Products were provided for review. Please read disclosure at the end of this post.

I'm excited to be back to share something a little different today. I've been wanting to incorporate more natural living content onto my site because it is another topic that I'm really passionate about. Be it food, cleaning supplies, skincare, etc., I enjoy discovering new ways to live a more simplified, chemical and toxin-free lifestyle. Since I particularly find it difficult when looking for mainstream skincare products that are free of questionable ingredients, I wanted to start a regular column here where I review not-so-mainstream companies to bring awareness to the many amazing alternatives out there. There really is a natural revolution occurring. I see so many great products becoming available, which makes me all sorts of giddy because that means that the demand for these products is growing and more people are becoming aware of the impact that their products have on their health. More demand = better products!

So, to start off this column, I wanted to feature a company that caught my attention, PLANT Apothecary. I discovered them on Instagram, and there were several things about them that stood out to me:

They're serious about ingredients - completely natural, organic, botanicals, essential oils, and absolutely NO harsh and mysterious chemicals (parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), petroleum, silicones, etc.)

They're minimalists - Simple, clean, and straight to the point packaging that doesn't distract from what really matters: real ingredients

They have a sense of humor - With names like GET IT ON, CALM DOWN, and WAKE UP, it's easy to smile when picking up one of their products

They care - (excerpt below from their website)

PLANT products are made with the help of adults with physical and mental disabilities, at the nonprofit BKLYN UNLTD workshop, in Brooklyn, New York. BKLYN UNLTD’s mission is to give disabled adults access to work training and paid work opportunities. 

My favorite part about PLANT is that they don't just say that their products are all-natural and chemical-free. They actually are. You won't find hidden junk in their ingredients list (which I find in a lot of "natural" products). I think that they're one of the first companies that I've experienced where the ingredients are as natural as they get. You could literally eat the stuff!

Samples shown. Full sizes are available.

PLANT carries a variety of skincare products for the face such as masks, cleansers, and oils - to products for the body, such as body washes, body oils, scrubs, and baths. I was able to try all of their body wash samples, and they don't smell like anything I've ever smelled before (in a good way). Each body wash is formulated with a combination of ingredients with known properties to create a truly unique scent and effective formula. Who knew eucalyptus, lemongrass, and rosemary would smell good together? PLANT did. All of their body washes contain only eight simple ingredients, so you'll never have to guess what you're putting on your body. I really enjoyed all of their body washes and was really intrigued by the different scents because they were all so new to me. When I tried them out, the thing that really struck me as genius is how the essential oils used in the body washes diffused into the air as I showered, so it smelled amazing! They were light for my sensitive skin, yet had enough suds to get a lather. I didn't feel like they were at all drying, either.

If you know me, you'll know how much I LOVE matcha, so when PLANT decided to send me a full-size MATCHA Antioxidant Face Mask, I was all over it. I never thought of using matcha on the face, so this was exciting. I mean, why not, right? It smells good, it tastes good, so you can't go wrong!

To use the mask, all I did was mix a teaspoon with a little bit of water and then rubbed it all over my face. I let it dry for about 5-10 minutes, then rinsed it off. Let me tell you, this face mask smells so AMAZING! I'm pretty sure that there's a heaping amount of matcha in there -  no skimping - because it really does have that matcha aroma! It's very creamy when mixed with water and dries really fast once you apply it. A little goes a long way with this product. It made my face feel very clean, purified, and SOFT and had a tightening effect.

Matcha (powdered green tea) is its main ingredient, but it also contains kaolin (white clay), and chamomile oil. Each of these ingredients are calming and soothing to the skin. The matcha helps fight free radicals and reduces inflammation while the white clay purifies. FYI We're giving away one of these on Instagram. Details at the end of this post #waitforit!

Samples shown. Full sizes are available.

I also really enjoyed using the RICE & CLEAN Gentle Facial Cleanser (pictured in middle) and found it really interesting how its main ingredient, rice bran, has long been used in Japan and is said to be their secret for smooth, soft, skin! It naturally contains gamma oryzanol, which has been shown in studies to both soften skin and protect it from UV light damage. Mind blown. Who knew?

It was so gentle and moisturizing on my skin. I don't normally use anything fancy for my face, so discovering this product made me really happy because it's hard to find a gentle cleanser that doesn't strip my face of my natural oils. Did I mention it has chamomile flowers in it? I'm sold. I love chamomile and I do believe in it's soothing properties. It also has an exfoliating effect, so I feel like my face gets softer with ever use as the dead skin cells are gently removed. 

I also have a sample of the SUPER SOAK Organic Healing Bath, but I didn't feel it was enough to use in an actual bath since I'd be needing a 1/2 a cup or 1/4 for a foot soak. I did read up on it and learned about the healing properties of its main ingredients mustard and eucalyptus oil. They both provide gentle pain relief and the aroma of the eucalyptus oil helps clear a stuffy nose. I just love eucalyptus! I keep it all over my house, even in my bathroom because it purifies the air. This bath is really good if you are in need of relaxation from sore muscles, if you have a cold, or have been on your feet all day.

I also received a sample of their ZIT ZAP Organic Spot Treatment Mask, and I can't wait to try it if I ever have blemishes. My skin has been behaving for me lately, so that's good! The cool thing about this product is that it uses the antibacterial properties of basil oil to heal and activated charcoal and kaolin (white clay) to draw impurities out of the skin. It also has such a pretty lavender color that really caught my attention. PLANT knows their stuff when it comes to ingredients!

I'm highly impressed with PLANT products and would recommend them in a heartbeat. I actually learned so many new things that I'm excited to add to my natural living arsenal. I love discovering nature's healing properties through different ingredients, and I find it so intriguing when I learn how to heal and care for my body naturally. If you're interested in finding out more information about PLANT, they have a really nice website where they go into detail about their ingredients and they also host a blog with useful information as well. Their products are available for purchase at plantbrooklyn.com and they also just recently became available at select Target retailers (YAY PLANT) and Target online, so check them out! They are definitely a company to keep an eye out for, and I'm so excited to see their product line grow.

I hope you enjoyed something a bit different here on Hello Lovely Living! I'll be featuring more skincare lines, so make sure to come back for those. And don't forget to enter our giveaway to get your hands on the yummy MATCHA Antioxidant Face Mask!

What are your favorite natural skincare products and which PLANT product would you love to try? Share with me in the comments below!

Disclosure: Please be aware that I share my honest opinions here (positive or negative) regardless of if the products that I am reviewing were provided by the company for consideration. The purpose of this column is to help you, my readers, learn about alternative skincare through my honest reviews. I personally select each company that I will be featuring here, so I wouldn't review a company that I hadn't already found to be beneficial or meeting a certain criteria that I'm looking for in natural products.