The Beauty Diary: Introduction to new Australian skincare brand Ava Society
A Sydneysider who launched a new skincare range this month has revealed a photo taken in hotel quarantine was behind the brand’s instant success.
A couple of years ago, most of us had never even heard of a pink clay mask.
Now there’s heaps of them thanks to an Instagram trend that had everyone sharing selfies with the pretty pastel beauty product slathered all over their faces.
But while clay masks have officially moved from our phone screens and into our skincare routines, not all of them are equal.
In general, clay masks are very effective at deep cleansing the skin, treating excess oil and drawing out our impurities such as pesky black heads (something some of us, myself included, find strangely satisfying).
But pink masks – a mix of red and white clays – can be particularly brilliant for those with sensitive skin as unlike green clay it contains natural minerals, silica, magnesium, selenium and zinc which, when combined, become a skincare powerhouse.
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At the start of September, a new Australian brand launched a its “next level” pink clay mask – and already the product from Ava Society has had rave reviews.
The all vegan and cruelty free ingredients are also completely natural and sourced in Australia, something the brand’s creator Mitchell Roach told The Beauty Diary was “non-negotiable”.
On the day of launch, Ava Society earned $8000 in two minutes, with Mitch revealing other products in the line include an anti-redness and pigmentation serum that contains a “dynamic” mix of papaya, licorice and niacinamide to provide a gentle exfoliation and deep hydration to the skin and a hydrating gel mask – called “Sleep With Me” – that moisturises and regenerates skin while you snooze.
“Our entire range was formulated with sensitivity top of mind and our customer feedback so far has matched this,” Mitch said.
“The serum ticks all the boxes and addresses such a wide range of the skin concerns. The papaya helps clear pigmentation and soothe redness, the licorice is a skin lightening property so will help brighten your skin and control any oil production whilst the niacinamide is a powerful yet gentle anti-inflammatory so reduces inflammation, minimises the appearance of pores whilst giving your skin a boost of hydration.”
It may be just a baby brand, but already a host of familiar faces have declared their love for it, including former Bachelor star Abbie Chatfield.
The 24-year-old posted about using the “incredible” skincare while in hotel quarantine in Brisbane, posting a bathroom selfie applying the Avocado Infused Nourishing Oil Serum to her face.
Her post ahead of the brand’s launch fuelled a frenzy for items with sales on the serum alone reaching $50,000.
Former Love Island contestant Erin Barnett has also spoken highly about the products, crediting them for being gentle and effective on her “sensitive skin”.
So of course, we’ll be putting some of Ava Society’s products to the test over the next few weeks, starting with the pink clay mask to see if it stands out amid a very busy crowd. I’ve also recommended a few newbies I’ve been using a lot lately and loving.
AVA SOCIETY NEXT LEVEL NOURISHING PINK CLAY MASK
Available at avasociety.com.au
Price: $69.95
At $70, this mask needs to be seriously impressive to make buyers choose it over rival brands such as Alya Skin, the most sold pink clay mask in the world, which retails for $49 and the Insta-famous Sand & Sky pink clay mask, priced at $69.90. And Ava Society does hold its own against the competition. It comes with a little soft bristled brush that I used to spread a thin, even layer on my face. You need to leave it on for 20 minutes to get the most out of it. Often clay masks can crack and flake off which can be a little annoying, but this one doesn’t so it saves on any mess, and is really easy to wipe off with a warm cloth – always a winner in my books. Once removed, my skin felt so soft and bouncy. If you have sensitive skin, you will probably find this really calming according to others with red and inflamed skin who’ve left reviews online. That gentle effect comes from the aloe vera in the formula.
GIORGIO ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK CONCEALER
Available at Sephora, David Jones, Myer, adorebeauty.com.au and giorgioarmanibeauty.com.au
Price:
If you’re a fan of the Luminous Silk foundation, you’re going to love this matching concealer that just launched. I love a lot about this, from how well it blends with my foundation – especially if I am using its matching cousin – to its doe foot applicator that has a flat side and a pointy end for precision application (perfect for hiding blemishes and pimples). The formula itself I found really lightweight and brightening under my eyes, which is the number one reason I use any concealer. It sits like a dream, with no caking or cracking, and blends in easily. I like to apply with a make-up sponge (a Beauty Blender is my favourite) but when I’ve been on the go I’ve used my fingers and it works just as well. Even though it’s light, the coverage is more on the medium side, so it’s super effective. The little bottle is also super chic and matches the foundation, a detail I found very satisfying.
JURLIQUE NOURISHING CLEANSING OIL
Available at Myer, Amazon, adorebeauty.com.au and jurlique.com
Price: $44
If you’ve been following my column recently, you’ll know I switched up my skincare routine recently and am so happy with how my skin is looking. One thing I haven’t changed though is my love of an oil cleanse to remove my make-up at the end of the day – and this has been my go-to for the past few months. I squirt two pumps on my hands and massage it all over my face. I pay particular attention to my eyelashes, rubbing in a downwards motion multiple times to loosen up my mascara (yes, it totally gives you panda eyes) until it rubs away. It’s so good at removing make-up, even stubborn waterproof mascara that after I wash everything off with a damp microfibre cloth (I use Face Halo) my face is left silky soft and has a lovely glow without any sort of greasy residue. Sometimes when I am feeling a little lazy and I don’t do a second cleanse, my face feels moisturised and soft. It’s just a really lovely product. Using this is honestly one of my favourite parts of the day as I find it incredibly relaxing and nothing beats taking your face off, am I right?
CHARLOTTE TILBURY AIRBRUSH BRONZER
Available at Available at charlottetilbury.com/au
Price: $75
My long search for the perfect bronzer is finally over. This matte powder leaves a really natural sun-kissed finish and blends beautifully on the skin. The formula also builds smoothly and doesn’t dry out like other bronzers as it contains hyaluronic acid. It has a clever “pore minimising” effect that blurs the skin, giving your face a filter-style effect that makes it look smoother with the sweep of a brush. For someone on the lighter end of the skin shade spectrum, bronzers can be notoriously tricky, famously setting with that awful orange tinge that litter my university photos – but this product doesn’t leave you with badly blended cheek stripes. I’ve been using shade “medium” and it’s honestly beautiful and so easy to apply. But there is something we need to talk about – this bronzer is only available in 4 shades which sounds disappointing in 2020. Charlotte describes them as “universal” shades that will suit everyone (and her brand is known for being extremely inclusive) and after watching several YouTube reviews from women with darker skin tones, many have said the famous make-up artist “listened”. British beauty YouTuber Miss Sydz reviewed shade “deep” and declared she was “so impressed” and “came through” – but it’s worth noting, there were commenters in her community who said it wasn’t dark enough for everyone. You can check out her thoughts below.
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.
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