Beauty review: Garnier Organics Lavandin Glow Facial Oil

Anyone that checks in here regularly will know that I’m a huge fan of oils - body oils, hair oils and facials oils - and love the fact that nine times out of ten, they are brilliant multi-taskers and are great travel companions too.

Cleansing your face with one is a given with me, but for many, using oils on the face in particular may seem counterintuitive, especially those who associate it with breakouts and the like. Well it just ain’t true, and there are more and more great facial oils arriving on the market all the time that are making their way into bathroom cabinets across the globe.

Many of my favourite facial oils are on the pricier side, mainly due to the cost of the raw ingredients and the small batch production that goes hand-in-hand with most indie brands. It’s rare to find a ‘big business’ beauty name creating one that actually passes muster in terms of cleanliness and integrity, but that may well have just changed with the arrival of Garnier Organics Lavandin Glow Facial Oil.

For under $20 a bottle, this luxurious, non-greasy beauty is a serious contender – and feels as lush as many oils twice or three times its price. It’s great to see Garnier making this kind of commitment to the environment too, although as far back as 1989 they were saying no to animal testing. The products in their Garnier Organics line contain selected star ingredients certified by Ecocert Greenlife according to the COSMO standard, and their star ingredients come from organic farming and renewable resources that re-grow every year.

SO WHAT'S 'LAVANDIN'?

The star of the show when it comes to the Lavandin Glow Facial Oil is lavandin, which is not a misspelling of lavender but something quite unique. They’re from the same family and share several properties, but are definitely two distinct plants. Lavandin is a hybrid of true lavender and spike lavender, which results in a bigger plant with a bigger flower yield. Now that you know what exactly lavandin is, you might be wondering how organic lavandin essential oil can benefit skin – in particular, yours!

Organic lavandin essential oil’s active ingredients - linalool, linalyl acetate, camphor and cineol - are known for their soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. When combined in a skin care formula, organic lavandin essential oil helps contribute to an anti-aging effect by regenerating and improving the skin’s firmness. That is why the Garnier Organics range uses organic lavandin essential oil in their anti-aging skincare products; Regenerating Lavandin Smooth & Glow Facial Oil, Regenerating Lavandin Anti-Age Day Care Cream and Regenerating Lavandin Anti-Age Eye Care Cream. Even with powerful anti-aging benefits, these products are gentle enough to be used on even the most sensitive skin, which is an added bonus if you have reactive skin like me.

HOW DO I USE IT?

Garnier Organics Lavandin Glow Facial Oil  - like many other great facial oils – can be used in a number of ways, starting with a morning and/or evening boost. You can use it alone or mix 1 to 2 drops with your moisturiser and apply to face, neck and décolleté. I’ve even mixed mine with a liquid foundation for a dewy effect, which comes highly recommended as the cold creeps in.

Just $19.99, Garnier Organics Lavandin Glow Facial Oil is available in store now.