Product Roundup: The Best Products of 2018

Wow! Where has the time gone? Just a few weeks ago we were celebrating the holidays and now it’s mid January. I swear time goes by more quickly as you get older!

2018 was filled with ups and downs, but thankfully, mostly ups for me. At the end of May and the beginning of June, I spent a fantastic two weeks in LA (and San Diego for a weekend) and got to meet up with some of my fave green beauties like Rosie, Nary, and Mia and also caught up with a couple of my absolute favorite green beauty brands: African Botanics and Lina Hanson (they’re both as lovely and amazing as they seem)!

In August I attended my very first Indie Beauty Expo in NYC helping my dear friend, Celestyna, officially launch her new brand AMBAR — which was such an incredible experience! While in NYC, I also caught up with my bestie Tricia, and met up with my friend Lin from Pink Moon Co. and the wonderful Ervina, the co-founder of 5YINA. In September, I met up with the beautiful Laura of Henné Organics. It felt like she was like a long-lost friend — we could’ve talked for hours!

Last year, I also became a brand ambassador for some of my fave green beauty brands: MŪN, Lina Hanson, Bella Aura, and Beauty Heroes and even an ethical and conscious clothing brand, LIVELY. What an honor! I’ve been loving every minute being an ambassador for these amazing, admirable brands.

It always amazes me how many awesome new green beauty brands / products I discover each year! Last year, in 2018, I was completely enamored with new / new-to-me brands like Agent Nateur (the founder, Jena, is the real deal, btw!), Monastery Made, Disciple Skin, Alpyn Beauty, Flower and Spice, Luzern Labs, Chuck and Sam, and NATURALLOGIC (Toni is just the sweetest!), just to name a few. I also got to try some new products from several of my tried and true brands, too — yay!

While I would love to feature all of the wonderful brands and products I discovered this past year, I could only include the products that really wowed me last year — products that I felt like were truly the best of 2018! Instead of doing three “best of” lists like I did for 2017, I’m only doing one for 2018 — it’s a much more succinct list but I think it makes more sense to do it this way.

For 2018’s list, I am only including new products that launched last year or products that are new to me — so that means no repeats from 2017 unless they were featured in subscription boxes like Beauty Heroes or BoxWalla and also the exception of AMBAR, who officially launched last year. Plus you already know what products I loved in 2017 and guess what? My stance haven’t changed! I still love those products just the same today. Anyway, without further ado, the following products are what I consider to be the best products of 2018. Enjoy! (All prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Oh, one last thing to mention — not all of the products in my list are pictured in the graphic above. I simply ran out of room — sorry!

BEST CREAM CLEANSERS

Alpyn Beauty was one of my favorite discoveries in 2018 and their PlantGenius Creamy Bubbling Cleanser is so good! It has a pretty pink, pearlescent hue and smells of bright and energizing citrus. It is creamy (almost mousse-like), lightweight, and foams and bubbles nicely. It rinses off easily without stripping the skin and leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth, and silky. It even exfoliates as it contains fruit extracts and glycolic and lactic acids. Love! ($38)

I also love African Botanics‘ new Fleur de Rose Cream Cleanser* for a cream cleanser. It is ultra-gentle and dissolves all traces of makeup and impurities easily without disrupting the skins pH balance. A combo of salicylic and lactic acid helps decongest and gently exfoliate and makes your skin so smooth. The texture, too, is very smooth and it foams lightly. For a cream cleanser, it’s immensely hydrating and it smells amazing! ($100)

BEST MILKY CLEANSERS

NATURALLOGIC is another one of my favorite discoveries last year and all of their products are really exceptional. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the brand. One of their stand out products for me is their Flourish Gentle Fruit Enzyme Lotion Cleanser*. It’s lotion-y and milky in texture and just divine! It’s super-silky and light has a beautiful vanilla-lemongrass scent. This cleanser decongests, exfoliates, and washes away impurities effortlessly. ($48)

HELHEM Beauté is a new green beauty brand from France that my sweet friend Julie introduced me to. I’ve been trying a few of their products and have been really impressed! Their Cléopatre Milky Foaming Powder*, in particular, really spoke to me. It’s a fine white powder that turns into a lovely milky mousse once mixed with water. It smells like coconut milk and I swear the first time I smelled it I was in heaven! I felt like I was on a tropical island — at least for those few minutes. (~$73; the code “ecochicbeauty10” gets you 10% your order [not an affiliate code])

BEST GEL CLEANSERS

I can never get enough of gel cleansers and OSEA‘s Ocean Cleanser is so so good! I was introduced to this when it was featured as Beauty Heroes Beauty Discovery earlier in the year. It has a lovely gel-cream texture and smells of fresh lime. If you’re a fan of Josh Rosebrook’s Complete Moisture Cleanser (and don’t have any sea algae allergies) then you’ll probably like this one. The cleanser is great for “no-makeup” days or as a second cleanse. It has a bit of lactic acid in it to provide gentle exfoliation. I’m already on my second bottle! ($44; Beauty Heroes members automatically get 15% off)

Luzern Labs is another great brand that I discovered this year and I’m so glad that I did! For the longest time I thought it wasn’t a clean brand, but to my surprise, it is! All of their products are formulated in Switzerland and their packaging and formulas are so luxurious. Their Pure Cleansing Gel* is like a true gel cleanser — it’s clear, has the perfect gel texture (like what you would find in a conventional gel cleanser), and is completely oil-free. It’s super gentle, cleanses well, and doesn’t strip the skin of moisture. It works for all skin types but works exceptionally well for acne-prone skin. ($60)

BEST HONEY CLEANSER

Chuck and Sam is one of the cutest brands I discovered last year! All of their products are simply-formulated but they still give you great results. Plus their prices are so affordable which makes me happy because I feel like green beauty should be accessable at every price point. Their Just Like Honey Facial Cleanser* (and Mask) made me remember how wonderful simple ingredients like raw honey can be for the skin. Its main ingredient is raw organic organic honey and it’s so lovely as a cleanser and mask. You seriously can’t go wrong with raw honey, especially if you have acneic skin — highly antibacterial and super moisturizing! ($28)

BEST CLAY CLEANSER

African Botanics recently reformulated their Baobab Clay Oxygenating Cleanser and it’s almost like a new cleanser! I had already loved the old version, but this version is fantastic! The contents no longer separates! The new formula is almost like a soft balm and for a clay cleanser, you can’t even tell there’s clay in it. It still has the same incredible scent as the old one but this one performs even better than before. I personally think this is the best clay cleanser that I have ever used. ($60)

