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BLM Edition Part I: ROSEN Skincare

I have been wanting to write about black-owned skincare businesses for weeks now, seeing as the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum on social media following the tragic occurrences around the world, and especially in the US. So I have been diligently researching black-owned skincare brands to provide you with some resources and knowledge for your next skincare splurge! Better invest the money where it's used for a just cause, am I right ladies? The first brand I want to showcase is ROSEN Skincare, which is a brand I was introduced to while living in California earlier this year. They are very well-known on Instagram, but what few know about is the brand's history, and its founder Jamika Martin. Jamika's story has been an inspiration to me; she encourages young women to pursue their career goals, being a prime example for female entrepreneurship. What I love about ROSEN is their customer service. The customers really are the heart of it all and therefore you can be sure to get 100% transparency and be heard out if you have any issues with something you've ordered. And of course, like most of the brands I write about, they're all natural and vegan. I reached out to Jamika for a short interview and she kindly responded to my questions about her brand, skincare, and entrepreneurship! Read below. Also make sure to go through the entire post, to learn about ROSEN's recent initiatives supporting BLM.

You started ROSEN Skincare while being in college. Have you known early on that you would start a business by yourself, or was it something that kind of unfolded naturally? Did you have much knowledge about startups? I actually had no plans of starting something, but it’s always been something I was interested in. But for me, I always thought about businesses as a side hustle, never my main thing. I’ve had sooo many ideas, but for some reason, ROSEN was the one I did!  My parents were fairly entrepreneurial is the service sense. House cleaning, landscaping, etc... were all things they did under their own business, so I think that helped me to think of starting something on my own, but I had never seen anyone start and scale a business or product.

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Facial Sunscreen 101

We put so much importance on our daily skincare rituals, but let’s be honest for a minute: who really thinks about facial sunscreen? I certainly never used to. This is why I took to my followers on instagram and asked if they use face sunscreen on the daily. Here’s what they said:

Sample Size: 104 Participants Demographics: Female: 85 Participants, Male: 19 Participants, Ages 18-30, North American and European residents

I get it. Most of us have hectic schedules and don’t get enough sun exposure anyway. But did you know that even on cloudy days, up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate your skin and have negative effects. Skin aging, discoloration, and skin cancer are no myths. So let’s take this to heart and get our SPF on! If you want to learn more about sunscreen, which ones I recommend, which ones I don’t, (and see an embarassing picture of me) then ....

So I want to take you back to February of this year when I was browsing the beauty aisles at Ulta & co. It was disheartening because 1) the girls in there weren’t able to assist me and 2) I didn’t know where to start. Ultimately I went for the cheapest option and chose a brand everyone on the internet praises. But boy was I let down:

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Don’t (just) sleep on this important step: Eye Cream

Eye cream in your 20s? Say what? I would always hear beauty gurus talk about their extensive skincare routines and ask myself if the eye cream really just is an excuse to add yet another pricey item to their endless list of products. Do eye creams prevent aging and crow’s feet? This, I can’t answer. But what I can say is that holy moly was I missing out on the one (most) important benefit: Hydration! Around three months ago I started noticing how my concealer would look cracked and creased under my eyes, especially after baking with translucent powder. I started buying new makeup products to get rid of this annoying problem, only to see it not improving. After further research, I finally figured that it must be the under eye area itself. I didn’t realize sooner because my under eyes weren’t looking particularly dry or anything, under eye bags were my companion for most of my life anyway. So, since then I have been using eye cream religiously in my nighttime routine. My concealer looks so much better and the creasing is gone for the most part!  I have been using the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment (first picture, top left - buy here - Switzerland or here - International). It’s a super thick and moisturizing cream enriched with beta-carotene, shea butter and avocado oil. A little goes a long way, and I have also been applying it to the outer top sides of the eye area, to prevent the dreaded crow’s feet (note: Does it actually prevent it? Don’t know. But I like to believe in the power of placebo haha!). What I learned through my eye cream experience is that you must stay consistent to see results, like with any other skincare product really. Use it everyday (!). Should I also mention the natural glow I got from it? Yesss ma’am! When I use foundation it looks so fabulous, as if I have applied a liquid highlighter.

