Welcome to Off the Grid, our column that investigates the beauty products you're seeing slip into the Explore pages of your Instagram with their beautiful packageing and styling. We're spotlighting those (not-so) hidden gems of the beauty world to see if those growing brands on social media are really worth the hype.
Tucked between the bottles and jars of some of the most enviable shelfies and flat lays, you might find the minimalist packageing and muted hues of Herbivore Botanicals. Combine its aesthetically pleasing exterior with how the brand touts itself as being "natural" — Herbivore keeps its formulations free of dyes and synthetic ingredients — and it checks off all of the proverbial boxes, but we were curious to see how it actually impacted our skin.
I practiced skincare monogamy for a month, slathering only products from the line on my body for 30 days. Here's my unfiltered opinion.
Herbivore Botanicals Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish
Herbivore Botanicals Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish [1] (£34) smells so strongly of jasmine that, when combined with the steam from a hot shower, it creates a dreamy, sensorial experience. It exfoliates skin without being too abrasive and melts down into a slippery oil blend (it mixes together jasmine and coconut oils) that leaves your skin feeling moisturised enough to tempt you to skip your body cream.
Herbivore Botanicals Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Creme
Herbivore Botanicals Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Creme [2] (£37) looks and feels like strawberry yogurt and melts as you massage it onto your skin. After cleansing and applying a toner or serum, I swiped a scoop of the rosewater-scented formula into the palm of my hands and rubbed it into my cheeks. It left my skin feeling silky like a flower petal.
Herbivore Botanicals Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment
The periwinkle Herbivore Botanicals Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment [3] (£45) smells like clay with a kick of citrus. On the nights I used it, I cleansed my skin, spritzed on a toner, and smeared this on. It takes a little elbow grease to rub it in — especially if you've scooped too much onto your face — but it ultimately melts to feel like it would if you smeared on another emollient moisturiser. It contains ultimate hydrator hyaluronic acid, which soothed the dry tops of my cheeks. My skin felt smooth with zero residue the entire morning after its use.
Herbivore Botanicals Prism Exfoliating Glow Potion
Herbivore Botanicals Prism Exfoliating Glow Potion [4] (£48) is more intense [5] than its photogenic bottle lets on. On the first few evenings I tested it, I thought it smelled too pungent of citrus — don't worry, that fades away after you apply your favourite moisturiser — but my skin looked immediately rejuvenated and bright once it sank in. With a few more days of use, my complexion began to look more uniform, and the texture didn't feel as dry or bumpy in the areas where it was typically.
It was the blend of the various gentle fruit exfoliators that worked its magic on my skin. It's worth noting that I did experience a bit of irritation one day after being outside for too long, so make sure to slather on sunscreen when using this product.
Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Body Oil
Because Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Body Oil [6] (£20) isn't the runniest oil, it did take time and effort to slather and massage it across my entire body. Upon waking up the morning after I'd first tested it, I didn't want to get out of bed. Its floral scent radiated off of my skin and enveloped me under my sheets, while its emollient texture left me feeling soft with little to no residue on my skin (or my blankets).
My only gripe: I used a solid fifth of the bottle in one use and wish it came in a larger size.
Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner
My roommate, who is also a beauty editor, keeps a bottle of the Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner [7] (£17) in our fridge, tucked between the hot sauce and whatever leftovers we haven't gotten around to, and I followed suit when I got my hands on my own. A chilled spritz of the earthy-scented water instantly refreshes your skin and flashes off quickly to leave no residue. I wouldn't say it made all of my redness go away, but it left irritated areas feeling soothed and my face feeling soft and primed for makeup.