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You only need to search 'Latest in Beauty' on this blog to see how much I adore them, they're one of the best beauty boxes around and so their first brand showcase was hotly anticipated. First in the hot seat is UpCircle, a brand that ticks all the boxes when it comes to sustainability, product formulation and ingredients. It's also a skincare brand I bloody love and one I've written about a number of times.
If you're unfamiliar with Upcircle, they deliver high-performance skincare with high-quality cruelty-free, vegan and organic formulas made from upcycled and by-product ingredients that they repurpose. It launched just six years ago after a conversation with a barista about how much coffee ground is sent to landfills. Fast forward to now and they upcycle more than ten other by-product ingredients from varied industries including argan, tea, date, olive and wood industries into their skincare.
It's a fascinating journey and this is such an incredible way to get to know the brand more. The Upcircle Brand Showcase (£60.00) features seven full-size beauty heroes, from cleansing and exfoliating products to treatments and serums. Worth £120, it can be yours for £60 and if you're already a LiB Pro member you'll get 15% off!
This award-winning cleansing balm is one of the first products I ever tried from Upcircle and it's one I still purchase and use now. The balm is made with the finely ground powder of discarded apricot stones which is rich in antioxidant Vitamin E as well as blackcurrant seed, blue tansy and sea buckthorn oils. It smells incredible and it lingers making your skin feel suitably clean after use.
The balm helps break down the day's dirt and grime revealing cleaner, more hydrated skin that feels super soft. It's gentle, doesn't irritate eyes and it can be used alone or as a first cleansing step. It has a really lovely consistency that just melts into skin, I can't stop reaching for it.
One of my favourite toners, this is made with the anti-inflammatory residual water of green mandarin fruit, a by-product of the juicing industry as well as hyaluronic acid, salicylic and glycerin to help plump and moisturise. There's also chamomile stem extract to soothe the skin a by-product of the tea industry!
Why use residual water? Water is usually the first ingredient in cosmetic products and plays an important role in the sustainability of the overall formulating process which makes it a great ingredient to replace with a more sustainable alternative to drinkable water. Plus - the minerals, vitamins and amino acids found in fruit waters have more benefits for the skin than mineral filtered water.
The toner has a beautifully fresh scent and unlike most toners, it doesn't sting or burn when using - my skin feels softer, I have a brighter complexion and the scent really awakens me in the mornings. I just spray it onto the skin and then wipe with a reusable cotton pad - it's a brilliant product.
Now I love a scrubby scrub and this one is a dream to use! It's a super invigorating scrub and perfect for awakening the skin in the morning - naturally caffeinated skincare is the secret to increasing blood flow, brightening the skin and flooding it with antioxidant protection and boy is this good plus it smells incredible. I use it on my elbows and knees before a little pre-tan too! I'm most excited to see that they've changed the packaging to a glass pot, the tubes always used to leak and coffee scrub is a pain to clean up so this is such a welcome change.
The first thing I have to say is this is such an excellent eye cream, I'm so pleased this is included in the showcase as it's one of their best products in my opinion. I'm really particular about making sure my eye area is well looked after, I always have been. It probably has something to do with living in Spain and the sun so something like an eye cream is a must for me. The Upcircle Eye Cream is gentle, helps to refresh the area and reduces the appearance of dark circles and fine lines.
Its formula is made with coffee oil extracted from repurposed grounds and anti-inflammatory maple bark extract, a by-product of the wood industry. Suitable for all skin types, it can be used morning and night to revive the area. It's lightweight, feels incredible on the skin and really does work - my eyes look more awake and less puffy which is exactly what I need with those 5am wakeups with an excited toddler ready for the day.
Another award-winning product, the face moisturiser nourishes and brightens skin giving you a smooth, glowing complexion. The deeply hydrating, fast-absorbing face cream is rich in Vitamin E and argan powder as well as being combined with cocoa butter, aloe vera and blood orange to keep skin soft. It's a dream to use, especially under makeup - I've only used it for the last week so my thoughts are just first impressions but having read the reviews, I can't wait to see what my skin looks like in a few weeks.
Formulated with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil, this night cream aims to even out skin tone, hydrate the skin and promote overnight skin regeneration. It's another one I've only used a couple of times but so far, so good - the formula is nice and thick, it soaks into skin beautifully and it smells beautiful. It also contains blueberry extract that is rich in Vitamin A and a source of pro-retinol that helps to minimise the signs of ageing. Super impressed with this one so far.
Hands up who loves a serum - I have numerous lotions and potions but I can never resist one more serum. This one from Upcircle is super hydrating thanks to ingredients such as jojoba, sea buckthorn and rosehip oils meaning skin looks and feels fabulous. Use morning and night to help boost collagen and keep skin firm as it's rich in Vitamin C and antioxidant-rich coffee while rosehip oils fade dark spots and scars whilst brightening the complexion.
Apply after moisturiser as it's 100% oil based and works through occlusion, locking in the hydration provided by the moisturiser by forming a protective seal over your skin.
The Upcircle Brand Showcase box with Latest in Beauty is available to purchase now direct from their website. You can shop the box via this link - Upcircle Brand Showcase X Latest in Beauty.
Which product would you most like to try?
