Naturalla Beauty

Where my morning skincare is all about quick and easy products, night is when I like to invest a little more time in my skin.  Just a few years ago, skincare felt like a chore, but these days, I really enjoy the whole process.  One of the biggest changes I've made - and one I'd recommend if you struggle at all with nighttime skincare - is doing the majority of your routine earlier in the evening.  For me, sometimes that means as early as six or seven at night, but at a minimum, it's a couple hours before bed.  The benefits are twofold: if you're using heavier products that take time to sink in, you're less likely to lose them on your pillowcase, and you're also less apt to go to sleep without washing your face due to sheer exhaustion.

In terms of products, the skin does a lot of regenerating when we sleep, so I like to use products with nourishing, reparative ingredients that aid in those processes.  Here's my current lineup:



Badger Seabuckthorn Face Cleansing Oil* / Weleda Soothing Almond Facial Oil*
My favorite way of removing makeup is with an oil, since I've not found anything else as effective at breaking everything down.  I take a couple minutes to thoroughly massage it onto my dry face and then wipe it away with a warm, damp facecloth.  I love the clean, fresh feeling Badger's Seabuckthorn Cleansing Oil gives my face, but because the menthol in it sometimes irritates my eyes, I prefer to use a separate oil to remove eye makeup.  Usually I'd just use almond or jojoba oil, but since running out of all my plain oils, I've been using the Weleda Soothing Almond Facial Oil.  It's a gentle blend of almond and plum kernel oils with blackthorn extract and it works just as well to remove makeup as it does to soothe and moisturize the skin.

Andalou Naturals Citrus Kombucha Cleansing Gel
I like to follow the oil cleansing step with a gel cleanser.  The Citrus Kombucha Cleansing Gel is part of Andalou's Clarifying line for oily and acne prone skin, but it also works well on my normal and generally non-acne prone skin.  The smell reminds me of cutting into a fresh grapefruit, and although the cleanser foams up a moderate amount, it doesn't dry out my face.

On days when I'm not wearing makeup, I skip the oil cleanse and just use either the Cleansing Gel or Andalou's Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk, which I talked about in my morning skincare routine.

Nonie of Beverly Hills AHA! Skin Tonic*
Toners aren't a skincare item that really gets me excited, but I do like the AHA! Skin Tonic, which is one of the few products I use both morning and night.  It's gentle and non-drying and I've noticed a visible difference in the appearance of the pores on my nose and cheeks since adding this into my routine.

Nonie of Beverly Hills AHA! Brilliant Moisturizer*
With 5% alpha hydroxy acids from natural fruit sources, Brilliant serves as both a moisturizer and a gentle chemical exfoliant.  In the beginning, I experienced minor tingling from the acids, but after using it on and off for several months, my skin has gotten more used to it and I don't feel anything on application.  This is a great formula because while the acids are pretty gentle, they are still quite effective at resurfacing the skin.  I haven't noticed much difference in terms of fine lines, but my overall skin texture has improved and my skin is the softest I can remember it being in a long time.  

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream / Holiskin Revitalize Eye Serum*
Like I mentioned, I like to do bulk of my nighttime skincare a couple hours before bed, at which point I'll use the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream.  I find, no matter how conservatively I apply them, eye oils always manage to seep into my eyes if given the time, so I wait to apply the Revitalize Eye Serum until right before going to sleep.  Holiskin's serum is a light-textured blend of organic apricot kernel, camellia, rosehip seed, and evening primrose oils, plus non-GMO vitamin E, organic calendula extract, and essential oils.  I haven't been using it long enough to remark on its effect on dark circles or fine lines, but it feels very nourishing and does a great job moisturizing the eye area.  I'll update once I've used it for longer.

Rachel's Plan Bee Facial Oil*
Similar to in the morning, I haven't been using face oils every night recently, but on nights when I want a little extra moisture, I'll add in a few drops of Rachel's Plan Bee Facial Oil.  The oil, which smells like a warm vanilla cookie, has just enough weight to it to thoroughly moisturize the skin without any heaviness or greasy feeling.  It works well either applied alone as an additional step or mixed into my moisturizer.

And there you have it!  I've got one more post coming with masks, treatments and occasional products, but day-to-day, this is what I use.  What are your favorite nighttime skincare products?

I've sung Badger's praises many times before.  As one of my favorite lines for high quality, accessible natural products, I was over the moon excited when the company announced they would be expanding their face care line.  Seriously, this was one of the most anticipated launches of 2014 for me.  

Badger has created four lines to suit different skin types, each with a cleansing oil, a face oil, and a beauty balm.  Each product is formulated with certified USDA organic ingredients - as you would expect from Badger - and additionally has been tested to be noncomedogenic, meaning they won't clog your pores.  I chose to try the Seabuckthorn Cleansing Oil* and Face Oil*, recommended for normal to dry skin, since they seemed the most fitting for my skin moving into winter.



I especially love oil cleansing in the colder months and the Seabuckthorn Cleansing Oil, a blend made with sunflower, olive, jojoba, apricot kernel, and castor seed oils works great to remove makeup, dirt, and impurities without stripping or drying out your skin.  It feels very pampering to take a good few minutes to massage the oil onto a dry face, making sure it fully breaks down makeup and dissolves any oil or congestion that might be trapped in the pores.  Then, I go in with a warm, wet washcloth to wipe the oil and any accumulated grime off.  I often like to go back with a second cleanser after the oil, but I wouldn't say it's an absolutely vital step with Badger's Cleansing Oil, as the oil wipes away pretty cleanly.  

