The Beauty Diary by Rebekah Scanlan: New products all over your Insta-feed

Bachelor star Abbie Chatfield was praised by fans for sharing a “real” photo of her body — sparking a rush to buy the item she was promoting.

We’re spammed so often with product plugs on our social media platforms, it can be hard to know which ones to pay attention to.

But when Abbie Chatfield shared a snap of herself in an orange bikini and smeared in a new beauty buy — I stopped in my tracks.

The former Bachelor contestant hadn’t edited her snaps and I am totally here for photos of real women on my Instagram. Abbie’s happiness beamed across my iPhone screen and it made scrolling past impossible.

Abbie Chatfield was praised for sharing her ‘real’ body in this bikini photo promoting Aussie brand Bangn Body. Picture: Supplied

When I realised it was because she’d discovered an amazing Australian beauty brand Bangn Body, it all made sense.

Made with all-natural ingredients, I’ve been a fan of its debut product the Firming Body Lotion since it launched earlier this year, thanks to its delicious scent that is just like a pina colada and its ultra hydrating formula.

Now Bangn Body has dropped two new products: a coffee based body scrub and a body balm — and Abbie is loving them.

Priscilla Haijantoni, the Melbourne founder of the brand, told The Beauty Diary the photos of the reality star using the new products were shared on the day they launched, earning her $40k in just 24 hours.

It earned the relatively new beauty business $49k in 24 hours. Picture: Supplied

“Abbie’s post on launch night helped elevate the hype of the new products,” she said.

“We made over $40,000 within 24 hours of launching, selling on average one order every three minutes.”

And she’s not the only reality star who has been raving about the brand, with Martha Kalifatidis from Married At First Sight also stripping down to her bikini to slather herself in the stuff for her Instagram.

Here’s what I think of the two new products as well as a few other goodies that have dropped in stores this month.

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BANGN BODY SMOOTH SKIN SCRUB

This is a coffee scrub but like none you’ve ever used before. Picture: Supplied

Available at bangnbody.com

Price: $42

This buffer is a coffee scrub which initially put me off, I mean – coffee scrubs are quite frankly a bloody mess and I can’t deal with the state some leave my shower. But this is no ordinary coffee scrub. From the moment I squeezed some out of the tube I was surprised, the formula wasn’t a deep brown instead a light shade flickered with speckles of coffee grains. It also didn’t smell anything like my fresh morning cup and instead still has the Bangn Body brand’s signature tropical fragrance – without any chemicals. It buffs like a gentle dream and leaves skin feeling baby soft and smelling like the vacation I’m dreaming of. Love it.

BANGN BODY LIP AND EYE BEAUTY BALM

You’ll probably only use this on your lips but you can actually slap it anywhere. Picture: Supplied

Available at bangnbody.com

Price: $28

While most people will probably use this as a lip balm, it has been created with a multifunctional purpose. Made with a whole bunch of native ingredients, including finger lime extract, avocado oil, and vitamin, this simple product can hydrate and protect skin with an easy swipe. But I love using it as a cheeky way to give myself a gorgeous natural glow on the go as it has been living in my handbag and looks great applied on the cheekbone.

PAULA’S CHOICE SUPER HYDRATE OVERNIGHT REPAIR MASK

We’re going through a real obsession with night masks at the moment and this one is a goodie. Picture: Supplied

Available at paulaschoice.com.au

Price: $42

It seems like 2019 has been the year of the “night mask”, with more of us wanting the seemingly impossible – for our products to work while we’re asleep. I’ve no idea how these trendy night masks don’t actually end up on my pillow rather than my face, but this new one from Paula’s Choice gives me soft, smooth, hydrated, and radiant skin when I wake up. The gel formula is super fresh and feels cooling on the skin with a silky thin texture that doesn’t feel tight or suffocating.

AHC PERFECTING EYE CREAM FOR FACE

This K-Beauty product sells every three seconds in Korea. Picture: Supplied

Available at Myer

Price: $49

Aussie beauty lovers tend to lose it when a new K-Beauty brand launches Down Under and for good reason. So when Korean beauty brand AHC landed exclusively in Myer this month, it was hard to choose which product to smother myself in first. Then I saw stats that show the brand sells one of tube of its ‘Perfecting Eye Cream for Face’ every three seconds and I knew that was the one. Despite its slightly baffling name, this isn’t an eye cream – it is a face cream that’s been inspired by a concentrated eye cream, meaning this baby is strong. While I’m not really a fan of its scent or its super long and kind of concerning ingredients list, I can confirm it absorbs easily and doesn’t leave you feeling heavy or dry. I did notice on days when I felt particularly tired it brightened my eye bags too.

ELLA BACHE SUPERFLUID GREAT SPF50+

Soz this isn’t out yet but it’s so good I just had to tell you about it. Picture: Supplied

Available at David Jones and www.ellabache.com.au from December 26

Price: $55

Okay, this item hasn’t dropped just yet — in fact you’ve got 25 long days from today until you can get your hands on it. But I’m so obsessed with the preview product sample I just had to tell you about it because this is a facial sunscreen with actual superpowers. As well as being a factor 50 SPF, it’s water resistant for four hours and is filled with antioxidant-rich Green Tea and Kakadu Plum Extract which work to protect skin from free radicals that damage our skin. I’ve been using the cream beige tint with gives a nice natural level of coverage, perfect for the beach or days when you just want a natural glow. It’s also super lightweight, no thick icky formula here, so if you do want to wear make-up it works as a very good primer.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY DARLING EASY EYE PALETTE

Get on my face. Picture: Supplied

Available at charlottetilbury.com.au

Price: $89

Okay, I’m just going to admit it – I am OBSESSED with Charlotte Tilbury everything. And her new bronzed Darling palette is no exception. This is curated by the iconic make-up artist to help fans recreate her own signature smoky eye which she says was inspired by her favourite view in the world – a sunset on the party island of Ibiza. Having been to the Spanish hotspot a few years back I can confirm, CT has nailed her own brief (naturally) and it looks as good on as it does in the packaging. The six warm pink and copper tones blend easily and work together better than bread does with butter. The pigments are really striking and blend out super easily, plus you can create multiple day and night looks with the colour range. Of course, the packaging is super luxe too and has a lush large mirror despite being a compact palette. It’s a perfect palette for the silly season.

This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.

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