My girlfriends & I try and get together as much as we can whenever our schedules allow (we’ve all been best friends since middle school). We always try to do different things & make it an experience instead of just another lunch or dinner. In October, we decided to go to Greenhouse Beauty in Old Lyme, CT. This charming little store sells all organic and toxic free cosmetics & skincare products. The owner & founder, Rachel is a very close friend to Mariam (one of my besties) and wanted to give us a sneak peak of her space before her grand opening the following weekend.
As much as I love skincare & beauty products, it’s not until recently that I really started to care what was in these products & how those ingredients are effecting my overall health. You really never know the long term damage that can be inflicted on your body just because you used a foundation with a toxic ingredient you were unaware of. Scary to think about!
Rachel takes all the thinking out of the equation for you. She is like an encyclopedia when it comes to green beauty products. She has already done the research and only sells the best of the best in her store. Now, all of my friends & I are on different levels of skincare product use and knowledge so it was great to have Rachel there to spend one on one time with each of us. She gave us mini facials & make-up applications and explained why and how she used each product.
You can find not only your skincare staples at Greenhouse Beauty (moisturizers, eye creams & serums) but also face mists, CBD products and sheet masks (you all know I love a good sheet mask). Yes these products are pricier than you find in an average drug store, but they are totally worth it. Having the peace of mind knowing I am using non-toxic products that are mostly plant based with natural ingredients makes it all worth it.
I wanted to test the products I bought for a few weeks before giving an honest review. I also asked my girlfriends for their opinions & reviews of what they bought. The results are all pretty much the same- we love everything! I can honestly say my skin hasn’t looked better & it just feels healthier. My friend Kelly said she got tons of compliments on her skin & is loving the cosmetic products she bought.
Kira has the most skin issues I would say & is a skincare virgin. After visiting Rachel’s store, she had a few questions & concerns and decided to email Rachel. Not only did she receive ample feedback & tips to help her- Rachel emailed her back links to a few different websites for further information on her question. She also urged Kira to check back in with her in 2 weeks to see if anything improved & if there were any other questions! Now that’s customer service!!
Ok on to the good stuff- this is what I bought & what I think about it:
Kahina Oil Cleanser
You’re probably thinking- why are you cleansing your oily skin with an oil cleanser? Rachel explained it to me like this- your skin produces oil because it’s dry. So to nourish it with an oil cleanser, your skin will not become dry & therefore not become oily. Makes sense. I really love this cleanser. It gets all my makeup off & I don’t get the “sticky” clean feeling you can sometimes get when a cleanser strips your skin of all its moisture. Rachel wrote a great blog post about using oil on your face, you can read it here.
Ursa Major Face Tonic
This toner gets all the extra dirt & makeup off your face that the cleanser misses. It smells great & is made with aloe, bamboo and green tea. It doesn’t give you that burning/tingling feeling that most toners give you. This toner exfoliates your skin as well as brightens & clarifies it. This is definitely going to become a staple in my skin care routine.
Dr. Alkaitis Organic Eye Cream
So this organic, plant based brand has been around since 1996. This tiny little bottle of eye cream is AMAZING. I’ve already seen a difference in my skin- fine lines are disappearing, my skin is brighter and definitely more moisturized. Rachel said it best- “If you’re old enough to drive a car, you’re old enough for eye cream.” Use it everyday- it definitely slows down the “aging” process and makes you look more refreshed.
Ursa Major 3 Minute Flash Mask
This is perfect for a mom with no time or a woman on the go. This mask only takes 3 minutes and it brightens and clarifies your skin, boosts firmness & evens skin tone. I’ve been using it once a week and can already see my pores shrinking. This makes a great gift!
Lemon Drop Pressed Corrector
I have redness in my skin & this pressed powder helps eliminate that. I’ve using this in the morning & throughout the day to cover up the rosiness in my face & it works! It’s light and doesn’t feel like I have caked on makeup.
CBD Cream & Headache Oil
Not sure what CBD products are? There is a lot of controversy with this topic- but just to clear things up, these products do not contain THC (the active ingredient in pot). CBD is non-psychoactive product. You won’t get “high” from using any of these products. I bought the oil roller that is great for easing headaches. The cream is lavender scented & is meant to calm the body and promote sleep. I bought these products mostly for stress relief, but CBD oil can be used for anti-inflammatory, pain relief & anti-seizure purposes. They even make tablets for pets with anxiety (super tempted to get those for Eva).
If you are ever in the area- definitely check out Greenhouse Beauty in Old Lyme, CT. Between the mini-facials, hot tea & knowledge you’ll gain from Rachel- it’s makes the trip worthwhile. If you can’t make it to CT- she sells most of her products online at Greenhousebeautyct.com. I will definitely be making another trip up there when I run out of everything I bought 🙂
