True Botanicals is a clean beauty brand with a goal to create products that are safe for people and the planet while still providing noticeable results. The inspiration to create a line of non-toxic beauty products came after founder Hillary Peterson was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She learned that what goes on your skin goes into your body, and after realizing that most beauty products are full of toxins she decided to do something about it. Thus, she created True Botanicals to show women that they don’t need to risk unnecessary exposure to toxins in order to get results.
But do True Botanicals skin care products really deliver results? In order to answer this question, we’ll have to review the True Botanicals products with a scientific lens. That means we’ll discuss the research that supports (or doesn’t support) the ingredients that you’ll find in these products. We’ll also share some True Botanicals reviews so you can get a better idea of what customers really think about these products.
What are the Best Skin Care Products of 2021?
What Are The Top 10 Best Selling True Botanicals Products?
True Botanicals offers a number of skin care products designed to meet you at every step of your skin care routine.
For example, you can choose from their Basics collection, which focuses on the staple products you need in your routine to achieve a radiant complexion.
There’s also the True Botanicals Renew collection, which is designed to deliver anti-aging benefits to the skin.
The True Botanicals Clear collection provides a revolutionary approach to acne treatment.
Lastly, the True Botanicals Calm collection was created to soothe even the most irritated skin.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are the top 10 best selling True Botanicals products.
True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil
- The brand’s best selling moisturizer
- Claimed to address dryness/dehydration, rough texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation
- Best for combination and dry skin
- Key ingredients include chia seed oil, kiwi seed oil, passion fruit oil, papaya seed oil, algae extract, and astaxanthin
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Resurfacing Body Mask
- Lactic acid body mask that is formulated to gently exfoliate to rid skin of dryness, dullness, and bumps all over
- Additional key ingredients include green tea leaf extract and fragrant essential oils (orange peel oil, sandalwood oil, cedarwood oil, etc)
- Recommended to use only once or twice weekly
True Botanicals Renew Mist
- Hydrating face mist refreshes skin and also sets makeup
- Key ingredients include green tea, white tea, kombucha, milk thistle, and algae extract
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Resurfacing Moisture Mask
- Lactic acid-based resurfacing facial mask that is said to moisturize as it exfoliates, revealing smoother, glowing skin in just 5 minutes
- In addition to lactic acid, this mask contains emollients like mango seed butter and avocado oil, and antioxidants like green tea extract and astaxanthin
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster
- Powder that can be added to any water-based serum or moisturizer
- Claimed to dramatically brighten skin and rapidly reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation
- Only three ingredients in this booster: tapioca starch, L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and ferulic acid
True Botanicals Chebula Active Immunity Serum
- Hydrating anti-aging serum with chebula as the key ingredient
- Terminalia chebula has a history of use in Ayurveda for strengthening and nourishing the body. It only recently was obtained for topical use via an innovative and safe water-based extraction process.
- Chebula is claimed to correct aging in five ways: minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, evening skin tone, smoothing roughness, firming, and brightening
- Additional key ingredients include elderberry, ginger, and echinacea
True Botanicals Clear Nourishing Cleanser
- Facial cleanser for congested skin
- Claimed to slough away dead skin cells and leave skin clean and hydrated
- Contains surfactants derived from natural ingredients (like coconut)
- Additional key ingredients include aloe vera, green tea, and glycerin
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Renew Nourishing Cleanser
- Nourishing cleanser for skin that is showing signs of aging or is prone to dryness
- Claimed to clean, condition, promote softness, and leave skin feeling refreshed, never stripped
- Contains surfactants derived from natural ingredients (like coconut)
- Additional key ingredients include aloe vera, green tea, and glycerin
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Repair Nightly Treatment
- Anti-aging night serum that is claimed to boost collagen production, repair signs of aging, and promote plumper, smoother, and more glowy skin
- Key ingredients include wakame extract, green tea extract, neroli distillate, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, kelp extract, and ceramides
- Contains fragrant essential oils
True Botanicals Moisture Lock Overnight Mask
- Rich yet lightweight night mask for all skin types
- Claimed to boost hydration and reduce signs of aging
- Key ingredients include green tea extract, mango seed butter, glycerin, aloe vera, squalane, and sodium hyaluronate
- Contains fragrant essential oils
What Are The Key Ingredients in True Botanicals Products?
True Botanicals formulation philosophy is simple: you don’t need toxins to get results. That’s why each True Botanicals product is MADE SAFE® certified, meaning the product is made without 5,000+ known toxic ingredients.
Inside True Botanicals skin care products are a host of powerful vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, and antioxidants that help the True Botanicals products work their best. Here’s a look at just a few of the True Botanicals ingredients.
Green tea leaf extract is used in nearly all True Botanicals skin care products. The benefits provided by green tea leaf extract come from its rich supply of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of polyphenol that is widely regarded as one of the most powerful antioxidants available. EGCG targets free radicals, particularly those caused by UV-induced oxidative damage. According to a publication in the journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, “Catechin molecules such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are capable of attenuating the biomolecular damage induced by UV radiation, possibly through molecular mechanisms involving the cell membranes.” Lastly, EGCG in green tea is also anti-inflammatory, which means it can help to reduce skin redness and irritation.
In recent years, the popularity of algae extract has been picking up. Brands like True Botanicals are harnessing the chlorophyll contained inside algae that is known for its high content of nutrients that boost the health of the skin. In True Botanicals products, algae extract is used to help nourish the skin while protecting it from environmental pollutants and free radicals that contribute to premature aging of the skin.
Beta glucans from oats and mushrooms are used inside True Botanicals formulations to moisturize the deepest layers of the skin. Beta glucans also help to soothe the skin and calm redness.
