I Tried £196 Olaplex Products and There’s a Clear Winner
I Tried £500 Tropic Skincare and Here’s What I Thought
Tropic Skincare is the beauty brand on everyone’s lips right now. Affordable, cruelty-free, sustainable and with responsibly sourced natural ingredients. No wonder searches for the product, and the brand’s smart skincare routine finder – which gives you the perfect routine – are on the rise. But is it worth the hype?
From targeted serums with powerful ingredients like exfoliating lactic acid, to masks with cleansing and hydrating ceramides, the range rivals popular brands like The Ordinary, REN Natural Skincare and Pai. And while it may not have gotten a lot of attention, it’s quickly become popular.
But what does one skincare-obsessed beauty editor think? Click through for an honest review of some of Tropic Skincare’s best-selling products and how to incorporate them into your routine.
Tropic Skincare, Smooth Clean Complexion Purifier, £20
This reminds me of Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish, £18. It’s creamy, smells lovely and makes makeup disappear. My skin and eyes are sensitive to fragrance though, so it would be nice to have an unscented version,
before you try it.
Tropic Skincare, Clear Skies Cleansing Powder, £20
Powdered beauty products are booming at the moment as brands consider their impact on the environment. With just a few drops of water, it turns into a blue paste and then a white foam, perfect for a second cleanse after removing makeup. Mine
Skin feels clean but not unpleasant. Make sure to close the cap tightly to avoid the powder spilling out.
Tropic Skincare, Clear Slate Deep Cleansing Powder, £20
This minty powder turns into a deep cleansing foam in water and my oily skin loves it. I use it at night after my skin has been exposed to makeup, pollution and daily grime. I also find it lasts longer than my usual
foaming cleansers. Here too, it’s important to keep the cap closed or else the powder will easily escape. If you’re travelling with it, I’d recommend securing the lid with tape.
Tropic Skincare Juicy Greens Exfoliating Toner, £18
This toner contains a blend of polyhydroxy acids and alpha hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate the skin and help it absorb product residue. Honestly, I didn’t notice much of a difference other than it helped my tired skin
help recover at the end of the day. I loved its subtle cucumber scent, though.
Tropic Skincare, Morning Mist Soothing Toner, £18
In my opinion, toner isn’t a necessary step in skincare. It hardly ever works for me, except in the summer when I need to cool off at my desk. Honestly, I didn’t notice much of a difference in my skin when I did it after cleansing.
I used a pre-moisturiser but it was really refreshing and prepared my face for makeup, so maybe I’m just a convert. If your skin is very dry and tight, adding hydrating hyaluronic acid and hydrating squalane oil might help.
Tropic Skincare, Peel Peel, £44
It contains lactic acid, AHA (or alpha hydroxy acid). It gently exfoliates the surface of the skin, leaving it looking brighter, smoother and softer. It left my skin glowing over time. The only real downside is the formula
It has a very strong fruity scent, which I can smell on my skin for a while after application. It does fade throughout the day, but if you’re super sensitive to scents like me or they irritate your skin, this might not be for you.
Instead, try The Ordinarys Lactic Acid 5% + HA, £5.50, for a more subtle effect.
Tropic Skincare Glow Berry Brightening Serum, £48
I was surprised at how lightweight it was, considering all the great ingredients (10% glyceryl ascorbate, vitamin C and glycerin, antioxidant super berries and skin-repairing kangaroo paw flower extract). This stuff paints really quickly
into the skin. I’m not sure if it actually brightens that much, but it does leave my face feeling soft, hydrated and plump. I think it’s a great addition to your winter skincare routine.
The only downside is the smell. Don’t get me wrong, it smells amazing
– like summer squash, to be honest. While I enjoyed drinking it, I found it a little underwhelming when I applied it to my face.
Tropic Skincare Rainforest Dew Hydrating Serum, £44
Another serum from Tropic; another success for the brand. As well as ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid, your skin will be infused with a dose of soothing, anti-inflammatory periwinkle fern extract and elasticity-boosting botanical peptide treatments. This is definitely the right choice for anyone with dry skin that suffers from central heating in the autumn and winter. The smell (a light grassy scent) isn’t all that overpowering, which I really appreciate.
Due to the botanical extracts in this formula, a deposit often forms at the bottom of the bottle. Don’t worry, this is natural. You just have to shake the bottle well before use.
Tropic Skincare, Elixir Brightening Omega Oil, £28
What I really like about Tropic serums and oils is that you get a lot of product for your money, and this is a bigger dropper bottle than any I currently own. It’s a little heavy for my acne-prone skin, but mature, dry skin can live with it. It’s packed with omega fatty acids to nourish dry areas and soften the skin.
Tropic Super Greens Nutrient Boosting Oil, £44
It smells exactly like you’d imagine, given all the green goodness in it: like a green smoothie for your face; powerful and earthy. I’m not too keen on the scent, but I love what it does to my skin. After a few weeks of use
I’ve noticed some changes – my skin looks noticeably brighter and fine lines are less noticeable. I also like the idea that the vitamins and nutrients (from cold-pressed broccoli, kale, and avocado oils, regenerative green coffee oil, and fatty acid-rich tamanu oil) can protect me from damage caused by pollution and other daily irritants.
