all, if you can afford it – buy it.
If not, add it to your birthday list and give it to someone else to buy for you.
OSKIA Micro Exfoliating Balm is priced £46.00 and available here.
