Pure•ly Mei Botanical Skincare is a tightly curated, sophisticated line consisting of two gorgeous hero-status plant-based products, Renew Cherry Blossom Oil-to-Milk Cleanser and Everlasting Bakuchiol and White Lupin Facial Oil Serum.  Founded by licensed esthetician and trained formulator Sarah Duran, Purely Mei is a line that is designed to bring skin back into balance and harmony by supporting the skin barrier and providing noncomedogenic nourishment.  As I told Sarah after using the products for several weeks, these are not your average oils!  Purely Mei delivers considerable benefits to even the fussiest skin types.  As someone dealing with inflammation, acne, and aging simultaneously, I feel qualified to say that both Renew and Everlasting are exceptional formulations.  Together, these complementary products represent a beautifully streamlined yet complete routine, but each product is also a singular marvel as well.  I was lucky enough to get to try both gems, and I am delighted to have the chance to tell you about my outstanding experience with each.

Renew Cherry Blossom Oil-to-Milk Cleanser is an award-winning cleanser that is perfect for anyone whose skin and/or spirit needs a little pampering.  This rich, luxurious oil cleanser is a sensory delight to use with a lovely scent that hints of its natural lavender, geranium, and orange oils.  Renew is very gentle and hydrating, but it gives a thorough clean, washing clean without leaving an oily film behind or stripping or drying out the skin. Prior to using Renew, I was skeptical of cleansers that did not contain a surfactant, but this formulation has shown me that it is not necessary for a just-right clean.  As a skilled esthetician, Sarah Duran formulated this oil cleanser very carefully, and she has a wonderful blog post in which she debunks several misconceptions about oil cleansers. The formulation is very balanced and delivers benefits for all skin types, but especially for anyone dealing with sensitivity, a compromised barrier, or acne.  The oils in Renew are noncomedogenic and high in linoleic acid, which boosts the skin barrier and helps to prevent acne, making this a perfect cleanser for fussy or “problematic” skin.  As someone with both sensitive and acne-prone skin, I’ve found Renew to be a very calming staple in my routine.  As a bonus, its star active, Cherry Blossom, is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, reducing both the oxidative and inflammatory damage that can accelerate aging and exacerbate other skin complaints.  Additionally, Cherry Blossom helps to suppress advanced glycation end products (AGE) production and AGE-induced fibroblast apoptosis!  Renew is balanced and nourishing and leaves skin hydrated yet truly clean all in one gentle cleanse.  Renew Cherry Blossom Oil-to-Milk Cleanser  is a beautiful cleanser—a joy to use and truly calming for the complexion.

Renew Cherry Blossom Oil-to-Milk Cleanser Ingredients: *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Polyglyceryl-4-oleate, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, *Perilla Frutescens Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil & Prunus Serrulata (Cherry Blossom) Flower Extract, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, *Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Seed (C02) Extract, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf (C02) Extract, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, *Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, *Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Peel oil.  *Organic

Everlasting Bakuchiol and White Lupin Facial Oil Serum is truly an oil that does it all:  hydrates, heals, nourishes, regenerates, and strengthens the skin.  Everlasting is another award-winning gem from Purely Mei, and a single use will quickly show why this showstopper has already started garnering awards, most recently from the Beauty Shortlist Awards.  This silky oil serum provides just the right amount of hydration to skin and rather than remaining on the skin’s surface like some heavier oils do, Everlasting absorbs into the skin where the sumptuous oil serum can work its real magic. With its blend of vanilla-infused Jojoba, Moringa, Pomegranate, Borage, Rose Hip, and Helichrysum Oils, Everlasting smells divine and fortifies the skin with anxtioxidants and 3, 6, 9, omega-rich, nourishing oils.  Bakuchiol and White Lupin Seed Extract are two anti-aging superstars in the serum; Bakuchiol has demonstrated similar anti-aging and anti-acne activity to retinol without the irritation and potential for photosensitivity, and White Lupin Seed Extract promotes high-quality collagen production that results in smoother, firmer skin!

The visible benefits of Everlasting are obvious:  smoother, more supple, calm skin, with a healthy glow.  Best of all, Everlasting is a product that is suitable for all skin types and capable of tackling a variety of skin challenges.  I know firsthand just how healing Everlasting is.  It takes an incredibly special serum to appropriately treat and visibly benefit my skin when it is at its most problematic (e.g., dry in some spots, oily in others, irritated, and acne-prone, all while showing advanced signs of aging), and Everlasting is one of a very select number of products that I can trust to not only do no harm but also to bring my skin into better balance, to soothe, hydrate, and heal my irritation and blemishes.  True to the spirit of Purely Mei, Everlasting restores my skin to calm even when it’s been at its most difficult.  It takes a special hero product to earn your deepest trust for the times when your skin is misbehaving, and Everlasting has quickly become such a go-to hero for me.

Everlasting Bakuchiol and White Lupin Facial Oil Serum Ingredients: *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Moringa Oleifera (Moringa) Seed Oil, *Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, *Rosa Mosqueta (Rose) Hip Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil and Lupinus Seed Extract, *Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed C02 Extract, Bakuchiol, *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Berries C02 Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Bean Extract, Tocopherol (Non GMO), Bisabolol, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf C02 Extract, *Helichrysum Splendidum Oil.  *Organic

Filled with potent actives, Purely Mei is a line thoughtfully formulated by expert licensed esthetician Sarah Duran.  Purely Mei embraces a pro-aging philosophy, and its products are designed to nurture the skin and empower the user to look and feel their best at any age.  Although the line eschews gimmicky and unrealistic anti-aging marketing, both Renew and Everlasting are beautifully suited for mature skin as well as skin that craves healing, whether from irritation, acne, or both. Indeed, I think it would be accurate to call the products anti-inflammaging, as both Renew and Everlasting contain several actives that tame that inflammatory cascade that can exacerbate skin conditions and accelerate the aging process beyond what it might otherwise be.  Above all, Purely Mei is designed to support the skin barrier and restore calm and balance to the skin while providing the user with an elegant and relaxing experience, and the line succeeds beautifully in doing all this!  For anyone who is ready for a streamlined yet indulgent routine that will yield numerous complexion benefits, I highly recommend trying both Purely Mei products. This is a line worth discovering, cherishing, and sharing!

The post My Review of Pure•ly Mei Botanical Skincare appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

I am here to share my Nebula Genomics experience!  I was excited to become a Nebula Genomics affiliate because they offer Whole Genome Sequencing DNA tests that decode all 6.4 billion DNA base pairs in the human genome!  According to their site, the first whole genome sequencing ever done cost over $3 billion dollars, but today they have made the 30x Whole-Genome Sequencing service accessible for a price under $300.  Whole-Genome Sequencing reads out over 6,000,000,000 positions on your genome, and then every letter of the DNA is read an average of 30 times!  You can see why this is the gold standard for genetic testing.  Unlike many other DNA testing companies, Nebula Genomics gives you total control and ownership of your data.

When I had the opportunity to purchase a Nebula Genomics DNA Test at a discount, I jumped at the chance.  Nebula Genomics has all sorts of things to recommend it.  First, there is the fact that it uses advanced and comprehensive 30x Whole-Genome Sequencing. Second, all genomic big data is available for download (so you own your data).  Third, Nebula Genomics allows for deep genetic maternal and paternal ancestry. Fourth, Nebula Genomics offers Genome Exploration Tools, such as over 200 DNA reports, that help users understand the latest genomics, health, and wellness research as well as how it applies personally.  That is a big draw for me, because since I’m not a geneticist, I could use some assistance putting together a bigger picture with real-world implications from the minutiae.

The collection process was simple, painless, and well explained, and the collection kit comes with a pre-labeled return envelope complete with postage.   I have sent my kit off and am awaiting the results.  I am eager to see what I can learn about myself and what positive changes this knowledge may help to inspire!

The post My Nebula Genomics Experience appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

          Janet Schriever is a sought-after licensed esthetician who draws on her personal experience with rosacea and professional knowledge of the skin and ingredients in formulating her exquisite line of luxury CBD skincare Code of Harmony.  Code of Harmony is the first and arguably the leading luxury CBD skincare line. Unlike many faddish CBD product lines that are white-labeled (e.g., in which a standard formula is put in a given company’s packaging and marketed as unique even though “X” other brands are selling the exact same formulation in a different bottle), each Code of Harmony formulation is original,  unique to the brand, and crafted with the explicit goal of bringing the skin into beautiful balance.  I have reviewed and praised this line before (as you can see here), and Code of Harmony made such an impression on me that I have always wanted to revisit it. When I saw that Code of Harmony had introduced some tempting new products, I was falling all over myself to try them.  Janet, ever generous, so kindly obliged and gave me the opportunity to test several of her new skincare gems!

          The line’s name is reflective of the underlying philosophy of bringing the skin back into vital harmony.  CBD, with its skin-calming powers, is just one of the many star active ingredients you will find in each Code of Harmony product.  Indeed, these are formulations in which CBD is thoughtfully combined with what you might call an entourage of other skin-nurturing, plant-based actives–like antioxidants, vitamins, and phytonutrient-rich extracts and oils.  Janet explains, “We follow a code when formulating our CBD skincare products—to return the skin to homeostasis, a happy, youthful, balanced state of being. Every ingredient in our formulas works synergistically toward that goal.”  Janet has high standards for what she will include in Code of Harmony products, eschewing anything that might be irritating or damage the skin barrier, and relying on the purest standardized actives, chosen based on scientific research.  The end result is a line of beautiful products that are rejuvenating, plumping, smoothing, and calming.  If you are someone who, like me, suffers from sensitivity, redness, blemishes, or all of the above, you will find sweet relief in Code of Harmony. Now, onto the new products and my Code of Harmony review!

          First, there is the COH-GLO Moisture Mist.  If you are looking for a mist that is soothing, lightweight and non-comedogenic yet truly hydrating, gentle enough to pamper sensitive skin yet active-packed with skin benefits, teeming with antioxidants and skin-calming superstars like Edelweiss, and delicious with a naturally bright, citrusy scent of orange hydrosol with a dash of strawberry sweetness, look no further than COH-GLO Moisture Mist!  This gorgeous mist not only treats all skin types to delicious, refreshing nourishment, it also leaves skin with the perfect dewy glow.  Ethically-produced mineral mica imparts a luminous finish for the perfect subtle glow that is visible yet natural.  Imagine yourself in the best lighting; the bright and dewy glow of COH-GLO Moisture Mist delivers this look—plus supple, hydrated skin—all day.  This gorgeous moisturizing mist is a beautiful multitasker, and it’s both gentle and non-comedogenic. Those of us with sensitive and/or acne-prone skin, rejoice!

