When I mentioned on social media that I was using only essential oil free products during my most recent pregnancy, I received a TON of questions as to why.  Why was I avoiding essential oils in the first place? What products was I using? What skincare was safe to use during pregnancy?

While I am definitely not an expert on essential oils, I had done my own research and based on my findings, I felt most comfortable eliminating essential oils from all of my beauty and personal care products.  For me, this was what I felt was the safest option.  There are certainly many women who use essential oils during pregnancy, and there are some oils that are considered safe to use while pregnant, and that is totally fine, especially if used under the direction of a certified aromatherapist.

But, talking about whether or not to use essential oils during pregnancy isn’t the purpose of this post.  It is, however, what brought me to discover a lot of wonderful natural and organic products that are completely essential oil free!

The reasons someone may decide to use products that are essential oil free may vary.  As I mentioned above, for me, it was that I was pregnant, but for others, the issue with essential oils in skincare may be a sensitivity to the ingredients themselves or even to the scents.  It can prove difficult to find unscented products in the green beauty space, but they are out there, and I’ve found some pretty great ones that I’m excited to share!

Read on to find my collection of skincare and personal care products that are all essential oil free. Many of these I have tried and used myself, while others are ones I have researched and not yet tried, but feel have clean ingredients or are from brands I have used and trust.  I hope you find the below product suggestions helpful if you are in search of essential oil free products.  Make sure to leave me a comment with your favorite essential oil free products if you don’t see it listed here!

Essential Oil Free and Fragrance Free Skincare Lines

Before we talk about the different products in each category specifically, I wanted to bring attention to a few skincare lines that are completely essential oil free and what products are carried within each line. Please note that these brands may carry other products that DO contain essential oils, so make sure you are only looking at these products that I mention below, and always check ingredients before trying, as product offerings and formulations can change periodically.

Wabi-Sabi® Botanicals

I was recently looking through the Wabi-Sabi Botanicals website for products for myself, as I have been interested in their brand since receiving one of their products in a subscription box a couple of years ago, and when reading their product descriptions, I started noticing that they were all listing that they contained no added essential oils.  I was so surprised and didn’t know that this brand was formulated without essential oils, and even reached out to the brand to confirm.  What a pleasant surprise!

I have sensitive, acne-prone skin myself and created the line to be really gentle and nourishing for all skin types without sacrificing efficacy.  The oils and ingredients we use are so beautiful on their own without essential oils. – Creator Elysse on why she decided not to include essential oils in her products

They are a luxury clean beauty brand that is doing some pretty incredible things outside of crafting beautiful products.  They have a focus on sustainability and most of their ingredients are sourced from small artisan producers and women-run cooperatives around the world.  They are PETA Certified, cruelty-free and vegan, while also strictly avoiding palm oil, palm oil derivatives or other ingredients that can negatively impact the environment.  I also have to mention that they invest 10% of their profits in micro-loans for female entrepreneurs across the globe – truly incredible! Here is what is included in the line:

Age Gracefully | Intensif Serum No. 3 ($59), Balancing Act | Intensif Serum No. 2($36), Blemish Correct | Intensif Serum No. 5 ($34), Heart Rising | Quintessential Hydrating Facial Mist ($55), Light Reveal | Intensif Serum No. 1 ($36), Moisture Boost | Intensif Serum No. 4 ($36), Still Waters | Soothing Ritual Facial Mist ($48), The Giver | Illuminative Ritual Cleanser and Makeup Dissolver ($60), The Offering | Ageless Ritual Facial Mist ($48), and Valley of Light | Illuminative Mask ($44)

Previse DermApothecary: ZeroFragrance Clinical Skincare Series

The ZeroFragrance Series is 100% vegan and is perfect for anyone with sensitivities to strongly scented products or for anyone with allergies, as the line contains zero artificial fragrance and zero essential oils.  They have chosen instead to use natural marine and botanical ingredients which will have no perceivable smell.  Included in this skincare series:

Purify Hydrating Skin Cleanser ($34), Marine Granules Skin Brightening Botanical Scrub ($45), Nutrify Ozone Defense Serum ($65), HydroFoam Rejuvenating Hyaluronic Moisturizer ($48), MommyBalm Stretch Mark Cream ($75), SOS Skin Rescue Healing Salve ($37), and BodyMist Skin Nourishing Body Oil ($22).

