“Art is the right hand of Nature. The latter has only given us being, the former has made us men.” Friedrich Schiller

Babassu Oil or cusi oil is a South American light yellow vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of Attalea speciosa (a palm). In cosmetics this oil has properties similar to coconut oil and is a great alternative to it. Babassu oil is about 70 per cent lipids (mostly Lauric-, Myristic-, Palmitic-, Oleic-, Stearic Fatty Acid; read here) and therefore a great skin-like oil since Lauric and myristic acids have melting points comparable to human body temperature. It makes a great solid melt followed by a cooling sensation.

Buriti Oil or moriche oil comes from a South American swamp palm. It is a dark orange oil extracted from the fruit of the moriche palm. The oil contains high concentrations of oleic acid, tocopherols (vit e) and carotenoids (vit a), especially betacarotene (more here). There is scientific research about the Oil on filtering and absorbing cancer-causing UV rays from the sun (see here). It would make a great tanning oil with light spf.

Tamanu Oil, a polynesian dark/greenish inedible oil, has proven track record as a skin healing agent through its unique process of Cicatrization (ability to speed up wound healing and promote the formation of new tissue, read here). It is a widely used traditional tropic aid and Pacifit island folk medicine uses it liberally on cuts, burns, insect bites, acne and more. Feeling tropical, Ea Birkkam

today: the business trio

Blue, calming and naturally anti-inflammatory. Azulene, named after the Spanish word for “blue,” azul, is an organic compound; an isomer of naphthalene, the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (see here). Whereas naphthalene is colourless, azulene is beautifully dark blue, i really like the colour. Almost since the 15th century it is derived from the steam distillation of chamomile, blue tansy, roman chamomile or yarrow. Azulene oil is a very calming ingredient and used in skincare products for sensitive, irritated skin. The fact it is calmingly blue (see this exotic azulene-coloured mushroom here) makes it a very interesting colouring compound aswell.

Sadly azulene is mildly comedogenic and slightly problematic for people with super-oily skin. Furthermore ther seems to be research indicating that azulene can cause cellular mutation when exposed to UVA light and you might want to stick to rinse off products only if you expose your skin to alot of sun. But still, it makes a fantastic ingredient for an anti-redness face mask, just be sure to wash it off. Calmly, Ea Birkkam

today: light blue jeans

“Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time.” Albert Camus

Visagist favourite and almost every good skincare brand offers one: micellar water. You have Rodial, L’Oreal, Taaj, YSL, Caudalie, Avène, Dior, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay etc… if you want to try them all, you better bring a big basket. Did you know Bioderma sells a bottle of their hyped Crealine H20 Water every 6(!) seconds? What are micelles and what is micellar water? Basically we have to take a look back at high school chemistry: a micelle takes shape when a variety of molecules including soaps and detergents (surfactants) are added to water, this is what we learned back then. So technically speaking regular soap water is already a micellar water. But a quick look at the ingredients of our micellar water cleanser tells us there is mysteriously more. Amateur research on the ingredients is hard for micellar water cleansers since possibly skin-irritating surfactants are not as harsh when they reach a certain concentration in water, they form ball-shaped structures, the micelles, instead.

You can basically breakdown the ingredients of micellar water cleansers to this: Water, a Glycol (e.g. Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol) – acting both as a humectant and hydotrope (improves solubulity of the the makeup in the surfactant), a Solubiliser (e.g. Polysorbate 20) – the surfactant that does the cleansing, a Preservative and Fairy Dust. All in all what you have is a product with make-up removing properties that doesn’t foam as much as traditional cleansers and looks and feels more like water (read more at the fabulous Beauty Brains). It is mild, easy to use (no washing off) and feels innovative. There might be a massive amount of micellar waters not claiming to be one, chances are high you have it already in your bath cabinet. Love, Ea Birkkam.

today: skin