Get Luminous Skin Using 3 Natural Desert Botanicals
A new skincare brand is tapping into the healing plants of the Sonoran Desert. Restorva, which launched last year with its Luminous Botanical Moisturizer, uses creosote bush (also known as chaparral), prickly pear extract and aloe to create a product that is hydrating, soothing and offers anti-aging benefits, says founder and CEO Lauren Sheffield, who grew up in the Southwest.
“There are all these desert plants that have wonderful properties,” she says. “It is that nice combination of nature meets science.” A serum and eye cream are forthcoming as the Arizona-based brand builds out its line.
Restorva also pays it forward where its ingredients grow—10% of proceeds from the moisturizer benefit the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. We caught up with Sheffield from her home in Austin, Tex., where she shared more about the desert botanicals she uses and their impact on skin.
1. Creosote Bush
“That was the plant that really inspired everything,” Sheffield says. Her father was researching the desert bush and had seen its use to treat pain, inflammation and illness. Sheffield saw an opportunity to use it in skincare because it’s hydrating, combats irritation and has anti-aging properties, she says. It is also what scents Restorva’s moisturizer, which Sheffield adds is reminiscent of the desert after the rain: “The scent is something that is amazing. There’s no added fragrance, it’s all the botanicals.”
2. Aloe
Growing up in the southwest, Sheffield recalls the ubiquity of aloe – running up to a plant, plucking a leaf and slathering the gel within onto sunburns. “It is that ultimate desert skin remedy,” she says. In addition to soothing skin, it is also rich in vitamins A and C, which help with acne and dry or sensitive skin, Sheffield says.
3. Prickly Pear
The seeds of the cactus can protect against free radicals, Sheffield says, which can lead to fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin. And the prickly pear layers on the hydration, too: “That has a ton of vitamins, minerals and acids that help soothe and moisturize.”