Solavedi: Hypoallergenic Line

I have used a number of products from this line myself while pregnant, and can tell you that these products are absolutely lovely.  I was lucky enough to be gifted a trial set from The Choosy Chick, and I was beyond impressed and went on to purchase some of the products myself.  As someone who has quite reactive skin and deals with a lot of redness and inflammation, using this line exclusively for several weeks resulted in skin that was hydrated, smooth and showed much less noticeable redness.  My skin overall was much calmer and happier.

This line was especially created for pregnant or nursing moms, individuals who are or have recently undergone chemotherapy or for someone who has developed reactions to their skincare products.

There are times in our lives when our system just needs a rest, even from aromatherapy or herbal ingredients, as delightful and good as those can be. – Solavedi website

As mentioned above, The Choosy Chick does not currently carry all of the hypoallergenic products, but they can be purchased direct from the brand’s website.  I will say that the website itself is a tad difficult to navigate, so I will link directly to each product so you won’t have to search for them. Through the website directly, they do offer samples for purchase of most of these products which is great as well!  The hypoallergenic line includes:

Hypoallergenic Face Wash (sample $2.95/full size $24), Hypoallergenic Cleansing Oil (sample $3.75/full size $24), Pure Hyaluronic Serum (sample $10/full size $59) – This serum is awesome!  I enjoyed adding it to their face cream for a great moisture boost! Hypoallergenic Face Cream (sample $4.95/$29 for 1 oz./$49 for 2.3 oz.) – This cream is a standout product for me!  Green Tea Hyaluronic Eye Cream (sample $10/full size $39), Hypoallergenic Organic Body Cream ($39 for 8 oz./$59 for 16 oz.), and Olive + Zinc UV Protecting Hand Cream ($18)

Marie Veronique: Kristina Holey + Marie Veronique Skincare Collection

This beautiful collaboration is one that has been on my wishlist.  It is created with some of the most potent and effective ingredients. It is designed for someone looking to repair their skin and make an investment into their skincare routine.  Here is a little more detail about this unique line from the Marie Veronique website:

All the products are biomimetic, that is, they are specifically designed to help nature achieve optimum health by supplying the building blocks required for proper maintenance at all levels of the skin, from the stratum corneum down to the dermis. Skin microbiome balance, another important factor in the skin health equation, is also very much front and center in the design process.

The latest findings in skin physiology and microbiology drive MV+ KH design; for example the cutting-edge products make use of microceutical co-enzymes that kick-start biosynthetic processes, and take care to follow nature’s lipid management systems as closely as possible while at the same time avoiding ingredients like essential oils and microcidal preservatives that can interfere with healthy skin function. The result is products that have no scent, yet leave the skin feeling soothed, nourished, and ultimately, healthy.

Now, lets talk about what is included in this collection:

Pure + E.O. Free Oil Cleanser ($40), Balancing HypoTonic ($45), Intensive Repair Serum ($90), Soothing B3 Serum ($90), Barrier Restore Serum ($110), Barrier Lipid Complex ($95), Micronutrient + Hydro Mask ($135)

Peet Rivko

Peet Rivko is a natural skincare line that is completely essential oil free and formulated just for those with sensitive skin.  The ingredients are plant based and chosen for their calming and restorative properties.  They take it a step further though, and eliminate all harsh actives and irritants such as nut oils, limonene and floral extracts.  Here are the products offerings you can find from this brand:

Gentle Cleanser ($30), Daily Moisturizer ($48), Balancing Face Oil ($56), Exfoliator ($34) and Body Oil ($48)

Continue reading below for essential oil free products listed by category…

Facial Cleansers

• One of the easiest and typically fairly inexpensive ways to cleanse your face is by oil cleansing.  You can choose any single organic oil (such as sweet almond, jojoba, castor, etc.) that suits your skin type.  A little bit of research will help you to find an oil that will work best for your skin type.
• Aleavia: Purifying Facial Cleanse ($19.99)
• Worker b: Raw Honey Face Wash (I use the one for Normal to Dry skin, but there is one for oily skin as well!)  ($36.00)
• Indie Lee: Brightening Cleanser ($34)
• OSEA: Ocean Cleansing Milk ($54)
• Blissoma: Free – Rejuvenating Herbal Gel Cleanser and Makeup Remover ($39)
• Root: Refreshing Coconut Micellar Water ($24/full size, $6/trial size)

Facial Toners

• Using aloe water (such as George’s Aloe) or an organic coconut water are great and inexpensive toners.  Both are gentle and provide wonderful hydration as well!
• Aleavia: Restore Soothing Mist (they have one for acne as well)  ($29.99)
• OSEA: Sea Vitamin Boost ($38)
• Cocokind Skincare: Raspberry Vinegar Toner ($16)
• Blissoma: Serene – Sacred Waters Tonique ($32)

Facial Oils and Serums

• Leven Rose: This is a GREAT place to find single, mostly organic carrier oils that can be used for oil cleansing or moisturizing.  They have a wonderful selection of products and what’s better is that you can get them on Amazon Prime! – ranging in price from around $13 to $22
• Acure: The Essentials Moroccan Argan Oil ($17.99)
• MUN Skincare: ARGAN Pure Argan Oil this product is worth the price in my opinion.  It comes in a huge bottle, it is a super multi-purpose oil, and it feels like a much higher quality argan oil than other brands I have used ($70)
• Worker b: Dawn Serum ($39) and Dusk Serum ($39)
• Badger: Unscented Face Oil ($14.99)
• Live Botanicals: Aer Hyaluronic Acid Serum (I like to add this to my dry powder face masks for an extra boost of hydration!)  ($30)
• OSEA: Hyaluronic Sea Serum ($88), Brightening Serum ($68), and Vitamin Sea Serum ($68)
• Cocokind Skincare: Chia Facial Oil ($16) and Facial Repair Oil ($14)
• Kypris: Antioxidant Dew ($90)
• Earthwise Beauty: Ruby Face Oil ($54)
• Ere Perez: Quandong Green Boost Serum ($34)

Facial Creams and Balms

• Kahina Giving Beauty: Facial Lotion ($68)
• Worker b: Unscented Lotion ($22)
• One Love Organics: Skin Dew Coconut Water Cream ($58)
• Meow Meow Tweet: Skin Cream ($25)
• Earthwise Beauty: Yasuni Face Balm ($110)
• Fitglow Beauty: Cloud Ceramide Cream ($89), Redness Rescue Cream ($69) and Cloud Comfort Cream ($84)
• Blissoma: Pure – Sensitive Care Complex ($50)
• CV Skin Labs: Calming Moisture ($49)

Exfoliate

• Salis Skincare: Unscented Salt Scrub – works great on the face or on the body ($31.99)
• Meow Meow Tweet: Face Exfoliant ($20)
• OSEA: Vitamin C Probiotic Polish ($108)

Facial Masks

• Blissoma: Lavish – Loving Recovery Beta-Glucan Mask ($50)
• Odacite: Synergie[4] Immediate Skin Perfecting Masque ($64)
• OSEA: White Algae Mask ($48)
• Naturallogic: Soul Milk Mask ($54)

Eye Treatments

• Cocokind Skincare: Mymatcha All-over Moisture Stick ($9)
• Earthwise Beauty: Passion Eye Serum ($36)
• Blissoma: Bright-Eye Vitalizing Nutrient Serum ($56)
• Fitglow Beauty: Eye C Firm Cream ($79)
• 100% Pure: Bright Eyes Mask ($7)
• Kahina Giving Beauty: Prickly Pear Seed Oil Rollerball ($40)

Facial SPFs

• White & Elm: Everyday Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($28.95)
• Kari Gran: Three Sixty Five SPF 28 ($48)
• Ursa Major: Force Field Daily Defense Lotion with SPF 18 ($54)
• Raw Elements: Tinted Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 ($17.99)

Body SPFs

• All Good: SPF 50+ Sport Sunscreen Butter Stick – these sticks work great for kids! ($15.99) and SPF 50+ Water Resistant Zinc Sunscreen Butter ($9.99)
• Badger: Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 30 ($16.99), Clear Zinc Unscented Sunscreen Lotion ($18.99), Clear Zinc Oxide Sport Sunscreen SPF 35 ($16.99), Tinted Sunscreen Unscented – SPF 30 ($15.99), Unscented Sunscreen – SPF15 (15.99)
• Raw Elements: Face + Body SPF 30 ($17.99), Face + Body SPF 30 Tin ($17.99), Baby & Kids SPF 30 Tin ($19.99), Baby & Kids SPF 30 Stick ($18.99)
• Earth Mama Organics: Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40 ($14.99) and Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 25 ($13.99)
• Babo Botanicals: Baby Skin Mineral Sunscreen – SPF 50 ($19.95), Sheer Zinc Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 30 ($22), Clear Zinc Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 – Fragrance Free ($19.95),

