Whole food diet? Check. Thrice weekly yoga sesh to clear my mind and strengthen my body? Check. Chemical-filled moisturizing overnight cream? Ch… wait, what?
As someone who has followed a plant-based diet for years, I consider myself pretty well-educated in the importance of nutrition. I understand how eating real, whole foods can impact my short and long-term health while helping me feel more balanced and energized. Meanwhile, I was treating my skin like an old purse. A tired worn-out container holding all the good stuff in. It took me a while to realize I needed to care for my whole self including my skin. I was fortunate enough to find Graydon Skincare, a natural, vegan skincare brand that helped me improve my health from the outside in.
If you’re looking for a beginner skincare routine, you might also want to consider a more natural approach. Graydon Skincare is, in my opinion, one of the best natural skincare brands on the market.
How is plant-based skincare different from traditional skincare?
There are thousands of skincare products to choose from on any given day. If you’ve found yourself standing in a beauty aisle overwhelmed with choices, you’re not alone. There are luxury brands at top price points, value items that claim to be just as effective, and an all-natural section that might seem like a whole different planet.
You may be wondering, what’s the difference?
Well, my friend, the impact on your health is what sets natural skincare apart from traditional brands.
The beauty industry is plagued with synthetic dyes, fragrances, and harsh chemicals. We don’t even know the long-term effects of some. Considering the average woman uses twelve products a day, this is a cause for concern. Each of these products can be absorbed into our bodies and, when layered onto each other, is a recipe for disaster. Studies have found a long list of common personal care ingredients known to cause brain and reproductive disorders.
Like any new skincare regimen, it’s important to start slow when making the switch to plant-based skincare products.
Plant-based skincare uses natural ingredients so you don’t have to worry about toxins being absorbed into your body. Products rely on plant extracts as active ingredients and skin protectants. Fragrance and color also come from plant extracts or oils that are safer for your skin.
Graydon Skincare is a cruelty-free, plant-based, clean beauty brand. They focus on total wellness with quality products that don’t contain synthetic fragrances or dyes. To show how their ingredients align with nature they also share recipes that use the same ingredients as their products. Ingredients so natural you usually eat them? You won’t find that with any old product on the shelf.
Graydon Skincare believes you don’t need to put up with chemicals and additives to have great skin every day.
How to make the switch to plant-based skincare
When faced with skin challenges like acne, dryness, or aging, you're desperate for a solution. You want to grab the first thing in a pretty bottle that promises to fix your whole life. Unfortunately, this can lead to painful skin reactions or even long-term health concerns from any number of toxins finding their way into your body. You need to be mindful of what’s in your products. Plant-based skincare provides a natural approach so you won't have to slather yourself in chemicals. The question is, how do you get started?
First, find a brand that uses natural ingredients and clearly labels its products. It’s so important to be a conscious consumer and understand what you’re using. Graydon Skincare has all ingredients listed on their packaging and website. They even tell you how these specific selections benefit your skin.
Like any new skincare regimen, it’s important to start slow. Try a patch test to make sure you don’t have an unknown allergy or reaction. I recommend swapping out a product you use regularly like a daily face wash or moisturizer. This way you can cut out as many toxins as possible from the start. Give that product a week or so before swapping out the next product. This allows you to see what you like and how the product is working for you.
I’ve put together my top 8 picks from the Graydon Skincare line that are perfect for beginners.
Top 8 plant-based skincare products for beginners
1. Dewy Skin Duo
I could have just linked to this perfect duo and sent you on your way to amazing results. Graydon skincare has made starting a new skincare regimen easy. They've packed up the Dewy Skin Duo with their Fullmoon Serum and Moon Boost Serum to nourish your skin all day and night.
The Fullmoon Serum is a natural retinol alternative that will help you join the pro-aging movement. This miracle worker can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles without harsh side effects. Plus one dollar of every bottle of Fullmoon Serum sold is donated to the Ocean Legacy Foundation to help clean up plastic waste from our oceans. Younger looking skin and a cleaner planet? Yes, please!
Newer to the Graydon line, the Moon Boost Serum, won Best New Launch from the Beauty Shortlist Awards. This has one of my favorite aromas from Graydon Skincare. It’s the perfect complement to the Fullmoon Serum with vitamin-rich superfood oils to give your dull skin a dewy glow. I prefer to use this one at night because it’s a bit thicker than the Fullmoon Serum. I wake up looking like I got a full 10 hours even if I stayed up way too late on a Netflix binge.
2. Phyto Clear
I’ve tried traditional retinol in the past and my skin was not happy. Sudden breakouts that I tried to justify as the great purge skincare companies are always talking about. Only after I gave them away to my perfect-skin sister did my pores clear up.
Switching to Phyto Clear was a game-changer for me. The two retinol-like botanicals gave me what I was looking for.