BEST OIL CLEANSERS

Kahina Giving Beauty‘s golden-hued Oil Cleanser* is all sorts of beautiful. It’s comprised of a base of Kahina’s signature high-quality argan oil and carrot seed oil; as well as, highly anti-inflammatory and antibacterial turmeric, blue tansy, calendula (another fave); and St. John’s wort to heal and repair the skin. I love using it as a first cleanse— it washes away dirt and grime effortlessly! Plus, it smells so so good! Almost like their Essaouira Oil Perfume but a little spicier. ($59)

Another favorite brand discovery in 2018 was Monastery Made! I’m obsessed with their products (I hate to use that word but it’s true) and their Rose Cleansing Oil* is so lovely! It’s bright and floral and is made with rare Edwardian rose oil — each bottle contains the essence of one hundred rose petals. It smells divine! I love using a warm towel to remove it, especially in the colder temps. ($39)

Disciple Skincare is a new British-based brand and I have been really loving their products. They only have a few products in their collection at the moment, but they’ve been slowly adding more! The products work so well and they’re very fairly priced — they’re constantly sold out! Their Night Shifter Oil Cleanser is fantastic! It contains a cocktail of AHAs (lactic, glycolic, and tartaric acids) to exfoliate and gentle fruit oils, like prickly pear and grapefruit oils, to maintain moisture levels. It’s cleanses deeply and removes grime and makeup really well — even stubborn eye makeup! (~$33)

BEST CLEANSING BALMS

moss Skincare’s Beurre Céleste Honey-Infused Rinsable Cleansing Balm still remains my absolute favorite cleansing balm! A holy grail product for me for sure. I included it in this list because it was featured in BoxWalla’s Beauty Box earlier last year. It’s completely waterless and is like an oil cleanser, cleansing balm, and raw honey cleanser in one! It brilliantly removes makeup, SPF, and impurities thoroughly, but gently, while balancing and healing the skin. It rinses off cleanly and works nicely as a nourishing hydrating mask, too. The Cleansing Balm has a light honey-citrus scent that is to die for! ($70)

Leland Francis is such an underrated brand! All of their products are exceptional. A couple years ago I tried a couple of their products and was so so impressed. Last year they released three more products and their melting balm* is equally impressive! It’s a multi-tasking cleansing balm, mask, and moisturizer in one — brilliant! I wrote a full review on the melting balm back in September 2018. You can read my review here. ($38)

BEST MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

AMBAR officially launched last year and their Micellar Cleansing Essence* still remains my favorite micellar cleansing water (and I’ve tried many!) (In case you didn’t know, AMBAR is moss Skincare’s pared down sister concept brand.) The Micellar Cleansing Essence is a delightfully fun, millenial-pink color and smells of apple and rose. I love how gentle it is and that it cleanses, tones, and hydrates all in one fell swoop. It’s great for people who want / like a minimal skincare routine or are always on the go. ($59)

Last year, I finally ventured into K-Beauty (I know, I know, I’m a late bloomer), and tried some products from the Peach & Lily Collection. Their Lazy Day All-in-One Moisture Pads are like pure genius! Technically they’re supposed to be an all-in-one essence, toner, and moisturizer, but I’ve been using them for those AND as a cleanser (for those no-makeup days). Admittedly, I probably use them more than I should but they’re just so convenient! Super-soothing and perfect for those late or lazy nights. ($39)

BEST FACE SCRUBS / EXFOLIATORS

By now you know how much I love African Botanics and when your hubby uses one of their products then you know it has to be good! Their Buchu Botanical Enzyme Polish is a favorite for the both of us. We love this polish because it has this great grittiness to it — it’s tough enough for my hubby’s thick skin yet gentle enough for me. The Polish is comprised of a combination of sun-dried Buchu plant, crushed baobab fruit, micro-algae, and fine granules of ancient volcanic minerals. It deeply exfoliates, purifies and makes your skin so smooth! ($75)

Flower and Spice‘s INSTANT GLOW Calming Exfoliator* is fabulous as well! It kind of reminds me of Tammy Fender’s Epi-Peel but is more liquid-y. The fine polish is made of gentle particles of bamboo stems and the exfoliator also includes AHA fruit acids — so you get the benefits of a physical exfoliator and a chemical exfoliator all in one! It sloughs away dead skin cells leaving your skin super-smooth and still feeling hydrated. A little goes a long way! (~$98; the code “ecochic15” gets your 15% off — even on sample kits [not an affiliate code])

BEST TONERS / MISTS

Dafna Skincare is a great brand I discovered based out of Spain. I fell in love with the brand ever since I discovered them in a BoxWalla Beauty Box a couple of years ago! They launched their Active Mist* last year and it’s so lovely! The Active Mist makes my skin refreshed, brighter, and glowy! This is all due to Dafna’s special MelaCare biotechnology (a dry oil derived from three plants: Camellia Japonica, Oxalis Triangularis and Eremanthus Erythropappus) — these plants are known for their anti-inflammatory, soothing, and antioxidant properties. The Mist also includes calming and reparative calendula; hydrating and cooling fig juice; and geranium and sweet orange EO’s. (~$78)

Ranavat Botanicals is a new-to-me brand that I discovered through Beauty Heroes. If you love Ayurvedic skincare and gorgeous scents then you will love this brand! Their Jasmine Hydrating Tonique* is probably the most goregous jasmine mist I have ever used or smelled — it seriously makes me melt! This toner is your answer to dry, dull, and lackluster skin. It moisturizes skin so well and even helps even out your skin tone. ($40; Beauty Heroes members automatically get 15% off!)

My dear friend Sara, the founder of Skincando, recently launched her new luxury Lux Tempus skincare line and she really nailed it with this collection. One of my favorites from the collection is the Sage + Gold Toner*. It’s formulated with some of my favorite ingredients, like aloe and colloidal silver, and looks absolutely gorgeous with all the gold powder it in. I can’t help but to shake the bottle and watch the gold swirl around in the bottle — so pretty! The Toner has a lemony-sage scent which I find really fresh and uplifting. ($45)

Let’s be honest, everything Maya Chia makes is brilliant! I love all of their stuff — their products smell amazing and work so well. Last year they came out with their most innovative product to date — The Optimist Hydrating Essence*. If I could describe The Optimist with one word, it would be JUICY! The Optimist smells heavenly — like sweet, juicy oranges with a hint of neroli — so bright and uplifting. The Optimist may look like just a mist, but it’s much more than that — it’s also an essence! It’s a true hybrid of the two — organic sake and organic white tea help tone, brighten, and balance the skin’s pH; while, astaxanthin, chia seed, polysaccharides, and amino acids help provide the skin with maximum hydration. Hello plump, moisturized, radiant skin! ($58)

