The skin, being the body's largest organ, relies on adequate hydration to maintain its optimal function. Proper hydration supports skin elasticity, flexibility, and resilience, while also promoting a refreshed complexion.
Cells (keratinocytes) within the skin absorb water from the bloodstream through tiny blood vessels called capillaries. If there is not enough water to pull from, we can often see signs of dullness, tightness and irritation.
Foods rich in essential nutrients is fundamental for skin hydration. Vitamins C and E, along with flavonoids, play key roles in supporting capillary strength and collagen production, essential for maintaining skin health.
Movement & Flow:
From gentle exercise to massage, movement and blood flow is key to delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to revitalize skin cells. This increased circulation helps brighten the complexion, giving you a natural glow.Sun & Environmental Care:
Environmental factors such as UV radiation from the sun can damage capillaries and exasperate dehydration. Protecting your skin is one of the most important topical approaches you can take to support hydration.
Antioxidants work to protect and repair skin from sun damage primarily through their ability to neutralize harmful free radicals generated by UV radiation. Free radicals can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids within skin cells, leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and premature aging. Antioxidants scavenge these free radicals, preventing cellular damage, enhancing DNA repair mechanisms, and reducing inflammation, ultimately promoting skin health and resilience against UV-induced damage. Additionally, antioxidants support collagen synthesis, reinforce the skin's natural defense mechanisms, and enhance the efficacy of sunscreen, providing comprehensive protection against the harmful effects of sun exposure.
All in Balance:
It’s not always easy to care for ourselves, especially with so many demands on us. Living in a modern, individualistic society often places the burden of health squarely on our shoulders without the benefit of community.
Know that whatever you are doing now is enough.
If it’s in your capacity and you feel called it could be as simple as drinking a cup of aromatic herbal tea or take an extra 30 seconds to massage the skin while cleansing your face.
Be kind to yourself and know that your value is not tied to these superficial views on what and how we should look.
Always let your body and intuition be your guide 💗
]]>The process of increasing flow under the skin within the fascia is helpful not only for puffiness and dark circles but also for buildup. Since things like milia can be caused by underactive cellular renewal and processing (sometimes this is just age or other times its metabolic slowness). I feel this process wakes everything up and notice less congestion and overall smoothness.
We’ve created our own eye massage ritual that can fit into any facial care routine or on its own. Perform daily, weekly or any time your eyes need some love.
We don't offer a specific eye cream as our products are multi-functional and find massage to be the best way to support common concerns. These are all offered in mini sizes which are perfect when only using them for eye care.
Our favorite product to support the delicate eye area is the Ambient Moisture Liquid. It’s a featherweight moisture serum with no added essential oils and contains Horse Chestnut, which is well known to improve the skin under the eye. Perfect to strengthen the skin while being gentle, giving just the right amount of slip to perform a lymphatic drainage massage to help with puffiness and dark circles.
If you prefer oils for massage, our First Light Brightening Oil offers more functional support around collagen building and discoloration. As a lighter weight oil it provides enough slip to prevent tugging at the skin. It absorbs well, making it supportive for most skin types.
For those who prefer a richer formula and not prone to milia, the Renewing Concentrate is rich in firming botanical compounds to add a bit more plumpness. This blend also supports collagen production and softens discoloration.
The Illuminating Exfoliating Serum is gentle enough for the eye area and can help with those prone to milia. We recommend adding this a few nights. Pair with the Ambient Moisture Liquid for massage.
Other considerations if experiencing excessive milia, be careful with heavy balms and oils. Limit their use to occasional evenings when the skin is dry.
Start by moisturizing the skin all over, use 1-2 pumps of serum and press onto the face, neck and chest. Follow the massage steps using the provided visual guide and instructions above.
Step 1:Imagine tiny, protective bubbles that encapsulate precious ingredients, ready to deliver their potent benefits directly to your skin.
They enhance the delivery and penetration of actives, ensuring they reach their targeted destinations within the skin. This means that your skin can truly reap the rewards of these carefully selected ingredients...
]]>Liposomes are often unsung heroes in the skincare world, redefining the way we approach skincare formulations. But what exactly are liposomes, and why should you be intrigued about incorporating them into your skincare routine?
In this article, we'll delve into the world of liposomes, exploring their benefits, how they work, and why over the next year you’ll be seeing our existing formulas include more of them.
