TRIED AND TESTED: The $50 sparkly Sand & Sky 'Body Sand' with a 10,000 person waitlist.

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your weekly review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellness. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Senior Lifestyle Writer Amy Clark road-tested four new body products, including a body sand with a 10,000 person waitlist.

I’m calling it: In 2020, it’s never been harder to know if a hyped beauty product on Instagram is actually legit or the result of a very clever marketing campaign.

A lot of the time, it’s the latter and it’s extremely frustrating. Because when you finally cave and buy the product that’s been following you around on the internet, only for it to arrive on your doorstep and utterly disappoint you, I believe a small part of your soul dies and goes to Things I Never Should’ve Bought heaven.

Side note – here’s how you can use your leftover coffee grinds at home to get smooth AF lips. Post continues after video.

But sometimes, just sometimes, a beauty product looks really bloody cool on the internet and does what it promises.

When Aussie brand Sand & Sky launched their new body product last week, I wondered if the 10,000 people who signed up to be on the website’s waitlist were in for a rude shock.

Naturally, the sparkly ‘body sand’ sold out in less than 24 hours.

Why? I mean, take a look at the thing, would you?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Babes, alert the group chat! ???? We’ve just sold out of Smoothing Body Sand in Australia in less than 24 hours ???? The love and response has been so unexpected, thank you! We’ve got an express shipment heading to our warehouses now so you can pre-order ASAP to be the first to get our restock – run, don’t walk!

A post shared by SandAndSkyAUS (@sandandskyaus) on Feb 26, 2020 at 2:21pm PST

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This is no ordinary scrub. It’s skincare but for your body. ‘Cause why should your face have all the fun? ????‍♀️

A post shared by SandAndSkyAUS (@sandandskyaus) on Mar 1, 2020 at 1:49pm PST

It’s not the first time Sand & Sky have made a beauty product go viral. Back in 2017 when they launched their cult Australian Pink Clay face mask, the brand sold more than one million products globally. Now, they’re hoping to do it again with their $50 Australian Pink Clay Smoothing Body Sand that’s said to purify, exfoliate, moisturise and illuminate your weary bod.

It’s fun and pink and looks adorable in the shower, but is that all this product is?

Here’s my honest review of the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Smoothing Body Sand, along with two other new Instagram body care products everyone’s talking about.

1. Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Smoothing Body Sand.

What is it? A four-in-one body scrub that claims to tackle cellulite, stretch marks and ingrown hairs, and improve skin texture.

What's in it? Great question. Australian Pink Clay, Coconut and Macadamia Shells to exfoliate the skin, Virgin Macadamia Oil to moisturise, and environmentally-friendly Mica Glitter just for fun.

How much does it cost? $49.90 for 180g.

What's it like IRL:

Yes, this product is as cute in real life as it is on Instagram. With the bright pink bucket and spade packaging that's ridiculously adorable, it's gimmicky and fun and I thoroughly enjoyed opening it up and looking at it.

As for the sand? Well, it does look like sand. Dark pink shimmery sand. It doesn’t smell like it though. The fragrance is a heady citrus that some will love and others will hate. It also feels a lot like rubbing actual sand onto your skin. Again, some will love this and others won’t. I used the disgustingly cute spade to dig out a 50 cent piece-sized amount of sand onto my hands before throwing it on my shower floor. I'm referring to the spade, but honestly, a lot of the sand also ended up on the floor when I tried to rub it onto my limbs.

Like many of the reviews say, a little bit of this product does go a long way and the sand texture becomes creamier once it mixes in with water. That said, I found the sand granules a bit harsh for my skin, especially on my neck and decolletage. After rinsing, you're left with a coconut oil-like film all over. I didn't mind it because it felt like I didn't need to moisturise after (my most hated beauty task!) but others might find it a touch greasy. It also leaves behind a subtle gold shimmer to the skin (the more sand you use, the more shimmer you'll get).

