PB Approved: Have Good Skin & Eat It Too!
Skincare — it’s always been important, and if you’re anything like me, when Covid-19 hit, the effects it would have on my skin were far from the top of my list of worries. After a year of living the pandemic lifestyle, I forget how bad wearing the same mask almost every day is for my skin. I spent years trying to get clear skin, and thanks to Accutane, I had finally achieved it last March. While my skin definitely isn’t as reactive as it once was, maskne is so real. Not only can the mask itself cause skin problems, but stress from living during a global pandemic certainly doesn’t help irritated skin.
Despite dermatologists constantly telling me to find what works and stick to it, I’ve never been able to resist trying new skincare products. After years of piling harsh chemicals on my face to try and get rid of hormonal acne (none of which worked if you’re wondering), I’ve found my acne and eczema-prone skin reacts significantly better to more natural products. When I got a package from our editor-in-chief that contained an all-natural skincare product, I couldn’t have been more excited to try it. Coincidentally, this package came right before a weekend where I worked four shifts as a server at a burger bar in Raleigh. I knew after wearing makeup all day, sweating, and on top of that having to wear a mask the entire time my skin would not be happy with me.
Before I started trying out the Loli Beauty Arnica Elderberry Jelly All Day Maskne + Spot rescue, I wanted to learn more about the brand, and the product itself. Founder Tina Hedges says on their website that she felt it was time to bring back the wisdom of powerful, natural beauty remedies from the times of Cleopatra, to the Arawak Indians of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. Loli, which is short for “Living Organic, Loving Ingredients,” revolves around not only clean beauty, but also a clean world. All packaging, including what their products are shipped in, is either reusable or compostable.
“I believe beauty is a ritual that begins with you. Take matters into your own hands and let your intuition guide you. When you blend food to make beauty, you make more of yourself. It’s powerful alchemy.”
Knowing that the brand uses organic, food-grade ingredients for their products put my sensitive-skin-brain to rest, and I could finally try this spot treatment out. The Arnica Elderberry Jelly Organic All Day Maskne + Spot Rescue contains some ingredients I already know and love, like elderberry, witch hazel, and glycerin. On the side of the reusable jar, the directions say to apply as needed onto skin or blemishes, but also that you can apply a small amount to the inside of a fabric mask before wearing. This really piqued my interest because that makes this a product that not only treats maskne but stops it at the source.
After washing my face, I put the millennial pink liquid on my skin in areas where I could see breakouts coming. Immediately I knew I was going to love this product, not only did it look and smell amazing, but it was also the perfect consistency. It wasn’t so heavy it felt like a second skin, but it didn’t feel like it was going to run off my face at lightning speed. I used it as an overnight spot treatment and I really liked the way I didn’t wake up to suffocated, dry, peeling skin because of it. It was definitely an effective spot treatment, when I went to bed that night my nose was red and irritated, and I had some spots beginning to form. When I woke up however, my nose was almost completely clear. I also noticed that the pores on my cheeks were nearly invisible, which is something I haven’t experienced for months.
Another time I find my mask absolutely unbearable is when I’m working out at the gym. Wearing a mask and working out not only makes my face sweat ten times more, but also the mask rubbing against my skin really irritates it and sometimes even causes me to have eczema. I decided to try out putting a thin veil of this product on the inside of my mask the way it instructed to, and I swear my life is changed forever. Obviously, I still came out of the gym with a sweaty face, but my skin was not irritated at all, and honestly it felt refreshed.
Overall, I completely fell in love with the Arnica Elderberry Jelly Organic All Day Maskne + Spot Rescue, and also the Loli Beauty itself. After a week of using this product, my skin is nearly flawless, and I have already recommended it to my friends and family. This product is available for $28 at Ulta Beauty and while $28 can feel a little pricey for a 1.3-ounce bottle, trust me this will last you and it is absolutely worth it. I’m going to continue using this product and am already looking into more products from Loli Beauty. Not only does is this product effective, but it’s also ethically produced with food-grade ingredients, so finally, we can all have good skin and eat it too.
Article by Katie Harkey, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Victoria Durant, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