Coh-Glo Moisture Mist INGREDIENTS:

Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Caprylic Capric Triglycerides, Leontopodium alpinum (Edelweiss) extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Sodium Isomerate, Sorbitol, Sodium PCA, Rosa mosqueta (Rosehip) fruit oil, Glycerine, Hyaluronic Acid, Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) fruit oil, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Cannabidiol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid (and) Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glycerin.

          Next, we have what has quickly become my favorite exfoliator of all time, Code of Harmony Acidelic Micropolish (formerly called Acid Trip). There is something so satisfying about an effective-yet-gentle exfoliator—one that targets and dissolves dead skin without harming the skin barrier, and that is what you have in Acidelic Micropolish.  This balmy beauty is the best of both worlds: potent enough to reveal fresher skin yet gentle enough not to upset the skin barrier. Using it is addictive! Imagine a rich, skin-nurturing buttery base of Hemp Seed and Milk Thistle Oils that also features an impressive blend of natural alph-hydroxy acids (AHAs) from Bilberry (Lactic Acid), Sugar Cane (Glycolic Acid), Orange and Lemon (Citric Acid), and Sugar Maple (Malic and Tartaric Acids), and add a gentle sprinkle of superfruit seeds from Blueberry, Cranberry, and Pomegranate to further smooth and revive tired skin.  Is it effective?  You bet it is!  I have probably never used a more effective exfoliant when it comes to clearing away dead skin, yet at the same time, Acidelic Micropolish is never harsh. The waterless, creamy oil-gel base protects the skin barrier and calms redness with plant oils and a hefty dose of CBD (100mg per jar!) while the AHAs and seeds together work on and take care of dead skin, revealing a brighter, revived complexion.  Acidelic Micropolish is balanced and gentle enough that it can be used as a gentle micropolish a few times a week.  If you are like me, when you try Acidelic Micropolish, you will be tempted to leave it on, and this is actually a wonderful way to use it; Acidelic Micropolish doubles beautifully as a mask. Just keep in mind that this beauty works quickly, so you don’t need to leave it on long (say, more than 10 minutes) for optimal results.

Acidelic Micropolish INGREDIENTS:

Capric Caprylic Triglycerides, Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) Seed Oil, D1-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil & Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf (Bilberry) Extract & Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract & Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract & Citrus Lemon (Lemon) Fruit Extract & Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Seed & Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed & Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed, Palm Wax, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Cannabidiol, Tocopherol, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Tetrahydrocurcuminoids.

          Finally, we have Code of Harmony Chill Gel Masque.  You know those times when even your regular products might sting when applied and you really need to baby your skin? Chill Gel Masque is a skin savior perfect for those times.  This is a cooling, calming gentle gel mask that combines a super dose of CBD (200mg per jar) with skin-plumping hyaluronic acid and sodium PCA that naturally promote deep hydration.  In addition to CBD, Chill Gel Masque has an array of superstar soothing actives powerful enough to calm even the angriest of skin:  Colloidal Oat, Panthenol, Allantoin, and Centella Asiatica.  This rejuvenating mask is a cool drink of water for parched or fussy skin.  Chill Gel Masque is great for all skin types and makes a brilliant sleeping mask! You won’t want to wash this one off!

Chill Gel Masque INGREDIENTS:

Water, Colloidal Oatmeal, Lecithin (Sunflower, Non-GMO), Sodium Hyaluronate, Oryza Sativa Extract + Water + Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract, Glycerin + Water + Hydrocotyl (Centella asiatica) Extract, Glycerin + Water + Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid (and) Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glycerin, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Water, Glycerine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Saccharide isomerate, Panthenol DL, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Cannabidiol, Cannabis Sativa seed oil, Hippophae rhmanoides (Sea buckthorn) berry oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Bisabolol, Caprylic capric triglycerides, Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang), Copaifera langsdorffii.

          If you are tempted to treat yourself to one of these Code of Harmony treasures, don’t hesitate.  Although I wholeheartedly recommend investing in full sizes of these gems, if you want to test them out for yourself first before committing, each one is also available in a “mini” size just big enough to fall in love!  In even better news, Janet has just released two more exciting new formulations, Pomplio Brightening Serum and Copius Barrier Balm.  You can bet I will want to try those next!

The post Code of Harmony: A Review of New Skincare Products appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

Janet Schriever, Code of Harmony Skincare founder, approaches her passion for clean, multi-benefit cannabidiol (CBD) skincare with impressive commitment and energy.  Her products synergistically combine hemp with a luscious array of soothing plant-based cosmeceuticals.  Code of Harmony Skincare formulations are loaded with active ingredients yet designed to nurture even sensitive skin, with a strong emphasis on soothing the symptoms of irritable and problem skin and promoting youthful vitality.  In addition to doing tons of research on ingredients and formulation, Ms. Schriever has taken classes at UCLA and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and recently enrolled in a 40-hour-a-week esthetician school as well!  Somehow, she also finds the energy to singlehandedly manage Code of Harmony Skincare, an indie beauty line that she has singlehandedly crafted start to finish.  If Ms. Schriever is particularly committed to Code of Harmony and its customers (with whom she genuinely enjoys connecting), perhaps it is because she knows the potential her products hold as well as the huge weight that is lifted when a person finally finds a fix for troubled skin.  For decades, Ms. Schriever herself struggled with and tirelessly sought a topical solution to help calm her rosacea, which led her to discover the soothing benefits of CBD.  Knowing she was onto something, Ms. Schriever built Code of Harmony Skincare—the original beauty-focused CBD line–out of a genuine love for the skin benefits.  Looking at her clear and glowing complexion now, I am eager to incorporate Code of Harmony products into my regular routine.  Indeed, it’s hard to believe Ms. Schriever’s skin was ever troubled; today at 50, she exudes radiance and easily looks 15 years younger.  Lucky for me, once I started using her high-performance products, a bit of that youthful luminosity seemed to rub off on me.  (You can read my reviews of Code of Harmony Skincare here and here!)

Code of Harmony Skincare Founder Janet Schriever

Are there any misconceptions about CBD that you would like to clear up right off the bat? 

 Janet Schriever (JS): CBD won’t get you high.  My products won’t cause you to fail a drug test or smell like weed.  Also, people sometimes assume that Code of Harmony Skincare is hippie-dippy or that it’s simple and homemade because CBD is the star ingredient, but in reality, my formulas are very complex.  For example, the delivery system I use, Safflower Oleosomes, work in a time-released fashion and gradually releases the active ingredients.  When it comes to beneficial ingredients, I use a lot of them; every ingredient in my products has been chosen because of its skin benefits.  There are no ingredients there just for sensorial effect or fragrance because I want everything to serve the skin rather than just serving the formulation.

 How did you get started in skincare?

JS:  I looked at the skincare I was using and noticed all the fillers and things that really didn’t need to be there—about 98% of the formulations were fillers and ingredients that weren’t helping skin.  I wanted formulations with ingredients there to truly benefit skin. I originally started making products by myself with every soothing and anti-aging ingredient I could find.  I had no intention of selling anything.  I hate to say I was going for something gentle because the products are actually very efficacious, but I didn’t want them to worsen skin problems or cause irritation.  I spent a ton of time doing trial and error and conducting research.    My research led to discoveries like the fact that chamomile, despite being soothing, can cause a reaction in a number of people, myself included; I went a little deeper in my research and found that the calming component in chamomile, bisabolol, gives the same benefit without the risk of reaction [hence, the reason Code of Harmony uses bisabolol extracted from chamomile rather than the full-spectrum plant].  I would love to put all the botanicals on the label, but for people with sensitized skin, often highly-purified extracts deliver more optimal benefits without irritation.

What has your journey been as a formulator?

JS:  I’m 80% self-taught.  I took some classes at UCLA and some workshops here and there for some formal training, but most of what I know I’ve learned through research.  At first, I was reading a ton, but I wasn’t discerning enough about the source.  Eventually, I stopped reading blogs and informal publications and started reading clinical trials.  I also used my own experience, looking to other products and ingredients that have worked well and are proven effective.

Can you describe your own skin frustrations, how you discovered CBD, and the difference it made?

JS:  I struggled with rosacea for years, and it was bad off an on, but at 46, it really flared up.  I spent several years experimenting, doing DIY projects trying to find and create something to get my skin under control.  It was a long experimental process.  I started another skincare line briefly.  Then I went to a meeting with an organization called Women Grow that supports women getting into the cannabis business.  I was not particularly interested in cannabis being a business, but I was slightly curious about CBD.  At the meeting, I learned about CBD and what it could do internally in the body.  It immediately clicked for me that it could be a fantastic skincare ingredient.  At the time, CBD in skincare was primarily targeting pain relief, and there were not any beauty-focused CBD lines on the market.  I decided to try it, and it took the products I had been making to a whole new level.  My skin responded beautifully, and I soon got confirmation that others’ did as well.

What are your favorite benefits of CBD for skin?

JS: The calming, soothing benefits are pretty great.  Studies have proven we have an endocannabinoid system in our skin that responds to CBD, and when that system is toned, you can see good results. CBD is wonderful at helping to alleviate the symptoms of acne, eczema, rosacea.  It’s also a great ingredient for sensitive skin and aging.  If you react to some skincare or have trouble tolerating a lot of it, you may have better luck with a CBD product.  That said, every CBD skincare product has to prove itself on its own merit.  They are not all created equal!

Have there been any challenges related to introducing a CBD line specifically?

JS:  I spent an entire year trying to educate consumers about some of the basics about CBD. The type of CBD I use is not going to get you high or test positive on a drug test.  The CBD isolate I use in Code of Harmony Skincare is completely free of THC (e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical compound in cannabis responsible for the high), so what they test for in a drug test is completely absent.

A report by market research firm Brightfield Group notes that hemp-derived CBD is still treated as a controlled substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency despite the fact that it will not get a person high or test positive on a drug test.  Why is a non-psychoactive substance being treated as dangerous, and what challenges does this present to Code of Harmony Skincare as a small independent business?

JS:  The US government has a patent on CBD as a neuroprotectant and antioxidant and yet maintains that CBD is not therapeutic.  It is still a Schedule I Drug according to the DEA, and the DEA treats CBD the same no matter where it’s derived.  In their eyes, hemp-derived CBD is the same as cannabis-derived CBD.  However, we have to remember who actually makes the laws—Congress, not the DEA.  The problem that this creates for me is consumer perception.  The consumer is confused about whether they can legally buy a CBD product.  Yes, it’s legal; the DEA will not come arrest you.  The Farm Bill says that hemp-derived CBD is legal as long as it is under 0.3% THC [note: Code of Harmony Skincare’s hemp-derived CBD isolate contains no THC], and luckily the stigma is lessening as people realize how safe and beneficial it is.  There’s no reason that hemp should not be 100% legal without any “grey” area or question about where it is derived.  Hemp is grown for all sorts of purposes—paper, clothes, food, medicine.

