Holistic make-up artist and nutritional therapist Sjaniël Turrell shares her favourite natural, organic serums and oils for the changing season.
The best offerings in natural and organic skincare is most definitely the myriad of incredible skin serums and oils. There are so many amazing products currently on the market that narrowing them down to a top 5 list is quite the challenge. Here the focus is on serums and oils specifically formulated to revive and rejuvenate dull skin that is coming out of winter but constantly exposed to varying climates and environments in the change to spring. Sunny one day, windy or rainy the next, these changing temperatures can cause havoc for skin already on a deficit of vitamin sea and sun. Every single ingredient in these products serve as specific purpose and that is why they far outweigh the effectiveness for long- term skin health than their commercially formulated counterparts, not to mention that they are so much better for you and the environment.
APPLICATION TIP: Serums are best used as an add on to your skin regime – apply them to your skin before moisturiser or oil or mix a few drops into your current moisturising choice.
Oils are always best applied to damp skin – this helps absorption and makes the oil go much deeper – apply directly out of the shower, after spritzing a toner or by mixing it together with your favourite water-based serum. If you have oily skin, don’t be afraid of using face oils. Choosing the correct, lightweight oil will help to balance your skin’s sebum production and improve your overall complexion.
Here are my favourite serums:
AMLY – City Screen Protective Face Serum
This incrediby good smelling and lightweight serum from Amly is designed to target daily blue light and screen exposure from spending months holed up in an office environment with not nearly enough sunlight. Full of powerful healing, protective and anti-oxidant herbs, it is also very hydrating for stressed and tired skin. Key ingredients include Echinacea, Marine Algae, Squalane, Green Tea and Nettle, Gotu Kola, White Willow, Marine Samphire, Cucumber extract and Yarrow Oil.
Available at £62 from amlybotanicals.co.uk
DE MAMIEL – atmosphériques Intense Nurture Antioxidant Elixir
This aromatherapy based brand never fails to disappoint in feeling and smelling beyond luxurious. Their atmospériques range is specifically developed as a pollution-proof line, focusing on ingredients that protect and repair the skin from oxidative stress and environmental damage we encounter in every day city life. The powerful combination of ingredients helps skin to achieve a new, fresh glow. It is a water/gel-like elixir that absorbs and hydrates right away. Star ingredients include Malachite, Superoxide Dismutase, Ferulic Acid, Quercetin and Marine Samphire.
Available at £88 from demamiel.com
TWELVE BEAUTY – Ideal Brightening Corrective Serum
When your skin is dry, dehydrated and dull after months of central heating and lack of fresh air, this serum is your answer. This super hydrating water- like serum glides on easily and absorbs quickly to leave your skin feeling super soft and glowing, even tackling pigmentation. It is the ideal choice for those with sensitive or reactive skin because it is free from essential oils and fragrances. It is also a brilliant primer for skin under makeup because it helps to diminish those annoying dry skin patches that often make your makeup look cakey. With Mallow, Peppermint, Cowslip, Willowherb, Lady’s Mantle, Heath Speedwell, Cucumber, White Genepi, Lemon Balm, Yarrow, Masterwort, and Buddleja, this serum is an antioxidant powerhouse!
Available at £68 from twelvebeauty.com
ERE PEREZ – Quandong Green Booster
Super light in texture, this serum is packed with superfood antioxidants and likened to a green smoothie for your face – your daily skin vitamin dose. Just a small drop or two of this serum is enough to give your dry and nutrient starved complexion a good dose of moisture whilst improving skin elasticity, calming inflammation and giving you renewed glow. Star ingredients include desert fruit quandong rich in vitamin C, chlorophyll, spinach leaf, alfalfa, raspberry seed and levulinic acid.
Available at £27 from contentbeautywellbeing.com
ANTIPODES – Worship Skin Defence Antioxidant Serum
The main focus of this serum is to defend your skin against oxidative stress and help combat free-radical damage. Our daily environment is plentiful in these stressors and powerful plant extracts can go a long way in helping to minimise that chronic polluted state. Full of organic New Zealand grown superfoods, you’re giving your skin a daily anti-pollution, rejuvenating boost. Included are boysenberry, blackcurrant and kiwifruit; and Vinanza Grape, Coffee Cherry and Acai Berry are 3 extremely potent antioxidant powerhouses.
