9 Sumptuous Face Creams & Cleansers For You and The Planet - Effective Eco-Conscious and Sustainable Skincare
There are hundreds of Face Creams on the market all claiming different benefits. There's nothing wrong with that if they are all scientifically proven. However we think it's important to keep things simple and logical for the best results. After all there are causes and effects to most skin conditions, whether they are hereditary or environmentally expressed.
Humans are a product of nature, so shouldn't we be looking to nature for ingredients that are scientifically proven to provide the benefits that we require? Shouldn't our Face Creams contain ingredients sourced from our planet's ecosystem?
According to the Centre for Surgical Dermatology, good skin starts with a good cleanser and they agree with us - Keep it simple:
CLEANSERS
When is comes to a "Cleanser - For most people, keeping it simple with a gentle formula is best. Those with especially sensitive skin should use washes free of dyes, fragrance, and alcohol to further minimise irritation. If your skin is very dry, you may like a cream or oil-based face wash instead of a foaming formula. The goal of cleansing is to remove makeup, dirt, oil, and sweat without stripping your skin of the good bacteria and essential moisture that it needs."
We've selected 2 different cleansers :
Stella McCartney Reset Cleanser
It's Vegan, Cruelty-Free, made with 99.75%* Natural-Origin ingredients. its suitable for All skin types. It has a Lightweight formula and is Dermatologically and Ophthalmologist tested. It is perfumed with a signature scent "High Cliff" created by Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. The bottle is Refillable and Recyclable. It's 3 key ingredients are Sunflower Oil which is rich in fatty acids that remove makeup and maintain skin hydration. Organic Birch Sap which is rich in minerals, sugars and vitamin C which hydrates and improves the skins firmness. Marine Spring Water** which is rich in minerals improving the skins hydration and radiance. SHOP
*based on the ISO 16128 standard
**Marine Spring Water or Eau de Source Marine is a unique water drawn in Brittany from a natural reservoir more than 22 metres deep. Its exceptional composition is different from sea water by containing a much higher level of manganese and silicon.)
Neal's Yard Remedies Sensitive Soothing Cleansing Milk
Having cleansed your face, the next step is to apply a Moisturiser. You probably know the next bit of advise but sometimes it helps to go back and make things simple when deciding a purchase:
- If you have dry skin, you may like a richer formula, so search for products with the word “cream” in them.
- If you have oily skin, you’ll probably prefer lighter products, so look for formulas with the word “lotion” in them.
- Choose lighter moisturisers for the daytime and summer.
- Choose thicker products for nighttime and winter.
So that brings us onto the Moisturisers themselves- we have selected 3 brands based on : Decades of Experience, Eco-Consciousness and Wild Beauty. They are all superb so it really is a matter of personal preference - It's worth trying them all at some point to see which you prefer- Belle&Basil and Stella McCartney Beauty offer trial / tester sizes!
WILD BEAUTY
Handmade in small batches in Ireland, Belle&Basil skincare products are full of powerful active botanicals from homegrown flowers and herbs, organic oils and wild Irish seaweed. Wild Vegan Skincare. They use two different seaweeds: Irish Moss from the beautiful Donegal coast and Arctic Winged Kelp from the Atlantic Ocean. Irish Moss provides the smooth, silky texture making the moisturiser easy to absorb and deeply nourishing. Arctic Winged Kelp has been scientifically proven to reactivate aging skin cells at the active levels we use, increases skin elasticity, firmness, radiance and hydration.Their eco-conscious packing is recyclable and refillable.
Nourishing Moisturiser
Wild Seaweed, Comfrey & Rose - It contains an astonishing 16 active botanicals, combining to create, bright, radiant skin. It is suitable for all skin types, especially mature skin, skin prone to dryness, redness, sun damage and fine lines. Or if you just love the smell of roses. SHOP
Balancing Moisturiser
Wild Seaweed, Juniper & Sandalwood - This light, fresh face cream is perfect for combination, oily and blemish-prone skin. It also helps reduce fine lines, refreshes tired skin and brings a bright glow to your face. (beware, men can also use this as a shaving balm, so keep your eyes peeled!) SHOP
Moisturiser for Sensitive Skin
Wild Seaweed, Rose & Comfrey infused oil, Plantain herb - This gentle face cream is perfect for sensitive skin and is packed full of powerful active ingredients, with anti-ageing benefits that help soften your skin and relax fine lines. Dermatologically tested for sensitive skin. SHOP
ECO-CONSCIOUS BEAUTY
Vegan luxury skincare best describes Stella McCartney Beauty. STELLA skincare is a responsible alternative to luxury skincare. Another way to care for skin, us and the planet. An Alter-Care™.
