VERDURA naturalternatives: An Introduction

One of the best things about being a blogger is discovering brands you never knew existed. VERDURA naturalternatives is one of those brands. The Canadian brand was created by 25 year aesthetician Brigitte Urbani & her husband Claudio. She's also a skin cancer survivor. VERDURA is hand crafted, vegan and uses natural, organic and wild crafted plant based ingredients. I've come to really enjoy these smaller hand crafted indie brands as they really put a lot of time into their formulations. I'm almost always a fan of the facial oils by brands such as VERDURA. I was sent three items to play with-LOTUS Hydrating Mist, BERRY Facial Serum & Bamboo Diva Facial Cleanser. First off I must say the minimalistic glass bottles are killer, very aesthetically pleasing, heavyweight and luxe.

LOTUS Hydrating Mist combines restorative lotus, hibiscus and jasmine flowers with tamarind, cucumber, green tea, aloe and chamomile for a soothing, hydrating mist. Hibiscus has been called the 'botox plant' and it gives this mist it's pink hue. Hibiscus has natural AHAs, antioxidants called anthocyanocides which protect against free radicals, have astringent & anti-inflammatory properties. It's a nice well rounded mist that has a light natural floral scent. Nothing too strong here which is perfect.

Our all natural Lotus Hydrating Mist is a unique proprietary infusion of luxurious flowers & plant extracts containing the most hydrating, antiseptic & anti-aging properties. Lotus, hibiscus and jasmine flowers contain high amounts of skin restoring benefits that help preserve a more youthful glow. Lotus also possesses purifying properties that help shrink pores and keep the skin clear. This elegant mist is the perfect and simple way to keep the skin hydrated and refreshed with its jasmine bouquet throughout the day. The Lotus Hydrating Mist gets its beautiful pink tone from the infusion of the hibiscus flower also known as the "botox plant".

Ingredients

Deionized Water (Aqua), Vegetable Glycerin, Lotus Extract (Nelumbo Nucifera), Hibiscus Extract (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis), Tamarind Seed Extract (Tamarindus Indica), Cucumber Fruit Extract (Cucumis Sativus), Japanese Green Tea Leaf Extract (Camellia Sinensis), Aloe Vera Leaf Juice (Aloe Barbadensis), Chamomile Flower Extract (Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (Triticum Vulgare), Magnesium, Copper, Iron & Zinc Ferment (Saccharomyces Silicon), Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citrus Grandis), Jasmine Essential Oil (Jasminum Officinale), Alkanet Root (Batschia Canescens), Comfrey Derived Allantoin, Aspen Bark (Popolus Tremuloids), Radish Root Ferment Filtrate (Leuconostoc).

BAMBOO DIVA Facial Cleanser can be used on all skin types but it really shines on oily or acne prone skin. This kind of gel cleanser uses bamboo extract, sage and grapefruit essential oils to help keep the skin clear and get rid of excess oil. Sage is a mild astringent, anti-inflammatory & helps control sebum production. Grapefruit can help balance the skin. It helps control excess oil and unclog pores. This also contains rosemary which has antioxidant, antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it balances oil production & can help stimulate cell renewal.

Bamboo extract is new to me. Bamboo contains high amounts of natural silica. Silica helps replenish natural collagen and supports glycosaminoglycans synthesis (helps prevent moisture loss in the skin). Bamboo also contains natural antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory so it's soothing. Bamboo extract helps improve and balance the overall health of you skin and in theory helping it get less inflamed and causing less breakouts. So it's good for everyone but especially acne prone skin as acne is a disease of inflammation.

Our "Bamboo Diva" facial cleanser is for all skin types and works wonders for oily or acne prone skin. Formulated with bamboo extract, grapefruit and sage essential oils this facial cleanser helps dissolve excess oils and reduce the appearance of pores and skin inflammation, keeping the skin clear and bright. Rich in silica and vitamin C it washes away dead skin cells and stimulates collagen production and skin healing. Perfect to regulate oily skin and prevent breakouts in the most gentle way!

Ingredients

Organic Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis), Saponified Oils of Organic Olive (Olea Europaea), Organic Coconut (Cocos Nucifera), Organic Grape Seed (Vitis Vinifera), Castor (Ricinus Communis), Vegetable Glycerin, Bamboo Extract (Phyllostachys Glauca McClure), Rosemary Oleoresin (Rosmarinus Officinalis),  Essential Oils of Organic Ruby Grapefruit (Citrus Racemosa), Organic Sage (Salvia Lavandulifolia), Xanthan Gum, Aspen Bark (Popolus Tremuloids), Radish Root Ferment Filtrate (Leuconostoc).

You can see the gel texture but it has the bamboo extract to plump it up a little. This light pink hued cleanser has a herbal green scent due to the sage and rosemary oils. It's not really strong but it's potent and worth noting.

BERRY Facial Serum is a blends multiple berry facial oils for a rich and nourishing oil that best suits normal to dry or mature skin. It's a regenerative facial oil high in antioxidants. The color is so delicious it's amazing. I adore the bright berry hue (no artificial colors). Its got a light scent from the natural and essential oils but no artificial fragrance is added so don't expect a strong berry scent. Moringa oil is high in oleic acid or omega 9 and is from the superfood Moringa native to Africa and Asia. Also known as the 'Miracle Tree' for it's medicinal properties. It's high in vitamins A, C and E.

Grapeseed, blackberry, prickly pear oils are high in linoleic acid or omega 6 fatty acids and ideal for oily or acne prone skin. Grapeseed oil is high in vitamins C, D and E and it's very lightweight. Blackberry oil is high in vitamin C. Prickly pear is high in vitamin E and anti-inflammatory. Raspberry seed oil is an anti-inflammatory oil high in antioxidant ellegic acid. Raspberry, cranberry & rosehip seed oils are great for inflammation and high in Omega 3 or a-linolenic acid.

Laurel berry oil is antibacterial and a natural muscle relaxant. Pomegranate oil is high in puninic acid or omega 5-a polyunsaturated fatty acid classified as conjugated linolenic acid. In short it helps with inflammation and aids in skin repair. Pomegranate seed oil is high in antioxidants to fend off free radicals & also high in tannins which acts as an astringent and helps with pore size. Sea buckthorn oil is high in palmitoleic acid or omega 7 plus natural vitamins A, C and E.

Our Berry Facial Serum is a unique blend of carefully selected Berry oils containing the highest antioxidants to help promote cell regeneration. Formulated to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots, our formula helps boost collagen production, reverse skin damage and helps the skin feel tighter. Full of powerful antioxidants, ingredients rich in vitamin A & C and a natural source of retinol, our Berry Facial Serum helps increase cellular turnover and alleviates the signs of aging, reviving the skin to reveal a more youthful appearance. This serum also provides a soothing and hydrating relief to people suffering from eczema, psoriasis and sunburn.

Ingredients

Organic Moringa Oil (Moringa Oleifera), Organic Grape Seed Oil (Vitis Vinifera), Laurel Berry Oil (Lauris Nobilis), Raspberry Seed Oil (Rubus Idaeus), Blackberry Seed Oil (Rubus Fruticosus), Cranberry Seed Oil (Vaccinium Macrocarpon), Prickly Pear Oil (Opuntia Ficus-Indica), Organic Rosehip Seed Oil (Rosa Rubiginosa), Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil (Punica Granatum), Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil (Hippophae Rhamnoides), Hibiscus (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis), Lotus Leaf (Nelumbo Nucifera), Essential Oils of Organic Frankincense (Boswellia Carteri), Rose(Rose Damascena), Jasmine(Jasminum Officinale), Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Alkanet Root.​

You can see this facial oil is powered with many regenerative oils, is high in antioxidants and has some natural vitamin A in there too. I like it best during the colder months as it is a bit heavier of an oil. It's silky in texture and not heavy, it's just very rich and nourishing. VERDURA also has three other oils: anti-inflammatory/acne prone BLUE FAIRY, superfood rich SPROUT and protective/nutrient rich SEED. SPROUT and SEED are on my to purchase list because they look amazing. VERDURA naturalternatives also has a host of lip balms, masks, soaps, bath products and even butters like hemp butter-Yum! You can check VERDURA out HERE.