How to Know If Your Beauty Product is Organic Botanics

When you hear 'natural' images of blue skies, birds chirping, and beautiful scenery come to thoughts. However when it comes down to beauty products, the term natural is often misused. Many companies label their products 'natural however they are made of processed ingredients. How can you tell if a product is truly organic or not?

Bluh Alchemy

Bluh Alchemy is an innovative clean skincare brand that has a small, treatment-focused range that features synergistic blends of rare botanical extracts. Becky Bluh studied cosmetics chemistry and found out how to harness plant-based ingredients that have transformational physiological effects. She scoured for a variety of plant extracts that could form an outline for optimal skin health, and guard against premature ageing and free radical damage as well as the effects of oxidative stress.

Bluh's research with rare botanicals and her experiments led her to the revolutionary Cellular Extraction Process, which allows the extraction of the phytoactive characteristics of a plant in its most potent form. Her formulas make use of this revolutionary technology to deliver Advanced Bioactive Solutions to the skin.

We chose two full-size Bluh Alchemy products for February's Beauty Heroes Discovery: the Botanic Retinol Cell Regeneration Concentrate (hero but make it even better!) and the Eye Oil serum (sidekick that every hero requires). Bakuchiol is a derivative of retinol, replicates the corrective qualities of retinol in this concentrated to help visibly correct wrinkles, pores that are larger and breakouts. This is combined with a range of antioxidants, including Kakadu plum to stimulate cell regeneration and reduce appearance of hyperpigmentation, finger lime caviar to firm and tone the skin, and mountain pepper cellular extract with amazing ORAC to help protect against premature aging.

African Botanics

In a corner of the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Johannesburg, South Africa, grows a yellow-tinged Strelitzia (also known as Mandela's gold) is an endemic species that is also the nation's botanical symbol. It's a tribute to the moral leader of the Rainbow Nation, and a reminder of the country's profound connection to nature and its abundant biodiversity.

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

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

Fifty7 Kind

Fifty7 Kind is an internet first company that provides products based on plants that are packaged in eco sustainable packaging. The elegant line of body and skincare care contains ingredients sourced from the unique hotspots of Southern Africa; these include plant extracts, seed oils, and unique minerals harvested from the sea, desert and the earth. Gabrielle (founder Fifty7 Kind) was raised in the English countryside as an organic child. She says her mother taught her how to cook using raw materials and collect wild herbs for beauty.

Slow-fusion of artisanal processes using botanicals that are sourced sustainably provides concentrated extracts that help improve skin health by providing nutrients, vitamins, trace minerals such as fatty acids, amino acids that are not polar. The brand sources rare, wildcrafted, and under the radar botanicals such as Ugandan Vanilla, a subspecies of shea referred to as Vitellaria Nilotica, which provides high levels Vitamin A E, K, and as well as non-polar antioxidants.

YINA is a California-based organic cbd oil for sale skincare line founded by two female Chinese Medicine doctors. This brand combines ancient East herbal remedies with botanical organic luxury. YINA products are made up of traditional medicinal plants and herbs like Ashwagandha, Organic Botanics Hawthorne Berry and other common organic ingredients.

Live Botanical

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

A botanical is a plant or part of a plant that is valued for its therapeutic properties, flavor, or scent. Botanicals are used since the beginning of time to help maintain and improve health, for example, in skin care.

Botanicals are available in fresh or dried forms and in a variety of preparations. They can be found in the produce aisle in a supermarket or in the dietary supplement section in tablets, capsules, tea bags, or 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 plant is determined by its chemical composition, how it works in the body and how it is prepared. The amount of botanicals included in a product may also affect the safety of the product. A cup of tea contains a small amount of the plant, however, a tincture is more concentrated.

A tincture is made by soaking a plant in a liquid such as water or alcohol to extract the desired constituents. A tincture can be dilute into various strengths. The strength of a botanical tincture can be measured in terms of a ratio 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 homage to ancient traditions and has TCM professionals at the helm. The result is a range of artisanal, advanced and luxurious formulas for modern wellness rituals like Acupressure and acupuncture.

YINA products are manufactured sustainably in California and are brimming with powerful bio-adaptive herbal extracts. Their most popular products are the NOURISH botanical oil serum and the anti-pollution mask. Both are rich in camellia seeds, safflower oils, and licorice roots. They also contain anti-aging botanicals, such as rhodiola, bakuchiol and Asian knotweed. The mask also includes cleansing moringa, pear and coconut carbon.

Felicia is part of the super-efficient operations team at YINA, and she enjoys exploring new products for health and practicing the self-care rituals that were formulated by the founders of the company. She is a huge fan of 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 created by Katya Slepak. She is an expert formulator and designer, as well as an aromatherapist certified by the FDA. The brand's nourishing and results-driven products are designed to help the skin's aging process and are safe for both men and women. The balance oils are infused the therapeutic blend rich in anti-aging essential oils, plant oils and phytonutrients.

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

Fran Miller

Before going natural was trendy Toronto-based Fran Miller created her eponymous beauty brand with the mantra "less is better." With the summer heat gaining momentum, Miller's pared-back roster of oil-based skincare essentials is taking the wellness market by storm. The line includes everything from shea butter to Goji berry body scrub to a spritz for smoothing hair and multi-tasking face oil.

Since its beginning, F. Miller's commitment to sustainability in the environment has been based on a focus on ethically sourced, organic ingredients and partnerships with mindful manufacturers both locally and globally. All of their high-performance essentials are free from harmful preservatives, synthetic fragrances, colorings, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, petrolatum, aluminum, GMO's, and SLS's.

To maintain freshness All products are hand-mixed and bottled in small quantities. The brand collaborates with cosmetic chemists who create rich in nutrients, blends of plants that nourish and cultivate radiant skin. In addition to their carefully 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.