It's 2019 and ads are everywhere you look. Buzzwords are whizzing past you from the moment you open your eyes to the time you settle in at night. "Organic," "all natural," and "pure." The claims are everywhere, but do they actually hold any weight? Ours do.

The term “vegan skincare” has gained a ton of popularity in recent years as people across the globe have begun to open their eyes to the possibilities of a healthier and less destructive ways of eating. That means that they’ve also become wary of putting things ON their body that are impure. We hold close the idea that anything that you put on your body should be as good as what you put in it as it’s all being absorbed whether you chew it or put it on your face.

We think that if you can make an excellent skincare product without using animal products or byproducts, why wouldn't you? We do this not only because we adhere to a strict “no harm” policy, but because we find that many non-vegan ingredients can have less than ideal secondary and tertiary interactions with your skin. Whether you’re vegan or not, you can trust that our products only use ingredients that will work gently with your skin and won’t disturb your internal ecosystem. 

This is one that confuses many people at first. They often don’t understand why our products are raw or what the benefits of this approach are. We really believe that raw ingredients make a huge difference for your skin. When you add too much heat to an ingredient, it changes its molecular nature. There’s no way to avoid it. The ingredient might still be safe, organic and nontoxic, but it’s been altered. If we go to great lengths to study, select and source a particular ingredient, then why would we want to change it? That’s why when Stephanie and Kim are making your products, they work with all ingredients at low temperatures, a little above room temperature, so as to not to mess with the molecular structure. We chose the ingredients with purpose and intention, so we don't change them.

Your skin is your largest organ. In fact, the average person has 18 square feet of epidermis. But your skin isn’t just a protective layer, it’s a direct route from what’s going on in the outside world to your blood stream. 

It’s so important to be mindful of what you put on your skin as impure ingredients can increase your exposure to chemicals and wreak havoc on your health - just ask Kim and Priscilla. Her chemical-induced migraines are why Luminance got started in the first place. The wrong ingredients can cause thyroid problems, reproductive issues and even cancer. Your best bet is to educate yourself as to what you should avoid. Sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates and propylene glycol are all major red flags. If you can’t determine whether a particular product is safe to use, we recommend EWG’s Skin Deep Database, which ranks skincare products based on toxicity levels. Everything you use should be in the 0-2 toxicity range. 

I’ll admit it, this is one of my favorites. Partly because I think the word is so beautiful. I love the idea that something is carefully crafted by Mother Nature herself; perfect and pure in its wildness. That’s the gist of the concept, too. The ingredient is harvested from its natural growing place, its own habitat. The plant is allowed to grow however it sees fit, and when at its peak potential, mindfully plucked and treated gently. I think this is one of the pillars of Luminance products that make them work so well. The plant gives its very best performance in our products because before our bottles, it lived in a very happy place. Happy plants, glowing faces.

This is another one that really resonates with all of us at Luminance. We’re all animal lovers, through and through. There is absolutely no need to use animal product or byproduct to create a stellar skincare product. There’s no need to test our products on innocent animals, so why would we? We use ingredients that we understand and trust enough to test first on our own skin. Our families’ skin. Cruelty free is easy.

This is probably the biggest buzzword around. You see it on everything from your tomatoes to your cotton t-shirt to your rose garden. Many people only know part of the definition of organic: to be considered organic by federal law, an ingredient must not have ever been treated with chemicals or pesticides.

The part that many forget, however, is that to be organic, the ingredient must also have been farmed in a sustainable way that conserves biodiversity and promotes ecological balance. Your skincare products should only contain ingredients that are in abundance and that do not threaten, but assist other ecosystems.

For instance, take a look at the only ingredient in our wildcrafted Rosewater Toner. The rosewater is absolutely pure, made only from distilled water, which we RO filter in-house, and rose petals. The rose petals come from a farm that never uses pesticides, which destroy the surrounding environment for other animals and insects. The roses bring life to the soil, minimize the amount of toxic compounds in the biosphere and encourage farmland sustainability. Note that our products are not certified organic as this qualification is reserved for edible items only.

So, when you’re looking for skincare products, insist on organic and know that you’re doing something good for you and for the world around you. Congrats :) 

If you’re looking for an easy way to start with a healthy skincare regimen, we’d love for you to try our sample kit. This little care package comes with our Delicate Cleanser, Rosewater Toner, and Deep Hydration Moisturizer.

If you have questions about these skincare basics or any other buzzwords you might see floating around the skincare industry, reach out! We're always happy to help translate when we can.

Watch our video: https://youtu.be/3D7MlyUvoZY