Elemental Herbology has been on my radar for a while, actually it might have been about four years now? Funny story: when I first moved to America, I didn’t bring any of my skincare, only enough travel-sized samples to get by until I can order a few things, or pick something up at local stores. Just so you know, quality skincare in the US is just so much cheaper than it was in Russia! I definitely went on a googly-eyed shopping spree when I saw the prices here 🙂 I think that’s when I came across some niche lesser-known brands that basically saved my skin that year, including REN, Arcona, and Elemental Herbology. This year I am revisiting the range of products that, in a way, helped jumpstart my beauty blogging career.
ABOUT THE BRAND:
Founded in 2008 in England, Elemental Herbology has set on a mission to be more than just another skincare brand. Company founders believe that everything in life needs to work in harmony, including your body and mind, so the main philosophy of Elemental Herbology lineup is based on the Five Element Theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine; a balance between wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each skin type correlates with one of the elements, and may change depending on the seasons. environment, and lifestyle. With this handy system in place, Elemental Herbology makes it easy to choose the right regimen for your skin’s current needs. Utilizing precious plant compounds, ethically sourced herbal extracts, essential fatty acids, botanical oils, vitamins, minerals, pure essential oils and antioxidants, this line of natural skincare and body care nourishes your skin and your senses with masterfully blended fragrant aromatherapeutic products.
Elemental Herbology skincare is 100% free from synthetic fragrance, artificial colors, sulphates, parabens, and mineral oils; just everything your skin needs, and nothing that it doesn’t.
I had plans to include Elemental Herbology Cell Nourish Radiance and Vitality Serum in my next skincare wardrobe blog post, but after using it for several weeks, I decided that it deserves its own review. The serum is from the Earth Collection, which targets dull skin and improves radiance. The way I read it, this is the brightening line to address discolorations and uneven skin tone, so it’s right up my alley.
CLAIMS:
- Helps boost, protect and repair undernourished skin.
- An intensive dose of antioxidants and reparative nutrients helps stimulate collagen and elastin production to restore vitality and radiance and helps reduce the prevalence of dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles.
- Ideal product to help counter the effects of air travel, central heating, pollution, cold winter winds and excessive summer sun.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
- Vitamin A, C and E, Co-Enzyme Q10, and Green Tea  – protect against free radical damage, improve the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, tone, nourish, and repair aging skin.
- Pomegranate – helps moisturize, soothe, and improve skin’s defenses against the damaging effect of UV rays.
- Kombucha – helps improve skin texture, visibly reducing pigmentation and promoting radiance.
- Squalane [olive derived] – helps support the barrier layer of the skin.
- Lecithin – high in B Vitamins and anti-oxidants it moisturizes, softens, and protects dry and dehydrated skin.
- Aloe Vera and Rose Damask Water – help soothe, calm and restore balance to stressed skin.
MY SKIN TYPE:
I have combination/dehydrated skin type, and currently my main issues are post-acne hyperpigmentation and occasional dryness as a result of working from home with dry indoor air. Additionally, my skin is feeling the effect of winter weather in Michigan, because it’s consistently exposed to the elements, like snow, wind, and sometimes even freezing rain. Even though I am in my mid-30s, I don’t have any visible lines and wrinkles yet, at least none that I know of, so I can’t attest to a product’s ability to minimize fine lines.
MY THOUGHTS:
I’ve got my anti-aging bases covered already with Retinol, SPF, and 20% Vitamin C peel, so in most of my serums, ampoules, and essences I look for ingredients than can keep my skin hydrated and supplement my basic anti-aging routine with extra antioxidants, vitamins, and other skin-smoothing goodies. I’ve been testing Elemental Herbology Cell Nourish Radiance and Vitality Serum for a full month now, so I think I got a pretty good idea about its performance and whether it stands true to those bold claims on the bottle.
The serum has a runny, milky consistency and comes in a chubby glass bottle with a dropper applicator, which dispenses about 3-4 drops at a time. The texture is silky and creamy, and feels very luxurious on the skin. The fragrance is quite strong, but not unpleasant. I personally like this bitter, slightly citrusy scent; it reminds me of Dr. Hauschka Melissa Day Cream, that I literally just mentioned in my recent blog post. Note that Elemental Herbology does not use synthetic fragrances, so this serum is scented with a blend of essential oils, and not lab-produced chemicals.
Cell Nourish serum did not disappoint. Just by looking at the ingredient list and seeing all of those wonderfully potent botanical extracts and compounds, I expected a nice boost of radiance to my dull winter skin, but I was in for so much more! Squalane is one of my favorites for skincare layering, it goes so well with hyaluronic acid essences. Kombucha is essentially fermented tea, and I know from experience that fermented cosmetics have visible skin smoothing properties. I pretty much wrote a “novel” about the benefits of Pomegranate extract in skincare and why everyone needs it in their beauty routine. Vitamins A and C are widely known for their brightening properties, too. Basically, this serum is a full package: it has everything for my skin’s current needs, and it layered beautifully with the rest of the products I’m using right now.