See them at work in the Solar Return Revitalizing Essence , Ambient Moisture Liquid & Temperate Forest Restoring Complex
Imagine tiny, protective bubbles that encapsulate precious ingredients, ready to deliver their potent benefits directly to your skin. Liposomes are microscopic vesicles made up of lipid bilayers, mimicking the structure of our skin's own cell membranes. They act as delivery vehicles, transporting active ingredients efficiently and effectively.
Liposomes offer a multitude of benefits, which is why we are so excited to be introducing them more into our skincare formulations.
Liposomes and phospholipids are not new to our line. However, we have been limited to ingredients that have already been encapsulated by a supplier. Since our sourcing focuses on whole-plant extraction along with more plant-centric actives, there are few options that align with our philosophy. This led us to acquire techniques to create our own liposomes. Allowing us to provide best-of-class, whole-plant skincare, where the plants can shine even brighter.
Working with industry leaders in cosmetic & pharmaceutical phospholipids, we are able to produce stable liposomes loaded with our own extracts with a particle size of around 200 nm, consistently. An in-vivo study showed penetrated concentration of a model active by 50% in comparison to the non-encapsulated active.
The carrier we use is verified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE, conforms to the COSMOS standards, has no chemical additives, vegan, non-GMO, and palm oil free.
These tiny lipid vesicles work tirelessly to ensure that the potent plant nutrients in your skincare reach their full potential, providing you with visible and long-lasting results. We believe this is a compelling evolution for Live Botanical and can’t wait for you to experience our updated formulas!
]]>Our products are designed as "deconstructed moisturizers". Pairing humectant-based, hydrating products and lipid-rich facial oils and balms that can be blended together and tailored to your specific needs and preferences.
With this approach, the Live Botanical line remains "emulsifier free" and focuses to mimic the skin's natural structure and function. Though we want to mention not all emulsification systems are "bad". Often the binary language of "good vs bad" is a result from the complexity and nuance of the subject matter, often when there is no simple answer. We'll have a blog post on the topic of emulsifiers soon :)
When your skin moisture level is "off-balance" it can cause your skin to be flaky, sensitive, easily irritated, and/or more prone to breakouts because the protective layer of the skin becomes compromised.
This moisture barrier, also known as your acid mantle or stratum corneum, provides critical protection for your skin. So restoring your moisture, especially throughout the seasons of your life, is a vital step in caring for your skin state.
If you've ever experienced dry patches on your skin it may be due to a lack of hydration. So if you've been just washing your face and then directly putting on an oil or balm, try layering a type of hydration product underneath.
This small shift can get your skin back to feeling great!
Water content in the skin is the primary factor that governs its flexibility. Humectants help hold and retain water in the skin. So using a hydration product rich in humectants is the key to skin strength and elasticity.
All of our hydration products contain humectants such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid*, snow mushroom, marshmallow etc, which are all researched and proven to draw and bind water into the skin.
*Tips on using Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
HA is a little unique in that it hygroscopic, drawing water to the skins surface and from the atmosphere. So if your skin is dry or your are in a dry environment, there may not be enough moisture to pull from. Applying HA in the bathroom after a steamy shower can help optimize its effects. Also maintaining your internal hydration is helpful.
The constituents of plant-based oils, waxes, butters, ceramides and sterols (ie lipids or fats) aid in skin barrier restoration/disruption and help hold in moisture.
Once you have a cleansed face, added a humectant-rich hydration layer and the skin is still damp, it's time to seal it in with an oil and/or balm.
Anhydrous products (oils & balms that contain no water) are considered non-polar meaning they attract to each other so when laying oils & balms you are melding the two products. I tend to layer balms over facial oils due to the richer, slower-absorbing butters and/or waxes which create a tighter seal in order to prevent water evaporation. By adding this as your last step you are providing a bit more moisture protection since facial oils on their own absorb a bit faster.
This sandwich/layering technique is the magic of beautifully moisturized skin.
Everyone's natural sebum (oil) production varies. You may have excess oil, combination, or little to no oil production at all (ie dry or dehydrated).
Your oil production can change daily, monthly, and most likely seasonally (hello, winter). The goal is for your skin to feel comfortable.
There are endless custom blends you can create to tailor to your skin.
Mix together your hydration product (elixirs/mists, hyaluronic acid, etc.) & your preferred oil and/or balm into the palm of your hand until a milky texture forms. Once everything is mixed together and massage and/or press into skin.
So you can reap all the benefits that doesn't require to layer one on top of the other or in a specific order.
