Naturalla Beauty

January 13th is pushing the limit for a best of 2020 post, but, in my defense, my new year started with a computer that wouldn’t boot up on the 1st, which put a major damper on any blogging plans.  Combine that with the lack of motivation I’ve felt in recent weeks watching both the pandemic spiral in Ontario and the disturbing political events of our US neighbours, and here we are on the 13th.  But, I figure better late than never!  

While there are lots of skincare products, both new and old, that I enjoyed last year, these are specifically my very top standout discoveries -- things that I tried for the first time in 2020.  As it turns out, this lineup makes up an entire basic skincare routine, which is also fun!

Have you ever struggled to find a product with just the right blend of active ingredients to suit your skin?  That's where custom skincare formulations can come in handy!  I've noticed a definite uptick in brands offering custom products in the last couple years, which, as a picky ingredient nerd with a penchant for DIY, I think is a fantastic shift in the skincare market.

I recently had the chance to try out Organation, a vegan natural skincare brand creating customized facial creams in Portland, Oregon.  Organation uses pure, organic, and bioavailable ingredients and forgoes parabens, PEG's, synthetic fragrances, and other undesirable ingredients.  


The company's custom creams are designed with the help of a simple skin quiz and are individually made using Organation's proprietary machinery that cleanly dispenses precise amounts of each ingredient in a controlled, sanitary, and hands-free environment.  

I designed my Customized Facial Cream in February and I've been loving it ever since -- without getting too cheesy, it really does feel like a moisturizer formulated just for my skin!

Keep reading for more info on the customization process and details of my personalized cream!  

The last couple months have been quieter than usual here on the blog, but there are lots of good things coming up, I promise!  Today, I want to talk about a few stellar skincare items that I've been using recently.  Here in Toronto, where the weather has yet to make up its mind between winter and spring, these five items have been keeping my skin healthy and happy despite all the back and forth temperatures.  

If you'd be interested in seeing a full skincare routine too, let me know in the comments and I can definitely put that together soon!


Batty's Bath Soothing Cleanser*
The Soothing Cleanser is a gentle, soap-free cleanser designed for sensitive, inflamed, and rosacea-prone skin.  It's packed full of nourishing oils, along with soothing aloe vera and chamomile flower water, and is a real treat to use.  Witch hazel and burdock root also offer anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits, making it suitable for those prone to acne, eczema, and psoriasis too.  The cleanser itself is a bright yellowy-orange cream, courtesy of sea buckthorn oil, and is laced with red jojoba beads, making it quite fun from a purely aesthetic perspective too.  It also has a lovely fresh citrus and mint scent that I can't get enough of!

An exfoliating cleanser isn't normally what I'd think of first for sensitive or reactive skin, but the jojoba beads are smooth and rounded and glide over the skin very gently, offering just a hint of delicate exfoliation.  I don't have rosacea, but my skin is prone to redness and the Soothing Cleanser legitimately eliminates any color or irritation.  It's not uncommon for my skin to be pink and flushed for a few minutes after cleansing, but with the Soothing Cleanser, my skin is left milky, white, and above all else, calm.  When I have time, I like to leave the cleanser on my face for an extra minute or two before rinsing to let the great ingredients work their magic even more.  



Homemade Witch Hazel Toner
 As much as I appreciate the difference a good toner can make in my skin, toners aren't a product that generally inspires me to spend a ton of money, so I often resort to DIY-ing my own.  Witch hazel is great for keeping pores clean, and with just a few added ingredients, you've got yourself a great toner.  I shared this recipe on the blog several years ago and this variation more recently on Instagram, and I still come back to it, though I vary the essential oils depending on mood and skin needs.  I've also started adding a small amount of zinc oxide, which is great for calming down redness and minimizing skin sensitivity.  If you want to amp it up even more, you can also pre-infuse the witch hazel with herbs.



Niora Naturals Silk Basic Makeup Remover*
Niora Naturals' Makeup Remover has an emollient texture that falls somewhere between a cream cleanser and an oil.  It works best when massaged onto dry skin and removed with a damp washcloth or face wipe, much like you would an oil cleanser.  It's a light emulsion that removes makeup with the same ease as an oil, but wipes - or even rinses away - much easier.  With a base of organic jojoba oil and glycerin, the Makeup Remover is very gentle on the skin, but still manages to remove every speck of makeup -- even tricky things like eyeliner and mascara!  It does sting if you get the product directly in your eyes, but as long as I keep my eyes tightly shut while using it, I don't generally have any problems.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel
I've raved about the multi-functional Soothing Gel before and I've discovered yet another use for it!  I already love using it on active blemishes and pimples, but I've recently learned it works great at stopping breakouts before they strike too.  Overall, my skin isn't very acne-prone, but, strange as it sounds, my eyebrows have a tendency to react to any brow makeup.  With an aloe vera base and tons of great herbs, the Soothing Gel has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and as soon as I started running a couple drops of it through the hairs before applying makeup, I noticed a big difference.  As I've said before, I find the gel a bit drying when used all over the face, but it's fantastic as a targeted treatment on smaller areas.

Nourish Organic Unscented Body Butter
My under eyes, along with a couple other small areas, have gotten extra dry the last couple weeks and, on a whim, I started using Nourish's Unscented Body Butter to treat them.  A longtime favorite of mine for dry patches on the body, I was happy to discover that it works just as well on the face.  The butter, made of mainly organic shea butter and sunflower seed oil, does contain coconut oil, but it's one of the last ingredients and, used conservatively on just small areas, my skin has not reacted negatively at all.



Have you tried any of these?  What skincare products have been helping you transition to spring?