The loverly people at OSEA sent me their Blemish Balm for testing and review. First of all I should tell you about the company before I get into the product. OSEA was originally created as a spa line of body and skin care products. According to their website, "Our company philosophy is built into the name – OSEA stands for Ocean, Sun, Earth, and Atmosphere. We respect the four elements of our planet and work with nature to heal the human body. We don’t do anything that pollutes or harms our planet because that is where we find our most effective ingredients." All their products are Vegan Certified by vegan.org, organic and biodegradable. Not too shabby. OSEA moved into the at home skin care market because of customer demand and they wanted to introduce their vegan and organic skincare using a proprietary base of three seaweeds to the at home consumer.
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| Kelp |
I was sent a product called OSEA Blemish Balm. Unlike many of the Blemish Balms you may be familiar with this product is NOT an all in one makeup/skincare/sunscreen. It is essentially an un-tinted, mattifying moisturizer that is supposed to reduce inflammation, regulate oil (sebum) production, and heal the skin.
Let me cut to the chase. Did this product actually work? Sort-of.
What I liked:
- The Gigartina Skottsbergii Extract - Red Alge Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract - Giant Kelp Extract, and Undaria Pinnatifida Extract - Wakame (Seaweed) Extract, felt really nice on my skin and my skin never felt dehydrated or overly oily.
- My skin was left with a matte finish, but never felt tight or dry.
- The lotion absorbed quickly and never pilled up under foundation or powder.
- The glass bottle and pump dispenser are nice and sanitary and don't allow the antioxidant properties of the Copper Ferment, Manganese Ferment and Zinc Ferment to break down as fast. These 3 antioxidants are the extract of yeast fermented in the presence of copper, manganese and zinc ions.
- The Price. While $42 is a little high for a moisturizer, you do get a generous 2 fl oz. (Other moisturizers are usually 1 oz or 1.5 oz)
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| Red Algae |
What I didn't like:
- The Scent. The overpowering scent of Lavender, Thyme, Cypress, Juniper, and Rosemary oils was just too much, even for me. Those with sensitive noses will not be able to use this product at all. It takes a LONG time for the scent to fade as well.
- The Lavender oil broke me out in tiny little whiteheads. A blemish balm should not break you out. I discovered that I am sensitive to Lavender oil after using this product and another product from another company with similar results. Doing some research I discovered that Lavender Oil is not the best ingredient for skin care. While it has antiseptic properties the Cosmetic Ingredient Directory cites, "...other components of lavender, specifically linalool, can be cytotoxic, meaning that topical application causes skin-cell death (Source: Cell Proliferation, June 2004, pages 221–229). Lavender leaves contain camphor, which is known as a skin irritant. Because the fragrance constituents in lavender oil oxidize when exposed to air, lavender oil pro-oxidant. This enhanced oxidation also increases its irritancy on skin (Source: Contact Dermatitis, September 2008, pages 143–150). Lavender oil is the most potent form, and even small amounts of it (0.25% or less) can be problematic. It is a must to avoid in skin-care products, but is fine used as an aromatherapy agent for inhalation or relaxation (Source: Psychiatry Research, February 2007, pages 89–96; and www.naturaldatabase.com)." So as you can see it's NO BUENO for your skin!
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| Lavender |
So aside from the Lavender oil this is a ....Oh I can't. I can't say this is a good product b/c of the Lavender oil. I just cannot recommend using it on your skin after doing research and reading all those articles.
HOWEVER...
I noticed a few other skincare items from OSEA that look really good. They contain the proprietary seaweed extracts and NO lavender oils so it's a win/win!
They are:
Plus there are a variety of OSEA body care items that look interesting as well.
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| Wakame Seaweed |
Do you NEED this? No. After doing research on Lavender oil I cannot in good conscious recommend it for anything to do with the skin on your face and am less hesitant to recommend it for body care items, however I do like it for aromatherapy. That, combined with the overwhelming fragrance of the product, I do not recommend the OSEA Blemish Balm. I do recommend checking out other products from them because the promised results of mattification and the seaweed extracts were nice so at least they live up to their claims. The OSEA mission and philosophy are admirable and I'm happy to support companies with such responsible business practices. My hope is that OSEA will read this article and make a decision to stop using Lavender oil in their skin care products.
What say you? Ever had a reaction to Lavender oil? What about the idea of using seaweed extracts and algae extracts on your skin? Let me know in the comments section.
Ingredients:
100% NATURAL DERIVED INGREDIENTS: Aqua, *Gigartina Skottsbergii Extract, *Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, *Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, *Vinis Vinefera (Grape) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Coconut derived), Glycerin, Propanediol (corn derived), Cetearyl Olivate, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, *Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Saccharomyces/Maganese Ferment, *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, *Juniferus Cummunis (Juniper) Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cupressus Sempervirens (Cypress) Oil, Stearic Acid, *Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Citric Acid, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japanica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract *CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT