I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to provide you with skincare products and education to help you nourish and love your skin while also feeling good in your body. Grace Holistic Skin is more than just skincare. Its skin-food, its rhythms and routines that not only support your skin, but your body and mind, its support and encouragement for wherever you're at in life so that you can feel nourished and vibrant.
What we put on our skin matters, but it's also such a small piece of the puzzle. I continue to learn and grow in my understanding of our bodies, what feeds them well, what supports energy, health and vitality. What I keep finding, are the most simple answers; good, simple, real foods and enough of them, following the rhythms of nature, getting sunlight on our skin and in our eyes, putting our feet on the earth, thankfulness and faithfulness to our Creator and Savior. I have continued to take these answers and apply them to how our products are formulated, questioning things I have learned, rethinking information, and often adjusting formulations and offerings based off of this knowledge.
With that being said, I will be making some changes to Refine, our one serum containing essential oils. I have been mindful in my dilution of these powerful essential oils, but an adjustment is necessary to further the support of your skin barrier and the effect on your body. One of the reasons many of us choose natural skincare is because we want to support healthy hormonal balance. I have recently learned that geranium essential oil can increase estrogen in the body [study], and I cannot, in good faith, continue to use it in my product formulations knowing that many of us struggle with estrogen dominance.
I have also been convicted to not use any essential oils in general, instead focus on good quality fats and infusing those with herbs and resins. Keeping things simple, sustainable, and nourishing for the skin, just like its been done for thousands of years. Essential oils have been around for a long time, but I just don't believe they were originally meant to be used to the extent they are today. They are also very concentrated compounds, that, even with proper dilution, can be damaging to the skin barrier. Here at Grace Holistic Skin, we want your skincare to strengthen your skin barrier not weaken it.
I avoid isolated compounds in our formulations as well, and instead choose ingredients that are whole and nourishing and will work synergistically with their natural constituents to support your skin. Just like eating an abundance of whole real foods compared to fortified foods and synthetic vitamins and minerals.
After several trial batches and volunteer testers we have landed on our final formula and it is SO GOOD. Without further adieu, allow me to introduce to you the new Refine: a moisturizing serum for graceful aging. Infused with resins and herbs to support and nourish your skin without damage to your skin barrier. Smooths fine lines and discolorations, supports healing, regeneration, and skin tone.
Ingredients:
- Jojoba Oil - Moisturizing and Balancing: contains vitamin E, anti-inflammatory, wax ester very similar to our sebum, balances oil production
- Olive Oil - Moisturizing and Protective: contains vitamin E, squalene, and antioxidants
- Tamanu Oil - Soothing and Healing: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, promotes collagen production and may improve the appearance of scars and skin texture
- Babchi Oil - Refining: contains vitamin A, helps reduce fine lines, improves skin tone, and promotes skin elasticity without the irritation often associated with synthetic retinoids. Whole plant form of Bakuchiol, an extract from the babchi seeds, which is gaining popularity in skincare products
- Frankincense Resin - Healing and Renewing: supports healthy cellular function, increases blood flow and circulation, reduces inflammation, reduces skin discoloration and imperfections
- Myrrh Resin - Healing and Protective: anti-inflammatory, bacteria balancing, antioxidant rich, supports collagen production and helps prevent the breakdown of elastin
- Reishi - Healing and Protective: reduces inflammation in the skin, and provides antioxidant protection from environmental stressors.
- Rose - Renewing: contains vitamins A and E, supports hydration and firmness in the skin, supports natural collagen production
We will be announcing the re-launch date soon, so please stay tuned!
Thank you as always for being here and supporting our family with your purchases. I hope that the products we provide you with are tools that help you nourish and love your skin and your whole being.
xo,
Ashley
(owner, founder, formulator)