Body Moisturizers

• Organic coconut oil (if your skin does well with it) is a wonderful moisturizer for the body and is truly a multitasking product.
• MUN Skincare: ARGAN Pure Argan Oil – ($70)
• Acure: Everyday Eczema Lotion ($11.99)
• Bubble & Bee: Unscented Organic Body Butter ($16.95)
• Osmia Organic: Naked Body Oil ($20/1 oz. or $64/4 oz.)
• Booda Organics: Booda Butter Daily Moisturizer ($14)
• Kosmatology: Free & Clear (unscented) Lotion Bar ($10.99)
• Babo Botanicals: Sensitive Skin Fragrance Free Daily Hydra Therapy Lotion ($12.95)
• The Honest Co.: Organic Body Oil ($9.95) and Face + Body Lotion, Purely Simple Fragrance Free ($9.95)

Body Soaps & Washes

• Graham Gardens: Avocado and Oatmeal Soap ($5)
• Osmia Organics: Oh So Soap ($18)
• Babo Botanicals: Sensitive Skin Fragrance Free Hydra Therapy Wash ($19.95)
• Bubble & Bee: Organic Unscented Soap ($6) and Unscented Shower Gel ($11.99/8 oz.)
• Dr. Bronner’s: Pure Castile Bar Soap All-One Hemp Baby Unscented ($4.29)
• Schmidt’s: Bar Soap, fragrance free ($5.49)
• Booda Organics: Suds of Love All-in-One Soap ($6.95)
• Aleavia: Enzymatic Body Cleanse, unscented ($19.99)

Deodorants

• Green Tidings: All Natural Deodorant, unscented ($7.49)
• Schmidt’s: Natural Deodorant, fragrance free ($8.99), Sensitive Skin Formula, fragrance free ($10.99) and Deodorant Jar, fragrance free ($8.99)
• Earth Mama Organics: Simply Non-Scents Deodorant ($9.99)
• Rustic Maka: Natural Deodorant, Naughty Butter, unscented ($9.95)
• Lone: Bold Creme Unscented Deodorant – this is a baking soda AND wax free formula ($11.50) and Unscented Deodorant ($10.50)
• Acure: Fragrance Free Deodorant ($8.99)
• All Good: Deodorant – Unscented ($8.99)
• Booda Organics: Cream Deodorant ($7.95)
• Primal Pit Paste: Baking Soda Unscented Natural Deodorant Stick ($10.95), Zinc Unscented Natural Deodorant Stick ($10.95), Charcoal Unscented Deodorant Stick ($10.95), Magnesium Unscented Natural Deodorant Stick – Sensitive ($10.95), Baking Soda Unscented Natural Deodorant Jar ($8.95), Zinc Unscented Natural Deodorant Jar – Sensitive ($8.95), Magnesium Unscented Natural Deodorant Jar – Sensitive ($8.95), Charcoal Unscented Deodorant Jar ($8.95)

Baby & Kids

Bath Time 

• Earth Mama Organics: Simply Non-Scents Baby Wash ($9.99)
• The Honest Co.: Shampoo + Body Wash, Purely Sensitive ($9.95) and Bubble Bath, Purely Sensitive ($11.95)
• Babo Botanicals: Sensitive Newborn Foam Baby Wash – Fragrance Free ($12.95) and Sensitive Baby Shampoo & Wash – Fragrance Free ($19.95)
• Osmia Organics: Oh So Soap ($18)

Moisturizing Lotions and Balms

• Zoe Organics: Cream ($17.95)
• Earth Mama Organics: Simply Non-Scents Baby Lotion ($17.99)
• Pleni Naturals: Berry + Olive Baby Balm ($15.99) and Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil ($15.99)
• CV Skin Labs: Calming Moisture for Face, Neck and Scalp ($49)
• Babo Botanicals: Sensitive Baby Daily Hydra Baby Lotion – Fragrance Free ($12.95)
• The Honest Co.: Organic All-Purpose Balm ($12.95)
• Buttercup & Jake: Cocoa Calendula Balm ($12.50)

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this collection of essential oil free products helpful.  Make sure to leave a comment with your favorite EO free products if you don’t see them listed here!

This article was originally published on naturallykeri.com

*Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in the above post.  By using these links, you will not pay more, but I may receive a small percentage of a sale from you purchasing a product through my links or by using my discount codes.  If you do choose to use these links, I truly appreciate your support!  Please view my full disclosure page HERE for more information. 

The post Essential Oil Free Products for Sensitive Skin appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Marci’s products use only a small selection of natural and organic ingredients, and she offers different formulas to suit different skin types – no ‘one-size-fits-all’ soaps here!  The Florida Scrub line features a wide variety of products including everything from organic pet care, hand soaps, dish soaps, face washes and organic hair care!  There is truly something for everyone within this newly launched shop!  I am so excited to have had the opportunity to chat with Marci about her products and her ingredients in the interview below.  She has also very kindly offered a generous 25% discount code for a very limited time, so be sure to head over to her Etsy shop ASAP to look around!  Discount code is listed below after the interview.

Thank you to Marci for sharing her business with The Greenly Guide blog today – we hope you enjoy!  Read on below for the full interview.

The Greenly Guide: What prompted your initial interest in using natural and organic products vs. conventional products for yourself and your family?

Marci: I recall as long ago as high school looking at the ingredients on a bottle of shampoo and marveling at all the crazy ingredients that were in it. At the time I didn’t realize that all of those ingredients were soaking in to my skin, but my final year in college I really started getting serious about eating more natural foods and using more natural products. I started dabbling in making bar soaps with mixed success. My first bar shampoo I made I thought was such a failure! No one told me about, and there weren’t all the resources we have now to learn about, how real soap reacts with hard water. Of course now I know I just needed a simple apple cider vinegar rinse! But that was just a fun hobby for me. Back then there were not a lot of people that made their own bar soap, and I’m really glad that it’s become a more mainstream thing; it makes it a LOT easier to find supplies for one thing! So I just dabbled with my own bars and had fun with that. But, a few years ago when I became a stay at home mom I was just naturally washing my hands more often and I noticed them become more and more red and it seemed like no matter how much cocoa butter I slathered on them they just wouldn’t heal. I started looking at the ingredients in the liquid hand soap I was using from a well known “natural” product manufacturer and thought it may be the synthetic detergent they used that was blistering my hands. I also noticed that my little guy’s hands were red after washing, though not as bad as mine were. So I started using my bar soaps at the sinks and after about a week the redness was gone. I was washing my hands the same number of times as I was before, so it made sense to me that the “natural” liquid soap I was buying was not for me. Bar soaps are lovely, but they’re kind of messy at the sink, so I started researching how to make liquid soap and I kind of fell in love with that process.

The Greenly Guide: From a civil engineer to a stay at home mom, can you tell us what inspired you to start Florida Scrub?

Marci: I knew I could not be the only person in the world that wanted a truly natural liquid soap. Besides not wanting those synthetic detergents on my skin, what I learned in my research about how some of them are made; the toxic by-products and ingredients that go in to making some of them, I didn’t want to contribute to their production in any way. I am a big believer in making a difference with the dollar I spend. Not everyone has the time to make their own soap, or just doesn’t want to take on that task. I’m lucky to be able to stay at home to raise my son, and with some careful planning I found that I had the time to take care of him and all the other chores that come along with being home and make the liquid soaps. So, I set a goal for myself that I would removal all synthetic detergents from my household, and I know others are working on that also and I hope I can help them on that journey.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share a little about your path to learning how to formulate products and any formal training you have?

Marci: I don’t have any formal training in soap formulation; honestly I’m not sure if such a thing exists. If it does I would be interested! I’ve done a lot of reading and my own informal research in my kitchen and trying the different formulas. The basic chemistry of soap is combining an oil with a base to form a salt; the salt is the soap. Once I learned that specific oils have specific fatty acid components and that those components were good for specific uses then the formulas just kind of made sense to make them that way. For example, coconut oil is high in lauric acid. Soap that is high in lauric acid is excellent at removing dirt and oil. So excellent at removing dirt and oil that I would recommend never using a 100% coconut oil soap on your skin, unless you’re a mechanic cleaning up at the end of the day. But my pots and pans? Yeah, I want every bit of dirt and oil removed from them. My dish soap formula is mostly coconut oil soap, but the straight coconut oil soap was too harsh for my hands, so I experimented adding a little olive oil soap and castor oil soap until I got the formula were I wanted it.

