Vegan Beauty: Tropic Skincare
Tropic Skincare is a beauty range launched by former The Apprentice 2011 contestant Susan Ma. Despite not winning the show, Alan Sugar invested in her business anyway because he could see that she was onto a winner. Tropic Skincare is entirely vegan and cruelty free, reflecting their compassion for animals and refusing to bring them any harm – this includes refusing to use lanolin, beeswax, and honey. Pure, Honest, Effective: the three principles at the heart of Tropic Skincare. I was contacted by Tropic Skincare ambassador Lauren Dawson and offered a complimentary sampling session. I loved the products so much that I ended up making some purchases myself which I will discuss later.
www.tropicskincare.co.uk/shop/laurendawson
My absolute favourite thing about these products is the fact that they are clearly labelled as vegan and cruelty free. It can be very irritating as a vegan to have to search the whole internet and email back and forth with companies to find out whether they are suitable. I think it’s great that Tropic Skincare cares enough to invest in the logos and to be loud and proud about their lack of harm to animals. More companies should surely follow suit.
I sampled the award winning Smoothing Cleanser that, when purchased, comes with a completely natural and anti-bacterial bamboo cloth. The cloth is so natural in fact, that if you (for whatever reason) or your furry friends happened to eat it, it would do you no harm. The cleanser is Tropic’s best-selling product and works for all skin types since the golden jojoba acts to restore the skins natural pH levels. I absolutely loved the citrusy scent of this product, with eucalyptus too.
Another product I tried was the Vitamin Toner that works particularly well for those of us with highly visible pores, particularly around the nose area. It is also great for people who struggle with spots (such as myself). Most toners can dry out your skin since they contain alcohol but the Tropic toner, again, balances out your pH levels and the Aloe Vera juice within the toner soothes and cools and helps to calm skin redness. It works great for dry, oily, or combination skin and since it is a light mist, it can be used throughout the day to hydrate your face (even when wearing makeup – just one or two pumps of the product will help to cool and hydrate your skin).
I also used the Skin Revive daily moisturiser, which again is suitable for all skin types. It is a nutrient-rich daily moisturiser that hydrates, protects and nourishes the skin for a healthy and radiant complexion. Another great product I got to try was the Organic Elixir that is designed to leave you with a radiant complexion, too. It apparently works great to help soothe skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. Most people with oily skin would avoid this skin product since it is an oil in itself, but the elixir actually acts to balance out pH levels meaning it can help to reduce your oiliness and is also great at fighting spots.
Something that I have started to use more is a face mask. Every now and then, when your skin just feels totally run down, putting on a face mask can be a nice quick-fix. Lauren applied the Clear Skin Blemish Fighting Mask to my face which is an absolutely glorious green colour and left it to harden. Then, wash off using the Tropic Skincare bamboo cloth and warm water. I mean it when I say that my skin was ridiculously soft after having used this face mask and it is one of the products that I have personally bought. Tropic Skincare also offers 2 other face mask products: Face Lift Brightening Tightening Mask and Deep Hydration Soothing Cooling Mask and so there is something for everyone.
The other two products that I personally bought are the Body Smooth Refreshing Polish and the Extension Fibres that you use alongside your mascara. The Body Smooth Refreshing Polish is an exfoliator and I could not believe just how soft and smooth my skin was after having used it. It is actually the very first product that Tropic Skincare founder Susan Ma ever made, and she used to sell it at Greenwich Market in London aged only 15. It is easy to see how her brand has grown to be so successful because this product is simply amazing. The Extension Fibres come in the form of a normal mascara wand, but with a special tip. You firstly apply mascara (or the Fixing Gel Mascara made by Tropic Skincare) and then 30 seconds later gently apply the fibres as you would any normal mascara, but focussing mostly on the ends. It adds wispy ends to your lashes creating a fluttery, dreamy look. I fell in love with this product immediately and I actually bought 2: one for me, and one for my mum.
Tropic Skincare also includes many other products such as minerals makeup, body washes, self-tanning, sun cream and various tools that can be used during your skincare routine. I personally loved the smell of the Frangipani, Star Anise and Tiare Flower body wash pictured below (yellow) but all three smell absolutely glorious. I really like how the pineapple scent comes through in the Wild Mint, Lime and Pineapple version (green).
If you’re unsure about trying these products, why not order the Travel Essentials collection at only £28 to give yourself a little taster. The Travel Essentials collection includes: Face Smooth Brightening Polish, Smoothing Cleanser + Bamboo Cloth, Skin Revive Nourishing Cream Concentrate, Superfood Hand Therapy, and Feel Fresh Soothing Deodorant and Antiperspirant. Alternatively, you can contact an ambassador to arrange a sampling party for you and your friends.
I would probably describe the price range as being similar to the Body Shop, and so while it is not the cheapest it is certainly not the most expensive and for natural, vegan products that really work and smell great, it is worth the money.
Photos are authors own.