I did buy more eye creams to test, investing in an eye cream should be worth it right? After all, it is the most sensitive area on your face and the skin layer the thinnest. Make sure to stay away from products with synthetic fragrances. The ones I can confidently recommend now are Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème (buy here), Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream (buy here) and Caudalie VineActiv Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream (buy here).

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COVID-19 Edition: Hand Cream

I don’t know about you guys, but the excessive hand-washing has not helped my skin. It is dry, I have cracked skin in between my fingers and it just doesn’t feel nice. Of course we should keep washing our hands more frequently than ever, but having a good hand cream in store is a must! Unfortunately, I have not found a commercial hand cream that has convinced me 100 % (believe me when I say I know them all.. I have gone through all the shelves in the past years!). I will still include two of my favorite hand creams at the end of this post. But this post is about making your own DIY hand cream with just a few ingredients! It is fast and the result is a super moisturizing, natural hand lotion! Start off with getting the following ingredients at your local health store: - Cocoa Butter (not on the picture) - Shea Butter - Almond Oil - Jojoba Oil - Essential Oil for scent (I used both grapefruit & sweet orange.. grapefruit is amazing for fighting throat infections, so really you are doing yourself a favor in this pandemic time!)

I used 80 grams of cocoa butter, and 40 grams of shea butter. First, you melt the cocoa butter and the shea butter at low temperature (I used a regular pan, which I wouldn’t recommend because of the greasiness afterwards.. - there are double-boilers especially for this.)

Then, let it cool down. After some 15 minutes, you want to add the jojoba oil (around 15-20 drops) and the almond oil (same amount as jojoba oil). At the end, add 4 drops of grapefruit essential oil and 2-4 drops of sweet orange essential oil. I stirred everything with a wooden stick! Transfer it to an empty container and that’s it! You have your very own hand cream now, that will make sure your hands stay hydrated and not a dry mess from over washing them. I apply it every time I have washed my hands. Here is a quick video demonstrating the steps (the essential oils part is not included):

Regarding normal hand creams, I am not a huge fan as they either have very strong and irritating scents or make me re-apply a thousaaaand times throughout the day, kinda defeating the purpose of being moisturizing (similar to Labello chapstick). I do have very sensitive skin though. The ones who I like best and I feel confident in recommending are Lavera 2-in-1 care hand & cuticle cream with organic olive oil and organic camomile, and Caudalie hand and nail cream. You could even add some of the jojoba oil or almond oil to these if you have them at hand!

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Why we should NOT use cotton pads

I remember watching a Vogue skincare routine by a Victoria’s Secret model on youtube and hers especially staying in my mind. She mentioned using reusable cotton pads for her makeup removal. Watch it here. After that, I knew I had to make the switch as well. I had heard about cotton not being sustainable, but after some research I was shocked. WWF advocates for a minimal, and more sustainable cotton consumption as it is seriously harming the environment. For one kilogram of cotton, 20′000 litres of water is needed. To give you a clearer idea, that amounts to somebody drinking water for three years. As if this wasn’t enough, there is more to the story. Even worse is that the pesticides used in cotton farming depletes the soil. Consequences are grave; loss of biodiversity, pollution, health threats to workers and local communities. I think this should shake our conscience to the max! Let us not forget about the waste we produce by throwing away our regular cotton pads in the trash.

I found my organic, reusable cotton pads on Amazon and couldn’t be more glad that I bought these:

You use them just like regular cotton pads, with the difference that you keep them duuuuh. I know it seems kind of weird that they are also made out of cotton, but considering that you’ll be using them over and over again (similar to your favorite t-shirt), it is a step in the right direction. For whoever wants to ditch the cotton completely, there is another alternative on the market, the Hydrapuffs, which are made from pulp and rayon.

