Bloom Custom Botanicals to Nourish the Skin
I feel refreshed from my brief blogging break, and so does my skin after using Bloom Skin Essentials, a natural, organic, cruelty-free and gluten-free line of custom botanical skin care designed to nourish your skin with vegan and vegetarian ingredients (the products I received contain only organic, steam-distilled, medical-grade botanical and essential oils, as well as herbs, roots and plant extracts; however, some of the line includes USDA organic ghee and milk powder). Bloom is free from harsh chemicals, toxins, synthetic fragrances, preservatives, parabens, nanoparticles, silicon, sodium laurel sulfate, alcohol, petroleum-based products, fillers (including water), GMOs, PEG, phenoxyethanol, pesticides and insecticides.
The lovely Misty Litt (here she is pictured with her daughter Beatrice in 2015; this photo is taken from the Bloom Skin Essentials website) founded Bloom, inspired by an early interest in skin care (she recalls making her first facial mask out of oatmeal and honey at the age of 10; she apparently tested it out on her reluctant big sister) and her daughter (isn't she a cutie?), who was diagnosed with a slew of health issues (more information on this personal story is posted on the "Our Story" page of the site). Wanting to live the most natural lifestyle possible, Misty focused on learning more about what we eat, drink and put on our skin, as well as about the therapeutic properties of food and plants. She began experimenting with skin care on another level, no longer just rubbing olive oil into her skin, but by getting into truly customized, deeply rooted skin care. The result is Bloom.
Misty was kind enough to send me her Bloom Skin Essentials Glow Daily Tonic, Hydrate Hydrating Botanical Mist and Nourish Essential Facial Serum for Combination Skin. They all come in 100% recyclable glass bottles with eye-catching, brightly colored labels.
Glow is the first product in this particular 3-step skincare regime. It can be used on face and body to gently remove dirt and makeup (I like to apply it with a cotton round, so I can see it getting the job done; then, I wash my face with it, as usual), leaving your skin cleansed and simply glowing. I happen to adore oil cleansers for their ability to clear away impurities without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. They're also nice for a good facial or body massage during the cleansing process (you could also include Polish into your routine for a deeper cleanse). This one happens to have an intoxicating herbal scent from only natural ingredients, including apricot kernal oil, olive oil, palmarosa, lavender, lemon peel and non-GMO vitamin E.
The next step is to hydrate and nourish your skin. The two products with these names actually work hand-in-hand, as they both hydrate your skin and give it a dewy glow. Hydrate starts the process and preps the skin for Nourish, while Hydrate is also nice for refreshing your skin throughout the day.
Hydrate is my favorite product out of the three. If you follow me on Instagram, then you know how I've been taking it everywhere with me. I love spritzing this combination of Bulgarian rose hydrosol, aloe, palmarosa, lavender, Moroccan rose and lemon peel from head to toe for instant hydration on the go. Somehow, it does a spectacular job of both cooling down and calming my skin in heat and humidity, while still delivering the benefits of a body lotion, without the fillers and emulsifiers. The sweet, refreshing floral scent is also a lovely, energizing pick-me-up. Oh, and of course, it does an excellent job of setting my makeup, especially on these summer days.
Last, but not least, is Nourish, which comes in three different formulas. There's one for dry skin, one for oily and another for combination skin. I happen to have combination skin, so that's what I received. It contains jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, apricot kernal oil, rosehip seed oil, sandalwood, Moroccan rose, palmarosa, lavender, vetiver and non-GMO vitamin E.
It's important to select your serum based on your skin type to ensure the best result. For example, my skin is in a state of confusion, with a case of Peter Pan syndrome. Although I have mature skin, it doesn't want to grow up yet, making it still prone to breakouts. The combination skin serum lightly moisturizes, plumps and firms my skin, giving it a youthful glow without looking too oily or clogging my pores. I was surprised at how little I needed to use and how well it absorbed into my skin, especially when applied right after Hydrate. Similar to Glow, it's perfect for massaging into the skin and enjoying its aromatherapy benefits.
I have to say that using Bloom is definitely a spa-like experience, a daily treat for your skin. If you are a fan of facial oils and oil cleansing (or have been curious about them), it's definitely worth a try (you can use the code: RAWDORABLE to get 15% off your Bloom Skin Essentials purchase). When you do, let me know what you think. You can find my on Twitter at @Rawdorable and/or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).
Btw, Bloom Skin Essentials supports The Plant A Billion Trees Campaign, planting a tree with every order. Gotta love that.
