Skincare is great. Unsurprisingly, we can’t get enough of it here at UpCircle! Your face, on the other hand, most definitely can get enough of it (however tempting it might be to wear our Cleansing Balm all day, every day).
Using too much, too little, too often or not enough of a product can be a reason for not seeing the results that you’re hoping for. So, when it comes to skincare you have to act like a bit of a Goldilocks to get it ‘just right’. To help you on your merry way we’ve made a handy UpCircle skincare guide to help get to grips with your new skincare routine.
Our faces are all different, so this isn’t a set in stone get your kitchen scales out guide, more of a start with this and tweak to suit you guide. Remember, if you have any questions we’re always here to help!
Face products
Cleansing Balm
Your first cleanse is here to remove makeup and the surface layer of dirt, pollution and toxins from the day.
How to use: Simply apply the balm to all areas of the face, including around the eye area, before removing thoroughly with a muslin cloth or flannel.
How much to apply: We recommend using a 5p coin-sized amount. It should be enough to cover your face and remove makeup, but not too much that your face is left feeling oily and you must scrub to remove it all! Aim for a small raspberry-sized amount.
Frequency: Daily, before bedtime
Top tip: As this is an oil-based product it should be removed with a warm damp cloth. Check out our Certified Organic Muslin Cloths.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Cleansing Face Balm with Vitamin E
Cleansing Face Milk
Known as double cleansing, your second cleanse should be a water-based cleanser to remove any remaining oil as well as bacteria and dead skin cells.
How to use: Simply apply the milk to a damp face and massage in circular motions to ensure a deep cleanse and then rinse with warm water.
How much to apply: We recommend using one to two pumps which should be more than enough.
Frequency: Daily, morning and night
Top tip: Avoid using water that is too hot, as this may leave your skin inflamed or dehydrated.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Cleansing Face Milk
Chai Soaps
This step is the same as the above but for those who prefer a face soap rather than a face milk. This will help to deeply cleanse pores and remove impurities to prevent breakouts, build up and black heads.
How to use: Dampen face and apply soap bar with a little water to lather.
How much to apply: This one isn’t so easy to quantify! We would recommend using enough water to produce a healthy lather.
Frequency: Up to twice daily
Top tip: Rub the soap directly on to skin for a gentle exfoliation, or lather in your hands and then apply to face for a more smooth application.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Natural Palm Oil Free Soap Bars
Face Scrubs
Exfoliating after you've thoroughly cleansed is a great way to buff away dry dead skin preventing build up and spots.
How to use: Our oil-based scrubs should always be applied to damp skin. Apply in circular motions, leave for a short moment, and then rinse.
How much to apply: This should be a similar amount to your Cleansing Balm – you want enough to cover your face and neck. A grape-sized amount should be enough.
Frequency: Two to three times per week
Top tip: The scrubs can double up as a great face mask. Apply, leave to rest for five minutes, gently massage into your skin and then remove as normal!
YouTube video: How To Use Our Exfoliating Coffee Face Scrubs
Face Mask
Using a Face Mask is a great way to help clarify skin to minimise pores, fight blackheads, and prevent breakouts.
How to use: Apply the mask to damp skin in a thin layer and relax for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water or a damp cloth (UpCircle muslins are perfect) to reveal fresh, cleansed skin.
How much to use: For our Face Mask, you want enough for a thin layer to be spread over the face and neck. After 10 minutes it should have dried leaving your skin looking a pale grey colour.
Frequency: Two to three times per week.
Top tip: Leave two Hemp & Cotton Make Up Pads soaking in some green tea in the fridge. After you’ve applied the Mask pop them on your eyes, sit back and relax!
Face Toner
Our Face Toner is perfect for hydrating and soothing skin at home or on the go and giving it some extra love!
How to use: Apply to fingertips or cleansing pad and gently sweep over the face. It can also be used as a mist – spritz over the face at any time to revitalise.