The particular one that I bought comes with 20 pads, which will last me for about a week. The packaging is super cute and you even get a little laundry bag with it. Then I just throw them in the washer, in a normal washing cycle (40-60 degrees). Let them air dry and voilà! Another major plus? You will be saving money! I challenge you all (lowkey force you) to buy these and make a step towards a more sustainable beauty routine. 

Buy them on Amazon here or here (Europe).

Sources:

WWF

Elle UK

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Peelings/Scrubs

Why should we use peelings and scrubs? Baby smooth skin is the goal, isn’t it!? Peels and scrubs remove the dead skin buildup on your outermost skin layer. Usually a lot of dirt in there, I mean think about all the toxins in our air nowadays. Our skin naturally regenerates, but we do need to give it a little extra push, so by exfoliating we get rid of the old skin layer remainders. There is a lot of misinformation out there about this topic, skincare connoisseurs will know that there is actually a big difference between peeling and scrubbing. There is also chemical exfoliation, which has been praised in recent years. I won’t go into that, but for more information read Alyaka’s ‘Complete Guide to Exfoliants and Peels’. So here’s one of my favorite, gentle scrubs that I use weekly (religiously!):

Alba Botanica is a great natural, organic and cruelty-free skincare brand. But whenever my skin starts feeling a bit more rough again, I will use two other products: 

1) Cattier Paris White Clay Scrub

I love this scrub because it feels like a 2-in-1! Essentially it works like a scrub mask combo. The clay used in this is Mintmorillonite clay, which is rich in Manganese. Manganese has strong antioxidant properties, and so this scrub is very detoxifying. I love how it feels on my skin after application, it doesn’t cause any dryness and my skin feels sooo smooth. The grains are not harsh, but still get rid of any texture that you may have going on. How to use? Use it on dry skin, after you have done your regular cleansing routine. Massage it in, with circular motions and then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. Wash it off like any other mask (lukewarm water). Buy this scrub on Amazon (International) or here (Germany & Switzerland).

Another holy grail of mine! This baby has been raved about in the beauty community for long. It targets your blocked pores like a pro, so yesssss it worked wonders for me! But warning: Don’t overuse it, as it contains strong ingredients with glycolic acid and salicylic acids in it. I would recommend on a monthly basis, if your skin has been acting out a lot, once a week, but not for a longer period. Glycolic acid originates from sugar cane and has been an allrounder in skincare. It has the ability to penetrate easily into your skin and therefore gets rid of ‘dead’ skin texture. What results is this bright and glowy complexion, because it is actually your skin layer underneath. It is very effective in combatting acne (mild to medium) because acne is often due to dirt accumulation in your pores. The WHO Magazine wrote a helpful guide on glycolic acid. How to use? Nip + Fab recommend using it on damp, clean skin. Massage it in (don’t leave it on), and rinse it off as you normally would with any other product.  Buy it here. Note: It’s especially important that you regularly use sunscreen 30+ after using this product, as your skin can get more sun sensitive due to the ingredients.

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Trends in Skincare Habits/Product Consumption

A while back I asked my instagram followers specific questions about skincare/makeup practices and buying behavior. Some results I was expecting, some not so much. In this post, I will break them down and then use some secondary literature on consumer behavior in cosmetics to try to highlight some trends and explain the attitudes prevalent in the sample.

Question 1: What is your priority/your needs when it comes to buying makeup? 83 % of the participants said ‘the quality of products’ 17 % of the participants said ‘brand being ecological’

Question 2: Do you prefer drugstore products or high-end brands? 58% of the participants said they prefer high-end brands 42% of the participants said they prefer drugstore products Question 3: What is your skincare routine like? 69% of the participants said they have a basic and minimal routine 31% of the participants said they have a routine containing a lot of products

Question 4: Would you pay more for a product if you knew you were substantially helping the environment? 87% of the participants said yes 13% of the participants said no

Sample Size: 95 Participants Demographics: Female: 73 Participants, Male: 22 Participants, Ages 18-30, North American or European residents

The result of the first question was not astounding to me, as I would have answered exactly the same prior to my quest of becoming more eco-conscious in my consumption of beauty. We want products that deliver, we want flawless makeup like the bloggers, a glowing skin with that much advertised serum and don’t necessarily think about the eco-friendliness. And it is in line with other study’s findings. Even though many of us are ‘starting’ to become aware, we don’t buy for an ecological cause just yet. Boston Consulting Group has found in 2019 that ‘Sustainability’ is the primary buying motivation for only 7 % of consumers.  But luckily, major changes are already happening! The green beauty sector is growing and growing (see one of my previous posts about that). I remember having to go to the health stores to get some of my ‘green’ products, but now many regular stores are plenty of clean beauty aisles. Not only that, but also big brands are putting vast effort into becoming sustainable. L’Oréal for example, states that “By 2020, we will innovate so that 100% of products have an environmental or social benefit“ and “By 2020, we will reduce our environmental footprint by 60% from a 2005 baseline whilst bringing beauty to one billion new consumers”. They have committed to decrease their environmental footprint as a big player in the industry, so there will be a majority of other brands following. And to top it off, they are raising awareness among their consumers on how every one of us should join the movement. Our decisions when buying beauty products have an enormous effect on the environment. 

With the second question, I wanted to see if the same people who voted for ‘quality’ in the first question would vote for high-end brands in the next. But actually that was not the case. Many people who look for quality find it in the drugstore! I asked some voters (through DMs) with the high-end preference what their motivation for buying high-end is. Some said they like the luxury feel, some because they know that there are better (& more effective) ingredients in the products, and some said because they were heavily influenced by beauty bloggers. I asked one person who had voted for drugstore, and that person responded because they use the product so often and run out of it, that their wallet wouldn’t agree with luxury buys ;P.

Question 3 asked about skincare habits. I actually thought more people would be doing an extensive skincare, but I was taken aback. 69% do a minimal routine. I wish I would’ve realized much sooner that in order to have good skin you don’t need a lengthy routine! A year ago I would literally be using 8 products thinking I was getting rid of my acne and dark spots. Getting sucked in by marketing, I tell you. Main factors for my skin problems were definitely stress, hormonal imbalance and diet. I read two interesting articles on this matter. They basically said that a skincare routine has become some sort of glamourized ‘show-off’ contest among women. On a more positive side, it also helped women bond and helped to create common ground. But the core argument is the same: having a super expensive, 10-step routine is the result of smart advertising and programming. Read both articles here: Vice, The Outline.

In the last question, I asked directly: would people be willing to pay more for ecological effort? Of course, I was aware that I would get more ‘yes’ answers just by how it is stated. I was both happy and mad about the result, not gonna lie. So most would wanna contribute to the cause and pay more, but still only 17% make it their main priority (see q. 1)? How does that add up? Well thinking logically, consumer-demand is still getting the most value for the price. And value in this case means effectiveness and performance of the products. Plus the price tag. An IBM study with 19,000 participants found that 70% of North Americans find it important for a brand to be sustainable. Looking at it globally, 40% make it their mission to be sustainable and align their buying behavior with their values. 8 out of 10 respondents are sustainable in their behavior. These people would pay, on average, 35% more for eco-friendly brands. So to me, this definitely shows that being sustainable is a habit. And that is exactly how it was the case for me. I realized that my buying behavior in beauty is not sustainable, and so I changed my habits. It is definitely difficult to tackle this, as ditching your favorite products seems like giving up your holy grails. But finding alternatives that are sustainable is so good for your conscience and once you get into this habit, you will not wanna go back. Long post this time, as I did want to incorporate some good sources. Also, I did not do any statistical analysis because duuuuh I am no statistics student and this blog is not the right place for that lol! I still hope it gave you guys some insights. And thank you to all my lovely instagram followers for participating!

