Even if you’ve decked the halls and checked the lists twice you probably skimmed over our top three giftable kits below. These buys are like a beauty buffet for your face: you get to feast on a snack-sized portion of a whole array of potent potions. And the frosting on the gingerbread cake? Enjoy 15 percent off storewide and free shipping on orders over $30. So go ahead and gorge yourself gorgeous on this great beauty booty:
The Real Squeeze
Airport security always tries to hawk your too-big skincare. This year, just toss Juice Beauty Organics to Go Kit ($29) in your kit. You’ll find all the complexion cure-alls you need ( a soothing cleansing milk, lightweight serum, super yummy apple scented peel, plus moisturizer and mist).
Tin Fan
Does the person on your list with everything REALLY have everything? If not, this all-in-one vegan kit for face and body comes to the rescue. Saaf Face and Body Kit ($39.95) is a one stop shop for aesthetic emergencies. From lip balm to enriching hair oil, for head to toe pampering, just pop the tin.
Here Comes The Sun
Suki’s Complete Care for Youthful Skin ($29.95) kicks bad skin to the curb and busts seasonal affective disorder (just look at that cheerful yellow packaging) to boot. Inside, you’ll find all you need to get glowing: a moisture-packed cleanser, toner, moisturizer and face masque.
Fight back in the cold war by reaching for some winter salve-ation. From a sea scented candle to rejuvenating massage oil, we’ve rounded up the necessary beauty booty for turning your hibernation station into a spa-like sanctuary this winter.
Below, our organic pampering clues for escaping the winter blues:
Get lit
When the weather outside is frightful, it makes perfect scents to reach for red flower’s ocean petal topped candle ($34). Getting wick-y with it will inject your home and lungs with a sweet, coastal aroma completely free of dyes and parabens.
Smooth operator
Skin shouldn’t mirror the Gingerbread house in texture. Remedy roughness with ample amounts of suki Delicate Hydrating Oil ($24.95). This vegan power product works to instantly moisturize parched patches without leaving a greasy feel. All skin types (including sensitive) can benefit from the earthy botanical blend of rose and apricot kernel oil – plus, it’s the perfect stocking stuffer size.
Shining star
Salvage your strands this season with an all natural boost of shine and moisturize. We love this leave-in treatment from John Masters Organic ($30) for glossing up locks without weighing down. Liberally coat locks with this treatment (made with organic kelp) to pump up the volume, encourage impromptu braid sessions, and keep locks lovely all winter long.
It’s difficult to know what to do when a friend is diagnosed with breast cancer, but a thoughtful gift is always a great option. Chemotherapy patients suffer many difficult reactions and sensitivities while they’re undergoing treatment—here are some natural products from Beautorium’s Think Pink, Go Green collection that are safe and gentle enough to help your favorite survivor deal with the uncomfortable side effects of chemo.
Side effect: Photosensitivity, dull skin. To combat dull, sensitive skin, we like Juice Beauty SPF 30 Mineral Light Moisturizer. With full-spectrum sun protection, vitamin antioxidants and essential nurtrients, it will help soothe and protect chemo-treated skin.
Side effect: Irritated, dry, sensitive skin. We’ve got a great line-up of moisturizers to ease the drying effects of chemotherapy, including Saaf Organic Eraser Body Oil, Saaf Organic Super Hydrating Body Balm, and Trilogy Nourishing Body Lotion, all recommended for damaged, sensitive, dry skin.
Side effect: Cracked lips. Our favorite multi-tasker, Trilogy Everything Balm, is a great healing option for cracked lips, but you can also use it all over for multi-purpose moisture.
Side effect: Radiation burns. With soothing calendula, both Exuberance She’s So Lovely Daily Moisturizer and Trilogy Aromatic Body Treatment Oil will help skin heal.
Fall is here, and so is your hectic schedule: the kids have a different after-school activity every day of the week, the workday seems to extend as daylight hours get shorter, and the holidays are just around the corner. This time of year, we turn to comfort food, cozy sweaters—and maybe some extra pampering at our favorite spa. But you don’t have to spend the time (or the cash) to get some body and soul rejuvenation: here are some tips on how to get that spa glow at home.
