“You look so much healthier than before the wedding,” my mom recently mentioned as I watched her eyes trace from my forehead down over the bridge of my nose, resting on one cheek then crossing to the other. “Your face looks a lot… better.”
Had anyone else made the comment it would have hit a nerve and I would have jumped to the defense of last summer’s skin. But when my mom notices something, she’s usually right. She’s just as perceptive as she is honest as she can be blunt.
Six months ago my face was a mess. I was one season past a total beauty bag detox. Even though I was drinking more water and finally had a fully sans-chemical routine, my skin was agitated from taking on so many changes at once. A friend had already warned me about quarter-century hormonal skin changes and 26th birthday acne. Add on biking to work in sweltering weather, the stress of work deadlines and wedding planning, airplane showers while glamping, hiking, and a lot of sunscreen, sand, and Seattle, and I’d found myself engaged in a weekly battle against bumps and blemishes.
After remembering how much the combination of paring down and forming a good routine had benefited other areas of my life, I figured I would do well to get on a real schedule and spend a little more time with my face each morning and night developing a more cohesive facial regimen.
So I went hunting for highly effective, highly natural, highly responsible skincare lines. I anticipated trying a few suites of products in hopes of finding a couple treatments to mix and match and get my face back to normal in the process. I planned to write a seasonal beauty roundup showcasing beauty highlights. Detailed reviews of different brands.
But the thing is, my face has liked everything I bought from OSEA Malibu so much that I haven’t really actually changed my routine since I bought two of their starter sets six months ago.
Each product OSEA (which stands for Ocean Sun Earth Atmosphere) carries is vegan, sustainably harvested, packaged in glass, and chock-full of nutrient-rich, organic skin superfood sea plants like their wild Gigartina seaweed, which is certified USDA organic, hand harvested in Patagonia, and sun-dried on special drying beds. The company stands by their products: If you don’t absolutely love something, they’ll take it back and refund you in full. They also offer a dedicated travel size section so you can try each product before investing in a full size version.
Here’s my everyday routine to get glowing:
- Morning: Mist, Serum, Lotion, makeup, Mist.
- Evening: Mudd or Milk, Mist, Serum, Lotion.
- Weekly evening: Mudd or Milk, Overnight Mask.
A quick tip: Brush your teeth, comb your hair, or make a cup of tea between product layers so each one has time to adequately absorb into the skin!
Ocean Cleansing Mudd
At night I love to use this to deep cleanse. It’s a gently exfoliating and it makes acne disappear. The peppermint oil is super refreshing.
Ocean Cleansing Milk
This is a very moisturizing, mild cleanser that I save for those occasions when my skin is sensitive from too much sun.
Sea Minerals Mist
This lightweight spray wets and primes the face for product, and can also seal in and set your makeup. Paired with the serum and lotion, it leaves my face dewy all over.
Brightening Serum
I can be skeptical of serums and first tried this as a complimentary version with purchase. The serum is an optional step, but after seeing how it brightens and evens out lines and spots, I’m hooked on it.
Atmosphere Protection Cream Lotion
This smells divine – like rosemary and lavender and sunshine and childhood in a jar. It’s super lightweight and super duper moisturizing.
White Algae Mask
Every week or two I’ll cleanse and layer on a pump of this mask. It’s clarifying, anti-aging, brightening, and totally invisible, so you can wear it to bed and let it soak in overnight. In fact, one time I forgot this and realized halfway through our wedding rehearsal that my face was covered in luxurious lichen and algae.
I could go on awhile about each of these products that have left my skin looking and feeling healthier than ever, but OSEA does an excellent job of detailing ingredients and sourcing, explaining their product delivery system, and detailing exactly which products are right for your skin right on their website.
Cheers to a bright and glowing 2016!
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