How to Know If Your Beauty Product is Organic Botanics

When you hear the word "natural", images of blue skies and mellow birds singing are what come to your mind. The term"natural" is often misunderstood, especially when it concerns beauty products. Many companies claim their products are "natural" even that they contain processed ingredients. So, how do you know if your product is truly organic?

Bluh Alchemy

Bluh Alchemy, an innovative cleanser that is a natural product, comes with a few treatment-focused synergistic blends that feature rare botanical extracts. The founder Becky Bluh studied cosmetic chemistry and learned how to harness the potency of plant-based substances that have transformative physical effects on skin. She scoured a broad spectrum of rare plant extracts to create a bluhprint for optimal skin health and protect against premature ageing, free radical damage, oxidative stress, inflammation and overgrowth of bacteria.

Bluh's research with rare botanicals and her research led her to the groundbreaking Cellular Extraction Process, which allows the extraction of the phytoactive profile of a plant in its most potent form. Her formulas use this game-changing tech to deliver Advanced Bioactive Solutions directly to the skin.

We selected two full-size Bluh Alchemy products for February's Beauty Heroes Discovery: the Botanic Retinol Cell Regeneration Concentrate (hero however, make it even better!) and the Eye Oil serum (sidekick that every superhero requires). Bakuchiol, which is a derivative of retinol reproduces the corrective properties of retinol in this concentrate to effectively correct fine wrinkles, enlarged pores and breakouts. This is combined with a range of antioxidants, including Kakadu plum, which stimulates cell regeneration and reduce appearance of hyperpigmentation and finger lime caviar to firm and tone the skin, and mountain pepper cellular extract with an unbeatable ORAC to protect against premature ageing.

African Botanics

In a small part of the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Johannesburg, South Africa grows a yellow-tinted strelitzia (known as Mandela's Gold), an endemic plant that is also one of the nation's botanical symbols. It is a tribute to the moral leader and the founder of the Rainbow Nation and a reminder that South Africa has a strong connection with nature.

For Craig and Julia Noik, founders of the hyper-luxe green beauty brand African Botanics, launching the line was about more than a creative venture. It was a way to share a little bit of their home with others and to give them the same sense of belonging to this amazing country and its ancient traditions that has always been an integral part of their lives.

The resulting skincare line pays homage to the traditional African beauty rituals that utilize the ancient African phytochemistry and modern phytopharmacology. The most potent South African plants, sustainably harvested from the country's remote and untouched regions, are then combined with potent actives selected with the help of botanists and biochemists from South Africa and around the world. The plants are then encapsulated using advanced extraction and encapsulation techniques to create the ultimate eco-luxe green beauty.

Fifty7 Kind

Fifty7 Kind is an online first brand that offers plant-based skincare products in eco sustainable packaging. The sleek line of body and skincare products contains ingredients that come from the unique hotspots of Southern Africa; these include oil extracts from plants, seed oils, Organic Botanics and unique minerals harvested from the desert, the sea, and the land. Gabrielle (founder of Fifty7 Kind) grew up as organic in the English countryside. She says that her mother taught her how to cook using raw ingredients and to gather wild herbs to improve the appearance of her skin.

Slow-fusion artisanal process using sustainably sourced botanicals guarantees concentrated extracts that help improve skin health with nutrients, vitamins, trace elements, fatty acid, and non-polar amino acids. The brand sources rare, wildcrafted, and under the radar botanicals like Ugandan Vanilla, a subspecies of shea referred to as Vitellaria Nilotica. It is a source of high levels Vitamin A E, K, and as well as non-polar antioxidants.

YINA is a natural skincare line developed by two female doctors from Chinese Medicine millenia ago. traditional herbal remedies from the East meet organic and botanical luxury in this California based brand. YINA products are made up of traditional medicinal herbs and plants such as Ashwagandha and Hawthorne Berry as well as more common, organic cbd ingredients found in most other skincare lines.

Live Botanical

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

A botanical is a plant or part of it that is appreciated for its therapeutic qualities and flavor or scent. Botanicals are used since ancient times to maintain and improve health, and even in skin care.

Botanicals can be purchased in dried or fresh form, and in a variety preparations. They are available in the produce aisle of a supermarket or in the dietary supplement section in capsules, tablets tea bags, liquid preparations. A single chemical can be isolated from a specific botanical and then sold as a diet supplement in capsule or tablet form.

The safety of a botanical is dependent on its chemical composition, how it works in the body and the method of preparation. The amount of a plant included in a product has an impact on its safety. A cup of tea contains a small amount of the plant, however, a tincture is more concentrated.

A tincture is made by soaking a herb in a liquid, such as alcohol or water to extract the essential constituents. A tincture may be diluted into different strengths. The strength of a plant tincture can be measured as a percentage between the extract and the botanical.

YINA

The founders of YINA, Angela Chau Gray and Ervina Wu, are experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Their brand pays true homage to the ancient traditions, with expert TCM practitioners at the control. The result is advanced, artisanal, and luxurious formulas that are designed for modern wellness rituals such as jade rolling, and gua sha for the whole body.

YINA is sustainably made in California, and its products are enriched in powerful bio-adaptive herbs. Their most popular products are NOURISH botanical oil serum and the anti-pollution cream. Both are rich in camellia seed oils, safflower oil and licorice root. They also contain anti-aging botanicals like rhodiola and bakuchiol as well as Asian knotweed. The mask also contains coconut, pear powder carbon and cleansing moringa.

Felicia is a part of the highly efficient operations team at YINA, and she enjoys testing new products for care and implementing the self-care routines that were formulated by the brand's founders. She loves the YINA Anti-Pollution mask, which includes cleansing agents such as pearl powder, skullcap root, and moringa.

Malaya Organics

Malaya Organics, a Brooklyn-based, 100 100% natural, high-performance product, was founded by Katya Slepak. She is an expert formulator and designer, and also an aromatherapist certified by the FDA. The brand's nourishing, results-driven products are designed to help support the skin as it gets older, and are safe for all skin types. The balancing elixirs they offer contain a therapeutic blend of phytonutrient-dense whole-plant extracts that are infused in-house for peak effectiveness, enriched with nutrients and anti-aging essences and plant oils that are known for their anti-inflammatory and elasticity building properties.

Their ingredients are sourced from the Taigas of Siberia and the forests of India and the Amazon and the deserts of Morocco to give you a skin-transforming experience that is specifically designed to help connect you to your own inner landscape of balance, peace and healing. The name "Malaya" is derived from a Shambhala sandalwood forest, also refers to a sacred garland worn during ceremonies. These are the inspirations that fueled the creation of this thoughtfully curated collection of 100% pure, therapeutic-grade skincare.

Fran Miller

Before going natural was trendy Toronto-based Fran Miller launched her own beauty brand with the mantra "less is more." Now, with the summer heat gaining momentum Miller's minimalist lineup of essential oils for skin care is taking the wellness world by storm. The lineup includes everything, from a goji berry and shea butter body buff to hair smoothing spray and a multi-tasking face oil.

The company is committed to ethically sourced, certified organic ingredients and working with responsible manufacturers locally and globally, F. Miller has been committed to preserving the environment since its inception. All of their high-performance essentials are free from harmful preservatives, synthetic fragrances and colorings such as parabens, phthalates and phthalates. petrolatum, mineral oils, aluminum, GMO's, and SLS's.

All products are blended and then bottled by hand in small batches to ensure freshness. The label works with expert cosmetic chemists who create nutrient-rich blends of botanical ingredients that help to create radiant skin, deliver multi-correctional results, and nourish all types of skin. The brand is also environmentally conscious, which extends to the packaging and practices. They are committed to environmentally-friendly packaging and utilize biodegradable and recyclable glass. They also offer a refill and subscription program to further reduce the amount of waste.