TRUE BOTANICALS

Vitamin C has a superstar status amongst skincare experts. It is a powerhouse antioxidant, a key element of any skincare regimen addressing skin damage or signs of aging. If you struggle with hyper pigmentation, uneven skin tone, or fine lines, incorporating Vitamin C into your daily skincare lineup can help with these issues and more. But first, why should you consider introducing a highly concentrated form of Vitamin C into your routine? What is Vitamin C? This ascorbic acid is an antioxidant and immune booster, abundant in botanical extracts, fruits, and vegetables. Fresh Vitamin C is the most potent and retains the most benefits, from your diet to your daily skincare ritual. Which Issues Does It Address? Vitamin C includes a range of skin benefits, from skin brightening to improving hydration and moisture retention. It also shields your skin from the impact of pollution. Vitamin C evens out skin tone, addressing hyper pigmentation and firmness by stimulating...

As you start to prepare for the climax of your pregnancy, packing your labor and delivery bag is one of the final tasks before giving birth. Whether it’s your first birth or your second time around, every birth is different and unpredictable. After packing the take-home outfit, nursing gear, and diapers, focus on what you need to care for yourself before and after the birth. Toiletries like deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and hair ties are essential, but your pregnancy skin care routine matters too. Here are some basic skin care essentials to care for your skin during and after your labor. Nourishing Body Wash This basic form of self-care is a luxury after a long labor. Use a nourishing body wash made with essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances to soothe your mind and cleanse your body. Ingredients like green and white tea, aloe leave extract, and olive fruit extract are packed with antioxidants that detox and moisturize your skin toxin-free. If yo...

Rushing through your shower routine in the morning can be an unnecessarily stressful way to start your day. If you feel like your shower space could use an upgrade or the products you use are hit-and-miss, it’s time to transform your shower into the sanctuary you deserve. Turn this daily routine into a self-care ritual that you look forward to instead of hurrying through every morning. Streamline Your Products (And Their Ingredients) It’s easy to forget to tidy your shower every few weeks and let the empty bottles and old razors clutter your space. Because your shower is a small space to begin with, installing a shelving system or stool for your products can make your space easier to manage. Go through your products and determine how often, if ever, you use all of them. Streamlining your routine down to the essentials will make it less stressful and more enjoyable. The ingredients in your shower products should be safe for your body and nourish, hydrate, and cle...

Breaking a sweat is a clear sign of a successful and challenging workout. But waiting too long to wash your face and body after a sweat-session can leave your pores clogged and make you prone to acne flare-ups. Instead of dealing with irritated skin and stubborn blemishes, here’s a skin care routine for your post-workout ritual to prevent breakouts and maintain that healthy glow you’re after. Hydrating Cleanser Letting your face sit in bacteria doesn’t sound like a fun time for anyone. But for those who don’t cleanse their face post-gym session, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Head to the locker room after your workout or exercise class and wash your face with a hydrating cleanser. Nontoxic ingredients that have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties protect your skin from breakouts and ensure that your skin isn’t stripped of necessary oils or moisture.  Nutrient Toner If you’re headed to work or meeting up with friends after your hot yoga class but d...

When dealing with blemishes, breakouts, or cystic acne, finding a skincare routine that fits your face can take some research. Choosing to use face oil for acne and oily skin might seem counterintuitive, trying to fight the overproduction of sebum with more oil. However, some face oils contain anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties without the toxins or parabens that traditional acne skincare can have. Toners balance oily skin and hydrate at the same time, providing the moisture that your skin needs without clogging pores. Combining a face oil and toner into your daily skincare ritual creates a dual-powered fight to clear congestion, heal infection, and revive vibrancy in your skin. Start your morning routine by cleansing your face with an acne face wash with ingredients like black willow bark extract, coconut, and green tea seed oil. These antibacterial and antioxidant properties create a clean base for your toner and face oil to work. ...

