I'm going to be honest with you: I'm not someone who gets swept away by skincare hype with every product on the market.

I've tried enough "life-changing" serums to know that most of them change very little. So when I say that Liminal Elixirs had me noticing a visible difference in my skin within three days, I need you to understand the weight of that statement!

Liminal Elixirs is a small-batch, Western Australian-made brand founded by Sar, and if you've ever clocked her skin on Instagram, you already understand why people are paying attention. The brand sits at the intersection of ancient botanical wisdom and modern skin science, and it shows. But what really stopped me in my tracks wasn't just the results. It was the intention woven into every single detail, right down to the instructions on the packaging, which ask you to take a deep breath as you apply. As a breathwork teacher myself, that detail hits differently.

This is skincare designed to do two things at once: nourish your face and regulate your nervous system. And it genuinely does both.

Original Face Balm

AUD $79 | liminalelixir.com.au

The Original Face Balm is the hero product, and for good reason. Handmade in small batches in WA, it's built around organic castor oil. It’s an ingredient that sounds old-fashioned until you dig into the science, and then you can't believe more people aren't talking about it.

Why castor oil is genuinely remarkable for skin

Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, a rare omega-9 fatty acid that makes up around 90% of its composition. Ricinoleic acid has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties, which means it helps calm redness, sensitivity, and irritation at a cellular level. It's also deeply humectant, so it draws moisture into the skin and locks it there, making it one of the most effective natural emollients available. On top of that, castor oil supports lymphatic circulation and has been shown to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for skin's firmness and elasticity. It penetrates beyond the surface layer, which is why results tend to compound over time rather than just sitting on top of your skin.

The balm also contains rosehip and a blend of botanicals. Rosehip is another heavy hitter, loaded with vitamin A and essential fatty acids that support cell turnover and fade hyperpigmentation over time.

Texture-wise, this is a balm stick format, which I love because it's mess-free and genuinely satisfying to use. It melts on contact with skin, absorbs without leaving a greasy residue, and in the morning my skin genuinely looks more plump and even. By day three, I was staring at myself in the mirror trying to work out what had changed.

But here's the part I keep coming back to: the instruction to breathe as you apply. It sounds small, but it isn't. The act of conscious breathing -even a single slow inhale and exhale - activates the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting you out of the low-grade stress response most of us are living in by the time we reach our bathroom mirror. It turns a 30-second skincare step into a genuine moment of regulation. As someone who teaches breathwork and nervous system work, I find this genuinely moving as a design choice. Sar hasn't just made a beautiful product; she's made a ritual.

Longevity Balm

AUD $59 | liminalelixir.com.au

If the Original Face Balm is the daily nourisher, the Longevity Balm is the targeted treatment. The one you reach for around the eyes, mouth, forehead, wherever your skin needs a little extra attention. For this balm, the star ingredient is sea buckthorn, which has been quietly earning the nickname "nature's botox" in cosmetic science circles, and for entirely valid reasons.

The sea buckthorn hype

Sea buckthorn berry oil is one of the most nutrient-dense botanical oils in existence. It's exceptionally high in omega-7 (palmitoleic acid), an extremely rare fatty acid that's naturally present in human skin but declines significantly with age, which is exactly why skin starts to lose its plumpness and resilience over time. Replenishing omega-7 topically has been shown to support collagen synthesis, accelerate skin repair, and improve elasticity. Sea buckthorn is also rich in beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, and flavonoids, giving it potent antioxidant activity that helps protect against environmental damage that contributes to premature ageing. The orange-red pigment that makes sea buckthorn so distinctive is itself a sign of its extraordinary content. These compounds are deeply anti-inflammatory and support the skin barrier at a structural level.

Alongside sea buckthorn, the Longevity Balm contains bakuchiol. This is a plant-based retinol alternative derived from the babchi plant that delivers similar cell turnover results without the irritation or photosensitivity associated with conventional retinol. It's paired with blue tansy and Roman chamomile, both of which are known for their calming, anti-inflammatory properties, and the base of organic castor oil and jojoba carries everything into the skin efficiently.

The result is something that feels genuinely restorative.

To sum it all up, Liminal Elixirs has done something that very few skincare brands manage: they've made the ritual as meaningful as the result.

Sar's formulations draw on botanical ingredients that have been used for centuries and are now backed by a growing body of scientific research that validates what traditional wisdom already knew. The products are made in Western Australia, in small batches, with care that you can actually feel.

The mindfulness thread that runs through the brand - the invitation to pause, to breathe, to actually be present while you care for your skin - sits in perfect alignment with the nervous system work I'm so passionate about.

Your skin is not separate from your stress levels. The two are in constant conversation. A brand that understands that and builds it into the product experience? That's rare.

Both balms are available at liminalelixir.com.au. Do yourself a favour and start with the Balm Bundle - your skin (and your nervous system) will thank you. I’ll be buying my next batch as soon as I’m done with these.

Products gifted for review. All opinions are entirely our own.

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Emily King is a Media Planner by day and a Breathwork Teacher in her spare time. She is also the founder of The C Word Magazine, an online platform amplifying female voices. Connect with her on Instagram @_emnco.