KEY POINTS:
You're the beauty director of the world's most famous magazine - what would you do?
Slather yourself in serum, roll yourself in gold-dust eyeshadow and bathe in anti-ageing milk? Or decide your over-stocked office and attendant storerooms just don't have what you want?
That was Kathy Phillips' conclusion when, after years of testing the world's best beauty products from companies large and small, she still had the nagging feeling there was something missing in a market already awash with cosmetics.
"I spent the whole of my time trying to find something better."
As she took time out from her busy job at British Vogue and her column and book writing to de-stress once a fortnight with a soothing massage using aromatherapy oils, she realised nothing else left her skin feeling so soothed and energised, so she set out to capture that feeling in a range of her own. Boldly titled This Works, because she maintains that's exactly what it does, the range is new to New Zealand.
Speaking to Viva from Sydney where she was launching her Downunder expansion, Phillips says she's just had dinner with Australian Vogue's editor Kirstie Clements who told her: "If you're spending your own money on something because it works better, there must be something to be said for it."
Phillips has indeed spent her own money developing This Works, with established aromatherapy specialists and combining something akin to the parfumier's art with natural, plant-based ingredients, sourced where possible from fair trade suppliers. She's using the likes of larch extract in a cleavage cream and Vitamin C in serums. One of the range's hero products is its Dry Oil leg cream with marula oil from Africa.
Of oils, she says: "If the texture is right and it isn't sticky and sinks in right, there isn't a better way to deliver antioxidants to the skin."
Good oils are absorbed, and she uses high concentrations to ensure this.
"Mineral oil is a cheap thing, it sits on top. Vegetable or plant oil will absorb." She likens this to cooking oils, saying "The olive oil you might dip your bread in is a better quality than what you might cook with." And like good quality oil or wine you will pay more, but Phillips says her starting point was quality, not price. When I said I wasn't big on using oils, Phillips told me there was no better moisturiser. The face oil is admittedly very light, and left my skin feeling hydrated, but I'd need to get used to the feeling, though oil fans would be instantly impressed. The range also includes creams.
Phillips hopes people will try the oils - she wants the products to speak for themselves, saying much of what is marketed these days is unnecessary."Young women are being prescribed to use heavy hitting creams they don't need," leading, she maintains, to increased skin sensitivities.
"As someone who has tried so many different things I was determined to do something different."
This Works is available exclusively in New Zealand at Mecca Cosmetica, a store that Phillips chose because "it's filled with brands I really like".
