{eco beauty} herbivore botanicals: sweet tansy, why so blue?

everybody strives for balance in their lives: drinking plenty of fluids, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep + making time for friends, family + self {and don't forget to exercise!}. it's a good feeling when you strike that balance between work, social life + self care. finding a brand that is natural + cruelty free, and keeps your skin perfectly balanced feels good too!

i've been using oils to cleanse + moisturize for almost ten years now; i started out with olive oil, and over the years have experimented with argan oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, hemp oil + jojoba oil, and now i've tried blue tansy oil, a botanical ingredient in a beautiful shade of azure found in herbivore botanicals' lapiz blue facial oil. so what is blue tansy and what are it's magical, healing properties?

tansy is an essential oil derived from a european herb with a brilliant blue color. while tansy is poisonous, when used in small doses it has myriad medicinal + beneficial properties. tansy is anti-bacterial + an anti-inflammatory, helping to hydrate + soothe skin. this reparative oil works as a gentle moisturizer, helping to calm irritated skin + balance sebum levels {which our exocrine glands in the skin secrete to help protect + lubricate our hair + epidermis}.

herbivore botanicals' blue lapiz facial oil contains no animal byproducts or fillers, like water + emulsifying agents which can be found in commercial products, just the good stuff: blue yarrow, german blue chamomile, grapeseed oil, kukui nut oil, jojoba oil, jasmine sambac oil, bulgarian rose absolute, amaranth squalane, vitamin e oil + coconut oil. 

the results? my skin looked great + felt smooth. 

this quickly became one of my fave oils, as it is light + effective. you can purchase the lapiz facial oil roller as a part of their s|s skincare kit: the roller is great for traveling {small + spill proof, pictured above}; or you can purchase the oil in a glass bottle with dropper, separately, in a larger size. trying new plant-based soaps is one of life's simple pleasures for me, and they have a selection of fragrant soaps that come in pretty boxes including pink clay, blue clay + charcoal + bath salts for a little self love. all perfect for sensitive skin.

{don't forget the tip} my advice for anyone trying a new oil is this: always apply to wet or moist skin. post shower or post wash. if you prefer a morning spritzer or facial toner, then by all means go with it. try it on a portion of your skin first, perhaps your inner arm, before applying to your face. and if you decide the viscosity isn't quite right for your visage, then use it as a body oil on your legs + arms or use it as a hair serum to help smooth frizzy hair + add shine to your locks.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!