Introduction

The last few weeks have been wild! It seems as if all of humanity has quite literally been stopped dead in its tracks and mother nature has sent everyone to their rooms to do some thinking, shifting (and in my hope) some major leveling up. As a small business owner, I had to make a full pivot from owning and operating a physical studio to running an online business within a matter of days. The stress of creating a whole new operating platform and doing my best to still take care of my clients and employees has been overwhelming, not to mention the daily doom and gloom from the news.

In moments like these, maintaining a nourishing self-care practice is paramount in order to stay grounded and continue to function on a high level.

Self-care is not a one size fits all model, and is really about honing in on what feeds your soul. For me, right now, my non-negotiables are morning coffee in bed while I listen to this Abraham Hicks meditation, immune boosting and stress leveling supplements, A LOT of water, daily movement (a mix of at home Pilates, barre, yoga and self-fascial release), and amping up my skincare routine with some of my favorite luxe products.

Indulgent, effective, green skincare is my thing, and African Botanics is currently my favorite eco-luxe skincare line. I have been using this line for the last few months, and I can’t stop singing its praises. AB is a LA based company whose founders are a husband-and-wife team from South Africa. The whole collection has been built around using traditional African medicinal knowledge with wild-harvested ingredients that come from the desert to the sea of South Africa. These plants are sustainably grown and harvested in their natural habitats, free from farming and pesticides where care for future generations of each plant is a top priority for the company.

Here is a list of my favorite items from their collection:

Cleansers

Fleur de Rose Cream Cleanser & Baobab Clay Oxygenating Cleanser

Both of these cleansers work well and are very gentle on the skin. Neither are foaming or feel like they strip the skin of its moisture after use. They both also smell delicious. Hence its name, the Rose Cream Cleanser smells like roses, but the scent is very subtle and earthy, not floraly. The Baobab Clay Cleanser combines sandalwood and cedarwood essential oils with Jasmine flower blossoms to give this wash the most heavenly scent. I typically find myself using the Rose Cream Cleanser in the morning, especially if I may have used a retinol or exfoliating product the night before. This cleanser is ultra moisturizing and leaves my skin feeling plump, soft and serum ready. The Baobab Cleanser is left in my shower and I use it almost every night. It’s the perfect cleanser after a sweaty workout, long day at the studio, or being out in the elements. It removes toxins and leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed. I rarely wear face make-up, and don’t normally double cleanse, but for those who do I would recommend this product second.

Toner

Rose Treatment Essence

Toning is an often overlooked step, but I have found it to be game changing for my skin over the last few years. When people think of a traditional toner a more liquid based product typically comes to mind, but the Rose Treatment Essence comes out of the pump dispenser as a lovely rose-scented fluid gel that completely melts into your skin as you apply. I have a couple different toners that I alternate between, and I find that I use this one the most, especially when my skin is feeling on the dryer side. This is a multifunctional product designed with actives that include: hyaluronic acid which plumps the skin, caffeine to lift and firm, and niacinamide that is great for circulation and rebalancing the skin’s pH.

Oil/Serum

Neroli Infused Marula Oil

I love this face oil! If you are new to the face oil game I highly recommend this one because it is multifunctional and can be applied alone or layered with other serums and moisturizers. It is sheer, delicate and richly nourishes the skin skin due to its ideal essential fatty acid ratios. The marula oil has a light molecular size which means it penetrates quickly and is good even for oilier/acne-prone skin types, and it is the richest plant source of Omega 9s. The hand-harvested Neroli blossoms not only give this oil the loveliest scent, they also help to balance, calm and rejuvenate the skin.

Moisturizer

Intense Skin Repair Balm +

When my skin is dry and I am in need of penetrating moisture I reach for the Intense Skin Repair Balm to layer over the Neroli Infused Marula Oil. I don’t typically apply this over my whole face, but will spot treat areas I know lack moisture, i.e, the delicate skin around my eyes, my lips (especially during winter), and now that I am in my late 30s I layer this on those pesky lines that have started to develop across my neck. The balm melts into the skin with rich, silky Cape Mahogany, Mango Seed, and Shea butter that lock in moisture, yet unlike a traditional balm, this product also includes active ingredients like a serum – Retinol, CoQ10 and Vitamin C. The texture and the scent make me feel extra indulgent when I use it, and a little dollop definitely goes a long way.

All-in-all, on an efficacy note, this whole line has been a game changing for my skin, but on a personal note, the luxurious look, smell and feel of this line has given me a sense of normalcy, and the ability to create a spa like atmosphere in my home while it seems like the whole world has shut down. Yes, this might sound a bit obnoxious and privileged, but I am just being real about the little things where I am finding light. We may not know how long we will be stuck indoors, but I will tell you once this is all over, I will be strutting out of my apartment with the most nourished and dewy skin thanks to African Botanics.