Sustainable and scientific; natural and ultra-nourishing. We’re in love with Antipodes, a premium natural beauty brand hailing from New Zealand. So as our latest Brand of the Month, we caught up with Elizabeth Barbalich, Antipodes founder and CEO, on the brand’s latest natural formulation – specifically designed to bring your glow back. Your products are loved by the likes of Billie Eilish and Cara Delevingne, and you’re regularly featured in the likes of Vogue. nFor those who don’t know about Antipodes yet, how would you describe it? Antipodes is New Zealand’s Scientific Green Beauty brand, bringing plant-powered, pollution-free skincare to the world. Our formulations are globally awarded, ultra-clean, eco-friendly, and scientifically validated –which is rare for a natural brand and something we’re super proud of. There’s a lot of buzz around your latest launch. What can you tell us about it? I’m incredibly excited about my latest natural formulation: Diem Vitamin C Pigment-Correcting Water Cream. I’ve called this product “Diem” (Latin for ‘day’) because it’s the ultimate day cream to revitalise and perfect the skin. The weightless water cream evens out skin tone, brightens the complexion, reduces dull tones, and targets discolouration, age spots, and hyperpigmentation. What is the science behind Diem, and how does it work? Diem works by harnessing natural origin peptides, which are short chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of skin. I’ve chosen a specific, stable, high-performance peptide that helps inhibit the melanogenesis process –in doing so, helping to reduce and prevent pigmentation, uneven tones, and dark spots. The result: clear, radiant, healthy skin. What would you say is the ultimate must-have for brightening skin? Vitamin C is an absolute must-have in a skin-brightening formula! A potent antioxidant, it minimises and protects against free radical damage, boosts collagen synthesis, and brightens skin tone. Whereas synthetic vitamin C can be irritating, in Diem, we’ve used Kakadu plum–nature’s richest source of Vitamin C. This small green fruit has been shown to contain up to 100 times the Vitamin C of oranges. What can you tell us about Antipodes’ sustainability ethos? As a natural brand, we’re committed to sustainability from the inside out, from farm to face. Diem comes in our beautiful apothecary-style tinted glass packaging, which is kerbside recyclable –so it’s not going to end up in landfill. It’s super easy to reuse, too. We’ve been using glass since day one because of its superior quality. We’re also proud to use FSC-approved cardboard packaging printed with vegetable inks. Even our tamper seals are plastic-free and biodegradable. Can you describe your ultimate skin-brightening routine to us? Step 1 After cleansing, apply a glow-boosting serum like Antipodes® Glow Ritual Vitamin C Serum. This light-wear gel serum is my skin’s daily dose of Vitamin C. It contains Kakadu plum to illuminate skin whilst plumping and protecting. Plant hyaluronic acid (sourced from the fermentation of vegetables) is a powerful humectant, helping to boost water. The result? Luminous, dewy skin. Step 2 Follow with a brightening eye cream like Antipodes® Kiwi Seed Gold Luminous Eye Cream. With Vitamin C-rich kiwi seed oil as the hero ingredient, my eyes look fresh and awake with a few dots, gently patted into the delicate under-eye area. The ultra-light formulation helps to brighten dark circles thanks to powerful antioxidants whilst genuine 23k gold flakes add a touch of luxe. Step 3 “Finish with a pigmentation-correcting moisturiser like Antipodes® Diem Vitamin C Pigment-Correcting Water Cream. My go-to moisturiser for a naturally healthy-looking complexion. I massage generous amounts of Diem into my skin religiously each morning –it’s beautifully cooling in the summer months, freshens my parched skin in winter, and brightens my skin tone all year round. SHOP ANTIPODES
