beauty

'I'm a low-key beauty fanatic, and these are the most underrated skincare products on my shelf.'

Living in Australia, we’re quite spoilt for skincare choices. We go through tubs, tubes and buckets of face creams, cleansers and serums, before researching a new product and proceeding to immediately ‘add to cart’.

We’ll often purchase products that are constantly raved about by our bestie, beauty therapist, social media influencers or one of the wonderful Youbies in our You Beauty Facebook group. Beyond that, we'll see the same well-loved brands and products come into conversation again and again, confirming their cult-status in the skincare world (cue: Alpha H Liquid Gold, Aspect, Estee Lauder and Jojoba Oil, just to name a few).

Watch: If you love a good recommendation, check out some of the best products and ingredients we think you should know about. Post continues below. 


Video via Mamamia.


But what about other skincare heroes? Well my friends, I’ve done a bit of personal research to uncover some totally underrated skincare brands that you NEED to have in your life.

Plus, I've asked a group of women to share some of their all-time favourite and most underrated skincare brands they think deserve a little bit of extra attention. Read on to get in the know. 

Murad

"I was lucky enough to win a Murad skincare pack earlier this year after entering a social media competition - and I was super excited. Not just for the freebies, but to try some of their products. Though they are a company created by an American dermatologist, the brand itself is super accessible to us, with Sephora and Adore Beauty both stocking their products. Plus, they have an Aussie website with awesome promotions. And I can tell you this - after using a few of their products, they *actually* do what they say they will. My skin is on the dry side and I regularly experience monthly hormonal breakouts. Murad's Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture, $120, would have to be one of my favourite products in the range. I’ve used both spendy and savey options in the past, and I find this one is super hydrating (with no offensive fragrance) and it just sits on my skin really well."

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Listen to Mamamia's podcast for your face, You Beauty, where we talk about some of the best budget body moisturisers. Post continues below. 



"Once a week, I use the Age Reform Hydro-Glow Aqua Peel, $32. With ingredients like lactic acid, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid, my skin feels so smooth and glowy afterwards. Another one of my staples is the Prebiotic 4-in-1 Multi-Cleanser, $63, which I use morning and night. Working from home means I can get away with wearing less makeup, so I find this helps keep my skin feeling fresh after each use. If I have a full face of makeup on, I'll normally use an oil cleanser beforehand. Since using these products, I’m super excited to try others! Some other Murad faves include the Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil, $122, Prebiotic 3-In-1 MultiMist, $50, and Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel, $95" - Despina.

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Spent too much time in the sun ☀️ this summer? Here's how to treat post-summer skin: . ✔️ Fight 👊 free radical damage (hyperpigmentation, dullness and uneven tone) caused by UV rays with Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum, formulated with gold-stabilized vitamin C 🍊 and glycolic acid to resurface and brighten ✨in just 4 weeks. . ✔️ Treat brown-toned dark circles induced by UV damage with Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector. It’s formulated with gold-stabilized vitamin C 🍊 to fight the look of dark circles in 2 weeks. . ✔️ Prevent further sun damage by staying in the shade 🏖️, wearing SPF-protective clothing (e.g. hats and sunglasses) and applying a quarter-sized amount of City Skin SPF 50 to your face. This 100% mineral sunscreen protects against UVA, UVB, pollution, infra-red radiation and blue light.

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Ultraceuticals

"I had a facial at Beauty on Latrobe (in Brisbane) and they used Ultraceuticals products. Afterwards my face looked like it had been photoshopped! For days I kept looking at myself as my skin was so plump and dewy. I asked the beautician for recommendations and she kept it simple - cleanser, serum, moisturiser/SPF. My favourite product is the Ultra A Skin Perfecting Serum, $99 It’s the first product I’ve ever used that made a really noticeable difference to both my fine lines and pigmentation." - Bec.






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More of what you love! ⁠ For a limited time, grab your favourite Ultra Moisturiser Cream and Ultra Hydrating Lotion, now available in a larger 150mL size!* 💧 ⁠ ⁠ Available now in selected Ultraceuticals stockists and online - link in bio 🛍️⁠ ⁠ #AustralianMade #CrueltyFree #AfterpayAvailable⁠ ⁠ *T&Cs apply. ⁠ ⁠ #ultraceuticals #rvr90 #realresults #australianmade #crueltyfree #realvisibleresults #loveyourskinagain #instaskincarecommunity #antiageingskincare #cosmeceuticals #skincareroutine #skincareaddict #beautifulskincare #beautifulskinforlife #beautifulskinsolutions #beautyaddicts #beautytime #beautyroutine #beautyhacks #beautytips #skincaretips #skincareproducts #selfcare #skincare⁠ #skincareproducts #cosmetics #beauty ⁠

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Republic Of SKN

"I’ve been using my Republic Of SKN for a while now. I purchased the anti-ageing box and I’m absolutely loving these products. I’m not normally someone that sticks to a skincare regime, especially twice a day. But I actually look forward to using them as I’m obsessed with how good they smell, particularly the ACE Elixir, $72 - it’s my favourite! I am also pleasantly surprised at how well the cleanser removes my makeup. I have already noticed a change in how my skin feels and I’m looking forward to seeing the changes to my skin in the future." - Tegan. 

