Brand Focus + Review: Holiskin

I had a bit of an unplanned blog hiatus this past week, but I'm back today with a long overdue review of Holiskin.  I'd seen a few positive reviews, so I was über-excited when Joshua, Holiskin's formulator in chief, contacted me a few months ago about trying some products.  Holiskin is a unisex line handmade in New York City with great, predominantly organic ingredients and completely free of preservatives, synthetics, emulsifiers, thickeners, and fillers.  I've been putting three products to the test: the Chamomile ACV Facial Toner*, Revitalize Eye Serum*, and Citrus Passion Body Oil*.  



Chamomile ACV Facial Toner
The toner is a simple blend of just two ingredients: roman chamomile distillate and raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar.  It does smell pretty strongly of vinegar initially, but it's not a scent that lingers on the skin.  Chamomile is an excellent soothing ingredient, great for minimizing skin redness and inflammation, and apple cider vinegar purifies and kills bacteria, while restoring a healthy skin pH and helping to maintain the skin's acid mantle.  Apple cider vinegar also contains malic acid, so the toner has gentle exfoliating properties and boosts healthy cell turnover.  My skin can be sensitive, so some days I like to dilute the toner with a little plain water, but other times I will use it at full strength.

Revitalize Eye Serum
The Eye Serum is a blend of apricot kernel, evening primrose, rosehip and camellia oils, infused with calendula extract and boosted with vitamin E and lavender, helichrysum and geranium essential oils.  The blend is housed in a convenient rollerball and is light enough that it sinks right in upon application.  I mentioned the serum briefly in my Evening Skincare Routine, and my opinion, with longer use, has stayed pretty true to those first impressions.  It's very soothing and hydrating and I notice less puffiness in the morning when I've used the serum the previous night, but it hasn't made much difference to the darkness under my eyes. 

Citrus Passion Body Oil
Saving my favorite for last, I'm completely smitten with this body oil.  The Citrus Passion scent is a fresh, uplifting blend of lime, bergamot and litsea cubeba that's spot on for spring.  Jojoba, rice bran, apricot kernel and grapeseed oils make a great base that hits that perfect balance between fast absorption and good hydration.  The oil leaves my skin feeling silky and soft, and very delicately scented.  It's even lightweight enough that I can use it on dry skin without feeling greasy or slippery!  

The Bottom Line
Holiskin products are simple but very well-thought out formulations of high quality, plant oils and botanicals.  The Citrus Passion Body Oil was the clear standout favorite for me, but I think all three products are great within their own right.  If you have more acne-prone skin than me, I've also read more than one rave review of the Intensive Repair Acne Scar Treatment.  


*Press sample

4 comments

  1. Holiskin has been on my radar thanks to reviews from Sabrina, Ru, Nic, and Sarita. Their products sound wonderful and I'm eyeing their toners and the acne scar treatment.

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    1. Holiskin has certainly gotten a lot of write up lately :) I really liked the toner I tried and I've only heard good things about the acne scar treatment!

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  2. I haven't come across this brand before. The Citrus Passion Body Oil sounds amazing x

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    1. It's really lovely! Definitely one of the best body oils I've ever used :)

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