Christina Alyce Beauty: yarrow

As someone who previously worked at a local coffee chain, and has a sensitivity to caffeine, coffee is not my first choice when it comes to a morning beverage. But, about a year ago, I was introduced to my very first body scrub, made from coffee, and I absolutely fell head over heals.
Coffee scrubs are typically made of pretty basic ingredients, and are super easy to DIY. They contain coffee grounds and any variety of plant oils as a base, and may also utilize sugar or salt for extra exfoliation, and essential oils for any number of skin benefits. I absolutely adore the texture of coffee scrubs. The coffee is more gentle than salt or sugar because it doesn't have jagged edges, and the consistency makes for a wonderful, dense product. My favorite thing about coffee? It stimulates blood flow to tighten and brighten skin, and can even lessen cellulite. I like to apply my scrubs almost like a body mask to get the full effect: I rub it in all over my body to exfoliate, and wait a couple of minutes before I rinse, so it has a moment to absorb and work its magic. My skin glows afterwards. Sounds delightful, doesn't it? I'll share two of my favorites with you below:

Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox Body Scrub [SHOP]

This is my go-to summer scrub. Instead of that warm cup-o-joe scent you would expect from a coffee scrub, this one smells more earthy. Lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender essential oils mix with the coffee to create a scent reminiscent of a forest after a rainstorm. As the name suggests, this is a great scrub if you're looking for a detoxing product for congested skin, because it contains activated charcoal. This does wonders for my occasional shoulder and upper back breakouts. Black lava salt and Epsom salt add a little extra exfoliation and help to relax muscles, as a source of magnesium. The blend of almond, coconut, hazelnut, Andrioba, and Pracaxi oils help to tighten and lightly moisturize the skin.

Fig + Yarrow Coffee + Cardamom Body Scrub [SHOP]

In the fall and winter, I like something with a warm and cozy scent. Fig + Yarrow's coffee scrub is the perfect warming, decadent blend of cardamom, vanilla, black pepper and chocolate. I turn to this scrub when I need a little extra moisture during the dry winter months. It blends coconut oil and castor oil with cocoa butter and shea butter to deliver an incredibly moisturizing experience. It also utilizes the humectant and exfoliating properties of cane sugar to smooth skin.

I would love to know if you've tried and adored any other coffee scrubs, or if you prefer another type of scrub to exfoliate with. Let me know in the comments!

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Overhauling your skincare routine can be a daunting task, especially if you are completely new to the world of clean beauty, and unaware of what brands are out there. There's also the money factor. Glowy, smooth skin doesn't usually come cheap, so when a brand offers a boxed set of things to try at a pretty decent deal, you thank the skincare gods. I was happy to see that Fig + Yarrow, (one of the first clean beauty brands I had heard about) offers such a set. At $76, for 5 trial/travel size items it seems expensive, but if purchased individually, the total would be $88, so not a bad deal, especially if you can snag a coupon, or catch a sale. In case you wish to check out any of these products individually, I will provide links to each product listing as well.
Of course when buying a set there is the downside that one or two out of the several curated products may not be the right fit for you, but I find that for the value that comes with these types of sets and the small amount of each product you get, it's not that much of a loss. Besides, the odd product out can always be used in an alternate way than originally intended, gifted, or traded with a product junkie friend. I was lucky enough to be able to use all of the products in the Fig + Yarrow Facial Care Kit, without any issues and as you will see, I was quite pleased with everything.

Cleansing Nectar [1oz $12] [4oz $32]

My main focus in my skincare switch has been to find a non-foaming, low pH cleanser, and this product ticks both of those boxes. The Cleansing Nectar is meant to be a gentle cleanser for all skin types, that exfoliates and purifies the skin while leaving the acid mantle intact. I think it does a very good job of this, particularly for oily and acne prone skin, because it does not strip the skin.

It is formulated with lavender hydrosol, which helps to soothe the skin, along with aloe and ginko bilboa, which is also excellent at improving nutrient delivery. The cleanser exfoliates with a combination of manuka honey, apple cider vinegar, willow tree bark (salicylic acid) and dead sea salt, which all contain exfoliating enzymes. This is a purely chemical exfoliation process, so it is well suited for anyone with sensitive skin. There are no salt particles or other rough ingredients to be found in this formula. Calendula repairs damage, and green tea offers antioxidants. Licorice soothes irritation and redness.
I use this cleanser primarily at night. If I have worn make up during the day, I oil cleanse first, then wet my face with water, apply the cleanser to my face, and use either my hands or a konjac sponge to spread it around, then rinse and follow with the rest of my skincare. I have never felt stripped or dry when using this product, and I do not break out. I do think it does a great job of balancing the skin and healing/preventing further breakouts.

