Experiment with Me / Herbivore's Balance and Clarify Mini Collection for 2 Weeks

When I started writing about skincare and beauty, I knew it would involve trying out new products and methods to care for my skin. When I decided I wanted to explore clean beauty, I knew it would come with the associated conundrum of buying more and the associated waste (shipping, what to do with the products I dislike, etc.) However, my quest is to make conscious decisions no matter what route I take. I carefully look into new brands before diving into the next new thing. I focus on products that will actually address issues I’m having instead of products that may or may not show a benefit to my skin.

Herbivore is a brand you can’t get away from in the world of Instagram beauty #aesthetics. At the same time, I can easily find it in my favorite local Austin concept boutiques. The brand was founded in Seattle by Julia Wills and Alexander Kummerow. According to their website, Herbivore products are created without synthetic ingredients, parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, phthalates, chemicals, fillers, animal testing, mineral oils, or petroleum. Instead, products are made without filler products, meaning all ingredients (many of which are considered natural and organic) are active. In other words, if you think of a vial of serum, you’re getting the most bang for your buck because products are full of ingredients to help your skin instead of preservatives or stabilizing agents taking up all the room. With natural, plant-derived ingredients can come a lack of consistency between products or shorter shelf life. However, the benefits of using this quality of ingredients outweigh the bad.

Choosing and Receiving the Products

While I mentioned I could purchase Herbivore products in-person here in Austin, I ordered a complete mini kit online using a first time user discount. I decided to go with the Balance and Clarity mini collection for oily, combination and blemish-prone skin. This kit has 4 products, 3 of which I really wanted to try (which made the price point at $49 pretty affordable). While the products are small, 0.3 oz to 2 oz, they are great for travel.

I was shocked with the large size of the box that arrived for such small products. However, the cardboard is recyclable. The packaging of the minis is a paper box as well. While at first glance I was disappointed (especially since my paper box was a bit dented), I realized this was due to recyclable packaging and therefore I couldn’t complain anymore.

The actual products have amazing components. Everything is glass and feels expensive. I was pleasantly surprised by that.

Rules of the Game

To see results, consistency is key. I decided that I would use Herbivore’s products as directed for minimum 2 weeks (or at the very least, I’d provide an update at the two week mark). I even used the products while on a brief vacation. I continued to use my standard products that I don’t have Herbivore equivalents for (LRP cleanser, acne spot treatment). One of the reasons I chose this mini collection was because I saw products that I could improve/adjust my current routine (toners, masks) as opposed subbing out what I already really like to use.

I realize there are issues with trying out multiple new skincare products at the same time and I ran into this issue while trialing Herbivore. I started breaking out about a week into these products, but I think it is more likely my Bare Minerals tinted moisturizer over any of these. The same ingredients are in almost all of these products too, so it would have been hard to pinpoint one as the culprit. I did diligence on which products broke users out the most, and not much showed up for Herbivore.

Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner

My typical toner has always been Thayer’s witch hazel, so I knew timing was right to try out something more higher end to see if there was a large difference. The Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner runs $39 for a 4 oz. The jasmine water is supposedly infused with green tea, salicin-rich willow bark (salicin is the start of salicylic acid) and aloe vera. Willow bark is a natural BHA (anti-inflammatory) and green tea extract is an antioxidant.

I personally didn’t like the smell of the toner and didn’t notice anything groundbreaking about how it made my skin feel or look. It didn’t really absorb into my skin that well either. I probably won’t purchase it again, but I’ll use it up until I’m finished with it and potentially keep traveling with it. I think there are other higher-end toners available worth trying (in trial size) so I’ll see how those serve me down the line. At the very least, I’ll definitely reuse the bottle.

PRISM Exfoliating Glow Potion

Prism was by far my favorite product to trial. It’s a natural fruit acid 5% serum to hydrate, exfoliate, smooth and clarify the skin. I used this as a substitute for lactic acid or another exfoliating serum. The fruit acids are AHAs to brighten and clarity skin, while rose water, aloe water and sodium hyaluronate alleviate redness and provide hydration.

The feel of this serum is very special. It goes on so smoothly and immediately made my skin glow. While it can feel tacky on my fingers, it doesn’t feel tacky on the face. I notice a smoother complexion when I wake up the next morning as well. I enjoy the scent and the dropper feels expensive. I can’t say I’m running back to buy Prism again because it’s pretty cost prohibitive, but I did enjoy it while I had it.

Fun fact, $1 of every bottle of the potion sold goes to Immigration Equality, an organization providing free legal services for LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants in the US. Another fun fact, since the ingredients are natural and the product lacks traditional preservatives, it can change color over time. Some users said potency/effectiveness also changed over time. For $62 a bottle (1 oz), you likely want to use this quickly.

Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask

This mask really changed the game for me. I had been looking for an easy non-clay mask to help with surface texture and I found it in this Blue Tansy mask. The mask is said to gently clarify blemish-prone skin with more fruit enzymes, white willow bark and aloe (I’m sensing an ingredient trend here). There is a huge ingredient list of various fruit extracts that seem a little overwhelming and easy to be allergic to.

The mask certainly tingles when you first put it on, but that feeling quickly went away for me. Similarly to Prism, I immediately think my skin feels calmer after using this mask. It takes a little bit of pressure to get the mask off of the face after it’s set, but overall very easy to clean up. Every other day was a good amount to start with, and I’ve since lessened to a few times a week.

I’ll repurchase this mask as a non-clay alternative at $48 a 2.3 oz jar. I personally like the scent of blue tansy (it’s in their Lapis facial oil as well as the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil) but some people are very put off by it. Blue tansy is a flower and the oil is naturally high in Azulene (a hydrocarbon).

Lapis Facial Oil

I don’t really understand facial oils at this point, but I’m probably using a few from the Ordinary and just don’t consider them “facial oils” exactly. Facial oils are used for hydration, but shouldn’t necessarily be used instead of a moisturizer. A moisturizer can be used after an oil. The Lapis Facial Oil contains blue tansy again as well as kukui nut oil, jojoba oil and squalane. It is the most expensive out of the bunch at $72 for 1.7 oz.

Herbivore recommended using the facial oil twice a day. However, this oil will make you look very wet after application and I wouldn’t recommend wearing it under makeup. Even as little as 3 drops were very apparent on my skin, so I decided to only apply it at night after the first few uses.

Honestly, I couldn’t tell much of a difference between this facial oil and my typical squalane. If I’m already getting the benefits of blue tansy from the mask, I don’t think I necessarily need it in this facial oil as well.

Final Thoughts

I believe that Herbivore is not a gimmick. Their products have been very carefully crafted with high quality ingredients. The packaging and branding don’t feel clinical and make the products fun to use— with a cost.

While I wouldn’t purchase the same kit again (due to the repeat ingredients) I’d be curious to try out what else the brand has to offer when it comes to their retinol and exfoliating masks. I think Herbivore is doing good things for the skincare industry, I just wish the products were a little less expensive for what they are (plant extracts).