Layering products one at a time is great way if you want a little more control on your product usage like saturation, dry down times, incorporating massage, etc. If you are unsure which product to start with a good rule of thumb is to apply products by weight, from lightest to heaviest or thinnest to thickest. Also most brands have suggestions on how to use their products. Use the instructions or reach out to them directly :)
However, try not to get caught up in the rigidity of layering, especially with deconstructed plant-based skincare where raw oils and butter have a bit more breathability than synthetic silicones and petrolatum.
Concepts like 'moisture sandwiching' which is a layering technique of hydrating goods & oil-based goods can give a wide range of options to help shift through the seasons to make your routine lighter or richer depending on your needs.
So it would look like this… { hydration + oil + hydration + balm }
For example, after cleansing, add a light hydrating mist, followed by a facial oil, then use a light creamy moisture serum like our Ambient Moisture on top. This is lovely for those who struggle with truly dry skin (meaning it does not produce much oil on its own). Finish with a facial balm.
By replenishing the lack of oil in your skin first, the water/oil emulsion on top actually works a bit better since the skin has more support to hold onto the humectants/hydrating ingredients. The routine is then completed by finishing with a waxy and/or buttery balm to seal it all in.
Sometimes experimenting can help find that perfect balance without needing to add new products to your skin regime.
Get to know your skin, and see what it reacts well to, and what it doesn't love. Give yourself space to feel into what is most nourishing to you.
]]>In skincare, you often hear the term Transdermal Water Loss (TWL), this is the rate in which moisture is evaporated from the skin. Our ability to hold water is a sign of our skin's ability to protect itself.
When moisturizing, it’s the occlusive (sealing) compounds that create the protective layer and how water loss is prevented.
Moisture locking in the conventional realm is often represented with a petroleum-base ingredient and considered the gold standard. Akin to Saran Wrap like protection. For some that’s the ideal solution due to the benign reaction most skin has to it and it’s one of the most researched ingredients in skin care. However, I prefer not to support the petrol industry and want additional functionality in skin care. No judgement if this ingredient works well for you.
Where I tend to land is the innovative and emerging perspective that examines topical solutions using a holistic view of the skin; a dynamic, self regulating organ.
Starting with the view that the “dead” cells at the very top are actually very alive. These “dead” cells: corneocytes have an advanced signaling system that reaches the lower level cells to help protect itself. Balanced with their enzymatic nature and complex (still discovering) biome there are some intriguing reasons to work with a breathable and bio-available approach.
Though not as researched as other lab-based ingredients there are significant studies that illustrate a wide variety of constituents in plant oils, butters, waxes like: triglycerides, phospholipids, FFAs, phenolic compounds and antioxidants which act synergistically to: promote skin barrier homeostasis, antioxidative activities, anti-inflammatory properties, direct and indirect (upregulation of antimicrobial peptides) anti-microbial properties, promoting wound healing and anti-carcinogenic properties.*
Adding a lipid only moisturizer (purely occlusive) like balms, salves and unguents, etc. can be one of the most protective and healing tools in your routine.
When using a balm or highly occlusive layer, it’s important to introduce a water/hydrating element to actually moisturize the skin. Putting a balm on dry skin, especially when it’s damaged does not perform well and often can cause dry skin to get worse.
Adding a water element can be as simple as applying the balm to your skin fresh out of the shower while the skin is damp. Another option is using a hydrosol to moisten the face before applying the balm or oil. Our favorite is micro emulsions. Taking your hydrosol, water based serum or water based elixir in your palm with the oil or balm. Mix together and apply this quick lotion on your skin (while damp) and then another layer of the balm or oil.
All these methods work and can be adjusted based on how much protection and hydration you need. The flexibility of microemulsions allows you to work with your skin more intuitively, adjusting with the seasons without the need of too many different products.
Whole herbal extracts used in balms consist of an array of potent ingredients to stimulate the skin to repair and build itself naturally. Numerous compounds that together provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, emollient, dark spot-inhibiting, antimutagenic properties on the skin.
Our love for balms/salves runs deep, hence you’ll find we have so many in the Live Botanical line. It feels like creating beautiful botanical art - that in turn is completely functional for the skin & spirit.
Each one with a unique texture and perspectives to cover a wide variety of preferences and needs.
