Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream Review

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Table of Contents

Antipodes: The Brand

Antipodes was born in New Zealand. When it comes to combining the best of nature with top-of-the-line science, founder Elizabeth Barbalich was ahead of the curve.

She breathed life into a brand of natural skincare made with pure New Zealand ingredients. The result? A line of stunning products that are both certified organic and cutting-edge on the cosmetology side.

Of course, Antipodes is also vegan and vegetarian.

I could rant on and on about the story of how one of my absolute favorite organic skincare brands came to be. But that might be too much right now, especially if you are here for the review of their Vanilla Pod hydrating day cream.

Let’s just say that if you are looking for skincare that is not only great for the skin but also good for the planet and extremely result-oriented, Antipodes has you in for a treat!

“Connect with nature” is their motto. Well, that humble slogan does not do the skincare I’ve tried so far enough justice.

It is as though Antipodes doesn’t merely connect us with nature, but rather they’ve skimmed the heavy cream from nature’s top, added sugar, and now serve it to us in a luxury vial. Pure delight.

Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream in Review

The iconic Vanilla Pod hydrating day cream was an impulse purchase. Who knew what would be the content of this modest-looking beige tube with contrasting letters and a black cap?

I do like vanilla (a lot) which is why I took the leap… But I was not prepared to be knocked off my feet and swooshed away to la-la-land.

How to describe the experience of using this cream? Oh, here: I want to live in this tube.

Love, Love, Love.

From a face cream, it makes sense to expect a somewhat creamy texture. Those expectations aren’t always met, though. Creams and moisturizers can be various degrees of stiff, drippy, slimy, fluffy, or gelatinous.

The vanilla pod hydrating day cream has the perfect texture. Creamy without being runny or stiff. It absorbs very well and makes my skin feel velvety soft and nourished.

We’ve covered the brand ethos of Antipodes in the beginning. It does check all the right boxes for conscious shoppers, animal lovers, vegans, and eco-warriors. Last but not least, it also works really well for those who just want skincare that delivers. For their skin, that is.

Because it’s great if everyone else is happy – the planet, the animals – but we like a piece of that cake for ourselves, too!

Any Downsides?

None!

I could not find anything wrong with the ingredients, the brand itself, the packaging is fine (perhaps a tube is more hygienic than a jar, even) and the cream did not break me out at all.

This isn’t a cheap drugstore brand, which is reflected in the price. While there are much, much more expensive jars and tubes out here, the Vanila Pod Hydrating Day Cream isn’t exactly low budget either.

Does that count as a downside?

Where To Find Antipodes Skincare

It can be found on Antipodes’ official website.

Tip: Be sure to read up on import taxes for cosmetics before ordering from abroad.
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Full Ingredients

If you are a cosmetic ingredient nerd, you’ll probably keep scrolling until finding these, so here you go. The actual ingredients, as found on the official website.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), glycerin, squalane (olive), Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil, Macadamia ternifolia (macadamia) seed oil, cetearyl alcohol, parfum, Persea gratissima (avocado pear) oil, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract, mel (NZ Manuka honey), Macropiper excelsum (kawakawa) leaf extract, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, tocopherol (Vitamin E), lecithin, benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, limonene, linalool, coumarin, citral.

Green Beauty Tip

Sometimes, I like to order from the UK-based Naturisimo, because they have great discovery boxes you can buy for a small price, that are filled with super valuable goodies. They also run nice sales on full-size products that are worth the wait.

You have to be a little selective: If you’re in the US, don’t get US-based brands like 100% Pure shipped from England. (Duh.) 100% Pure has their own (American) website.

But for exclusive, harder-to-find brands such as Antipodes, Madara, or Evolve Beauty, Naturisimo is great, or, as they say: ‘splendid’.

Quick Deep Dive Into 7 Key Ingredients

Now I thought we could do a little bit of a deeper dive into what is actually in the Antipodes vanilla pod hydrating day cream. I don’t know about you but I’m always very intrigued by how the cream feels, and how it smells, in relation to the ingredients.

Macadamia Nut Oil

Macadamia nut oil is a key ingredient in this cream. Not that I would have guessed this one!

I’ve done a fair bit of experimenting with single oils on my face and let’s just say macadamia nut oil was not my favorite. You’ll read good things about it (which is why I tried it in the first place) but used by itself, it put a slippery, oily layer of goo on my skin. So, meh.

Some say macadamia nut oil is not greasy and can indeed be used as a standalone moisturizer. No to that, as far as my experience goes, unless you don’t mind looking like the inside of a Pyrex ready to welcome some brownie batter.

Blended into this concoction, however: no complaints – it’s wonderful.

Here are a few reasons why macadamia nut oil is good for the skin:

  1. Nourishing: Macadamia nut oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid and palmitoleic acid. These fatty acids are similar to the natural oils found in the skin, making macadamia nut oil an excellent moisturizer that can help to nourish and hydrate the skin.
  2. Antioxidant properties: Macadamia nut oil contains high levels of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which can help to protect the skin against damage from free radicals.
  3. Soothing: Macadamia nut oil is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and calm irritated skin.

Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil is a personal favorite of many people – including yours truly – and for good reason. This is such a versatile and highly beneficial ingredient for the skin. I’ve gone through a few bottles of pure rosehip oil. A light yellow or orange-colored oil, this one is (Halleluiah!) not very greasy and makes a great daytime or nighttime moisturizer.