Sahajan came out with their first toner, the Balance Toner*, last year and it’s all sorts of lovely! It has a nice glycerin-y texture and feels so nice on the skin. It is infused with moringa oil, rose water, and fruit acids to detoxify and protect the skin, soothe the skin, and gently exfoliate dead skin cells. I also find it incredibly hydrating! I love Ayurvedic skincare but sometimes I find them to be too fragrant for my sensitive nose. The Balance Toner has a beautiful light rose scent which I can’t get enough of. ($40; “ecochicbeauty10” gets you 10% off your order [not an affiliate code])

BEST ESSENCES

Seriously, African BotanicsInfusion Florale Concentré Micro-Liquid Serum* is a total game changer! Infusion is a luxurious essence in the form of a silky, liquid-light serum. This brilliant “skin transformer / micro-serum hybrid” packs a punch! The Serum contains highly-concentrated active phytonutrients, trace elements, humectants, antioxidants, and advanced molecular biochemistry to deliver a boost of hydration and to revitalize the appearance of the skin. Infusion has a watery texture and smells just like their Résurrection Cell Recovery Serum. My skin drinks it in immediately, and feels super-plump and supple. It literally feels like the Serum creates a weightless veil over my skin to lock in moisture, and to lift and firm the skin. Life changing! ($200)

I totally fell head over heels for Agent Nateur last year. I had tried some of their deodorants before but not their skincare. I feel badly for not giving them a fair chance and trying out their skincare sooner! The whole line is exceptional — Agent Nateur sources the best ingredients to use in their products from Europe and you can definitely tell the difference. The quality is unparalleled. Their new holi(water) Hyaluronic Pearl and Rose Toner* is my favorite from the line and is a total game changer. The first time I tried it, I was hooked! holi(water) is technically a toner but it performs more like an essence to me. The texture is somewhat thick but still sprayable and has the most addictive light coconut-y scent. holi(water) really does it all: it exfoliates, plumps, tightens, brightens, and firms the appearance of the skin while providing a radiant glow. Obsessed! ($88)

BEST HYDRATING SERUMS

A good hydrating serum is a must in my routine — even more so in the fall and winter! The Monastery Made Aloe Hyaluronic Gel* is phenomenal! Technically this is classified as a moisturizer but I like to use it as a hydrating serum. It’s formulated with two different hyaluronic molecules to increase absorption into the skin. Ingredients like aloe and clary sage restore and rebuild damaged surface cells while lavender (and aloe) soothes the skin. It’s super-hydrating! ($72)

Another hydrating serum that I’m loving is YÜLI’s Ambrosia Beauty Nectar*. YÜLI never disappoints in my opinion and Ambrosia is really fabulous. Ambrosia includes hyaluronic acid for maximum hydration and moisture retention and a cocktail of antioxidants and phytonutrient botanical extracts to repair and strengthen the skin. My skin feels super supple, plump, and always looks radiant after I use it! Ambrosia is a little pricey but it’s worth every penny — the Serum comes in a large 50ml bottle and will last you forever! ($185)

I also love AMBAR‘s Hydrating Mineral Gelée and I’m always sad when I’m about to run out. This gorgeous ocean-blue essence-like gel feels amazing on the skin. It’s formulated with tamarind seed that increases moisture levels; while, zinc soothes; copper rebuilds; magnesium reduces inflammation; and manganese provides antioxidant benefits. The Gelée absorbs quickly without leaving any sticky residue behind and provides so much hydration. The scent is a mix of spearmint and eucalyptus, but the spearmint is definitely the more dominant of the two. This stuff is really incredible! ($55)

Mahalo is one of those brands that doesn’t come out with new products often, but when they do, you know you can expect something really special. The Hawaiian Hydration* is Mahalo’s first new product to be launched in two years. The Hawaiian Hydration isn’t your normal hydrating serum — it’s so much more! It’s super concentrated and treats occasional flakiness, premature wrinkles, acne, inflammation, and dry skin. The star ingredients in the serum are precious 0.9999 gold and copper! This silky, gel-like serum is a dark brown color and is super-fragrant with its mix of hibiscus, floral jasmine and earthy sandalwood. I promise you, you haven’t tried anything like it! ($140)

Bella Aura Skincare not only debuted a new look this past year but they also released three brand new “custom” products (and spoiler alert — they’re all spectacular!). The Hydra Revive Treatment* is super hydrating! Hydra Revive effectively hydrates, replenishes, soothes, and balances skin at the cellular level. It’s formulated with Icelandic moss, peat moss, and evergreen fern extracts which are moisture powerhouses. My skin instantly looks and feels smoother, more supple, and deeply hydrated. ($135; “yenny15” gets you 15% off your whole order!)

BEST TREATMENT SERUMS

Joanna Vargas is not only one of the most sought after celebrity facialists, she even has her own skincare line! Her brand is relatively new to me so I haven’t tried a lot of her products but I did try her Super Nova Serum*and ended up really loving it! The Serum is a multi-dimentional retinol serum that visibly improves firmness, enhances clarity, restores youthfullness, and makes your skin glowy! The thick gel-like serum smells like sweet oranges and includes some interesting ingredients like apple fruit cell culture extract, summer snowflake flower extract, persian silk tree extract, and palmitoyl oligopeptide (which is a retinol alternative that stimulates collagen and stabilizes skin cells — without the side effects). The price is a little steep, but I do think that you get great results. ($295)

I’ve been using the African Botanics Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum for the past couple of years and realized I never included it in my “Best of” list for 2017! It’s one of my holy grail serums and I was so excited to see it featured in one of BoxWalla‘s Beauty Boxes last year. The Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum includes rare, South African ingredients and botanicals like the Resurrection Plant (where African Botanics drew its inspiration for the Serum) plus hyaluronic acid and retinol. What I love most about the Serum is that it’s so potent and fast-acting. I kid you not, I feel like I see noticeable results overnight. Dull, lackluster, and uneven skin be gone! When I use this my skin is more hydrated, plump, smooth, and even-toned. I also feel that my skin is more elastic and stronger overall. I honestly cannot recommend this serum enough! ($160)

I absolutely love In Fiore‘s Made in Japan line and their Sauvetage Care Serum Concentré is one of their newest products in the collection. The Serum Concentré is incredibly soothing and replenishing and uses natural polymers like freshwater blue-green algae and adaptogens, like cordyceps, to recover stressed or unbalanced skin. You can use this as a spot treatment or as a 10-day intensive protocol but I like to use this when I feel like my skin needs a reset. This works genius-ly and the scent is absolutely divine! ($110)