The Greenly Guide: Can you talk about the ingredients that are included in your products and how you source them?

Marci: Most of my soap ingredients including the dried herbs, oils and essential oils are sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs. They’ve been around for a while and it seems like any time I try an oil from a different source I am never as satisfied with the final product as I am with MRH ingredients. The honey I use is sourced locally from a small apiary in the town just north of me. He runs a neat and clean little shop. I wish I could source all of my ingredients locally like that! Most of my ingredients are certified organic, though in some cases I have opted for conventional products that I think are superior to the organic options that are available or perhaps an organic option is not available.

The Greenly Guide: With products ranging from hair care to body care to organic pet care, do you have a personal favorite product? What are your best sellers?

Marci: I really love the foaming face wash for oily skin. Every face wash I’ve ever tried that was supposed to be for oily skin was too harsh. It stripped every spec of oil off my face and made the skin feel tight and over cleaned. Just because I have oily skin doesn’t mean I need no oil on my face! I think most people know that heavy or thicker oils like olive oil or avocado oil are great for dry skin. Those oils are high in oleic acid. Well, oily skin does best with linoleic acid. So I started looking at the readily available carrier oils and found that safflower oil is made up of mostly linoleic acid. This is how I started my formulas for oily skin.

The foaming hand soaps are my best sellers so far.

The Greenly Guide: What has been the most difficult issue you have faced when formulating products? Is there one product that was especially tough to get right?

Marci: I think the biggest difficulty I’ve had hasn’t been so much with the formulas but with the thickness of the finished product. We, myself included, have become used to the super thick consistency that synthetic detergents have. We think that a thin product means that it’s been watered down. With real liquid soap that isn’t necessarily the case. The basic process of making liquid soap is to combine the oil and base, in the case of liquid soap the base is potassium hydroxide though none of this remains in the final product. You cook the mixture, which in the process of cooking thickens to a paste. The paste then is diluted with a liquid, typically distilled water. The nature of liquid soap paste is to remain as a paste until just enough water is added to make it a liquid. If there is not enough liquid a thin film forms on the top; this is basically soap paste that hasn’t been diluted enough. You can take that thin film off, but another one forms. So, it’s really not possible to have a thick, real liquid soap. There are some things you can add, like salt, to a finished product, to make it thicker, but that only works for some formulas, mainly those high in olive oil soap, and too much salt will reduce the amount of suds. I’ve gotten around that by using both foaming dispensers and squeeze bottles with pointed tips, so it’s easy to control how much soap is dispensed.

The Greenly Guide: How are your products different from others that are similar in the Etsy marketplace? What sets your brand apart?

Marci: I think what sets Florida Scrub soaps apart from other liquid soaps, not just on Etsy, but in local specialty markets as well, is the different formulas I have for different uses in addition to having formulas for dry, balanced and oily skin. I know one of the more popular mainstream brands claims that the soap in one bottle has many different uses, but honestly, I don’t want to wash my face with the same soap as I wash my dishes with, and vice versa, for the reasons I explained above. Different oils have different fatty acid components and those fatty acid components are good at different things. I would rather buy two separate products and be really happy with the jobs they do separately, than one product that does a so-so job at everything.

The Greenly Guide: What goals do you have for your business in the coming months and years?

Marci: Right now my major focus is providing excellent customer service. I love that Etsy allows me to do that, even though I am not able to interact face to face with most people. I am really invested in people loving the products they’re purchasing. I also love that I am able to do custom orders and blends. For example, I recently had someone contact me and tell me that their favorite face wash was discontinued and she had such sensitive skin and wondered about the silk that I use in most of my formulas and did I think it would be a problem for her. Of course, we can never know if an ingredient is going to be a problem for us until we try it, but I wouldn’t want to spend money on a product only to find out that I can’t use it. But it’s easy for me to do a semi-custom blend within the line of oils that I use to make her a silk-free wash. And I love that being a very small scale producer allows me to do that.

Special 25% discount for 5 days only!

Make sure to head over to the Florida Scrub Etsy shop HERE to check out Marci’s amazing line of natural and organic soaps.  Starting today through Sunday, April 9, 2017, she is offering a very generous 25% discount on your entire order with the code ‘GREENLY25’, so make sure to pick up some of her soaps to try!