Many CBD beauty companies encounter banking difficulties due to federal regulations. Has it been difficult to obtain the financial backing you need, and how have you managed?

JS:  Code of Harmony Skincare has faced the same issues with banking that any cannabis business would.  Most banks will shut down merchant processing, and this has happened to me several times.  Larger CBD companies have resources to work this out, but I am self-funded and doing everything myself.  Customers have to buy Code of Harmony Skincare by virtual check.  A lot of customers get put off by that because it can make them start wondering if it’s an illicit purchase.  Really, it’s just a banking issue and not a legality issue, but it has certainly been a challenge for my business.  In terms of larger funding issues, there has been interest from investment companies, but unless they understand the CBD market (which most don’t), it may seem like too much risk for them.  Regulatory issues have made growth slower for me.  As a small business owner who is self-funded, it has been daunting at times.  CBD is a great ingredient, but if it were easy to incorporate CBD into products, you would see all the big corporations jumping on the trend.  Still, I think it [the trouble] will be worth it.  CBD is still new on the market, still seen as somewhat of a novelty ingredient.  I keep hoping things will get easier (business-wise) as CBD’s benefits and safety record become more common knowledge.

What is your approach to formulation?  How did you decide on the additional beneficial ingredients to include in each product along with CBD?

JS:  I’m a big proponent of natural and botanical ingredients and use a variety of them in Code of Harmony.  [Indeed, Code of Harmony ingredient lists feature an array of precious botanicals like Sea Kelp Bioferment, Tremella Mushroom Extract, Safflower Oleosomes, Goji Berry Root Extract, Licorice Root Extract, Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Guava Seed Oil, Watermelon Seed Oil, CoQ10, Pomegranate Oil, Sea Buckthorn CO2, and many more!]  I use them whenever possible, but I also use cosmeceutical extracts, vitamins, and antioxidants.  It’s not easy formulating products naturally.  What many consumers don’t understand is that full-spectrum plant extracts are strong, and there are often a lot of things in them that can irritate and inflame skin.  I love botanicals, and I choose the most efficacious ingredient that is best for the formula.  For instance, I use CBD-isolate rather than the full-spectrum hemp extract, as I use extracts like Centella Asiatica, Resveratrol, and Bisabolol to deliver the benefit without risking reaction.  Yes, they are highly purified, concentrated, and standardized plant extracts, which contain only the benefit and much less of any potential irritant. A lot of this goes against what people want to believe, but not every plant extract is good and not every synthetic is bad; a lab-created ingredient or extract may deliver equal or greater benefit and be a lot easier on the skin than something directly from a plant.

What have you learned about what it takes to launch and run a successful skincare line today?

JS:  I made a ton of mistakes and said yes to things I shouldn’t have.  The main takeaway is this, though:  if you stare down your fears, they eventually go away.  The success I have had is due to blind faith and a ton of work.  Through Instagram and events, I have met really cool people who trust and love Code of Harmony Skincare products.  I’ve really loved the aspect of connecting to my customers, and there’s been a lot of really great support and excitement.  It’s been unexpected and very cool.  That said, I am still very small and still growing.  I have much to do before I will feel secure about calling my business a success.

How would you describe your beauty and skincare philosophies?

JS:  I like a combination of natural and high-performance ingredients in my products.  The market tended to have very natural and organic products without much efficacy (they don’t offer much to skin issues).  On the other hand, traditional fully synthetic products with synthetic emulsifiers and lots of fillers are not helping the skin either.  Traditional skin care formulations can also cause irritation and are far from “clean.”  I wanted to create products with a natural emphasis that were full of every beneficial calming/soothing/nurturing ingredient I could find.  I wanted the products to be gentle in the sense that they won’t trigger irritation yet highly effective and results-driven.  Because I am not a traditional cosmetic chemist (and most of them learn in the lab and on the job), I don’t use a ton of surfactants or lab-created ingredients that are used in traditional skin care.  I came at this with the intention that every ingredient in my products should benefit and serve the skin.  I didn’t want filler ingredients in the products, so you won’t find white and fluffy creams in the line; my products are sort of a light ochre color because of the botanicals and antioxidants in them, and they have natural scents that come from the ingredients that are also helping your skin.

Janet Schriever

How is  Code of Harmony Skincare unique among CBD-skincare lines?

JS:  I blindly jumped into this, because I loved it.  I was the first to create a CBD-enhanced “clean” beauty line.  I have put a lot of love, faith, and time into crafting my products.  Now CBD is becoming a hot ingredient, and there are a bunch of lines popping up.  Some of these other companies white-label [i.e., buying their products from a huge producer and then rebranding it to make it appear like they made it].  I would love to see other brand owners put a little more time and thought into their formulas and sourcing, so they know exactly what they’re selling, what every ingredient does, and why it is in the formula.  So even if you are not the chemist, you can be aware of what you are selling and the potential benefits and risks.  For the consumer, you still want to find thoughtfully-formulated products with good reviews.  I choose every ingredient in my products to serve the skin, and my line shows that.  I strive to keep Code of Harmony Skincare accessible rather than pricing it out of range.  I am able to keep prices reasonable because I don’t have a lot of overhead.  It’s just me, and I’m not paying myself.

Code of Harmony Skincare uses a CBD isolate rather than a full-spectrum extract.  What are the advantages of this?

JS:  I find the isolate is less allergenic than the full-spectrum.  The isolate has the terpenes taken out, so there’s no scent, and this is greatly preferred by most people.  Taking the terpenes out lessens reactivity.

What current trends or pressures in the beauty industry frustrate you and which ones excite you, and why?

JS:  The clean beauty/indie thing happening right now is awesome.  Code of Harmony uses clean formulas that are free of fillers and harsh synthetics and full of rich phytonutrients, soothing ingredients, and anti-aging actives.  I think this is a smart approach.  At the same time, though, I think people need to get a little more educated about clean beauty because things are less black-and-white than a lot of consumers believe.  There are a lot of black-and-white attitudes without much digging deeper, and a lot of people are rule-bound to a fault, saying, “I will not use chemicals on my face,” when everything is chemical, or, “I’m not going to use anything I can’t pronounce.”  Some vendors put their consumers at risk by not using preservatives in products that require them.  Then there’s the sustainability issue.  I’m all for natural ingredients, but some things will actually be more sustainable when they’re not taken from nature—such as Sandalwood Oil or Hyaluronic Acid (that used to come from only an animal source and is now created in a lab).

What do you see as the greatest success of your line so far and what are your hopes for the future?

JS:  The response and interest have been great.  My business has been very much about integrity and being transparent.  I try to give people realistic ideas about what to expect or not from each product.  The other thing to know is that the whole line has come from one person from start to finish.  I have done everything myself.  In terms of success, I am still so new!  There’s been a lot of interest from estheticians who want something new and effective.  There’s also been a great response from clients with hormonal cystic acne, rosacea, and other skin troubles; people send me dramatic Before and After pictures.  I don’t solicit these, but they send them in out of gratitude for the transformation they’ve seen in their skin.  Indie Beauty Expo (IBE) has been really invaluable in getting press exposure.  I participated in IBE’s BeautyX live deskside pitch contest, Deskside Domination and was chosen by Glamour, Allure, and Fat Mascara podcast as the winner.  This is huge for a little indie brand like me!  It proved to me that I am doing something of value.  I don’t plan on going anywhere.  I’m really passionate about this and not just jumping on CBD as a fad.

Read my reviews of Code of Harmony Skincare here and here!

The Code of Harmony Skincare Collection

The post Code of Harmony Skincare Founder Interview: Meet Janet Schriever appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

The creator of I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS, Ms. Lacerte, is a renowned medical esthetician with more than two decades of experience in an array of medical esthetics specialties (including working with patients facing cancer or serious burns). Despite her wisdom and impressive experience, her smooth skin appears untouched by age–surely a testament to her incredibly advanced vegan formulations for I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS along with dedication to a healthy lifestyle.  Ms. Lacerte has a deep understanding of skin and what it needs.  For example, as she has wisely stated on I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS’ social media, “I believe that our skin is so much more than just our outer covering.   It’s the outside of our inside and although it has evolved to protect us, our skin is still very sensitive and vulnerable and constantly under attack and so it needs our protection.  That’s why I make raw organic skincare products that will feed, nourish, protect, and love our skin.”  I am delighted that I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Lacerte, and you will find more of her insights below.

My Interview with I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS Founder Anis Lacerte

What is the story behind how you became a skincare formulator and an entrepreneur?

Anis Lacerte (AL): I became an esthetician in 1993 and did an aromatherapy training as well as plant medicine, and by 2003, I started developing skin peels and it quickly became a full line of skincare products. I wanted to use organic plant-based products for my skin that at the time I could not found in stores. I started working with a chemist and decided to do lots and lots of research on ingredients and plants and realize I wanted to focus on an anti-aging and skin correction products.

How would you describe your beauty and skincare philosophies?

AL: I use nothing but 100% botanical ingredients, nothing harmful, formulated for particular actions. I formulate to assist the body in calming the nervous system and enhancing the skin. This also assists in the regulation of the immune system. I believe plants heal. Phyto-Medicine is the future of health and skincare. I also love peptides, especially copper Peptides for skin healing. I believe in quality over quantity  meaning no mass produced ingredients. We spend up to 75% of our costs on raw ingredients for certain formulations, so you aren’t just paying for a pretty bottle, you’re paying for what’s inside.

How has your extensive background as a medical esthetician—along with experience helping burn survivors and cancer patients–informed your approach to skincare and product formulation for your outstanding line, I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS?  What did those patients teach you about healing and rejuvenating skin?

AL: In the 90s and early 2000, I was working with several plastic surgeons and helping with patients with scars from burns or mammectomy. I started doing microneedling using a tattoo machine and a single needle to relax the scar tissue. The patients were excited to try any new techniques. We worked with microneedling, peptides and plant medicine.

How is I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS enhanced by your additional studies of plant botany, herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine?

AL: We pack the most ingredients at the highest levels of concentration to deliver maximum results without a single drop of artificial chemicals.  We use Miron violet glass bottles and jars to keep our ingredients fresh, and craft our products from the highest quality plants available. We source more than 300 different ingredients from over 68 countries. The best organic ingredients come from all over the globe – and Tata leaves no stone unturned to find the best. We believe in quality over quantity that means no mass-produced ingredients. Most brands will get clinical feedback on a raw ingredient and put the bare minimum in the formula to deliver just the bare amount of results possible because that’s the most cost-efficient way to make products. But we believe more matters. If science shows that a result requires a minimum of 0.1% you’ll likely see much more than that percentage (and anywhere from 2-4X what our competitors put in) to deliver what we find is the absolute best possible result to our clients.