Bella Aura Skincare’s Rapid Repair Clarifying Elixir* is an amazing multi-tasking product — it helps with congestion and breakouts, reduces redness and inflammation, and helps keep skin hydrated. It’s impressive! The Elixir is a non-oil based serum with a watery texture and a silky finish. It absorbs into the skin so quickly with no leftover residue whatsoever! The key ingredients in this magical serum are Norwegian spruce, micro silver, rosemary, blackcurrant seed oil, and sunflower seed oil. I love that the serum is fast-acting — you’ll literally start to see results after your first use. It works fabulously as a spot treatment, too! ($99)

I was so excited that La Bella Figura Beauty ended up adding their Vitamin D + Ergothioneine Deep Serum after sampling their original Vit D + Mu Serum from the Capsule Collection! I love skincare that includes adaptogens and this serum actually includes eight different ones: aloe vera, gotu kola, moringa, schisandra, milk thistle, reishi, shiitake and black tuber truffles to create the ultimate anti-aging serum. The Serum also includes Ergothioneine, a super antioxidant that targets the health of your skin cells; Vitamin D, that encourages skin cell growth, repair and metabolism; and resveratrol from aronia berries and cherry blossom extract which help promote collagen formation. Say hello to beautiful, youthful, and firmer skin! ($165)

BEST VITAMIN C TREATMENTS

moss Skincare‘s Illumina Vitamin C Perfecting Treatment Intensif is another one of my holy grail face serums. I’ve gone through bottles of this! Illumina is such a fabulous multi-correctional product! Not only does it include Vitamin C to help brighten the skin, it is also exfoliating which makes your skin so even-toned and smooth. I like to use Illumina as a night treatment and let it work its magic overnight. This product singlehandedly got rid of all the pesky post-acne spots I had beneath my jaw line! The texture is soft and silky and the scent is bright and herbal-y. ($145)

Agent Nature‘s holi(c) youth skin* is the best Vitamin C powder that I’ve ever tried. The holi(c) youth skin is like vitamins for your face! It’s a topical powder consisting of French patented calcium and non-GMO sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP). (SAP is a very stable form of Vitamin C and is actually known to be an effective natural acne treatment.) holi(c) makes my skin feels so smooth and even-toned. It’s helped a ton with my acne scars and also brightened my overall complexion. I would honestly equate holi(c) to using a Snapchat filter or something — it’s that good! I highly recommend! ($100)

BEST FACE OILS

The Agent Nateur holi(oil) youth sérum is one of the beautiful oils I’ve ever tried. The scent is heavenly! If you like roses, then you will love this face serum. The rose scent is kind of hard to describe — it’s not soft or delicate, it’s almost like it has a freshness or crispness to it. Holi(oil) is incredibly lush but very lightweight and non-greasy. It feels so lovely on the skin — it helps calm my redness and helps with any hyperpigmentation that I have. When I use this at night (it’s recommended to be used either day or night), my skin looks and feels phenomenal the next morning — my skin is super smooth, plump, firm, and youthful. Highly recommend using this with holi(c) and holi(water) aka the “holi(trinity)!” ($120)

Another In Fiore face oil that totally blew me away is their Comfrey Solution Botanique*. It’s a total game changer! Comfrey is corrective healing accelerant for skin aggressions — it’s like the ultimate healer, and fabulous for use on both the face and body. It’s formulated with a blend of comfrey and nettle, which are rich in allantoin and phenolic acids, and are both known to stimulate cellular regeneration and assist in countering inflammation. The addition of ilicic acid helps to preserve the elasticity of connective tissue. It’s so good for swelling, scars, insect bites, etc., and smells AMAZING! ($165)

I don’t know how Earthwise Beauty does it — everything they create makes my heart sing! The newly-released Black Locust Firming Concentrate* is no exception! While I don’t have super-dry or mature skin, this serum worked really well for me. Earthwise Beauty created the Black Locust Firming Concentrate with mature skins in mind. They wanted the serum to be nourishing and to address the three main concerns associated with aging skin: firmness, loss of firmness, and wrinkles. Earthwise Beauty already offers another face oil for mature skin, the Ferns and Moss Face Serum, but Black Locust is not a dry oil like Ferns and Moss — it is much more emollient. It is certainly more sophisticated, and I like that it’s not as thick or oily. It’s also non-comedogenic! The serum absorbs effortlessly into the skin and leaves behind no residue. It’s a fantastic face oil! ($90; “ecochicbeauty” gets you 15% your entire order!)

Another more recent addition to In Fiore‘s Made in Japan collection is the Lumière Complexe Face Oil Concentré. This beautiful face oil is technically a brightening treatment, this was designed to improve the skin’s barrier function and to help protect against natural and artificial environmental stressors. It works to form a protective barrier to help your skin retain moisture while giving you a beautiful, subtle glow. I find that it absorbs quickly and helps tremendously with scarring! ($115)

I’ve mentioned the brand Leland Francis quite a bit because it’s seriously an underrated brand! I love everything they make and their Twenty-Nine Botanical Serum* is phenomenal! Hands down one of the top face serums I tried last year. The Twenty-Nine Serum includes a blend of twenty-nine of the world’s most active botanicals. It’s highly concentrated and balances, nourishes, plumps, evens out skin tone, and makes my skin so smooth and radiant. It literally does it all! It smells AMAZING, very lightweight, and my skin literally drinks it in. It’s not like other oil-based serums that I’ve tried — it absorbs like no other and isn’t greasy at all. ($110)

All of Flower and Spice‘s products are amazing but the Midnight Beauty Rich Revitalising Serum* is my favorite of the bunch. The Serum is formulated with rose, coriander, and ten other harmonizing oils like antioxidant-rich and collagen-stimulating prickly pear, plum seeds, macadamia, evening primrose, apricot seed and argan. The Serum also includes skin-boosting Vitamin E-rich sacha inchi and coriander seed oil for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. The scent is just sublime — it is very, very light but smells like rose with hints of coriander. It’s almost like there’s a sweet finish to it. The Serum is so lightweight and luxe and sinks in like a dream without leaving behind any greasy residue. My skin is super soft, smooth, and more elastic right after I use it. I love that it makes me look youthful and that it gives me the most beautiful, radiant glow. ($120)

LILY DE MAI‘s HARMONY Omega 3|6 Recovery Serum* is no joke, it’s insanely healing! It is thick, lush, and has a deep nutty scent. All you need is one pump and it makes your skin so glowy, plump, calm, and super soft. After one use I was hooked! I couldn’t believe how soft and elastic my skin was. HARMONY is also loaded with incredible ingredients like omega 3|6, ceramide 3, pomegranate, and tripeptide-29. I highly recommend this oil Serum as well — especially if you have problematic skin! ($125)