We don't find our balms or any of our oils are likely to cause breakouts or pore congestion due to the fatty acid balance and anti-inflammatory herbal infusions. From a corneobiology standpoint, having the skin able to breathe is important for the health of the biome to ensure the right amount of good bacteria can sustain and not feed unhelpful bacteria which leads to breakouts and inflammation.
Use any of the below as the last layer of your skin routine or as a night mask.
Sanctuary Barrier Balm
Formulated for dry/sensitive skin types.
What sets this balm apart from others is the inclusion of unrefined oil-based phospholipids (lecithin). On a cellular level, the molecules attract and hold onto water while also organizing themselves into a structure similar to natural skin. So when layered on damp skin, it creates an effective skin-identical layer. This is also our essential oil free option.
The Sanctuary Barrier Balm is richer as compared to all of our other balms from a fatty acid composition perspective, replenishing loss of oil for true dry skin conditions.
If you find you're more dehydrated than dry, you may find the following balms suit your needs.
Renewing Concentrate
Designed for the dry and maturing skin types.
One or our more active balms with collagen boosters like lupin and dates extracts along with a robust percentage of rose-hip oil. Ceramides plus pomegranate sterols create a unique complex that mirrors our natural skin to help improve the lipid barrier matrix for enhanced protection from water loss and in turn encourages long term vitality.
Skin Repair Balm
This is suitable for oily and combination skin.
A classic herbal salve that goes from decadent skin care to first aid. Serves to maintain proper skin balance and to protect the lipid barrier. The anti-inflammatory properties help reduce sensitivity; in particular, it will help soothe and reduce the redness, dryness, and inflammation caused by common skin reactions.
Rooted Balancing Balm
This is designed for skin that is prone to breakouts and has combination skin that leans forwards dry.
Clarifying botanicals creates a pathway for your complexion to adapt to stress. It manages moisture needs for dry skin while limiting congestion.
There are a myriad of options when it comes to herbal balms and salves. We hope with this unique range to choose from you’ll find something for your skin type as well as your preferences. If you need help in selecting the right balm please be sure to scroll below and click the contact link.
~Carolyn, owner & maker
*Journal ref: Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(1), 70; Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils by Tzu-Kai Lin, Lily Zhong, and Juan Luis Santiag
]]>At Live Botanical, we offer three facial masks: Glowing Honey Mask, Greenhouse Glow Antioxidant Mask and the Tidal Moon Moisture Mask to awaken and revive the skin.
Since our formulations focus is on gentleness and barrier care, they all help in this way. Though each one has a different texture, scent and end result. To help you choose, we’ve provided an in depth look at each mask.
This mask uses ancient traditions of honey infusions and powdered herbs for your skin’s restorative journey. Organic papaya offers a gentle enzymatic exfoliation to stimulate and revive the skin. A radiant glow awaits you in minutes.
For an added experience use facial (honey) tapping to stimulate lymph and circulatory movement.
The Glowing Honey Mask has a multi purpose function of a hydrating mask, an exfoliant and and/or facial cleanser.
Suitable for all skin types
Scent Profile: rose & chamomile
Melissa O. uses the mask in her morning routine. "I put it on in the morning and leave for about 30 minutes while I get ready for the day. It smells wonderful and really gets the blood flowing. My face is so soft and pampered when I am done."
Alisia says "This mask does so much! It calms, cleanses, brightens dull skin, and exfoliates. Plus it smells amazing! Slightly spicy and slightly floral. Reminds me of my favorite herbal tea, plus it tastes good if you get it on your lips! I love that it is gentle and not drying. My skin was so soft, hydrated and glowing after using it!"
The Greenhouse Glow mask provides optimal phytonutrient delivery bringing lackluster skin back to life.
The mask stimulates deep circulation and increases cellular oxygenation to restore luminosity when your skin feels dull or asphyxiated due to environmental damage, stress, internal imbalances or even long airplane flights.
Activate the mask’s nutrients by adding cool water to pull out the water-soluble compounds (get your masking bowl and brush ready 😉).
This is a mask that, overtime, helps the skin to lessen sensitivity.
It doubles as a cleansing scrub for physical exfoliation or can simply be removed if you’re more sensitive.
This supports all skin types and I love this for combination skin or skin in need of balance to even out skin tone. Note: mild circulation redness is normal after using the mask and will subside.
Scent Profile: herbaceous, citrus and green tea like
TRULY UNIQUE
This creamy balm that turns into a rich, moisturizing, plant-smoothie mask that provides results immediately. This is my go-to skin-transforming product right now.
~Claire M.