Could you please suggest a few standout I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS products that you would most highly recommend for each of some specific skin challenges?

AL: Below are key I’M FABULOUS products targeting each concern.

Signs of Aging—Copper Peptide Serum,  Caviar Serum, Luxurious Organic Serum, Retinol Cream, Peptide Collagen Repair Cream,  Bio Gorgeous Peel, TCA Cleanser, Powerful Volumizing Serum, Super Peptide Eye Serum, Power Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Acne— TCA Toner, TCA Cleanser, Blemish Potion

Dryness—Caviar Serum, Luxurious Organic Serum, Retinol Cream, Peptide Collagen Repair Cream, Bio Gorgeous Peel

Redness/Impaired Barrier— Niacinamide + B3 serum, Renew Serum

Pigmentation—TCA Toner, TCA Cleanser, Bio Gorgeous Peel, Super White Bio Serum, NIacinamide + B3 Serum, Vitamin C Brightening Serum

What are your favorite ingredients to work with, and why?

AL: With organic anti-aging ingredients that play an essential role in diminishing the visible signs of aging without the side effects of chemical ingredients. Botanical extracts contain antioxidants and help in retaining the youthful appearance of the skin by smoothening wrinkles, fading spots, reducing skin inflammation, and preventing oxidative stress.

What are some common mistakes you see people making in their skincare, and of these what makes you cringe the most and why?

AL: To spend most money on makeup and nothing on skincare, they rather cover their face with makeup to hide imperfection instead of making their skin glow. Most of them realize later as their ages that it is better to take care of the skin at an early age to prevent deep wrinkles and fine lines.

How have you created such an extensive line? What is your process for creating a new product, and do you have anything in the works right now?

AL: I wanted a line that address every skin type and skin condition. I read a lot about new ingredients, research a lot and always look for the new peptides or anti-aging ingredients and includes them in my formulas. I always want to stay on the top of the anti-aging research and formulation.

If you had to pick a favorite product or two from you line of which you are most proud, what would it (they) be, and why?

AL: All of them, I use all of them, I alternate all my serums, creams and peels. The My ultimate favoite are the Luxe Cleanser, the Seaweed toner, the Caviar serum, the Bio Gorgeous peel, the Powerful Volumizing serum and Super peptide eye serum.

How would you describe the experience you want people to have with I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS?

AL: To fell in love with our products and never stop using them.

What current trends or pressures in the beauty industry frustrate you and which ones excite you, and why?

AL: Nothing frustrate me, I am a very positive person and I focus on my brand and not what others do. I am excited by the fact that now people are getting more educated on what they put on their skin and realize it is better to use organic skincare and makeup, then the ones loaded with toxic ingredients and preservatives.

What do you see as the greatest success of I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS so far and what is your vision for the future of your brand?

AL: Hopefully to sell it one day to a big brand.

Thank you for such a wonderful interview, Ms. Lacerte!

If you love gorgeous plant-based skincare like I do, then you won’t want to miss my full review of two I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS treasures, the TCA Toner and High Tech Copper Peptide Serum 10%.  Follow this link!

The post Interview with I’M FABULOUS COSMETICS Founder Anis Lacerte appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

With the publication of How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels, green beauty visionary Oyéta Kokoroko has written a vital book that will empower consumers, beginning formulators, and retailers to make informed and educated choices about product selection within the beauty sphere.  Trying to assess the quality of a beauty product before you purchase it can be mystifying and intimidating; most of us would benefit from an insider’s guidance. From ingredient lists that read like an organic chemistry textbook to a broad array of marketing claims (e.g., natural, green, clean, non-toxic, free of X, clinically tested, clinical grade, etc.), cosmetics labels make it difficult to determine whether a given product is worthwhile and/or suitable for our particular needs. We struggle to discern what really matters, what claims are exaggerated, and where should we pay the most attention. Enter Oyéta Kokoroko, and her fabulous new eBook How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels. This eBook provides all the guidance and education consumers need to read, understand, and evaluate confusing cosmetics labels. Author Oyéta lets readers in on an important secret about assessing cosmetics–one that she has learned through years of formulating skincare: the quality of a product is directly related to the quality of its ingredients and some ingredients are more important than others. Thus, decoding cosmetics labels is an imperative step in the assessment and selection process. As the book points out, the claims may lie, but the ingredients do not, and knowing where to focus our attention is the first step. 

What makes understanding ingredient labels a bit tricky for most of us is that the cosmetic industry uses its own standard language to list ingredients, called International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI), that is anything but intuitive. INCI names are almost like another language. Fortunately, How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels truly walks us through the process of decoding labels, giving us step-by-step instructions and even practice exercises (with answers in the Appendices so you can check your work). Readers will also gain the knowledge necessary to be able to understand the different parts of formulations by categorizing ingredients based on their purpose. Living up to its name, the book teaches how to decode cosmetics labels and provides access to several insider tools and resources (e.g., some brilliant decoding software and more) that will make demystifying labels easy and virtually effortless. With the tools provided here, readers can translate the names of INCI ingredients into plain English in no time at all. How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels makes technical information about ingredients and formulation understandable and accessible even to those of us who do not have a strong background in formulation or cosmetic chemistry.

In this book, Oyéta generously shares her insider knowledge and perspective from years in the industry. What is more, she educates in a truly balanced, non-biased way, showing a level of discretion and evenhandedness that is hard to find in beauty.  How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels is fullydevoted to educating and empowering consumers without even a hint of a hidden agenda. First, Oyéta does not promote or even mention her own line or products in any way.  This sort of restraint is rare in books written by founders! Additionally, although written by a green beauty luminary, the book does not at all malign or vilify mainstream cosmetics.  In fact, the book compares natural and conventional cosmetics in a radically evenhanded way, offering insights about the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. For instance, the book points out that although mainstream cosmetics use more lab-made ingredients, this is not necessarily a negative, as some of these synthetic ingredients are identical to their natural counterparts and may even be more sustainable. The book also presents that while natural formulas are typically more eco-conscious than conventional, they are also likely to degrade faster than their conventional counterparts due to a shorter shelf life. How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels has an entire chapter filled with evenhanded nuggets such as these, and the entire book is written with this sort of integrity. Anyone seeking truth amid all the distortion in the beauty industry will find this book refreshing and informative.

An invaluable reference, How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels will enable readers to see through the wild, unrealistic promises and greenwashing tactics that plague the cosmetics industry to make truly informed choices and selections.  The eBook will also make product selection easier for specific skin types, as it contains a particularly useful Ingredients Directory that lists common active ingredients—in both plain English and INCI– organized by the user’s desired skin goal. Whether the issue is dehydrated skin, dark spots, or something else, the Ingredients Directory will provides a list of special actives tailored to the user’s specific concerns.  These lists will help readers identify solid, targeted formulations that suit their needs.  Although readers will get a lot out of their first pass through this book, How to Decode Your Cosmetics Ingredients is also a wonderful reference to keep on hand to come back to for anyone who wants to better understand the heart of cosmetic products, their ingredients.  In conclusion, Oyéta’s eBook is an important and generous contribution to the beauty canon and an essential read for the beauty consumer seeking honest and transparent information to empower his/her choices.  

The post How to Decode Your Cosmetics Labels by Oyéta Kokoroko: A Review appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

After falling in love with Kana Skincare’s CBD Sleeping Mask and experiencing its great skin-soothing results, I was eager to explore this promising trend of CBD skincare further.  There are tons of emerging brands to choose from, with more popping up all the time.  However, I’m not naive:  I know that with an ingredient as “hot” and current as CBD, many companies are simply jumping on the bandwagon, ordering ready-made–and mass-produced–formulas and then just slapping their own label on it as if it’s their unique creation.  (This is called white-labeling, and it is done a lot in the industry, especially when an ingredient is trendy.)  I’m only interested in showcasing brands that are made with true care and intention.  With that in mind, the next special brand I am proud to introduce and review is Code of Harmony.

Code of Harmony Continues to Lead the Way for CBD Skincare

Code of Harmony is the original luxury CBD skincare brand—and still the brand that sets the bar for newcomers and the rest.  I had the great privilege of trying several Code of Harmony products, and I was also able to interview Code of Harmony’s charming and insightful founder and formulator, Janet Schriever (click to read!).  This is incredible skincare created with love and effort by a brilliant maker.  Code of Harmony feels amazing on the skin, and for anyone whose skin may be a little imperfect, it provides serious beautifying powers.  I could tell when I looked at the ingredient lists that these products were unique.  The formulas are ultra-clean, highly botanical, and offer an array of benefits in a single bottle. Plus, all you have to do is follow Code of Harmony’s Instagram for a few days to tell that Ms. Schriever (who runs the account, along with everything else related to the brand) is one of the coolest women in the beauty industry.  She tells it like it is, works hard on her products, and offers up the highest quality skincare without ever overstating what you can expect.  Having said this, Code of Harmony CBD Skincare is transformative and highly effective. The brand’s transparency is refreshing in an industry rampant with false promises.  Now, onto the delicious Code of Harmony products themselves!

 Code of Harmony OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe – CBD Face Cleanser & Makeup Remover

 OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe  is a best seller in the line, and after even a single use, it’s easy to see why. OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe gives you what is known as the Goldilocks effect, or the “just right” clean. OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe is easily one of my favorite cleansers-of any type—ever.  I’ve never used another cleanser that is so gentle and non-drying yet truly gets my skin clean without leftover residue (from makeup, SPF, or the cleanser itself); at the same time, OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe never strips or leaves skin at all tight or dry either. Skin is left perfectly clean, lightly hydrated, and totally comfortable.

OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe is a feat of formulation.  When it comes to cleansing, there are many places to go wrong, like overdoing it and stripping the barrier, not cleansing effectively, and/or leaving a stubborn greasy film on the skin.  I have used many oil cleansers that required a lot of repetition and manual exfoliation to work—not this one!  OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe has earned a permanent place in my routine because it falls into none of these traps and gives me the perfect clean every time:  gentle, refreshed, smooth, never greasy, and never dry.  Code of Harmony’s OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe is gentle, yet it loosens dirt/makeup/debris with even a light touch.  The formula has all sorts of beneficial botanical oils that support and fortify the skin barrier, along with two ultra-gentle yet effective cleansing agents typically used in baby products (genius!), and the result is a brilliant cleanser that leaves my skin gently exfoliated without any of the damage that a typical exfoliator inflicts on my sensitive skin.  I call this the perfect clean.  As an added bonus, the cleanser feels so good on skin that I almost never wash it off immediately, leaving some of the goodness (e.g., Hemp, Hemp-derived CBD, Cucumber Seed Oil, Moringa Seed Oil, Black Cumin Seed Oil, Watermelon Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, and more) to sink in for a few minutes.  Even after letting it sit, the minute I add water, it emulsifies into the cleanser I have come to love and rinses easily for the perfect, balanced clean.

