fave products // pai skincare for sensitive skin

Finding quality skincare for sensitive skin can be a tricky task, but I always find myself returning to Pai Skincare for their soothing, effective products. Whenever I feel like I want to get back to basics, or just give my skin a break from too many active ingredients, Pai is one of my go-tos, and always leaves my skin feeling calm, hydrated, and happy.

Pai’s Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil works to remove dirt and other build-ups and gently refreshes your complexion, all without stripping it of the essential moisture it needs. It’s packed with rosehip fruit extract and omegas 3, 6 & 9 to nourish the skin and give you a radiant glow. I love that it’s gentle enough to use on the eyes, and there’s no need to scrub or rub too hard to achieve clean skin. Just massage the oil onto your dry face (enjoy the at-home spa experience!), and rinse with warm water to reveal soft, smooth skin.

I love to follow it up with Pai’s Instant Kalmer Sea Aster & Schisandra Ceramide Serum. It’s truly the perfect serum for hyper-sensitive skin, combining both anti-aging and soothing ingredients that work to give you that ideal glow. Sea aster and wild oat are super calming, and help reduce redness and irritation, while ceramides help strengthen the skin barrier. Instant Kalmer leaves my skin feeling super hydrated, and I love that it’s free of fragrance and alcohols! This is also a great serum to reach for if you suffer from rosacea or eczema.

Pai Skincare’s mission is to do the right thing for you and your skin. By creating products that are so natural, ethical and sustainable, they have goodness built right in. What could be better?!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // dermalogica smart response serum

If I had to choose one type of skincare product to take with me on a desert island, it would probably be serum. Ok, fine, sunscreen would probably be more important- but you get the idea. Serums are a super effective way to deliver a high concentration of potent product onto the skin, and they can be targeted for all sorts of varying skin concerns- from acne to wrinkles to dullness & more! The new Smart Response Serum from Dermalogica is a next-gen smart serum that protects skin by using four actives that hydrate, brighten, soothe, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It essentially delivers what your skin needs, when it needs it by reading the skin's micro signals and responding proactively. Sounds confusing, but just know that it works in real time to stop skin damage before it's even visible. You’re basically getting a personalized response with every use, which in turn gives you healthier, glowing skin.

I’ve been incorporating the Smart Response Serum into my routine lately (after cleansing and toning), and I’ve really been loving it so far. Its thin, creamy texture melts into my skin effortlessly, and a pump or two is all you need to see results. A few key ingredients are hard at work here: first off, plant-based M6P glycan visibly increases firmness. Then, whenever my skin seems dehydrated, hydrolyzed beta-glucan promotes hyaluronic acid production to give things a necessary moisture boost. Plus arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (sounds freakier than it is) works to even out skin tone and helps slow melanin production.

I also love that this serum is cruelty-free, comes in recyclable packaging, and is free of nasty ingredients (think parabens, sulfates, phthalates & mineral oil). Woot woot! PS- if you’re looking to add another Dermalogica power player to your routine along with the Smart Response Serum, I highly suggest the PowerBright Dark Spot Serum! It’s great for uneven skin tone & texture, sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and aging skin. These two really pack a one-two punch!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // babor calming rx microsilver concentrate & soothing cream

As someone with sensitive skin, I’m always on the lookout for gentle, yet effective skincare products that have soothing, calming effects. Germany’s leading professional skincare brand Babor’s Calming RX range, designed for dehydrated, irritated and reactive skin types, checks all those boxes and more! I have to say, I’ve been really pleased with the results I’ve gotten after incorporating some of the products into my routine. First up, the Babor Calming RX Microsilver Concentrate is a facial serum (housed in small glass ampoules!) that provides relief and soothing hydrating to sensitive skin. Microsilver powers this intensive formula, which also helps reduce redness and irritation, leaving you with a more calm and balanced complexion. I like to keep a couple ampoules with me in my handbag for whenever my skin needs a little extra love (aka an influx of hydration!). After allowing the serum to be absorbed into the skin, I follow it up with the Babor Calming RX Soothing Cream (or Soothing Cream Rich!). This nourishing moisturizer is enriched with ingredients like plant-based Neuroxyl, antimicrobial Microsilver and fatty acid-packed Evening Primrose Oil that deeply hydrate your skin. It also helps keep your skin’s natural moisture barrier in tact, which is so important for overall skin health! My skin feels velvety smooth and supple after applying, but not greasy in the least. No surprise that Babor products are free from fragrances, synthetic colourants and preservatives, and are cruelty-free as well. Thinking I should add the Babor Calming RX Soothing Cleanser to my routine as well?? I bet I’ll love it as much as I loved the other Babor cleansers I’ve tried!

