Farm to Face Skincare

Laurel Whole Plant OrganicsAuthor: Lily Mazzarella
This spring at Farmacopia we are welcoming a new line of skin care with the highest standards for organic, biodynamic, raw, unrefined whole plant ingredients.  Learn from Laurel, owner and founder of Laurel Whole Plant Organics, how to feed your skin with the nutrients it needs…

 Meet Laurel Whole Plant Organics!  

Laurel Whole Plant Organics was born out of a need for clean skin care – skin care free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, GMOs, non-organically grown plants and chemically extracted “natural” ingredients. Owner and founder, Laurel, facing her own health challenges of liver function and endocrine disruption, was empowered by the restoration of her health through the use of herbal medicine. Laurel went on to study at the California School of Herbal Studies, and several years and hundreds of formulas later, launched her handcrafted, organic, locally grown skin care line.

The whole plant ingredients are sourced from farms within a 100-mile radius of Laurel’s Northern California home; steeped in raw, cold-pressed unrefined oils; and hand pressed in small batches. From the “farm to the face”, the Laurel line is cultivated with awareness of where skin care comes from, what it is made of, and how it is made.

botanical skin care


 

Q: Why Whole Plants?

A: Because we need to nourish the outside of our bodies the same way we nourish the inside of our bodies. At Laurel, skin care is a form of nutrition. Food is medicine. Plants are medicine. And just as synthetic forms of vitamin B, E and C cannot replace kale, spinach or juicy strawberries in the diet, synthetic ingredients in skincare cannot feed the skin. Our bodies have difficulty recognizing and utilizing synthetic or refined plant substances, and our liver and lymph are challenged in trying to eliminate them.

Whole plant ingredients contain vitamins A-K, CoQ10, hyaluronic acid, ferulic acid, humectants, proteins, acids, antioxidants, lipids, omegas, probiotics, peptides, selenium, copper, beta carotene, and even stem cells. Whole plants provide the building blocks of healthy skin…all ready to be utilized!

All of the whole plants in the Laurel skin care line are sourced directly from local, organic, biodynamic farms, and plant extracts done by-hand in organic, raw, cold-pressed unrefined oils…completely chemical free! (Most refined plant substances used in commercial skin care are purchased in bulk with no connection to the source. Harsh solvents are often used to isolate desired plant constituents and final products can contain trace chemicals from the extraction process.)

At Laurel we believe in supporting the skin not “forcing” the skin. Your skin cells are smart. They want to make collagen, they want to reproduce, and they want to be moist, dewy and healthy! The more we force our skin to get quick results with ingredients like acids, Retin-A, peptides, synthetic antioxidants – or even manipulated plant derivatives – the more we are “dumbing down” our skin. These forceful ingredients may address immediate symptoms, but do not support full skin health as whole plants do.

Check out our A-Z Quick Guide to Whole Plant Skin Care for more info on the benefits of specific whole plants for your skin.

Q: What’s in a Hydrosol?

A: Hydrosols provide raw, bioactive nutrients for our skin. Hydrosols are made by distilling rain water through fresh plant material. This process allows the water to capture the medicinal properties of the plant. One of the most amazing things about the Laurel line is that we do not dilute our formulas with water or alcohol. Instead local, certified organic hydrosols are  added to make our skin care all the more potent and effective.

Q:  Why are Laurel Whole Plant Organics skin care products so bright in color?

A: Our skin care takes on the color of its fresh whole plant ingredients. We use vibrant green leaves, red and blue berries, orange and purple flowers…and usually in the end the skin care takes on a rich, golden, green or brown color. Just like the food you eat, rich color reflects higher levels of antioxidants. White food is similar to white lotion. The question we should all start asking of the natural skin care industry is “why are your plant based products white?”

Q: I’m used to that tight “clean” feeling that comes with washing with soap and following up with a moisturizing cream. What is different about the Laurel skin care treatment that follows cream cleanser with facial serum and balm?

whole plant skin careA: Foaming agents, acids, and alcohols, which give you that immediate “squeaky clean” feeling are functioning through stripping and drying your skin. Your smart skin (did you know it’s the largest organ in your body!!) is working hard to maintain vital nutrients in a healthy lipid layer. Why work against it? Laurel cream cleansers encourage cellular detox; remove makeup, dirt and oil; and have gentle enzymes to encourage healthy cell turnover. The Laurel Normal/Dry Cleanser contains 20 whole plant ingredients including rose and calendula hydrosols, aqueous extract of burdock and dandelion, cold pressed organic safflower, sunflower, and rosehip seed oils, and extracts of licorice, rosemary and cleaver. These cleansers promote balance and leave skin soft, nourished, and refreshed.

Following cleansing with a serum and/or balm provides the skin with deep nutrition and protection that supports its natural function. The Laurel Anti-Inflammatory Serum is an ideal moisturizer for sensitive skin, cystic acne, rosacea and other skin types suffering from signs of inflammation. Its powerful blend of baical skullcap, licorice, chamomile and astragalus help to reduce inflammation, soothe dry patches, treat broken capillaries, even skin tone, and reduce redness and breakouts. An earthy blend of essential oils of helichrysum, lemon balm, blue chamomile, neroli and myrrh calm, soothe, and restore skin health. All Laurel serums contain plants linked to sun protection such as red raspberry seed, cranberry seed and jojoba. (Watch for our upcoming blog on sun care.) Just a few drops spread over the face absorbs quickly. The skin just laps it up!

The Laurel Transform Daily Balm is an ideal daytime moisturizer featuring a whole plant blend of calendula, comfrey, gotu kola, nettle and chamomile to promote cellular healing, stimulate new cell growth, promote and lengthen the life of collagen, and calm inflammation. A luxurious blend of organic therapeutic essential oils of sandalwood, neroli, carrot seed and lemon balm works to soften, plump and nourish the skin.

The Laurel Eye Balm, featuring a whole plant blend of bilberry, fennel, licorice and nettle reduces inflammation and fluid retention, strengthens capillaries, and firms skin. The blend is high in vitamins, minerals, and carotenes. 

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