Detox Duo: Earthwise Beauty Green Leaves and Co. Facial Oil + Tigress Face Balm

By now, most people know my love for Earthwise Beauty, an organic skincare line that not only offers potent, effective skincare but also luxurious formulations.

Recently, I had reviewed its long-time popular product, the Green Leaves and Co. Facial Oil. My review can be found here. However, did you know that the fabulous results of the Green Leaves and Co. oil can be maximised by combining it with the most recent Earthwise Beauty creation, the Tigress Balm?

I call this the Detox Duo. And how does it benefit my skin? Read on to find out...

One of the biggest skin issues I have is clogged pores. While I don't suffer from blackheads, I'm a long-time victim of sebaceous filaments and the occasional whiteheads. Ever since my teenage years, my skin has been oily and that's when the clogged pore situation took roots. I didn't think much of it because I had other priorities back then. And while I discovered proper skincare only in my late 20s/early 30s, you can imagine how neglected or poorly treated my skin was until then. I'm giving you this background only because it will help you understand how these two products helped me.

So, back to this duo. At first, I had tried only the Green Leaves and Co. oil. I had a sample size which gave me ample opportunity/product to test out. But when I mix the oil with the balm in the palm of my hand and apply it all over the face, this is what it does for me:

1) The mixture brings those pesky filaments to a head within a few hours. Overnight application works best for me as the skin is undisturbed during nighttime. In the morning, I spend a few minutes to extract the obviously visible ones. The result I typically see is that congestion is down by at least 50%. In numbers, this may not seem like much but when you see the result on the face, it's truly remarkable. I spend the rest of the day touching my smooth bump-less skin, which otherwise feels like a mini version of an extra-fine cheese grater, especially around the nose and chin area. 🤣

Please note that you can't get rid of sebaceous filaments completely because a) some are deep-rooted and applying too much pressure to extract the deeper ones can damage the skin while some simply won't surface, and b) sebaceous filaments are formed continuously--it's like a cycle in the skin. The only thing you can do is 1) use skincare products that truly work at reducing acne while nourishing your skin with acne-repairing ingredients and 2) keep extracting the filaments regularly either via facials done by experts or doing it yourself at home. I have a nifty tool, which I sanitise and use expertly. Yes, I'm pretty good at it. I did say I was a long-time sufferer of the filaments. 😆

2) The mix of Green Leaves oil and Tigress Balm heals spots/pimples too and works more effectively when applied as a concentrated spot treatment. So, while I typically apply the mixture all over the face, I also dab more of it on any existing or about-to-emerge spots. In the past, I have seen a pus-filled spot disappear completely by day 3 of nightly application. TMI, I know!

3) The mixture also nourishes the skin with anti-aging ingredients. While the Green Leaves oil has rosemary verbenone, violet and lavender, the Tigress Balm has frankincense essential oil. Combining anti-acne with anti-aging is like killing two birds with one stone and is especially appreciated by adult skin because the age-old acne solution aimed at teenagers, which dries the skin out, does not work for us. We want anti-acne benefits coupled with supple skin.

4) The Tigress Balm, in particular, also has skin tissue regenerating ingredients such as uccuba butter and spikenard essential oil. I appreciate this because you do not just want the acne to reduce and go away; you want the affected area to regenerate too. However, do keep in mind that the regeneration does not happen overnight. You need to use the product consistently and for a long time.

5) This point is actually subjective but I think it completes my ritual of using these two products. I just love the scent that Green Leaves oil and Tigress Balm create when mixed together. It's like aromatherapy but on an elevated level--with Ava's products, you typically don't find the usual suspects like rose and jasmine. Instead, you find the freshest green leaf scent enveloped by a sophisticated lavender merging with a spicy, buttery, hay-like aroma laced with a tinge of tobacco. You have to smell it yourself to know what I'm talking about. And while this combined scent may not be everyone's thing, it is definitely mine. On a side note, I think I should do a separate blog post just describing the scents of my favourite skincare products.

So, there you go, folks. This is how we layer and roll! I'd love to know if you use either of these two products or even both and how you like to use them. Comment below! Thanks for reading. 😊