After one month I can tell that my skin is looking brighter and healthier. Every morning when I use Cell Nourish, I can almost feel it saying “thank you”. It’s just such a pleasant experience, and I look forward to it every day. I agree with Elemental Herbology, I think it will suit all skin types, from dry to oily, because it doesn’t clog the pores. It’s not a moisturizing powerhouse and it doesn’t claim to be. Think of it as a vitamin for your skin that you take daily to supplement the rest of your routine. That’s the best comparison I could think of, but I believe it’s pretty accurate.
PROS:
- Hygienic glass dropper packaging.
- Beautiful, silky texture.
- Delivers on claims to improve radiance.
- No artificial fragrance or dyes.
CONS:
- Fragrance, albeit natural, might be too strong for scent-sensitive individuals.
- Dropper does not reach the very bottom of the bottle, so you might have to shake the last bits out.
I hope you enjoyed this long-ish Elemental Herbology Cell Nourish Radiance and Vitality Serum review. I haven’t done individual reviews in a while, and it felt nice to dedicate a blog post to a single product once again. I will continue doing this for products that I feel deserve more recognition. In short, Elemental Herbology is definitely a brand you want to put on your radar this year, especially if you are looking to incorporate cleaner, more natural, and highly effective beauty products into your daily routine.
Have you tried Elemental Herbology skincare? Do you like the idea of using natural beauty products? What is your favorite serum right now? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
Very interesting introduction to Elemental Herbology and this particular serum. I was not familiar with fermented ingredients and their effect on skin smoothness. Although a radiance booster isn’t high on my list right now, I am curious about other products in their lineup. I’m going to take a look!
This is definitely not the main product one should be investing their money in, it’s more of a supplement for an already existing anti-aging routine. I think it does a great job!
This sounds wonderful and you seem the same skin issues as I do! It’s a little too pricey for me, at the moment but when I can afford it I will try it for sure.
This is certainly a splurge type product, and I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who doesn’t already have their anti-aging basics down. It’s a great supplementing serum for an already existing routine.
the product packaging is something that would draw me towards it if it were sitting on a shelf. Well reviewed!
Thank you Shilpa! I like their product packaging, too.
This sounds really nice – so many great ingredients! I also love the squat little bottle!
The bottle is totes adorbs, it looks like one of those hyacinth bulbs haha 🙂
I really like the ingredient list in this. Lots of antioxidants!
Indeed! It’s perfect for supplementing an anti-aging routine that already has retinol, other acids, and SPF.
This will definitely go onto my list of “want to try in 2017”!!!!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, Judy!
Every single post you show me a product I’m now desperate to try. I can’t try them all!!
Haha, thank you! I know, we only have one face 🙂 But I’m glad to introduce you guys to products I thought were outstanding just so you have more choice.
The more I read about your skincare needs, the more I’m able to start identifying my own. I thought I was just doomed to be oily and gross, but no, it’s dehydration! I also work from home and I’m subjected to air conditioning 24/7, so it makes perfect sense that I just need better hydration. You might be saving my skin.
I am so happy to hear that my posts have been helping you along your skincare journey, Stacie! It took me a while to realize that my combination skin is actually dehydrated and I shouldn’t shy away from moisturizing products and oils. I am very thankful to the blogger that nudged me in the right direction (it was Kerry from Skin & Tonics).
I think I would really like this one!
It’s a great supplement for any existing routine!
This looks like a lovely serum. Thank you for such an indepth review.
You’re very welcome, Erika! I’m glad I could share my thoughts on this wonderful serum.
You have such a vast knowledge of skincare and you always review products in such depth. While this sounds amazing I know the fragrance would be too strong for me.
I wish I could understand skincare like a cosmetic scientist, then I could know for sure if a product is worth trying. But yes, this is certainly a very strong lingering fragrance, even though it’s all-natural.
Looks like a great product!
I am enjoying it so far 🙂
I haven’t tried this brand, but your review has definitely made me curious out it & it’s on my radar. Thank you for the detailed review.
You’re welcome, Kristi! Always happy to share my latest findings.
I have not tried Elemental Herbology, but this review has certainly piqued my interest!
That’s one brand I would like to explore more in 2017 🙂
This sound fantastic — so many wonderful products in this bottle. I know kombucha is great for you to drink, so makes sense that it would do great things once soaked into the skin. 🙂
I wish I could make myself drink kombucha, haha 🙂 That thing may be crazy healthy, but I struggle to drink it because of what it is.
I love the way it looks but I’m not sure I’d take the plunge — I would like to read more!
It’s always a good idea to shop around and check out other reviews for sure!
My interest has been piqued, but not sure this is for me. Definitely going to look into the brand more.
If I had to make a list of necessary skincare products, this serum would not be in it, because it’s more of a supplement. I would only recommend it to people who already invested in anti-aging basics 🙂
My skin type sounds quite similar to yours, so I’ll have to keep an eye out for this x
It worked really well for me, and I am still enjoying this serum as much as I did when I wrote the review in January 🙂