I haven’t been excited about single-ingredient products since I discovered prickly pear seed oil, but plum oil is a new favorite! Le Prunier‘s Plum Beauty Oil totally won me over. This stuff is incredible! It smells so so good! Almost like sweet almond with a dash of plum — except the face oil is made entirely of one ingredient only: plum! It’s so lightweight and super moisturizing. I had no idea that plum oil was so potent! Apparently, Le Prunier’s Plum Oil is eight times more powerful than argan oil and six times more powerful than marula oil! Plus it’s loaded with nourishing omega fatty acids and vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin E. It was like love at first use! ($70)

Monastery Made‘s Gold Rosa Moncheta Healing Serum* is one of the most beautiful face oils I have ever tried. It smells like a mix of rose and white tea but there’s actually no white tea in it! The Serum is lush but very lightweight. It’s formulated with red raspberry seed, rosehip seed, and vitamin E which is healing, nourishing and moisturizing. It makes my face so smooth, supple, and radiant. Frankly, this description is not giving the Serum enough justice — you really have to try it for yourself! ($136)

NINI Organics is an adorable organic, vegan, and small batch brand from London! The founders, Alex and Nicole are so fun and their products are fun, too. I adore their NINI Glow Illuminator*! This is an non-comedogenic mineral- and vitamin-rich face oil that includes the prettiest ethically-sourced rose gold mica. The face oil is super-moisturizing and lightweight and the mica gives you the most gorgeous subtle sunshine-y glow. Love it! Best of all, the face oil won’t break the bank! (~$32)

LEPAAR‘s Intensive Renew Night Elixir* might be my new favorite non-retinol night face oil! You’d think that there is retinol in it, but there’s not! It’s that good! It’s only formulated with whole plant extracts that are sun-infused from their Kangaroo Valley farm in certified Demeter biodynamic olive oil, and you can’t forget about the 24 karat gold! The Elixir is deeply restorative and calming which is perfect for a night elixir. It also stimulates cell regeneration, supports dermal detoxification, and calms irritated skin. It’s super moisturizing and nourishing and I always wake up with super smooth, supple, and rejuvenated skin. Love! (~$54)

BEST RETINOL FACE OIL

I included African BotanicsFleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil in last year’s list but since it was included in a BoxWalla Beauty Box this past year, I’m including it again! Hands down this is the best retinol that I have ever used. It contains African Botanics’ ‘African Oil Complex’ which includes extracts of baobab, damask rose, immortelle flower, and jasmine that provide omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9 to fight signs of aging. A unique blend of marine micro-algae, retinol, vitamin c, and CoQ10 help refine and calm skin, while also providing antioxidant protection. This is a fairly lightweight oil that can be used both AM and PM, but I like to use it in the PM as an overnight treatment. The next day my skin looks better than ever — more youthful, radiant, elastic, smooth, and firm. ($250)

BEST FACE MOISTURIZERS

I have to admit that I only started using face moisturizers / lotions (and creams) the past couple of years because I was so stuck on face oils and if I needed more moisture I would just supplement it with a face balm. But I’m glad I added them to my routine! Last year I tried out some amazing ones and one of them was Sangre de Fruta‘s Morning Light Face Moisturizer. I pretty much love everything they make but Morning Light is a standout to me. It’s lightweight, fast absorbing, and it smells so lovely and uplifting! Lotus flower is Morning Light’s key ingredient and is one of my favorites. Lotus Flower is high in Vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, antioxidants, linoleic acid, and is naturally anti-inflammatory. This Face Moisturizer is always a pleasure to use. Love it! (~$66)

MŪN Skincare is one of my favorite brands of all-time and last year they came out with their first face moisturizer: the Protect + Revive Moisturizer* and it is really something. It’s an amazing “hydrating gel cream” and contains aloe and hyaluronic acid and some other superb ingredients like niacinamide, prickly pear seed oil, Kalahari melon seed oil, black cumin oil, and licorice root extract. You can check out my full review here! ($65; don’t forget you can use “ecochicbeauty” for 15% off your order)

Luzern Labs was one of my favorite brand discoveries last year and I absolutely loved all the products that I tried. Their Force de Vie Pure Oxygen Lotion is outstanding! I love that it’s lightweight yet really hydrating and balancing! It almost has like a serum / gel-like texture that feels amazing on the skin. It has a silky finish and leaves no residue behind. Force de Vie is chock full of great ingredients like Co-Q10, Vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, and bio-Suisse extracts. It has a pleasant light citrusy scent that quickly dissipates. ($100)

BEST FACE CREAMS

NATURALLOGIC‘s OMNI Moisture Cream* is a fantastic face cream for the colder months or if you have dry skin! Out of all the NATURALLOGIC products I tried, I used up this product the quickest — it’s that good! It contains so many lovely nourishing and hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, rose petal, floral essences and botanicals, butters; nutritious fruit and plant oils; and MSM and olive squalane. OMNI has a beautiful thick whipped-like texture that feels like a dream on the skin. Skin is deeply moisturized, smooth, and supple. If you liked Earthwise Beauty’s (now retired) Marigold Fields Face Moisturizer, then you will love OMNI as well! ($42)

Shortly after Sangre de Fruta came out with Morning Light, they came out with a face cream called Magic Hour Face Cream — just in time for the winter! Magic Hour is richer and thicker than Morning Light and uses the “magic” of the immortelle plant in its formulation. Immortelle is said to have potent restorative and cell regenerating properties. Rose otto, sandalwood, and chamomile are combined with herbs, wild weeds and quartz crystal infused water rounds out its amazing formula. My face feels more elastic, smooth, and rejuvenated after I use Magic Hour. (~$66)

I’m a huge fan of Votary London and I love their Super Seed Collection. Their cleansing oil and face oil are excellent but their Super Seed Nutrient Cream* is my favorite of the three. It’s so nourishing, moisturizing, and calming. It’s formulated with twenty-two different seed oils and the face cream is entirely fragrance-free which makes it perfect for those with sensitive skin (and noses). It’s been a must for this winter and I love using this with their Super Seed Facial Oil — it’s like a match made in heaven! ($102)

Youth to the People is a cult natural skincare line based out of Los Angeles and I’ve been a fan of theirs for years. Last year they came out with their Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream and it’s fantastic! I was really impressed the first time that I tried it. Adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms calm the skin and protects against daily stressors like UV rays and environmental pollutants. Pentapeptides help calm the stress reaction in sensitive and irritated skin. I find the Moisture Cream to be deeply moisturizing and is a must have for the winter. ($58)

