Skin & Tonic London Brit Beauty Oil Organic Credentials
Skin & Tonic are a Soil Association certified brand. The Brit Beauty Oil contains just 5 ingredients, 4 of which are organic and the 5th (vitamin E) is non-GMO.
The standard set by the Soil Association is that at least 70% of a beauty product’s non-water ingredients must be organically grown and harvested. As well as this the ingredients must be sustainable, not use pesticides (of course), any extracts extracted without chemical solvents, all non-organic ingredients must have a non-GM certificate and pass strict toxicity and biodegradability criteria, must not contain any nanoparticles or irritating or potentially toxic chemicals, and manufacturers must pass an annual inspection and keep detailed production records.
Rebecca’s Review
I’m definitely an oils over creams girl when it comes to moisturisers. I simply LOVE this oil! When you first open the bottle and drop some of this face oil into the palm of your hand, you can smell the borage (and I think thistle!) oil which are quite earthy smells. Whilst these strongly scented oils are not to everybody’s taste, what ensues will be enjoyed by most; as you massage the product into your skin, the fragrant neroli essential oil is released.
All the oils used in Skin & Tonic’s Brit Beauty Oil are distilled in the UK, and rich in antioxidants and omega fatty acids. It’s very easily absorbed by the skin, light and non-greasy and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth, and looking refined.
Eline’s Review
First of all, I just love the name of this brand! I don’t drink gin & tonics, but you have to admit, as a skincare product, it has a pretty clever name!
As opposed to Rebecca I’m not a big fan of facial oils and I do prefer creams as they don’t feel greasy and tend to absorb a lot easier. I also thought this oil wasn’t particularly right for my skin type. Because of the omega-rich oils and the borage, thistle and chia seeds (which are packed with antioxidants), I’d say this facial oil is mostly suited for a more mature skin with signs of fine lines and wrinkles.
But still, I was quite surprised by the Skin & Tonic Brit Beauty Oil. It feels very light on your skin and is easily absorbed. The fragrance of the neroli and borage oils is also less overpowering than I expected. I don’t think I will continue to use this product myself, but I would definitely recommend it for repairing damaged skin. This oil also helps with reducing inflammations and large pores. What’s more, you can add a couple of drops to your daily moisturising for a hydrating boost.
Katria’s Review
I’ve heard of Skin & Tonic before and as far as I know, it’s quite a popular brand. Like Eline, I definitely prefer creams to oils for the same reason; they tend to absorb a lot quicker, aren’t messy and suit my skintype better. Throughout #OrganicSeptember I’ve come to realise that a lot of the oils we have reviewed just haven’t worked for my skin at all. I’m sorry to say that the Skin & Tonic London Brit Beauty Oil fits under this category. I’ve found that hardly any of these oils easily absorb into my skin and leave greasy residue or stickiness on my face, even when applying just one drop!!
I feel that facial oils are suited for more mature and dry skin types, and as both Eline and Rebecca are older than myself this may be why they are experiencing these products better than I am! The fragrance of the Skin & Tonic Brit Oil is very light, the packaging and name of the product very quirky and indie. However, this product just didn’t work for me! I would definitely recommend this for those with more mature skin though!
Skin & Tonic London Brit Beauty Oil £28 on lovelula.com
Mallow + White Restore Facial Oil Organic Credentials
Whilst not certified organic itself, Mallow + White Restore Facial Oil contains just five ingredients, all of which are certified organic themselves! We included this product to show that there are brands out there that whilst not certified organic, are committed to using high quality certified organic ingredients in their formulas.
Rebecca’s Review
As I said in my Skin & Tonic review I definitely prefer oils over creams, and I also LOVE this facial oil from Mallow + White. All five ingredients are ones that I love. There’s antioxidant-rich grapeseed oil, brightening apricot oil, multi-tasking rosehip seed oil, hydrating jojoba oil and geranium oil, which not only adds a beautiful and bright fragrance, it also helps calm inflammation and may be beneficial in treating acne.
This oil really suits my skin, and I love the geranium scent, it’s so uplifting when used first thing in the morning. A wakeup call from a facial oil! This oil is meant for normal to dry skin, but it is also great for helping reduce the telltale signs of sun damage.
