Caroline Shares Her Summer Skincare Essentials

From a young age, I've always enjoyed being outdoors, and imagined living in the world of my beloved Beatrix Potter books. My imagination is always piqued when I have time to take in nature and all it's beauty. At our farmhouse in New York, we have many wildflowers growing all over our garden and the smells are wonderful. Having these senses awakened increases my awareness of what I'm eating and putting on my skin. I'm always trying out new skincare products to offer at DIANI and they have to check two boxes: have a performance element (meaning they make your skin look noticeably better over time), and secondly, they have to be plant based, natural and cruelty free. For the summer months ahead, I've rounded up what I've currently got inside my toiletry bag, from a new favorite skincare line that feels amazing during these hot, dry days to my trusty old essentials.

While on our road trip across the country, Jeffrey and I stayed in Joshua Tree for our first night. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip, partly due to the fact I'd never been and it was very quiet because of the pandemic. I also got to meet Alison Carroll, owner of Wonder Valley and we exchanged RV tripping stories and I picked up her olive oils and skincare line for the journey. I'd read about Wonder Valley and was eager to get my hands on her products. In her skincare, the hero ingredient is her extra virgin olive oil. Using olive oil in daily beauty rituals is a time honored tradition, centuries old, as the most natural way to find the fountain of youth. Sounds good to me!

I've been using the face oil everyday for a month now and my skin has never looked better. The oil feels potent, yet lightweight and the blend of emollient oils really hydrate my skin without making me feel greasy. Plus, it helps fight inflammation and redness which I can get in the humidity.

I've also started integrating their oil cleanser into my routine and while I was skeptical at first, I'm loving the results. This gel-like cleanser can either be applied to dry skin for a deep pore cleanse or mixed with water to create an emulsion that washes away daily gunk. I've found the cleanser especially helpful this time of year when the weather is hot and humid and cleansing normally leaves my skin feeling overly dry. 

And, to round it out, I've been using the Hinoki body oil post bath to lock in moisture... and I'm obsessed with the smell. It has a blend of rare Siberian fir and Japanese Hinoki – a native cypress tree. It's divine. 

My toiletry bag is also filled with trusty essentials that I don't go anywhere without. These Ursa Major face wipes are a must year round. The individual pouches are perfect for when you're on the go and need a refresh. I religiously use one after I workout in the morning so that any sweat is wiped away. If I ever forget to do that, I pretty much always get breakouts. This deodorant always makes my list, as it only uses the cleanest of ingredients whilst doing the job, and my favorite scent is this all natural roll-on perfume by Maison Louis Marie. The face mist is a must to have around for a refresh anytime of day and it smells like summer. I've also been scouring for a hand sanitizer that smells amazing, and this one from Little Barn Apothecary is wonderful. And this lotion by Violets Are Blue is my go-to hand cream to keep them nice and soft. It's also a company that's philanthropic which always gets me onboard.

Speaking of philanthropic, many of you know that I've been on a journey to increase the number of companies I work with who have a focus on sustainable products. David's Toothpaste is one of them. 

I stand by the skincare products that I carry at DIANI and only offer you the very best that I've personally tried and use on a regular basis. If you use any of these, I'd love to hear from you and your experience using them. We ladies have to share our secrets when it comes to skincare! 

Happy Sunday everyone.

Lots of love,