Brand Review: Brooklyn Botany

I enjoy discovering new and less known brands from all over the world, but it's always very special to find products that are made right here in the USA. The brand I'm going to introduce today is from Brooklyn, NY, which is even more special as it's so close to home. Up until recently I didn't even know about Brooklyn Botany, but once I came across the brand, I was first attracted by their minimalistic and classy packaging, and then by their clean ingredients.

I'm going to review two Brooklyn Botany products today, and I'll start with Charcoal Scrub* (link). This scrub can be used both on face and body, but I only used it on my body. The consistency may look on the drier side, but the scrub sticks to the skin well and doesn't fall off. At first I thought it's a finely milled sugar, but it's actually a salt based product. Generally, I'm not a fan of salt scrubs as they are harsher on the skin, but this one was very gentle (like I said before, I thought it was sugar). It doesn't really have any noticeable smell. It applies well, does the job well, and leaves skin smooth and soft. It does leave a light film on the skin, but it doesn't make the skin greasy, and I still used a body moisturizer afterwards. The only negative thing I noticed is that charcoal tends to stick to the skin in some spots, so I had to make sure I washed it all off before getting out of the shower. With this product a little goes a long way, so this jar should last pretty well. Unfortunately, I knocked it off the shelf and spilled most of the product into the shower on my second use. I couldn't put it back in, but at least I got a good and generous scrubbing. One thing I was glad about was that it's not a glass jar (I love glass packaging, but that's not practical in the shower).   

The next product I received was Camellia Wonder Oil* (link). What I love about this brand that they package products really well. This oil arrived with a cap and a pump on the side (the Activated Charcoal Scrub was sealed under the cap). This not only makes me feel good about product freshness, but about safety while shipping too as any spillage or leaking is avoided. Camellia Wonder Oil is a multi tasking product that can be used to remove eye makeup or as face cleanser as well as moisturizing or massage oil. I tried to use it in a couple different ways, and I found my favorite one. Oils don't work for me as eye makeup removers as my eyes are very sensitive and tend to get irritated and feel like I have a film on, but I put this oil to the test nonetheless. While it removed my mascara well, it did bother my eyes. I also used Camellia Wonder oil as a first cleanser for my face, and it worked fine. This method didn't stick with me, because I'm used to removing my eye makeup, and then using the same product to clean my face before a face wash, and I just didn't want an extra step. So if you're ok using oils for makeup removing, then you'll be fine, but it didn't work for me. However, once I tried this oil on my body, I knew this is IT. The oil is very light, almost watery consistency, and applies and absorbs into the skin beautifully. A few pumps are enough for whole body. It doesn't leave oiliness on the surface, only a very light film that makes skin look dewy and nice, but not sticky. The skin felt hydrated and that moisturizing feeling lasted through the day. I think it's a wonderful light moisturizer for warm weather and I use it pretty much every day now. I also love its cocoa-ish scent which is very delicate and not overpowering.

* marks PR samples received complimentary