AHHMAZING!!!
First of all I love the vibrant green color it turns when activated with water. It smells so good too! My skin feels revived, refreshed, and hydrated. The initial circulation redness after wiping the mask off scared me a little but it subsided quickly and left my skin feeling renewed. Try this mask and you won’t regret it!
~Ricarda S.
This soft textured blend is all about soothing stressed skin. Helping barrier repair, it provides more moisture than the other two masks. It’s also more focused on vitality, plumping the skin for those concerned with fine lines and enlarged pores. Though it’s not an exfoliant, the extracts used support cellular renewal & protection for aging skin.
As with all of our products, we formulate to reduce inflammation. So this mask is great for most skin types especially combination to dry and even acne prone.
Scent Profile: a sweet forest
A DESERT ISLAND PRODUCT - BEYOND FANTASTIC
I absolutely adore this product! It is the most magical formulation. Rich, creamy, nourishing, sweet smelling. After a complete cleanse, I layer on this mask and relax, breathing in the scent and enjoying the process while my skin is renewed. I have never ever used a mask that leaves the skin so smooth, nourished, brightened and revitalized. It does everything is says and more. I am beyond happy with this mask and consider it a holy grail product.
~MoroccanMelody
]]>Up until the latter half of the 20th century, the top layer of the skin (stratum corneum) was thought to be a dead, a non biological membrane. A multitude of studies in the last few decades have shown the top layer is a very complex, dynamic tissue whose formation involves many highly orchestrated metabolic enzymatic functions. Illustrating the dynamic communication network our skin has. A conduit from our internal bodily systems to the broader environment.
It‘s our first line of defense and acts as a barrier between the outer and inner worlds. It is exposed not only to a wide variety of physical, chemical, and thermal insults from the outside but also to inner stimuli, including psychological stress. [1] To add in a little woo, we also have our energy field that extends beyond our bodies.😉
Skin issues can manifest in many different ways. Personally, due to PCOS, my metabolic system imbalance causes weak barrier function leading to intense dryness, redness and ingrown hairs.
My first herbal teacher, Dr. Mara Levin, had multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), where even natural essential oils along with artificial fragrances and a very long list of chemicals triggered serious reactions. This is an extreme example of sensitivity.
These personal experiences have guided me to gentle, yet powerful formulation methods.
Factors such as an impaired skin barrier, a weakened immune system, inflammation, and digestive health can contribute to the skin’s sensitivity as well.
Our skin’s response to all these internal and external stimuli is a gateway to provide opportunities to understand ourselves better through its peaks and valleys. Know that whatever is happening on the surface is just information. Nothing we should feel shame or be discouraged by.
Skin health is a non-linear journey.
As a skincare brand I don’t feel it’s my lane to bring up internal considerations on a broad scale. I’m here, at the very least, to support listening to your body. And if you’re wanting to go deeper, see a registered professional who has your best interest at heart. Parsley Health offers online holistic healthcare if you are unable to find a functional practitioner in your area.
I also want to recognize access to health care and nutritionally dense foods is a privilege. We should collectively be working within our communities to reduce the gap in income inequalities. Holding corporations, leaders and government officials accountable in environmental stewardship and affordable/free healthcare.
Facial skin has been found to be more sensitive to topical application than other parts of the body potentially due to a less efficient barrier, a decreased number of stratum corneum layers, and the larger follicular pores.[2]
In extensive research, I have found sensitivity is extremely difficult to trace to a particular ingredient.
A number of synthetic and herbal substances can irritate the skin.
Reactions from allergies and sensitivities can be the same. Although we here at Live Botanical can’t fully know what is going to work for your skin, we can at least help on the journey to make your skin more comfortable.
A true allergy is an immune response, where IgE antibodies are made to fight and defend the trigger (allergen).
When an allergy is a cause, the reaction is more likely to develop after repeated uses because your skin needs to become sensitized to whatever ingredient is causing the reaction. So, the reactions usually don't develop immediately; it could be days or weeks before you see one. This makes it more difficult to trace back to the source of the reaction.
New allergies can develop at any time—even with something you’ve used for years.
Steps to take if you think you experienced an allergic reaction:
Skin irritation caused by sensitivities does not involve a direct overactive immune response with the release of antibodies as is the case with an allergy. Rather, the protective layer of the skin is compromised which can cause redness, inflammation, pain, bumps, dryness etc.
