Benefits of Herbal Balms and Supporting Dry Conditions

Frankincense: Ancient Resin

Frankincense is harvested from the Boswellia tree, which thrives in arid, rocky environments where few other plants can survive. These trees, found mainly in the dry regions of Somalia, Oman, Yemen, and parts of India, produce resin as a response to cuts made in their bark—a process called tapping. This resin hardens into "tears," which are collected and processed into oils, powders, or extracts. Therapeutic Properties For Skin 1. Anti-Inflammatory Frankincense is rich in boswellic acids, particularly acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), which inhibits inflammatory mediators like 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This makes it a natural solution for skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and eczema, which are often driven by chronic inflammation. 2. Environmental Defense and Skin Resilience Beyond its anti-inflammatory effects, Frankincense also acts as a protective shield against environmental aggressors. It guards the skin from oxidative stress induced by UV radiation and pollution, minimizing cellular damage while supporting collagen integrity for firmer, more radiant skin. 3. Enhanced Skin Barrier and Wound Healing Frankincense promotes cellular regeneration and strengthens the skin barrier by reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This keeps skin hydrated while accelerating the healing of damaged areas. These properties make our Frankincense concentrate a key ingredient in our Skin Repair Balm, Rooted Balancing Balm, and seasonal favorite Frankincense Hydramist. A Sensory Experience: Aromatic Benefits The resinous, earthy notes in Frankincense have a grounding quality that many find brings a sense of inner calm and connection. It’s often associated with spiritual practices, meditation, and rituals, where it has been used to evoke feelings of tranquility and presence. The gentle warmth of Frankincense encourages circulation, creating a comforting sensation that feels nurturing and therapeutic, inviting you to slow down and fully engage with the present moment. Honoring Tradition Through Ethical Sourcing Our Frankincense is sourced directly from the women-led Beeyo Maal Cooperative in the Sanaag region of Somaliland. This cooperative is dedicated to ensuring that the harvesters, laborers, and sorters are the direct beneficiaries of their work and expertise. Protecting Ancient Forests Beeyo Maal’s mission stands in stark contrast to exploitative corporate practices that have depleted these ancient forests and the people who tend the land. As Luul Siciid Jaamac, Director of Beeyo Maal, shared in a recent article: "Our primary objective is not to get rich; but to secure our livelihoods, ensuring that we can provide for our families, earn a fair income, and cover our children’s education expenses. Preserving our trees and forest has become a top priority… Healing from these wounds will take time, but our determination remains unwavering. We are committed to preventing [corporate exploiters'] return.” The ancient forests where Beeyo Maal operates hold immense historical and ecological value. Despite centuries of responsible harvesting, these forests remain largely intact, a testament to traditional harvesting practices. But in recent decades, corporate extraction has devastated parts of the forest, destroying wildlife habitats and leaving trees vulnerable to pests. Beeyo Maal’s commitment to protecting these forests is as inspiring as it is necessary. Through this partnership, we honor both the environment and the people who have nurtured and protected these resources for generations. Our Botanical Enrichment Process We begin our journey with whole resin tears, ensuring their full spectrum of therapeutic properties is carefully preserved.  Advanced Extraction Methods Our process includes ultrasonic-assisted extraction and triple filtration, methods designed to retain a wide range of active compounds beyond what is typically achieved with essential oils or CO₂ extracts.  These techniques help extract not only volatile aromatic components but also non-volatile compounds such as boswellic acids and other triterpenoids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing properties. Encapsulation for Enhanced Bioavailability The final step in our process is encapsulation, which ensures that the Frankincense concentrate is not only potent but also gentle and easily absorbed by the skin. This advanced delivery system supports the skin’s natural healing pathways, allowing it to fully benefit from Frankincense’s restorative properties. Closing Thoughts Our commitment to sustainability, integrity, and innovation drives every step of our Frankincense journey—from sourcing and extraction to product formulation. The result is a skincare experience that celebrates the full spectrum of this ancient resin’s healing potential while respecting the communities and environments that nurture it. For those interested in learning more about Beeyo Maal's important work, we encourage you to read further on their website and on the Fuller Project. 

Why Orange Hued Plants Are Beneficial for Skincare

Color is pathway to understanding the phytochemical makeup of a particular plant and what it can do for the skin.  By design, you will find many of our products have a rich orange to yellow color to them. Key Phytocompounds and Their Function Powerful Antioxidant Protection with Carotenoids: These are the pigments that give orange ingredients their vibrant color. Carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene can protect the skin from oxidative stress/UV damage, enhance skin elasticity, and promote an even skin tone by inhibiting discoloration. Enhanced Skin Regeneration with Vitamin A: Found abundantly in orange ingredients, vitamin A promotes healthy skin cell production and repair. Beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, helps to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and boost overall radiance. Secondary Phytocompounds Often Found in Orange Plants Essential Fatty Acids & Phytosterols: Many are rich in omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, which are crucial for maintaining the skin's lipid barrier,  locking in moisture and preventing dehydration. This results in plumper, more hydrated skin with improved elasticity. Flavonoids and Phenolic Compounds: Calendula, for example, contains flavonoids and other phenolic compounds that offer anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits Calendula and other orange-colored botanicals often possess strong anti-inflammatory properties, helping to soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and calm inflammatory skin conditions. Examples of Orange-Hued Ingredients and Their Benefits: Calendula: Rich in flavonoids and carotenoids, calendula provides powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties. It helps soothe irritated skin, promotes wound healing, and offers antioxidant protection. Buriti Oil: Packed with beta-carotene, essential fatty acids, and vitamins, buriti oil deeply hydrates the skin, enhances elasticity, and provides strong antioxidant protection, making it ideal for aging and dry skin. Sea Buckthorn Oil: Contains high levels of nutritive vitamins, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids. It helps to regenerate skin cells, reduce inflammation, and provide intense hydration, leading to a brighter, healthier complexion. Carrot Extract: Abundant in beta-carotene (vitamin A). It rejuvenates the skin, promotes cellular repair, and helps to maintain a vibrant complexion. Tomato Extract: Filled with lycopene which provides antioxidant protection to enhance UV defense, reducing inflammation, preserving collagen, evening out skin tone, and promoting cellular repair. The Intelligent Design of Nature Incorporating orange-colored ingredients into skincare routines offers multiple benefits due to their rich content of antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. These compounds work as an intricate tapestry to protect the skin from damage, promote regeneration, and maintain hydration, resulting in a healthier, more radiant complexion.

Skin Hydration Beyond Topicals

Hydrated skin is not only a sign of vibrant skin but also an indicator of overall well-being. However, maintaining optimal hydration involves more than applying skincare. In this field note, we delve into the interconnected elements that support to skin hydration, including movement, nourishment, and facial massage.

Lymphatic drainage eye massage to help with puffiness, dark circles and milia

Whether you’re experiencing eye strain from staring at a screen all day or mild swelling or puffiness from lack of sleep or discovering milia (tiny white bumps) finding their way up to the surface - an eye massage can help relax the eye muscle and improve circulation. The process of increasing flow under the skin within the fascia is helpful not only for puffiness and dark circles but also for buildup. Since things like milia can be caused by underactive cellular renewal and processing (sometimes this is just age or other times its metabolic slowness). I feel this process wakes everything up and notice less congestion and overall smoothness. We’ve created our own eye massage ritual that can fit into any facial care routine or on its own. Perform daily, weekly or any time your eyes need some love. Products We don't offer a specific eye cream as our products are multi-functional and find massage to be the best way to support common concerns.  These are all offered in mini sizes which are perfect when only using them for eye care. Our favorite product to support the delicate eye area is the Ambient Moisture Liquid. It’s a featherweight moisture serum with no added essential oils and contains Horse Chestnut, which is well known to improve the skin under the eye. Perfect to strengthen the skin while being gentle, giving just the right amount of slip to perform a lymphatic drainage massage to help with puffiness and dark circles. If you prefer oils for massage, our First Light Brightening Oil offers more functional support around collagen building and discoloration.  As a lighter weight oil it provides enough slip to prevent tugging at the skin. It absorbs well, making it supportive for most skin types. For those who prefer a richer formula and not prone to milia, the Renewing Concentrate is rich in firming botanical compounds to add a bit more plumpness.  This blend also supports collagen production and softens discoloration. For Milia The Illuminating Exfoliating Serum is gentle enough for the eye area and can help with those prone to milia.  We recommend adding this a few nights.  Pair with the Ambient Moisture Liquid for massage. Other considerations if experiencing excessive milia, be careful with heavy balms and oils.  Limit their use to occasional evenings when the skin is dry. The Eye Massage Ritual Start by moisturizing the skin all over, use 1-2 pumps of serum and press onto the face, neck and chest. Follow the massage steps using the provided visual guide and instructions above. Step 1:Apply one pump of liquid to your pointer and middle finger tips. Using soft pressure (not pulling at the skin) make tapping motions starting from the center of your brow bone moving out, then under your eyes (along the cheekbone) towards your nose.Do this 5x to help bring blood flow to the area. Step 2:Take your thumbs and place them on the inner corner of your eyebrows and press firmly upwards and hold for 3 seconds. Step 3:Take your ring finger below the brow bone, glide outwards toward your temples with light pressure 5x. Step 4:With your pointer and middle fingers glide above the brow bone towards the temples with medium pressure 5x Step 5:Hold each of the following positions for 3 seconds. Pinch the inner corner of the eyebrows, the middle of the eyebrows, and the outer corner of the eyebrows. Step 6:With your ring finger, start on the inner corner of the eye, and drag lightly in an outward motion to the sides of the face. Repeat 5x Step 7:Complete with a massage on your temples using your index and middle fingers for 10 seconds. Bonus:For an extra relaxing experience, incorporate a cold compress (for redness prone skin) or a warm compress (for dull skin) at the end of the ritual. Simply run a washcloth under cold or warm water and place on your skin for up to 20 minutes (lying down). Repeat ritual 2-3x

Unveiling the Superpower of Liposomes in Skincare

Liposomes are often unsung heroes in the skincare world, redefining the way we approach skincare formulations.   Imagine tiny, protective bubbles that encapsulate precious ingredients, ready to deliver their potent benefits directly to your skin. They enhance the delivery and penetration of actives, ensuring they reach their targeted destinations within the skin. This means that your skin can truly reap the rewards of these carefully selected ingredients...

How to work with deconstructed moisturizers

Whether you are new to green beauty or a pro, combining products to customize to your skin's unique moisture needs can be a little tricky. Below we've put together five tips to get started. Our products are designed as "deconstructed moisturizers". Pairing humectant-based, hydrating products and lipid-rich facial oils and balms that can be blended together and tailored to your specific needs and preferences. With this approach, the Live Botanical line remains "emulsifier free" and focuses to mimic the skin's natural structure and function. Though we want to mention not all emulsification systems are "bad". Often the binary language of "good vs bad" is a result from the complexity and nuance of the subject matter, often when there is no simple answer. We'll have a blog post on the topic of emulsifiers soon :) Why is moisture so important? When your skin moisture level is "off-balance" it can cause your skin to be flaky, sensitive, easily irritated, and/or more prone to breakouts because the protective layer of the skin becomes compromised.  This moisture barrier, also known as your acid mantle or stratum corneum, provides critical protection for your skin. So restoring your moisture, especially throughout the seasons of your life, is a vital step in caring for your skin state. Tip #1 Avoid putting a facial oil or balm onto dry skin. If you've ever experienced dry patches on your skin it may be due to a lack of hydration.  So if you've been just washing your face and then directly putting on an oil or balm, try layering a type of hydration product underneath. This small shift can get your skin back to feeling great! Tip #2 Humectants are our friends. Water content in the skin is the primary factor that governs its flexibility. Humectants help hold and retain water in the skin. So using a hydration product rich in humectants is the key to skin strength and elasticity.  All of our hydration products contain humectants such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid*, snow mushroom, marshmallow etc, which are all researched and proven to draw and bind water into the skin. *Tips on using Hyaluronic Acid (HA) HA is a little unique in that it hygroscopic, drawing water to the skins surface and from the atmosphere. So if your skin is dry or your are in a dry environment, there may not be enough moisture to pull from. Applying HA in the bathroom after a steamy shower can help optimize its effects. Also maintaining your internal hydration is helpful. Tip #3 Oils & balms (occlusives, emollients) lock in hydration  The constituents of plant-based oils, waxes, butters, ceramides and sterols (ie lipids or fats) aid in skin barrier restoration/disruption and help hold in moisture. Once you have a cleansed face, added a humectant-rich hydration layer and the skin is still damp, it's time to seal it in with an oil and/or balm.  Anhydrous products (oils & balms that contain no water) are considered non-polar meaning they attract to each other so when laying oils & balms you are melding the two products. I tend to layer balms over facial oils due to the richer, slower-absorbing butters and/or waxes which create a tighter seal in order to prevent water evaporation. By adding this as your last step you are providing a bit more moisture protection since facial oils on their own absorb a bit faster. This sandwich/layering technique is the magic of beautifully moisturized skin.     Tip #4 Adjust your blend to your preferred moisture level Everyone's natural sebum (oil) production varies. You may have excess oil, combination, or little to no oil production at all (ie dry or dehydrated). Your oil production can change daily, monthly, and most likely seasonally (hello, winter). The goal is for your skin to feel comfortable. There are endless custom blends you can create to tailor to your skin.   Create an emulsion: Mix together your hydration product (elixirs/mists, hyaluronic acid, etc.) & your preferred oil and/or balm into the palm of your hand until a milky texture forms. Once everything is mixed together and massage and/or press into skin. So you can reap all the benefits that doesn't require to layer one on top of the other or in a specific order.   Applying products one at a time directly onto the skin: Layering products one at a time is great way if you want a little more control on your product usage like saturation, dry down times, incorporating massage, etc. If you are unsure which product to start with a good rule of thumb is to apply products by weight, from lightest to heaviest or thinnest to thickest. Also most brands have suggestions on how to use their products. Use the instructions or reach out to them directly :) However, try not to get caught up in the rigidity of layering, especially with deconstructed plant-based skincare where raw oils and butter have a bit more breathability than synthetic silicones and petrolatum.   'Sandwiching' products: Concepts like 'moisture sandwiching' which is a layering technique of hydrating goods & oil-based goods can give a wide range of options to help shift through the seasons to make your routine lighter or richer depending on your needs.  So it would look like this… { hydration + oil + hydration + balm } For example, after cleansing, add a light hydrating mist, followed by a facial oil, then use a light creamy moisture serum like our Ambient Moisture on top. This is lovely for those who struggle with truly dry skin (meaning it does not produce much oil on its own). Finish with a facial balm. By replenishing the lack of oil in your skin first, the water/oil emulsion on top actually works a bit better since the skin has more support to hold onto the humectants/hydrating ingredients. The routine is then completed by finishing with a waxy and/or buttery balm to seal it all in.   Tip #5 Listen to your skin Sometimes experimenting can help find that perfect balance without needing to add new products to your skin regime. Get to know your skin, and see what it reacts well to, and what it doesn't love. Give yourself space to feel into what is most nourishing to you.

