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The Importance of Plant-Based Skin Care

April 30, 2015

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!!! }

bootsbotanics9The 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 donā€™t get totally crazy about it if I use something here or there that isnā€™t natural or plant-based.

I went through a phase where I was so addicted to living the all natural life that I didnā€™t use anything on my skin at all except for a face cleanser and moisturizerā€¦ 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 wellā€¦ which I definitely, most certainly do.

BootsBotanics1So, 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 toā€¦ 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, Vetiverā€¦ etc.)

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Plus, they donā€™t test on animals and there are no animal-derived ingredients. Like I said, I donā€™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 possibleā€”but, when I find a good company that doesnā€™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 ā€“ 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.

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

When I am on vacation, like I just was,Ā 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 ā€“ I used to be (and as in ā€œused toā€ I mean I havenā€™t done it in a week so Iā€™m pretending like I donā€™t do it anymore) a major skin picker. I use q-tips to squeeze my skin/black heads when Iā€™m stressed, and letā€™s be honestā€¦ who doesnā€™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! Donā€™t put your hands on your precious faceā€¦ no matter how clean your hands are!

When Iā€™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 Bootsā€™ Organics package).

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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 ā€“ 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 donā€™t do a face mask then I usually apply some sort of 100% organic facial oil. Itā€™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 itā€™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 ā€“ just like my candle addiction.

bootsbotanics3So, there you have it my loves! I would never use so many products on my body if they werenā€™t natural / easy on the skin, because my skin would flare up in a hot second.

What are your thoughts?! Do you have aĀ 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.Ā 

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