How to Know If Your Beauty Product is Organic Botanics

When you hear the word "natural", images of blue skies, birds chirping and beautiful scenery come to mind. The term natural is often misunderstood when concerns cosmetics. Many companies label their products as "natural", even when they contain processed ingredients. So how do you tell whether your product is organic botanics?

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 optimal skin health and guard against premature ageing and free radical damage, oxidative stress, inflammation and bacterial overgrowth.

Bluh's study of rare botanicals and her experiments led her to the groundbreaking Cellular Extraction Process, which allows the extraction of the phytoactive characteristics of a plant in 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 picks from Bluh Alchemy: the Botanic Retinol Cell Renewal Concentrate (hero but make it super) and the Eye Oil Serum (sidekick every hero needs). This concentrate Bakuchiol replicates the corrective properties of retinol and instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines, enlarged pores, breakouts and uneven skin tone. This is combined with a range of antioxidants that include Kakadu plum to stimulate cell renewal and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, finger lime caviar to improve the firmness and tone of the skin and mountain pepper leaf extract cellular with off the charts ORAC to help protect against premature aging.

African Botanics

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

For Craig and Julia Noik, founders of the luxury green beauty brand African Botanics, launching the line was more than just a business idea. It was an opportunity to share their homeland with others and give them a the feeling of belonging to the rich traditions of this land that has always been part of their lives.

The resultant skincare collection pays homage to traditional African beauty rituals that utilize the ancient African phytochemistry and cutting-edge botanical pharmacology. The most effective South African plants are sustainably procured from the country's remote and unexplored regions, and then combined with powerful actives selected by biochemists and botanists both in South Africa and across the globe. They are then encapsulated with advanced extraction and encapsulation techniques to create the ultimate eco-luxe, high-performance green beauty.

Fifty7 Kind

Fifty7 Kind, an online-first brand, offers skincare products made of plants in environmentally-friendly packaging. The sleek line of skincare and body care products are made of ingredients that come from the unique hotspots of Southern Africa; these include seeds, plant extracts and rare minerals sourced from the sea, desert and the land. Gabrielle (founder Fifty7 Kind), grew up in the English countryside as an organic cannabis oil uk child. Her mother taught her how to cook using raw materials and collect wild herbs for beauty.

Utilizing botanicals that are sourced sustainably The slow-fusion artisanal process guarantees concentrated extracts of skin-health improving vitamins and fatty acids, as well as trace nutrients, and non-polar amino acids. The brand sources rare wild-crafted, under-the-radar botanicals like Ugandan Vanilla and a sub-species of shea known as Vitellaria Nilotica, which has high levels of Vitamin A + E + K and non-polar antioxidants.

YINA is an organic skincare line developed by two female doctors of Chinese Medicine millenia old traditional herbal remedies from the East meet the natural beauty of botanicals in this California founded brand. YINA products are made up of traditional herbal remedies and medicinal plants like Ashwagandha, Hawthorne Berry and other organic full spectrum cbd oil uk ingredients commonly used.

Live Botanical

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

A botanical plant is a or part of a plant that is valued for its medicinal properties such as flavor, aroma, or taste. Botanicals are utilized since the beginning of time to help maintain and improve health, and even in skin care.

Botanicals are sold in dried or fresh form and in many different preparations. You can find them in the produce section of the supermarket or in the section of dietary supplements in the form of capsules, tablets or tea bags. A single chemical can also be isolated from botanicals and sold in capsule or tablet form as a food item.

The safety of a botanical is dependent on its chemical composition and how it functions within the body and the method of preparation. The quantity of botanicals used in a product can also affect the safety of the product. A cup of tea only has a tiny amount of it, however, a tincture is more concentrated.

A tincture can be prepared by soaking a herb in a liquid such as alcohol or water to extract the desired constituents. A tincture is diluted into different strengths. The strength of a tincture can be expressed as a ratio between the botanical and extract.

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 with TCM experts at the steering wheel. The result is a selection of modern, artisanal and luxurious formulas for modern wellness rituals like acupressure and acupuncture.

YINA products are produced sustainably in California and are full of powerful bio-adaptive herbal extracts. The NOURISH botanical cbd oil organic sera and the anti-pollution facial mask are their most popular products. Both are rich in nourishing camellia seed oil, safflower oil and the licorice root. They also contain anti-aging botanicals such as rhodiola, bakuchiol and Asian knotweed. The mask also contains cleansing moringa, pear powder, and coconut carbon.

Felicia is part of the super-efficient YINA operations team. She enjoys trying new products and observing the self-care routines advocated by the founders of the brand. She especially loves the YINA anti-pollution cream that is a cleansing blend of ingredients like skullcap root, organic botanics pearl powder tea seeds and moringa.

Malaya Organics

Malaya Organics is a Brooklyn-based 100 100% natural high-performance line created by Katya Slepak, an expert formulator, designer of products, and certified aromatherapist. The company's nourishing and effective products support skin as it gets older and are safe for women and men. Their balancing oils are infused with an energizing blend that is high in anti-aging essential oils, plant oils and phytonutrients.

The ingredients are sourced from the taigas of Siberia, the forests of India as well as the Amazon and the deserts of Morocco. They have been carefully formulated to help you connect with your inner landscape that is one of balance, peace, and healing. The name "Malaya" originates from a Shambhala sandalwood forest, also refers to a sacred garland worn during ceremonies. These are the inspirations that fueled the creation of this carefully curated collection of 100% pure, therapeutic grade skincare.

Fran Miller

Long before going natural was cool Toronto-based Fran Miller created her eponymous beauty line with the premise that "less is more." With the summer heat rising, Miller's pared-back roster of essential oils for skincare is taking the wellness market by storm. The line includes everything from a shea butter and goji berry body buff to a spritz for smoothing hair and multi-tasking face oil.

Since its inception, F. Miller's commitment to environmental sustainability has been based on organic, ethically sourced ingredients and partnerships with mindful producers both locally and internationally. All of their high-performance essentials are free of harmful preservatives, synthetic fragrances and colorings, parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oils, GMO's, aluminum, and SLS's.

To ensure freshness All products are mixed by hand and bottled in small quantities. The brand collaborates with cosmetic chemists, who develop high-nutrient blends of plants that nourish and nurture radiant skin. Aside from their meticulously sourced ingredients, the company also carries an environmental conscience that extends to their packaging and practices. They make use of recyclable and biodegradable glass and focus on sourcing eco-friendly reusable packaging materials. They also offer a refill and subscription program to reduce the amount of waste.