On Our Radar: Twyg Is the NZ Skincare Brand With 20 Years of Research Behind It – Does It Deliver?

There’s been serious enthusiasm around New Zealand skincare brands in recent years. Our neighbours have a knack for innovation and interesting ingredients, and Twyg manages both. The two-year-old brand is owned by a biotech company, Hyperganic Biogroup, which is backed by 20 years of clinical research into an ingredient called Bioactive Totarol, a compound extracted from the heartwood of New Zealand’s tōtara conifer tree and sourced ethically from government-sanctioned fallen trees.

According to the brand’s research, the ingredient has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful for acne-prone skin, and for protecting and repairing the skin barrier. Pre-2024, the company supplied small amounts of the ingredient to premium skincare brands like Augustinus Bader, but prior to Twyg’s launch it hadn’t been used in concentrated amounts. As for the ornate packaging, it’s made from 90 per cent recycled plastics and is 100 per cent recyclable.

The products

This is Twyg’s hero product, so it was first on my list to try. It makes a lot of claims – promising to brighten, revive and hydrate – but it’s also got the ingredient list to back it up. For brightening they’ve used Kakadu plum, which has extremely high levels of vitamin C, but is gentle on the skin. Bakuchiol is often touted as the plant-based retinoid, and for hydration Twyg’s includes saccharide isomerate, a plant-derived humectant, meaning it draws in and retains water in the skin. The texture of the serum was surprising to me – more like a lightweight moisturiser than the watery serums I’m used to, but that also made it neat to apply and it sank into the skin without any residue.

I trialled this for three weeks, so I can’t speak to claims about hyperpigmentation (which would need a much longer trial), but it held up against other (much more expensive) vitamin C serums in terms of brightening. It definitely hydrated my skin, helping plump out fine lines to give a fresher look.

The moisturiser is a Twyg best-seller, and similar to the serum, the ingredient list hits all the right notes for what you’d want in a hydrating cream. It includes hyaluronic acid as a humectant, squalane as an emollient (these soften the skin and form a protective barrier to keep hydration in), and niacinamide, which is a bit of a formulator favourite as it addresses hydration, skin barrier support, regulating sebum production and brightening. The big claims here are all to do with slowing the ageing process, but that’s mostly addressed through hydration (hydrated skin makes lines less visible) and antioxidants intended to prevent accelerated ageing from environmental stress.

It’s a lightweight cream that’s moisturising on the skin and for daytime it layered nicely under make-up – this is where I think it did its best work. I think combination or oily skin types will love the lightweight feel, but if your skin leans drier it may not be enough for you, especially if used at night.

This oil was a real sleeper hit. I had heard little about it, and if I’m honest, oils rarely impress me – but this did. Dry skins will love this; all the plant oils (there’s more than seven in the formula) work together to hydrate and moisturise, while also giving a glow that can only be described as luminous – not wet or greasy, just glowy. That’s an immediate payoff, but there’s also bakuchiol and Kakadu plum for longer-term skin benefits such as brightening.

The verdict

All three products are a yes from me. The cream is a great choice if you’re an oily/combination skin and want a day cream that does more than just moisturise. The oil is fantastic if you’re on the dry side and are looking for an immediate skin glow. If you were to only pick one, my choice would be the serum. Serums do all the heavy lifting in a skincare routine, so for price-to-results ratio, this would give the most bang-for-buck.

twygskincare.com
@twyg_skincare

On Our Radar is a new Broadsheet series where beauty editor and co-founder of the weekly beauty newsletter Gloss Etc, Sarah Tarca, takes a deeper look at beauty and skincare brands people are talking about.

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