Why do I consider this a superior oil cleanser?  Aside from the skin-nuturing ingredients, there is the fact that it uses two extremely gentle surfactants in the formula—so gentle they are most commonly found in baby products. These surfactants are what makes the cleanser actually cleanse the skin; without them, it would just be a skin oil, not a skin cleanser. So many oil “cleansers” on the market have nothing in them that is designed to clean the skin, so they are basically just face oils. The use of ultra-gentle surfactants for an effective clean—along with lots of beautiful skin-nourishing actives and oils—truly sets this formulation apart and explains why I have never truly fallen in love with an oil cleanser before using Code of Harmony OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe.

If you have ever been dissatisfied with traditional oil “cleansers,” you have got to try the real deal, a true oil cleanser that hits all the right notes, cleansing gently and deeply. OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe puts other so-called oil cleansers to shame, I promise you!

OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe Ingredients:

Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, D1-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Ricinus communis (Castor) seed oil, Caprylic capric triglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Seed Oil, Moringa Olifera Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Seed Oil, Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Canarium Luzonicum (Elemi) Oil, Cedrus Deodora (Cedarwood) Oil, Cannabidiol, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract + Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Bisabolol, Phytosterols, Tetrahydrocurcuminoids.

Code of Harmony Virgin Skin Youth Serum

Virgin Skin Youth Serum has become a staple for me because it is incredibly soothing as well as plumping, firming, and brightening.  This serum offers an array of benefits, especially for mature, fussy, or troubled skin (all of which I have).  In addition to offering potent youth-enhancing (firming and brightening skin), I have found Virgin Skin Youth Serum is a wonderful “soothe-all” product that can remedy all sorts of skin ails whether the issue is a frustrating blemish, redness/irritation, or persistent dryness.

Virgin Skin is packed with goodness; in addition to CBD, it also features Virgin Centella Asiatica, Glucosamine, Niacinamide, Tremella Mushroom, Apple, Algae, Sea Kelp Bioferment, Beta Glucan, Coconut Endosperm, Ferulic Acid, Vitamin C, Green Tea, and more!  Each one-ounce bottle has a very generous 150mg of CBD as well.  All these luscious actives are emulsified with Safflower Oleosomes for time-released delivery of the actives, so that you get maximum benefit continuously through the day or night.  The result is a gift that keeps giving; skin is calmer, plumper, firmer, and far more peaceful.  If stress is taking a toll and/or you are short on time, this is a great product to have on hand.  Virgin Skin Youth Serum has all the intensive benefits of a truly great serum, and it is hydrating enough that it could double as a moisturizer for most skin, offering a wonderful single step regimen for those days when you’re in a hurry.

The ingredient list (see below) reads like a dream, and the experience is every bit as good as one would hope given the many star players. The hefty helping of CBD is just one of countless beneficial ingredients in this hydrating serum.  The color is a creamy tan, and the scent is natural and earthy in a delicious way—all suggestive of the clean formula and substantial nutrition skin is about to enjoy.  I have gone through my first bottle of this rapidly for good reason. Virgin Skin Youth Serum is another long-term favorite and definite repurchase for me.

Virgin Skin Youth Serum Ingredients:

 Water, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes + Water, Lactobacillus/Nereocystis Luetkeana Ferment Filtrate (Sea Kelp Bioferment), Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp (Mushroom) Extract, Niacinamide, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glycerine, Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Algae Extract + Pullulan, Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Lecithin (Sunflower, Non-GMO), Glycerin + Water + Hydrocotyl (Centella asiatica) Extract, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Squalane, Water, Glycerine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Tocopherol, Coconut Nucifera Fruit Juice, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid (and) Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glycerin, Cannabidiol, Ferulic Acid, Beta Glucan, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Bisabolol, Glycerin, Canarium Luzonicum (Elemi) Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract + Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Code of Harmony Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Serum

Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Serum is a luscious, highly antioxidant oil blend that nourishes with 100% plant-based oils, while soothing skin with a generous dose of CBD (100mg in every one-ounce bottle), and imparting a subtle, natural-looking glow with a touch of finely milled mica. This is a skin-perfecting serum and gorgeous highlighter in one!  Best of all, this is designed to benefit all skin types, so even those of us with acne-prone skin like myself can use and benefit from Glo-Berry without any worry about breaking out!

Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Serum is the ultimate blend, one that provides instant radiance as well as substantial skin benefits with continued use like calmer, plumper, more vital skin.  Glo-Berry is packed to the brim with beneficial botanical ingredients that include CBD, hydrating Squalane, Prickly Pear Seed, Daikon Seed, Passion Fruit Seed Oil (that provides natural carotenoids, minerals, fatty acids, and skin-loving vitamins), Hemp, highly antioxidant Guava Seed (an ingredient that not only has vitamins A, B, and C, but also has firming qualities), Acai Berry, Watermelon Seed, and Red Raspberry Seed Oils.  These many superstar ingredients offer an array of skin-beneficial vitamins and minerals, nourishing and plumping fatty acids, and potent antioxidants that protect skin from free radical damage, all while soothing with a generous amount of CBD.  Meanwhile, the perfect touch of mica leaves skin luminous and glowy.

Glo-Berry lends a radiance is gorgeous and natural—the kind of subtle glow that will leave people wondering why you look so refreshed and vibrant. If you want some compliments on your skin (and who doesn’t?!), you really must try Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Serum.  Personally, I cannot get enough of this non-comedogenic, beautifying blend.  With Glo-Berry, my skin goes from dry and dull to moisturized and glowing in mere seconds.  Whenever I’m feeling a tad frumpy, Glo-Berry is the perfect remedy, an instant antidote providing vital nourishment, plumping moisture, and that extra sparkle and luminosity that makes me feel as good as it makes me look.

Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Ingredients:

Daikon Seed Extract, Cannabis Sativa Seed (Hemp) Oil, Squalane (Olive), Passiflora Incarnata (Passion Fruit) Seed Oil Caprylic Capric Triglycerides, Red Raspberry Oil, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Lecithin (Sunflower, Non-GMO), Tocotrienols, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Cannabidiol, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil (Ylang Ylang), Bisabolol, Tetrahydrocurcuminoids, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Copaifera Officinalis Oil.

CONCLUSION

Code of Harmony is an extraordinary line that offers the incredible soothing powers of CBD in incredible formulas filled to the brim with complementary beneficial botanical actives.  The line’s products are soothing and regenerative and leave even troubled skin calm and clear.  This is high-performance clean beauty at its best!

• OCD Oil Cleanser Deluxe offers the perfect clean—lots of skin-nourishing actives, skin barrier protection and hydration, ultra-gentle surfactants to give an efficient and effective clean.  There’s no residue, and skin is comfortable and not tight. 
• Virgin Skin Youth Serum tackles inflammaging, blemishes, and irritation; this gem has the power of a serum and the hydration of a lightweight moisturizer, and it helps skin return to optimal balance. 
• Glo-Berry Glistening Skin Oil Serum is a luscious and nourishing blend of precious and highly antioxidant oils plus the perfect touch of mica to leave skin radiant. Highly recommended!

The post Code of Harmony CBD Skincare: The Original Luxury CBD Skincare appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

I want to tell you about my results with YOU Skincare.  For those of us who struggle with serious acne, the search for skin care can be a minefield.  Before I discovered YOU Skincare, I was convinced that skin care for acne-prone skin came in two varieties:  useless or brutally harsh. For months, I suffered through trial and error with products that contained hidden comedogenic and acnegenic ingredients, fueling the cycle of congestion and breakouts rather than ending it.  Out of frustration, I briefly turned to conventional acne treatments. They successfully destroyed my acne, but sadly decimated the rest of my complexion, leaving my skin a dried up, irritated, flaking mess.  While trying to minimize these ugly side effects, I came across research showing that a single application of 10% benzoyl peroxide depletes 93% of the vitamin E in skin and 70% of the vitamin C in sebum—not exactly a recipe for healthy skin.  Having acne is bad enough by itself, but when you add to that the long series of disappointments most of us endure in the quest to find an effective-yet-gentle remedy, things can feel hopeless.  Faced with a seemingly unsolvable problem, I became stubborn if not obsessive.  Consumed by a need to resolve my complexion woes, I happened upon a blog entitled Pamper Urself Green. It would change everything.

The author of Pamper Urself Green, Amy Le, is a chemist who used her blog to document how she cleared her own adult-onset acne.  I related to so much of Amy’s acne narrative:  the wacky assortment of supposed acne cures she attempted, the way she leapt from one natural skin care line after another without results (possibly without giving the products sufficient opportunity to work), and her eventual realization she needed to look at her overall lifestyle and be gentle and patient with her skin.  Key to clearing and healing her skin was her development of her very own highly-advanced serum targeting all her biggest skin concerns: acne, inflammation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and sunspots.  The minute I saw the list of healing, anti-inflammatory ingredients in Amy’s serum, I was impressed;  Clarifying Glow Serum is not your average acne treatment serum, and in my mind, that is a very good thing.  I had never seen a serum—never mind a serum designed for acne-prone skin—that had such a dream team of choice ingredients: with notable highlights Centella Asiatica, Licorice Root Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Niacinamide, Daisy Extract, N-Acetyl Glucosamine, Lemon Peel Ferment Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Honeysuckle Extract, polyhydroxy acid Gluconolactone, and Cucumber Oil.  What a recipe!

Perhaps Amy explained it best when she said, “I chose the ingredients very carefully, and since I’m making this for myself and not for profit, I didn’t skimp on good ingredients; otherwise, what’s the point of making it yourself?”  When Amy shared her creation, others had striking success, and soon, people were clamoring for her product due to these word-of-mouth reports.  When I came across Clarifying Glow Serum, it was both the mix of ingredients as well as those ingredients featured prominently at the top of the list that caught my attention.  Centella Asiatica as one of the top three ingredients was enough to pique my interest, as this is a healing ingredient that also stimulates collagen production, two aims dear to me.  Next, there is licorice, another great healer and skin brightener, along with gentle exfoliator willow bark extract, and the multi-benefit niacinamide, brightening daisy extract, and the underused N-Acetyl Glucosamine, all in high enough concentrations to work some magic.  Amy has broken down all the ingredients and her reasons for including them in her serum here.  YOU Skincare Clarifying Glow Serum particularly excels as a healing and brightening treatment and is uniquely effective at diminishing and healing the stubborn marks acne leaves behind.  Overall, this is a fabulous serum to minimize inflammation, brighten skin, and deliver anti-aging benefits along the way.  How many acne-treatment serums can live up to that claim?

