Getting More from Detox Gel: Pairings, Skin Types and Seasons

You get the most from Detox Gel by using it twice a day on clean skin, choosing what goes over it to suit your skin type, and adjusting that top layer as the seasons change. The gel itself stays the same: a thin layer over face and neck after cleansing, which leaves skin fresh and lightly hydrated and makes the next step glide on. What you pair it with is where you can tailor it.

Our Detox Gel with Kalahari Melon Seed Oil is a clear aloe gel with a touch of shea butter and Kalahari melon seed oil. It is a supporting player by design, so most of the ways to get more from it involve the products around it.

Pairings that work

The gel goes on first, and something with a little more substance follows. These are the combinations we reach for.

• The Royal Kalahari Face Serum. Our first choice. The Royal Kalahari Face Serum is a light blend of botanical oils led by Kalahari melon, the same oil in the gel. Press in a few drops while skin still feels fresh from the gel, morning and night.
• Squalane Face Oil. For dehydrated, sensitive or combination skin that wants something almost weightless on top. Squalane Face Oil leaves skin silky rather than shiny, and works under makeup.
• Marula or Plum Face Oil. For dry skin that feels tight by the afternoon. Both are richer and more cushiony than squalane.
• The Royal Kalahari Under Eye and Lip Serum Roller Oil. After the gel and serum, a light pass under the eyes and over the lips, where skin is thinnest and dries first.

Fitting it to your skin type

Oily and combination skin

This is the skin the gel was made with in mind. Because it is so light, some people with oily skin find that the gel plus a few drops of a light serum is all they need, with no cream at all. On combination skin, use the gel all over and add a little more serum or oil only where you feel dry, usually the cheeks.

Normal skin

Use the gel as the hydrating layer under your usual serum. It mainly changes how the serum feels going on: it spreads further and sinks in more evenly.

Dry skin

The gel is not enough moisture on its own for dry skin, and it is not meant to be. Think of it as the layer that helps a richer oil sit comfortably. Follow it with Marula or Plum Face Oil, or with The Midnight Youth Potion at night.

Sensitive skin

The base of aloe and shea is gentle, but the gel contains tea tree oil for its scent. If you know you react to tea tree, try a small amount along the jaw for a day or two before using it all over.

Through the seasons

The gel works all year; the layer over it is what changes.

In warm, humid months the gel's cool first touch is at its most welcome, and many people find they can go lighter on what follows: a few drops of serum, then sunscreen.

When heating comes on and the air turns dry, keep the gel and add more on top. A face oil over the serum at night helps, and a few spritzes of Rose Petal Mist Face Toner during the day refresh skin that feels dry from heating or air conditioning.

A few more ways to use it

• Do not stop at the jaw. The gel is made for face and neck. Carry the last of each layer down the neck.
• As a cooling mask. On a hot day, smooth on a thicker layer, leave it for ten minutes, then wipe away the excess with a damp cloth and carry on with your serum.
• Look after the jar. Close the lid after each use and keep the jar somewhere cool, away from a sunny windowsill or radiator. Use clean fingertips to lift the gel out.

Questions about getting more from Detox Gel

Can I use Detox Gel on my neck?

Yes. It is made for face and neck. Smooth what is left on your fingertips down the neck after you have covered your face.

Is the gel enough on its own for oily skin?

For some people with oily skin, the gel plus a few drops of a light serum is enough. Dry and normal skin will want a serum or face oil on top.

Can I leave a thick layer on as a mask?

Yes. Leave a thicker layer on for about ten minutes, wipe off the excess with a damp cloth, and continue with your serum.

Which face oil goes best over Detox Gel?

Squalane Face Oil for a weightless finish, Marula or Plum for dry skin, or The Royal Kalahari Face Serum, which shares the gel's Kalahari melon seed oil.