Alpyn Beauty‘s PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer is superb! It has a light pink color and literally looks like strawberry yogurt. The texture is very similar to yogurt and is lightweight and bouncy. The Melt Moisturizer is formulated with some incredible ingredients — in addition to their proprietary PlantGenius Complex, the Moisturizer also includes: hyaluronic acid, ceramides, olive fruit oil, linoleic acid, coconut (non-pore clogging), apricot kernel oil, squalane to fortify, maintain, and repair skin moisture barrier; antioxidants like Vitamin C, centella asiatica to brighten and provide protection from free radical damage; bakuchiol (a non-irritating bioavailable retinol); Tripeptide-29 to encourage collagen production and diminish the appearance of fine lines; and glycolic acid to gently exfoliate and promote cell turnover. The Moisturizer melts instantly on contact and is super-hydrating — I honestly think it’s hydrating enough for those with dry skin! When I use this at night, I wake up with the most softest, velvetiest skin. ($60)

BEST FACE BALMS

Earthwise Beauty launched a new look this past year and launched the Yasumi Face Balm* with it! Yasuni is an unusually light yet nourishing balm. Yasuni itself contains many cold pressed, unrefined oils and butters responsibly sourced from the Amazon rainforest. It’s forumlated with cupuaçu butter cold pressed from the super fruit of the cupuaçu tree (related to the cacao tree), super-emollient yet never clogging to the pores; tucuma butter, rich in polyphenols that helps firm the skin, and the deeply penetrating bacuri that is easily absorbed; and the gentle enzymatic action of açaí oil also helps resurface & regenerate the skin. In addition it contains buriti oil, sun damage correcting raspberry oil, green coffee bean oil, cranberry oil and more! ($110; don’t forget to use “ecochicbeauty” for 15% off your order!)

Lina Hanson is one of my all-time favorite brands and one of the first green beauty brands that I’ve ever tried! Their Global Treasures Eye / Neck + Treatment Balm is a stunning light green color with gold specs on the surface. This is due to the green matcha tea, pearl, 24 karat gold, and coffee bean. It smells absolutely divine — like cacao. It’s luxurious and packed with powerful antioxidants to soften wrinkles, restore elasticity, stimulate and rejuvenate skin cells. This treatment nourishes dull and uneven skin while brightening the complexion. The balm melts on contact on feels so great on the skin. As its name suggests, it’s excellent around the eye area and neck / decolletage area, too! ($105; the code “ecochicbeauty” gets you 15% off your order)

BEST DETOXIFYING FACE MASKS

Lina Hanson‘s Global Face Trio is the ultimate three-in-one cleanser, exfoliator, and mask! I’ve used it all three ways but I love it most as a mask. It’s the ultimate detoxifying mask. It’s a gentle yet effective powder that purifies, brightens, clarifies, and balances the skin. Used as a mask, it removes impurities, clarifies the skin and tightens pores for a glowing and silky soft complexion. It includes thanaka to tighten pores, clarify skin, remove blackheads and decrease breakouts; ginseng regenerates skin cells by increasing oxygenation and improve blood circulation, collagen formation as well as brightening your complexion; ricebran to smooth and brighten skin; and lemongrass used for its anti-bacterial, antiseptic and stimulating effect on the skin. In aromatherapy its used for its soothing and balancing benefits. ($70; “ecochicbeauty” gets you 15% off at checkout!)

Chuck and Sam‘s The Green Monstah Detox Maskis just as fun as it sounds! It’s a simple formulation but it works so well! It’s a deeply detoxifying mask contains nutrient-rich volcanic ash that becomes ionically charged when mixed with water, that decongests and tightens pores. Bentonite clay helps remove gunk from your skin; Indian neem leaf is highly antibacterial and is a powerful acne and blackhead fighter; antioxidant rich matcha tightens pores and help increase skin elasticity; and organic lemongrass oil has antiseptic properties. ($22)

I discovered Twelve Beauty through BoxWalla and I’ve been hooked ever since! Their London Mask* is one of my favorites and is really amazing! I love that it’s detoxifying and moisturizing at the same time. The texture is so smooth and luscious and feels fantastic on the skin. The Mask was specifically created to combat the damaging effects of pollution on the skin. The Mask is formulated with kaolin clay to gently draw out impurities; olive-derived squalane and organic rice starch to moisturize; and plant extracts (like mallow); and the purest form of Vitamin B5. (~$111)

Dafna Skincare‘s Revival Bio-Active Beauty Mask* is one of the coolest masks that I’ve ever used! The Mask includes a unique combination of bio-active ingredients, such as capsulated charcoal, hyaluronic acid, and adaptogens like ginseng and reishi — formulated to transform your skin and to bring back its vitality. The Mask doesn’t seem that complex, but oh, it kind of is. Not only does it include capsulated charcoal (which is impressive in itself), the Mask actually performs in two steps or phases: Phase 1) the Mask first provides skin with intense hydration with  hyaluronic acid, and also energizes and regenerates skin cells with ginseng and reishi; and then Phase 2) the capsulated charcoal “magnetizes” free radicals at the surface of the skin; inhibiting skin oxidation while promoting a balanced, even-toned complexion. After using the Mask, what I’m left with is incredibly soft, radiant, and hydrated skin — pores look minimized and my skin looks refreshed and balanced overall. I dig it! (~$89)

BEST HYDRATING MASKS

I discovered Inlight Beauty from Beauty Heroes and I was so impressed with the brand! Their Super-Food Mask* is one of my favorites from the collection. It’s both detoxifying and reparative and so lovely! Spirulina and barley grass help protect against environmental damage and stress; rose seed and carrot root help improve the appearance of lines and uneven skin tone and revitalize dull, tired skin; Baobab (a fave ingredient of mine) helps diminish signs of sagging; and frankincense helps skin stay and balanced. The Super-Food Mask is super nourishing and makes my skin feel and look radiant. ($58)

NATURALLOGIC has this amazing red wine bio-ferment mask called LUNA that is to die for! It’s super-limited edition (seasonal) and only comes out in the spring every year. LUNA is formulated with fermented red wine grapes that are highly-probiotic and antioxidant-rich. It also includes enzyme-rich, hydrating raw local honey, moisturizing shea butter, raw cacao, Vitamin C, strawberry juice, rosehips and so much more! The texture is super-luxurious, decadent, and creamy and feels amazing on the skin. I’m not a big wino but I absolutely love the fragrant red wine aroma in the mask. My skin feels hydrated, nourished, plump, and looks glowy! ($78)