I’m loving this Slow Beauty movement, a return to minimal, yet highly effective, formulations of whole ingredients, as pioneered by Spiezia, Inlight and these newer brands of Skin & Tonic and Mallow + White.
Eline’s Review
I definitely prefer this oil to the Skin & Tonic one. They are quite similar, but for me, the combination of apricot, rosehip, jojoba and geranium in the Mallow + White Restore Facial Oil is a much more appealing scent. It’s very fresh and uplifting, whereas the Skin & Tonic oil is more earthy and soothing.
This oil is also much more suited for skin prone to blemishes and acne. After only a couple of uses, my skin was noticeably clearer and brighter. And although I do still prefer creams over oils, I’m definitely adding this one to my skincare routine. You can use the Mallow + White Facial Oil in the morning and at night time just as it is, but you can also add some drops to your daily moisturiser. I love that I can combine the soft texture of my moisturiser with the healing benefits of this oil!
Katria’s Review
I found that the Mallow + White Oil is actually a lot thicker and stickier than the Skin & Tonic Brit Oil, so again, I was left with greasier skin. However, despite the grease, once this had set into my skin I was left with a nourished and moisturised face. I do prefer this oil to the Skin & Tonic one, for its fragrance. It’s a lot more refreshing and welcoming.
I like to apply oils before I go to bed, rather than in the morning as I feel like this gives the body and/or face a luxurious overnight treatment which this oil had done! I just wish my skin would absorb these products quicker!!
Mallow + White Restore Facial Oil for normal-dry skin £38 on lovelula.com
Terre Verdi FranChouliPom Facial Serum Organic Credentials
All but one of the Terre Verdi collection of products are certified organic by the Soil Association and COSMOS. The one product that isn’t is the Orange Coffee Cleansing Mask, whose primary ingredient is Moroccan lava clay, which like salt and water cannot be certified organic. All ingredients aside from the Vitamin E in Terre Verdi’s FranChouliPom Facial Serum, are certified organic.
Rebecca’s Review
When I saw Terre Verdi’s FranChouliPom oil was fragranced with a combination of frankincense and patchouli, I knew I had to try it! It is a gorgeous combination, some people might think it to be too overpowering, but it’s really not (in my opinion anyway!)
There’s argan oil and jojoba seed oil, both of which I love using on my skin, and also antioxidant-rich white tea seed oil, and pomegranate seed oil, rich in omegas including rare omega 5.
This oil gives a dewy look to my skin, when used in the morning or overnight. It’s very hardworking, and the essential oils not only bring the beautiful fragrance, but they also help de-stress skin.
Eline’s Review
As the name of the brand already hinted, the scent of this product was very earthy. And although I’m usually not a big fan of frankincense and patchouli I have to agree with Rebecca that the scent is not too overpowering and once applied to the face it actually smells nice and quite fresh.
Frankincense is an essential oil with many health benefits, such as relieving stress, reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system. It is often used in aromatherapy, but it’s also a great ingredient for skincare products.
This Terre Verdi FranChouliPom Facial Serum is an oil for a dry and more mature skin, but I found it also helps reduce the redness that comes with acne breakouts.
Katria’s Review
I LOVE this. Over #OrganicSeptember there have been so many body and face oils to try and review, and I have found that not many have worked well for me. This is mainly due to the products either being too greasy or just not absorbing well at all. However, this Terre Verdi FranChouliPom Oil is amazing, and although it’s suited for more mature and dry skin types, it smells so posh and luxurious, and left my face feeling soft, and looking dewy.
I applied this all over my face after I had finished showering and the fragrance began to fill the air, the oil melting into my skin. The scent was so irresistible, I think I applied more than what the instructions had suggested. It’s a little expensive, but this oil goes a long way. I woke up the next morning excited to massage this into my face again!
Like Rebecca, I’m a sucker for anything with frankincense and/or patchouli: combined and you have a cosy, sweet smelling, delicious fragrance. I’d definitely use this product again and again.
Terre Verdi FranChouliPom Facial Serum £27 on terreverdi.com