It’s no secret that we’re skincare fanatics here at Peaceful Dumpling. But not just any ole’ skincare: as vegans, we want cruelty-free, environmentally and socially conscious brands–and as women, we need gentle and non-toxic, yet effective, cleansers, creams, and serums. On top of all that, if putting on our potions makes us feel a touch glamorous, beautiful and all womanly too, that’s when you know you have a winner. But finding all those things in one place seems so hard, and I keep searching for one product line after another that might help me feel at peace with my skin.
Enter Humble + Lavi: a cruelty-free, socially-conscious skincare line that derives inspiration from nature for its potent skin solutions. What I love about the brand is its commitment to both social responsibility and highly effective, yet holistic skincare. It donates 5% of every product sold to charities, and that spirit continues even with the minimalist packaging that comes with a little piece of inspiration. (Says the wise foaming cleanser, “Throughout the day, create daily rituals of purification. It an be as simple as adding extra greens to your meals or taking a walk after dinner. Whatever you do, always be in the moment and take in everything: sight, sound, and touch. It’ll make the moment all the more enjoyable.” Can it be anymore Peaceful Dumpling?) I tried three of their best-selling products for 2 weeks.
1. Rose Hip Seed Purifying Foaming Cleanser – $25
I haven’t used a foaming cleanser in literally, years–not because I don’t like foam, but because most lathering cleansers tend to strip my face of oil. This creates a vicious cycle of extreme dryness, over oil production to compensate, blemishes, and then having to strip more oil…But this Purifying Foaming Cleanser is so gentle and hydrating, while getting rid of all my makeup with just one pump. The texture feels light and mousse-y, and it smells heavenly, too. My favorite part is the ingredients list: purified water, olive oil castile, glycerin, rose hip seed oil, eriobotrya japonica extract (oil of kumquat), and seaweed extract. It can’t get any simpler than that–and the rose hip oil provides an anti-aging and brightening benefits while you clean.
2. Triple Action Collagen Booster – $42
A surprise dark horse of a favorite. At 27, I have yet to struggle with wrinkles or crow’s feet (and my mom is pretty wrinkle-free too, phew!). But I do have some very fine lines on my forehead–not too noticeable, but not non-existent either. After cleansing, I applied a few dew-drops of serum on my forehead and each cheek, and blended outward in circular motion. The feel is not too greasy, quick-absorbing and very moisturizing. But most importantly, this stuff works! I could tell the difference the very next morning–my forehead looked so smooth and all porcelain-like, and my under-eye skin looked more plump and rejuvenated, too. It even seemed to help with my acne scar (ugh, two ugliest words in English language but no beating around the bushes here). Its anti-aging power derives from Seaweed extract which boosts three types of collagen (I, III, and IV). I’m extremely wary of mainstream collagen-boosting products since much of it is not vegan, but here you can rest assured.
3. Nourishing Night Cream – $32
After serum, I used the Nourishing Night Cream to protect and moisturize my skin while I sleep. The texture of Night Cream is medium thickness–slightly heavier than your average lotion, but still light and non-greasy enough for all seasons. The main ingredient here is Hyaluronic Acid, which is a powerful skin-healer and promotes cell turnover. I just used a small, dime-sized amount and woke up to supple and hydrated skin the next day. Despite summer weather, my skin absolutely needs more than just a water-based moisturizer, and this cream provided the nourishment without heaviness.
**And to top it all off, one lucky Peaceful Dumpling reader will win these amazing Humble + Lavi products! Click here to enter.