The natural brand Annmarie Skin Care was created by Annmarie Gianni and her husband Kevin. As is the case with many creators, Annmarie and Kevin Gianni have an interesting background story, which you can read more about here: Annmarie Gianni, from Renegade Hippie to Wild Beauty.
Table of Contents
- Ethical & (Eco-)Friendly
- When Your Skin Needs This (And When It Doesn’t)
- Favorite Annmarie Skin Care Products
- Good to Know
- Why & How It Works
- One More Reason To Love ASC
- Frequently Asked Questions
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the actual skin care line, and the sheer variety of products, as well as discuss the best and least exciting ones in the range.
I’ve tried quite a few different ones of these face and body care products over the years. (Mostly purchased, aside from this trial kit, which was sent to me for review.) Overall, it’s been a real pleasure so – fair warning – there will be some gushing going on here and there!
If you’re not yet familiar with natural, organic skin care, this is a trusted brand and a great place to start. Their fun sample kit offer makes it low-threshold, too. Few companies are as committed to spreading the message of clean beauty as Annmarie Skin Care.
Even if you’re already hip to the magic of natural cosmetics in general, this is skincare you’ll want to know about. They use natural, organic, and wildcrafted ingredients in their products. Made with hand-selected herbs for the skin type in question, these products combine essential oil blends, botanical extracts, and vegetable oils.
The end result is pure bliss. (Even if you never get any full sizes, the sample kit is a treat in itself!)
Ethical & (Eco-)Friendly
As a company and business, Annmarie Skin Care has very high standards. On an eco-friendly level, with the environment in mind. But on a mere friendly level, without prefixes, too, valuing kindness to animals (this is a cruelty-free brand) and to humans (through top-notch customer service).
They try to make a difference by not only creating top-of-the-line natural skincare but also covering the other marks you’d expect from any self-respecting “green-minded” company.
For example, by:
- using sustainable materials for their packaging,
- treating the plants/resources used with respect and dignity, and
- taking a stance against cosmetic animal testing.
When Your Skin Needs This (And When It Doesn’t)
Let’s go straight into discussing the pros versus cons – because that’s what you’d expect from any self-respecting review.
Maybe you’re wondering what the added value is compared to mixing up a few oils yourself. Valid point. It’s a thought I’ve had myself.
While we can get ourselves a couple of carrier oils and essential oils, mix them up, and call it a day, Annmarie Skin Care is more than just a step or two up from that level.
Most of their products are worth it. I’ve found a few exceptions where, personally, I don’t see the need to run after Annmarie’s high-end version of something that is really good enough in its basic form.
For example, it’s hard to convince me a toner is much more than a bottle of mostly overpriced water.
Facial Toner
Yes, yes, I’m aware that toners have a real function, or so the experts say. (Something about restoring the acidity level.) I just don’t feel like my skin proportionally reaps the rewards from an expensive toner versus a budget alternative. If that makes sense.
Lip Balm
There are a lot of Chapstick alternatives made by natural brands. While Annmarie’s Antioxidant lip balm is one of the better choices, there are many other natural brands that are cheaper. This four-pack from Beauty by Earth is the same price.
Of course, it doesn’t contain any cocoa butter or burriti oil, but it may just be good enough. At the rate at which my kids claim them, mess them up, and lose them, in our home it sure is.
Serums & Oils
The serums and facial oils are where Annmarie Skin Care shines. Those are the most intricate and delicious concoctions I’ve ever used. It is where this brand stands out, and where it makes sense to splurge. Making your own natural skincare does not come close to this stuff.
Not to mention that we’d be hard-pressed to invest in fifty different ingredients, blend them on the kitchen counter, and turn the mixture into something that is on par with what the Annmarie Skin Care team produces.
There are many advantages to the DIY approach. It sure beats the use of mainstream products. Those can contain cheap filler ingredients, synthetic fragrances, and other substances that have been linked to contact allergies, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and even cancer.
But it can get shrieking expensive to buy every component separately. The more ingredients needed for a single recipe, the more so.
Then, you’re stuck with a huge stash of whatever it is you made, to be given out to friends and family before it goes bad. (That stuff doesn’t last years.)
Fun, perhaps. But not really more economical than treating yourself to the right professionally-made natural skincare.