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BACK2BASICS Introducing our back 2 basics range. The first and last step of your every day anti ageing skincare routine. With over 16 years of preforming professional treatments we have seen the affects of what excess exfoliation does to the skin and how it can actually cause the skin to become lazy and not function to its full potential, which leads to premature ageing. Although exfoliation is a vital step to your skin routine it should not be found in every step / products. Our B2B range is designed to calm sooth, hydrate and protect the skin whilst encouraging normal cell function. #republicofSKN #skincare #organicskincare #skincareroutine #naturalbeauty #botanicalskincare #australianmade #freecoastdelivery #glowingskin #agelessskin

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REN Clean Skincare

"I love that REN is not overpriced and the products perform and do what they say. REN is a range of cruelty-free, clean products, and the packaging is made from recycled plastic. They plan to become zero waste by 2021, so I know I am doing something for the planet by choosing REN. Some of my favourite products from the range include ClearCalm Clarifying Clay Cleanser, $60. Just as the name suggests, it cleans and calms my skin from any breakouts with its antibacterial properties. It reduces appearance of pores and lightly exfoliates to unclog my skin. I also love Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, $56 - it's hands down the best toner I've found! It lightly exfoliates and brightens/gives life to my 'tired mama' skin. The lactic acid and willow bark in this beauty work smooth skin and reduce the size of my pores. Another one of my favourites is the Perfect Canvas Clean Primer, $72. This is worth every cent! It has a super lightweight feel to it, contains no silicone, smooths pores, mattifies (without feeling dry) and tightens skin. Like all REN products, it's free from nasties and it is also vegan." - Angela.

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Summer Salt Body

"I love Summer Salt Body! The products are made with all natural ingredients, they feel really lightweight and won't clog your skin. I also really like that they're a small Australian-based business that makes genuinely great products. I really love the Vegan Collagen Serum, $40, which absorbs so quickly into my skin. And their body oils! The body oils feel really light and luxurious and nourishing." - Keira.

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DMK

"A few years ago, I regularly had the DMK Enzyme Facials and did the A-Lift Program. I also used the Beta Gel, Direct Delivery Vitamin C Serum, Eye Tone and Nite Firming Cream. People noticed and often commented on how good my skin looked. I stopped using DMK and noticed my skin wasn’t doing so well without it. Luckily, at the end of last year I discovered a new clinic using DMK and now, I am back into their products. Due to COVID, I haven’t been able to go into the salon to get the treatments, so I have been using DMK LIMITED Firmatrix and the face cream at home." - Alison.

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O Cosmedics

"I've used O Cosmedics for years and found it has really helped improve the texture of my skin. It's also faded the pigmentation along my jawline. Products that I absolutely love include the Retinol Concentrate 1%, Immortal Cream and the Gentle Antioxidant Cleanser." - Jennifer.

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Mirenesse

"I’ve bought a few skincare products from Mirenesse and have been pleased with the results - their stuff is absolutely amazing. I think because it’s online it’s not as well known, but it definitely needs to be talked about more!" - Ange.

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Natio Skincare

"Natio Skincare is so underrated and amazing for sensitive skin." - Karagh.

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Mukti Organics

"OMG, I love Mukti Organics! It’s like that feeling you get coming out of an expensive day spa ... except I’m experiencing this morning and night." - Melissa.

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Medik8

"Not sure if Medik8 is underrated, but I hadn’t heard of them before I joined the You Beauty Facebook group. I’ve been using their retinol and Vitamin C and they’ve been wonder products!" - Ashleigh.






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FACT - You can't make pores disappear completely, BUT you can use skincare to make them appear smaller. We ALL have pores all over our face, but because some are clogged they can appear more visible than others. - THE SOLUTION Cleanse to remove excess oil and debris, and exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. Even though it feels counterintuitive, moisturising is also essential for oilier skin types prone to pores. Without moisture, your skin will start to overproduce sebum to counteract the dry skin; stretching out pores and making skin even oilier. - PORE REFINING Use a dual-action exfoliator to harness the power of both exfoliating acids and physical exfoliators for a deep cleanse. Pore Refining Scrub lifts impurities from deep within the skin; decongesting enlarged pores so they can shrink back to their original size. Use Refining Moisturiser afterwards to refine enlarged pores, resurface the skin and provide all-day shine control for a flawlessly smooth complexion. Over time, your pores will be virtually undetectable. - Smoother, retexturised skin that's deeply nourished. Have you tried our Pore Refining products? - Photo credit 📸 @queenstownbeautytherapy . . . . . #PoreRefining #PoreTreatment #Poreless #PoreMinimizer #PoreMinimising #PoreMinimizing #PoreControlling #PoreCleansing #FacialScrub #Cosmeceutical #Sustainable #SummerSkincare #MyMedik8 #MySkincare #Medik8HealthySkin #Exfoliator #RefiningScrub

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Do you have more to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!