There’s a reason various brands sell pure rosehip oil as part of their natural skincare lines. Trilogy comes to mind, but there are more. As for what exactly it does for the skin, here’s a peek under the hood of rosehip oil.

  1. Nourishing: Rosehip oil is rich in essential fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic acid, which can help to nourish and hydrate the skin. Additionally, it is also high in antioxidants, including vitamin C, which can help to protect the skin against damage from free radicals.
  2. Anti-inflammatory: Rosehip oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and calm irritated skin. This makes it an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin or conditions such as rosacea or eczema.
  3. Promotes skin regeneration: Rosehip oil contains high levels of trans-retinoic acid, a form of vitamin A, which can help to promote skin regeneration and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  4. Lightweight: Rosehip oil is easily absorbed by the skin and does not leave a greasy residue. This makes it an ideal ingredient for those with oily skin or for those who are looking for a lightweight moisturizer. (Yes, really! If you’ve never tried to use oil on your face, rosehip oil is a great one to start with.)
  5. Versatile: Rosehip oil can be used as a standalone moisturizer or as an ingredient in other skincare products, making it a versatile and effective ingredient for a wide range of skin types.

Kawakawa Leaf Extract

Kawakawa leaf extract is completely new to me at the time of writing. Antipodes Skincare keeps things local with kawakawa being native to New Zealand.

Some digging into this exotic-sounding plant shows it is a highly beneficial ingredient for the skin. A few of the reasons why:

  1. Antioxidant properties: Kawakawa leaf extract is rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which can help to protect the skin against damage from free radicals.
  2. Anti-inflammatory: Kawakawa leaf extract has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and calm irritated skin. This makes it an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin or conditions such as acne or rosacea.
  3. Skin-healing: Kawakawa leaf extract has been traditionally used for its skin-healing properties, and has been found to have a soothing effect on the skin and to promote skin regeneration.
  4. Natural antimicrobial: Kawakawa leaf extract has natural antimicrobial properties, making it an effective ingredient for those with acne-prone skin.

Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is fabulous-and not merely for the skin. If you aren’t familiar with this very exclusive kind of honey, definitely take a minute to read up on its properties. Manuka honey is a natural product made by bees from the nectar of the manuka bush, a native New Zealand plant.

My current jar is from Steens. I hide it, because it’s not the kind of honey you leave out for people to mindlessly pop in their tea. House guests who drink tea get the vulgar pasturized supermarket honey. Manuka honey is medicinal. And before digging into my precious jar, you’ll have to convince me you have the appropriate degree of reverence for the highly coveted substance.

But I disgress – back to skin care. Don’t worry by the way, the cream is not sticky at all. This is what the Makuna honey in Antipodes’ cream can do for your face.

  1. Manuka honey has natural antimicrobial properties, making it an effective ingredient for those with acne-prone skin or for those looking to reduce the appearance of blemishes.
  2. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and calm irritated skin. This makes it an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin or conditions such as rosacea or eczema.
  3. Manuka honey is a natural humectant, meaning it can help to attract and retain moisture in the skin, improving skin hydration and reducing the appearance of dryness.
  4. Traditionally used for its skin-healing properties, Manuka honey has been found to promote skin regeneration and reduce the appearance of scars.

Vitis Vinifera

Vitis Vinifera, also known as grape seed extract, has antioxidant properties. Grape seed extract is rich in antioxidants, including proanthocyanidins and polyphenols, which can help to protect the skin against damage from free radicals.

It may also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin firmness and elasticity as well as soothe and calm irritated skin.

Grape seed extract increases cell turnover and collagen synthesis. This, in turn, helps your skin stay elastic and stay healthy.

When used regularly, products containing grape seed extract can even out your skin tone and even treat acne outbreaks due to the anthocyanidins’ antioxidant and microbial properties.

It sounds like we could almost include Antipodes’ Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream in the popular round-up of how to Find the Perfect Natural Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin.

Last But Not Least: Glycerin

Glycerin is a widely used ingredient in skincare products because of its many benefits for the skin. They are pretty straight-forward but nonetheless useful.

As a natural humectant, glycerin can help to attract and retain moisture in the skin. This makes it an effective ingredient for improving skin hydration and reducing the appearance of dryness.

It can help to smooth the skin, reducing the appearance of rough or flaky patches, help to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, and maintain its natural moisture levels.

Conclusion

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream is a luxurious moisturizer for daily use. This cream has a lovely, creamy texture that feels super soft and hydrating on the skin. It absorbs quickly without leaving any greasy residue, making it perfect for layering under makeup.

The fragrance of this cream is simply divine. It has a warm, sweet vanilla scent with a hint of something spicy. Of course, if a suave vanilla fragrance isn’t your thing, you may not like it. I can’t think of anything comparable to describe the fragrance, except maybe a warm Chai Latte with squirt of French vanilla syrup.

Some of the standout ingredients in this cream are rosehip oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado pear oil, kawakawa leaf extract, and manuka honey, which all work together to nourish and hydrate the skin.

Antipodes is a New Zealand-based skincare brand that uses high-quality, natural ingredients to create effective and eco-friendly products. All of their products are free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, and artificial colors, making them a great choice for anyone looking for a more natural approach to skincare.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a luxurious and effective day cream that smells amazing, Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream is an excellent choice. Its unique blend of natural ingredients makes it ideal for those with sensitive skin, and its nourishing formula will leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated.