Cleansing & Exfoliating Powders

We see it everywhere now, cleansing / exfoliating powders. An ancient concept and like many other Asian girls something we took for granted as a part of our childhood. I distinctly remember when I was little, my Mum made a paste and gave me a bath with that paste. Yes all over the body. Many of you will instantly think of garbanzo bean powder, or powdered green mung beans, turmeric and milk or yogurt….yes that’s exactly the ubtan I’m referring to. That exact concoction is also applied to a Indian brides before the wedding. It’s said the ubtan aids exfoliation and imparts glowing flawless skin.

So you ask, well explain what is an Ubtan? As per ancient Ayurvedic principles and texts, it is roots, flowers, mud, clays grounded and mixed in a powder form. The benefits are endless – Natural ground powders of clay, mud, roots, flowers, spices, salts, lentils, dried fruit skin’s which can be mixed with rose water, milk, honey, yogurt whatever your skin and heart desires. Aids exfoliation, helps with glow, wonderful cleanser, incredibly cost effective however there are plenty of options to splurge on. Multi purpose as it can be cleanser or mask or an exfoliator.

Finally, the western world of skincare has caught on, well more specifically ‘western natural skincare world or green beauty world’, call it what you may! I’ve noticed three distinct categories of this, western skincare entirely, western brands inspired by Ayurvedic principles and then of course eastern brands that are entirely based on Ayurvedic principles and elaborate methods of preparation.

From May Lindstrom to Leah Lani, they’ve all formulated a version of their very own and sold as cleansing powder or exfoliating powder. The ingredients are varied between brands but after a while you tend to see a consistent trend (albeit with slightly different proportion and formulation).

Westernized Versions (bold ingredients are common)

May Lindstrom – The Clean Dirt ($60 for 200ml)
white halloysite clay, red morrocan rhassoul clay, sea salt, vitamin c, sodium bicarb, marshmallow root, spices like cinnamon, clove, turmeric, ginger, vanilla and cacao

Leah Lani – Kalima Cleansing powder  ($46 for 100ml)
coconut milk, brown rice, clay powders, guava fruit, banana, camu camu, rosehip, honeysuckle, sea salt, hibiscus, vanilla, rose, vitamin c

de Mamiel Brightening Cleanse & Exfoliate ($60 for 70g)

rhassoul clay, rose clay, sodium bicarbonate, white clay, oat flour, vitamin c, cocoa, rose, himalayan cedar wood, sandalwood, frankincense, vanilla, elderflower, marshmallow, grape, cucumber, calendula, german chamomile, gotu kola, ginseng, chrysanthemum and horsetail

Farmacy New Day Exfoliating Grains ($30 for 100g)

sodium cocoyl isethionate, corn starch, sodium bicarbonate, cranberry, water, adzuki seed, vitamin c, camellia, carrot, echinacea, glycerin, lemon willow bark, spiraling powder

One Love Brand New Day ($39 for 48g)

zea mays (corn) starch, pisum sativum (pea) flour, sodium cocoyl glutamate, kaolin, ananas comosus (pineapple) fruit extract, fragrance/parfum

The common ingredients that overlap between some of these products are Sodium Bicarbonate (resulting in fizzy emulsion making it more appealing & fun), Sea Salt, Vitamin C, Marshmallow Root, and Clay Powders. The first three ingredients mentioned is what clearly sets the Western Cleansing Powders apart from traditional Ayurvedic ubtans which are far more gentler on skin and dare I say far more “green” for skin! In my experience and opinion, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sea Salt and Vitamin C (assuming its pure Ascorbic Acid powder) can be very harsh on sensitive and sensitized skins.

Coming to my second category, which is western skincare brand based on Ayurvedic principles and ingredients. This brings me to Mauli Rituals Radiance Exfoliant and Mask (£36.00 for 30gms or 1oz).

The inch list truly excites me, with inclusion of Fullers Earth Clay (that unmissable sweet scent),  Rose petal powder,  Sandalwood powder, Turmeric powder, Vetiver powder, Kashmiri Saffron, Asparagus, Sandalwood Oil, Rosehip,  Rose Absolute, Kashmiri Saffron Extract.

Works wonderfully as cleanser, exfoliant or mask. Versatile in use and mixing base. The luxurious  ingredient listing is much closer to authentic Ayurvedic ingredients with a clear exclusion of Sodium Bicarb, Sea Salt or any other skin stripping harsher elements.

Closer to Ayurvedic Texts, Principles, and Ingredients

Forest Essentials ($18-$20 for 60g)
Tejasvi Milk – neem, cinnamon, fennel powder, sweet almond meal, sandalwood oil, fenugreek powder, peepal extract, anantmool powder, apricot kernel, saffron, durva extract and milk
Soundarya – orange peel, rose, jasmine, neem, oatmeal, sandalwood, turmeric, fennel, anantmool, saffron flower, lemon peel and star anise.
Multani Mitti  (my personal FAVE) – fullers clay, neem, turmeric, fenugreek seed powder, lodhra bark, woodfordia powder and banyan bark powder
Narangi (Orange) & Nagkesar (Messua ferrea) – orange peel, marigold flower, licorice root, messua ferrea, bala root, vetiver, ashwagandha, durva, neem, brahmi leaf, anantmool and cinnnamon
Roop Nikhar & Gulab (Rose) – lentil seed, rose, ornage peel, oatmeal, anantmool root, neem, katsuya powder,turmeric, saffron, cinnamon

Kama Ayurveda ($22 for 40g)

Mridul (face & body) – oatmeal, green gram, almond, neem, sandalwood, turmeric, rose and fennel.

PurEarth ($60 for 100g)
Turmeric Exfoliating Face Sand – Bitter apricot kernels, fullers earth clay, persian walnut, neem, turmeric, pomegranate, lavender, rose, seabuckthorn berry, and saffron

The web is also inundated with several DIY recipes, of which garbanzo bean powder,  mung bean powder, turmeric and milk or ghee is by far the most popular. However based on your skin’s needs, concerns and what’s available in your kitchen, these ingredients can also be used: Oatmeal, almond meal, rice flour, sandalwood powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric, grounded spices (cinnamon, clove, star anise, though not recommended to sensitive or reactive skins). Mixing bases may include purified water, steam distilled rose or any other flower water, full cream milk, cream, yogurt, honey, lemon juice, aloe vera juice, witch hazel, vinegar.

Ultimately it filters down to what your skin needs, how much are you willing to spend, where your brand loyalties lie, your preferences with traditional ubtan or westernized  version or a happy medium between western and eastern etc. Personally I’ve tried homemade Grandma’s ubtan recipes to modern Ayurvedic shops like Forest Essentials and Kama Ayurveda. My personal preference lies with more traditional format minus Vitamin C, Sodium Bicarb, Sea Salt.

HHW.com

xx

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LeahLani Skincare – Edition One

Leah Lani is a Hawaiian brand that has captured vibrant botanicals, skin softening clays, delicious tropical fruits in gorgeous frosted glass jars with lots of love and care. All formulations are blended in small batches in North Shore of Kauai. I’ve tried a number of Leah Lani’s products and each and every product has a vibrant colour and upbeat aroma to the products. Below are some of my early thoughts on the products I’ve tried, tested and enjoyed.

The website claims, a delicate, nutrient dense silken moisture melt that will soften the skin and deeply nourish the complexion. Bless will help to reduce inflammation, strengthen and protect your precious complexion. 

Ingredients: Organic cold pressed argan oil (Argania spinosa), organic cold pressed camellia seed oil (Camellia oleifera), organic Shea butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), organic cocoa butter (Theobroma Cacao), organic cold pressed maracuja passionflower oil (Passiflora Incarnata), organic cold pressed moringa oil (Moringa Oleifera), organic cold pressed marula oil (Sclerocarya Birrea), cymbidium grandiflorum orchid extract, wildcrafted blue tansy oil (Tanacetum annuum), neroli oil (Aurantium Dulcis), organic rosehip fruit (Rosa Moschata), rose clay and LOVE.

While the ingredient listing is lovely, to some the inclusion of Shea Butter may ring bells of a breakout. Personally I haven’t experienced any breakout so far. Like any good respectful balm its free of water, wax and emulsifiers. The delicate soft shade of baby pink comes from Rose Clay and Rose Hip flowers.

In terms of use this product is very versatile, can be used as cleansing balm as well as nourishing last step balm. I tried it both ways and no surprise to regulars I prefer it as the latter method. Just too lovely, to be swiped away with steaming wash cloth. The sensorial pleasure with steaming cloth and delicate floral blend of Passionflower, Moringa, Orchid and Neroli is extraordinarily uplifting.

Upon touch it instantly melts into the skin, and absorbs nicely. Little goes a long way with this wonder, being heavy handed with this balm may result in product just sitting on top of the skin. In my experience, it does help nourish and moisturize the skin, thereby enhancing the skin barrier however it didn’t do much for my inflammation. Overall, a solid basic balm to feed the skin and protect the moisture barrier.

Next up is this gorgeous deep emerald green lush honey mask! Possibly the most raved product. Claims to be made from the soil and nectar of Hawaii, this one product alone will purify, cleanse and soften your skin gently yet effectively. The deep, emerald color comes from two powerhouse superfood ingredients, organic chlorella and organic spirulina.

Spirulina comes from a farm on the pristine coast of Hawaii that draws on the natural resources that surrounds it – abundant warm sunlight, pure deep ocean water and 100% fresh water drawn from a Hawaiian aquifer. The cleanest and most pure source of organic chlorella on the planet, which is grown in outdoor pools under the sunlight and contains cell walls that are “opened” or “cracked” using a specific process that preserves nutrients and increases absorption.

Ingredients – Organic Hawaiian raw honey, organic Hawaiian spirulina (Spirulina Maxima), pure organic chlorella (Chlorella Vulgaris), french green clay, pure sea clay, luminess algae, organic sea buckthorn CO2 (Hippophae Rhamnoides), vanilla CO2 (Vanilla Planifolia), essential oils of: (organic orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis), moroccan chamomile (Tanacetum annuum ), roman chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) , geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini), lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia), ylang ylang (Canaga Odorata), rose (RoseDamascena), white lotus flower absolute (Nelumbo Nucifera), beeswax absolute (Apies millifera), coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum), and LOVE.

Once again a faultless ingredient listing, and enriched with raw honey absolutely tickles my soul. Tricky one to apply, face needs to be wet and then schmear this all over. Alternatively I gradually heat it in hot water or 10 seconds in microwave (blasphemous I know!) to get the product nicely mixed and moving. Instructions say 15-20mins but given its honey and won’t be drawing moisture from skin, I leave it on for an hour or two. Some times I forget I have a mask on, super comfy feeling on skin. I can appreciate why its highly raved, it does calm my skin, impart a beautiful glow and leaves skin plush soft. The only aspect that puts me off this mask is the application i.e. heat it every time. No spa like application with a brush, it needs to be massaged in on a damp face.

Next honey wonder is Honey Love 3-in-1 cleanser, exfoliator and mask formulated to clarify, oxygenate, hydrate and balance the skin while stimulating cellular renewal. Honestly these are huge claims, and to cut to the chase in my experience this is a basic  nourishing mask and scrub. Infused with superfood Maqui berry, tonifying Hibiscus, anti inflammatory Noni fruit, stimulating rose clay and soothing Lavender and Chamomile flowers all in the base of organic Hawaiian raw honey.

Ingredients: Organic hawaiian raw honey, organic wildcrafted whole maqui berry fruit (Aristotelia chilensis), organic wildcrafted whole noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia), rose clay, organic hibiscus flower (rosa sinensis), organic lavender flower (Lavandula Angustifolia), organic cold pressed jojoba oil, essential oils of:(organic lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia), chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita), Citrus sinensis (organic orange), organic vegetable glycerin, corundum crystals and LOVE.

I absolutely adore the earthy fruity scent of this product, again need water to smooth it all over. Typically I leave it on while I’m brushing and then gently massage it away. However what makes this scrub special is Corundum (aluminum oxide, naturally found) crystals. Corundum microdermabrasion crystals are made from the second hardest mineral known to science. The crystals are ground to a very fine powder and they do not have any jagged edges, so they will not ‘tear’ skin cells like traditional exfoliators. The only problem is these settle at the bottom and the product needs to be stirred thoroughly. Again, it needs to be heated gently so all the crystals settled at the bottom are mixed well. The distinction factor to other manual scrubs is the scrumptious honey with finely powdered crystals.

All in all, Bless Balm, Mermaid Mask and Honey Love are are definite repurchases for me. These products are enriched with some gorgeous ingredients and are fairly priced. Admittedly I took a plunge at Black Friday Sale and I’m so glad I did. As a part of my purchase, Leah Lani kindly and generously added more products for me to try which are Aloha Ambrosia Elixir, Mahina Evening Replenishing Elixir and Kokoleka Ritual Dessert Detox Mask, however need more time to try and test which I will document in edition two. More to come…..

HHW.com

xx