One Trick Ponies Review: The New Skincare Superstar On The British Beauty Scene

AD Info | The products in this review were gifted in exchange for Instagram promotion. However, I have not received payment for writing this blog post.

The launch of a new skincare brand is always super exciting. So when One Trick Ponies got in touch and asked if I wanted to try out a few of their products, I instantly said yes. The packaging is obviously a huge pull, but having looked at their website I was also pleased to learn that the whole range is vegan and cruelty-free.

I’m always looking to swap out products from my current skincare collection with ethical alternatives, and these seemed like just the ticket…

So, who is One Trick Ponies?

One Trick Ponies is a UK-based skincare brand that launched in February this year. Their collection currently consists of six products which are each centred around one ‘superstar’ ingredient:

• Sleeping mask –> retinol
• Brightening serum –> vitamin C
• Body lotion –> argan oil
• Eye cream –> caffeine
• Moisturiser –> hyaluronic acid
• Cleanser & exfoliator –> charcoal

The cleanser was released slightly after the initial line up, so this review will only cover the first five. Keep scrolling to find out what I thought of each one!

Vitamin C Brightening Serum ✨

This has become my go-to morning serum. I don’t find that it leaves a sticky finish and it’s not overly scented either. Of course, this contains the star ingredient, vitamin C, in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, but it’s incredibly gentle for a vitamin C product. This is likely due to the inclusion of nourishing emollients like squalane and apricot kernel oil.

Despite this serum feeling fairly hydrating, it’s not thick or creamy. This has a gel-like texture which makes it effortlessly blendable. The main reason I love this brightening serum because it doesn’t feel like another heavy skincare step – when it’s rubbed into the skin it almost feels like you haven’t applied anything at all! That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen results though!

I feel like my skin looks healthier and brighter since I started using this. Discolouration and red marks seem to disappear faster when using this product at least!

Argan Oil Nourishing Body Lotion 🧴

This body lotion smells incredible – if you like fresh, citrusy scents this will definitely be your thing! I’m terrible at remembering to apply body lotion when I step out of the shower because I hate the feel of clean clothes sticking to the lotion on my skin. But I don’t really have that issue when using the One Trick Ponies body lotion.

This dries down pretty quickly and doesn’t have a super sticky finish – there is still some tackiness but it’s nothing major. My only complaint about this lotion is that it takes quite a bit of rubbing before it actually sinks into the skin. Apart from that, this is a pretty great formula!

Caffeine Reviving Eye Cream ☕️

I have pretty dark circles under my eyes so I’m always looking for a cream that will get rid of them. The One Trick Ponies eye cream claims to de-puff and brighten the undereye area, leaving the skin looking smoother and more hydrated. So far, so good.

I’ve not had much success with caffeine eye creams in the past so I was intrigued whether I’d see a difference with this one. And while I do find it to be nice and hydrating under my eyes, I can’t say I’ve seen much difference in terms of darkness. I think if puffiness is your concern, this cream will be useful, but for dark circles you might not see much improvement.

What I do like about this cream though is that it provides moisture to your undereye area without disrupting any makeup that sits on top. It’s the perfect eye cream consistency that makes it feel light and hydrating. I really struggle to find eye creams that layer well with my other skincare/makeup products so I’ll definitely be repurchasing this once I’m out!

Hyaluronic Acid 24/7 Moisturizer 💧

This moisturiser smells just like the body lotion – sweet and slightly citrusy – so we’re already off to a good start. It rubs into the skin really easily and leaves the mostly beautiful dewy finish. Because it does feel a little tacky when blended, it might not appeal to everyone. But personally I quite like this finish as it omits the need for a primer. You can go straight in with your foundation and the product will glide right on.

The formula is pretty light, but this doesn’t mean that the moisturiser is lacking in any way. The first time I used this I was super surprised with just how much hydration it provided. The inclusion of hyaluronic acid, shea butter and squalene definitely helps in this sense.

This works well on my combination skin, but I can see this suiting most skin types! I prefer to use it in the morning, just because I usually like to apply a thicker cream before bed. However, this is designed for both AM and PM use, so it’s a great all-rounder.

Retinol Sleeping Mask 💤

This sleeping mask has pretty much the same smell as the moisturiser and body lotion. I actually really like that the brand has gone down the consistency route because it means that you don’t have too many clashing scents if you choose to wear the products at the same time.

What’s great about this mask is that it’s soooo gentle for a retinol product. If you’re new to the world of retinoids and you want to ease yourself in, this sleeping mask would be a great starting point. It’s not at all drying and I haven’t experienced any irritation whatsoever when using it.

This leaves the same tacky finish as the moisturiser which I don’t mind for a night cream. And as the website claims, I do find that my skin looks plump and hydrated when I wake up. This has been a great addition to my evening skincare routine and I can definitely see myself repurchasing it.

Which One Trick Ponies product are you most interested in trying? Let me know in the comments!