Another key ingredient found in many True Botanicals products is hemp seed oil, which is a great ingredient for calming and soothing the skin. In a 2014 review of plants used to treat skin diseases, the authors note that the topical application of hemp seed oil strengthens the skin and makes it better able to resist infection. The review also states that hemp seed oil may be a helpful treatment for eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and a range of other skin conditions. Hemp seed oil is also said to be beneficial for those with oily or acne prone skin. This is because hemp seed oil helps to balance oil production and is non-comedogenic (it won’t clog pores).
The last ingredient that True Botanicals loves to infuse into their formulations is prickly pear oil. Prickly pear oil has a light texture but still provides a greater moisturizing effect due to its high content of linoleic acid. Additionally, prickly pear oil may help with aging skin due to vitamin E content that is over 400 times higher than olive oil! Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals damage and also helps the skin retain moisture by strengthening the skin’s barrier function.
While True Botanicals skin care products do not contain synthetic fragrances, it should be noted that the formulations do contain fragrance components derived from natural sources, such as essential oils. For example, the True Botanicals Resurfacing Body Mask contains the “True Botanicals Grove Scent” which contains seven fragrant essential oils. While these ingredients give the product a pleasant scent, it’s important to note that these fragrance ingredients aren’t helping your skin in any way. So why is fragrance a problem in skin care? Let’s look at the science.
All fragrance ingredients (whether natural or synthetic) impart scent through a volatile reaction, and this natural reaction almost always causes a sensitizing reaction on skin. In fact, according to a 2016 publication in the scholarly journal Dermatitis, nearly 80 essential oils have caused contact allergy. Even if you don’t have a full blown reaction to the ingredient, the damage may still be occurring every day. Ultimately, this can cause mild problems for your skin in the short term and worse problems in the long term. This is something to keep in mind before purchasing True Botanicals products, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Where to Buy True Botanicals Products?
If you’re wondering where to buy True Botanicals skin care products, we’d recommend starting with the brand’s website. Purchasing items from the brand’s website will help you to avoid counterfeit products, especially since True Botanicals products are at a higher price point, which is a great incentive for unscrupulous individuals to create counterfeit versions of the product. With that being said, you can also buy True Botanicals products from third party sellers such as Amazon and Goop.
What is The True Botanicals Return Policy?
The True Botanicals return policy states, “We offer a 30-day guarantee on all of our products. We issue full refunds for product(s) returned within 30 days. While we’re happy to refund or replace your product, we are unfortunately unable to refund shipping charges.”
Is True Botanicals Cruelty Free?
True Botanicals is cruelty free. The brand does not test on animals and they do not use any ingredients which have been tested on animals. True Botanicals products are not sold where animal testing is required by law. In fact, True Botanicals has a Leaping Bunny Made Safe Certification. Achieving Leaping Bunny certification shows consumers that businesses have the procedures and policies in place to enable and verify their cruelty free claims, producing products not tested on animals.
True Botanicals Reviews
True Botanicals reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive, with most products receiving 4 or 5 star ratings. The brand’s best selling product — True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil — has received an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars after more than 900 customer reviews.
Positive reviews for the True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil mention that this oil really helps to keep the skin moisturized, smooth, and glowing. For example, one review says, “I’ve hated my skin most of my life (I’m 52), but this is a game changer. I barely have to use foundation now, two months after starting to use this. Smaller pores, smoother, less red skin. Can’t say enough about this.”
While there aren’t many negative reviews for True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil, those that we did read were from customers who experienced negative reactions like dryness or acne breakouts after using this product. For example, one review says, “My skin broke out terribly. After I stopped using it cleared up. I wanted to like the product and it smelled/felt great but did not work for me. I haven’t had an acne problem in many years.”
Our Verdict
Overall, we can’t recommend using True Botanicals products due the inclusion of fragrant essential oils in nearly all of their products.
Pros
- Products formulated without toxins
- Products contain natural ingredients that have research to support their benefits
- Brand produces, packages, and ships products in a way to reduce impact on the environment
Cons
- High cost (e.g. True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil is $110 for 1 fl oz)
- Nearly all products contain fragrant essential oils
What Are Some Alternatives to True Botanicals?
True Botanicals is an all natural skin care brand that stands by its name, offering consumers clean beauty products with only naturally-sourced ingredients. But keep in mind that these products are laden with natural fragrances, so you may want to use caution if you have sensitive skin or any sort of skin condition, like eczema or psoriasis. If you’re on the hunt for fragrance-free, anti-aging skin care products, we’d recommend Formulyst.
One Formulyst product that we particularly love is the Nourishing Oil, an anti-aging face oil made with 100% pure ingredients. This facial oil contains numerous non-fragrant botanical oils that can help to nourish, moisturize, and protect the skin. For example, Formulyst Nourishing Oil includes plenty of omega-rich oils – including amaranth, olive, macadamia and avocado – which provide the skin with omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9. Additional moisturizing oils include safflower seed oil, argan oil, jojoba seed oil, and coconut oil, just to name a few.
There’s no need to compromise when it comes to finding skincare that is effective and safe. Carrot & Stick takes a tough love approach to skincare, perfectly balancing the power of plants with cutting edge science. Not only is Carrot & Stick good for your skin, it is also good for the environment as the formulas skip harmful chemicals as well as the preservatives, emulsifiers and thickeners commonly found in skincare products.
References:
1. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2019 Jan 1;173:312-319.
2. Pharmacogn Rev. 2014 Jan-Jun; 8(15): 52–60.
3. de Groot AC, Schmidt E. Essential Oils, Part IV: Contact Allergy. Dermatitis. 2016;27(4):170-175. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000197
