We're pretty stoked to announce that two of our most staple products have undergone a mini-make-over. While you won't notice a difference in texture, or use, we've made adjustments to our formulas.
Ayurvedic Skin Cream
Our most staple product- our lotion. This thick, moisturizing body butter has always been antioxidant rich, fortifying to skin cells, and balancing to the nervous system, but we've decided to add in extra herbs to support the nervous system. The new blend has herbs like shatavari and licorice to help balance the hormones by which the nervous system communicates with the body. Bhringaraj, valerian, and passionflower are soothing and anti-inflammatory, healing and pacifying frazzled and stressed nerves. Lemon verbena and tulsi provide nourishment to make the nerve stronger. It's a neuro-protective blend, aimed at turning the simple act of moisturizing self-massage into a real act of self care. The concentration of the herbs probably won't have a tangible effect, just in the same way eating broccoli or kale doesn't have a tangible effect, but your cells and your body thank you for it nonetheless.
We've also switched from a calendula hydrosol to a rose & geranium hydrosol combo. It's more soothing to the skin, aiding in evening skin tone and reducing redness.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, the formula places an increased emphasis on pacifying Vata- the King Dosha, with a nod to Brajaka Pitta, the dosha that rules the skin. We aim to keep our products tri-doshic, but we do allow for favoritism. Certain doshas are more likely to get out of whack- Vata specifically. Because it is the element of air, is it the most easily perturbed, and the most difficult to bring back to center. Pitta rules the skin, so we often show favoritism to Pitta, working to keep it in balance through our products.
We love our Radiance Face Cream, always have. The combination of herbs, the soft texture, and the sheer totality of bases that it covers. It is antioxidant rich, soothing to the skin, anti-aging, prevents blemishes, and has a mild spf value. There is one thing changing in this line-up: the SPF value. The original herbal line up in this product was: ashwaganda, bala, black cumin seed, rosehip seed, and wheat germ seed. Wheat Germ Seed oil has a natural SPF value of about 20, which lent an extra level of protection to our face cream.
Making the face cream has always proved to be a balancing act. Blending oils of different lipid densities with aloe vera and hydrosols while using plant-based emulsifiers without the use of chemical stabilizers had always proven to be difficult, and mild amounts of separation were common in the face cream. The wheat germ seed, with its high lipid density, was always the source of the problem, as plant based emulsifiers work best with low lipid density oils. As March and April of 2020 brought quarantines and shut-downs, we spent time in the lab, trying out different plant-based emulsifier and recipe combinations, trying to make Radiance even better. We tried over a dozen different combinations, but the end result was clear: we needed to scrap the wheat germ seed oil from the recipe if we wanted to improve the face cream. So, we swapped it out for chia seed oil.
We lose the SPF value, but we gain increased anti-aging, anti-wrinkle properties. With increased Omega 3s and moisturizing powers, the chia seed oil increases the cream's antioxidant properties. The resulting cream is lighter, and separation is much less.
Enjoy~
Rachel
VB Lead Herbalist