So, does it do anything? Short answer, yes. The sand does exfoliate and hydrate the skin, but so do a lot of other, more affordable body scrubs. As for claims it can reduce the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, I personally don’t believe any beauty product can do such a thing, but stimulating the skin through massage with an exfoliating product to get blood flowing might.

Verdict: If you're into the packaging, get a thrill from trying new beauty launches and have cash to spend, go for it! If not, save your money.

2. Frank Body In Your Dreams Sleep Scrub & Soak.

What is it? A two-in-one scrub and soak designed to hydrate and exfoliate the skin, melt away muscle tension and help you fall asleep (or at least relax more before bed).

What's in it? Magnesium to help achy muscles, Epsom Salts to gently exfoliate the skin, and a mix of Lavender Oil and Chamomile to soften your skin and soothe your weary head.

How much does it cost? $18.95 for 240g.

What's it like IRL:

This is Frank Body's first bath product and their first scrub product without caffeine in it. I'll be upfront, I don't have a bath, but I'm hoping sitting on my drain until the water threatened to spill out onto the floor qualifies me to share my opinion on this product.

The first thing you notice about this scrub when you rip open the packaging is the smell. It smells incredible. Yes, it's lavendery, but not quite as overpowering as a lot of lavender sleep products I've sniffed before. The scrub granules are white and not as coarse as the original coffee scrub, which my irritable skin and I enjoyed. Unlike the Sand & Sky Body Sand, you need a decent amount of this scrub to cover all your bits. I suggest doing each body area separately rather than slapping it all on at once because the texture of the scrub melts off the skin a lot faster than a grittier one.

Verdict: I wouldn't go as far as to say this scrub (albeit not used exactly as directed because... no bath) helped me fall asleep quicker or delivered a deeper sleep, but it's just a genuinely lovely product no one needs, but it's OK to want. You should know though, you’ll use it up really quickly.

3. Elle Effect The Wash and The Exfoliating Mit.

What is it? A body wash meets tan remover and a finely woven fabric exfoliating mit that together reckon they can remove old tan and prep your skin for a new one.

What's in it? The Wash is made from coconut, olive and macadamia oils to break down old tan, it also includes a mild exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells.

How much does it cost? $29.95 for 150ml and $12.95 for one mit.

What's it like IRL:

I'm not a regular tanner but I was extremely excited when Elle Ferguson's new Elle Effect tanning products arrived because when I do tan, the thing that gripes me most is having to cop almost worn off tan patches for weeks after. Unlike some other tan removers that leave your skin feeling stripped and squeaky, this one is very nourishing thanks to the oil ingredients.

The product itself feels like a thick oil and doesn't really have a smell. When you add water, the formula foams up like a regular body wash. I rubbed it into the skin using the mit, which might be the nicest exfoliating mit I've ever used. It's not too soft but not too hard, and it dries really quickly once rung out and hung up in the shower. The wash doesn't leave your skin with any oily residue, but the brand advises waiting two hours before applying fresh tan to the skin.

OK cool, but does this product actually remove tan? I'm not 100 per cent sure. I found success getting off 10-day-old tan that had all but left my skin except for some unfortunate patches around my knees and ankles, but I don't think this is the product you'd turn to in a tan disaster when you need it all to be off your skin ASAP. I also gave it to two friends who are regular tanners - one raved about it and the other found it meh.

Verdict: You might love this product or you might hate it. Either way, there's no denying it's chic as sh*t.

Feature image: Supplied/@theamyclark and Instagram/@sandandskyaus.

Have you tried any of these brand new body care products? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Mamamia's Tried and Tested series drops every week. Want us to trial and review a product or treatment you've seen everywhere? Easy, just send an email to submissions@mamamia.com.au. 

You can catch up on more from our Tried and Tested series here:

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• TRIED AND TESTED: I tried Sephora's new 'clean' skincare line that starts from $9.
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• TRIED AND TESTED: I shaved half my face with this $10 supermarket razor for better makeup.