You may be more prone to disturbances and have the classified “sensitive skin” type. Or maybe you are developing skin sensitivities over time.
What activates your skin is going to be unique to you. Even though a skincare product is labeled “green, clean, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, gentle, sensitive etc” it could still cause irritation. Here is a list of product considerations that could exacerbate your skin sensitivity.
Sensitivities can arise with an ingredient you have been using for a long time and the body simply can’t work with it anymore.
If you are prone to reactions, keeping with the same routine is helpful and too much variation can cause stress. Though I find making minor rotations helpful to help keep the skin balanced. Looking more at leave-on products and less with rinse off formulas like cleansers. It could be simply changing up your facial oil, hydrator, or serum seasonally. You can always return to your favorites more frequently.
The extraction process of ingredients can affect how the skin interacts with it. Different phyto-chemicals are released depending on the solvent, how it's being extracted and what part of a plant is being used. So an extract from one brand to another could be different depending on a multitude of scenarios. Most brands are open to provide this detail if not clarified on their site.
Method examples: isolated, standardized, traditional infusion, bio-fermented, etc.
Plant part examples: leaf, flower, seed, root, etc.
Solvent examples: water, oil, glycerin, alcohol, etc.
You may be sensitive to the isolated compound of salicylic acid from willow bark but you could be completely fine with a simple water and glycerin infusion of willow bark. Or you could have a reaction to a water infusion of rose-hip powder (high in vitamin C) but do really well with rose-hip fruit and seed oil (contains no vitamin C).
This is helpful when looking at formulas to determine what ingredient may be causing as issue.
The concentration of any one ingredient or combination of ingredients can cause different reactions. There are different ‘strength’ percentages in active ingredients. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) can vary - low percentages with low pH could be more active than a high percentage and a high pH. If you’re sensitive look for low AHA percentage with a pH between 3.5-4.
Encapsulation, often found in retinols, can also be more gentle even at a same percent of the same type of retinol that isn't encapsulated.
Another example is essential oils (eos). The extraction of the essential oil from a plant has a much higher concentration of chemical compounds. Essential oils can still be found in whole-plant extractions, yet in much smaller dilutions and mixed with the other non-eo compounds which can negate more harsh aspects. The percentage of eo in relation to the overall blend is a good example of what could cause a reaction.
For Live Botanical facial products that contain eos we don't use dilutions higher than 0.5%. It is advised that sensitive skin formulas do not go above this percentage. Overall they shouldn't go above 1% (for adults). There are exceptions based on specific oils - most commonly citrus and spices.
If you are super sensitive or pregnant we advise using products without essential oils. You can find our options here: Essential Oil Free Product List
A product with similar ingredients can be formulated in a hundred different ways, this is where the fun comes in for many makers, herbalists and formulators. Extraction methods, pH, percentage of acids, concentrations of ingredients (like mentioned above), preservation, etc can all cause different reactions. Not all products are created the same and not all ingredients are used in the same way.
Does the product have ingredients you’ve used before, but from a different company? It may be that the formulation simply doesn’t work for your skin.
This illustrates that looking at an ingredient list doesn’t always determine if it’s sensitive skin friendly. Sometimes trying a product is necessary to see how it works for you.
Exfoliation is a natural cycle of our skins’ renewing process. Yet, too much exfoliation can cause sensitivity. Your skin may not be very happy after you wash your face with a cleanser with a high percentage of surfactants, after your last night's retinol treatment, for example.
Layering too many actives by not realizing actives are in your cleanser and moisturizer along with treatment serums.
This is where communicating with a brand on useage is helpful. Especially if you use products from multiple brands. Most often products within the same brand are designed to be blended without an excessive load of actives.
Though the pursuit can feel complicated, especially for sensitive skin people, embracing your own unique path is part of the journey. Though I wholeheartedly believe when you have a greater understanding of the outlined considerations, finding skincare that feels nourishing and supportive can be a pleasurable experience.
Give yourself time as it can take several months to improve skin barrier issues.
Here are some helpful tactics when incorporating new skincare products into your routine.
Sometimes you can’t just look at a formula and ingredient list to know if it is going to work for you. Finding brands that offer smaller, trial sizes to try is a great way to keep costs down when exploring.
You do not have to go through your skin journey alone. Many brands are happy to give you recommendations based on your skin needs. Ask before you purchase.
With the deconstructive nature of Green Beauty products, how you use and layer the product matters in its effectiveness. Ask the brand how to incorporate a new product into your daily and nightly routine.