How much to use: If you are spritzing the Toner straight on to your face, one to two pumps should be enough to cover you! If you are using a pad to apply it, dampen around 2/3 of the pad and apply. Don’t forget to use both sides of the pad! Using a pad will use up more of your toner as the material will partially absorb some of the liquid.
Frequency: Multiple times daily
Top tip: Keep your Toner in your bag to spritz throughout the day. It’s great post gym or after a long-haul flight!
YouTube video: How To Use Our Hydrating Face Toner
Eye Cream
Give your eyes some extra love and help to firm, brighten and protect them.
How to use: Dab onto the delicate eye area and allow the cream to soak into the skin.
How much to use: Our Eye Cream is packed full of great ingredients, so you only need a tiny amount for it to work its magic. You want enough to cover the lid and below the eye. A pip amount should be plenty for both eyes. It may sound like a small amount, but give it a try – the cream spreads very easily across the skin.
Frequency: Morning and night
Top tip: Use our soothing eye roller to massage in the eye cream for deeper absorption and to boost circulation for brighter eyes!
YouTube video: How To Use Our Caffeine + Maple Eye Cream
Face Moisturiser or Night Cream
You’re nearly finished with your skincare routine now, but these last steps are crucial. First up is a moisturiser! As a general rule of thumb when moisturising, use the lightest, water-based products first when layering your skincare.
Our Face Moisturiser has cocoa butter and aloe vera to soothe and nourish the skin, while our Night Cream contains hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil to hydrate, niacinamide to balance as well as blueberry extract which is rich in Vitamin A.
How to use: Apply with fingertips, massaging in upwards and outwards motion.
How much to use: Enough cream should be used to cover your face and neck in a thin layer, but you don’t want to be left feeling greasy or oily. We’re all guilty of applying too much moisturiser in the hopes it will ‘work faster’, don’t fall into this trap! A juicy blueberry-sized amount will be perfect!
Frequency: Face Moisturiser once in the morning and Night Cream once in the evening.
Top tip: Keep your creams in the fridge. In summer it will feel even more amazing to apply!
YouTube video: How To Use Our Vitamin E Face Moisturiser
Face Serum
As one of the final steps in your skincare routine, use an oil-based serum to deliver intense nourishment and hydration. Through a combination of linoleic-acid rich oils and vitamin C, our Face Serum helps to promote the production of collagen, keeping skin supple.
How to use: After you've applied the moisturiser or night cream, apply a few drops with fingertips, massaging in slow circular motions. We recommend applying after moisturiser and/or night cream because this serum is 100% oil based. As a result, it works through occlusion, locking in the hydration provided by the moisturiser by forming a protective seal over your skin.
How much to use: Just a few drops of Serum are needed for best results: between two and four should be plenty!
Frequency: Morning and night
Top tip: Massage the Serum gently into your face for 30 seconds before bed – focusing on your temples is a great way to relax before going to sleep! It also works brilliantly with our Gua Sha to sculpt the face and release any tension from the face.
Mineral SPF
Finally, protect your skin from the sun to give it the love it deserves.
How to use: Massage into the skin at least 30 minutes before venturing out into the sun – don't forget your ears, eyelids, and lips!
How much to use: A teaspoon sized amount should do the trick!
Frequency: Start by applying in the morning and when directly in the sun, reapply around every two hours.
Top tip: Our SPF is silicone-free, meaning it doesn't clog your pores, so is the perfect base for makeup.
Lip Balm
Lip Balm with upcycled hemp seed oil and shea butter, plus rosehip and grapefruit oil. Use this to hydrate and soothe dry lips. Formulated with hemp seed oil and shea butter, this lip balm softens and nourishes dry lips.
How to use: Apply an even, thin layer to lips.
How much to use: You don’t need to use a lot with this balm – just dip your finger into the pot and apply enough to coat your lips with a thin layer.
Frequency: Reapply as often as needed throughout the day.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Lip Balm
Hair products
Shampoo Crème
When it comes to haircare, choosing natural products that take care of your scalp as well as your locks is important.
How to use: Wet hair, wash and massage into the scalp. Rinse well and repeat.