*All photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Florida Scrub.

Connect with Marci and Florida Scrub through their Etsy shop, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

The post Exploring Etsy: Florida Scrub appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Having great success with the products she created for her daughter, Annie expanded on her passion to become a certified aromatherapist. Combining her natural talents with her formal aromatherapy education, and NaturalAnnie Essentials was born during the Summer of 2015.  Within her line, you will find an expertly curated group of essentials for the skin and hair including body wash, lip scrubs and lip balms, skincare and beautiful handmade bags.

We are thrilled today to have the opportunity to introduce you to the amazing woman behind this brand and share with you more about her story, her company and the wonderful all-natural products that she creates.  Along with the interview below, we are so happy to be able to share a wonderful giveaway with you as well so you can experience these botanical creations for yourself!  All of the details will be listed after our interview with Annie below.

The Greenly Guide: I’d love to hear the inspiration behind NaturalAnnie Essentials – when did you open your shop and what led you to start your business?

Annie: NaturalAnnie Essentials all started after the birth of my daughter (Tiffany) in 2014. Tiffany was born with a plethora of medical issues, Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus being the major ones. As a result of the number of surgeries she had to go through her skin got quite irritated and nothing we were prescribed helped.  When over the counter creams did not work, I turned to natural butters- shea butter in particular and essential oils because this mamma needed results!

After a week of using my homemade butters on her skin I started noticing changes, this revived my love for creating.

I got excited and started making everything around the home. Soon I was making products for my family, then having essential oils “make and take” parties in my home with friends. Everyone was loving the products, my baking soda face scrub quickly became their favorite. I remember one day a close friend of mine messaged me saying “Annie you need to start selling these, the face scrub is everything!”. Not long after that I got serious, started studying Aromatherapy and got my certification, I then started making products, designing labels and the whole works. Little by little after that things just took off and NaturalAnnie Essentials was now a reality. I started selling to locals just from word of mouth, I then did a few craft shows and finally opened my Etsy shop the summer of 2015.

The Greenly Guide: How did you begin formulating your own products?  Do you have any formal training that you have completed or can you talk about your background in product creation?

Annie: I am Jamaican and grew up with my grandparents in Jamaica, so herbs and oils were no strangers to me. If we got sick they would create home made remedies for relief. I always loved the smell of herbs and was a lover of plants but never truly appreciated the many benefits they offered. In 2014 I enrolled with a local branch of the School for Aromatic Studies here in Connecticut where we studied in depth different herbs and essential oils and their many uses, and also formulation. I got my ‘formal training’ through them but I am a natural creator, and am always researching and trying new formulations.

The Greenly Guide: I absolutely love your colorful and vibrant branding for your products – can you share more about the design and why you chose it?

Annie: Color makes me happy, and I am an Island girl so I wanted to incorporate that in my design. While all natural tend to feel “earthy” I thought it was also very vibrant. I love things that makes me feel happy- and this was the feel I wanted for my products. I want my customers to feel excited when they look at my packaging, make them want to indulge right away. Like my grandmother and mother I am a gardener, we are absolutely “mildly obsessed” with flowers lol, so it was a bit natural for me to add such vibrant botanical to my design.

The Greenly Guide: The clutches that come with some of your product sets are adorable and you mention handmade – do you make these yourself?

Annie: The clutches were paired with my products as bags are indeed essentials for every woman and they were a perfect fit with our look.

Our bags are handmade by a small family in Thailand. They create very detailed embroidered bags and other accessories. After working with them over the years for personal items we finally brought them on board to start creating for NaturalAnnie Essentials.

The Greenly Guide: I would love to hear more about the ingredients you use in your products and any that are unique that you would like to mention?

Annie: All our base ingredients (butters/salts/carrier oils etc.) are 100% natural, while not all are 100% organic, we carefully source from locals and all natural product distributors to make sure we are getting the safest and best quality to offer. NaturalAnnie Essentials is an aromatherapy company- this is how I started, so the intention is to include all natural oils in our products. We scent our products with essential oils from Doterra which is an essential oil company that provides the highest quality in therapeutic grade essential oils.

At least 80% of the herbs used in my products such as rose, calendula, rosemary, and some lavender, are home grown in my garden during the summertime, dried and stored for the winter months. If I am not growing the herbs I’ll source it from our local herb shop. All my oils are infused for at least six weeks before used in any products, so you’ll find powerful herbs infused in all our skincare products.

