Photo: Courtesy of the vendors
This may be surprising news to some and a big ol’ “duh” to others: Whole Foods, the grocery store, happens to have a really exceptional selection of skin-care and body-care products. There’s a reason why their stuff is so good: in order to be retailed at Whole Foods, brands must go through a strict vetting system that confirms their products are free of 100-plus banned ingredients, including parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, and oxybenzone. I’ve found some of my most beloved products in beauty sections of various Whole Foods: everything from my Weleda Skin Food, which leaves my body feeling soft and moisturized, to my Cocokind Chlorophyll Mask, a gentle yet effective way of tackling pesky breakouts.
Through March 17, Whole Foods is taking 25 percent off all of their beauty products (they’re being sold through Amazon — and this sale is only available to Amazon Prime members). Whether you’re a Whole Foods beauty specialist or just hearing about this skin-care treasure trove for the first time, this is a good opportunity to stock up on some of their best products. Below, a list of my favorites.
A couple of years ago, my friend Joelle told me this was her wallet friendly go-to for combating oily skin and breakouts. This mask uses bentonite clay, harvested from California’s Death Valley, which allegedly sucks out any excess oil and brightens up the skin. I used it on a hormonal mountain of a zit and was surprised by how well it took down the swelling. Joelle likes to mix some apple cider vinegar in it to give an extra boost of anti-inflammatory powers. This mask has a celebrity following as well: Kourtney Kardashian and Mindy Kaling are huge fans.
This witch hazel toner is beloved by many for its ability to control oil production, and reduce redness and inflammation. I always keep this in my cabinet to use after I extract a pimple. Once I pop it, I dab some of this on, and then slap a pimple patch on — the next day, it always looks much flatter.
$12
The OG. Katie Jane Hughes once described this product as a “nappy cream for your face,” and it has quickly become a go-to of mine for curing any kinds of unidentifiable rashes or dry patches. I don’t like to use this all over my skin as a moisturizer (I find that it’s too oily), but it’s wonderful for smoothing out and intensely moisturizing any irritation. I’ve also used it on the high points of my face as a highlight on no makeup days.
The Aztec Clay Mask listed above has — obviously — clay in it. This means both that it’s deeply purifying, and that it can be rather stripping on the skin if you’re generally on the dry side. This mask from Cocokind is better suited for anyone with sensitive or dehydrated skin: it gently cleanses, soothes, and calms any redness or acne. This comes in powder form — all you need to do is mix it in your hand with a little bit of water.
This vitamin C serum has a serious cult following behind it — Allure describes it as an absolute “miracle worker”. It contains 10% vitamin C (enough to brighten your skin but not too much that it’ll dry out sensitive skinned people), vitamin e, which is nourishing and helps protect the skin against environmental stressors, hyaluronic acid for moisture, and aloe vera and chamomile for soothing the skin.
These rejuvenating patches from Acure have a blend of silk, oat, and cucumber in them — all deeply moisturizing ingredients to hydrate dry under-eye skin. If you’re hungover, sleepy, or just looking for something to use before applying concealer, these are amazing. I like to store them in my refrigerator so they do a little cooling and depuffing work as well. These are just as good as my Benton Snail Bee Eye Masks.
This is a super-rich winter time moisturizer. It’s not overly heavy, and always leaves me with bouncy, nourished, fresh-looking skin. It contains hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, which means both that it’s deeply hydrating and that it sinks right into the skin, so it never leaves you with that sticky, tacky feeling (that kind of feeling you get from, say, the Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer).
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