Inside the Alchemist’s Workshop: Who Started the Redness Routine?
Nov 18, 2022
“Do you have anything for redness,” Lori asked as she approached the JustUs table at the Farmers Market. She pulled down her mask. Oh. My. Gosh. Her skin looked like mine had the time I feel asleep on my back in the desert.
She took home a sample of Supreme Clean, our super gentle cleanser, and our Transform Serum because its formula could calm a frantic terrier at 100 yards. Then I invited her to stop by the workshop. It wasn’t my job to give her medical treatment, but I could do my best to help her skin feel better. Her dermatologist was on board with that, and so we began our experiments.
I drove poor Robert (the Chemist) mad with questions about bacteria and the epidermis. Lori took pots and bottles of experimental mixtures home to play with. Her skin decided that it was in love with mango and oatmeal and babassu oil. It also was keen on zinc and marshmallow. And Calendula water.
The ingredient I was in love with was acetyl tetrapeptide 40. Its sole purpose is to reduce redness—whether it comes from eczema or rosacea or fear of public speaking or over-flirting or whatever.
The mist we made with with a bouquet of softeners and bacteria fighters like bakuchiol extract and golden seal. I labelled the bottle with a strip of kraft paper and called it Lori’s Mist. Evelyn named it Deep Hydration Moisture Mist.
Also, thanks to Lori and her skin, we now have Restore+Repair Rainforest Serum aka Lori/Lipids. It’s a combo of oils that have been known to help all sorts of Amazon ailments. It also contains Tamanu Oil from Madagascar, which has its own history of beauty and curative botanicals.
The Calm Redness Relief Cream spent a lot of time in the workshop finding itself. Today, its formula reads more like a vegan dinner recipe than a skincare cream. Oats, carrots, green tea, mango, pretty much everything red and irritated skin enjoys. The acetyl tetrapeptide-40 is the hero, but teamwork makes the dream work in this jar.
The Lori routine is cleanse, mist and mist and mist some more. Transform Serum. Rainforest Oil Serum and the Redness Relief Cream.
If you have a redness situation once in a while, you could keep this set on hand to use the way your skin likes it best. If redness and irritation is your life, this routine could be your life saver.
About the Routine:
Focus on redness, sensitivity, moisture retention, irritation, smoothness
A.M./P.M. (bundle here)
- Supreme Clean. Cleansing Balm. (or gentle cleanser of your choice)
- Calming. Redness Relief Mist. Two-three spritzes and gently pat in.
- Transform. Active Nourishment Serum. Apply two pumps and let soak in.
- Restore+Repair. Rainforest Oil Serum. Warm 2-3 drops in your palms and gently press on to face
- Calm. Redness Relief Cream. Apply gently and massage into face.
In a big hurry? Calm Mist + Restore+Repair
You may also find Condition to be helpful at night to add an extra moisture-retention seal.
One ingredient in this routine that is especially helpful in the fight to reduce redness is Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40. This peptide is designed to reduce the appearance of facial redness caused by inflammation and excessive inflammatory response in facial skin suffering from redness and dilated capillaries, like rosacea. This ingredient is found in both our Calm Mist and Calm Cream. Another ingredient that speaks loud and clear to sensitivities is Acai Oil. This Brazilian wonder is one of the heroes of both our Restore+Repair Oil Serum as well as our Condition Rainforest Repair Balm. Dense with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, it absorbs quickly and has been used for centuries to relieve eczema and psoriasis.