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Best of The Best: True Botanicals

Best of the Best is a series showcasing my favorite, tried-and-true, go-back-again-and-again green beauty brands. Being a beauty blogger, I’m in a constant state of flux with skincare, as I’m always trying new products. However, these brands are always in my rotation and are worthy of my highest recommendation.

Best Of The Best: True Botanicals

True Botanicals products are some of the best in clean beauty – I have used their skincare products for years and they continue to impress me as time passes. Incredible for so many skin types, including sensitive skin, the reduction I’ve seen in the signs of aging personally has been incredible.

What Is True Botanicals

Let me give you a little rundown on True Botanicals as a company. Hillary Peterson and Christina Mace-Turner first crossed paths on the trails of Marin, California. Their shared love of nature and mutual frustration with an extremely outdated beauty industry soon sparked a partnership – with Hillary’s expertise in skincare and Christina’s deep understanding of tech, the two have dedicated themselves to disrupting the category, delivering superior results without harm to skin, health, or environment.

Hillary and Christina set out to create the world’s first line of luxury anti-aging products that were also certified MADE SAFE™. The result is a collection of super-concentrated, bio-active formulations that deliver clinically proven results without compromising your health. The products in the line contain a higher quantity of high-quality ingredients than even the most venerable luxury brands in department stores. They did that by eliminating the costs of the traditional distribution model (bye!) and embracing the next generation of commerce. This approach has another key benefit: they’re able to work directly with their clientele and offer a far higher level of personal service to ensure you achieve the results you desire. (And this is the truth – I have had many questions, and they are always addressed by the team. Superior customer service!)

Let’s talk about the products.

First off, THE BOTTLES. I am not ashamed to admit that the way a product line looks can make it or break it for me. As you can see in the above photo, the True Botanicals bottles are absolutely gorgeous. Brown glass, simple, sophisticated…they look beautiful on the shelf.

However, although a less desirable-looking brand can turn me off, a good-looking brand won’t keep me interested if the products don’t work!

My Favorite True Botanicals Products

True Botanicals review
Chebula Active Immunity Serum

New to the line in 2021, the Chebula Active Immunity Serum is incredible.

A hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, pregnancy-safe face oil that is clinically proven to fight fine lines and wrinkles. This oil is incredible for hydrating and anti-aging while supporting your skin barrier. Chebula, an ayurvedic fruit and one of the most bioactive and powerful antioxidants in nature, helps to target five signs of aging: minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, visibly even skin tone, smooth roughness, give the look of firmer and brighter skin. My skin always looks hydrated, glowy, and more youthful-looking when I use this.

My full video review on the Chebula Serum can be found here.

True Botanicals Resurrection Eye Cream

I am so picky about eye serums and creams because my eye area is so damn sensitive…I can barely use anything without waking up the next morning with an irritated eye area. Well, the True Botanicals Resurrection Eye Cream is a godsend!

This innovative, brightening eye cream features a bioactive moisture retention complex from the Resurrection Plant to help intensely moisturize and dramatically reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Let’s just stop right there for a second. I’m obsessed with the effects of Resurrection Plant as it’s one of the key ingredients in my favorite retinol formulation. Ladies, if you love the African Botanics Cell Resurrection Serum, you will love what this eye cream does for your eyes.

It’s also infused with a unique Tree Bark Extract that directly addresses the root cause of dark circles, while antioxidant-rich Turmeric, Coffee, and Licorice Extracts help to depuff and brighten the 360° eye area to deliver youthful-looking, radiant eyes.

Moisture Lock Overnight Mask

The Moisture Lock Overnight Mask is one of my favorite products across all clean beauty brands. It creates such a supple, hydrating skin feeling and is my go-to for dry skin, rashes, and/or any general sensitivity.

I’m not sure why this product is called a “mask,” as it feels like a cream and immediately soaks into my skin, but whatever its name, I adore it. With plant-derived hyaluronic acid, squalane, and AC collagen pre-peptide, this product is so incredibly hydrating without being greasy. Free of the pore-clogging waxes found in traditional night creams, this potent problem solver dramatically boosts skin’s hydration. It’s rich yet lightweight and layers like a dream, sinking in quickly to seal in moisture and leave skin glowing.

I use the Moisture Lock Overnight Mask on my chest and neck nightly year-round. It is the only product that keeps my chest hydrated and soft without any reaction. (My chest is hella reactive and breaks out in rashes if you so much as look at it the wrong way. With this product, my chest stays happy and reaction-free.)

Witness its amazingness yourself! Just look at what a difference using the Moisture Lock Mask did for my overly-dry and rashy hands in one night. (Yes, the pandemic has me washing my hands waaayyyyy too much.)

True Botanicals review

Pretty incredible, right? Those results were from one use overnight. I will never be without this cream.

Resurfacing Moisture Mask

The Resurfacing Moisture Mask makes your skin glow like no other and it is such a quick treatment! As you know, when dead skin cells build up, our complexions can look super dull. Well, this lactic acid-based mask gently sloughs those skin cells away in just a few minutes, enabling the potent nutrients in the rest of your routine to sink in more deeply.

Since it moisturizes as it exfoliates, skin feels smooth but never stripped. I love the gel-like consistency and how it glides on the face. 5 minutes, y’all. Yep, it’s that easy. When I consistently remember to apply this to my face first thing in the morning, I get compliments all the time on my skin.

