Have you had a little too much sun this summer?  I know I have.  I use sunscreen religiously, but my melasma has been relentless ever since I was pregnant with Annabel.  Even though I get IPL treatments during the winter, my sunspots always come back with a vengeance in the warmer months.  Until now, I haven’t had much luck with any natural products in reversing  this problem, and the bleach-heavy, hydroquinone-based prescription products just scare me.  So, when I heard that August’s Beauty Hero promised to reverse sun damage, I might have been a bit skeptical had the product not come from Laurel Whole Plant Organics.  I know from experience that this brand that delivers on its promises.

One of my personal can’t-live-without products is the Eye Serum from Laurel Whole Plant Organics, which I’ve been using for over a year.  I can honestly say that it’s made a difference in the appearance of my under-eye area.  I try other eye creams and serums, of course, but I always come back to it.  So, when I opened my August Beauty Heroes Box, I got excited.  The Hero Product is Sun Damage Repair Facial Serum, which is both protective and reparative; it’s ideal for times of heightened sun exposure.  This serum is a personal favorite of Beauty Heroes founder, Jeannie Jarnot, as she claims to have a lot of sun damage from growing up on the beaches of Hawaii, and she’s experienced great results with this formula (I’ve met her in person, and she has beautiful skin).  In fact, Jeannie recently interviewed Laurel Schaffer of Laurel Whole Plant Organics, (read it here) and while I already knew about some of the aspects of Laurel’s process that set her products apart from the competition, I actually learned a lot.  It’s a really interesting, short read, and very informative if you are looking to become a more educated natural beauty consumer.

Relying on the healing power of the tiny but mighty scarlet pimpernel flower, this serum helps reverse signs of sun damage, including freckles and hyper-pigmentation. Organic licorice naturally breaks up melanin patches, while Vitamin A found in carrot seed oil strengthens the integrity of the collagen and elastin meshwork. Cranberry seed oil, jojoba and red raspberry seed oils add a layer of plant powered sun protection.  I’ve only been using this serum for a couple of weeks, so while I can say that my skin appears brighter and more even, I obviously still have some melasma and sun spots.  However, I find that with truly natural products, results are cumulative; they may take a little longer to deliver than their toxic competitors, but the longer I use a high quality natural product, the better my skin looks.  That’s more than you can say for over-doing it on the Retin-A and Botox for years and years…

On to the sidekicks.  I’ve long been a devotee to masking in raw honey.  In fact, it was one of the only things that helped my terrible hormonal cystic acne a few years ago.  Naturally, I’m obsessed with the Honey Berry Enzyme Mask from Laurel Whole Plant Organics.  It hydrates and soothes skin while simultaneously exfoliating and speeding cell turnover, and it’s antibacterial to boot.  Anyone would benefit from this mask.  The second sidekick is Laurel’s Before and After Sun Body Oil, which is predictably awesome.  Like the facial serum, this body oil has both protective and reparative qualities, so you really can apply it before (under sunscreen, of course!) and after sun exposure for healthier skin.  It glides on and sinks right in.

This month’s Beauty Heroes Box is valued at $102, but as always, if you are a member, you pay less than $40.  (You can place your order here.) I always say this, but when you consider the huge discount in addition to the fact that these products are SO carefully selected by Beauty Heroes, this box is just an amazing deal.  Lately, Beauty Heroes has been selling out of their monthly selections, so if this one piques your interest, I recommend that you jump on it!  (If it does not sell out, you have until August 20th to place your order.)  Also, as a member of Beauty Heroes, you get 15% off everything in their Beauty Shop, every single day, and they are always adding new products and brands.

Here’s to the sun.  🙂

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