A non-toxic multi-use formula? Please and thank you.

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By contributor, Laura Lajiness.

I'll be honest: I don't go out of my way to keep my beauty routine ~au naturale~. After being pregnant and now a mother of an almost one-year-old, however, I'm more interested in simple, non-toxic formulas that won't harm my little lady when I'm smothering her in kisses or she's palming at me from every which direction.

Multi-use products are another new focus of mine since, more often than not, I have less time to spend on my self-care rituals. Low-key: I've also become lazier with my skincare routine (I'm ashamed to admit this!). I initially attributed this to my pregnancy lack of energy. But alas, the lethargy has remained. So, I'm majorly here for a less-is-more situation.

Enter: 8 Faces Boundless Solid Oil — a nourishing, salve-ish, balm-ish formula made with USDA-certified organic ingredients. Amla Berry, an antioxidant-rich botanical, is the star component, along with tangerine oil, evening primrose flower oil, kokum butter, camellia seed oil, babassu oil, and sea buckthorn oil. You can imagine how delightful the natural aroma is — subtle yet divine.

This unique, organic product packs a do-it-all punch — thus far, I've mainly used it to nourish my seemingly always-dry skin (face and hands!) and tame rowdy postpartum hairs. But uses run the gamut, from after-sun care to aiding post-laser treatment and even fading marks. Keep reading to see why this formulation does the most (in a good way).

The Reviews

Okay, so I'm a sucker for reviews. And after coming across 8 Faces Boundless Solid Oil, I quickly clicked the five yellow stars that revealed its praises and claims. Things like, "Wow!!", "How Great Thou Art," "Life saver!", "Very potent!, and "Can't live without it," initially grabbed me. The more I read, the more I discovered what a multi-use wonder it seemed to be.

Several reviewers state how a little goes a long way — ideal. Others share how quickly it absorbs into the skin sans a greasy feel, which is always a concern of mine. A too-slick or tacky residue is a hard pass in my book. One 8 Faces stan notes, "I don't use much makeup, but when I put any on after using the oil, my makeup even looks better. You should try it!!” Well, okayyyy! Of late, my makeup game has been rather weak, so bring on the extra help.

I also homed in on raves about the anti-aging benefits, the amazingly fresh scent, how great it works on dry skin, especially at altitude (another check in the "pro" column as I live in Denver), and the pregnancy and postpartum magic it seems to work. Honestly, it's like these shoppers have appeared in a mirage with such on-point-for-me assessments.

Was I influenced in a mere two minutes or less? Possibly. But what better to go off of than like-minded beauty reviewers?!

Why I Tried 8 Faces

My once elaborate beauty routine isn't cutting it these days, on both the baby and laziness front. So, I needed solutions that could do more with less. Plus, my skin is naturally on the dry side, and as somewhat of a Colorado newbie, it's suffering more than usual as I slowly adapt. Moisture. Come. At. Me.

I'll admit, though. A balm isn't my preferred formula. But since all the hydration seems to seep out of my pores instantly these days, I figured it was worth a go since, unlike moisturizers, balms are anhydrous. Wha? I know. ~Beauty jargon~ Basically, they don't contain water, are more concentrated, and provide a more nourishing protective layer to the skin, sealing in the good stuff.

My Step By Step

I've tried 8 Faces Boundless Solid Oil a few different ways for a couple of weeks but settled on this routine as my everyday go-to (yeah, I know I said a tedious regimen doesn't work for me, so I'll admit, this doesn't happen every day):

AM:

• Cleanse (in the AM, I love a cream or milk formula like Khus+Khus’s The Golden Milk Cleanser and Pai Skincare Middlemist Seven Gentle Cream Cleanser)
• Tone (give me all the AHA/BHA to keep my pore un-junked — this Youth to the People Kombucha 11% AHA Exfoliation Toner is a fav)
• Serums (I mix it up, but usually always apply a niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. I also recently tried this Kosas Plump & Juicy Vegan Collagen Spray-On Serum which I just *love* spritzing on)
• Vitamin C (besides the antioxidant benefits, my dull skin majorly needs the extra brightening, like the Sunday Riley C.E.O Rapid Flash Brightening Serum — I’m a total brand stan.)
• Eye cream ( I use a lighter, water-based formula for daytime)
• 8 Faces!! (I’ve been applying a tad more than the suggested small spatula scoop, but I spread it over my neck, chest, and hands, and sometimes, along my hairline and part because postpartum hair regrowth is real cute, y’all)
• SUNSCREEN (I’m way serious about my broad-spectrum protection and oscillate between a few, the Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen being one of them)

If I’m feeling frisky and choose to wear makeup, I follow up with these skin-related products:

• A lightweight and moisturizing skin tint (like Suntegrity’s Impeccable Skin Sunscreen Foundation SPF 30 — more SPF, please!)
• Few dabs of concealer (I swear, this Kosas formula never gets crease-y)
• Stick blush (like Mora’s Satin Sheen Multistick — another do-it-all product you can use on eyes and lips, too!)
• Highlighter (when it comes to this RMS formula, the lit-from-within-glow is real)
• Maybeeeee a bit of contour (I’m not great at it, TBH)
• Setting spray (very crucial for me as makeup loves to melt off my face)

PM:

• Double cleanse (starting with a grime and makeup-melting formula like Pai Skincare’s Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil)
• Tone (gotta tend to those pores)
• Serums (same as AM, but sometimes I toss in more of an anti-aging formula bc I’m still avoiding retinol while breastfeeding — this is another Khus + Khus product I love — read all about it here!)
• Vitamin C (I still use this at night!)
• Eye cream (a heavier formula like Foy’s Lip & Eye Moisturizer)
• 8 Faces!! (again, a slightly heavy-handed amount to spread all over my neck, chest, and hands)
• An overnight lip mask (and yet, somehow, my lips are always chapped — this is another naturally fragrant scent I love; soo citrusy!)

The Results

Admittedly, I expected product pilling with 8 Faces in the mix. But surprisingly, none whatsoever! Consider me shook. I can attest to how quickly the formula seeps into skin, even without waiting a minute or two between steps when I'm in a rush or about to doze over my vanity. Most impressive is how well my sunscreen layered over this product, as it typically is the piling culprit. Samesies for makeup. I constantly deal with pilling when I apply a face. Remember the laziness I mentioned? Well, I haven't gone full-investigation mode to figure out why and deal with it.

In terms of my dryness, I've woken up with a still-dewy epidermis on nights I managed to get through my skincare routine. I fully attribute this to the Boundless Solid Oil. It served as the barrier I desperately needed and now officially swear by.