First of all, the name Osmia just sounds cool doesn’t it? And it really is. The word means to smell (in medicine, the inability to smell is anosmia) and every Osmia product is made with utmost attention to the scent and its aromatherapeutic benefits. I was completely taken by this brand as soon as I first visited their beautiful website and read the story of how Sarah founded this Colorado-based company. And when she sent me a sampling of natural perfumes to consider for Sweet Violet Bride (look for those in a separate post tomorrow), she also sent their Luster Lip Gloss, and Gentle Foaming Cleanser both of which I fell in love with. Okay, so let’s look at the lip gloss first.
Luster Lip Gloss $18 for 0.3 oz.
At first glance this cute little tube looks as if it is going to create a very dark cranberry colored pout – but this gloss, which is silky smooth is actually quite sheer and layerable. It creates a beautiful and natural lip color (from beets!) and can even be rubbed into cheeks as a blush. It is not sticky at all and really nourishes, repairs, and hydrates my lips. If I’m going to take a walk in the super cold and dry winter air, this is what I grab for first. It includes cupuacu butter, a touch of mica, and an organic plumping agent. They replaced lanolin in this formula with a pomegranate ingredient that helps the lips stay hydrated (making this a great lanolin-free product). You can see all the ingredients here. The scent is gentle, from just a dab of organic vanilla CO2 extract, though I don’t find it to be too strong of a vanilla scent the way some things can be – I can barely tell which is nice. I would recommend this to everyone! They also have two new colors available at the time of writing this, though this is one of those miraculous gloss colors that seems to work on many different people.
Gentle Foaming Cleanser $42 for 1.7 oz.
I’m obsessed with cleansers and this one stood up well to my analysis. I tested it for a few weeks straight. It is a very gentle, sulfate-free liquid cleanser, packed with herbal extracts. Helichrysum extract (anti-inflammatory), licorice root extract (lightening and soothing), and green tea extract (antioxidant and astringent), to name a few! Essential oils of helichrysum, carrot seed, and rose geranium heal and nourish the skin, leaving it clean and very soft, and provide the beautiful scent of this foaming face wash. I love the delicate scent and the way it creates a rich lather. I have semi-oily, sensitive skin that also dries out easily and this cleanser was gentle enough to leave my skin clean and calm while not drying it out. I think this would also be a great product to use with a gentle brush or exfoliating cloth. I would definitely recommend this face wash to those with sensitive skin.
Look for my review of Osmia Organics natural perfumes tomorrow! xo – Naomi