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Brand Showcase: Dr. Bronner

In my last post I showed you guys my everyday skincare routine and one of the brands included was Dr. Bronner. I’ve been a loyal customer for years, not just because of the quality of their products but because of the values the brand promotes. Initially I was going to do an entire video on them but my camera started to strike, so I will be doing a combination of text and video in this post. Here’s me reading off of the facial soap bottle (how excitiiiiiing haha!):

Dr. Bronner’s packaging is very creative and that’s what has drawn me to their products. If you read everything on the label, you can’t help but notice that a lot of it has its roots in religion, especially Judeo-Christianism. More to that later in this post. What I also like is how the brand presents their values on the official website, they call them their “Cosmic Principles”:

Their ‘Moral ABC’ is one that encompasses all aspects of a company’s ethics, so they actively engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. As it is an organic brand, their ingredients are all natural and there are no preservatives, synthetic fragrances in their products. Their packaging is recyclable, they commit to sustainable practices and they have direct contact to their suppliers. Read more about it here: https://www.drbronner.com/about/

Next, I will talk about the many uses of their soaps, there’s a reason why they’re called ‘All-One Magic Soaps’: You can literally get anything clean with them! Use them as facial wash, as a body gel, as a travel shampoo, as an emergency toothpaste, to wash your fruit & veggies, for laundry (have tested it and it works!), and some more.

You do need to make sure that you dilute the soap for certain uses. Learn about all the uses and the dilution factors in their official guide: Cheat Sheet Not only do I love their soap, but also their organic lip balm! After years of being a Labello addict, this one practically saved my lips. It doesn’t give you the feeling of having to re-apply every hour. The ingredients are transparent so you can be sure that you are not putting unnecessary junk on your lips (Avocado Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Beeswax, Hemp Seed Oil, Trocopherol). 

Lastly I wanna mention the brand’s very interesting founding history. Started in 1948 by Emmanuel Bronner, a soapmaker from a German-Jewish family, it was a family business from the moment it was created. In 1929 he emigrated to the US due to conflict with his family. He was always very vocal about his beliefs, heavily influenced by Zionism. When Hitler came to power he had to hide his true identity. In the 1940s the Nazis took over the family business in Germany and deported Bronner’s family to Auschwitz. He had a rough period after that, including a stay at a psychiatric ward. It wasn’t until the 1960s/1970s when Dr. Bronner took off - think hippie era! Read more about it here: https://www.drbronner.com/about/ourselves/the-dr-bronners-story/

I hope you guys try out Dr. Bronner!

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Today I am coming to you with a super quick video showing you what I do everyday. I used to have such extensive routines that would only worsen my skin and dry it out. This is a simple routine that has changed my skin drastically! Stay tuned, as I am planning to blog about the brands I am using. 

Also, I am totally aware that I look like a baby without makeup! :):):) Products Used:

- Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap Peppermint as Cleanser  - Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner  - Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate Serum  - Lavera Basis Sensitive All-Round Face Cream

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Clean, Green, Organic, Sustainable - Explained

There is a lot of talk and buzz around these terms, and it can be difficult to navigate through the beauty world without knowing the proper definitions and implications of them. Is something which is organic also clean? Is a green product good for the environment and is the brand therefore sustainable? Unfortunately it’s not as clear-cut and the brands use these terms for their advantage as a marketing tool in many cases. I want to give you guys a better overview in hopes to help you make smarter, and more informed decisions when buying ‘clean’ makeup. 

Clean beauty emerged as consumers increasingly become aware of the harmful ingredients in their cosmetics. They contain hormone disruptors, animal byproducts that can cause cancer, birth defects and other serious illnesses in the long run. As a response, many brands are now detoxing their ingredients list, focusing on ingredients not known to cause human harm.

