There’s nothing quite like a giant supermarket in a foreign location – whether it’s Walmart or Duane Reade in the States, to Carrefour in France or Jingkelong in China. They’re full of fascinating products you can’t find here in Oz – and the best section is hands down the Health & Beauty one.
There’s lotions on creams on oils on gels that you’ve never seen before and promise you the world. If you’re into beauty shit, this is like church for you, because loads of the stuff in o/s drugstores and supermarkets can’t be bought in Oz. We’ve rounded up the must-buys next time you hit overseas soil.
USA – CERAVE ANYTHING
CeraVe is the holy grail for eczema sufferers, people with chronically dry skin, and people with damaged skin barriers (ahem, me, to all of the above). Their products – from the hydrating cleanser above, to the Renewing SA Cream which exfoliates and hydrates extremely dry skin, to their AM and PM lotions frequently land on Reddit lists of best skincare and have epic reviews on MakeUpAlley. They’re cheap as chips in the States, so grab some bottles next time you’re there.
USA – WET ‘N’ WILD HIGHLIGHTERS
Wet ‘N’ Wild is a cheapo US makeup brand whose highlighters hit the top of beauty fan lists globally when the illuminating trend went big. If you have a Google of the megaglo, you’ll see beauty vloggers with cheekbone highlights so bright, they’re basically reflective.
USA – AQUAPHOR
If you have chronically dry skin, here’s your new godsend. Khloe Kardashian swears by it as an eye treatment at night, and while the jury’s out on whether that actually works – it is proven to act as a protective skin barrier to lock in moisture and promote skin healing. It’s also cheap as chips in the States. Like, maybe cheaper.
USA – MOON JUICE BEAUTY DUST
Ok, ok – it’s all very GOOP-y, Gwyneth Paltrow/Shailene “I sun my vagina for health” Woodley – but this LA-based holistic lifestyle store is world famous and there are plenty of celebs who swear by their potions. The hero products are the “dusts” – herbal supplement powders which allegedly regenerate from within. Even if you think it’s bullshit, they’re so very LA it would be criminal not to pick one up, right?
USA – QUEEN HELENE MINT JULEP MASQUE
The packaging is so throwback it hurts, but this mask has over 4,000 reviews on cult beauty review website MakeupAlley, and still retains a strong 4.1 rating. it’s geared toward oily and acne-prone skin, and works to combat excess oil and banish pimples.
FRANCE – BIAFINE
The French skin cream, used to protect and repair first-degree burns, has become a bit of a cult favourite for all-over use. Apparently it’s amazing for treating sunburn, after microdermabrasion, and for sensitive skin that’s irritated. French pharmacies are the best place to pick a tube up.
FRANCE – HOMEOPLASMINE
This multi-use balm is hailed as heaven for chapped lips – but it’s also a backstage makeup artist secret as a heavy duty primer. People tend to use it similarly to Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream – in dry, cold climates they cover their face or cheeks in it to act as a barrier cream.
JAPAN – ISEHAN KISS ME HEROINE MASCARA
So there’s like 400 versions of this mascara, but the one you want to get your mitts on is the ‘long and curl’ version. Waterproof, if you want – but make sure it’s ‘long and curl’ – prepare yourself for some serious length and, well, curl. Makeup artists pick it up in multiples when they visit Japan, that’s how good it is.
SOUTH KOREA – BENTON SNAIL BEE HIGH CONTENT LOTION
SNAIL. BEE. Does that even make sense? Not really, but the internet swears by this skin cream, which gets it’s name from the snail mucin (!!!) in it – snail mucin is meant to have amazing skin healing properties, btw – as well as the bee venom which is meant to fight acne. There’s hyaluronic acid in there too – that old hydration legend.
SOUTH KOREA – ELIZAVECCA MILKY PIGGY BUBBLE MASK
This was arguably the first bubble mask on market, and definitely the first to hit viral status thanks to a bajillion Instagram pics of people wearing the weird, self-foaming thing. It’s also not just a big gimmick – it has great reviews, especially for managing oily skin.
UK – No.22 LAUNDRY ROOM CANDLE
Everyone wants at least one room (not the laundry, who even HAS a laundry anymore) in their house to smell like clean linen. Maybe you have a grot bathroom, or just like your general apartment to smell fresh when you’re lounging in it. This candle will do that. Plus, it looks amazing.
ITALY – KIKO MILANO FOUNDATION
Both Kiko’s Liquid Skin and Universal Fit foundations consistently remain in their bestsellers site list, so it’s worth finding your shade and picking one up if you’re in the land of pasta, ok? They’re all about a natural finish, so don’t expect full-on, heavy duty coverage – but these babies are definitely buildable and totally look like skin, which is the ultimate goal amirite.
