I will start this with a confession: at my core, I am a total product junkie. I must admit one of the perks of my job as founder of Lemon Laine is testing and trying new products. On average, I receive roughly 20 product submissions a week asking to be on our shelves. When I discover one that piques my interest, I like to speak with the brand founder to dig deep into what excites them about their products and how their brand may have a small but meaningful part in brightening our customer’s day. Whether it be life challenges that inspired an entrepreneur to create a skincare line or a forward-thinking wellness guru driven to push a specific ingredient to its limits, all long-lasting brands start with a good story. My search for the best in beauty and wellness is inspired by the many stories within the beauty space and is guided by paying close attention to what each brand is trying to say. The brands discussed below are the most interesting ones I’ve come across recently. Some due to their formulations, others due to their versatility; however, all of them share a strong sense of purpose and their own perspective about what the elusive, miracle skincare routine might look like. So, listen closely as I reveal my obsessions of the moment.
01
A Parisian’s Secret Weapon for Dull Skin
The founder of La Fervance has a singular focus: to create a multi-faceted product of the highest quality. Their Eclat Extraordinaire is bar-none, the most versatile product I’ve had the pleasure of trying. It can be used as an overnight mask, a highlighter on top of your cheekbones, or a daily moisturizer. Because of its addictive sandalwood scent, I’ve been known to use it as a fragrance with a couple of dabs to my wrists to start my day. Designed to give your skin an instant glow, this Parisian-made, magic balm is infused with 23k gold, vitamin-C rich kakadu plum, pearly pigments, and pure seawater from the French Breton coasts. Even Sylvie of Emily in Paris has become a recent fan herself.
02
The Blue Balm Everyone Needs
Rarely does a brand founder have a background in multiple fields, so it goes without saying that De Mamiel’s founder, Annee de Mamiel, raises the bar by being a certified acupuncturist, aromatherapist, and holistic facialist–not to mention a cancer survivor and once one of Australia’s top triathletes. Her unique perspective manifests through the complexity of her formulations as she combines ancient principles of Chinese medicine and her clinical expertise. As if we would expect anything less, De Mamiel hand-blends each product at her skincare lab in the English countryside to ensure the highest quality. The Recovery Blend is her hero product. Formulated with five azulene-based oils and the malachite gemstone that give it a distinct blue hue, this pressed serum offers your skin an extra level of protection. Add to cart now.
03
Get Victoria Beckham’s Glow
You know the feeling when you’re at the beach and your skin just looks and feels better? Well, Osea Malibu is what I like to call ‘ocean in a bottle’. With their headquarters based near the beach in Malibu, their products are infused with various bioactive forms of seaweed hand-foraged in shallow waters off the Patagonia coast. Osea truly is a trailblazer as the use of seaweed in their formulations have without a doubt pushed the boundaries of what many thought would even be possible. Victoria Beckham calls their Undaria Body Oil her favorite product to use after a shower. I agree, it is one of my personal favorites- it soaks right in and has me feeling like I spent a week at the beach.
04
Mushroom Skin Care is Here
Potentially the most popular brand in this list, Moon Juice, has had its early success on the wellness side of the spectrum, creating adaptogenic powders that every aesthetic AF Instagram influencer loves to mix in their morning latte. But, what I’m most excited about is their foray into skincare. Just like their wellness-based products, Moon Juice’s skincare line takes an inside-out approach, concentrating their efforts on ensuring the ingredients include healing and stress-fighting attributes. Their star ingredient in their skincare line is a Japanese Silver Ear Mushroom which helps deliver water into cells helping with skin elasticity and bounce. Moon Juice’s wellness-first approach is not just a trend off of Instagram- they’re here to stay for the long run and definitely a brand I get giddy about any time they launch a new product.
05
Olive Oil That Stands The Test of Time
Olive oil has been used in skincare regimens since ancient times, even Cleopatra has been rumored to lather it all over her body to maintain a youthful glow. Maybe due to its ubiquitous properties, it often gets overlooked when it comes to ingredient lists in skincare products. Wonder Valley doubles-down on the effectiveness and quality by using hand-harvested olive oil from their groves in Northern California to create a luxurious body oil, a serum, a face oil and of course, a delicious olive oil. They don’t just stop at the formulation, their packaging alone is worth a place on your mantle. Produced in Italy, each bottle is decorated with a sultry siren holding an olive branch. I think Cleopatra would approve.