Relax. Set the mood—get in a relaxing frame of mind with some candles and soft music for ambiance. Oh, and make sure the kids are in bed (or otherwise occupied), so you won’t be disturbed!
Soak. A few drops of bath oil can go a long way to soothe—just choose a scent that appeals to you. Dr. Hauschka Lavender Bath is a great choice for relaxation and stress relief, or try the Organic Sage Bath for a more clarifying, purifying soak. (Or try the entire line with the sampler.)
Scrub. A bath is the perfect time or some extra exfoliation. Use a loofah or body sponge to gently scrub your skin with your favorite shower gel (Pangea Organic makes several great ones to try), or try an exfoliating formula like Cattier’s Exfoliating Shower Gel.
Beauty treatments. While you soak, give your face and hair a little added attention. It’s the perfect time to pamper your tresses with some extra conditioning. We love the Suki Hair & Scalp Conditioning Oil—with 100% organic pressed fruit oils, it treats dry scale, dandruff, or eczema issues while stimulating hair growth and added shine and strength. It’s also a great time to try out a mask to give your face a clarifying and toning treatment. If you’re looking to brighten your complexion, try Suki Skin Care Intensive Brightening Masque, which is ideal for a variety of skin types, including uneven skin tone, sun damage, rosacea, and mature skin. With pharmaceutical grade antioxidants and vitamin C glucoside, it will help restore a more radiant complexion. If you’re battling an outbreak, try Dr. Hauschka’s Cleansing Clay Mask, which is formulated to refine pores, absorb excess oil and stimulate circulation. We’re also big fans of Pangea’s award-winning Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai and Goji Berry Facial Mask; it does everything from detoxify and deep-cleanse to prevent wrinkles, tone, and hydrate your skin.
Moisturize. When it’s time to get out of the tub, wrap yourself in a warm towel or robe, and smooth on a rich lotion or body oil while your skin is still slightly damp. We love Suki Delicate Hydrating Oil (you can also use it as massage oil or put a few drops in your bath), and Pangea’s Lavendar with Cardamom Rejuvenating Massage & Body Oil is another soothing option. Spend a little extra time on any spots that need added moisture, like elbows, knees and feet—you might even try a different formula, like Dr. Hauschka Rosemary Foot Balm or Suki Butter Cream Healing Salve to help seal in moisture.
With a little extra time and preparation, you’ll be ready to crawl into bed and sleep like a baby, or energized to take on the day—all of that relaxing will go a long way to easing your transition to the shorter days ahead. Now if you could just get started on your early holiday shopping…
-Aleigh Acerni
Whether you have a little or a lot of grey hair (or even if you have yet to see a single one), it’s never the wrong time to start thinking about slowing down your skin’s aging process. The good news is that there are a lot of little ways to make a difference in how your skin ages, and none of them require a needle or a visit to the dermatologist! We’ve pulled together a list of “dos” and “don’ts” that will help keep you naturally wrinkle-free for years to come.
DO: Exfoliate. At least once a week, use an exfoliating lotion or scrub to reveal fresh, new skin. Try Sophyto Dual Action Exfoliating Treatment, Suki Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser or Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser, or for especially sensitive skin, try Logona Age Protection Cleansing Foam.
DON’T: Forget to moisturize. Finding the right moisturizer is a must for skin of all ages, but especially for older skin, since skin naturally loses moisture as it ages. Trust us; it’s important. Use moisturizer generously, and add in a hydrating treatment (Logona’s Age Protection Hydro Lipid Balance is a great one) for an extra boost of moisture.
DO: Use an eye cream. Because the skin around your eyes is some of the most delicate on your body, it’s often the first place to show the signs of aging. Use an eye cream twice a day, and if you tend to wake up with puffy eyes, keep your eye cream in the refrigerator for a soothing, cooling effect. (It’ll help you wake up, too.) We like Korres Materia Herba Anti-aging Eye Cream, Logona Age Protection Eye Wrinkle Cream, and Suki Eye Repair Balm.