BEST EXFOLIATING MASK

Skincando‘s Lux Tempus Pearl Mask* is amazing! It’s a three-in-one cleanser, exfoliator, and mask, but I use it mostly as the last two. It has the softest, silkiest texture from the fresh glacial clay and it’s hand-mixed with Sunpotion Freshwater Pearl Powder and organic elderflower extract. The pearl powder provides gentle exfoliation to remove old skin cells, and the glacial clay helps remove oil, environmental dirt, and pollution. This is gentle enough to use daily. ($65)

BEST SHEET MASK

Orgaid’s Organic Sheet Masks are so good! They’re inexpensive and I feel like they fit my face really well — so if you have a small face, I highly recommmend these! Orgaid offers three masks (Anti-Aging and Moisturizing, Greek Yogurt and Nourishing, Vitamin C and Revitalizing) and they’re all excellent! My face always feels so amazing afterwards — hydrated, rejuvenated, and plump. Definitely check out the multi-pack so you can try all three masks that they carry. ($33)

BEST EYE SERUM

I’m a huge fan of Votary London’s Intense Night Recovery collection and their new Intense Eye Oil* may be my favorite eye treatment discovery last year. I find it to be really potent and effective! I love a good retinol or retinoid, and this is the first time I’ve seen or tried an eye treatment with a retinoid. The packaging is so on point for this. I love the chic slender glass vial and the metal rollerball. It feels great when you’re holding it in your hand and the rollerball feels amazing when applying the treatment to your eye area. The Intense Eye Oil does an exceptional job of depuffing, hydrating, and brightening up that area. I have fine lines on other parts of my face like around my nose and mouth so I’ve been using the Eye Oil has a treatment serum for those areas, and it’s been helping a lot. It’s helped to smooth out and firm up those areas. The Intense Eye Oil is quite versatile! ($184)

BEST LIP BALM

Earthwise Beauty spent over a year to create their Thelma Lip Treatment* — it took forty-one iterations! Can you believe that? Earthwise Beauty created Thelma with a specific goal in mind — they wanted it to be a creamy, moisturizing, balm that penetrated deeply to heal the lips. In order to do this, they used South African mafura butter, Brazilian bacuri butter, and Brazil nut oil. Mango kernel butter was also added to enhance smoothness and elasticity of the lip tissue. Thelma has a hard texture but it gets softer and more “fluffy” the deeper you get into the pot. Thelma applies soft upon contact and is surprisingly not thick at all! The Lip Treatment feels very lightweight on the lips — almost like I have nothing on at all. Despite the consistency being rather thin, it moisturizes my lips well and makes them feel very smooth. It is incredibly reparative as it penetrates deep into the lip tissue to heal it. Thelma doesn’t really have much of a scent — it just smells of butters and is slightly nutty. I’m not sure if this is feasible or not, but I’d love to see Thelma in a stick version! ($26; “ecochicbeauty” saves you 15% at checkout!)

BEST LIP SERUM

Henné OrganicsLip Serum* is the first lip serum I’ve ever tried and now it’s a staple in my routine. The packaging is absolutely stunning — the Lip Serum is housed in a slim black vial with a 24 karat roller ball. It smells so good — like mixed berries! The Serum is comprised of time-defying ultra rare arctic cloudberry seed oil and lingonberry seed oil, as well as, antioxidant-rich rosehip, camellia, and argan oil. It leaves my lips hydrated and nourished. I like layering Earthwise Beauty’s Thelma Lip Balm on top for extra reparative action! ($45)

BEST LIP MASK

Henné Organics killed it last year! They also came out with a Lip Mask* that’s super unique. I had never used one before I tried theirs! This, too, has become a staple in my routine — especially in the winter. The Lip Mask is super-hydrating and moisturizing and smells like fresh mint. It includes nourishing ingredients like sea buckthorn and evening primrose to help restore and soothe the lips. The texture is very soft and somewhat thick. I slather a thick layer on and leave it on for like ten to fifteen minutes. My lips look feel so plump and smooth afterwards! ($37)

BEST FACE PRIMER

AMBAR‘s Daily Antioxidant Primer* is the best face primer I’ve tried in a long time. It’s like a moisturizer, primer, and sun protector all in one. It goes on so silky smooth that you’d think there were silicones in it, but there’s not! It’s completely all natural — so brilliant! It absorbs quickly to truly create the perfect canvas for makeup. I love that it provides a mattifying effect for oily skin, too. Bamboo extract and muru muru butter act like natural silicone and Tonka Bean bioferment helps disperse light for a soft focus glow. ($79)

BEST SPF’S / SUNSCREENS

It’s important to wear SPF year-round and I like to rotate the ones I use. Last year I discovered Blissoma‘s Photonic Light Shifting Solution Facial Sunscreen + Daily Moisturizer* and it’s amazing! Photonic is a lightweight, tinted SPF 25 Broad Spectrum UVA / UVB natural mineral sunscreen that is completely clean! It’s dense with antioxidants, vitamins, phytonutrients, and “skin supportive” ingredients. Photonic’s texture is so nice! It’s super-smooth and is almost like a watery serum. It goes on like a dream and dries quickly to give you a satiny, matte finish. It is tinted but it goes on sheer to give you just hint of color and the appearance of even skin tone. What I love most about Photonic is that it’s virtually weightless — it feels like you have nothing on! ($39)

moss Skincare‘s Halo Photoprotective Soothing Essence Powder is such a great option for an SPF if you like wearing face oils. Halo comes in both a Light and Dark shade and it’s super-easy to use. You just mix a small amount with your favorite face oil and voila! Halo provides you with a weightless veil of protection from the sun. It’s a totally customizable sunblock without all of the heaviness and greasiness of traditional sunscreen formulas. Halo is specially blended without unevenly shaped or sized particles to maximize even pigment dispersion in most lipidic oils. This is a seasonal product but you can still find it at some online retailers. ($60)

BEST BRONZER

I’ve been a longtime fan of Drunk Elephant’s Umbra Tinte SPF, so I was stoked that they came out with D-Bronzi, a bronzer concentrate — so genius! The D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Serum* is meant to be mixed with any of their serums, moisturizers, or SPFs to give your face and / or body a realistic-looking, gorgeous bronze glow. I think this is so clever because you get to control how glowy you want your skin to look! D-Bronzi is not just a bronzer concentrate, it actually protects your skin from environmental-free radicals as it is made of vitamins, antioxidants, platinum peptides, and barrier-supportive fatty acids. I’ll all about glowy skin and if I can avoid wearing foundation at any time, then I’m all for it! ($36)

