In the past couple of years, I've gotten really into skin care and I've seen an incredible difference in both the look and feel of my skin, but also in how it behaves. Lately, my obsession has been with cleansing. I never really gave much thought to which cleanser I was using and what it was doing to my skin, because I always just figured it was getting me clean and then the real work started. What I've learned, though, is that cleansing - specifically, using a cleanser that's right for your skin - is a big part of your skin care routine and really impacts how your skin behaves. Recently, I've been trying out the SIBU Sea Berry Therapy Polishing Facial Cleanser* and the Exfoliating Face & Body Scrub*, and I'm excited to tell you guys all about them!

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SIBU Sea Berry Therapy Polishing Facial Cleanser*

After a long day in the hot sun, nothing feels better than splashing a little water on your face and gently cleansing off any leftover dirt and makeup. This gentle cleanser removes excess oil and impurities while leaving your face feeling fresh, clean and radiant.

This is a really interesting cleanser in that it's a gel formula that foams up, but it also has a really fine grit to it that I think really gently but effectively does some daily exfoliating. I like to foam this up in my hands and then apply it to damp skin, massaging it into the skin for about a minute total before rinsing. I was a little afraid that it would be drying - as foaming cleansers tend to be - but, while my skin can feel a tiny bit tight immediately after rinsing and drying the feeling fades quickly without having to add any hydration to my face and then it feels comfortable and clean.

I've been using this both as a morning cleanse and a second cleanse in the evening and, while the scent makes it pretty dreamy in the morning for a little citrusy boost, I actually love it for both. My skin seems to really love it too. I feel like I would recommend this for anyone in the range from oily to normal. Because it is foaming and there is that slight hint of tightness, I can't recommend it to people with very dry skin, but outside of that I think it's very versatile. Honestly, I think this is a really high quality, effective cleanser at a really reasonable price point and very much worth trying.

SIBU Sea Berry Therapy Exfoliating Face & Body Scrub*

What's the secret to vibrant skin in the summer months? Proper exfoliation! This rejuvinating scrub gently removes dead, sry skin from the surface and deep cleans pores to remove excess oil. The perfect way to reveal that summertime glow.

It's really only been in the past year that I've brought physical exfoliating back into my skin care routine at the recommendation of a really good esthetician that I know, but since then it really has become a must for me. I don't exfoliate every day, but instead do a pretty intense exfoliation about once a week and my skin loves it. Because of my particular routine, I really like a scrub that's going to get in there and buff my skin. None of this extra gentle exfoliation stuff, I need some grit. The SIBU Sea Berry Therapy Exfoliating Face & Body Scrub* is pretty much the perfect ratio of creaminess to grit for me.

Like I said, I use this about once a week after my evening cleanse. I don't like to use a scrub in the morning, because I like to give my skin some time and TLC after I scrub. I apply this to damp skin and really work it in circles over my skin to get in there. I find that it does a good job of scrubbing away what needs scrubbing without leaving my skin feeling irritated or parched - definitely an issue for me with some scrubs. After using this, my skin feels soft and silky and ready for the rest of my products.

SIBU's claim to fame is their use of Sea Berry (or Sea Buckthorn) to rescue problematic skin:

With over 190 bioactive compounds, sea berry (sea buckthorn) is an unsurpassed source of Omegas 3, 6, and 9. And it is the world’s richest source of the elusive essential fatty acid, Omega-7, a fatty acid vital to collagen production and healthy skin, hair and nails.

There are also 3 things about this company that I highly, highly appreciate. The first is that they are Fair Trade, which means that they ensure fair wages and a safe and healthy work environment for the people who harvest their berries. They also care about sustainability, protecting the environment and being responsible about their use of natural ingredients. The last thing is that they are cruelty free - which, clearly, speaks for itself. Because I know these are concerns for other people, I should also mention that they are also vegan and non-GMO.

I honestly can't tell you which of these products I prefer over the other, because I'm incredibly impressed with both of them and they've definitely led me towards wanting to try more products from the SIBU brand, because these have worked so incredibly well for my skin. These are two products that absolutely get my recommendation.

SIBU products are available in-store at Loblaws and Whole Foods or online at www.sibu.com, www.well.ca and ca.iHerb.com.  

Thanks for reading!