Can you mix and match your way to a simpler routine? According to Barcelona-based beauty brand Alex Carro, yes. We put its 5-product range to the test to find out
When it comes to beauty products, odds are your shelves are jam-packed full of possibly unnecessary (and out-of-date) lotions and potions. A strain on both space and time, what if there was a way to declutter cupboards and skincare regimes by having the basics to hand as well as the option of mixing and matching your formulas to best fit your concern and need? With just five products in its range, this is the ethos behind Barcelona-based beauty brand Alex Carro, with simplicity and mixability cited as the two core values of its capsule collection.
New to the UK and comprising of all-natural formulas inspired by founder Alex’s decade-long experimentation with essential oils and plant extracts, the cruelty-free collection is a culmination of her findings. Blended using only premium natural ingredients, its labels include skin glow goodies such as jojoba, argan, Japanese rice bran and grapeseed oils (to name but a few), chosen for their suitability for a range of different skin types. Also fragranced with a calming cocktail of frankincense, geranium, patchouli, rose and French high-altitude lavender essential oil, the serene scent that flows through the range catches the attention of skin and senses pretty wonderfully too.
Why 5 is the magic number
The thinking behind the theory is that if you have the right skincare staples, you can either use them on their own or combine them to suit differing needs, times of year, genders and skin types. The brand’s building blocks? A Balancing Face Oil , £59, (smoothing, regenerating, amazing), a gel-based Facial Cleanser , £39, that transforms into an oil and a delicious milk when mixed with warm water, an Exfoliating Powder , £42, (containing bamboo and rosehip, as well as papaya and pineapple enzymes for a multi-textured cleanse), a hydration boosting Face Cream , £69, that smooths and soothes dryness (thank you hyaluronic acid) and a Multiuse Balm , £19, containing rosehip oil, neroli and shea and cocoa butter (plus more) to target dry lips and areas that require extra attention.
How to mix and match your skincare
When mixed, the portfolio of products to play with impressively doubles from five to 10 to provide additional exfoliating and hydrating properties.
What goes well with what? For times when skin’s feeling particularly dry, a few drops of the Balancing Oil mixed with the Face Cream makes for the most nourishing of skincare formulas. Leaving skin noticeably softer and suppler, it’s fast become our new night time ritual. For a more intensive treatment, simply mix the Balancing Oil with the Facial Cleanser for a silky hydrating mask.
For a radiance boost, try testing out textures where the Exfoliation Powder is concerned. For a gentler gel-like consistency, simply mix with the Facial Cleanser. For a more hydrating option to suit drier skin types, mix with the Balancing Oil, and to satisfyingly slough away flakes and dryness from lips, combine with the Multiuse Balm to perfectly prep pouts for a statement lipstick.
Leaving our skin supremely soft (we couldn’t stop touching it afterwards), these welcomed time-savers have made for an effective and refreshingly simplistic way to streamline our beauty regime. Clearing some much needed space in our beauty cupboards, the Balancing Oil in particular has acted as a great way to soup up our skincare and serve as a multi-sensory treat due to its beautiful botanical fragrance.
Would we recommend adopting a mix and match mentality? If your beauty regime is in need of a de-clutter, it could definitely be the way forward.
Written in partnership with Alex Carro.