Also, there are so many amazing skin enthusiasts and experts who share their favorite products. Find someone who may have a similar skin profile like yours and who you resonate with and trust.
If super sensitive, always do a patch test before fully applying the product. Apply the product to a small area of sensitive skin (underside of the wrist or inside of the elbow). You can cover this with a bandaid and wait at least 24 hours to see if there is any reactivity.
Sometimes going back to basics and decreasing how many products we use can help reset the process. You can also take a break from a product for awhile and gently guide it back in once your skin feels more calm. Introduce new products slowly or one at a time. Consider cleansing once a day limiting disruption of the biome and allowing the skin to regulate on its own. Be careful to not put more stress on an already sensitive system. Tread lightly and slowly.
Those will adequate or excess oil production:
Gentle Cleansing Gel
Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
Awaken Clearing Oil
Those with very little oil production, dry skin:
Nourishing Cleansing Oil
Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
Vibrant Garden Universal Oil
If extremely dry: Sanctuary Barrier Balm
Navigating life when you literally don’t feel comfortable in your own skin can feel burdensome, especially with so much external and internalized pressure. Being curious about the beautiful design of the human body can help encourage balance as well. Remember that there is no such thing as perfection as that’s just a societal construct to deprive us of the complexity and wonder of our humanity.
~Carolyn, owner & maker
[1] Orion, Edith, Wolf, Ronni (2012). Psychological stress and epidermal barrier function. Clinics in Dermatology, Volume 30, Issue 3
[2] Lynde CW. Moisturizers: what they are and how they work. Skin Therapy Lett. 2001;6(13):3–5.
]]>I touched on the acid mantle in the first article about cleansing frequency and wanted to elaborate a bit on how it ties into alternative cleansing options.
When thinking about the formulation process, I’m always evaluating the impact of the relationship between the lipid barrier (along with natural moisturizing factors), acid mantle and biome.
Where the emulsifiers and surfactants have more of a relationship with the lipid barrier, the acidity (pH) works more with the acid mantle. And having a balanced acid mantle supports a healthy biome since pH has an impact on what types of bacteria can thrive.
This is a super simplistic view as this function. It is deeply intertwined with our skin’s communication pathways but hopefully gives a high level concept.
Alternative cleansing options is an opportunity to reset or refresh the skin in between the act of a deeper cleanse:
We hope you found this 4 part cleansing series informative and if you need help deciding what could work best for you please email us anytime: hello@livebotanical.com. We are always delighted to help people on their skincare journey.
~Carolyn, owner & maker
]]>Tying into the Cleansing Gel article, I am believer that those with adequate or extra oil production can do well with either type of cleanser. If you're dry and have limited oil production, cleansing oils and creams are preferred.
One of the many benefits to cleansing oils is for a deeper clean and remove makeup that is in a base of oil (common in green cosmetics) and sunscreen. If your makeup and sunscreen is oil-free then either cleansing option is great. This comes from the idea of “like dissolves like”, meaning oil as a solvent can dissolve oil on the skin.
This is the classic approach, where you spend time to massage the skin to “melt” off what you hope to remove from the skin and rinsing off with warm water and a washcloth.
If this is the only cleansing method you use, I do recommend doing a double cleanse with something that has some type of cleansing agent in it at least a couple times a week. Working to remove heavier particles that can come from pollution or if you wear makeup and sunscreen.
Excess buildup can cause dullness and possibly more breakouts/flare-ups.
Non-emulsified cleansing may not be the best choice for excess oily skin. Not having something that removes what was dissolved is adding more oil to skin. The amount of oil we produce is inherent to our hormones (genetic or otherwise) and there isn’t a lot of solid science that confirms there is a feedback loop that removing too much oil causes more oil to be produced.
On the opposite end - if you're dry or lipid barrier is compromised, not maintaining your natural oils can lead to sensitivity and more breakouts from a disrupted biome. We take this into consideration with all products we create.
If you would like to try an oil cleanser without an emulsifier we offer the Universal Oil which is both a facial oil and can act as a luxe cleanser. There is also a list oils at the end of this article to create your own if you feel inclined.
If cleansing without any surfactants works for you, then that’s amazing and always trust your intuition. Though if you find it doesn’t, know that it’s not anything you’re doing wrong.
As mentioned in the cleansing gel article. There are a myriad of surfactants that are gentle. In cleansing oils or balms you often see emulsifiers or ester emollients as the "surfactant".
