African Botanics is one of my favorite luxury green beauty lines. They are eco luxe at it's finest. I have been using the Rose Treatment Essence for some time now and I just adore this gel to liquid rose essence. Details per African Botanics:
A POWERFUL ESSENCE TO HYDRATE, BRIGHTEN AND PLUMP THE SKIN.
Rose Treatment Essence is a unique multi-functional treatment gel that melts into a toning hydrating liquid upon application. Designed for all skin complexions, this intensely concentrated formula helps detoxify cells, tighten pores and restore moisture levels while brightening, refining, hydrating and rebalancing skin's pH levels. The powerful combination of bioactive medicinal plants, botanical emollients, peptides, humectants, B vitamins, oligosaccharides, yeast beta-glucan and collagen boosters deliver vitality and nutrients deep into the skin. Infused with pure Rose Flower Water and a refreshingly light CO2 extract of Rosa Centifolia to help retain moisture, brighten and even out skin tone while reducing redness and inflammation.
Key Active Benefits
*Floral extracts, fermented Yeast extract, Niacinamide, Green Coffee and caffeine gently brighten and improve skin tone and texture.
*Minimizes redness and reduces irritation.
*Plant humectants and Hyaluronic acid, boost skin with a dose of nourishment.
Directions Apply daily AM / PM to face, neck and décolletage after cleansing before serum/oil in upward and outward strokes with your fingertips or a cotton pad. Pat remaining product into skin until fully absorbed.
This product has the most delicious pink glass bottle. I love it. Plus it comes with a pump. The Rose Treatment Essence has a gel texture that melts into the skin as a liquid. It's quite divine. I tend to reach for an essence more than toners as of late. I prefer the concentrated hydrating effect of an essence over a toner. An essence is a serum meets toner kind of product. It goes on after a toner but before a serum. I like to use one after cleansing sometimes skipping toner altogether (unless it's an acid toner). This smells like fresh rose petals, no fake rose scent here. I find this essence soothing and hydrating, like rubbing liquid rose petals on your face.
This contains rose flower water which refreshes and reduces inflammation of the skin. Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract is another version of aloe. Grown in arid conditions, like South Africa, it’s also known as cape aloe or bitter aloe. There’s some reports that aloe ferox aids in wound healing and inhibits microbial growth. There’s even a study that shows aloe ferox to be superior to standard aloe in its anti-inflammatory aide to the skin. Beta-glucan is regenerative, hydrating, soothing & anti-inflammatory. Then you have good old hyaluronic acid which we all know and love. Calendula, chamomile and arnica extracts are soothing as well. I love cucumber extract for it's soothing and calming effects on my skin. I've been seeing mallow extract more and more. It's soothing and reduces inflammation. Rice protein contains amino acids and peptides. Add in some b vitamins and witch hazel to help balance, brighten and refine the skin. Allantoin is an ingredient I've been paying attention to more. It helps with soothing the skin, moisturizing as it can increase the water content of the cells (it's a keratolytic). It can also help with wound healing and promote cell proliferation and cell longevity. Coffee extract (green) is also interesting. It’s high in fatty acids, vitamin E and sterols making an antioxidant. Some studies have shown that coffee essential oil helps with elastin and collagen production, it’s anti-inflammatory & helps with all the basic of anti-aging like firmness, texture and wrinkles.
As you can see there is quite a bit to love about this African Botanics Rose Treatment Essence. It smells amazing like real rose petals so I tolerate it quite well (I cannot do fake rose scents). This is hydrating, calming, soothing, moisturizing, balancing and it brightens with B3 or Niacinamide. The only downside is the cost. It's a bit pricey. I have been using mine quite a bit and it feels like it's lasting a long time. There's something just about this essence. I reach for mine when I want soothing and calming moments of peace (which tends to be quite often). If you can afford it and love an essence look into this one.
Ingredients
Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Aloe Ferox Leaf* Extract, Butylene Glycol (Sugar Cane derived), Yeast Beta-Glucan, Hyaluronic Acid, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Arnica Cordifolia Extract*, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elder Tree) Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Anacyclus Pyrethrum (Pellitory) Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein (Di- and tripeptides), Hamamelis Virginia (Witch Hazel) Oil, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Kigelia Africana** Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Allantoin, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Bulbinine Frutescens*, Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract, Green Coffee, Caffein, Lamium Album (White Nettle) Flower Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Cone Extract, Burdock Root (Arctium Lappa), Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile)* Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia (Rose)* Flower Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula)** Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol. *Organic, **Wild-Harvested Ingredients.
Hi Michelle,
On the overall, how would you compare this brand to Tata Harper in general? Both seem natural AND quite high tech as well as being on the pricey side .... Since you try and test so many products, it would be great to have your take on this!
Thanks a lot, Anne.
I feel Tata is more essential oils, they tend to use the same stuff in most their products. I find African Botanics more effective and more pleasurable scent wise.
Thanks a lot for your reply! I am out of eye cream .... going to try the African Botanics one!
What if you have oily skin
It's a gel texture so it should be fine, it's not heavy or anything