DON’T: Go without shades. Squinting isn’t the most attractive look, for starters, but if you spend a lot of time doing it, you run the risk of increasing the amount of wrinkles and fine lines around your eyes. Crow’s feet, be gone!
DO: Use lip-plumping glosses. As you age, your lips get thinner, so be sure to try a lip-plumping gloss over your lipstick (or alone). We love the Juice Beauty Lip Plumper, which is packed full of amino acids—use it alone or over your favorite shade of lipstick.
DON’T: Forget sunscreen. There’s no reason to skip sunscreen, regardless of the season. Your skin is exposed to the sun’s rays every day, and it’s easy to sneak in at least a little protection against the sun by using moisturizers, foundation, or glosses with SPF. Here are some options: Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer (it has a long list of anti-aging benefits), Juice Beauty Lip Trio SPF8 Lip Moisturizers (for your pout), and Suki Liquid Concealer (for your face).
DO: Use products that contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are the most powerful anti-aging ingredients; they work to eliminate wrinkles, fine lines, and perk up sagging skin. Try John Masters Calendula Hydrating Mask for a pampering treat or the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel.
DON’T: Ignore décolleté. The delicate skin on your neck and chest can be an easy place to spot the signs of aging; so don’t neglect those areas during your skincare routine. You’ll love Cattier Songe Fleuri’s soothing Renewing Night Cream.
-Aleigh Acerni
Whether you’ve struggled with acne for years or have stumbled into an uncharacteristic (and unfortunate) outbreak, acne is never fun to deal with. While your instincts may tell you to run for the harshest products you can find and wage a full-on war with your blemishes, there are plenty of gentle-yet-strong natural and organic products that are effective—no need to douse yourself in harsh-smelling, stinging chemicals! Here’s a roundup of some of our favorites, and a three-step routine to get your facial freak-outs under control.
Step 1: Cleanse. Clean skin is the first step to clear skin. Be sure to wash your face at night (we don’t recommend sleeping in your makeup, even if it’s organic!), and in the morning before you put any other products on your face. For acne-prone skin, we suggest Sophyto’s Deep Pore Cleanser, a foaming cleanser with bio-compatible fruit acids and enzymes or Saaf’s Organic Pure Face Cleanser, which has a purifying blend of natural ingredients in an ultra-gentle formula.
Step 2: Tone. Using toner on a clean face will improve your skin’s quality and texture, particularly with oily complexions. If you find that using a toner is drying out your skin, switch to a gentler formula or switch to using it every other day instead of every day. Two to try: Dr. Hauschka’s Skin Clarifying Toner, a great daily toner for oily, irritated skin, or skin with large pores. We like it for its ability to help prevent and minimize the appearance of blemishes and blackheads, and shrink pores, and Exuberance’s best-selling product, the Believe Balancing Facial Tonic, with sugar maple and Vitamin C to help brighten and balance skin while fighting aging and acne.
Step 3: Moisturize. Even oily skin needs to be moisturized; it will keep dry skin from drying out and oily skin from over-producing oil. We recommend Suki Balancing Day Lotion, a lightweight, greaseless day lotion to calm and soothe the complexion, or Saaf Organic Complexion Boosting Serum, with purifying botanicals that clear breakouts, balance oily skin, help to eliminate blemishes, and improve skin tone.
Bonus treatments: When you’re suffering from a breakout, have a big event coming up, or want a little something extra as an acne preventative, pamper your face. We love the smoothness we get from facial masks, and how much smaller (and clearer) our pores are after a facial steam bath. Try the Dr. Hauschka Facial Steam Bath, an herbal steam bath that opens pores and helps soften blackheads and impurities with extracts of nasturtium, daisy, and witch hazel, leaving your skin perfectly prepped for a clay mask like the (vegan!) Suki Transformative Cleansing Clay Mask with soothing lavender and antibacterial zinc to combat blemishes, or the John Masters Morrocan Clay Purifying Mask, with balsam copaiba resin (an anti-inflammatory), lavender, sunflower, and aspen bark.
-Aleigh Acerni
