One Love Organics Review

Hello Lovely Readers!

If you haven’t heard of One Love Organics (OLO), it’s about time you did. These organic skincare products are both highly functional and adorable! (I know, you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but pretty packaging definitely adds to the allure).

I recently purchased two OLO products: the Skin Savior Waterless Beauty Balm and the Easy Does it Foaming Cleanser. Each product works amazingly well on its own, but they are even better as a dynamic duo in what OLO has coined the double cleansing method.

The Skin Savior is a multipurpose balm and can be used as a rich moisturizer (good for eczema), makeup base for loose mineral pigments, mask, and cleanser (which is my favourite use).

As you may know, I love cleansing with oil and this heavenly scented vanilla and citrus balm is such a treat to use! Made with cold-pressed oils (coconut and mango to name a few) it works to break up oil, dirt, and makeup that is hard to remove with a regular cleanser. To use, I massage the balm onto a dry face and spend a few minutes working it in (while enjoying the creamy texture and lovely scent). After, I remove it with a soft, dry microfiber cloth; leaving my skin feeling both clean and moisturized!

The real magic comes when you follow it up with the Easy Does it Foaming Cleanser.* This second ‘wash’ removes everything else that the balm did not pick up. I often find foaming washes are very drying, but luckily I didn’t have that problem with this soap free cleanser which, as the name would have you believe, foams quite well despite it being “soap free”.

*Note: I have used other gentle cleansers for my ‘second wash’ and they seem to work just as well, but a good gentle cleaner, like this one, is hard to come by.

“We believe in the power of the beauty ritual to renew, relax, and transform.” – One Love Organics

An added bonus: both products come in travel size, which is what prompted me to purchase them in the first place. Next month I am going on a big trip to Asia and instead of bringing my whole cleansing arsenal with me, I have these perfect size OLO products to take and enjoy along the way!

The next OLO products to try are the Daily Body Serum in either lavender or neroli, and the Vitamin C active moisture serum. Both have received rave reviews and look extremely indulgent.

Have you tried any One Love Organics products? Tell me about them!

If you are in the U.S., One Love Organics products can be purchased directly on the website, but they currently do not ship outside of the country. There are many online stores selling OLO products (I bought mine from Clementine Fields), as well as boutiques. If you are in Toronto, check out Blossom Lounge in the Distillery district. 

3 simple ways to kick start your skincare routine

Are you someone who never devotes time to a skincare routine because you think that it takes too much time, or costs too much money? Maybe you know someone who thinks this way (if so, share this post). Your skin does not have to suffer as a result of your schedule. Here are 3 simple things that you can do to kick start your skincare routine to make it more effective in no time, and at no cost!

Give your skincare a kick start!

1. Quit washing your face in the morning. If your face is always tight after washing and you deal with dry skin but don’t have time to find a new moisturizer or cleanser, try washing only at night and see how your face oils balance out. Alternatively, if your skin is extremely oily, try this as well! You may be over washing which can cause your skin to produce more oils to compensate for what you are scrubbing away. Instead of cleanser in the morning, just splash a little water on your face and apply a moisturizer as usual.

2. Sprinkle a little baking soda in your cleanser. If you don’t have time to go searching for an exfoliator, or don’t want that extra step, trusty baking soda can act as an excellent gentle scrub. Don’t even own a cleanser? Add a splash of water instead (enough to make a paste with the baking soda). You can do this nightly, or 2-3 times per week.

3. Apply moisturizer on damp skin. When moisturizer is applied to damp skin it helps to trap water on surface cells and acts as a barrier for moisture loss. Thus making your moisturizer more effective without even having to switch it!

Do you have any skincare ‘hacks’ that simplify your routine ? Please share!

Also, if you haven’t already, don’t forget to watch the Spread Beauty video and join the movement to spread a little love and beauty to everyone you know! If you find it inspiring, please share using #SpreadBeauty

My Simplified Skincare Routine

Hi Lovely Readers,

As you know I spend a lot of time talking about products and beauty routines, but I have never really delved into my own daily rituals. I wanted to share with you a very simplified version.

I love so many different brands and I incorporate them into my routine depending on my skin’s needs or my mood. That said, the foundation of my skincare regime is based solely on readily available, raw ingredients. This (I must confess) is because I have a fear.

I am afraid that I will get stuck using a specific product that I cannot live without; I will move somewhere where they don’t carry it, or it will be discontinued. I don’t like to rely sooo heavily on something that my routine is not sustainable. I know. . . perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but I actually maintain this philosophy throughout my entire life, especially with food. When you learn to create things for yourself, you never have to go without.

Simplified skincare: sea buckthorn berry oil, raw honey, rose water, coconut & castor oil blend.

So as I said, I have crafted my skincare routine based on single ingredients. Even if I cannot find a certain brand or product, I can always choose another one that I trust based on its primary ingredients.

My skin care routine consists of the following:

• virgin, cold pressed coconut oil
• castor oil
• raw honey
• rose water
• cold pressed rosehip oil/ and or sea buckthorn berry oil.

Evening: 

1. I start by using what is affectionately known as the ‘oil cleansing method’. I will let you read about it here. It uses oil and steam to draw out oil and other impurities (using the simple rule that oil attracts oil). I cleanse using my own oil blend and a microfiber cloth.  The blend can differ depending on individual skin needs; since I have dry skin with the tendency to break out, I use 3:1 coconut oil to castor oil. Also, depending on the season I may follow this up by washing with a gentle cleanser (borrowing One Love Organics’ fantastic ‘double cleansing‘ method).
2. Next, I spritz my face with rose water which helps prepare my skin to absorb more moisture (for the same reason why a wet sponge absorbs more water than a dry one).
3. On damp skin I slather a rosehip or sea buckthorn berry oil. These are my favourites since they act to reduce inflammation and skin pigmentation, heal scars, and are high in fatty acids (if I am really dry, I will use a moisturizer before I put on the oil, currently I am using Holistic Vanity’s Brightening Hyaluronic Lotion).

This polar vortex is wreaking havoc on my skin and it is in need of some serious moisture!

Morning: 

1. I wash only with water (my skin is more balanced without a second wash- I highly recommend trying this!), but if I am feeling oily or a little off-balance, I will wash with raw honey. I first wet my face and then massage a small amount on skin. I will sometimes let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse it off. Raw honey is naturally antibacterial, yet gentle and will not strip your skin (note: pasteurized honey is not as effective).
2. Next up, a spray of rose water.
3. All followed with a moisturizer (I leave the oil for night, unless I am feeling particularly dry).

Et, voilà! There you have it lovelies, my simplified skincare routine. I always add things here and there, and change it up depending on the season, but I really love using raw ingredients and seeing what magic they can do on my skin without any assistance from chemists or labs.

– Seanna

What is your favourite skincare routine?