As a child of the late-'80s/early-'90s, I have visceral memories of teen-targeted skincare ads. Remember Sea Breeze? Noxzema? Even as a relatively clear-skinned 14-year-old, I remember virtually burning off my skin with astringents and toners, using scrubs and basically, anything else that promised to make my skin look clear and clean. The thought of actually slathering my skin with oil? Unheard of at the time. That was obviously a long time ago, but the memories remain as a reminder of how far we've come in our collective skincare awakening. These days, I love discovering new-to-me skincare brands that boast something a little gentler, some a little more natural. The same goes for my makeup. Not that I ever caked myself in foundation in the first place, but over the years my approach to beauty has veered away from make-up first, instead focusing on healthy skin from the inside out as the perfect canvas to enhance, not cover up. I shared a bit about my approach to skincare here, and today I have a new brand to add to the arsenal: The Organic Skin Company.
The Organic Skin Co is a new-to-me brand that I've quickly grown to love for the product's smooth application, gorgeous finish, and the company's dedication to producing high-quality, organic, cruelty-free products that actually give back to the planet – tenets that I believe all companies should be striving to emulate. You can read more about them here and here - frankly they do a better job of explaining themselves than I ever could, but what I can do is tell you about the products themselves. The Organic Skin Co was kind enough to send me a care package with a few of their essentials, and I've been testing them for the past couple of weeks to see how my skin reacted and how they worked for me - and friends? I'm honestly in love. These are the holy grail of makeup and skincare products. Why? Because they make you look like you... but better. Like the more awake, glowier and golden version of you. Like you got eight hours of sleep last night and not five. In my opinion, they add just the right amount of 'oomph' – not too much, but just enough. Below I'm giving the lowdown on what I've been using - and here's my face with everything on it. Can't tell what I'm wearing? That's the point - also I don't have a ring light so there's that too...
In the Spotlight Luminizer in Rose Gold: We're starting with the luminizer because honestly, this is my favorite product of the bunch. It's so pretty and adds just the right amount of shimmer, and it's easy to tap onto your face. As in, it goes on but doesn't smear, and actually looks as though it's in your skin instead of sitting on top. After applying this CC cream and this concealer beneath my eyes, I tap this onto my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, in the corners of my eyes and above my top lip.
Cheeky Lips in Desert Storm: Made to work on cheeks as well as lips (hence the name), this creamy blush/lip stain has a gorgeous finish and texture. I don't wear a ton of lip color, but I love this shade tapped onto cheeks for a little warm glow. Desert Storm is also the perfect, universally flattering coral shade – I honestly think it would look amazing on almost everybody.
All About the Gloss in Star Burst: This gloss was the product I was most skeptical about but ended up surprising me the most... I mean, I haven't worn lip gloss in a long time. But this isn't the gloss you remember from 1998! Dotted on after a clear balm, it adds the perfect enhancement to lips, not too shiny (although you could add way more to achieve that effect), but just the right amount of glimmer.
Rosehip and Orange Moisturizer: If you live where the air is dry or experience dry skin in any way, let me say this: dude, this moisturizer! It's super thick and smells amazing, and if your skin can handle a deeply hydrating moisturizer, this one is pretty bomb. I slather it on at night to allow my skin to drink it up while I sleep. I feel like it adds a nice barrier against the dry air in my home at night.
The Good Oil: I love an oil for skin, and this one delivers beautiful results. It calms, reduces puffiness, and soaks in easily. If my skin is feeling especially dry, I'll tap it on over the moisturizer at night or on no-makeup days. The scent is lovely, but I'll admit it throws me off a bit because I'm used to scent-free products. If I wore this during the day, I wouldn't need a perfume - it smells that good.
I'm typically pretty skeptical when it comes to trying new skincare – and actually pretty nervous to use them because my skin has been so happy recently, so to have been trying these products out for the past couple of weeks with no breakouts is saying something. I love how these products are made and they've quickly become staples in my routine, replacing some products I wasn't super happy with. If you've found a new skincare brand recently, I'd love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments!
Until midnight tonight save 50% off all products from The Organic Skin Company using the code BF50
*I received the products featured in this post courtesy of The Organic Skin Company. As always, opinions are my own*
