Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

True Botanicals aka The Natural Skincare Line That Transformed My Skin

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
True Botanicals aka The Natural Skincare Line That Transformed My Skin

*This post contains affiliate links*

Edit: Since posting this, I have found other skincare products that I like as much or more. This post was written before I began esthetician school. I still use some True Botanicals products, along wirh other lines I have discovered since.

Okay, I don't know how to talk about True Botanicals without sounding over the top, but this is the absolute best skincare line I have ever tried. I'm not even talking about compared to other natural products, I'm talking about compared to ANYTHING. And as someone who had acne as a teen and frequent breakouts as an adult, I have tried a lot of products. 

Until I discovered True Botanicals I had been using Dr. Hauschka and Aesop products. And while they worked ok, they were not doing enough to justify the cost. My skin was still a bit dry, I was still getting breakouts, and I had decided that the redness caused by pregnancy hormones was just going to be a permanent fixture on my face. I've tried just about every product line at Whole Foods without any luck.

I decided to try the True Botanicals Renew Pure Radiance Oil and Renew Cellular Repair Serum on a whim. It was more than I've ever spent on a skincare product, but I thought I'd try it after reading that it had outperformed the much more expensive La Mer cream. After using it ONCE, I was sold.  The smell is AMAZING and my dry skin was softer after one night with True Botanicals than it had been in years. By morning I reached out to the company with a gushing fangirl email to see if I could get a coupon code to share on The Naked Fig and to order the rest of the line.

For the last month, I've been using the Renew Cleanser, Renew Nutrient Mist, Renew Pure Radiance Oil, Renew Cellular Repair Serum, Vitamin C Booster, and the Resurfacing Moisture Mask. The results have been INCREDIBLE.  I was really just trying to soften and moisturize my skin, but I was thrilled to see my hormonal breakouts and redness disappear (and I mean COMPLETELY disappear). After about two weeks, my skin looked the best it has looked since hitting puberty, so I started sharing it with my family.  I gave my sister one "facial" and she ended up buying the products the next day. She tried the Calm Line to address her Rosacea and is already seeing decreased redness and improved skin texture. Sam has oily skin, so I wasn't sure if the Renew products would work as well for him. But I swear this stuff must be magic because his skin looks better than ever after using it. I tried the Renew line because of my dryness, but they also have a Clear line for acne prone skin. 

I know, I know. It is really expensive. But it REALLY WORKS and is worth every penny. They also just introduced a new Basics line that is at a lower price point. And I have a coupon code for you! Use the code CHELSEATRUE20 for $20 off any purchase of $40 or more. You won't regret it! Before you shop, here are my thoughts on each of the products:

Renew Hydrating Cleanser - Gently cleanses without drying the skin.

Renew Nutrient Mist - Refreshing toner restores moisture and the smell is SO GOOD.

Renew Pure Radiance Oil - If you are going to get only one product, make it this one. This balancing oil moisturizes any skin type and minimizes fine lines. Leaves skin dewy but not oily. Truly a wonder product. I can't say enough good things. I thought face oils just didn't work for me until I tried this one.

Renew Cellular Repair Serum - This nighttime serum supports the oil to moisturize and plump skin. While the oil alone outperformed La Mer in double-blind studies, it worked even better when used with the serum.

Vitamin C Booster - Add a sprinkle of the vitamin C booster to the serum to support collagen production. Vitamin C is not stable once mixed with liquids, so most products with Vitamin C already added are not very effective. Adding the Vitamin C to the serum right before it goes on the face makes it as potent as possible.

Resurfacing Moisture Mask - After the oil, this is my favorite product. Unlike textured exfoliants which can cause micro-tears in the skin, this uses lactic acid to remove dead skin. It only takes a few minutes and leaves the skin INCREDIBLY soft and GLOWING. I use it every other day and actually look forward to the exfoliating days because it works so well.

If you have any questions about True Botanicals or any of the products, please ask me. I seriously can not say enough about how much I love this line!!! Click here to find out which products are best for your skin type. And to improve your skin from the inside out, check out this recipe for a delicious Skin Food Smoothie!

