“Raw” skincare is a thing, so I gave it a try

It’s no secret that I’m a total beauty geek, which is why I pitched a story about chlorophyll to my editor at The Spotlyte. Seeing this ingredient pop up in more and more products got me wondering how the compound that literally fuels the plant kingdom could benefit human skin—and you can check out my story here. As part of my research, I got to try Hear Me Raw’s The Brightener with Chlorophyll+, and it opened my eyes to a whole new type of skincare.

Raw skincare essentially takes “clean” skincare to the next level by harnessing the power of “living” ingredients, but there’s definitely more science behind it than simply making a green juice and slathering it on your face. In the case of Hear Me Raw’s phytobioactive mask (which also doubles as a cleanser), you get a mega-dose of energizing chlorophyll along with 15 other natural, unadulterated ingredients like exfoliating lactic and phytic acids and a powerful antioxidant punch courtesy of matcha green tea, spirulina, lemon peel, Swiss cress sprout extract and bakuchiol.

With plenty of mask experience under my belt, I was surprised by the fluid, jelly-like texture upon opening the sustainable glass jar and its refillable pod. My first takeaway was the undeniable tingle—which is basically proof that it’s working. When I rinsed it off 10 minutes later, I liked the cool sensation it left behind—but I LOVED how smooth and soft my skin felt, as well as how fresh, radiant and healthy it looked!

I tried it as a cleanser a few days later, and beyond being a somewhat slippery, suds-free experience I got a hint of that familiar tingle. Although it didn’t feel like a deep-cleansing experience, I was shocked when there was absolutely zero left-over dirt or makeup on my cotton pad when I used micellar water afterwards. Again, my skin felt fresh and invigorated and ready for the rest of my skincare routine.

If you had told me six months ago that I’d be dedicated to a “clean” skincare routine, I probably would have said that would never happen. If you had told me that I’d be using RAW skincare I probably would have said you’re crazy. No, I still don’t like green juice, but my face apparently does—and if you want to get a little raw, try The Detoxifier with Charcoal+, too!