BEST MULTI-PURPOSE BALMS

Absorb Skincare‘s The Balm is a great multi-tasking balm, so even though I primarily used it on my face, it worked especially well for any dry areas I had on my body, too. The formulation is simple, but effective, and includes some fantastic ingredients. Ingredients like shea Butter, argan oil, beeswax, babassu, tamanu oil, black cumin C02, sacha inchi, and Vitamin E oil. I’ve tried products from other brands that include these ingredients and I know how healing and moisturizing they are, and also great for acne-prone skin. I’m a huge fan of babassu, tamanu, black cumin, and sacha inchi. The Balm has a deep, nutty scent that smells like a mix of the tamanu, sachi inchi, and black cumin. The nutty scent may not be for everyone but personally, I love it! The Balm is super-rich so a little goes a long way! I find that it works best with freshly misted or damp skin and you can also mix it with your favorite face oil for extra healing. ($95)

8 Face‘s Boundless Solid Oil* is a fantastic multi-tasker and I’ve been using it a lot to moisturize my face and any dry areas on my body — I especially love using it on my hands. My skin feels sooooo smooth and soft afterwards and it leaves it moisturized for a very long time. I love the light citrusy scent, too. It’s contains tons of vitamins, minerals and a rich source of essential fatty acids. It’s also formulated with Amla, the most antioxidant-rich ingredient in the world. This delightfully-scented balm will instantly win you over and will become an essential part of  your skin and body care. ($88)

BEST DECOLLETAGE BALM

5YINA‘s GUIYING Décolletage Treatment* Most people don’t know this, but one of the co-founders of 5YINA, Ervina, is a breast cancer survivor, so she knows first hand how important breast cancer awareness is. GUIYING is a luxurious and revitalizing décolletege balm that’s formulated with potent medicinal plants to promote lymphatic circulation and prevent stagnation. It’s also infused in nourishing botanical oils and butters to restore skin elasticity, repair free radical damage, and stretch marks. Using GUIYING is a daily ritual that keeps your skin firm, radiant, and luscious. I also like the idea of it aiding you with your monthly breast self-examinations — it makes for a more pleasurable experience. The texture is butter soft and it smells divine! ($65)

BEST BODY OILS / SERUMS

Ranavat BotanicsMighty Majesty Huile Extraordinare* is truly extraordinary. It’s an all-in-one hair oil and body oil, but since I’m not a big hair product person, I use it as a body oil! The scent is so delicious and addictive and I just can’t get enough. It’s super-fragrant and smells of sweet jasmine. My skin always feels nourished, renewed, and smooth after I use Mighty Majesty. The body oil absorbs fairly quickly and I love that it doesn’t leave behind any greasy residue! ($55)

I love a good body oil / serum and have many favorites, but I always end up reaching for Tata Harper‘s Revitalizing Body Oil. One of the reasons is because it has a pump so I could literally be in bed and just reach over (in the dark, no less), to get some of the body oil. This is the perfect body oil to have on your bedside table but it’s not necessarily the best for traveling because of the pump. Another reason why I love the Body Oil is because the scent is so addictive! It’s uplifting and bright, yet calming at the same time — you really have to try the Body Oil to see what I mean! It absorbs quickly and is super-moisturizing and nourishing without being greasy. Love! ($110)

BEST BODY CREAMS / BUTTERS

AYUNA‘s Body Cream is so lovely! The Body Cream is luxurious and thick and possesses AYUNA’s signature scent. The texture is thick and velvety and it’s formulated with shea butter for hydration, and coconut and jojoba oil moisturize without feeling overly greasy. The Body Cream also includes noni to help with inflamed and irritated skin, while calendula helps calm and soothe skin. The Cream works great for those with skin concerns like eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis; but it’s really a fabulous body cream for everyone. ($118)

I love that Follain has their own line of bath and body products. I’m obsessed with their Follain x Organic Bath Co. Rose Body Butter*. The formula is super-simple, but I’m not mad about it! The Body Butter has a gorgeous Moroccan rose scent that I can’t get enough of! Shea butter provides hydration and locks in moisture, while argan oil delivers essential fatty acids for skin health. My skin feels nourished, moisturized, and renewed — just what my skin needs in the winter. Highly recommend this Body Butter! ($38)

BEST PERFUMES / FRAGRANCES

In Fiore makes some of the most gorgeous parfums and their In Fiore x Violette FR Baisers de Jasmin Parfum Solide may be their most stunning one yet! The fragrance is exhilarating, exquisite, and undeniably feminine. The blend of jasmine sambac, white amber, and benzoin are beautifully-balanced and brings a warmth and sexiness / sultriness that leaves you wanting more! The cobalt blue packaging is gorgeous and looks beautiful in contrast with the brilliant gold compact. ($95)

I’ve been in love with Lina Hanson‘s Satori Perfume Oil* ever since I tried it for the first time a few years ago. It’s almost as if Lina took all of her exotic travels to the Far East and bottled them up in the form of a beautiful perfume oil. Satori is equal parts sexy / seductive and elegant. Warm vanilla is uplifting and comforting; sandalwood helps make you feel grounded; and yuzu and ginger bring a crisp and refreshing element to the perfume. Every time I smell Satori, I’m instantly transported to Asia and I just can’t get enough. You’ll literally want to smell your wrists all day! ($90; “ecochicbeauty” gets you 15% off your order)

PHLUR is a new clean fragrance brand that came out last year and I must say, they have some really exquisite perfumes! I completely fell in love with their Améline scent and whenever I wear it, I get asked about it by strangers all the time! My absolute favorite scent ever is rose and Améline is a unique and complex variation of rose. In addition to rose, there are sparkling top notes of Italian bergamot, plus pink pepper and hints of patchouli and sandalwood. It smells so so good! Definitely get a sample and try it for yourself! ($88)

BEST DRY SHAMPOO

Hands down, Kaia Natural‘s the takesumi detox overnight dry shampoo*was the best I tried last year! It comes in two shades (Blonde and Brunette), and it’s so easy to use. You just spray it onto your roots and massage it in, before you go to bed and then brush out your hair the very next day. You’re left with refreshed and non-oily hair! I’ve actually used this the day off and it works just as brilliantly, too! The Sakura Blossom scent makes your hair smell heavenly. ($32)

And there you have it! These products are what I consider to be the best of 2018! I’d love to hear what your best / favorite products were this past year, so please feel free to comment with them below!

–xo, Yenny

Disclaimer

Products denoted with a “*” were kindly gifted to me for consideration. All recommendations and opinions expressed are my own. This post contains some affiliate links / codes for Earthwise Beauty, Aurum Rose Beauty, Lina Hanson, Bella Aura, and Beauty Heroes, as stated above.

1 Comment

  1. Mary
    January 20, 2019 / 11:31 pm

    You have the best taste in products. I have been eyeing so many of the products you listed including African Botanics Infusion and Yuli Ambrosia.