Clarifying Glow Serum Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower hydrosol, Hydrocotyl (Centella Asiatica) Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract), Niacinamide, Squalane, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Blossom Extract, N-Acetyl Glucosamine, Lactobacillus/lemon peel ferment extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Morus Nigra Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Alpha Arbutin, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Rosa Canina (rosehip) Seed Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Chlorelleth-20, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Gluconolactone, Benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, Pelargonium graveolens oil, Cucumis sativus oil, Sclerotium Gum.

What started as a single product designed to heal her own skin has quickly grown into an entire line of products.  As Amy has released new products, I have been eager to try them, and between her generous gifting followed by my eager purchasing (and repurchasing), I now have a complete YOU Skincare regimen. Every YOU Skincare product has been stellar; though Clarifying Glow Serum may be the best-known of Amy’s formulations, each of her subsequent product releases has hit the mark and offers a new and valuable added dimension to the line.  There is no fluff here, just excellent substance.  Below, I will tell you a little about each of the other YOU Skincare gems I have tried.

Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm

This rich, faintly citrus-smelling balm is soft and giving to the touch, with a smooth and creamy texture like butter on the verge of melting. Its color is a vibrant marigold that belies that it is bursting with antioxidants, phytonutrients, and botanical oils.  The top ingredient, rice bran oil, delivers a combination of antioxidants and fatty acids, and papaya seed oil and watermelon seed oil deliver anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and skin brightening effects.  Camellia seed oil delivers healing polyphenols, baobab seed oil is nourishing and anti-inflammatory, and Elderberry provides potent antioxidant effects. Next, sunflower seed oil helps boost ceramide production, which improves barrier function. Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm is luscious and hydrating as you massage it in, and yet it washes off better than several other balm cleansers I have tried.  Skin is left soft but with no thick or sticky residue.  For me, Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm hits just the right notes, efficiently cleansing the skin of makeup and SPF, without the slightest hint of tightness or dryness.  Barrier Repair Balm Cleanser leaves skin clean and soft and is an especially great product for acneic, dehydrated, or otherwise barrier-compromised skin.

Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm Ingredients: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Di-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate, Polyglycerol-3 Beeswax, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil,  Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil, Sambucus Nigra (elderberry) Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Oil,  Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang), Melissa Officinalis (Melissa), Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange), Citrus Reticula (Tangerine), Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint), Citrus Limon (Lemon).

Moisture Replenishing Essence

To be honest, I was not in the market for an essence/toner when I purchased YOU Skincare Moisture Replenishing Essence, and I am suspicious of most toners. The only reason I threw caution to the wind and bought this was that Amy formulated it, and she is consistently among my favorite formulators. I will eagerly try anything she makes, but I must admit that based on previous experiences with toners, I did not expect that any—even one formulated by Amy—could prove indispensable. At least ninety percent of the toners I have purchased over the years have collected dust, rarely used, and never finished, mainly because they accomplished little other than stinging and irritating my skin.  Not Amy’s Moisture Replenishing Essence!  This incredible hydrating spray is gentle, cooling, and refreshing to apply. Despite the generous quantity in the bottle (4 oz.), I am well over halfway through Moisture Replenishing Essence, and I intend to reorder before I run out. This will be the first and only toner/essence I have ever repurchased.  Moisture Replenishing Essence is a soothing thirst-quencher for my skin that goes on with absolutely no stinging, even when my skin is at its most sensitive.  Amy carefully formulated Moisture Replenishing Essence without fragrance or essential oils so it would be suitable for all skin types, and the formulation is soothing on contact. With actives like aloe juice, Thanakha, green tea leaf extract, nettle leaf extract, and cucumber extract, along with hibiscus, panthenol, glycerin, and sodium hyaluronate, it is healing and hydrating for even the most highly reactive skin.  Although I have not been much of a toner or essence fan in the past, I have quickly come to look forward to the refreshment of Moisture Replenishing Essence.  Applying it is a satisfying step in my skin care ritual, and the Essence has made both a calming and hydrating difference to my reactive skin, with the added bonus of also enhancing the absorption of actives in the next steps of my skincare routine.  I am sold on this toner!  (Moisture Replenishing Essence is on par with the very best of this category, namely Siam Seas Yen Heal and Hydrate Toner and Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator, both of which are legendary.)

Moisture Replenishing Essence Ingredients: Water/Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Limonia Acidissima (Thanakha) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Melissa Officinalis (Melissa) Leaf Extract, Yucca Vera Leaf Extract, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.

Essential Hydration Serum

The perfect hydrating follow-up to Moisture Replenishing Essence is Essential Hydration Serum. This lightweight hydrating treatment is very fluid, spreading easily so that a little goes a long way.  It absorbs quickly with no pilling and little residue, binding moisture to even the most dehydrated skin with potent hydrators hyaluronic acid, sodium lactate, and panthenol (vitamin B5).  Essential Hydration Serum also delivers highly anti-inflammatory, hydrating, Beta-Glucan-rich Reishi and Shiitake Mushroom extract,  along with potent antioxidants Prickly Pear and Amla, and soothing Cucumber to hydrate, protect, and rejuvenate skin.  As if this is not enough of a winning formula already, Amy also includes anti-aging peptides, Argireline, a neuropeptide that helps to relax facial muscles thereby reducing expression lines, and Syn-Coll, a peptide that stimulates collagen synthesis.  The result of this multi-functional blend is luscious, restorative skin-plumping hydration, particularly when paired with Moisture Replenishing Essence.  Besides my endorsement, Essential Hydration Serum’s effectiveness has been empirically proven by @beauty_unplugged; using Wayskin’s biometric sensors to measure skin hydration 15 minutes after application of Essential Hydration Serum yielded a hydration reading of 99 (out of 100).  Impressive indeed!  This deceptively lightweight serum delivers powerful results.

Essential Hydration Serum Ingredients: Aqua/Water, Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Lactobacillus/Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi Mushroom) Extract /Lentinus Edodes (Shitake Mushroom) Extract Ferment Filtrate, DimethylSulfone (DMSO), Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Panthenol, Opuntia Tuna (Prickly Pear) Flower/Stem Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica (Alma) Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Levulinate, Glycerin, Sodium Lactate, Allantoin, Sodium Anisate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol.

Hydrating Glow Face Oil

Last but not least, to seal all this hydration-goodness into the skin, I top off my YOU Skincare regimen with a few drops of Amy’s Hydrating Glow Face Oil.  As someone who has tried my share of face oils, I can tell you this one is a winner. First , it has a highly potent 10% dosage of a stable, oil-soluble form of Vitamin C (Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate) shown to penetrate the dermis (and, once there, stimulate collagen and glycosaminoglycans) better than L-Ascorbic Acid. In addition, Hydrating Glow Face Oil features rejuvenating CoEnzyme Q10 and an assortment of nourishing, brightening oils that include: Sea Buckthorn, Blueberry Seed, Raspberry Seed, Cranberry Seed, Pomegranate Seed, and Chia Seed Oils. Hydrating Glow Facial Oil leaves skin luminous upon application, and over time, it hydrates, calms, and brightens skin.  In one last major feat of formulation, this antioxidant, phytonutrient, and essential fatty acid-packed, skin-nourishing blend is—based on my trial of my own highly acne-prone skin–completely acne safe.

Hydrating Glow Face Oil Ingredients: Aleurites moluccans (Kukui nut) oil, Adansonia digitate (Baobab) oil, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) oil,Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) fruit oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus(Raspberry) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed oil, Psidium guajava (guava) seed oil, Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (and) Tocopheryl Acetate (and) Ubiquinone, Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Extract, Rosa Canina (rosehip) Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita (chamomile) Flower Extract, Curcuma Xanthorrhiza Root Extract, EO blend of Santalum album (sandalwood), Citrus x aurantium (neroli), Helichrysum italicum (Immortelle), Litsea cubeba (Litsea), Pelargonium graveolens (Geraniums), Cucumis sativus (cucumber seed), Cucumissativus (Ylang Ylang), Aniba rosaeodora (Rosewood),Daucus carota (Carrot seed), Cymbopogon martinii (Palmarosa), Pogostemon cablin (patchouli).

In conclusion, I have loved every YOU Skincare product I have tried, and I have every intention of adding to my collection whenever Amy announces new releases. For those of us with troubled acne-prone or barrier-compromised skin, YOU Skincare offers an assortment of products that are safe and effective, with an emphasis on healing and improving skin health. In each of her formulations, chemist Amy Le brings together the best time-tested botanicals with state-of-the-art science to provide skin solutions.  YOU Skincare has grown—and continues to grow–exponentially as a brand, its success propelled almost solely by word-of-mouth reports by satisfied customers. A skincare secret quickly gaining prominence, YOU Skincare is loyally used and endorsed by some of the savviest beauty and skin care bloggers in the industry, including Amy Chang, Teri Miyahira, and Parita Shah. Though I am not in the same category as these influencers, I like to think I have good taste, and I give YOU Skincare my highest recommendation for acne-prone, barrier-compromised, or otherwise troubled skin. Each of Amy’s products is a high-performance standout that has quickly earned a regular spot in my routine.  Her products shine most of all when used in combination with a complete routine like the one below.  Try it, and I think you, too, will be delighted with your results!

YOU Skincare Routine

Morning:

1. Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm
2. Moisture Replenishing Essence
3. Clarifying Glow Serum
4. Essential Hydration Serum
5. A few drops of Hydrating Glow Face Oil
6. Sunscreen

Evening:

1. Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm
2. Moisture Replenishing Essence
3. Clarifying Glow Serum
4. Essential Hydration Serum
5. A few drops of Hydrating Glow Face Oil .

The post My Results with YOU Skincare appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

 I had the delight and privilege of interviewing Dominique Harris, maker of the exquisite, family-run, holistic skin care line The Bohemian Collection (please see my Bohemian Collection review here to find out about a few of their most tempting skin treats) as well as the well-loved natural hair-care line Natty Naturals.  Throughout our interview and in subsequent correspondence, Ms. Harris blew me away with her in-depth knowledge of–and her deep passion for–natural ingredients and green living.  She views skin care as a holistic extension of self-care, and one that ideally encompasses body, mind, and spirit. Together, Ms. Harris and her husband Syeed handcraft every small batch of their artisanal hair- and skin-care lines with mindful, positive energy, and they have turned down lucrative wholesale opportunities–such as a mass retail opportunity with Target–in order to stay true to their core vision and mission.  As Dominique has said, “Being mindful of what we eat, what we drink, what we value, all play a part in how we live. We are more than a handcrafted apothecary and green beauty brand, we are a community..we are a vision..we are a lifestyle.”  Without further ado, I present The Bohemian Collection Interview, a conversation maker and green beauty pioneer Dominique Harris.