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Last week marked the autumnal equinox, the end of summer and the beginning of fall, a day when sunlight and darkness are equal in balance.  As this day approached I was feeling completely out of balance.  In an effort to "reset" myself, I decided to try a juice cleanse.  I had tried one five years ago, but I wasn't as invested in my health at that point in time, so I decided to give it another shot.

While I know that many people benefit from juice cleanses, I can now safely say that juice fasting is not for me.  As someone who typically has a good relationship with food, I suddenly felt obsessed.  I was so hungry that I was craving junk foods that have never interested me.  I don't normally have any "rules" about what I eat.  I simply eat what appeals to me while trying to make the most nourishing choices I can.  But as soon as foods were off limits, they were all that I could think about.  Half way through the third and final day I decided to break the cleanse.  I was so hungry that I knew if I kept it up I'd end up eating something unhealthy.  By stopping early I was able to make a more sensible yet delicious choice: quinoa and avocado veggie bowl with tahini lemon dressing.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Summer Basil Rolls

Last week my friend Alice asked me what I eat when I don't feel like cooking, haven't planned a recipe, or when the refrigerator is looking sparse.  Great question! On my journey toward a more natural slow food diet I used to eat really well until I hit speed bumps.  If I was really tired, didn't feel well, or simply wasn't inspired, I turned to takeout and processed foods.  I'd know that somewhere in the pantry I'd find a bag of zero-nutrition crackers with a scary-long shelf-life.  After eating I'd have even less energy than I had before.

Once I got to a point where I was buying almost no processed foods, eating like that simply stopped being an option.  Now when I don't feel up to cooking, the choices for foods I can grab and eat are fruits, veggies, or nuts.  And I often find that after a handful of cashews or an apple my energy comes back enough to prepare something substantial.

But I'm not always in the mood for twig-and-berries kinds of snacks, so I try to plan ahead for times when cooking isn't going to happen.  When I make a meal with a grain (quinoa, farro, rice, etc.), I make a double batch of the grains to keep on hand in the fridge.  And if I make soup, I always make more than I need so that I can refrigerate or freeze some.  My freezer is always stocked with fruit for smoothies and I love to make flourless seed and nut breads and keep them in the freezer as well.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Summer Basil Rolls
Chelsea Harrison1 Comment

Baked Vegetable Pockets + Orange Peanut Dipping Sauce

Most days I wake up craving fresh fruits and vegetables, raw foods, and earthy flavors. They energize me and leave me feeling pure and on top of the world. But other days…I really miss junk food. That is to say I miss the warm salty flavors and reassuring feelings I get from eating familiar foods. What I don't miss is the inevitable can't-move, bloated, sick feeling that comes along with junk food, not to mention the unseen havoc it causes my digestive and immune systems. 

It was on one of these junkfood-minded days that I came up with this recipe. My perspective is that eating should be fun and intuitive and not about deprivation so when I feel like I need comfort foods, I embrace it. I wanted to make something comforting to satisfy my craving without the heavy feeling and negative repercussions. With this criteria in mind I came up with Vegetable Pockets stuffed with eggplant, mushrooms, cashews and more. It's not quite Indian, not quite Chinese, although it hints at both dumplings and samosas. Usually stuffed foods are wrapped in white flour based pastries or noodles which offer little to no nutritional benefits. White flour also spikes your blood sugar (hello, disease fuel) and is one of the most common triggers for people with food sensitivities. Instead I used rice paper because they are light and gluten free. Rice paper wraps hold everything together without adding much to taste, allowing the vegetable flavors to shine through.

Chelsea Harrison1 Comment
Baked Vegetable Pockets + Orange Peanut Dipping Sauce
Chelsea Harrison16 Comments

Raw Orange Vanilla Cream Cake

Raw cake always seems to be too good to be true.  Healthy cake!? This one tastes like a creamsicle, but the ingredients are barely more than nuts, honey, and fruit.  No matter how many times I make a raw cake, I am always surprised that it can taste this good and be this good for me.  And remembering to soak the cashews is the only prep-time.  Making the cake only requires about 10 minutes total.  So if you are looking for an easy dessert that is healthy enough you could eat it for breakfast, look no further.

Chelsea Harrison16 Comments
Raw Orange Vanilla Cream Cake