Nothing is more exciting for an organic beauty blogger than to share the opinions and insight about organic beauty products! So, I was over the moon to be invited as a judge in the 6th annual Certclean’s Clean Beauty Awards. I have already given my votes to the participating products, but I thought it would be great to compile all of them in one place and share my opinions here as well. I was a judge in two categories this year: skincare and deodorants. Both categories were equally exciting for me, so I’ll be sharing about them in separate posts.
I had 7 products in the Clean Beauty Awards Skincare category. Sadly, one product did not make its way to me and got returned to the brand. The other six reached me in time, so I could give a proper testing to all of them. The skincare products that were in my category were:
– Hersteller Little Drops Dear My Wrinkle Serum
– The Potion Fairy Fountain Antioxidant Hydration Serum
– Aromatica Vitalizing Rosemary Concentrated Essence
– Leaf People Lymphatic Support Oil
– 100% Pure Vitamin C Boost Concentrated Treatment
– Prep U Blem Pen
Now let’s move to the good stuff – the reviews, shall we? The reviews are in no particular order, but I’ll add an overall rating next to each product just in case you’re interested in how I rated them. I’ll also add prices and ingredient lists for reference.
The Potion Fairy Fountain Antioxidant Hydration Serum (28ml for $40) has the most beautiful and distinct packaging amongst other skincare products in the category. The seal especially has a nice touch to it! The serum is packed with antioxidants, so it’s protective and restorative. But… The problem is the texture of this serum. I know every opinion is subjective, and I shouldn’t use this strong word that I’m about to use, but the texture is awful. Even the tiniest amount of the serum makes my skin feel like it’s suffocating. Also, I do not feel like it’s even a tiny bit hydrating.
So thumbs up for the packaging; thumbs down for the texture. Overall rating: 4/10.
It took some time for me to actually to understand this Aromatica Vitalizing Rosemary Concentrated Essence (100 ml for $40). Is it a toner? Is it a serum? Is it some kind of hydrating treatment? Despite its appealing, clean packaging and simple ingredient list with the main star ingredient: rosemary extract, this skincare product’s true purpose (or lack of) is still a mystery to me. I’d say it would be most suitable as a hydrosol for refreshing and reviving the skin in the morning. Rosemary is a well-known antioxidant, so there are also some benefits there. However, although I love skincare as much as I do, I’m not sure if I’m ready to commit to an extra skincare step for the long run.
Thumbs up for simple ingredient list and packaging; thumbs down for lack of concrete purpose for the consumer. Overall rating: 7/10.
100% Pure Vitamin C Boost Concentrated Treatment (10g for $29) is the only skincare treatment from the bunch that you need to prepare before application. It comes in a small bottle filled with white sugar-like granules that you need to dissolve in liquid and then apply to the skin. I tried it dissolving in water and a couple of serums, and in the end, I decided to stick with water only. It’s a highly concentrated, stabilized vitamin C and hyaluronic acid treatment, which will provide great results with consistent use. As a lazy customer, I wish it would already come prepared with some kind of dropper or something, but other than that, I really like the product.
Thumbs up for highly effective ingredients; thumbs down for an extra step before application. Overall rating: 9/10.
Leaf People Lymphatic Support Oil (10 ml for $25) is more of a wellness product than skincare. I have to admit, I probably would not have tried it myself if not for the Clean Beauty Awards. Simply because of the lack of information about the benefits of lymphatic fluid movement. I like Leaf People as a brand; I have experienced on several occasions that they create quality ingredients. However, since I judged based on the sole product, not the brand, the rating wasn’t as high as I would have given their other products. First of all, you can’t really see quick or obvious results with this kind of treatment. Second, it takes effort to learn how to properly do this and then stay consistent. I doubt I’ll be repurchasing this oil, but I really enjoyed the uplifting scent and the relaxing application despite this. If you’re interested in this kind of product, you should definitely try it out.
Thumbs up for caring for customer’s wellness; thumbs down for lack of visual directions on applying the oil. Overall rating: 6/10.
Prep U Blem Pen (10ml for $18.95) is a soothing all-natural treatment for all those unwanted spots and blemishes. The Blem Pen contains skin healing and soothing ingredients such as witch hazel extract, tea tree and lavender essential oils, and more. A small tube is super convenient to have in your purse at all times. The only downside of this product is its steep price point for a product.
Overall rating: 8/10.
Hersteller Little Drops Dear My Wrinkle Serum (15ml for $62) was my top-rated item among the skincare category. I wish it would have a cleaner ingredient list, but since the rating was based on the overall feel of the ingredient and its performance, it really delivered. I also enjoyed its quick-drying, softening texture and gentle scent. It’s a firming, skin-smoothing serum, which gave noticeable results.
Thumbs up for the packaging and results; thumbs down for some of the ingredients. Overall rating: 10/10.
Have you tried any of these skincare items?
I’m Inga, the creator of this online place called Organic Beauty Blogger. Since 2013, I’ve been on a mission to redefine beauty by sharing my insights into the world of green beauty.