Dominique and Syeed Harris of The Bohemian Collective and Natty Naturals

Positivity is infused into everything you make.  Have you always been this inspired and positive?  What do you do as a family and/or individually to sustain this incredible outlook and attitude?

As much as I would love to think so, positivity was not always at the forefront. There was a time when I was a bit narcissistic so that in itself can be a very negative selfish character flaw. With time, a desire to grow in maturity and wisdom and with being a wife and mom, I had to learn to let go of self-centeredness and embrace working as a team for a healthy family unit. Positivity is a daily work in progress, and with each day that we learn and grow, we embrace how to make mistakes, dust them off and hopefully learn from them.

Oh gosh, as I mentioned, it’s a daily workout, lol. Working the mind to focus more on positive living, or rather embracing the understanding that problems will occur, it’s how we handle those problems that aid in our growth as a whole healthy person. My husband was extremely and is extremely helpful in assisting in growth…we hold each other accountable, and that’s extremely important to keep the ego in check. Our children also help. We know, as parents, we have a responsibility of accountability. They learn by our actions, so we are always reminded of our accountability. When we make mistakes, we talk very openly and honestly with our children. We teach them, particularly the older 2 (11 and 8 years old) about energy..about accepting responsibility for actions and learning and growing from mistakes.

How did you initially come up with the concoction that started it all and healed your son’s painful scalp infection?

In terms of the Kerion that my son had, I was getting the run around from the ole docs, so as a last resort, I began researching…not only was it through my research that I learned that he had kerion ( the doctors kept saying it was a ringworm fungus, however, kerion is when the body has a type of allergic reaction to a fungus that causes it), I began researching natural remedies and studying natural ingredients and this is what sparked my love of all things herbal, homeopathic, natural and holistic.

The Bohemian Collection Fields of Glory Herbal Steam

How did you transition from making natural products for your family to starting a business?

Right after I had my 3^rd child, I was homeschooling my two older sons as well as a cousin who was the same age as my oldest while my husband was in restaurant management, so with homeschooling, my love of natural ingredients began to grow even more and that love sparked a desire to begin making products for my family that I was not seeing in the stores. My outside family members and my husband’s coworkers were falling in love with our first product, Natty Butter (now known as Hair + Body Butter) and since I was home already, I began to research more and more about ingredients, educating others with via Facebook on the benefits of natural ingredients and herbal living, reading herbal books, books on essential oils and their safety, etc. and from there, I began the process of beginning our business, All Things O’Natural.

 Can you tell us about Natty Butter and what makes it special?

Natty Butter, oh man, it’s the creamiest triple whipped butter ever! My husband actually artisanally handcrafts our butter now and he has truly perfected how to make it like a whipped cream..so fluffy and light. It contains organic cold pressed oils, shea butter and a blend of essential oils. It is literally, hands down, our most sold product, ever! It melts instantly upon contact and aids in locking moisture into the hair and skin while smoothing the skin and softening the hair.

How would you describe your beauty and skin care philosophies?

To me, beauty is a spiritual blessing. It’s of the surface and beyond the surface at the same time. It’s our soul and our spirit..body and mind. My belief is that is should be an enjoyable sacred practice of self-care. The world, many times, has reduced it to physical, but it is also mental and spiritual. When I indulge in a regimen, I give thanks for the ingredients, for the hands that harvested and for the hands that created the products. This is what I strive so hard to help others understand…beauty is self-care..self-care is holistic…it’s a team of greatness that includes the mind, body, and spirit. I take self-care very serious because I have to work so hard to slow down and embrace the beauty of slow living..so I have to be mindful and aware and present. Skincare is holistic in itself..it’s listening to the body and the mind because they both affect our exterior, which is our largest organ, the skin. Our skin tells us what’s going on inside of our physical bodies as well as if our emotional and spiritual energy is unbalanced. Our bodies are so amazing, if only we listen to it.

The lovely Dominique Harris of the Bohemian Collection

Education is a big component of your mission.  When it comes to sharing your knowledge, what topics are you most passionate about, and what do you most want people to know?

You are so correct–education is so important. It is a freedom that is one of the most beautiful powerhouses. I get so passionate when I can learn, talk and educate on homeopathy and holistic living. I can talk about it for hours ( I have talked my husband to sleep, lol…literally). I’m also passionate about self-care because, as I stated earlier, it is part of holistic living..and many times, in today’s society, especially in Western culture, we are not encouraged to slow down..embrace the now..be present, but the opposite..work, work, work, stress, stress, stress..work harder, not smarter..this type of encouragement is the antagonist to self-care…and unfortunately, it causes many to feel guilty for taking a moment to be present, in the moment.

What are your biggest goals as a formulator/maker/founder?

I think one of my biggest goals is to help many understand the beauty of our natural earth and all of the goodness that is bound upon it. To understand how our energy is symbiotic with its energy.

You and your husband are business partners and advocates of spicy marriage.  How do you keep your marriage strong?

Wow, I could go on and on about how to keep a marriage strong, and honestly, I would be just saying a bunch of words…Meaning, we are learning as we grow. We utilize basic foundational principles: respect, honor, communication, accountability, responsibility, selflessness, etc. My husband has said to me many many times, “The greatest leader is the biggest servant and one of my duties is to be one of the greatest servants to Our Creator and my wife and children.” I try to be mindful of that principle, and that’s such a huge sacrifice. We encourage our supporters to be easy, relax, go out on dates, do the same things you did when courting and keep doors closed…. By that last statement, I mean, don’t allow outside influences (family, friends, coworkers, etc.) to interfere with your marriage bond…don’t put yourself in a situation that could cast doubt within your marriage. Having a marriage vision is one of the Most important tools in a union. We talk loads about this because one of the worst things is to marry someone and realize your visions for marriage and family are not aligned. So for us, it’s the basics.

Dominique and Syeed Harris

What role do your kids and parenting play in your business?

With our business, how we operate daily is based on how it works within our family unit..again, understanding that we are a team. We have turned down opportunities to be in certain stores such as Target because it would have been just too much on our family dynamic and that’s truly not the vision I had for this business. From when we formulate product, which is weekly, to our ship out days, which is every Tuesday and Thursday mostly, lately it’s been daily, down to taking Fridays completely off from work; it all depended upon how it operates within our particular family dynamic.

What are your favorite ingredients to work with, and why?

I absolutely LOVE working with herbs and essential oils. I love how concentrated essential oils can be and how amazing they work with our physical makeup. I love their molecular makeup, their aroma, their potency, their volatility, their ability to aid in healing, cleansing, clearing, uplifting and so much more. I absolutely love them. Herbs are so amazing because I can infuse them, extract them, make poultices, create decoctions, cook with them, burn them and so much more.

What is your process for creating a new product?

My process for creating a new product is big time, big time research and development. That takes a lot of time, money and experimentation. It’s best to understand what ingredients work together and which can be dangerous or toxic if combined. Understand ratios of ingredients, how they hold up in certain temperatures and environmental conditions. How they work on varying skin conditions, how safe they are for children, how long they preserve for, how quick or long before turning rancid, the type of container that each product will be housed in, how much each ingredient costs, if ingredients are similar and which works better for what purpose. There’s so so much that goes into formulating a new product, which is why it usually takes me about 8 months to a year, sometimes 2 or 3 years to introduce a new product.

The Bohemian Collection Rosehip Facial Serum

Are you self-taught?  Either way, how did you begin and what have you learned along the way?

I am semi self-taught, but learned quite a bit from my grandmother who was huge into skin care..she has flawless skin, and she’s 84 years old. My great-grandmother used to forage, so I would say my love for all things natural was inspired by those beauties. I love to research. I’m a huge ‘why’ person… I question almost everything. If something works great together, I usually want to understand why… if it doesn’t, why…. Why some ingredients preserve longer and some do not..how some ingredients need no preservation at all, etc. A ton of ‘why’ goes into much of my crafting a product… I ask, ‘Does it make sense?’…is it simply something that I’m creating just to introduce a new product, or does it truly make sense….does it align with our current products and why or why not…so much thought.

 What is your approach to preservation?

My approach to preservation is simple..if there is a water-based substance in the mix, preserve it. There are both synthetic as well as natural occurring preservatives. If the product does not contain water, aloe, hydrosols or the like, such as dry masks, preservatives are a bit less needed. There’s so much misconception about preservation and what are true preservatives. Liquids should use a preservative…. Oils should use an antioxidant…. Clays can last awhile; however, a crafter should be mindful of the type of container they will use and ask the questions, ‘Will the customer apply this with wet hands?’ ‘Will the customer pour or scoop?’ etc…all of this thought should go into creating a product.

The Bohemian Collection Rajati Enzyme Mask

What did it mean to you to be widely recognized for your lines’ achievements [e.g., named as one of 9 Incredible Black Owned Natural Hair Businesses by Black Girl with Long Hair (BGLH), voted a top Instagram account by Essence Magazine Online, and featured in Parent’s Magazine in April 2016]? 

I was truly, truly honored to be featured on BGLH (Black Girl With Long Hair) as one of the top 9 Black Owned Businesses because when it comes to green beauty, many Black owned brands are not really featured or introduced, leading many to lack the knowledge that we exist. With so many of the larger more prominently featured brands, it’s rare that women of color are featured in their selection of features on their social media page or website, save brands such as Josh Rosebrook, who I had the pleasure of chatting about this very thing via Instagram. I love what he is doing with his brand and how he doesn’t simply speak about diversity inclusion, but actually puts his words into action. I don’t truly see that with many of the green beauty brands. So, I’m always excited to see brands such as Okoko Cosmetiques and Siam Seas, Concept FortySeven, The Balm Co, women of color who are passionate about green beauty. With the lack of featured Black owned brands or brands owned by people of color, it creates a lack of interest in much of the Black community, so we, as women of color, as green beauty brand owners must work twice as hard to ensure that we are letting the public know we exist and are just as passionate, sometimes if not more, and with features such as BGLH, Essence and Parents Magazine, it’s a step in aiding us in that struggle. So, I’m always, always honored to be featured on any blog and surprisingly, we’ve had quite a few write about our products.

How did you decide to expand and create the Bohemian Collection?

The Bohemian Collection is the alter ego of the Natty Naturals collection. Natty Naturals first began as a focus on hair care for the natural hair community, although it is also used by beauties of all ethnicities, hair types, ages and both genders. The Bohemian Collection was a concentrated focus on the whole self, the skin care, bath and body, oral health, etc… It embraces the diversity of ingredients as diverse as our customer base. It’s a part of my energy as a whole.

The Bohemian Collection Kijani Green Goddess Beauty Balm

If you had to pick a favorite product or two of which you are most proud, what would it (they) be, and why?