How much to use: Due to our unique concentrated formula, you only need a blueberry sized dollop of the shampoo to lather on the hair. You may need a tiny bit more if you’re hair is thick and long – see a breakdown on our Instagram.
Frequency: Whatever works for your hair – but we usually recommend around twice per week.
Top tip: Ensure the hair is fully saturated before applying the product – take at least one to two minutes wetting the hair.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Best-Selling Shampoo Crème
Conditioner Crème
For soft and intensely nourished hair, add our Conditioner Crème into your haircare routine.
How to use: After shampooing, take a small amount of product and warm between palms. Apply to the ends of the hair and leave on for three to five minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
How much to use: As with our Shampoo Crème, the formula is very concentrated, so you only need a blueberry sized dollop of product.
Frequency: Whatever works for your hair – but we usually recommend around twice per week.
Top tip: To use as a hair treatment, leave the product in for 10 minutes before rinsing out.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Conditioner Crème with Rosemary Oil
Body products
Hand + Body Wash
This fruity hand & body wash leaves hands feeling soothed and protected, with an invigorating blend of lemongrass and mandarin oils.
Inspiring, upcycling, and uplifting – our natural hand + body wash is made with the anti-inflammatory residual water of kiwi fruit, a by-product of the juicing industry.
How to use: Use on wet skin and create a lather.
How much to use: Enough to cover your hands or body in a thin layer of product.
Frequency: Daily
YouTube video: How To Use Our Natural Hand & Body Wash
Body Scrub
A lemongrass and coffee body scrub with sea salt, lime and coconut oil. Buff away dry, dead cells to leave you feeling soft, smooth and refreshed. Blended with shea butter to moisturise the skin post-scrub.
This exfoliating scrub is infused with lemongrass, lime and coconut essential oils to transport you to a tropical paradise!
How to use: Mix scrub in jar before applying to damp skin in circular motions. Leave for a few moments before washing off with water. This scrub can be used up to three times per week.
How much to use: Enough to go over the desired areas with a thin layer.
Frequency: Two to three times per week
Top tip: We recommend using this product with the UpCircle Mini Metal Scoops.
YouTube video: How To Use Our Upcycled Coffee Body Scrubs
Bath Salts
These beautifully scented bath salts feature luxurious natural salts and aromatic botanicals to help calm the mind and relax the body. Upcycled rose petals provide an uplifting floral scent, while the combination of lavender and geranium oil grounds the senses.
Each jar is brimming with upcycled rose petals and contains a trio of natural salts. The three natural salts include muscle-relaxing Epsom salt, breakout-busting sea salt and anti-pollutant Himalayan pink salt.
How to use: Pour a heaped tablespoon of salts into a warm bath and enjoy a restful soak.
How much to use: A heaped tablespoon
Frequency: As often as you’d like!
Body Cream or Hand + Body Lotion
Soothe dry or irritated skin with this calming blend of natural ingredients in our Body Cream. This body moisturiser helps to reduce inflammation and redness, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and supple.
Alternatively, use our 99% natural citrus-scented hand and body lotion which leaves skin feeling nourished, moisturised and lightly fragranced. This uplifting lotion combines bergamot water with grapefruit and lemongrass oil to uplift and invigorate the senses while protecting and repairing the skin.
How to use: Apply morning or evening to clean, dry skin. Massage gently into skin in circular motions.
How much to use: Enough to smooth over the desired areas in a thin layer.
Frequency: Daily
YouTube video: How To Use Our Natural Body Cream
Hand Cream
Our dermatologically approved Hand Cream moisturises dry, chapped hands with a fast-absorbing non-greasy formulation.
Upcycled hibiscus flower acids contain 45% alpha-hydroxy acids, helping to gently eliminate pollutants from the upper layers of the skin and stimulate cell renewal.
How to use: Apply to dry hands and massage in until absorbed.
How much to use: We recommend using a blueberry-sized amount per application
Frequency: Daily
YouTube video: How To Use Our Hand Cream