Favorite Annmarie Skin Care Products
Here are some of the Annmarie Skin Care products I’d like to introduce. With a quick summary to highlight the most prominent natural plant extracts and links to more in-depth reviews for those skincare products that I’ve tested personally.
Aloe Herb Cleanser
An all-time favorite, this natural face cleanser is gentle yet thorough and smells fabulous. Check out the complete review here.
I’ve also reviewed the following items separately, in case you want to take a deeper dive into one of those:
Annmarie Skin Care Herbal Facial Oil for Normal & Combination Skin
Annmarie Gianni Reviews: “Sun Love”, a Natural Organic Sunscreen
Annmarie Skin Care Herbal Facial Oil for Oily & Acne Prone Skin
Neroli Toning Mist
So I know I called this overpriced water earlier. The thing is: that’s just me. For the sake of giving a complete and thorough overview, it should be mentioned that the Rosemary as well as the Neroli Toning Mist have hordes of raving fans.
Facial Oils
Moisturizers at Annmarie Skin Care come in the form of facial oil. With a range of different ones, tailored to the needs of each skin type, it’s easy to find the right fit. Their names take the guesswork out of it. Choices are the Herbal Facial Oil for Sensitive Skin, one for Oily Skin, and one for Normal & Combination Skin types. For mature skin, check out the Anti-Aging Facial Oil and the Rejuvenating Facial Oil.
Each face moisturizer a.k.a. facial oil is specially formulated for the skin type in question.
While the anti-aging facial oil contains sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, and sesame seed oil, the one for oily skin relies on grape seed oil and hazelnut oil. Taking a peek at the ingredients of the oil for sensitive skin, you’ll notice a few other oils like camellia seed oil, rosehip oil, fractionated coconut oil, pomegranate oil, and sacha inchi oil.
Anti-Aging Serum
Perhaps the main reason behind my enthusiasm for the anti-aging serum is that this is a real serum. Finally. Not an oil they’ve decided to call a serum for the sake of – what exactly, sounding fancy?
Oil is not a serum, period. This is a serum. And it has the most perfect consistency. You can tell that it’s packing a punch from the fact that it isn’t watery. Read all about the amber/golden brown color, the rockstar ingredients, and the delicious smell in the full review.
The anti-aging serum is made with organic aloe vera, high-antioxidant plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, and oils of rosehip seed, chia seed, tamanu, vetiver, and myrrh.
Because this is a true serum, it can easily be used on all skin types. Even if you have acne, oily skin, or blemishes, you might be relieved to know that there is nothing greasy to it.
These are some more of their most popular products:
| Tip: Are your skin’s antics a bit mysterious? Try this two-minute skin care quiz. |
Good to Know
Price-wise, Annmarie Skin Care is medium range. These skincare products are far less expensive than conventional luxury brands. Compared to basic drugstore stuff, they’re pricey. Most products come in larger and smaller sizes, which creates options.
What you get in return is the peace of mind that comes from using skincare that is made with only natural and organic ingredients, without any of the conventionally used dodgy or downright toxic chemicals, synthetic fragrances, dyes, and the rest of the long list of undesirable cosmetics ingredients.
All label-scouring and ingredient nit-picking aside, the Annmarie Skin Care team is simply very good at what they do. This stuff does make a difference. Almost everyone who’s tried it talks about a positive impact on their skin.
On the rare occasion of someone not being happy, they can safely bet on a courteous response from customer service. And that’s one of the most important things, right? To know that someone from the company has your back when you take a chance on them.
Why & How It Works
If you try a lot of different products, as I do, you may wonder why exactly Annmarie Skin Care stands out. We’re just nosy like that, and we like to know how stuff works! 😉
All in all, I think it’s probably due to a combination of a few things. Using the highest quality ingredients (not cutting any corners there) and processing them with respect, and great care. When you have the knowledge to expertly combine high-performance seed oils with synergistic plant stem cells and high-vibration plant extracts, beautiful things can happen.
If the term “high-vibration” makes you think that sounds like a bunch of hippies at work, it’s because they are! No, really – I need to locate the link to this article by a journalist who toured the “factory”. It made mention of certain precious stones being positioned at key locations, and being viewed as an integral part of the process.
Not sure how much of a difference those stones make, but I know my skin loves what’s in the bottles and that’s what matters.
