facial skin care Archives

This post is sponsored by Symbiome, a new skincare company on the block, using 100% natural ingredients in the most minimal way possible to deliver maximal results.

It used to be that when I traveled, I packed nary a skincare product and relied heavily on those supplied by the AirBNB or hotel that we were staying at. However, at my most recent adventure, a new skincare company, Symbiome, offered to send me off with their jetsetter kit called The Journey. Packaged in tiny quantities, I was easily able to stash it in a TSA approved Ziplock bag and bring it with me to Iceland. Considering the tiny bottles, I was sure that it wouldn’t last me the ten days abroad. To my surprise, I had enough to bring back and now that I am packing for a trip to Spain next week, I find myself placing it in my suitcase once again.

This kit is the perfect kit for minimalists wishing to carry on a facial skincare routine en route. The Journey kit from Symbiome includes the Reset Cleanser, The One Moisturizer, and the post-biomic oil called Recharge002. The balanced collection keeps my skin clear, hydrated, and glowing as if I hadn’t just spent fifteen hours in a dry, air-conditioned aircraft. Allow me to momentarily dissect its contents.

The cleanser comes in a plastic pump bottle and is in foam form. 2-3 pumps is enough and I massage it on for about ten seconds. It is extremely gentle on the skin, washes off quite easily. It easily removes the SPF sunscreen I wear, as well as my mascara, without needing makeup remover. It leaves my skin feeling fresh, and it smells good to boot – fresh, herbal and invigorating.

The moisturizer is thick in consistency. It is very rich, but does not leave a heavy feel to my face. A little bit goes a long way. It’s calming to put on, smelling of milky vanilla, and I seal it with the oil which supposedly bolsters collagen production. That’s good for me, since I don’t take my collagen daily supplements while traveling. It also improves skin tone and texture. I feel a firmness in my skin after having used it. Lastly, Symbiome boasts its soothing abilities for sun-exposed skin, something I could certainly use after a day of hiking in the mountains and traipsing in the city. The oil feels crisp, and I use about 3-4 drops administered to my palms prior to pressing it onto my face and neck. If you’d like to make the set last longer, the moisturizer and the oil can be used separately, depending on your needs.

These are definitely minimalist essentials for someone on the go. I liked this new company’s products, and would highly recommend The Journey set to anyone wishing to travel this summer.

Note: Mike and I also carried along this Arrival travel set from Aesop, and shared it on our ten-day trip in Iceland. It was enough for two. This is an affiliate link and will help support this space as I earn commission everytime someone makes a purchase with this link. As always, thank you for supporting companies that support this blog.

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I’d be the first to admit that in an effort to rid our house entirely of plastic waste, I’ve been neglecting many aspects of skin care, and after a year and a half of doing so, it has started to show. In all honesty, walking down aisles of grocery stores in search of self-care products can be a bit nauseating for the environmental enthusiast. Almost every bottle promises some magical cure packaged in plastic capsules, listing a number of chemical compounds that stray far from being natural. Not a big fan of beauty products anyway, I decided it would be easier to rid my life of this added complexity by just ousting the need to buy. And while that has worked well with some aspects such as make-up routines, and substituting bars of soap and refillable aluminum bottles for daily necessities such as shampoos, conditioners, and lotions, I’ve found that when it comes to facial skin care, my skin has suffered and has started to rebel.

Admittedly, this past winter in California was the driest that we’ve had in a while. I woke up some nights with an itchy throat that needed clearing, and made a habit of having a glass of water by my bedside easily within reach. I recognized the dryness when our adopted toothless cat started to have asthma attacks in the evenings, waking us up and worrying us to death. And I couldn’t deny it any more when my facial skin started to itch, form a rash, and flake, when it has never reacted like that before.

Part of the irritation lies in the fact that I wear a dental mask every day, and the itchiness is localized around where my mask touches my skin. A visit to a dermatologist told me that it’s nothing that a good skin care routine couldn’t fix. She prescribed me a routine that required buying moisturizers, facial cleansers, sunscreens and ointments in plastic bottles, and at first I resisted. The resistance only lasted so long until my body signaled with fervor that it’s in need of some attention. Eventually, I did get her prescribed regimen, and I saw some improvement right away. My skin seemed satisfied, but I was not. I could not, in good conscience, bear to buy another round of plastic bottles filled with chemicals.

Then I remembered that when we went to Melbourne in January, we stayed at an apartment that was furnished with only amber glass bottles. I quickly started researching Aesop and was quite pleased with what I found. Packaged in those amber bottles were little doses of formulations created with meticulous attention to detail for one’s body needs. Their focus was to source plant-based ingredients mixed with lab-made ingredients that have proven record of both safety and efficacy. Headquartered in Melbourne, I was glad to learn that they had a store here in Southern California.

Searching for something to soothe sensitive, dry skin, the knowledgable staff at the store was able to guide me towards a selection of bottles lined up on their walls, but only after offering me tea and refreshments. They then helped me sample the products and the experience was akin to being at a spa and being waited on hand and foot. They massage the oils into your hands while talking you through the best treatment methods and tips. They detail the differences in ingredients and explain why each one has a purpose. Every item smelled heavenly, and best of all, they were packaged in glass! The only plastic to be seen are the caps and lids, which is much better than the alternative options. Plus, when you take them home, they are sent home in beautiful linen bags that can be re-purposed for such things as jewelry bags and stationary tool kits.

Off course, the price point is a little bit higher, but to be honest, not much different from the prescribed routine by my dermatologist. And you may call it a misperception due to my obvious affinity towards the brand, but I do believe it worked wonders much better then the Western medicine that was prescribed. Either way, I received these as gifts and took them home with care. Using them in my own bathroom elicited the same type of spa-quality that I experienced in store due to the fresh aroma and high tactile quality of the products. Lighted candle use, optional.