We haven’t done a deep dive on a vegan skincare brand for a while, so let’s go (vegan) ham on Desavery and find out what makes this natural beauty brand tick.
This is for you if:
- You’re vegan or prefer vegan products
- You’re looking for plant based/natural/sustainable beauty products
- You like naturally scented skincare
- You enjoy using skincare oils
Desavery sent me four of their hero products from the range – a cleanser, two serums and a body oil.
One thing I like about this brand is the minimalist ‘less is more’ approach. The collection is carefully curated and they’re not trying to sell you tons and tons of products. There’s only one cleanser and one body oil, for example. The brand seems to be focused on doing less, but better. Packaging is also kept simple, elegant and recyclable.
What all these serums and oils have in common is that they smell amazing, and are intense enough to work effectively even with a small amount of product. Three drops of the serums were plenty for me, and a little also went a long way with both the cleanser and the body oil. I would expect all of these to last a long time.
Who are Desavery?
Desavery are a UK natural skincare brand launched in 2018. They’re dedicated to creating products designed to boost skin health using botanical plant oils. Products are made in small batches, sourced from sustainable and socially responsible producers. Ingredients are chosen for the effect they have on the mind as well as the skin, and it’s not just the predictable stuff you might expect, like lavender to make you feel sleepy. What’s going on here is a lot more thoughtful and complex.
Garrigue Body Oil
The Garrigue Body Oil (100ml, RRP £48) is the newest addition to the Desavery range. Named after the hills above Provence where the ingredients are sourced, it’s a lovely mix of nourishing oils. Fig seed oil is rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9, whilst rice bran oil evens skin tone and increases moisture retention.
The scent is a herbal and floral mix, designed to lower cortisol levels and promote seratonin. So in theory this should leave you feeling less stressed and more relaxed. I’ve certainly felt good when I’ve used it; it’s a very relaxing product to massage into the skin. It sinks in very quickly so you’re not waiting for it to absorb before you can get dressed.
Dream Oil Cleanser
Next I used the Dream Oil Cleanser (30ml, RRP £36). This cleanser is designed both to thoroughly cleanse the skin and help you relax before bedtime, with an aromatherapy mix of oils including ylang yland, bergamot and frankinsence. It doesn’t turn milky in water the way many oil cleansers do – you’ll have to remove it with the aid of a flannel and warm water. I found it to be very effective in removing make up and SPF, including eye make up, leaving my skin incredibly soft and refreshed.
This is really a cleanser to take your time over and enjoy the aromatherapy benefits. With all those oils in there, the scent is both distinctive and complex – floral and herbal at the same time, and thoroughly relaxing.
I’ve also been using the Smooth Hyaluronic Acid with Clary Sage & Bergamot (30ml, RRP £36) and the Stellar Daily Serum (30ml, £70) day and night for the last couple of weeks. Once again the ingredients are chosen with mood as well as skincare in mind.
Smooth Hyaluronic Acid
I’m sure you’re familiar with hyaluronic acid serums – this one is thicker than most, but still non-sticky, sinking in very quickly. Two or three drops were plenty for me.
Bergamot is in there not just for its scent as you might expect, but also for its ability to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
Clary sage has been found to help enhance cognition. I looked up the science on this and it’s really fascinating. Could your skincare make you smarter? Too early to say, but it’s an intriguing thought.
Stellar Daily Serum
Bergamot and clary sage also crop up in the Stellar serum. The other main ingredient here is prickly pear seed oil, chosen for its high level of antioxidants and Vitamin E. This is the type of rich facial oil I would normally choose for the winter, when skin gets dried out thanks to central heating. Although saying that, it’s not so rich that it leaves the skin feeling oily. Instead it sinks in well and moisturises enough so that you most likely won’t need a separate moisturiser. If you are looking to bring a bit more glow to your skin then this will do it.
All in all, I love the fusion of mind and body benefits in these products. It’s smarter skincare, clearly created with love and thoughtfulness. And don’t we all need a bit more of that?
Product details
These products are all available from the Desavery website here. The gift sets and discovery boxes here are a good way to explore the range if you want to trial it. Signing up for their newsletter gets you 15% off.
Vegan, 97% certified organic, recyclable packaging
*PR samples