I know it’s been a minute since I’ve updated you on my skincare routine.
A couple weeks ago, I signed on to be an ambassador for Skincando, a luxury organic skincare brand. I’ve known Sara Damelio, an aesthetician and founder of Skincando, for several years now because she’s based in DC. I met her back during my days working for Capitol File Magazine.
This partnership was a no brainer for me because I love supporting a local beauty business and as you all know, I’ve been interested in making the switch to a clean skincare routine.
A little over a week ago, I scheduled an organic deep cleansing facial with Sara at her ‘speakeasy’ garden spa. I’ve been desperate to get a facial (my first one of 2019) so it was exactly what I needed. Getting an organic facial was like hitting the ‘reset’ button my skin. Sara recommended I do a ‘skin detox’ for 30 days. I’m only using two products morning and night: Skincando’s Wild Honey Cleanser and Sage + Gold Toner. Both products help treat my relatively dry skin type and I love that the Wild Honey Cleanser also doubles as a mask. My organic skincare routine is so simple and easy to do and it’s exactly what the aesthetician ordered.
After being on the skincare “hamster wheel” for several months (trying new products left and right), this organic skincare routine has left me feeling a little out of my element. To not put on moisturizer at night or during the day feels strange, but you know what? I LOVE IT.
It’s only been 10 days and I’m noticing a huge difference in my complexion. My skin feels soft and hydrated and more importantly, it looks healthy. Prior to this facial and skin detox, I was dealing with random breakouts, pesky little pimples and lots of redness. I thought I was incorporating more “green” beauty products into my routine but Sara explained to me the concept of “greenwashing,” and that made me realize I was not actually investing in organic skincare products (more on that in a future blog post).
This partnership has also made me re-evaluate my current makeup routine. Most of the makeup I use is not clean and I’m hoping to change that as well. Which brings me to my next topic: the Skincando green beauty crawl.
As part of the partnership, all the Skincando ambassadors gathered downtown for the ultimate Self Care Sunday. We went on a mini excursion around the city for a “green beauty tour” and to see where Skincando is sold in the city. We started at the Skincando ‘speakeasy’ garden spa for a photoshoot and mimosas, plus a little quality time with Elmer the Skincando bunny.
Then we hopped in a Reston Limousine shuttle and made our way to Georgetown to visit Take Care Shop DC. This was my first time at the shop and let me just say, the space is GORGEOUS. Millennial pink walls, simple shelves to house all non-toxic clean skincare and makeup. We sampled local herbal tea while perusing the store and seeing everything this little organic shop has to offer, including plenty of Skincando products like my favorite cleanser and toner.
From there, we hopped over to Union Market to visit Veer & Wander, a non-toxic beauty apothecary. This space definitely has an edgy aesthetic and I loved that they carried a bunch of CBD infused products (including Skincando’s Hempsure Muscle + Joint Balm). At this stop I picked up the Kosas Tinted Face Oil (which I use and love, but had a shade that was too dark for me so this time I was properly matched) and a CBD infused lip gloss by a brand called Saint Jane.
This trip left me feeling super inspired to continue with my organic skincare routine and also has me interested in exploring more non-toxic beauty products, specifically makeup!
I’ll definitely be featuring Sara and other organic beauty experts in future blog posts so that I can share that knowledge with you and hopefully give you the information to help you make a more informed decision when it comes to shopping for personal care products. Feel free to leave me a comment with any questions you have or shoot me an email!
Disclosure: My partnership with Skincando is not paid. In exchange for some Instagram posts and IG stories, I receive complimentary Skincando products and spa treatments. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
Photo credit: Top two photos taken by Mark
