favorites // natural skincare

favorites // natural skincare

• 10.22.2014

A few months ago, after an eye-opening facial and skin consultation at the Esty Skin Studio (ps. highly recommend this gem!) in Austin, I started taking a pretty hard look at my skincare regimen. If you've been hanging around here for awhile, you'll probably remember the stint I did testing out Whole30/Paleo. The process sparked a newfound interest in reading ingredient labels and trying to eat more natural foods that aren't processed and don't have added sugar. You'd be SHOCKED by how many foods we eat have sugar added to them...like bacon for example...but I digress... 

Anyway, much in the same way, it's equally important to be thinking about what we put on our skin, the skin being your largest organ and all. My conversation with Jessica opened my eyes to all sorts of interesting things involving skin including how important it is to consider not only what's going on the outside but also inside.

When I returned home, I promptly went through my stash of make up and skincare products, placing any offensive products in a ziploc bag for safe keeping. Then I started over. Based on recommendations, research, and a little user testing, I've settled on a few favorites and I figured it was high time I shared them with you! 

These are some of the items that I've been loving recently though I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting products. There's also this really neat app you can use to scan your products (including cleaning supplies!) to get their "dirty" score. It rates all the ingredients and tells you how "clean" something is on a scale of 0-10. It's pretty cool and a great way to evaluate products that claim to be "all-natural". Anything below a 4 is considered clean.

MyChelle Pumpkin Renew Cream 

This is the newest product in my skincare rotation. I recently learned about it on this blog (she's an esthetician!). Now that the seasons are changing, I've been needing a moisturizer that is slightly more hydrating and a little richer. As you'll find out later this week, I also switched to all powder/mineral makeup which means I need to keep my skin flake-free. I LOVE the way this moisturizer smells. A little goes a long way and I do find that it can be greasy if I put too much on. However, it does soak in fast and I love how smooth it makes my face feel. I'm excited to check out more MyChelle products which can also be found at Whole Foods as well as Amazon. 

Think Dirty Score: 4

One Love Organics Skin Savior Waterless Multi-Balm

This whole brand is amazing and this product is no exception. This multi-use miracle worker is a moisturizer and cleanser all in one. It's a solid balm that can be used as a moisturizer or you can massage it onto dry skin and gently rinse off with a wash cloth for the smoothest skin ever. I have the smaller "sample" size ($39) which is awesome for travel because the takes the place of two products. I love that it's not a liquid so I don't have to worry about it spilling. This is a travel must-have. Think Dirty Score: 3

PLANT Face Oil

I know it seams counterintuative to put oil on oily skin but hear me out. My face is pretty prone to breakouts which means I'm using several "drying" products during the day to help keep breakouts at bay. But at night, I need to help my skin repair and heal. Do you remember when you skinned your knee as a kid? You'd get a big scab that wouldn't go away for weeks. But if you covered it with a bandaid and Neosporin, it healed much faster with no scar. Your skin is very similar. So I've been into face oils for some time now but finding the right one for my oily skin was challenging. I discovered this product through Birchbox and I've really liked it. I did a bit of research on the Plant site before purchasing with my points. I like that they make different formulations for different skin types and their site does a good job of breaking down why each oil works. Tip: Make sure your skin is still slightly damp when you apply the oil, it helps it sink in much better. Think Dirty Score: N/A 

One Love Organics Chia Whip Foam Cleanser 

So after my facial, I was basically ready to start cleansing my skin and removing my makeup with straight up coconut oil. This cleanser it basically glorified coconut oil with some added benefits (seriously read the ingredients!). I love that it gets all foamy when you pump it and it doesn't strip my skin but leaves it feeling fresh and clean. I'll basically use any product that One Love makes. I also recently picked up this seasonal cleanser they made as a limited edition this summer and I'm loving it just as much. Unfortunately, it might be hard to find since it was a special summer product but keep your eye out for it. Pick up a bottle of the Chia Whip in the meantime. Think Dirty Score: 0

COOLA Mineral Sunscreen & Tinted Moisturizer

When I banished all my "dirty" products to the back of my closet, giving up my tinted moisturizer was one of the hardest things. I've never been a foundation wearer and most sunscreens really irritate my face - tinted moisturizer has always been a life-saver. I was thrilled to find this brand and learn that they make an awesome product that doesn't burn my skin and has the right amount of coverage. A few disclaimers though which might be deal breakers for some - it only comes in 1 shade and it smells like roses. It's pretty amazing to me that it only comes in 1 shade but the shade seems to work for me. It's a bit shiny but I just tap a little mineral powder over the top and I'm good to go. However, rose is one of my least favorite scents so I do wish it wasn't scented but it's not a deal breaker at this point. COOLA also makes a few other sunscreen products (including a matte tint but I don't think it's a moisturizer). It's definitely a brand to check out; Birchbox carries it as well. Think Dirty Score: 0

If you try any of the products, let me know how they work for you! Also, if you're using a natural beauty product that you love, share it in the comments. I'm always on the lookout for great, new brands!