Facial Scrub [1.4oz $14] [2.8oz $22]

I love exfoliating, but like most people with sensitive skin, I have to be careful not to use any coarse products containing things like salt or sugar with sharp edges. A fantastic alternative to these more traditional ingredients, is a combination of ground oat flour and fullers earth. Ground oat flour cleanses, softens and soothes the skin, and even improves discoloration. Fullers earth also works to lighten skin imperfections, and detoxifies and exfoliates. Raw honey purifies, moisturizes, and contains enzymes that help slough of dead skin cells. While these ingredients are all gentle for sensitive skin, this product also contains a few extra soothing ingredients, to make sure your skin stays happy, like lavender, rosewood, and chamomile essential oils.

As you can see from the ingredients, this scrub works as a cleanser as well, so there is no need to use a separate product for cleansing with it. This is great news for your skin, because the less often you wash, the less you have to strip your natural oils. I will usually use this whenever it's time to exfoliate (I usually do so twice a week), and I rotate this with my Glowing Skin Cleanser from The Dirty Goat, depending on how much of a scrub I think I need. For extra- dull days, I do prefer my scrub from TDG. But overall, this is a great exfoliator. It is gentle and not rough at all. I do feel like it leaves a bit of residue behind, but it doesn't feel dirty, and I don't get breakouts from it. I find my skin looks plumper,, brighter, and more nourished.

Yarrow/Immortelle/Rockrose Complexion Water [1oz $14][4oz $42]

Fig + Yarrow offers two variations of this skincare set, the differences being found in the toner. I chose the Complexion Water formulated with yarrow, immortelle, and rockrose, because this version is supposed to help in regenerating skin cells, and soothing troubled skin. The key ingredients in here are gently astringent as well as anti-aging. I don't typically go for astringent products, but I have no problems with irritation or unbalanced skin with this toner. My only issue with this toner is that I don't care for the smell, which too earthy for me, but it does fade quickly. I don't like using fragranced products on my face, and I find that it is odd that this complexion water is also marketed as an aromatherapy product. I don't think the scent is overpowering, and the fragrance comes from natural essential oils, but I do think it is important to mention. But as I said, my sensitive skin does not have any problems when I use this.

Facial Serum [0.25oz $20][0.5oz $38]

As recently as a year ago, I don't think I had ever used a serum. I understood their purpose, but at the time I felt like I was getting all of the benefits I needed from the other products in my routine, and I would just revisit the thought of a serum down the line, once I got a little older and my skin needed an extra boost. Well, during my Lush foray and quest to try every single product they offered, I used a serum for the very first time and became hooked. I'm now a serum junkie, with more serums than any other type of product in my collection, and this one from Fig + Yarrow ranks right at the top.

It's easy for me to recognize when my skin loves a product, and I get all the telltale signs with this little bottle of magic. I get glowy but not greasy, instantly softer, smoother, with an all-around "good skin day" vibe.

It is made with a base of olive (squalane) oil, which my skin loves. It absorbs quickly into my skin, and feels incredibly silky. It contains vitamins A and E, and helps fight aging and repair sun damage. Rosehip oil is also very nourishing, containing fatty acids, vitamins E, C, and B-carotene. The combination of meadowfoam seed oil and jojoba oil traps in moisture to keep skin glowing, and rosemary essential oil helps to fight acne.

Yarrow Buttercream [1oz $28][2oz $48]

The final product in this set is the Yarrow Buttercream, which is described as hydrating and nourishing for dry and damaged skin. It contains many intensely hydrating ingredients, including aloe, almond oil, carrot seed oil, and shea butter, making it ideal for winter months or very dry skin. This can be used on the face or body, and makes a fantastic hand cream. It also has chamomile to soothe the skin and nutrient rich ingredients like grapefruit seed extract and rosemary leaf extract. This combination promotes cellular turnover, and collagen production, giving the skin a youthful, renewed look.

I have only used this product on my face once, because it is a little too rich for me in the summer months. I have loved it on my extra dry spots like my elbows, hands, and feet though. It hydrates beautifully and leaves your skin plump with long- lasting moisture. It does not carry much of a smell, so it makes a perfect unscented hand-cream.

I think this set gives a great selection of products, for all skin types. I feel like it has left me with a very positive impression of what Fig + Yarrow has to offer, and I am excited to check out some new skincare items from the brand, now carried at Target. I am impressed by the quality of everything I tried, and it certainly felt luxurious. My skin reacted well to everything, and I definitely plan to purchase a full size of the cleansing elixir and serum when I run out. I would highly recommend this set to any skincare lover, particularly those who enjoy higher end products and clean beauty.

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Christina Alyce Beauty

Body

Face

Teeth

Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox Body Scrub [SHOP]

Fig + Yarrow Coffee + Cardamom Body Scrub [SHOP]

Cleansing Nectar [1oz $12] [4oz $32]

Facial Scrub [1.4oz $14] [2.8oz $22]

Yarrow/Immortelle/Rockrose Complexion Water [1oz $14][4oz $42]

Facial Serum [0.25oz $20][0.5oz $38]

Yarrow Buttercream [1oz $28][2oz $48]

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