From high-performing ingredients to cruelty-free formulas, there's a lot more to Bad Habit than bold colours and cheeky packgaing
Skincare brands aimed at gen Z and millennials feel ten-a-penny these days, with newbies including Glow Hub, Plenaire , Skin Proud and Star Face all launching within the last few years. It takes a lot to make a new brand stand out, but stand out is exactly what Bad Habit does; it's even caught the attention of supermodel Gigi Hadid, 25, who told her Instagram followers that Bad Habit's Dewd Hemp Nourishing Facial Oil, £29, and Daily Dose Multivitamin Moisturiser, £24, are part of her 'me-time skincare routine.'
Created under the same umbrella brand as Morphe and Morphe Skin, Bad Habit is a collection of ten moisturisers, cleansers, face masks, oils and mists, all costing less than £30 with 19-year-old blogger Emma Chamberlain (she has almost 13 million Instagram followers) as the creative director and global brand ambassador.
While the brand is clearly aimed at young-skin (the packaging is emblazoned with quips about texting your ex, Instagram scrolling and late-night shopping) we implore you not to overlook this brand even if your 21st birthday is a distant memory.
The whole collection was designed to nourish and renew stressed-out skin and includes ingredients such as AHAs and BHAs ( exfoliating acids , such as glycolic and salicylic acid), peptides (proteins to repair damaged skin), hyaluronic acid (for hydration) and vitamin C, all to combat modern-day stressors such as lack of sleep and blue-light exposure (ie. bad habits).
The formulas are vegan and cruelty-free and made without parabens, sulfates and formaldehyde, though the products are designed to be multi-sensory with cleansers in bright green and punchy purple, noticeable fragrances (lavender and geranium to name but two) and pleasing textures (think an ever so slight grain to the cleansing balm). A calm, pared-back skincare range this is not. But if you’re not phased by colours and scents, we highly recommend giving it a whirl.
Here are the hero buys from the collection
Wake Things Up Matcha and Mint Daily Cleanser, £19
When you squeeze this out of the tube it is shockingly bright green which is a definite wake up call when you use it in the morning. It smells ultra-zingy and fresh too and has a gentle tingle on the skin (thanks mint) but a lovely creamy consistency that feels like it’s nourishing as well as washing away any dead skin cells that are lingering on the skin after a night of slumber. It creates a light lather that isn’t foamy so is good for sensitive skin and feels soft from the minute you apply it to when you wash it off. It’s enriched with matcha green tea for antioxidant powers, aloe vera for hydration and mint and neroli essential oils to wake up your senses – and that they do! It’s fuss-free and I’ll miss it in the morning when it runs out.
Omzzz Acaí Nightly Cleansing Balm, £22
Bright violet in colour, this cleansing balm is designed to be used at the end of the day to remove makeup. It has a very gentle, almost undetectable beaded texture for exfoliation which melts onto the skin almost immediately removing my mascara and liquid eyeliner easily, though it does create the ultimate panda eyes with black makeup spread all over my face before I wash it off. This one smells amazing with lavender essential oil to calm your mind while you clean your face, plus açai berry for antioxidant and shea butter and vitamin E to moistures and soften. My face always feels ultra-soft after using this and clean as a whistle too.
Power Sleep Melatonin and Glycolic Night Cream, £25
Pale lilac in colour, this is the most discreet-looking of the Bad Habit skincare I tried and potentially my favourite. The tub says “you might run into your ex tomorrow so wake up looking your brightest”. The brightening powers come courtesy of glycolic acid which is a buzzy ingredient at the moment in overnight skincare because it does just that - works overnight so you make up with a clearer complexion. A cream is a great way to gently introduce exfoliating acids into your skincare, especially if you’re wary of the sting that can sometimes bring. It also has a subtle lavender scent for sending you into the land of nod and while it is a thick cream it sinks in very quickly and you don’t feel you’ve left half the tub on your pillow after using it at bedtime. As well as glycolic this also has hyaluronic acid in for the hydration factor and melatonin which supports your skin’s nighttime antioxidant production
10 Minute Rehab Green Juice Charcoal Detox Mask, £24
If you’re into clay masks , give this a try. It tingles a little on first application but only for 30 seconds or so and we’re happy to report it doesn't feel drying or tight as many clay masks can. The texture is ever-so gritty for a light exfoliation when you remove it but it does a great job of tackling blackheads and leaves the skin ultra-soft (a theme with Bad Habit buys!) Cucumber and aloe vera are responsible for soothing in this mask, while it’s the lemon and rosemary that invigorate the sense and charcoal and clay that get to work on blackheads to absorb pore-clogging dirt and oil
Dewd Hemp Nourishing Facial Oil, £29
Utilising the power of hemp seed oil this non-greasy green formula is one of the Bad Habit products favoured by Gigi Hadid. It calms and brightens irritated skin with other ingredients including turmeric to help skin combat environmental stressors. It has a lavender and geranium scent thanks to essential oils, so we'd use this one at bedtime for a soothing night time treat.
Daily Dose Multivitamin Moisturiser, £24
Gigi's other pick from Bad Habit, this gel moisturiser has niacinamide in the ingredients list to brighten and even skin tone and red rice to protect from blue light. This is a zingy one, with ginger and mandarin essential oils to kick-start your morning.
All in all, Bad Habit is a brand we’re excited to see more from. Moral of the story? Don’t overlook skincare even if you’re not the target audience!
MORE GLOSS: We tried Kourtney Kardashian's pore-exposing viral clay mask