Naturalla Beauty

I regularly receive emails from readers looking for unscented product recommendations, so I figured it was past time I did a dedicated post.  As many of you know, I'm sensitive to scents, so while there are many scented products I enjoy, I like to keep unscented options around as well.

An important thing to keep in mind is that unscented does not automatically mean there are no scent components added.  Many ingredients have a scent, so some companies add fragrance components or essential oils to mask that and help the product to smell less.  On the flip side, unscented products that don't have added scent will often have a smell, just by nature of the other ingredients.  Neither is inherently a bad thing, but I do recommend - as always - reading ingredients so that you know exactly what you're getting.  

Now, without further ado, I bring you my favorite unscented products:



Acure Cocoa Butter + CoQ10 Ultra-Hydrating Unscented Body Lotion
This lotion strikes the perfect balance between moisture and easy application and absorption.  With great ingredients and an affordable price tag, it's pretty much an automatic re-buy as soon as I start running low.  

Lina Hanson Global Baby Serum
Lina Hanson is a master of scents, but she also knocked it out of the park last year with the unscented Global Baby Serum.  Kalahari watermelon seed oil lends a light - or even dry - feel to the oil, which nonetheless hydrates the skin very well.  Originally intended for babies, maybe, but it's equally awesome for grown ups too.  

Graydon Face Food Mineral Mist
Face Food is a mineral mist made only of water and ionic copper, zinc, and silver.  The minerals, which help stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, kill bacteria, and reduce redness and irritation, are scent-free and the mist offers light, soothing hydration.   I especially enjoy this product when my skin is more acne-prone or reactive.

Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion
I'm a big fan of Weleda's entire almond line, but if I had to pick one standout product, it would be the Cleansing Lotion.  With only seven ingredients, it's a super basic cream cleanser that very gently cleanses the skin without anything harsh or stripping.  This isn't part of my day-to-day routine anymore, but when my skin is more sensitive or reactive, it's one of the first things I turn to.

Nourish Organic Pure Unscented Body Butter
If you're looking for something richer than a body lotion, Nourish's body butters are a great choice.  They're USDA certified organic, super hydrating and just melt into the skin beautifully.  I don't use this all over my body very often, but it is the best for those extra dry spots like elbows or the bottoms of your feet.  Nourish's Pure Unscented line also includes their body wash, hand soap and deodorant - all three of which I love, although I've only tried their scented counterparts thus far.  (I'd recommend steering clear of the body lotion though, which I didn't find moisturized enough and which has a strong alcohol scent.)

Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid Soap
I'm pretty sure everyone knows Dr. Bronner's soaps by now, but if for some reason you haven't tried them yet, you really should.  Truly a multi-purpose product, I've used Dr. B as body wash, hand soap, makeup brush cleaner, dog shampoo, dish soap, laundry detergent, and even in a few DIY's.  I always buy the unscented one, which gives you the option to use it as is or to add your own scents.

Epic Blend Unflavoured More Moisture Lip Balm
It's hard to find good unscented/unflavoured lip balms, because without a scent or flavour, I often notice the natural oils and butters leaving an icky taste in my mouth.  Not the case with Epic Blend.  If I stick my nose right up to the tube, it has a very slight sweet smell, but it's very neutral and with regular application, I hardly notice it.  Epic Blend's More Moisture lip balms are one of my favorites and they do a great job keeping your lips soft and well moisturized.

Blissoma Pure Sensitive Skin Soothing Complex
Packed with amazing ingredients like marshmallow root, plantain and self heal, Pure is an exceptional moisturizer for sensitive skin and for soothing any skin irritation or redness.  The formula contains no added scent, but it's the one product on this list that does have a fairly noticeable herbal smell from the other ingredients.  

Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz Natural Styling Serum
The place where I notice smells lingering on me the most is in my hair, so leave-in products with strong scents are often a no-go.  I featured the Spiral Spritz in my Best Curly Girl Hair Products of 2014 for how well it works as a light-hold, curl defining gel, but the scent (or lack thereof) is also noteworthy.  It smells lightly of aloe vera on application, but that dissipates almost immediately and I - refreshingly - don't smell anything on my hair throughout the day.  

Do you look for unscented products?  What are your favorites?

If you saw the interview earlier this week, you'll already know that I had the chance to meet Graydon of Graydon Clinical Luxury by Nature at the end of May.  What I failed to mention in that post is how Graydon spoiled me with product samples.  Before this, my experience with the line was limited to the Face Food Mineral Mist, so I was excited to dive into all these goodies!  Here's what I thought of everything...




Probably the product I was most excited to try!  It's a cream cleanser with a light, refreshing citrus scent that easily breaks down makeup and doesn't sting the eyes.  It actually reminded me a lot of Pai's iconic cleanser,  in terms of feel, but 10x better for those of us who don't love rosey floral scents.  

The Serum
The Serum is jam packed with tons of Canadian berry goodness - 50 pounds worth in every bottle!  It's a mix of cranberry, blueberry and raspberry seed oils, rich in antioxidants and omegas.  The oil is light in texture and for my skin, it wasn't quite enough on its own.  It layers really well under other oils or creams though, which is how I've been using it.  

Berry Rich Cream
The Berry Rich Cream takes the same gorgeous berry oils as the serum and sticks them in a cream.  I love the idea and ingredients, but I didn't end up being crazy about this one.  I felt like the cream just sat on top of my skin and never really absorbed.  Maybe it would work better for me in the winter?

The Green Cream
The star ingredient here is brocolli seed oil, which along with chlorophyll and avocado oil, gives the cream a lovely cheery mint hue.  The Green Cream gives a lighter hydration that is perfect on top of The Serum or another face oil. It smells herbal from parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, but it's a light, fresh scent.  

Super Sensitive Skin Stuff
Designed specifically for sensitive skin, this is a super gentle moisturizer without any essential oils or scent.  It's has a light consistency and is probably the quickest absorbing of Graydon's four moisturizers.  

The Putty
Another soothing option, The Putty is great for extra dry or irritated skin.  It has the thickest, heaviest texture of all the creams, but it's still not overly heavy.  It also penetrated and absorbed better for me than the Berry Rich Cream and was great on both the face and any dry patches on the body.  I know Mary of Makeup by Mary B likes using The Putty as a hand cream.

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All Over Soap + Shampoo
I used my sample as body wash, and it was really nice.  I didn't need much to get a great lather and it was gentle and non-drying.   

All Over Face + Body Lotion
With so many other moisturizer options, I didn't end up using this one on my face, but as a body lotion, it worked great.  

All Over Body Oil
First off, this smells so good!  It's a mix of lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood that's lovely and soothing.  It makes a fantastic body oil, either on dry or wet skin, and Graydon says you can also use it as an oil cleanser for your face.  I was fully prepared to scoop up a bottle of this until I checked the ingredients again and saw soy oil.  Now I'm conflicted.  It's a bit of a knee jerk for me and strictly personal preference, but soy oil is not something I like seeing in my products, so while I enjoyed the sample (a lot!), as it stands right now, it's probably not something I'll be purchasing.  
ETA: I've just learned that the soy oil is organic and GMO-free, which is a big step up from the alternative!

Hand + Foot Relief
I get dry feet, so I'm a huge fan of foot creams.  Hand + Foot Relief is infused with Graydon's Germs Away AromaBlend, which lends a spicy peppermint scent and provides antimicrobial action to help kill topical germs.  The cream is lighter than a lot of foot creams, but it still manages to really hydrate.  It also works well on hands.

Hair Smoothie
I don't think either Graydon or I was expecting my curly hair to get on especially well with this product, but I ended up really liking it.  It's light, but it still gave enough moisture to my hair.  It also has the same broccoli seed oil and chlorophyll that I liked so much in The Green Cream.  

Sun Cream
The Sun Cream is probably the least fussy natural sunscreen I've ever used.  It's creamy and does take a minute to work into the skin fully, but once you've done that, it's pretty well invisible.  No whitecase and no oily shine.  The sun protection comes from zinc oxide, but the cream also includes sun reflective oils like raspberry seed and cherry kernal, as well as antioxidant green tea to protect against UV damage.  

Glow
As kind of the glammed up version of the Sun Cream, Glow contains mica, which imparts a subtle, golden glow.  It's not overly shimmery, but overall, I think I preferred the invisibile Sun Cream for my face.  Glow is super pretty on the shoulders and decollete though. 

In Summary...
It was lovely meeting Graydon and learning more about both her and her product line, which embodies a lot of what I'm most drawn to in green beauty - simple, plant-based ingredients, but ones that are potent and deliver real results.  Scents across the line are essential oil-based and fairly light and there's a good variety of products to suit virtually anyone.  

The skincare definitely stood out for me more than the body products, but those are great within their own right too.  Top of my list would be The Cleanser, The Green Cream, and The Putty, but the Hair Smoothie and Sun Cream are not far behind!

Have you tried anything from Graydon?

(P.S. I've gotten a couple questions since the last post on how internationals can get their hands on Graydon products.  Clementine Fields stocks most of the line and offers worldwide shipping) 

A little over a month ago, I had the chance to meet Graydon Moffat, the lovely creator behind Graydon Clinical Luxury by Nature.  We had a great time chatting over green juice and I left thinking how wonderful it would be to share everything I'd learned with all of you.  Rather than me just writing about it, I asked Graydon if she'd be willing to answer some questions and lucky for us, she was happy to oblige.  Let's jump right into it!


1. I love learning how people first became interested in a more natural, holistic lifestyle. What did that journey look like for you? 
Besides making art, I transitioned my ‘moon lighting’ as a pastry chef to starting a macrobiotic home delivery service called ‘Divine Dishes’. Aligning myself in a health oriented spiritual path made for a huge shift for both my physical and emotional well being. Suddenly I felt good ‘in my body’ and my natural tendency towards anxiety also diminished greatly.