It is especially important to avoid the ‘Dirty Dozen’ - ingredients that should not be in your makeup (or other personal care products):

- Phtalates (Dibutyl Phtalate) - Sulphates (Sodium Laurate, Lauryl Sulphate, SLS) - Parabens (Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl, Isobutyl) - Formaldehyde - BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Butylated Hydroxytoluene - Coal-Tar Dyes - DEA Compounds (Diethanolamine) - Fragrance and/or Parfum - PEG Compounds (Polyethylene Glycols) - Petrolatum - Siloxanes - Triclosan I will include my sources below so you guys can read up on why these ingredients are bad for you and the environment.

Green cosmetics in turn, focus more on the environment and how ingredients are sourced. They are eco-friendly in the sense that the ingredients are renewable raw materials. Think natural oils (argan, jojoba, ...), Plants like soybean and corn, and bacteria. Green brands also promote friendly and ethical environments for their workers. It’s great that more and more companies are making use of the earth’s riches, just like back when Cleopatra did her fancy (but natural!) beauty regimen in 70/80 BC. :p She was known for her milk baths and castor & moringa oil cleanses. Well-known green brands include Burt’s Bees, The Drunk Elephant, Native and RMS Beauty. ‘Organic’ and ‘Sustainable’ are in the same category as ‘Green’. But you guys still need to be active customers and fully read the labels because FDA regulations in the US are very loose when it comes to cosmetics. In a recent conversation I had with Iva Teixeira, Founder & CEO of ‘The Good Face Project’, she explained to me how the same product (let’s say from the apparently clean brand Caudalie) has completely different ingredients in Europe vs. in the US. Shocking, isn’t it!? So again, you don’t really know if they’re fully clean. This leads me to introducing you to The Good Face Project: they are experts in the science behind the whole Green movement. They developed an algorithm where you can scan your products for their toxicity levels. I am so happy that us costumers are provided with tools like these. Also do check their FAQ to understand how it works. 

Being green and clean and sustainable and all those bedazzled terms is never entirely transparent and that’s why I wanted to make this post. I could include so much more, but then I’d be here writing for hours. Again I just want to emphasize that we can make a difference if we keep buying safe products, not only for our health but also for the environment. The organics cosmetics market currently has a 15% annual growth rate, which means it surpassed that of the conventional cosmetics market. By 2025, it will have reached $25.11 billion. Very promising! :-)

Sources:

Shondaland Acme-Hardesty The Chalkboard Mag The Good Face Project

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Brand Showcase: Mad Hippie

Hi, hello and welcome to my blog and hereby my first post! ‘Skinproof’ is my personal blog talking about all things skincare and will take you along my journey of finding new products to make our skin glow & shine at its best.

This week I would like to introduce the brand Mad Hippie: a family business founded by Sam Stewart and his wife Dana with the mission to be healthy, toxin-free and conscious of the environment. Their product manufacturing is in Portland and their philosophy the following: “From utilizing bioresin sugarcane tubes for our SPF & cosmetics, to printing with soy inks on FSC certified paper, running our Portland facility off alternative energy, and giving $1 of every web sale to conservation, Mad Hippie is dedicated to the preservation of the environment.”

The final result is a variety of products in a feel-good packaging that just scream “Get me!”. I have seen them at WholeFoods and Ulta and was automatically drawn to their isle because of the packaging. Their most popular product is the Vitamin C Serum - it brightens the skin with its powerful blend of antioxidants. Vitamin C is said to have beneficial effects on the skin cells by reducing UV-induced damage and Vitamin E helps in reducing aging effects and discoloration. Other ingredients are Ferulic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Grapefruit, Konjac Root Powder, Chamomile Extract, and Clary Sage. If this doesn’t sound convincing! I will be doing a more in-depth review on the serum in a few weeks. 

At Mad Hippie you can target every skin concern, from sun protection to moisturizing, to cleansing (both oil and cream). I am also very interested in trying their eye cream. I will be sure to blog more about this very interesting brand soon.

Sources: Ulta.com MadHippie.com Freepeople.com Oregon State University