‘Start The Day’ & ‘Wind Down’ With Uplifthing-Coralina Liew
Photo: pillowtalkmy.com

Clean-ingredient, yet beautifully-fragranced skincare and body care products are often priced on the higher end of the beauty industry. Just look at cult favourite brands like Aesop, Le Labo and Diptyque, all of which precariously straddle the fine line between niche and luxury. For those of us that want to enjoy high-quality, perfumed skincare without breaking the bank, what is there to do?

Enter: Uplifthing, a newly-launched Malaysian handmade brand that checks all our boxes at an affordable price point.

 The founder of Uplifthing is none other than Maggie Chiew, ex-Beauty Editor at the renowned SISTERS Malaysia magazine. Passionate about the joy of giving and receiving handmade gifts, Maggie believes in uplifting every aspect of ordinary, day-to-day life with functional and aesthetically-pleasing skincare.

The bath and body care products sold at Uplifthing stay true to the philosophy of non-toxic and cruelty-free ingredients. That means honest-to-goodness

handmade products, without any of those nasty, skin-irritating chemicals such as SLS, SLES, parabens and artificial fragrances!

Instead, you’ll have essential oil-infused products designed to relax and center your mind. With that, let’s dive into our review of Uplifthing and start incorporating aromatherapy into our skincare routines.

 Start The Day... bright and early

The most well-received product of the Cleanse series, Start The Day, promises invigorating scents that perk you up first thing in the morning. Made with a blend of eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender essential oils, this soothing combination is particularly handy for chasing away Monday blues.

The star ingredient in this hand and body wash is definitely eucalyptus, which boasts a number of surprising health benefits. Traditionally used in medicines, eucalyptus oil supports the body’s respiratory system by keeping coughs, mucus and colds at bay. When inhaled or topically applied, its anti-inflammatory properties help to calm the mind and even allow you to breathe easier.

Scent-wise, we really enjoyed the light notes of lavender, which upgraded our usual morning shower and skincare routine. Though the scent doesn’t linger noticeably on the skin for long, we find that it lasts the perfect amount of time for you to “start the day” off on the right foot. Fans of subtle fragrances will definitely approve!

 The body care products in the Cleanse series are encased in amber glass bottles reminiscent of Aesop’s product packaging, and the resemblance hasn’t escaped notice - but Uplifthing’s intentional design choice wasn’t made to imitate the Australian skincare brand. Tinted glass is crucial in the storage of therapeutic grade essential oils, as it offers protection from the sun’s UV rays and prevents oils from deteriorating.

We absolutely love the sustainable, utilitarian design approach that Uplifthing is taking, and commend the Malaysian skincare label for putting a modern spin on this tried-and-true aesthetic!

Starts from RM38 (200g). Purchase via their Website or their Instagram

 Deep Sleep... for the tranquil soul

With Deep Sleep included in the Cleanse series lineup, you’ll never have to worry about getting ready for peaceful slumber!

This hand and body cleanser features a more potent blend of lavender and cedarwood essential oils, both of which have an excellent track record for relieving stress and promoting better sleep.

One of the most popular and widely available scents in aromatherapy, lavender oil has been scientifically proven to calm the nervous system. Two chemical compounds found in lavender - linalool and linalyl acetate - are to thank for reducing the symptoms of insomnia and improving sleep quality.

As this mixture of floral and woody aromas fill up our bathrooms, we can’t help but note how well the Deep Sleep and Start The Day shower gels complement each other. One for the mornings, and one for the nights… and just distinct enough scent-wise that you’ll notice how much of a difference they make to your overall mood!

Pssst… if you’re more inclined to taking baths as compared to showers, Uplifthing also sells essential oil bath salts for a truly luxe and relaxing spa session at home.

Starts from RM38 (200g). Purchase via their Website or their Instagram

Wind Down… in the evenings

For the moments in-between the fresh start of each day and the quiet refuge of each night, there’s Wind Down - infused with the warm, spicy zest of ginger, ylang ylang and lemon.

On the interesting amalgamation of essential oils added to this body wash, Maggie states that she personally chose and fine-tuned each blend following her personal ‘handmade and heartmade’ philosophy. It comes as no surprise, then, that this shower gel is another one of her bestsellers.

Ginger and lemon both have a variety of uses that reach far beyond the culinary realm. You may know how, in dishes, these ingredients aid digestion and soothe sore throats. However, did you know that they also play a role in memory stimulation and mental alertness? Perhaps we can attribute it to their powerful, mood-boosting properties...

Ylang ylang, on the other hand, balances out the spiciness of ginger and lemon essential oils with a burst of florals and a hint of sweetness. You may recognise its scent from widely acclaimed perfumes such as Chanel No. 5 and Dior J’adore.

On the Chinese social media and lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu (RED), the Uplifthing Wind Down Hand & Body Wash has been likened to the Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash at a much more reasonable price. If you’re a fan, keep an eye out for Wind Down!

Starts from RM38 (200g). Purchase via their Website or their Instagram

Although we may have raved about Uplifthing, in particular the Cleanse series, there are plenty of other body care products to check out from this up-and-coming local lifestyle brand. Handmade soaps, essential oil roll-ons and hand sanitizers are just a few among their expanding skincare range.

Do stay tuned for the highly anticipated addition of Wind Down to Uplifthing’s very own essential oil blends lineup. An insider source tells us that it’ll be launching soon!

Aromatherapy is an artful science that can offer immense health benefits, from mental to physical. That’s why the team here at Pillow Talk encourages you to keep an open mind and try it out for yourself!