Clove & Bay Series - 1

I am a firm believer that nature has the answer to a lot of our questions. Maybe because I have seen results personally, or maybe because I was raised going to apothecaries with my mom where I would see her picking and choosing her blends for them to make the products she desired. And with that in mind I have been wanting to start using some herbal kind of natural products on my facial ritual care. For the longest time I have actually not really used anything because I just can’t find anything that agrees with my extremely sensitive skin and more so respiratory system. I had a long list from which to decide what herbs to pick and which one to blend with, and after a long consideration I felt like cloves and bay leaves were a wonderful choice, and yes! I will still blend the other options eventually 😊

So… let’s start with cloves.

Why use Cloves in skincare?

It’s rich in eugenol, which is an antioxidant. Antioxidants work against the damage from free radicals. What this means for our skin: cloves support a skin environment to decrease inflammation and soothe the irritation that could lead to bacteria and fungi acne problems. It also supports a decrease in the appearance of fine lines by promoting a healthier environment supported by collagen production leading to elasticity and firmness. And cloves even promote fading of dark spots on our skin.  

Why use Bay Leaves in skincare?

I have heard multiple times by different people that bay leaves is a natural botox. Well… We have knowledge that it’s packed with vitamins A and C, essential oils, and also anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. What this means is that it promotes a boost in collagen, even skin, puffiness, skin texture, clear skin and decreases blemishes.

 

Are there any risks?

Just like with everything else in life, the short answer is yes.

 Cloves contain -Eugenol- which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Many of these herbs contain strong essential oils. All these together can be irritating, especially for people with sensitive skin or those prone to allergies. It’s well known that we must be careful with essential oils (these are naturally in plants) due to their potency.

Bay leaves also contain the same strong essential oils and therefore should be used with caution. But furthermore, bay leaves may increase skin sensitivity to sunlight, potentially leading to irritation or photodermatitis, which means using sunscreen is essential to minimize risks. Another risk is for those people with salicylate sensitivity and/or asthma may experience irritation or respiratory reactions from bay leaves.

What are my expectations for the Clove & Bay products?

When I formulated Clove & Bay, I was hoping that I would have a nice pair of toner and serum that would promote a decrease in redness on my skin giving it a more firm and youthful appearance in the long run, moisturizing, hydrating, firming, and rejuvenating my skin. Please remember that there is magical overnight solution. 

WHAT IS PURGING?

There is something else that I feel like I must include in this post, and that’s called the purging effect. What is it? It’s a temporary phase where the skin may experience increased breakouts, redness, or irritation after introducing new active ingredients – especially those that accelerate cell turnover or have potent botanical extracts, which is the case with both cloves and bay leaf. Please understand that this is not the same as a typical allergic reaction; purging is the skin’s way of speeding up the removal of impurities and dead cells that were already forming beneath the surface. I personally don’t like it, it bothers me, and I think it looks ugly and bumpy lol

Now, why can they cause it?

As I have already mentioned, it’s that potent, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, eugenol. It can stimulate the skin too fast, bringing underlying congestion, like clogged pores, to the surface more quickly. And there are rich vitamins and essential oils that promote exfoliation in bay leaf, functioning as an anti-inflammatory as well as an astringent, which in turn can lead to temporary break outs or flakiness as the skin adjusts.

 

Obviously, it’s different for every person. But we all should be proactive and careful with our skincare. Even with gentle formulations, individuals with extreme sensitivity may still react to botanicals. Reason why, it’s always recommended that a patch test on the inner arm be performed. Then wait 24hours to check for any adverse reactions before fully using the product. Allergic reactions may show up as redness, swelling, itching, or rash. In extreme cases, even respiratory reactions may occur. And this is not to scare anyone; this is just the nurse in me educating everybody of what they can experience with anything… really…anything. This is not only the Clove & Bay formulated products. If you see any of these happening, you should discontinue using it immediately and may even have to seek medical attention for more extreme cases.

Now that I have presented both, you may be asking – How do I know which one I have? Well… remember that this blog post is just for “entertainment”, “educational read”, “explanation of the products I am making”, and not for medical advice. Having said that, one common way to distinguish is that purging many times will occur in areas where we naturally already break out (not set in stone, just usually) and it’s temporary (may last from a few days to a few weeks) as the skin improves as impurities clear. And an allergic reaction, while it can happen where the product was applied, it can also happen anywhere, since an allergy happens more on a systemic level (promise I’m not gonna get all nurse-y on ya – I love teaching though lol). Often accompanied by redness, swelling, itching, or burning.

SO FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Both products are formulated with sensitivity in mind, in fact, I am the first tester to everything I make. Then I spread the love… and only then I offer to the outside world (crescendo music here for better effects lol). The toner and serum were designed to be used together due to the addition of hyaluronic acid, but this conversation is for another post. However, I don’t see why they couldn’t be used separately, if you understand their functionality in a way that you can complement with other skincare favorites. I personally mix and match my skincare rituals. Sometimes I will use one ritual in the morning and a different one later in the day. But I always just make sure I have clean skin regardless of which time of day it is. Then I apply the toner, which has been especially formulated not to be watery because I don’t like wasting, and then I apply the serum right after. The serum has been designed to go over the toner before the toner has had a chance to dry up on the skin, which happens fast (I don’t like wetness or a weird feeling on my face). The same way, my recommendation would be to apply whatever moisturizer you choose right after the serum before it completely dries.

So, if you are curious about the products, you can find the collection here. Right now, you will see the Clove & Bay Body Cream only (Omg! I'm so in love. It has this citrusy orange-y scent to it.) I take formulating my products very seriously. I have loved using them, now I have been gathering all the data from other people, and before you know it, the toner and serum will be here too.

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Stay tuned for the following Clove & Bay posts as I will continue diving in. Til next time.