Saving Face EFA Cleanser & Serum | 3-in-1 Cleanse-Exfoliate-Heal [fka Helios]

• Struggle with acne
• Have sensitive skin
• Have facial redness, scarring, and/or hyperpigmentation
• Struggle with dry skin and/or eczema
• Are working to embrace age gracefully
• Avoid fragrances and/or essential oils in their skincare
• Would like an extra boost of concentrated skin nourishment

 

Why not soap?

Soaps and other lathering cleansers can strip our skin of the oil that it naturally produces, leaving our largest organ to try and repair itself. Each time we strip the oil away, our skin over-compensates for the lack of protection by creating even more oil than is necessary. 

This puts us in a cycle of being tight and dry, followed by an oil slick. Cleansing with oil is based on the fact that "like dissolves like", washing away dirt, makeup, and excess sebum while still leaving skin with a balanced, healthy, protective layer.

On top of their drying effects, commercial products are also highly-scented. Fragrance is one of the top skin irritants and even "unscented" products usually contain fragrance. This cleanser is infused with whole plants in order to provide all of their benefits and subtle scent, without the irritation. 

So can you use this if you have oily or acne-prone skin? Absolutely. Your skin needs moisture and needs oil. That's why it's already producing so much. Denying skin of healthy oil doesn't prevent breakouts, it makes them worse. Feeding your skin with healthy oil is one way to break the over-drying cycle and balance your own natural oil production in order to get your skin back on track. Additionally, acne patients have been shown to have low levels of linoleic acid in their skin surface lipids. Topical supplementation with linoleic acid over one month has shown to reduce the size of blemishes by up to 25%. 

Not only are grapeseed oil and sunflower seed oil lightweight, unscented, and easily absorbed, it has a very high concentration of linoleic acid.

Linoleic acid is an essential omega–6 fatty acid, which means the body cannot make it on its own and it must be consumed or absorbed through the skin to get into the body.

Products containing linoleic acid are often recommended for acne-prone skin. Research shows that acne sufferers have a lower concentration of linoleic acid on their skin's surface (which could be contributing to clogged pores) 

There's no evidence that low linoleic acid on the skin's surface is correlated to levels in the whole body, so supplementing orally is probably not enough.

The base of this skin oil is linoleic-rich grapeseed oil and cold-pressed sunflower seed oil, which have been infused with Oregon-grown fir needles & calendula flowers using traditional folk methods. These two gentle yet potent plants have long been held in high regard for their healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

Q: Can I use Saving Face if I have acne-prone skin?

A: Surprisingly, yes! Folks with acne-prone skin are often steered away from skincare products that contain oil, and that is likely because most commercial products contain yucky cheap oils like mineral oil and other comedogenic (pore-clogging) oils.

This facial oil is rich in linoleic acid, an essential omega–6 fatty acid (EFA), which means the body cannot make it on its own. It must be consumed or absorbed through the skin to get those nutrients into the body.

Since research has shown that acne sufferers have a lower concentration of linoleic acid on their skin's surface (

which could be contributing to clogged pores) products containing linoleic acid are often recommended for acne-prone skin. 

 

A: Only very subtly. Fragrance is one of the top skin irritants and even "unscented" products usually contain fragrance. This cleanser is infused with whole plants in order to provide all of their benefits and subtle scent, without the irritation. As such, it retains a light rose scent initially that quickly vanishes once absorbed. 

 

Q: Will my skin feel greasy after?

A: Surprisingly, no! Immediately after use, it may feel like there is still some product remaining. That's good! We recommend using Helios at night before bed, to allow maximum contact time and absorption. 

 

Q: Can I really put oil on my skin?

A: Each body is different, but unless you have had a bad experience with natural full-spectrum herbal-infused oils, there's no reason to rule out the possible benefits.

Soaps and other lathering cleansers can strip our skin of the oil that it naturally produces, leaving our largest organ to try and repair itself. Each time we strip the oil away, our skin over-compensates for the lack of moisture by creating even more oil than is necessary. This puts us in a cycle of being tight and dry, followed by an oil slick. Oils rich in EFA's support and balance skin's own protective barrier, leaving it soft, elastic, and nourished.