Pacific Glacial Clay Mask

True Botanicals review

The Pacific Glacial Detoxifying Clay Mask is one of True Botanicals’ newest additions. This mask clears away all impurities using a rare glacial clay that’s equal parts purifying and moisturizing, minimizing visible pores and congestion while maximizing softness and glow. The addition of emollient plant-based squalane and detoxifying activated bamboo charcoal boosts its skin-revitalizing powers.

This is one of the only clay masks I can use on my face as most are far too drying for me. I swear it’s magic how it manages to clear and moisturize at the same time. So good.

Vitamin C Booster

The Vitamin C Booster is legit fantastic. I’ve had this ongoing thing with Vitamin C serums over the past year and I love that the Vitamin C Booster is a powder; meaning, Vitamin C in its freshest form. Stored in a dark glass shaker, it retains its maximum potency until the moment it’s mixed with a serum. This is everything, you guys. It doesn’t activate until you mix it with your favorite serum. NO WASTED, INACTIVE PRODUCT. (By the way, their Renew Repair Serum is great. Although, I still use many other serums in my rotation. #beautybloggerlife)

But that’s the great thing about the Booster! Most likely, you can mix it with your favorite serum. It’s a game-changer, I promise you. (And it’s potent. Oh so potent. #45yearoldsneedpotency)

Calm Nutrient Mist

The Calm Nutrient Mist is totally an unsung hero of the line. I don’t hear a lot of hype for this mist/toner (the toner from the Clear line gets a lot of love), but I’m telling you, if you are rosacea-prone or have sensitive, reactive skin, you will love this mist. It instantly calms my skin – no ifs, ands, or buts. Made with blue chamomile, algae extract, and Avena oat extract, it is fantastic. I spray this after cleansing, when setting my makeup, or anytime my skin needs a little love. So fantastic.

The Bottom Line

All in all, this is an extremely impressive line that I think many of you would enjoy.

As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have…just leave ’em in the comments!

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14 comments
  1. Irina

    August 14, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    Is the vitamin C booster grainy when mixed with other products? I tried one a few years ago the experience was more like an exfoliation that a serum…but since skincare has come so far! Please let me know. Hopefully not :)

    • whoorl

      August 15, 2017 at 11:23 am

      No. It’s a very fine powder, and you can’t even tell it’s in there when you mix with a serum. :)

  2. Shirin Levi

    August 15, 2017 at 5:39 pm

    Hi I appreciate and trust your reviews. How does this compare with Mun? I’d like to try to slowly switch to cleaner greener skincare and there is just so much out there. Also I’m on a tight budget these days so I have to be selective. Thanks!!

    • whoorl

      August 16, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Hi Shirin! I totally understand where you are coming from, and I’ll try to help out, although I know everyone’s skin is different. MUN is a staple for me – I always find myself going back to it, and almost everyone I know who’s tried it loves it. It will always be in my arsenal. However, as a 42-year-old woman, I feel that True Botanicals is more active…meaning a little more powerful in the anti-aging realm. (I hate the word “anti-aging,” but you get what I mean.) Also, if you have issues with acne or breakouts, True Botanicals Clear line is amazing.

      And it all depends on what you like. For example, MUN only has an oil cleanser, which is fantastic, but if you are looking for more of a milky cleanser, True Botanicals is your best bet.

      True Botanicals has a more robust selection of products as well – I would recommend sending their customer support team an email about your specific concerns and see what they recommend! Either way, I think you would be happy. Hope this helps!

  3. Kate

    September 7, 2017 at 6:47 am

    Hey, Whoorl! I love your blog and have been reading up on your green beauty recs for a while because I’d like to make the switch to all-green products. I started out with Tata Harper products (the resurfacing mask and rejuvenating serum), and my skin reacted badly to them. Total bummer! I did some research online to see if anyone else had experienced that, and I found more results than I thought I would. I guess it’s not uncommon to have allergic reactions to some of the essential oils used in these natural products. I’m wondering what your experience has been with this—have you found that certain ingredients irritate your skin, or have you had bad reactions to any particular product? I’ve noticed that you often say the Josh Rosebrook products have quality ingredients. What differentiates those products from others? It would be so helpful to get real insight into this!

    • whoorl

      September 7, 2017 at 7:10 am

      Hi, Kate! Well, when trying out new skincare, anything has the potential to cause irritation, organic or not. Tata Harper uses a fair amount of ingredients that give the products that signature floral scent, which can be a bit much for some. (Sounds like you might be in that category!) I personally gravitate towards products with a less intense scent profile, as the heavier the overall scent, the more likely my skin is to react.
      As for Josh Rosebrook, he uses raw, natural ingredients that are truly organic, however, that fact doesn’t mean you couldn’t have a reaction. Everyone is diffferent! I would recommend really taking time to read the labels and find out what works and doesn’t work for your skin.
      All that being said, this is why I really love True Botanicals – the scent profile is really mild, and doesn’t overwhelm my skin!

  4. Mina

    July 21, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    I also love the vit C booster! And tips on how to not shake out too much at a time lol?

  5. Elizabeth Mason Workman

    July 23, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    I LOVE True B! Thank you for the review. Curious— when do you decide to use True B vs medical grade products (like Skinceuiticals)?

    • whoorl

      July 24, 2020 at 8:17 am

      I switched to all clean beauty in 2015 and never looked back!