The Greenly Guide: What is the first product you ever created & what inspired you to make it?

Annie: The very first product I created was a butter for my daughter’s skin out of raw shea, aloe, and cocoa butter, herbal oils, and essential oils. This worked for her breakouts like a charm.  I then started using the same formula on my skin as my face would get so dry and the results were simply amazing. This was the beginning of my face butter which was then paired with the face scrub.  During this time of first timers, I had to formulate an essential oil specifically for hair growth. Funny and true story- the summer I gave birth to my daughter I was wearing very long braids, one day one got tangled into something and being very impatient I yanked it, not only did the braid got untangled, but the entire patch where the braid was came out. This was so embarrassing as it was the first thing to show once you looked at my face- a missing patch of hair. After using the essential oil blend for a few months the hair grew back and this was the birth of my hair growth oil- Happy Edges. Happy not only because the hair was back but because it grew back healthier than it was before.

The Greenly Guide: What is your favorite part about formulating products and owning your own brand?

Annie: When I’m formulating it would almost feel like a day at the spa, I do get tired, but working with essential oils is extremely relaxing and I get lost in the aroma.

Formulating also gives me that very special feeling as I am truly using what nature gave me to create so I can help someone else, or simply helping them to feel good. When I look at my brand and it makes me feel good- happy, this is the same feeling I strive to give everyone that crosses path with NaturalAnnie Essentials.

The Greenly Guide: Which of your products is your best selling and what makes it special?

Annie: Currently my best seller is the Mai Tai Punch Lip Balm & Scrub combo  I can’t seem to make enough of this.  My customers are just obsessed with the flavor. I’ll see posts or get DMs and emails on how they just “eat what’s left because it tastes so good”. Our lip scrub and balms are made of sugar, an all natural mai tai punch flavor, butters and a herbal oil mix, it is then colored with beet root powder (lip scrub only), It truly is yummy!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share any exciting future plans for your brand or what you envision for NaturalAnnie Essentials in the future?

Annie: My goal is to continue to grow the brand and grow our list of retailers. We can now be found in two brick and mortar boutiques: Concept forty seven and Solace Boutique and plans to be in many more by July 2017. We recently added to our line 5 amazingly scented soy candles they are truly to die for.  After using our products and loving the aroma both customers and retailers kept on requesting candles- earlier this month we released them and the response was truly amazing. We did a soft launch for our gift box NAEbox in early November and that too has been doing very well. Our first shipment went out on December 5th and we are still taking orders.

I want to be able to share my passion with as many people as possible- helping others makes me happy, it is fulfilling, and it is my goal to one day open a beautiful boutique where I’ll offer my products along with those of other artisans who have the same vision.

 The Greenly Guide: Anything else to add?

Annie: I always like to encourage others to never give up on their dreams. For years I’ve known I wanted a business of my own and while the idea came at a tough time in my life, I’m happy today that i did not put it on the back burner and waited. Nothing worth having comes easy, having a family and working a full time job while running your own business is no joke, but it is worth every sleepless night!

We have so many exciting things planned for 2017 so stay with us because I can’t spill all the beans just yet!

Would you like to add some of these skin and body care essentials into your collection?

[[GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED]]]  The Greenly Guide and NaturallyAnnie Essentials are excited to bring you a wonderful giveaway!  One lucky reader will win a Spa Delight Set (pictured above) which includes a body oil, a bath salt, a lip scrub and a 2 oz. candle – perfect for keeping the skin soft and hydrated all while soothing your mind with the lovely aromatic scents.

That’s not all! Annie has also so generously offered a 15% discount code for The Greenly Guide readers which can be used on any purchases made over on her website. Use the code ‘GREENLY’ at checkout!

This giveaway will be hosted over on The Greenly Guide Instagram page HERE, so be sure to head over for the full details on how to enter.  This giveaway is only open to US residents who are 18 years of age or older.  Giveaway will run from Wednesday, December 13, 2016 through Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:00 PM EST.  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this blog post as well as over on our Instagram post on Tuesday, December 20, 2016.

[Don’t have an Instagram account but still want to enter – no problem!  Just leave us a comment below telling us which product from the set you are most excited about!]

GOOD LUCK!

Connect with NaturalAnnie Essentials through their website, Instagram, Facebook and Etsy.

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