The Importance of Plant-Based Skin Care

Hi beautiful ones! First of all, happy Earth Day!!! In honor of Earth Day I want to address a topic that I get asked super, duper frequently by all of you: what the heck is my skincare routine?

What people mainly ask me is whether I follow a natural, organic, plant-based skincare routine similar to the way that I eat?

{ Face Mask Queen!!! }

The answer is what you probably could have guessed: yes, I believe in the importance of plant-based skincare (and natural ingredients, because my skin is so sensitive!!) but I don’t get totally crazy about it if I use something here or there that isn’t natural or plant-based.

I went through a phase where I was so addicted to living the all natural life that I didn’t use anything on my skin at all except for a face cleanser and moisturizer… wait, that was a phase that lasted almost my entire life, lol.

One of the reasons I am okay with being more lax now about it is because I am educated about the importance of plant-based skin care and what it can do for me. I like to spend a ton of time in the sun (helloooo, Costa Rica!) and I know I have to take care of my skin well if I want to age well… which I definitely, most certainly do.

So, here I am with this post to educate YOU about the importance of a natural skincare routine, what to look for, and some of my favorite products.

A skincare line that I absolutely love is called Boots Botanics. They offer tons of great skin-friendly options that I have been really into using for hydrating, moisturizing, toning, exfoliating and cleansing. They also have super cute lip glosses and roll-on lipsticks that my lips are pretty addicted to… yes, I have them in nearly every color. #balanced

Boots Botanics‘ have a line called Organics, which is my fave. Each of the 10 products in the line are all 80-100% organic, and the materials that are used in the products are produced in a way that minimizes environmental impact and maximizes the essential nature of the source. (I.e. their hibiscus, gingko, willowbark, rosehip, purple orchid, Iceland moss, Vetiver… etc.)

Plus, they don’t test on animals and there are no animal-derived ingredients. Like I said, I don’t limit myself to non-animal tested products because there are so many things I try to juggle in my mind on a daily basis to be as good to the environment as possible—but, when I find a good company that doesn’t test on animals I definitely consider it a huge plus.

Also there are no parabens in the products, which is necessary for my sensitive skin! Some of my favorite products of theirs are the Organic Facial Oil & the Ultra Calm Skin Calming Serum – trust me, I needed that. My skin, on a usual day, is the opposite of calm!

Plus, do you wanna learn some fun things about all-natural skin product ingredients that you might not have known before?

Hibiscus: Has natural AHAs that act as a mild exfoliator to leave skin smooth, glowing & bright!

Gingko: Has natural antioxidants that prevent collagen and elastin from breaking.

Willowbark: Has salicylic acid that reduces the size of pores and improves blemishes. (I need this the most!)

Rosehip: Super nourishing, as it has natural Omega-3 and 6 oils that keep skin looking supple & healthy.

Vetiver: Nice & relieving for our skin! It has a natural aromatic scent that relaxes and relieves tension and insomnia. (Hello, you know I am an insomniac extraordinaire!)

Purple Orchid: Has natural sugars and polyphenols that help smooth and plump lines and wrinkles.

Marshmallow Calming!!! It has natural sugars and polyphenols that make skin less reactive.

Iceland Moss: It moisturizes, and has natural sugars that help calm and hydrate the skin. Especially good for those of us with dry skin.

And now that you are hip on some of the sweet all-natural ingredients in many plant-based skincare products (and especially in Boots’ products), I will give you a little rundown on my personal skincare routine:

When I am on vacation, like I just was, I add some extra hydrating steps, so keep that in mind when reading:

My Personal Skincare Routine:

Okay, so! The number one thing I try not to do is pick my face – I used to be (and as in “used to” I mean I haven’t done it in a week so I’m pretending like I don’t do it anymore) a major skin picker. I use q-tips to squeeze my skin/black heads when I’m stressed, and let’s be honest… who doesn’t love how satisfying it is to watch those puppies come right out of your face and be gone forever.

And if I am going to pick my face, I make sure to do a couple of things first: shower in a super hot shower to get my pores nice and open; exfoliate (with hibiscus products, now that we know they are a natural exfoliant); cleanse with warm water; and moisturize directly afterward. And always use a q-tip or tissue! Don’t put your hands on your precious face… no matter how clean your hands are!

When I’m not picking, I have a pretty standard routine: Shower, exfoliate all over with a hibiscus scrub & a dry brush (I am addicted to dry brushing! More on that soon. Such an amazing stress-reliever and so good for our skin), and cleanse with a gentle, all-natural cleanser (I am loving the organic softening cleanser from Boots’ Organics package).

About twice a week I like to do a clay mask (see above! Yummay) after I shower to remove impurities, cleanse a little deeper and also because doing a face mask helps me to relax and officially begin the chill out part of my day – something I am always trying to work on. The Boots mask has willowbark in it, which helps to reduce pores and clarify. Heck yes.

If I don’t do a face mask then I usually apply some sort of 100% organic facial oil. It’s super important to me that this oil be all-natural, and then I cleanse it very well afterward. My skin tends to be a little oily to begin with, so the nourishing oils from a facial mask are great to give it the hydration it needs. Then I need to make sure I get it all off!

So I cleanse, and then the most important step (in my opinion): I moisturize like craaayyy-zay! If it’s nighttime, then I use an overnight, thicker moisturizing lotion. In the daytime I use a thinner variety with SPF.

And of course I put body butter all over my bod after I shower, because I am addicted to lotions and how amazing and calming they are – just like my candle addiction.

So, there you have it my loves! I would never use so many products on my body if they weren’t natural / easy on the skin, because my skin would flare up in a hot second.

What are your thoughts?! Do you have a natural skincare routine? Fav products?! Let me know! Visit Boots‘ website to learn more about their awesome products & fall in love as much as I have.