* This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // lord jones high cbd formula body lotion

CBD is everywhere these days, and I have to say, I am here for it. While it’s most commonly found in things like oil tinctures and gummy candies, which are great for their calming benefits, CBD can be very effective in other ways as well. If you suffer from dry, sensitive skin or redness, I highly recommend checking out Lord Jones High CBD Formula Body Lotion. This cooling, restorative lotion is super calming thanks to the impressive 100mg CBD packed inside. I mean, hey, our skin gets stressed out just like we do (especially over the past year, am I right?), so it’s important to take extra special care of it when the need arises. I’ve also found it to be quite effective for body aches and sore muscles, be it from a tough workout class, chasing after a toddler, or even after wearing high heels! In addition to CBD, shea butter provides vitamins and fatty acids to help moisturize, while menthyl ethylamido oxalate produces a long-lasting cooling effect. So soothing!

It’s important to note that not all CBD is created equal. Some brands use CBD isolate—a cheaper and more heavily processed extract that is derived by stripping away all of the plant’s natural compounds and isolating only one. This full and broad-spectrum CBD oil retains the plant’s original terpenes and phytocannabinoids to boost efficacy and deliver a lotion powered by the whole plant. All the more reason to check out more Lord Jones products (I’m a big fan of their Acid Mantle Repair CBD Moisturizer and High CBD Formula Bath Salts as well)! Now go treat yoself, and enjoy :)

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // milk + honey blue tansy balm & bakuchiol treatment

I first became a fan of milk + honey products after trying their Pink Clay Masque, which works wonders to clear your pores and balance the skin. I highly recommend it if you feel your skin needs a little detox situation. I love that all milk + honey products are hyperclean, effective, and safe. All super important in my book! When I heard they were launching a Blue Tansy Balm and Bakuchiol Treatment, I was totally down to give them a try. I’m all about a multi-use skin salve, and that’s essentially what the Blue Tansy Balm is. Blue tansy, blue chamomile, and blue yarrow work together to promote calm, balanced, healthy-looking skin, wherever you need it! It works equally as well to neutralize redness & dryness as it does to treat burns, rashes or scrapes! I personally love applying a thin layer to my face as an overnight mask that provides intense hydration while I sleep. Not to mention its clutch use as as a cuticle treatment as well. During the summer, if you find yourself with irritated bug bites or sunburns, a smear of this balm lends instant relief! Everyone in my family has gotten to reap the benefits so far, and I can only imagine I’ll find more uses for it over time. Talk about a do-it-all product!

The Bakuchiol Treatment is a wonderful alternative to the typical retinol products you find these days. This serum-moisturizer hybrid uses bakuchiol, a plant based alternative to retinol, to deliver retinol-like results without the skin irritation and photosensitivity side effects that can be all too common for some. The Bakuchiol Treatment works to reduce the appearance of fine lines & hyperpigmentation, while supporting collagen production to even your skin tone. Antioxidant rich botanicals like black willow bark extract & edelweiss stem cell extract work their magic to leave you with brighter, softer skin! PS- If your skin is a bit more dry and/or sensitive, I suggest adding this to your moisturizer or facial oil, and applying it that way. Otherwise, feel free to use solo as a leave-on serum treatment. Regardless, just don’t forget the SPF!

milk + honey also makes some luxurious sounding bath products (Eucalyptus, Arnica, Rosemary, Sweet Marjoram Sore Muscle Soak, anyone??) that I’m dying to get my hands on. I can just picture myself relaxing in the bath with a glass of wine and their Lemon, Vanilla Milk Bath. Yes, please. Now, get to pampering!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // ilia beauty true skin radiant priming serum & serum foundation

ILIA Beauty is one of the original clean beauty brands, and one I’d been interesting in trying for some time now. I love their motto, skincare-powered makeup, because I truly believe the two should go hand-in-hand in everyone’s routine. Finding the right balance between product safety and product performance can be tricky, but ILIA has really nailed it down. By using clean, effective ingredients and focusing on organic bases, vivid color, and active botanicals, they’re able to make mindful decisions about products that truly make your skin glow.

ILIA Beauty True Skin Radiant Priming Serum is the perfect product to help you transition from your skincare to makeup routines. Hibiscus extract, aloe, and beta-glucan create a super smooth base for makeup application thanks to their firming, moisturizing, and soothing properties. Plus, they help protect the skin from free radicals and harsh environmental factors that cause signs of aging. Pores and fine lines appear smaller, improving the texture of your skin and leaving you with a radiant glow! I especially love that it’s silicone-free, and leaves my skin baby soft to the touch.

The ILIA Beauty True Skin Serum Foundation is a killer two-in-one product. All the skincare benefits of a serum, plus the light but buildable coverage of a foundation. I love how weightless it feels on my skin, and- big bonus- it never gets cakey or flakey, but rather helps blur imperfections, leaving you with a velvety soft finish. Botanical actives like aloe leaf, rosehip, jojoba, and marula oils help sooth irritation and calm redness, and also boast some anti-aging properties thanks to their aid in plumping fine lines! Luminous skin is what you’re left with, and most importantly, your skin looks like skin! If clean beauty is important to you, and I hope it is, I highly recommend checking out ILIA Beauty soon!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support!