Photo: Pangea Starter Kit 

Clean. Magical. Pure. Divine. These are some of the words guests at the University of Pangea celebration skincare event used to describe Pangea Organics products. In a nutshell, Pangea prides itself on producing products that are sustainable, eco-friendly and good for the body –and I should also mention the products contain the highest quality essential oils and smell incredible.

The September 24th New York City event kicked off with testimonials from Pangea’s beauty ecologists – a mix of yoga instructors, personal trainers, therapists, singers, actors and more. If you’re wondering, a beauty ecologist is someone who not only loves and uses Pangea products, but also sells them through hosting parties. More than that, beauty ecologists are part of a community that shares.

After beauty ecologists dished about their experiences, Richard Merrill, esthetician and holistic health coach, walked us through a five-step facial to show results first-hand – and what I can tell you is that I left the yoga studio with smooth, radiant and refreshed skin.

RICHARD MERRILL’S 5-STEP FACIAL

Step 1: Cleanse

Products: Egyptian Candula & Blood Orange Facial Cleanser or Australian Wild Plum & Willow Facial Cleanser

Pro Tip: All you need is two pumps of product. Use the cream cleanser for makeup removal and the foam for a deep cleanse.

While those of us with oily skin (myself included) would assume that products with oil would be a bad idea for facial cleansing, Merrill actually suggests just that.

“Clean oil with oil. When you use a harsh cleanser, you need an oil to replenish oil you take away.”

Step 2: Exfoliate

Product: Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub

Pro Tip: Tap the product on first, but wait five minutes before you massage. This will loosen “the inter-cellular glue that grips dull skin.”

This exfoliator left my skin feeling amazingly smooth with Merrill’s tip.

“If you don’t exfoliate properly, you could be hydrating dead skin cells,” Merrill says. He suggests rinsing your face in a circular motion with tepid water.

Step 3: Tone

Products: Italian Green Mandarin with Sweet Lime Facial Toner (normal to combination skin), French Rosemary with Sweet Orange Facial Toner (dry to sensitive skin) or Argentinean & Thyme Facial Toner (oily to blemish-prone skin)

Pro Tip:  Spray down twice while holding the product six to 12 inches from your face.

This product left my skin feeling refreshed and clean.

The purpose of the toner is to prep for moisturizer and set your skin back to its normal pH level. Merrill says the toner is a “great hydrator” with aromatherapeutic benefits. The product can also be used to set and refresh your makeup for long-wear.

Step 4: Mask

Product: Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Goji Berry Facial Mask

Pro Tip: Tap the mask on to create an even layer and to prevent it from pushing off of the face. Leave it on for five to 25 minutes. Merrill suggests using the mask on the same day as the scrub for best results. The mask can also be used as a spot treatment for breakouts – score!

We applied a sampling of the mask on our hand to test it. Everyone in the room noticed how much softer their skin was post-rinse.

Step 5: Treat and Hydrate

Products: Nigerian Ginger with Sweet Lavender & Thyme Facial Cream (normal to combination skin), Italian Red Mandarin with Rose Facial Cream (dry to sensitive skin) or Moroccan Argan with Willow & Rosemary Facial Cream (oily to blemish-prone skin)

Pro Tip: Merrill calls it the cocktail mix. You mix your favorite cream with the Himalayan Geranium & Pomegranate Balancing Oil (one pump for dry or sensitive skin, and half a pump for oily skin). Don’t pump the product into the middle of your hand, as this is the fattiest part of the body. This means your skin absorbs the product faster, wasting it. “Instead, use the tips of your fingers to cocktail products.” Press and work upward on the skin without over-stimulating it.

Merrill isn’t kidding when he says this facial cream is weightless and hydrating. Applying this cream not only felt heavenly, but my skin could actually breathe.

“You’re adding volume to your skin that’s not normal. You want your skin to absorb all the product otherwise the extra absorbs dirt.”

Other bonuses?

Balancing Oil helps treat breakouts. This product was the obvious beauty ecologist favorite at the event. The product received rave reviews, and some guests even swore they couldn’t live without it.

Are you as psyched about these natural products as I am? Stay tuned for a follow-up post!