They’re obviously working with a team of like-minded people, to whom the creation of these products is a labor of love. The employees must be treated the same way, then, since that’s the only way to gather a group like that, in and around your company.
Annmarie and Kevin aligned with the right folks to put together an outstanding line of what we could call supernaturally-effective skin care.
One More Reason To Love ASC
Because you can order a sample kit! Just kidding – I think we’ve sufficiently covered those sample kits ad nauseum.
There is something about their natural approach to skincare that is very much in tune with my own vision of and experience with getting older.
I’m at an age now where my skin could use something a bit – ahem – stronger to slow down the passing of time showing on my face.
I know I’m not going to prevent that from happening, and that’s okay. In fact, I am determined to age gracefully and embrace the wrinkles, the grey hairs, and the sagging skin. (Okay, maybe I’ll opt out of that last one – ha, if only that were an option.)
Seriously, though. From observing those around me, this is what I’ve come to believe. The aging process is what it is. We’d all rather stay plump. However, clinging to the idea of your fleeting youth by desperately chasing after too-good-to-be-true claims from profit-motivated skincare marketing campaigns is worse. Way worse than aging gracefully.
That kind of publicity is crafted to swindle us out of a good sum, in exchange for minimal results. Plastic surgery aside, nothing works miracles. Of all the solutions that come in a jar, pampering aging skin with antioxidant-rich botanicals is the best way forward.
That, and being happy, getting enough sleep, and drinking water goes a long way. Why not take a more conscious approach, accept aging is part of the package, and take steps to ensure our skin ages as beautifully as possible?
That is basically what natural, organic skincare has to offer. A good amount of pampering and a healthy dose of honesty. These products won’t turn back time. Neither will conventional skincare, packed with synthetic (petro)chemicals. Nothing will, despite the internet being riddled with those absurd before and after pictures.
What effective natural products can do is make your skin look healthy and radiant. Without promising the moon, because the best natural skincare brands have higher ethical standards than that. By boosting the skin’s natural defenses, for example, or balancing out concerns such as oily, dehydrated, or dry skin.
The trial set comes with free shipping, and a coupon to redeem with your next order, should you conclude this sh#t is totally the b#mb digs and you need more of it in your life. (Pardon my French.)
Even if you decide against it, you’ll still have snagged a sweet deal on a pouch with a few luxurious aromatherapy product samples. Enough to give you a home spa experience on a few occasions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do natural ingredients always equal safe ingredients?
They do not. Not always, and for everyone, at least. This is an excellent question. In the rush of the green beauty movement that has taken over the skincare market, it is easily assumed that “natural” means “safe”. And while going all-natural has saved my skin from recurring eczema, please keep in mind that individual allergies are always possible.
We all know how dangerous a peanut allergy can be – that is the textbook example of something natural not being safe.
However, personal allergies aside, treating the skin with natural substances only is often the better choice. Many issues or imbalances can benefit from all-natural skincare simply because the human body is part of nature.
What is “wildcrafted”?
Annmarie Skin Care works with wildcrafted herbs, in some cases. This means the plants used are hand-picked where they grow naturally. It is the opposite of commercial farming – whether organic or not. Guess that makes them not only a natural, organic brand but also a “wildcrafted skin care company”.
How does natural skincare work against aging?
Botanical extracts and oils contain a panacea of substances. While not synthetic, these substances are chemicals just the same. Most oils are not merely moisturizing but also contain vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. These can help to prevent the aging effect of free radicals on the skin cells.
The appearance of fine lines over time won’t be prevented entirely but the skin-supporting nutrients in the highest quality botanical infusions and skin-nutritive oils keep the skin in optimal condition. It is possible to have glowing, healthy skin even with a few decades under your belt. Just as it is possible to have young, plump skin that is deeply perturbed and unhappy.
How effective is natural skincare?
Whether natural skincare is less or more effective than conventional products is difficult to prove. Natural, organic skincare doesn’t usually take over billboards and run intrusive marketing campaigns. They don’t boast claims that sound too good to be true (because they are).
Annmarie Skin Care is not the only natural skincare brand, even if it is one of the better ones. The fact that more and more brands harness the power of plants goes to show that nature can be very effective. But don’t take my word for it and see what you think.