Lately the thing I can’t shut up about is skincare (and asking people whether or not they’ve seen Dumplin’ on Netflix yet) because the weather is getting seriously wonky here in Vancouver. Between pouring buckets of rain, getting freakishly cold at night time and the occasion sun my skin has had a hard time adjusting to the changing temperatures. My skin is also super picky about what I put on it because it’s high maintenance AF. Seriously though, I had pizza two weeks ago and my skin immediately broke out and I’m going to have pimples forever.
Because of how picky my skin can be I find that natural skincare products are usually the best for it and I rounded up a list of my favourites. Call it a gift guide, call it a favourites list, or whatever, here are some of my favourites.
Please note that some of the brands and products listed are not 100% organic and vegan. Instead I focused on brands that focused on clean beauty and good for you ingredients.
Also I can not even begin to explain how annoying it was to me that I was out of one item and couldn’t include it in the flat lay photo.
Cleanse; Graydon Skincare Keto Cleanse
If any of you are OG followers of mine, you’ll remember that this is one of my favourite skincare products from the Graydon Skincare line when I reviewed the brand with Style by Fire over a year ago. The Keto Cleanse was my first introduction to cleansing oils and it will always be my first love in terms of oil cleansing. Keeping it simple with three ingredients, the Keto Cleanse is also food safe and can be used to make bulletproof coffee!
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Cleanse; One Love Organics Easy Does It Cleanser
This is another cleanser that I have raved about for years now. The One Love Organics cleanser foams up enough to create a rich later that cleanses your face without leaving it feeling stripped and is suitable for even the most sensitive skin types. Since I am always reviewing skincare products the Easy Does It Cleanser is my reset button between testing out new products because I know it will get my skin to where it needs to be before trying something new. Now if I could only find a Canadian retailer selling it in the jumbo size I’d be set.
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Available online as well as some Canadian ecommerce retailers, Clementine Fields and The Detox Market.
Eye Cream; Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel
Wait, didn’t I already do a review on this? You betcha. When it comes to eye cream I had no loyalty to any particular brand or formula until I tried the Biossance. I found when I was reviewing the entire Biossance line the before and after photos showed the difference the eye cream made in my skincare routine because it reduced dark undereye circles and puffiness. Another perk is that it doesn’t contain any synthetic fragrances, a problem I have had with other eye creams in the past.
Serum; Veriphy Power Trip Serum
Small, but packs a punch, the aptly named Power Trip from Veriphy is the serum of your dreams. It’s full of good for your skin ingredients such as lactic acid and glycogen extracted from plants. I know what you’re thinking, “how on earth am I suppose to know what those things are?” Okay, maybe you don’t but they both provide benefits that your skin craves (regardless of skin type). Lactic acid is a gentle AHA (a type of acid) that helps balance the pH level of your skin providing a natural exfoliating factor. Glycogen is something that is naturally reoccurring in your body and stores energy which helps produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. Which is fancy skincare science talk for “makes your skin feel nice and moisturized.”
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Available online.
Mask; Midnight Paloma Charcoal & Rose Detox Mask
I love a masking moment. Some people may treat themselves to a skincare mask once a week, I do it probably twice a week because masks continue to be my favourite skincare product. With the Midnight Paloma superhero product, Detox Mask, you get three masks in one. You can mix it with water to soften and purify, raw honey to make it ultra moisturizing and soothing, or organic yogurt to gently exfoliate and tighten pores.
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Available online and several Vancouver stores, including Blossom & Vine Floral Co. and Woo To See You.
Mask; Pura Botanicals Overnight Watermelon Mask
This mask will change your life if you have dry skin, cross my heart. Pura Botanicals is a brand I stumbled upon accidentally but with continuous use I am convinced that fate brought us together. Just because my skin tends to be on the oily side doesn’t mean it’s not craving moisture in the colder months and their Overnight Watermelon Mask is my preferred way of giving my skin that extra shot of hydration when my skin feels dry. I also love the texture of the product. Ultra thick to really lock in moisture I apply this before bed and wake up with glowing skin the next day.
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Facial Mist; Jowaé Hydrating Water Mist
There is nothing like a good facial mist that makes me feel like I’m really treating myself. It’s the easiest skincare pick me up that can be used with your skincare routine, morning or night or throughout the day for that extra oompf in your skins’ moisture levels. It can also be used to prep and set makeup making facial mists one of the most versatile skincare products available on the market. The Jowaé Hydrating Water Mist is one of my new favourites because it sprays like a dream. The aerosol makes it possible for the formula to distribute as an ultra fine mist that refreshes and leaves your skin looking luminous. Plus the ingredients are 97% naturally derived!
Available online and at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Scrub; Kismet Essentials Coffee Body Scrub
A little coffee never hurt anyone and the Kismet Essentials organic coffee scrub is here to get your body off to the right start. Full of coffee grinds and dead sea salt the scrub improves any texture in your skin while the additional of almond oil leaves your skin extra soft. It has a slight orange scent to it as well making it seemingly good enough to eat. While they don’t recommend eating a body care product, the fact that it’s 100% organic means you technically could without worrying about the ingredients.
Available online and several Vancouver stores, including Much & Little and The Bay.
Body Balm; Harlow Skin Co. Body Balm
The Harlow Skin Co body balms are what I use when my skin is in some serious need of some TLC. Available in a variety of scents, Harlow body balms are full of ingredients that are ultra-nourishing, natural and made right here in Vancouver. If you’re not use to a body balm as opposed to a body lotion imagine your lotion but working 100% harder. Because of the rich butters and oils in the formula it is recommended that you keep the jar away from direct sunlight to prevent the balm from melting. I would also recommend starting with a small amount if you’re not accustomed to body balms because a little goes a long way. Ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax keeps your skin ultra supple in a variety of scents. (Santa if you’re reading this my favourite scent is Boheme and Daydream.)
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Deodorant; Nala Free-Free Deodorant
If you know anything about me you’ll know that I am weirdly passionate about using natural deodorant because I think our skin (even underarms) deserve the very best. Nala is a Vancouver based deodorant brand free of aluminum and other toxins that retailers have a hard time keeping stocked since Jillian Harris named it as her favourite natural deodorant. What makes an aluminum-free option so appealing is that it still allows your skin to sweat which believe it or not, is a good thing! You don’t want to use a formula that blocks your sweat since your body needs to release those toxins as well as it helps regulate your internal temperature. What you’re looking for is something that reduces the bacteria (the smelly part) that is associated with sweating and Nala has got you covered!
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