Face Oils

As you may already know, I am very pregnant. Approx 40 weeks now! I'm expecting our little girl anytime now and so have taken the next month or so off of work. And while that means no appointments... it does mean lots of blogging! I have learned so much after working in the cosmetics industry for over 10 years and working in New York for over 6 years. I was really busy living in NYC but now I'm slowing down and I have so much I am dying to share with you!

Lately I've been super ALL about face oils. I found this really interesting article in Cosmetics and Toiletries (a scientific journal on cosmetics) from 2008 about "free form" cosmetics. It seems like it was just around 2008 that the various health conscious cosmetic trends were becoming popular, a lot that can still bel seen today.  Free form earlier in 2002 simply meant free of synthetic colorants and fragrances. But in 2008 the list had expanded to include free from mineral oil, petrochemicals, polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium laurel sulfate, parabens, genetically modified ingredients, phenoxyethanol and most recently silicone. What's interesting about face oils... is they are SUPER free form. Like it shocks me when I look at the ingredients. It's usually very simply a list of oils- usually from flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Here's a breakdown of 4 different face oils that I have in rotation now:

Extra Face Oil

Brand: Bobbi Brown  Bottle: 1 oz, Glass bottle with a twist lid   Price: $83 USD Scent: neroli, patchouli, lavender, and sandalwood Thoughts: Bobbi Brown's extra face oil was the first face oil I was introduced to back in 2006. And for that reason, as well as the beauty and quality of the product, it holds a very special place in my heart. One interesting thing to note is that despite being the most mainstream brand of all these oils it will leave you smelling the most like a hippie. I think it's because of the patchouli and sandalwood. Another interesting observation about the product is the packaging. It's a twist top, and all the others are either a pump or a dropper. It can get rather messy and not very good for travel. But... the packaging is extraordinarily beautiful and the weight of the product in your hand feels very luxurious.

illuminating rose collagen renewal face serum

Brand: red flower  Bottle: 1 oz, Glass bottle with a dropper Price: $86 USD Scent: Rose damascena   Thoughts: I was given this as a gift from the girls at the Red Flower store in SoHo after buying their Nature radiant skincare travel set and some blood orange shampoo. It sat around in my skin care storage unit for about a year. I have had it in rotation with the other 3 face oils for the past couple of months. ROSES. It's very rosy smelling and I kind of love and hate that about it. Just some nights it's a little too strong for me... but during the day I love it! Maybe because during the day I'm moving around and at night I'm just laying there smelling it while I drift off to sleep!  It's important to remember that these are oils that we are putting on our face and usually oils have a very strong scent. I really like the packaging, and the dropper applicator, gorgeous!

Carrot Seed Soothing Facial Oil

Brand: Naturopathica  Bottle: .5 oz, Glass bottle with a pump  Price: $40 USD Scent: evening primrose and very light notes of lavender, ylang ylang and rosemary   Thoughts: I was given this as a gift from a good friend of mine that works at Naturopathica. Since I was already using three other face oils, I was like what the heck, let's throw another one in the mix! This oil is half the price and size of the red flower and Bobbi Bown oils. The applicator is different too, It's a pump top. Travel wise- I think this feels like the thickest glass and the least likely to break. The scent is great! It's definately rosey- but the other ingredients make it a little more herbal smelling, which I love.

Organic Nourishing Treatment Oil

Brand: Dr. Alkaitis  Bottle: 4 oz, Glass bottle with a pump Price: $90 USD Scent:  My favorite scented oil out of he four. It's hard to describe- flowery (rose) with a white sandalwood, subtle liquorice and country mallow.  Thoughts: I recieved this face oil in a Dr. Alkaitis travel set, and it's fabulous! For $55 you get a 1 oz plastic container of the face oil with a pump as well as 7 other products to try!  Despite being the most hippie/ granola/ organic/ free form/ all that goodness kind of brand brand- I think it smells the most flowery and sweet and least herbal. Dr. Alkaitis also brands this as an all over oil- meaning face, hair and body. I look much tanner after applying this oil over the other oils- and the reason why is becuase it has turmeric in it.  See the pic below, the one on the right is the Dr. Alkatis and the one on the left is the Red Flower. The ingredient list in this product is facinating!  You have to read it here.  Dr. Alkaitis is one of the most revolutionary brands out there in terms of health and global/ social resposibility. Taking the whole 'free form' cosmetic idea to the next level. We're talking: certified organic, bio-dynamic and ethically wild-crafted ingredients. The products are biologically active, all raw, living and theraputic. The Doc preaches, 'If you can't eat it, then don't put it on your skin".