Switching to Phyto Clear was a game-changer for me. The two retinol-like botanicals gave me what I was looking for. The boost in cell turnover helped clear my acne and didn’t dry out my combination skin. Phyto Clear has over 100 5-star ratings and is referred to as the best moisturizer for oily skin. It was Healing Lifestyles Earth Day Beauty Winner in 2021 and has an amazing aroma like I just had a facial at a fancy spa.
3. Bamboo Charcoal Sponge
The Bamboo Charcoal Sponge looks unassuming, but once you add some warm water and a pump of Face Foam or Aloe Milk Cleanser it becomes a magical tool that takes your cleansing to the next level. Made from 100% biodegradable konjac plant fiber and bamboo charcoal, it provides the perfect exfoliation to clear pores. The soft fibers are gentle enough for sensitive skin and it’s the perfect size and shape to get into the little creases where dirt and makeup love to hide.
Pro tip: add two to your cart and use one as an eco-friendly beauty blender.
4. Face Glow
If you’ve never used a primer, you need to start.
If you’ve never used a primer, you need to start. Face Glow is a lightweight, tinted moisturizing primer that gives you that perfect no-makeup look. Made with a combination of spirulina, mica, and raspberry oil, it smooths, brightens, and highlights a broad range of skin tones. Whether you need a nice base for your cosmetics or prefer an all-natural look, Face Glow will help you look perfectly polished.
5. Berry Rich Face + Eye Cream
Rich is the right word to describe Berry Rich Face + Eye Cream. It’s the perfect creamy consistency to be used as a daily moisturizer or a gentle eye cream. Compared to the rest of your face, the skin around your eyes is much more delicate. Using a standard face cream isn’t a great option as many rely on ingredients or exfoliants too harsh for this sensitive area. You need an eye cream that’s gentle, yet effective to gently smooth fine lines and fade those dark circles. Berry Rich does that with a mixture of blue-green algae and blueberry seed oil. It provides the perfect balance of hydration and repair from environmental stressors.
6. Aloe Milk Cleanser
Cleansing your skin the right way is vital for clearing away dirt, oil, and other skin cells that build up throughout our day. But finding the right cleanser to use can be a challenge. You can’t slather on some random body wash and expect good results. You need a cleanser that will get rid of the build-up and leave you with a fresh, glowing complexion. Graydon’s Aloe Milk Cleanser breaks down makeup and impurities without stripping your skin of natural moisture. It leaves your skin super soft and is the perfect way to prep for your other products.
I was excited to try this product because users reported seeing a difference in their skin after the first time using it. Let me tell you—they’re not wrong! After using the Aloe Milk Cleanser for a week I noticed my skin was brighter, softer, and felt more balanced.
7. Face Food Mineral Mist
One of my favorite ways to care for my skin is with Face Food Mineral Mist. This little 2-in-1 acts as a toner and hydrating face mist to help protect skin against environmental stressors like air pollution and UV exposure. The gentle mist adds a bit of moisture and protection and I love that I can use it all year long. It’s a perfect mid-day hydrating boost during the cold Minnesota winters or a soothing recovery treatment during the summer as after-sun care.
8. Skin Stuff Face + Eye Cream
My skin drinks in Skin Stuff Face + Eye Cream like it’s been waiting its whole life for something so magical. It’s virtually weightless and keeps my skin feeling balanced and never greasy. It contains maple sap water to help hydrate skin and it makes me feel like I’ve been on an exhilarating hike in the fresh mountain air even if I’ve spent the day inside. The fragrance-free botanical ingredients make it ideal for anyone with sensitive skin. When I saw Skin Stuff had the best possible rating on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, I knew it was the one for me.
Over 115 five star reviews don’t lie—this is the moisturizer you’ve been waiting for.
Sustainable skincare and a commitment to the environment
I can’t wrap this up without talking about Graydon Skincare’s sustainability efforts. Plant-based products are typically more environmentally friendly, but Graydon’s team goes the extra step to ensure their packaging is eco-friendly too. This tips the scales for me when choosing the best plant-based skincare products.
Graydon recognizes the impact the beauty industry has on our planet and is committed to doing her part to protect our environment.
When I first met Graydon she was telling me about how she delayed a product launch for over a year because she couldn’t source the sustainable glass jar she wanted. She could have easily chosen something else and called it good enough, but she chose to forgo the sales and wait. She recognizes the impact the beauty industry has on our planet and is committed to doing her part to protect our environment.
Graydon Skincare has already made huge strides toward making their packaging 100% recyclable. They also have a partnership with PACT for items you can’t toss in your curbside recycling bin. Not only that, they donate to the Ocean Legacy Foundation to reduce plastic waste in our oceans and use upcycled ingredients in their products that otherwise would have gone to waste.
A natural skincare routine can work for you
It’s important to stay educated on the ingredients in your skincare and the regulations around our products. Graydon Skincare helps you out by offering up easy-to-understand information and advice in their digital Mindful Beauty Magazine. Swapping out your traditional skincare products for a new plant-based skincare routine will help you care for your whole self from the outside in.
This article was written by Renee Beaman, Sustainability and Wellness Copywriter at Cedar Creek Creative.
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