Available at £34.99 from contentbeautywellbeing.com
Here are my 5 favourite oils:
TWELVE BEAUTY – Intelligent Frontier Facial Oil
This is not your average facial oil because it contains above average oils in the form of unsaponifiables – these are special fractions of natural plant oils with superior quality and higher undamaged levels of antioxidants that can heal, nourish and restore the skin’s barrier in record time. These oils are very expensive to extract and work with so when you are paying a premium price, know that it is worth every penny – one or 2 drops of this oil is all you need to see visible results within just a few weeks, which means it will go a long way. Specifically formulated with sensitive, hormonal and reactive skin in mind, this formula is free from any fragrances or essential oils to keep it highly effective yet usable for all skin types. Repairing your skin after the harsh atmospheric surroundings of heating, wind and cold means that it will be resilient and glowing in no time. This powerhouse also contains White Genepi, Imperatoria leaf extract, Mallow Flower Extract and Butterfly Bush leaf extract all chosen for their powerful nutrient and antioxidant components.
Available at £180 from twelvebeauty.com
VINTNER’S DAUGHTER – Active Botanical Serum
This oil is fast becoming a cult classic for all the right reasons – it’s a serum in an oil base and works both on it’s own or as an add on. Focusing on regenerating, nourishing, protecting and balancing the skin, this anti-inflammatory oil works to boost your skin using 22 powerful botanicals as it’s base. Every ingredient is consciously sourced and made at nature’s pace to harness the full effect of nature’s best ingredients. It smells and feels beautifully luxurious on the skin and is designed to have maximum absorption and effectiveness with carefully chosen cold-pressed botanical and essential oils. If you’re a ‘one-product’ kinda person, then this oil can be it. With ingredients like Alfalfa, Dandelion, Nettle, Tamanu and Turmeric, it’s definitely the daily multi- vitamin for your face.
Avaiable for £175 from contentbeautywellbeing.com
MV ORGANIC SKINCARE – Rose Plus Booster
This organic face oil from Australia is so gentle and healing it works for any and every skin type. After bouts of extreme weather exposure or even chemical skin treatments, this is your saving grace for a supreme calming and healing effect on the skin. If you’re prone to rosacea or redness from changing environments this is the oil for you. It’s fine oil base absorbs quickly without leaving too much residue and the amazing Rose Otto and Rose Geranium essential oil extracts are enough to make you feel grounded and calm with their gentle fragrance. Apply it at night and you’ll be amazed at how your starved skin will drink it up and feel soft and renewed in the morning, it’s also the perfect add on to your day time moisturiser or a drop or two on it’s own if your skin is on the oily end of the spectrum. Based on balancing and calming Camellia and Jojoba oils with the added healing and antioxidant properties or Rosehip, Rose, Geranium and Vitamin E oil.
Available at £80 from contentbeautywellbeing.com
VOTARY – Super Seed Facial Oil
Made in the UK and as the name suggest, this oil is packed to the brim with 22 specially selected seed oils. Focusing on skin that is hormonal, stressed or lacking serious glow – these powerful but gentle ingredients will help to bring your skin back to it’s intended glory. Make a daily ritual of applying this delicious oil by applying four to five drops on your hands and gently rubbing them together, take three deep breaths of the grounding fragrance and then massage all over the face and neck. It’s good to remember that a calm state of mind plays a hugely important role in the health of your skin too. Creating a calming skin ritual around a nourishing oil can do so much to have you feel better prepared for your day both inside and out. Some of the super seeds include Chia, Cranberry, Cherry, Hemp, Pomegranate, Broccoli and Strawberry oils.
Available at £70 from votary.co.uk
DE MAMIEL – Seasonal Facial Oils
De Mamiel is known for its amazing aromatherapy based formulations which means that the smell alone has a therapeutic effect before you even apply the product. These seasonally inspired facial oils are made in limited edition batches with nature’s cycles in mind and therefore carefully formulated just before each new season. The Spring Oil is ready from March and focuses on reviving, detoxing and stimulating the skin. Chinese medicine sensibility is at the core of this formulation, focusing on Spring time’s wood elements of new life and growth. In order to wake up winter skin, this oil is full of moisturising, balancing and youth boosting fatty acids and antioxidants. Other ingredients have a decongesting and calming effect. This is the perfect product to change up your skin routine to suit every season with minimal effort and massive result. Included in this powerhouse is Baobab, Sunflower, Elderberry Seed, Clary Sage, Lavender, Milk Thistle, Prickly Pear, Marshmallow and Arctic Blackcurrant.
Available at £80 from demamiel.com
Read Sjaniël’s guide for where to start with ethical beauty and discover her favourite natural beauty basics for every budget.