One thing that confused me a little is Badger's decision to include menthol crystals in the cleansing oil. Menthol is the component responsible for peppermint oil's cool, tingly feeling, and while it's great for detoxifying the skin and leaving behind that clean, fresh feeling, it can be irritating to sensitive skin and around the eyes.  To be honest, I don't notice the menthol on most of my face, but I can definitely feel the cooling vapours and can get an intense cooling/tingly/uncomfortable sensation when I massage the oil directly on or around my eyes.  The bottle recommends "caution around the eye area," so I think your ability to use this product around the eyes would depend a lot on both individual sensitivity and preference.  I usually choose to go in with another product around the eyes instead. 

I've also been impressed by the Seabuckthorn Face Oil.  Despite it's affordable price tag, this oil isn't loaded with cheap fillers and instead contains the same potent, active ingredients that you'd find in more expensive oils and serums, including jojoba, baobab, apricot kernel, and pomegranate seed oils, alongside seabuckthorn and rosehip CO2 extracts.  The seabuckthorn gives the oil a vibrant orange color, but it applies totally invisibly and doesn't tint or stain your skin at all.  The oil has a pretty thin, light consistency that initially had me wondering if it would be hydrating enough for my skin, but I'm happy to say it is.  In spite of the light texture, the face oil is quite nourishing and I only need about half a pump to moisturize my whole face.

Both the cleansing oil and face oil are beautifully scented with lavender, sweet orange, and geranium.  I'm not always a fan of geranium, but I really like how the fruity, citrus components combine with the floral elements in these blends.  The scents are not overly strong, and while I notice them as I'm using the products, they aren't something I smell on my skin throughout the day.  

The Bottom Line
These oils are a great addition to Badger's line.  With blends to suit different skin types, a reasonable price point, and Badger's usual organic and high quality ingredients, I really don't think you can go wrong here.  I could definitely see myself repurchasing these oils in the future, though I will probably opt for the Unscented Cleansing Oil next, simply because of the menthol.  (The Damascus Rose Cleansing Oil is also free of menthol.)

As far as I can tell the Face Care line has not launched anywhere outside of the US yet - it's coming to Canada in April - but the products are already stocked on iherb, so if you don't want to wait, you can easily get your hands on them there.  

Even though I've fallen hard for face oils over the last several months, there are still times when I want that familiar, comforting feel of rubbing in a cream moisturizer.  On my nightstand recently: Nürish Organics' Rejuven-EIGHT Day Cream.  

Photo from Nürish Organics

Rejuven-EIGHT is, if you'll excuse the pun, a nürishing moisturizer that's packed with ingredients that protect and regenerate your skin.  A combination of pomegranate seed extract and anti-oxidant rich oils of red grape, carrot seed, raspberry seed, blueberry seed, cranberry seed, and broccoli seed deeply hydrates your skin and minimizes free radical damage.  These ingredients also protect against future environmental stress and sun damage.  Manuka honey (OMA 16+) moisturizes and is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.  It's also known to repair damaged skin and support skin cell regeneration.  Last but not least, rhassoul clay - rich in silica, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, and sodium - evens skin tone and improves skin clarity, texture, and elasticity.

As the name suggests, Rejuven-EIGHT is intended as a day moisturizer, but I actually prefer using it at night. It's lightweight, sinks in quickly and provides a good base for applying makeup on top of, but I found that my skin ended up more shiny than usual midway through the afternoon on days when I used Rejuven-EIGHT as a morning moisturizer.  Nighttime use, on the other hand, means I can liberally slather on as much cream as I want and my skin has a full eight or more hours to soak up all the antioxidants and other nutrients the moisturizer has to offer.  Despite it's light feel, I gather it was just a little too much moisture for my skin during the day, as I've had no further issues with excess oil or shine since switching to using it at night.  

The Bottom Line
Rejuven-EIGHT may not have worked as well as I'd hoped as a day cream, but I love using it as a nighttime moisturizer!  It smooths on easily and works well, both on its own or in combination with a face oil, and in the morning, I wake up with glowy, soft skin.  I've also noticed less redness since I started using this product.  The ingredients are predominantly organic and it smells lovely - sweet and a little fruity.  It's a subtle scent that's never overpowering and dissipates within a few minutes of application.  Definitely a hit in my book!

Where to Buy: $49 from Nürish/Saffron Rouge

Ingredients: Purified Water, Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oleosomes*, Decaglyceryl Decaoleate (Vegetable Source), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Fruit Butter*, Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable Source), Leptospermum Scoparium (Active Manuka) Honey*, Moroccan Lava (Rhassoul) Clay, Glycerin (Vegetable Source), Stearic Acid (Vegetable Source), Beeswax Wax*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate Seed) Extract*, Vitis Vinifera (Ruby Red Grape) Seed Oil*, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil*, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Corymbosum (Blueberry) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil*, Tocopherols (Full Spectrum Naturally Sourced Vitamin E), Sclerotium Gum, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil*, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Oil*, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid. (*Denotes Organic Ingredient)



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.