Stella McCartney Restore Cream
As you'd expect from Stella McCartney Beauty, the Restore Cream is Vegan, Cruelty Free, has 99.46% Natural Origin Ingredients, it's for all skin types, clinically tested, refillable, recyclable and carries their High Cliff Scent. A reparative moisturiser formulated for skin to deeply hydrate and nourish skin’s top layers while supporting it to feel repaired. Its lightweight formula has been designed to fuse with skin, to be indulgently rich but not greasy. Skin feels instantly nourished, and its barrier is repaired. After one month, wrinkles are visibly smoothed out, and skin elasticity and vitality appear restored. It contains Cherry Blossom Extract rich in anti-oxidative polyphenols, chosen to even skin & reinforce the skin barrier. Natural-Origin Hyaluronic Acid a renowned active ingredient to make skin look plumper & smoother and Organic Birch Sap rich in minerals, sugars & vitamin C hydrates & improves skin's firmness. SHOP
Stella McCartney Alter-Care Serum
The Stella McCartney Beauty Alter-Care Serum is their hero product, its Vegan, Cruelty Free, has 99% Natural Origin Ingredients, it's for all skin types, clinically tested, ophthalmologist tested, refillable, recyclable and carries their High Cliff Scent. Their Alter-Care serum is an essential concentrate that complements skin to lastingly support its key functions of regeneration & protection. Designed as a true skin essential, the Alter-Care serum performs on face, neck, décolleté and even on the eye area - known to be the most delicate part of the face. The formula is so nourishing that, in most cases, you won’t need to wear a cream on top.Harnessing a wealth of active ingredients, rich in essential nutrients, our serum deeply nourishes and visibly renews skin while reinforcing its barrier function. Skin instantly feels hydrated and revitalised. After 4 weeks, wrinkles and dark circles are visibly reduced, skin appears refined, radiant, firmer, plumper and strengthened. It contains ingredients including Natural-Origin Hyaluronic Acid, Marine Spring Water, Organic Rock Samphire which is rich in fatty acids and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and Olive Squaline to reinforce the skin barrier. SHOP
DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
Neal's Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense Age-Defying Cream
Established in 1981 Neal's Yard Remedies pioneered natural & organic skincare & wellbeing : Smooth and plump fine lines and wrinkles, and keep skin moisturised, with this clinically proven age-defying cream. A 3-Peptide Complex helps reduce the look of fine lines, Gardenia stem cells and sodium hyaluronate help enhance skin plumpness, while an enriching blend of Organic Cocoa Butter and Macadamia, Baobab and Argan oils keeps skin moisturised for up to 24 hours. It's Made With 76% Organic Ingredients. Inhaling the therapeutic aroma of Frankincense, which is traditionally used to promote relaxation, helps create a moment of mindfulness. Neal's Yard Remedies are the first to use certified Organic Frankincense from Oman in their Frankincense Intense™ Age-Defying collection. Sustainably sourced from the resin of the Boswellia sacra (frankincense) trees that grow wild in the Dhofar region of Oman, the precious resin is expertly harvested using traditional tools before being hand sorted and distilled to extract the pure essential oil. Suitable for all Skin Types, it contains Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic Acid, Frankincense Essential Oil, It's clinically proven, Cruelty Free, Vegetarian Approved and Certified Organic. SHOP
Neal's Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense Age-Defying Serum
Neal's Yard Remedies recommend using this Serum in conjunction with their Face Cream for maximum Age-Defying effect, and clinical studies confirm these benefits.It provides a high-performing boost to instantly and smooth and plump fine lines and wrinkles with our clinically proven age-defying serum. A 3-Peptide Complex helps reduce the look of fine lines, gardenia stem cells and sodium hyaluronate help enhance skin plumpness, while a synergistic blend of acacia Senegal and hydrolysed rhizobian gum helps smooth the skin to instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Again inhaling the therapeutic aroma of Frankincense, which is traditionally used to promote relaxation, helps create a moment of mindfulness. Suitable for all Skin Types, it contains Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic Acid, Frankincense Essential Oil, It's clinically proven, Cruelty Free, Anti-Aging, Vegetarian Approved and Certified Organic. The container is glass and the packaging is FSC cardboard so both can be recycled. SHOP
It's important to point out that we do get a small commission on sales of these products. We curated them because we like what they stand for and for the products they create i.e. Good for you and good for the planet. We also donate at least 1% of our turnover from these and all our products on Ateliers Verts® to the Good Causes associated with each product.
Header Image: ©L'Oréal Paris USA - Skincare Through Ages Article (November 26th 2018)
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