Many skin care companies are coming out with lines specifically geared towards sensitive skin, which is great news.  It can be difficult finding the right treatment choices when dealing with sensitive skin.  However, just because a product line claims to be for sensitive skin, I always recommend doing a test patch first.  It’s better safe than sorry when dealing with a condition like this.  The primary goal for treatment of sensitive skin is to calm and cool the skin while increasing the skin’s ability to create a barrier from the environment.  When purchasing a product, stay on the lookout for ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, allantoin, azulene, and licorice extracts which help to calm and soothe the skin.

One skin care line that I’ve always been a true fan of is Origins.  Origins teamed up with Dr. Andrew Weil, the foremost authority on integrative health, and developed a collection of sensitive skin treatments that optimize the skin’s defenses while targeting a wide array of skin concerns.  Made of a potent blend of health-promoting plants and herbs, this line has shown to be a promising treatment for those with sensitive skin.  The entire line includes:

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Serum

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cream

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Eye Serum

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Lotion

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Eye Makeup Remover Pads with Therapeutic Benefits

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins™ Conditioning Lip Balm with Turmeric

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Body Cream

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Skin-Calming Face Mask

In addition to being a great line, Origins still holds true to their Recycling Program taking any empty beauty container (Origins or not) and recycling them for you.  Dr. Weil has also promised to donate all profits from his line of products with Origins to the Weil Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting integrative medicine through training, education and research. And as if this couldn’t get any better, Origins is offering a free Skincare Set with any skincare order until October 3^rd on Origins.com.  With four different sets targeting aging, brightening, firming, or repairing you get deluxe samples of a cleanser, serum, and Origins popular Modern Friction gentle dermabrasion.  How great is that?

So to all my sensitive skinned beauties, I feel your pain but stay positive.  There are so many promising products out there! 

Until next time everyone…  xoxo

So looking for a healthier alternative, Kristin had asked me what my recommendation would be for an organic makeup remover.  So pleased to get an eco-question, and finding it hard to pick just one, I decided to compile a list of my top 5 organic makeup removers.  These all come from brands I trust and are all just as excellent at removing makeup as the other not so eco-friendly brands.

1. Origins Well Off- This fast and gentle eye makeup remover is probably my overall favorite.  Gentle cleansers work to quickly dissolve makeup while Rose Damascena helps to soothe and calm the delicate eye area.  By applying with a cotton pad, the cleansers break down eye makeup so efficiently that there is very little need for rubbing and tugging.  And the best part about it is Origin’s Recycling Program.  You can bring all your empty cosmetics containers (regardless of brand!) to your nearest Origins retail or department store nationwide.  They will send your empty containers to be recycled and used for energy recovery.  Being the first in the industry to do this, they are adding to their good deeds by rewarding anyone that participates with a FREE sample of choice of one of Origin’s high-performance skincare products.  It’s so nice seeing a company that really supports a good cause.
2. Caudalie Cleansing Water- Perfect for those with sensitive skin, this water cleanser attracts dirt like a magnet and sweeps it away without rubbing.  There is no need to wash your face afterwards, as there is no oily residue left over like most makeup removers can leave behind.  I actually use this product just for that reason.  In fact, it is actually a facial cleanser as well so you can use it as a secondary cleanse after you initially remove your makeup.  It also doubles as a toner including soothing and hydrating ingredients that work together to add radiance to the skin.  It’s one of Caudalie’s (one of my fav skincare brands) top sellers and is definitely suitable for contact lens wearers.  I highly recommend it.
3. Organic Wear 100% Natural Makeup Remover- These makeup removers come in every possible form you could think of making it super easy to pick what works best for you.  They come in pads, towelettes, liquid form, and lotion form.  The soft pads and towelettes are 100% natural and contain Organic Wear’s ultra gentle formula that helps to condition eyelashes and soften the skin with organic aloe vera extract.  They are also infused with organic cucumber extract to soothe the delicate eye area as well as organic soy and olive oil to moisturize and fight free radicals.  These removers even contain organic lavender essential oil, which provides the perfect calming effect right before bedtime.
4. Eminence Herbal Eye Make-Up Remover- This soothing makeup remover is gentle enough for all skin types and actually helps to keep the pH of the skin balanced.  Key ingredients contain calendula flower extract which is an anti-irritant, cucumber extract to revitalize, comfrey extract to supply Vitamin E, green tea extract which is an antioxidant and rich in Vitamin C, and chamomile and lavender to calm and balance the skin.  Having many anti-irritant qualities, as well as nourishing components, this organic makeup remover is the perfect compliment to any skin care regimen.
5. Jurlique Eye Makeup Remover- Being a moisture-based cream, this eye makeup remover effectively removes eye makeup without causing irritation.  The biodynamic ingredients include jojoba oil, organic sunflower, an astringent that corrects oiliness, and calendula to soothe and rebalance the skin.  You can apply it with your hands or on a cotton pad and it can be removed by wiping or rinsing off (whichever you prefer).  I do want to warn those of you with sensitive eye areas, as it may be a little too active for you.  What I really like about this makeup remover is the fact that it is cream based unlike most makeup removers that leave an oily residue.  I really feel like it is moisturizing my eye area while actually getting rid of impurities as well.

Well, those are my top 5!  I hope that some of you decide to try these out and switch over to a more natural, earth-friendly alternative.  And please keep in mind that I have yet to find an eye makeup remover (organic or not) that truly gets off all my mascara without a little struggle.  It just seems to be one of those things that skin care companies simply cannot figure out.  So let me know what you guys think of these and please keep those questions coming!

Until next time…  xoxo