Benefits
With this concentrate, we focused on ingredients that are high in the specific phytonutrients that are most beneficial for dry and mature skin (such as betacarotenes that the body converts to vitamin A, a wide spectrum of tocopherols that result in the best vitamin E complex, omega fatty acids, and many others). You can expect a long-term improvement to the skin's elasticity, firmness, and thickness from Black Locust, not a temporary lift. Here are the key ingredients:
Bakuchiol: This extraction from a seed of the babchi herb used in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine has recently received a lot of attention among cosmetic chemists as a safe natural replacement for retinol. In many side-by-side studies of retinol and bakuchiol, bakuchiol was found to have a very comparable effect in areas such as reducing acne, lowering inflammatory response, diminishing wrinkles, stimulating production of new healthy collagen, and inhibiting the peroxidation of squalene. Bakuchiol 1% concentration (which is what we are using in this product) has been shown to improve aging skin in several categories (wrinkles, roughness, dryness, uneven skin tone, lower elasticity, etc.), and to cause a significant (57%) improvement in acne in seven weeks. Unlike potentially-damaging retinol, however, bakuchiol does not cause side effects and it can be used for the daytime without the risk of photosensitization.
Lupine seed: In Ava's tests of wrinkle-reversing plant ingredients, she was particularly impressed by the results from gentle, non-invasive extractions from white lupine seeds. Our lupine extracts have been scientifically proven to improve wrinkles, skin firmness, skin elasticity, and sagging facial contour.
Seabuckthorn berry: This vitamin-E- and carotenoid-rich berry is one of the superfoods for the skin. We used two types of seabuckthorn extracts in Black Locust; one extract from the whole berries (seeds and pulp), and one just from the pulp. The seeds are oily and contain linoleic acid (omega-6) and α-linolenic acid (omega-3), but using too much of the seed or whole-berry extract could create a pore-clogging product. So we supplemented the whole berry oil with an extra dose of just the fruit-pulp extract, which boosts the incredible range of seabuckthorn's tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E compounds) and carotenoids (including beta-carotene and lycopene). We have found that unrefined seabuckthorn extracts improve eczema, psoriasis, acne, and other skin disorders, and help the skin recover a healthy and even coloring.
Calendula: Quality calendula extractions excel at normalizing the skin, helping with stubborn dryness, roughness, eczema, psoriasis, cold-sore outbreaks, and acne. Calendula adds significant skin-softening benefits and helps the skin recover an even tone.
Açai berry: This very light oil, derived in this case from whole açai berries, has superior acne-reducing and skin-soothing benefits.
Kalahari melon seed oil: This oil has been one of Ava's favorites when formulating for dehydrated or dehydration-prone skin. Many acne-prone skins thrive on this oil as well.
Skin Types
Mature, wrinkled, sagging, with low elasticity, sensitive, and dry to very dry; also for eczema and psoriasis.
Ingredients
Euterpe oleracea (açai) fruit oil†, Citrullus lanatus (Kalahari melon) seed oil†, Lupinus albus (white lupine) seed oil and extract, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil unsaponifiables, Hippophae rhamnoides (seabuckthorn) fruit CO2 extract* or †, bakuchiol from Psoralea corylifolia seeds† (1% concentration), Calendula officinalis flower CO2 extract*, Sambucus nigra (black elderberry) fruit extract, Rhododendron anthopogon essential oil†, Warburgia ugandensis (greenheart wood) essential oil†, Michelia champaca flower CO2 extract or absolute†, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract.
*Certified organic. †Responsibly wildcrafted. Read more about how our bakuchiol is sourced.
All absolutes are hexane free whenever available.
Certified cruelty free, vegan, handcrafted, small batch. Contains gluten.
Directions
Add a few drops of the concentrate to your face moisturizer or aloe-based serum once or twice a day. Dry skin types may massage a few drops directly into freshly cleansed, moist skin day or night. Shake the closed bottle gently once in a while to remix.
Freshness guaranteed for 6 months. Full sizes 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) and 5 ml (0.17 fl oz).
Due to the very high cost of our ingredients and the labor-intensive (highly time consuming) small-batch production process, we are unable to accept returns of opened or unopened products at this time. But most products have a sample size option for purchase, so we encourage you to buy a sample first to ensure that the product suits your skin's needs and that you enjoy the texture, fragrance, and healing properties.