September Beauty Heroes

How do you make a product that’s already a Hero, new and improved? The September Beauty Heroes box shows us just how that’s done! This month is all about high ingredient standards and how some brands strive to maintain that no matter what. You already know that Beauty Heroes is committed to all natural ingredients and sustainability, so of course the brands they choose have very high standards as well. That means when a certain ingredient can no longer be sourced in a sustainable way for their star product, they need to go back to the drawing board, and that’s exactly what SkinOwl did when they created this month’s Beauty Hero.

Annie Tevlin, founder of SkinOwl, was originally inspired to formulate skincare after she discovered the benefits of mangosteen fruit (you can read about her journey and the original Hero product she created here). The problem was that eventually she could no longer find a sustainable source for it, so she knew she needed to find something else. This journey led her to discover the maqui berry, which is equally as impressive (if not more so) as mangosteen fruit when it comes to skin benefits. This kind of commitment to ingredient sourcing is what I love about green beauty. I’ve found some amazing brands that go to great lengths so that their products are effective and sourced responsibly. SkinOwl is definitely far up there on that list. It’s hard to imagine a brand nixing one of their top selling products just to ensure the ingredients were sourced responsibly, but that’s just what they’ve done. Even better? They managed to make yet another Hero-worthy product!

The Hero: Beauty Drops PM, Maqui Berry

Just like the old formula, this one still includes Baobab oil and still helps to calm and clear skin, but it also delivers 10x the antioxidants. The new Beauty Drops PM are designed to be anti-aging and clear, protect, brighten, balance, and soften skin. Sounds pretty extraordinary, right? I was a fan of the old formula, so I couldn’t wait to try this one and see how it stacked up. It’s still a very light oil that absorbs in quickly and I found it to be very moisturizing for how light it is. Usually I need to layer a cream on top of lighter oils to get them to stick around all night, but this one keeps my skin moisturized on it’s own. I love the subtle, but pleasant scent too. In the short time I’ve been using it, I’ve felt my skin becoming smoother and looking clearer, so it’s safe to say I’m sold on the new formula. I’d love to see what long term effects it has, but for now it’s become a nice addition to my nighttime routine.

The Sidekick: Beauty Whip Maqui Berry

I’d be remiss not to tell you that I’ve loved all the products I’ve ever tried from SkinOwl, but this one had me excited from the moment I saw it in my Beauty Heroes box. Beauty Whip is one of those do-it-all products that I have a feeling I won’t be able to live without. It’s a mask, skin booster, primer or all of the above. It has a very unique texture. Initially it feels like a lotion, but after I apply it suddenly it feels like a silk veil over my skin. It makes my skin feel very hydrated and soft, as well as making it look smoother. As a mask, you can layer it on and leave it for 30 minutes or so and it works wonders as a hydration mask. This multi-tasker can also be used at night along with the Beauty Drops, or you can use it in the morning as a makeup primer. It normally comes in a 2 oz. bottle, but the sidekick is a generously sized .8 oz sample of it. I have a feeling I may need to buy the full size before I run out of this!

A great brand and two great products make this box a home run. If you’ve wanted to try SkinOwl, this is a great way to get a feel for their brand for a great price. These products would go for around $149 retail value, so to get them both included in this month’s box is a steal. You can sign up here to receive the September box (just be sure to sign up before the 20th to get the same month’s box). As always, Beauty Heroes members get 15% off in their beauty store, so you can always shop for favorites at a discount. Happy September! xo

*Post contains some affiliate links