2. What inspired you to start Graydon Clinical Luxury?

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Picture by Good for Me, Good for You

There's something so nice about supporting local companies, so when I saw Hephzibah of Good for Me, Good for You and Karen of In My Humble Opinion's #InMyBackyard posts, I knew I had to join in.  The idea is to feature companies that are local to you or "in your backyard".  

Happily, Toronto's green beauty scene has been growing by leaps and bounds recently and new lines seem to be popping up all over the place.  Obviously I can't mention them all, so I've narrowed it down to six of my favorites.
Nürish Organics

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Nürish's line was designed to provide effective skincare that enhances the body's own healing mechanisms.  Ingredients are, of course, natural and also mainly organic.  As of now, I've used four of Nürish's eight products and I can tell you they really work.  I first fell hard for Best Scrub Ever (which really is one of the best scrubs I've ever used) and Daily Glow was unbeatable through the polar vortex weather this winter (plus, check out the packed ingredients list on this baby! )

Skin Essence Organics

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Skin Essence's product line is a little more basic, but still very effective.  The standouts for me are definitely the serums - great blends, and again, the ingredients are predominantly organic.  In particular, I think I'll always have a soft spot for Nourish - which I fully credit with turning me into a face oil lover - and Facial in a Jar is one of those great, versatile products that works as both a mask and scrub.

Pretty

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My skin always responds best to simpler products, which is why I love Pretty's philosophy that "less is more" when it comes to skincare.  You won't find any mile-long ingredients lists here, but not to worry, Pretty's products still include plenty of powerful ingredients.  The Pure Radiance Day Cream continues to impress me - it's works beautifully as both a moisturizer and makeup primer - and if you're curious about powder cleansers, the Black Tea and Raw Cocoa Facial Cleansing Grains are also worth a look.

Graydon: Clinical Luxury by Nature

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Graydon focuses on creating pure, plant-based products that are just as effective and luxurious as those from a mainstream luxury brand.  The company also makes a point of sourcing organic, Canadian ingredients whenever possible.  So far, I've only tried the Face Food Mineral Mist, but The Cleanser and The Putty are firmly on my wishlist and are sure to make their way home with me one of these days.

Ella's Botanicals

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Moving into body care, Ella's has a great lineup of soaps, balms, and lotions.  I've enjoyed a lot of the line, though my tops picks would be the super gentle Skin Soother Bar and deliciously-scented Lemon Meringue Lotion.  There are also rumblings that a face line is in the works.

Pure + Simple

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Pure + Simple has their own extensive line of skincare, haircare, body care, and makeup and also has three spa locations to accommodate all your green beauty treatment needs.  I'm a fan of the Eye Brightening Cream (I did end up buying the full size after my review) and the multi-use Face Colors, which, depending on color, work equally well as blush, bronzer, and eyeshadow.

I'd love to know what companies are local to you.  If you do (or have already done) an #InMyBackyard post, feel free to link it in the comments below!

Floral waters and essential oil hydrosols really dominate the natural market when it comes to toners, and while I've nothing against those, it's always nice to have choices.  Graydon's Face Food Mineral Mist is a water-based formula that's both simple and unique.  It's comprised purely of three ionic minerals: copper, silver, and zinc.  In this form, the minerals easily penetrate skin cell structure and are able to provide both individual and collective benefits to your skin.

Copper helps in the production of collagen and elastin, contributing to firmer, more supple skin.  Silver penetrates and kills bacteria deep in the pores, while also neutralizing any fluoride left behind from the tap water used to wash your face.  Lastly, anti-inflammatory zinc manages bacteria on the skin, effectively reducing redness and irritation.  

All three come together to make a gentle, scent-free mist that offers light, soothing hydration.  I mainly use it as a toner, after cleansing and before applying any serums or oils, but it can also be used throughout the day to perk up your skin with an extra dose of moisture.  

When my skin is good, the mist is light, hydrating, and makes a good base for oils and serums.  But, it's on more iffy skin days that Face Food really shines.  It's quickly become one of the first things I reach for if I have any breakouts.  With nothing to irritate or inflame already sensitive skin, it's a fantastic, soothing mist.  I'm pretty confident it's helped a few blemishes heal up faster than they otherwise would have too! 

The Bottom Line
For anyone searching for a great water-based toner or mist, Graydon's Face Food is an excellent contender to keep in mind.  It makes a good base for serums and oils and is light, refreshing, and completely non-sticky.  The simple ingredients are great if you have more sensitive skin, and I'd especially recommend it for anyone with more acne-prone skin, since I noticed a definite reduction in the healing time of breakouts while using this product. 

Where to Buy: $29 from Clementine Fields/Graydon


Ingredients: ionic copper, silver and zinc infused in purified water and nothing else!



Disclosure: Product provided for review.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review in return for free product, nor was I compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.