Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Day and Eye Cream Review

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know that Antipodes are one of my favourite beauty brands. I've been buying their products for years, and I'm also very grateful to recieve PR samples from them once or twice a year. Towards the end of 2016, Antipodes sent me their newly released Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Light Day Cream* and Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Eye Cream* so that I could test them out for myself. Well, guess what, I've been using these for a while and the results are now in.

Let's start by talking about the Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Eye Cream* (£35.99). So what does Antipodes' Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Eye Cream actually do? How did it work for me? Well, it's catered towards those with oily and blemished skin so it is actually really well suited for me, as I have combination and blemish-prone skin. The consistency is light but still creamy, and it's really quick to absorb when I massage this into my undereye area. It's much better suited to my skin type than the Kiehls Creamy Avocado Eye Cream which I'd previously been using. I enoy using that product, but it sat much more heavily on my skin and wasn't good for use in the morning. In contrast, I found the Antipodes Manuka Honey Eye Cream to be a lovely choice for morning or evening, which made it a more versatile product. Even though it is light in texture, it still really hydrates my under eye area and leaves my skin with a smooth matte texture which worked well as a base for makeup. It does also have brightening properties, and as I suffer from dark circles I could really notice the difference once I began regularly using this eye cream. Although it is more expensive than my previous choice from Kiehls, I felt like the benefits justified the higher price tag.

 I generally consider Antipodes products to be affordable, especially for such good quality natural skincare, but this eye cream does err towards the more expensive end of Antipodes price range. However, I think that there's plenty of good reasons for this. Effective eye creams that actually do something tend to be a little pricey, especially if you're looking for more than just a simple dose of hydration (which you could get from Antipodes' more affordable Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream). Additionally, it's really important to take note of the amount of product that you're actually buying. Antipodes' eye creams are available in 30ml pots, which immediately makes them better value for money than many eye creams which might seem cheaper but actually you're only getting 10/15ml of product. Based on my very positive experience using Antupodes' Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Eye Cream I would definitely recommend it, especially if you have similar skin concerns to me; combination, blemish-prone, with a tendency towards a dark undereye area.

The second product that I've been trialling is the Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Day Cream* (£39.99), and this is an undeniably luxurious skincare choice. Personally, I don't ususally pay more than £30 for a facial moisturiser, but if you've got combination/oil skin that's prone to blemishes then this new release really is worth your consideration. This is a really well thought out product, where all of the ingredients work to create well-balanced results. Manuka honey is famous for its antibacterial properties, which makes it a ingredient for anyone who suffers from blemishes. Meanwhile, grape and kiwi seed oils are rich in antioxidants, with proven brightening and lightening properties that would be useful at helping to even out redness and fade the marks left behind by past blemishes. Bee venom is an interesting inclusion, it is supposed to have a stimulating effect on the skin which I suppose might also help to promote your circulation and help to brighten the complexion. 

From my experience using Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Day Cream, I found it to be very well suited for combination and oily skin. It has a light, creamy texture and asborbs easily into my skin, with the benefit of mattifying oilier areas of my face. It creates a smooth and even base which means that it is great for use before makeup, and even if you don't wear makeup this day cream has its benefits. I do notice an improvement in the appearance of my skin when I use this day cream; my complexion is more even and it is clearer, and these are results that I want from my skincare. Although this is a more expensive choice of day cream, for those with similar skin concerns to myself I think that it has a place in your beauty regime. I would certainly repurchase this over other similar luxury products that I've tried in the past (from brands such as L'Occitane), because for me it delivered on all of its promises.

Have you tried anything from Antipodes before?

What other natural skincare brands/products would you recommend?

This post contains PR samples - marked with an asterisk (*)