Yikes, this is a hard one… I would say some of my faves, and I’ll narrow it down to 3, are: Hair + Scalp Rinse (because it lightly cleanses, aids in removing product buildup, aids in closing the cuticle for smoother shinier hair and aids in preventing buildup on the scalp), Natty Butter Hair + Body Butter (I love everything about it..it’s a multi purpose product that is simply amazing), Cacao Clay Cleanse (I love making it, smelling it, applying it, enjoying it and love how my skin feels afterwards)..if I had a 4^th, it would be either the Kijani Beauty Balm or Rosehip Facial Serum ( I love dry oil cleansing with them and applying them to my damp hair and skin).

How would you describe the experience you want people to have with your products?

I truly, truly, truly want people to experience what I experience with our products. I take so much time and thought and put a ton of energy into creating and crafting them, and I want them to experience all of that passion and love. I love, love, love when customers say things such as, ‘I had a headache or stressful day, and when I used your products, it made my head feel so much better or alleviated the stress.’ I want them to feel that symbiotic connection of earth energy and our spirit energy. Using my products make me feel so so happy, and I truly want that for each and every customer…even if they don’t understand why.

What do you see as the greatest success of your line(s) so far and what are your hopes for the future?

Honestly, I’ve already experienced the success. For the past 6 years, my husband and I have not had to work for anyone else outside of our business, we’ve purchased a new home and are sustaining a family of 6 with a business that we started..that, to me, is already a success story. It has taught me so much about myself, how to work as a team and family unit with a business. I’ve made some great connections and met some great people. I’ve learned so so much and am continuing to learn and grow..we have a healthy marriage, healthy and joyful children who get to see their parents operating a business daily…that, to me, is success in itself.

Bohemian Collection Pink Himalayan Salt Bath

The post Sacred Self-Care: Meet Dominique Harris of The Bohemian Collection appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

The Bohemian Collection is a special assortment of natural and organic herbal skin care handcrafted in small batches for the ultimate in wholesome goodness.  After admiring nearly every ingredient blend in the Collection, I knew that the products would be amazing, and they absolutely are (more on that in a bit). What caught me a little more by surprise—and has left me in awe—is the positivity, passion, and intentionality that founders and formulators Dominique and Syeed Harris put into every aspect of their creations and their business—from formulating their products only when they can bring a positive energy to the process, to enthusiastically educating customers on natural living, to generously sharing their own keen insights on passionate marriage, positive parenting, and financial peace on social media. In their mission to share and educate, the Harrises manage to be refreshingly genuine, down-to-earth, and authentically inspiring. If you do not already follow @nattynaturals, @bohemiancollection, and @allthingsonatural on Instagram, I encourage you to do so, because the Harrises are not only gifted makers but also passionate, generous, and enlightened individuals with a remarkable family.  Just one example: Ms. Harris homeschools their four children while she and her husband run their bustling business All Things O’Natural, which consists of both Natty Naturals and The Bohemian Collection.  They do this all from home while maintaining order and keeping a tidy, loving household!  (As a mom of three myself, I am utterly impressed.)  The Harrises are worth getting to know. Please do not miss my interview with Ms. Harris, which can be found here.

The Bohemian Collection Kijani Mask and Balm

The Harrises generously granted me the opportunity to try two lovely products from the Bohemian Collection: their Kijani Enzyme Mask and Kijani Green Goddess Beauty Balm.  First, let’s talk about Kijani Enzyme Mask.  This mask is suitable for anyone with normal to oily skin, and it’s especially great for those of us like myself who are acne-prone. It has a rich base of healing Manuka Honey (UMF 15+) and is loaded with detoxifying and antioxidant Matcha, vitamin-rich and enzymatic Pumpkin and Banana, as well as anti-aging Gotu Kola and Gotu Kola extract, healing and antiseptic Brahmi, antibacterial and antioxidant Ceylon,  anti-inflammatory Tumeric, balancing Rosemary CO2 extract, vitamin-rich Strawberry, soothing Calendula extract, and Essential Oils of Bergamot, Lemongrass, Sweet Orange, and Manuka.  The use of this last active caught my eye because although I had read about Manuka Oil’s virtues when researching actives for taming acne because although it appears to be widely used in New Zealand, I had difficulty finding it in products here in the US. Seeing Manuka Oil featured in more than one Bohemian Collection product (see also their Cacao Clay Cleanse) immediately told me that the Harrises dig deep when it comes to finding and using the most effective ingredients, opting for lesser known but more effective gems over more obvious choices. Why am I so excited about this?  Manuka Oil is 33 times as potent an acne-fighting antibacterial as its more commonly used cousin Tea Tree Oil, making it an excellent addition to this blemish-taming mask.  This is an amazing mask for healing and gently exfoliating acne-prone skin, while truly taming and preventing blemishes with its special Manuka-Oil-containing blend. As a huge bonus, the mask has also got all sorts of fabulous ingredients for taming inflammation and facilitating cellular regeneration.  Kijani Enzyme Mask is truly active-packed and a wonderful calming-yet-acne-fighting remedy for fussy skin. It also smells amazing and is a delight to wear.

Kijani Enzyme Mask Full Ingredients: Raw Honey, UMF15+ Manuka Honey, *Matcha, *Pumpkin, *Banana, *Ceylon Cinnamon, *Tumeric, *Brahmi, *Gotu Kola, *Rosemary CO2 Extract, *Calendula Extract, *Gotu Kola Extract, Essential Oils of: *Manuka, Sweet Orange, *Bergamot, *Lemongrass

* = Organic Ingredients

The Bohemian Collection Kijani Enzyme Mask

The perfect complement to Kijani Enzyme Mask would have to be Kijani The Green Goddess Beauty Balm. This luscious, ultra-hydrating balm blends together 22 whole plant oils, butters, and extracts, all of which come together in a nourishing, skin-calming balm.  As someone with dehydrated, acne-prone skin, I often have trouble finding sufficiently rich hydration without exacerbating blemishes, and Kijani Beauty Balm is a wonderful and rare find in this regard, offering lasting, exquisite hydration without breaking ever me out or leaving me congested. This versatile balm is one of few products I’ve tried that I feel wholly comfortable recommending for nearly any skin type (dry, mature, sensitive, acne-prone).  Kijani Beauty Balm combines skin saviors like moisturizing yet non-comedogenic Hempseed Oil, chlorophyll-rich Avocado Oil, hydrating Sweet Almond Oil, omega-rich Chia Seed Oil, healing Tamanu, GLA-rich Evening Primrose, anti-aging Rosehip Seed CO2, antioxidant and antibacterial Rosemary CO2 Extract, healing Sea Buckthorn Co2, anti-inflammatory Blue Chamomile and more for an array of nourishing and healing benefits. Although the website states that you can use Kijani Beauty Balm as a cleanser using the dry oil cleansing method, I have not tested this out, simply because I love the feel of the balm too much to remove it!  Kijani Beauty Balm has a lovely aromatic scent and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, soothed, and hydrated without clogging pores.  This is a beautiful balm for anyone, but I particularly recommend it to anyone like myself with problematic or acne-prone skin.

Kijani the Green Goddess Beauty Balm Full Ingredients: Hempseed Oil, *Avocado Oil, *Sweet Almond Oil, *Chia Seed Oil, *Tamanu, *Evening Primrose, *Rosehip Seed CO2, *Rosemary CO2 Extract,*Sea Buckthorn CO2, *Non GMO Vitamin E Oil, *Cupuacu Butter, Beeswax, *Blue Chamomile CO2, Essential Oils of: *Geranium, *Bergamot, *Myrrh, *Yarrow ,*Lavender, *Sandalwood, *Rose, Carrot Seed, Jasmine Absolute

* = Organic Ingredient

The Bohemian Collection Kijani Beauty Balm

I loved the experience and the results of using the Kijani products so much that I had to add to my Bohemian Collection stash with a purchase of my own. (When I feel compelled to spend my own money on a line this quickly after trying PR samples, you know it’s a standout!) I ordered the Cacao Clay Cleanse, a wildly popular cleanser/mask that is the most frequently repurchased item from Bohemian Collection.  Cacao Clay Cleanse is the most delicious-smelling product I have ever put on my face—imagine a decadent, rich chocolate dessert topped with floral notes, and you may get a hint of the sensory experience Cacao Clay Cleanse offers. (Full disclosure: it smells so good that I have been extremely tempted to taste it, and each time I’ve opened the jar I’ve had to muster all my restraint not to pop a dollop in my mouth.) This beauty combines Kaolin Clay, Raw Honey, Cacao Powder, Rhassoul Clay, Marshmallow Root, Need, Rose Hydrosol, Neroli Hydrosol, Witch Hazel, Apple Cider Vinegar, Pumpkin Seed Oil, and more in one brightening, gently clarifying, balancing blend.  It can be used as a deep yet nourishing cleanser or as a brightening and detoxifying mask/spot treatment.  Personally, once I put Cacao Clay Cleanse on my face, the aroma is such a delight that I am reluctant to take it off, so I love to use this as a mask and spot treatment.  It’s very effective at calming down blemishes, and it’s like having a guilt-free dessert at the same time. Treating my skin with Cacao Clay Cleanse is a stress-relieving self-care ritual that eases my mind and leaves my skin balanced and brighter. Masking has never been more delicious!

Cacao Clay Cleanse Full Ingredients: *Kaolinite (Kaolin) Clay, ***Raw Honey, *Theobroma (Cacao) Powder, *Rhassoul Clay, *Marshmallow Root, *Neem, Rosa damascena (Rose) Hydrosol, *Citrus aurantium (Neroli) Hydrosol, *Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, *Theobroma (Cacao) Extract, *Cucurbita pepo L (Pumpkin) Seed Oil, Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil, *Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary in organic olive oil base) CO2, Lactobacillus Ferment, Potassium Sorbate, Essential Oils of: *Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka), *Commiphora myrrha (Myrrh), Sweet Orange, *Juniperus virginiana (Cedarwood), *Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium)

* = Certified Organic

*** = Wildharvested from unsprayed local bee farms

The Bohemian Collection Cacao Clay Cleanse

These three Bohemian Collection treasures have some of the best, most nutritious, and skin-beneficial ingredient blends you will find anywhere, and to top it off, you can sense the love, care, and positive intentionality that has gone into crafting them. As Dominique explained in a previous interview with Melanglow, “I believe what we are feeling, our emotions, are transferred into the products; it’s all a connection. The ingredients are from the earth, which holds a ton of energy and our personal energy as humans should merge and create something dynamic. For instance, neither my husband or I will create a product if we are not in a good place mentally or spiritually that day.”  The result of such care is a skincare line that is a treat for skin, body, and spirit.  Highly recommended.

The post The Bohemian Collection Kijani Enzyme Mask and Green Goddess Beauty Balm appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.