Nontoxic skincare solutions that rely upon botanical extracts provide the nourishment and rejuvenation that damaged and aging skin craves. As collagen production decreases and free radical release increases, providing necessary vitamins and antioxidants for your skin encourages skin health at any stage.  Here are a few potent botanical extracts that are proven to provide the free-radical-fighting power your skin needs. Green Tea Leaf Extract Green tea leaves are filled with potent antioxidant catechizes. These protect your skin from the oxidative stress from sun exposure or aging over time. Tea polyphenols have natural astringent, toning, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a safe ingredient for sensitive skin. These polyphenols prevent the enzymes that attack and break down the body’s production of collagen. Green tea has also been shown to prevent damage associated with skin cancer. This botanical extract is a staple of high-performan...

If you struggle with finding the right products for your unique skin type, it’s not uncommon to experience a combination complexion. If you deal with dry skin and an oily T-zone or an oily forehead and dry cheeks, it can be difficult to find a skincare product that hydrates and cleanses your skin simultaneously. Face oils are great for combination skin types because they deliver lightweight hydration while balancing sebum and oil production. Nervous about introducing a new product into your acne skin care routine? Here are some benefits of face oils when targeting combination skin types.      Clearing + Hydrating After using an acne face wash , follow with an antibacterial toner and face oil for oily skin. Even if you deal with dry skin patches or areas, a face oil for oily skin types will still hydrate those areas while clearing acne in others. This multipurpose product helps balance oil production by delivering hydration where it's needed. O...

Over the last decade, beauty brands have started to be more transparent and straightforward about the ingredients in their products and how they make them. Organic and natural ingredients are better in our diets and our cosmetics, from makeup to skincare. But natural doesn’t always mean safe. And most certifications for product safety rely on self-reporting. How is MADE SAFE™ different? MADE SAFE™ is a nonprofit organization that provides a comprehensive, human health-focused certification for nontoxic products. From acne cleanser to household products, they aim to change the way the products we use every day are made and used. Unlike other certifications, MADE SAFE™ screens product ingredients against their database of known harmful chemicals.  MADE SAFE™ examines ingredients that are known: Behavioral toxins Carcinogens Developmental toxins Endocrine disruptors High-risk pesticides They focus on ensuring that the beauty product...

At the end of summer, your skin is ready for cooler temperatures and less sun exposure. Your summer beauty and skincare routine should be filled with lightweight moisturizers, mineral sunscreen, and acne-fighting face oils, depending on your unique needs. Temperatures are lowering, and air conditioners aren’t blasting 24/7 in your office or at home anymore; it’s time to transition from summer heat to crisp autumn chill. While summer has its own issues, autumn tends to bring allergies and drier conditions. You might be left with some hyperpigmentation from summer, or still trying to heal a lingering sunburn. Here’s a list of five skincare products that will nourish your skin that’s recovering from summer and entering autumn. Face Oil If you haven’t jumped on the face oil train yet, it’s definitely time to consider trying out this skincare trend that’s quickly turning into a staple. For lightweight moisture and repairing summer sun damage, an antioxidant rich face...

As beauty brands become more transparent about their product ingredients and formulas, it’s easier to find skincare for every lifestyle and skin issue. If you’re thinking about transitioning your skin care routine to vegan-happy products, it might take a little more research than anticipated. Finding body washes, shampoo, and conditioners with organic and vegan ingredients can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Simply put, you want to feel clean and use cleanly made products. What does that entail? To be considered vegan, a skincare product needs to be free of animal-derived products. Some ingredients that aren’t vegan-friendly include beeswax, honey, silk, and carmine. While a company may be vegan, they possibly aren’t cruelty-free. Choose brands that do both, looking out for animals on every end of the development and production process. Transform your shower routine with vegan-approved products. For your shampoo, look for nourishing shampoos t...

When it comes to skincare, the beauty industry has been inconsistent about best practices and changing trends related to buzzwords like “natural” and “organic.” The term Farm-to-Face started appearing in the clean skincare industry, and it's becoming more popular recently. While the term might seem rather self-explanatory, there’s a process behind the organic-sounding phrase that traditional beauty products don’t measure up to. Farm-to-face beauty harnesses the power of natural, organic, and vegan ingredients, often superfood extracts and highly potent essential oils. This practice eliminates synthetics, preservatives, and toxic elements like parabens and sulfates. Skincare brands that utilize this approach often create products in small batches, ensuring that the result is fresh. From acne face wash to pregnancy-safe lotion, clean ingredients are the key to potent, organic-based formulas. Organic ingredients often take the forefront of farm-to-face beauty, but s...