After the oil dissolves dirt and grime and you’re ready to remove, water is added to create a milky texture like our Nourishing Cleansing Oil. This is the oil and captured debris in order to be rinsed away more easily.
Without gentle, deep cleansing with a proper emulsifier or surfactant the skin can sometimes feel strained which inhibits what I call cellular communication. Knowing that the “dead cells” on the very top layer of the skin aren’t actually dead but do communicate activities like desquamation (natural peeling/renewal process that slows down as we age).
The benefits of an oil (or cream) base is it reduces tightness and softens the skin. I use low dilution of an ester emollient to not dissolve our natural oils so a washcloth may still be needed at the end depending on what you’re removing (like heavy makeup).
For oily skin types this is a better option when removing oil based makeup & sunscreen. Then follow up with a cleansing gel if needed.
For dry and adequate oil producing people, a cleansing oil with an emulsifier/ester emollient is often enough.
There is not necessarily a lot of differences between a facial oil and non-emulsified cleansing oil.
In both cleansing oil types it’s really a matter of preference with some trial and error. As with most skin care, looking at a formula alone doesn’t always signal what will work for you.
Rich oils or those considered high in oleic acid (like olive oil) or lauric acid (like coconut oil) may not be the best approach for a non-emulsified option given they are more prone to settle into the skin. There is also some studies that show too high of oleic acid in an overall formula can impact lipid barrier function. Though in balanced amounts they are fine.
Jojoba or meadowfoam are popular options given the similarity to our natural sebum. These are good starting points and gives a nice rich texture.
In my research and experience a good blend is jojoba/meadowfoam with higher linoleic acid oils (these tend to be seed oils like sunflower, pumpkin and hemp) as they are lighter in nature and less likely to cause breakouts. Some studies suggest those with more reactive skin has less of this type of essential fatty acid so incorporating can often support rebalancing efforts. Have fun with the process and choose oils that resonate with you.
In my years of working with people, research and experience, skin care is so much about preference. We are surrounded in a sea of options and there isn’t just one way to get the job done properly.
There are others I haven’t covered like cleansing creams - which are also a great option. Using the same understanding of what emulsification/surfactant system is in place will make the difference.
Other considerations for super sensitive people is limiting abrasive options like excess use of a washcloth, essential oils and harsh particles. Again the emulsified oil would be better than the traditional cleansing oil method since it requires quite a bit of rubbing with a cloth to remove debris.
In the next article I’ll be covering non-traditional cleansers.
~ Carolyn, owner & maker
]]>Though there are a host of surfactants that are super gentle especially with proper formulation. Surfactants dissolve and emulsify oils, grabbing on to dirt, debris etc., and when water is added it can be easily rinsed away. As with everything in formulation, it’s all in the details.
Many surfactants give people that squeaky clean feeling. From my perspective, this is not the goal of cleansing. The skin should never feel tight, instead should be comfortable without too much residue.
When developing the Gentle Cleansing Gel I went with both oat and apple based surfactants that were created for the delicate skin of babies and highly sensitive individuals. This is based on the formulation perspective that using multiple surfactants along with a humectant like glycerin will reduce surface tension, preventing barrier disruption.
Overall it’s balanced to not strip natural oils, impart hydration and deliver skin soothing properties from herbal infusions.
In the third installment of the Cleansing Series, we will cover Cleansing Oils.
~Carolyn, owner & maker
]]>To experiment with once a day cleansing, mornings are often the best to skip traditional cleansing since you likely have no makeup or sunscreen on.
Giving yourself about 30 days to see how your skin feels. Adjusting based on what feels good and I always recommend trusting your intuition as you know your skin better than anyone.
To start simply rinse the skin with warm water and use a soft damp cloth to gently remove any debris.
(Optional) Since water has a pH of 7, I like adding one of our elixirs or hydramists which are around 5-5.5 pH which is a common sweet spot for the skin. Though many hydrosols could work.
I’m a strong believer in incorporating acidic products to help balance the acid mantle which can uplift our biome function to better ward off against things like breakouts or reactions from sensitivity.
Then follow up with a hydrating moisturizer like our Ambient Moisture Liquid.
If you're combination or dry and need extra nourishment complete the ritual with your favorite facial oil and/or balm depending on your skin care preferences.
In the next articles we'll discuss different cleansing options that elaborate on how cleansers interact with the skin.
~Carolyn, owner & maker
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