As much as I enjoy trying new products, nothing beats having reliable favorites that are also a pleasure to use. The above are products that I come back to time and time again, and right now, each one is being used in my morning routine.

After many attempts at finding the perfect facial cleansing oil, I finally settled on Laventine’s just over two years ago. Its high quality, natural ingredients, subtle but lovely aroma, and exceptional efficacy made it the clear winner. I use it every morning when only a gentle cleansing is needed and oftentimes at night to wash away makeup prior to a foaming cleanser. Laventine allows for a wonderful facial massage which aids in its purifying action. I remember reading a post over at IndiePerfumes that delved into the benefits of Ayurvedic facial massage. I’ve never done the full massage described in that post, but I do a mini one quite often which is relaxing and restorative.

After cleansing with the oil, I pat my face with a towel very gently so my skin still feels hydrated from rinsing. I then warm up a large pea-sized amount of Dr. Hauschka Quince Day Cream in my hands and apply it all over my face, making sure it’s most liberally applied under my eyes. I mentioned this moisturizer in my “favorites list” last spring, and still feel the same way. Even though it feels lightweight, it hydrates like a cream and its effects last all day.

It’s now time to swirl my EcoTools Bamboo Finishing Kabuki around the pan of my Jane Iredale PurePressed Base and then spritz it with some evanhealy Rose Geranium Hydrosol which imparts a slightly dewy finish to the mineral powder. Applying the powder with the EcoTools Kabuki is unbelievably soft and gives moderate coverage since its fibers are not too dense. This makes it really easy to blend, and also build coverage if you prefer more. A few other pluses about this brush are its price point ($7), it doesn’t shed, and it holds up well after cleaning.

As for the PurePressed base, I can’t say enough good things about that either. It has an SPF of 20, a very natural look and does an excellent job at covering up “spots” -say it with a British accent like Lisa Eldridge- as well as dark circles. That’s why I concentrate the Quince Day Cream under my eyes as I apply a good amount of PurePressed Base atop my often visible dark circles with the EcoTools kabuki. In the photo, you’ll see a smaller brush below the kabuki, and that’s my Giorgio Armani Blender Brush. I adore its shape, soft bristles and its ability to blend foundation in hard to reach areas, like the eyes.

After all that, which just takes a couple minutes, the variety begins. It might be simply an eyeliner, mascara and lip balm day, or possibly more with eyeshadow, blush and lipstick added. Either way, I’m set for the day.

Visit The Non Blonde for a full review of the Giorgio Armani Blender Brush.

Laventine Facial Cleansing Oil $24.95 for 8oz
Dr Hauschka Quince Day Cream $35.95 for 1oz
Jane Iredale PurePressed Base $52 for refillable compact. (My first lasted 2 years! Worth the money)
evanhealy Rose Geranium Hydrosol $23.50 for 4oz.
Giorgio Armani Blender Brush $48

Cleansing one’s face with oil takes a leap of faith if you have never tried it. It can seem a little odd at best, and scary at worst if you happen to have oily or acne prone skin. But fear not, it will not break you out and does a superb job at removing makeup and impurities. Now that I have gotten used to massaging cleansing oil into my skin as a regular part of my skincare routine, I can’t image doing without it.

The challenging part for me, has been finding a cleansing oil that is 100% natural. I really like Daybreak Lavender Farm’s By U 4 U Cleansing Oil, and have even reviewed it here, but have since discovered that their “wetting agent” used to make the oil water-soluble is Polysorbate-20, a chemical derived from petroleum. My bottle was empty about a month ago, so I went looking for something without petrochemicals. Laventine’s was recommended on the MUA Green Board and I have been thoroughly impressed with my experience of the two products I received, the Facial Cleansing Oil for Dry/Normal Skin and the Olive Forte for Sensitive Skin. Laventine also makes a formula for Oily/Combo Skin which according to their website is more astringent and lighter than the Dry/Normal Cleansing Oil.

My skin is normal in the summer and dry in the winter and prone to (ahem…cyclical) breakouts. Ultimately, I preferred the Dry/Normal formula for no other reason than its relaxing, but not overpowering, scent of lavender and geranium essential oils. You massage the oil on your dry skin and then rinse with lukewarm water. The result is clean skin with no tightness. The Olive Forte is made with only olive derived ingredients and Vitamin E, so it has a faint, fruity olive oil scent. Like the Dry/Normal formula, the scent is not strong, nor does it linger. Unlike the Dry/Normal formula, it is lighter weight and will be my preferred cleansing oil in the summer months.

I alternate using the Laventine Facial Oil with my Dr. Haushcka regimen. (I love that so much I will never give it up no matter how diligently I look for alternatives!) Sometimes I use the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream after the Laventive Oil when I feel like my skin needs the exfoliation the “cream” provides. The two lines are very complementary and also work well with my beloved Kahina Facial Lotion andArgan Oil for moisturizing at night. Feel free to mix and match your skincare, there are no rules. And if you’ve never tried a cleansing facial oil, Laventine gets my highest recommendation.

Laventine Water Soluble Facial Oils $24.95 for 8oz at Laventine.com

Posted by ~Trish

Disclosure: Samples from the company were provided for this review. The opinons in this review are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review or any other.