The Journal
Letters from the studio. Quiet rituals, seasonal botanicals, and notes on skin.
Natural Retinol Alternatives: Which Plant Oils Actually Work?
Retinol is the gold standard of evidence-based anti-aging skincare. But it's also irritating for many people, contraindicated during preg...
Read More
The 5 Best Facial Oils for Dry Skin in 2026
Dry skin benefits enormously from the right facial oil — a single well-chosen product can replace multiple moisturizers and leave skin no...
Read More
Wild-Harvesting vs. Farming: How We Source Our African Botanicals
Not all botanical ingredients are farmed. Many of Africa's most prized skincare oils come from wild plants that have never been domestica...
Read More
Women's Cooperatives in Africa: How Your Skincare Purchase Makes a Difference
Behind many of Africa's most celebrated botanical oils is a workforce that is overwhelmingly female - women who harvest, crack, sort, and...
Read More
The Kalahari Desert: Biodiversity, Conservation, and Sustainable Skincare
The Kalahari is often called a desert, but it's more accurately a fossil desert - a semi-arid savanna spanning approximately 900,000 squa...
Read More
What Ethical Sourcing Really Means in the Beauty Industry
"Ethically sourced" appears on a growing number of beauty product labels. But what does it actually mean - and how can consumers tell the...
Read More
How to Transition from Synthetic to Natural Skincare: A Step-by-Step Guide
Switching from conventional, synthetic skincare to a natural routine is a meaningful step - but it's also one that can go sideways if don...
Read More
The Best Facial Oil Routine for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin
The idea of applying oil to oily, acne-prone skin seems counterintuitive. In reality, skipping oil entirely can make oily skin worse - sk...
Read More
Morning vs. Evening Skincare: What Changes and Why
Many people use the same products morning and evening without much thought. But skin has a circadian rhythm - its biology and priorities ...
Read More