Facial Masks to Reignite Your Skin’s Radiance

Incorporating a masking treatment into your facial routine 1 - 3x a week (especially during times of weather shifts) can give our skin extra support, while providing much needed time to relax the body and mind too. At Live Botanical, we offer three facial masks: Glowing Honey Mask, Greenhouse Glow Antioxidant Mask and the Tidal Moon Moisture Mask to awaken and revive the skin. Since our formulations focus is on gentleness and barrier care, they all help in this way. Though each one has a different texture, scent and end result. To help you choose, we’ve provided an in depth look at each mask.   Glowing Honey Mask Radiant glow in minutes   This mask uses ancient traditions of honey infusions and powdered herbs for your skin’s restorative journey. Organic papaya offers a gentle enzymatic exfoliation to stimulate and revive the skin. A radiant glow awaits you in minutes. For an added experience use facial (honey) tapping to stimulate lymph and circulatory movement. The Glowing Honey Mask has a multi purpose function of a hydrating mask, an exfoliant and and/or facial cleanser. Suitable for all skin types Scent Profile: rose & chamomile What others are saying: Melissa O. uses the mask in her morning routine. "I put it on in the morning and leave for about 30 minutes while I get ready for the day. It smells wonderful and really gets the blood flowing. My face is so soft and pampered when I am done." Alisia says "This mask does so much! It calms, cleanses, brightens dull skin, and exfoliates. Plus it smells amazing! Slightly spicy and slightly floral. Reminds me of my favorite herbal tea, plus it tastes good if you get it on your lips! I love that it is gentle and not drying. My skin was so soft, hydrated and glowing after using it!" Greenhouse Glow Antioxidant Mask Calm redness and even skin tone The Greenhouse Glow mask provides optimal phytonutrient delivery bringing lackluster skin back to life. The mask stimulates deep circulation and increases cellular oxygenation to restore luminosity when your skin feels dull or asphyxiated due to environmental damage, stress, internal imbalances or even long airplane flights. Activate the mask’s nutrients by adding cool water to pull out the water-soluble compounds (get your masking bowl and brush ready 😉). This is a mask that, overtime, helps the skin to lessen sensitivity. It doubles as a cleansing scrub for physical exfoliation or can simply be removed if you’re more sensitive. This supports all skin types and I love this for combination skin or skin in need of balance to even out skin tone. Note: mild circulation redness is normal after using the mask and will subside. Scent Profile: herbaceous, citrus and green tea like What others are saying: TRULY UNIQUEThis creamy balm that turns into a rich, moisturizing, plant-smoothie mask that provides results immediately. This is my go-to skin-transforming product right now. ~Claire M. AHHMAZING!!!First of all I love the vibrant green color it turns when activated with water. It smells so good too! My skin feels revived, refreshed, and hydrated. The initial circulation redness after wiping the mask off scared me a little but it subsided quickly and left my skin feeling renewed. Try this mask and you won’t regret it! ~Ricarda S. Tidal Moon Moisture Mask Plump and firm the skin This soft textured blend is all about soothing stressed skin. Helping barrier repair, it provides more moisture than the other two masks. It’s also more focused on vitality, plumping the skin for those concerned with fine lines and enlarged pores. Though it’s not an exfoliant, the extracts used support cellular renewal & protection for aging skin.As with all of our products, we formulate to reduce inflammation. So this mask is great for most skin types especially combination to dry and even acne prone.Scent Profile: a sweet forest What others are saying: A DESERT ISLAND PRODUCT - BEYOND FANTASTICI absolutely adore this product! It is the most magical formulation. Rich, creamy, nourishing, sweet smelling. After a complete cleanse, I layer on this mask and relax, breathing in the scent and enjoying the process while my skin is renewed. I have never ever used a mask that leaves the skin so smooth, nourished, brightened and revitalized. It does everything is says and more. I am beyond happy with this mask and consider it a holy grail product. ~MoroccanMelody 

Sensitive Skin Deep Dive - Causes & Care

Skin sensitivities are unique to each person who experiences them.  Know that whatever is happening on the surface is just information. Nothing we should feel shame or be discouraged by. Loving the beautiful design of the human body. That there is no such thing as imperfection as that’s just a construct to deprive us of the complexity and wonder of our humanity. 

Part 4: Alternative Facial Cleansing Options

Alternative cleansing options is an opportunity to reset or refresh the skin in between the act of a deeper cleanse...

Part 3: The Different Types of Oil Cleansers

One of the many benefits to cleansing oils is for a deeper clean and remove makeup that is in a base of oil (common in green cosmetics) and sunscreen. If your makeup and sunscreen is oil-free then either option is great. This comes from the idea of “like dissolves like”, meaning oil as a solvent can dissolve oil on the skin.

Part 2: When to use a gel cleanser

Though there are a host of surfactants that are super gentle especially with proper formulation.  Surfactants dissolve and emulsify oils, grabbing on to dirt, debris etc., and when water is added it can be easily rinsed away. As with everything in formulation, it’s all in the details.

Part 1: Are you over cleansing?

In a 4 part Cleansing Series, I will be taking a deeper dive into cleansing.  A step often overshadowed by treatments and moisturizers though finding the right cleansing protocol can make all the difference.This first article covers frequency of cleansing.