How to Know If Your Beauty Product is Organic Botanics

When you hear the word "natural", images of blue skies, birds singing and beautiful scenery come to mind. However when it comes down to beauty products natural is often misused. Many companies advertise their products as natural' even though they contain processed components. So how do you tell if your product is truly organic?

Bluh Alchemy

Bluh Alchemy is an innovative skincare brand that is clean and has a limited, treatment-focused line that features synergistic blends of rare botanical extracts. Becky Bluh studied cosmetics chemistry and found out how to harness plant-based ingredients that have transformative physiological effects. She scoured a broad variety of rare plant extracts to create a bluhprint of the best skin health and to guard against premature ageing as well as free radical damage, oxidative stress inflammation and bacterial overgrowth.

Bluh's studies on rare botanicals and her studies led her to the groundbreaking Cellular Extraction Process, which allows the extraction of the phytoactive profile of a plant at its most potent form. Her formulas utilize this game-changing technology to deliver Advanced Bioactive Solutions to the skin.

For February's Beauty Heroes Discovery we selected two full-size products from Bluh Alchemy: the Botanic Retinol Cell Renewal Concentrate (hero but it's super) and the Eye Oil Serum (sidekick every superhero needs). This concentrate Bakuchiol replicates the corrective properties of retinol and instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines, enlarged pores breakouts, uneven skin tone. It is paired with a variety of antioxidants including Kakadu Plum to boost cell renewal and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Finger lime caviar will smooth and tone your skin. Mountain pepper leaf cellular extraction with ORAC levels that are beyond the norm will guard against premature ageing.

African Botanics

In a corner of the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Johannesburg, South Africa is a yellow-tinged Strelitzia (also called Mandela's Gold), an endemic species that is also the nation's official botanical symbol. It's an ode to the moral leader of the Rainbow Nation, and a reminder of the country's deep connection to the natural world and its diverse biodiversity.

The introduction of the line of high-end, green cosmetics African Botanics was more than simply a creative venture for Craig and Julia Noik. It was an opportunity to share their homeland with others and give them the feeling of belonging to the ancient traditions of the land that has been a constant part of their lives.

The resultant skincare collection is a tribute to traditional African beauty rituals using the ancient African phytochemistry and cutting-edge botanical pharmacy. The most efficient South African plants are sustainably sourced from the country's remote and unexplored regions, and then infused with potent actives that are selected by botanists and biochemists from South Africa and across the world. The plants are then encapsulated using advanced extraction and encapsulation techniques to produce the ultimate eco-luxe green beauty.

Fifty7 Kind

Fifty7 Kind is an online first company that provides skincare products made of plants with eco-friendly packaging. The elegant line of skincare and body care contains ingredients sourced from the unique hotspots of Southern Africa; these include plant extracts, seed oils, and unique minerals harvested from the desert, the sea, and the land. Gabrielle (founder Fifty7 Kind) was raised in the English countryside as an organic child. She says her mother taught her to cook using raw ingredients and gather wild herbs for beauty.

Slow-fusion artisanal process using sustainable botanicals ensures concentrated extracts that help improve skin health with vitamins, trace nutrients as well as fatty acids and non-polar amino acids. The brand is a source of rare wild-crafted, wild-crafted, and undiscovered botanicals such as Ugandan Vanilla and a sub-species of shea dubbed Vitellaria Nilotica which contains high levels of Vitamin A + E + K and non-polar antioxidants.

YINA is a California-based organic skincare line developed by two female Chinese Medicine doctors. The brand combines traditional Eastern herbal remedies with organic luxury. YINA products include traditional medicinal plants and herbs like Ashwagandha, Hawthorne Berry and other organic ingredients that are commonly used.

Live Botanical

Botanical skincare that bridges the gap between modern and traditional methods, bringing balance and harmony to enhance your beauty. Made in Portland, OR.

A botanical is a plant or part of a plant that is valued for its healing properties such as flavor, aroma, or taste. Since the beginning of time botanicals have been utilized to maintain and improve health. This includes skin care.

Botanicals are available in dried or fresh form, and in a variety preparations. They can be found in the produce section of the supermarket or in the dietary supplements section in the form of tablets, capsules or tea bags. A single chemical can also be extracted from botanicals and sold in tablet or capsule format as a dietary product.

The safety of a botanical depends on its chemical makeup, how it works in the body and the method of preparation. The amount of a plant used in a product also is a factor in its safety. Tea contains just a tiny amount of botanical, while extracts or tinctures are much more concentrated.

A tincture is produced when a plant is immersed in the form of a liquid, such as alcohol or water, to extract the desired constituents. The tincture can be dilute to various strengths. The strength of a tincture usually expressed as the ratio of botanicals to extract.

YINA

Angela Chau Gray, Ervina Wu and Angela Chau Gray are both experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their brand pays homage to ancient traditions with professional TCM practitioners at the helm. The result is a selection of artisanal, advanced and Organic Botanics luxurious formulas for modern wellness routines such as Acupressure and acupuncture.

YINA products are made sustainably in California and are brimming with powerful bio-adaptive herbal extracts. Their flagship products are the NOURISH botanical oil serum and the mask for preventing pollution. Both are rich in nourishing camellia seed oil, safflower oil and licorice root. They also contain antiaging botanicals such as rhodiola and Asian knotweed. The mask also contains pear powder, coconut carbon and moringa that cleanses.

Felicia is a member the highly efficient YINA operations team. She enjoys trying new products and adhering to the self-care rituals espoused the founders of the brand. She is a fan of the YINA Anti-Pollution Mask that includes cleansing agents like pearl powder, skullcap root, and moringa.

Malaya Organics

Malaya Organics, a Brooklyn-based, 100% natural, high-performance brand, was founded by Katya Slepak. She is an expert formulator and designer, and also an aromatherapist certified by the FDA. The company's nourishing and effective products support skin as it ages and are safe for both women and men. The balancing elixirs are a therapeutic blend of phytonutrient-dense whole-plant extracts that are infused in-house for peak efficacy, rich in anti-aging and nourishing essences and oils of plants that are that are known for their anti-inflammatory and elasticity building properties.

Their ingredients come from the Taigas of Siberia and the forests of India and the Amazon as well as the deserts of Morocco to give you an experience that transforms your skin. It is mindfully formulated to help connect you with your inner landscape of peace, balance and healing. The name "Malaya" comes from a forest of sandalwood in the Shambhala tradition, and signifies a sacred garland made of flowers used in ceremonies. These are the ideas that led to the creation of this carefully selected collection of 100% pure, therapeutic grade skincare.

Fran Miller

The line includes everything from shea butter and goji berry body shaver to a hair-smoothing spritz and multi-tasking face oil that can be used for multiple purposes. The line includes everything, from a goji berry and shea butter body buff to a hair smoothing spray and multi-tasking face oil.

Since its beginning, F. Miller's commitment to environmental sustainability has been based on ethically sourced, cbd organic ingredients, and partnerships with conscious manufacturers locally and globally. All of F. Miller's high performance essentials are free of harmful preservatives or Organic Botanics synthetic fragrances. They are also free of mineral oils GMOs, aluminum, and SLS.

To maintain freshness All products are hand-mixed and then bottled in small batches. The label works with cosmetic chemists to create rich in nutrients, botanical blends that nourish and cultivate radiant skin. Aside from their meticulously sourced ingredients, the company also has a green conscience that extends to their packaging and practices. They focus on eco-friendly packaging and use biodegradable and recyclable glass. They offer an annual subscription and refill program to reduce the amount of waste.