You might remember that back when I first started my blog Bodhi’s founder Elijah Choo was generous enough to send me out a few products from their range despite the fact I had no experience whatsoever on beauty blogging. To this day Elijah still supports my blog but we also have the odd life-affirming chat that usually gives me a spiritual boost too. I was sent out some items from his Superfood Series range, of which I’ve already reviewed the wonderful Avo Bao Cleansing Balm but I also received the amazing Tomato Seed Cleansing Oil and Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic. Today I’ll be reviewing the Lemon Hydrosol Tonic but before I do let’s take a little look at what Bodhi and Birch are all about and how Elijah came to create such a beautiful company.
DISCLAIMER: Please note that I was sent products from Bodhi and Birch for my own personal use and in order to write a review if I wished. This was purely in exchange for products and not for monetary payment. All opinions are my own and 100% honest. If you buy anything from the Bodhi and Birch website I will not be at any personal gain. If you’d like to know more, feel free to contact me.
About Bodhi and Birch
After working for 15 years in the advertising and marketing industry Bodhi and Birch founder, Elijah Choo decided to make a change. Having been raised in a Chinese household he had been taught the importance of balancing your chi (energy). Choo’s interest in this inner chi began to branch out into other areas in his life and so he began to take an interest in traditional remedies, but more specifically how they could benefit the skin. It was through Elijah’s wellness journey that Bodhi and Birch was born.
Bodhi and Birch sell a superb selection of luxury natural and organic skincare products which are infused with aromatherapeutic and botanical ingredients. Bodhi is actually Sanskrit for ‘enlightenment’ and when applied to Bodhi and Birch’s range the overall meaning is ‘to awaken’. All of Bodhi’s products are 100% natural, cruelty-free, and vegan. This is with the exception of the Rosa Rosa Skincare range which contains lactoperoxidase and so is sadly not vegan as this ingredient is derived from milk whey enzymes.
Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic (100ml), £50.00
The Bodhi and Birch Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic is designed to be used after cleansing to boost hydration and infuse the skin with a much-needed burst of minerals and phytonutrients. It’s there to cleanse, clarify, tone, fortify and calm the skin in one which I think it’s safe to say is A-Mazing! It can also be mixed through Bodhi’s Renshen Root Exfoliant & Mask. Sadly I haven’t got my hands on this mask yet so I can’t give the verdict on that but I did mix it through a little kaolin and it was a really nice upgrade to my usual masking routine.
This beautiful facial mist smells like fresh lemon, neroli, and bergamot and contains 100% natural ingredients of which 60% are certified organic. Just check out this beautiful ingredients list below:
Ingredients: Citrus Limon (Lemon) Hydrosol, °Citrus Aurantium (Neroli) Hydrosol, °Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Hydrosol, °Glycerin, Aqua (Water), °Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Extract, °Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pisium Sativum (Pea) Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, and *Crystal Quartz Sphere
°Certified Organic *Natural Mineral
The Active Botanicals
Organic Pomegranate Extract
Pomegranate is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and ellagic acid, which all help to regulate skin’s cell turnover. It is clinically proven to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties which means it will stave off free radicals and protecting your skin cells from the ageing process and keep it hydrated.
Organic Cucumber Extract
Cucumber extract cools and softens the skin but it is also rich in minerals including; magnesium, potassium and sulphur. These minerals help to soothe and hydrate your skin while reducing any puffiness. But trusty cucumber doesn’t stop there – it’s packed with vitamin C, lutein and caffeic acid to keep skin clear and bright.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is legit one of my favourite things now that I’m in my mid-30s. It has the ability to hold in moisture – a whopping litre of water per gram of hyaluronic acid – say what?! Rather unsurprisingly it helps increase skin’s smoothness, elasticity, tone and structure, thus improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Pea Peptides
I love pea-based plant protein powders but I never thought I’d hear about peas seeping into my skincare too. Pea peptides help to increase the skin’s elasticity and are an incredibly anti-ageing, skin protecting and repairing ingredient. They stimulate collagen, glycosaminoglycan, and elastin production. This all improves skin’s elasticity and firmness and can help against damage from environmental aggressors.
Clear Crystal Quartz
It’s no secret that I’m a bit crystal obsessed so I literally cannot get enough of this. Clear crystal quartz is renowned as the master ‘healing crystal’ and is thought to purify the soul and amplify energy and thought. It’s a cleansing stone that could help to strengthen your aura. Every bottle of Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic contains a tumbled clear quartz crystal sphere to charge and vibrate the senses.
What Is a Hydrosol?
I feel like this is probably the question on everyone’s lips. I know it was mine. I’m not the biggest natural beauty guru, I like to make an effort to use only natural ingredients in my beauty routine but it’s all a big learning process for me and I also have a brain like a sieve. Simply put a hydrosol is a byproduct of essential oil production.
Through the process of steam distillation, water vapour passes through all parts of the plants (flowers, leaves etc) breaking down the cells. The vapour extracts essential oils and other volatile ingredients and is then condensed into water, through a cooling process. Any essential oils present float to the top and the water condenses to the bottom. This watery bottom layer is your hydrosol and will only contain around 0.2% essential oils which are where they get their fragrance from.
Hydrosols are sterile and so can technically be used both internally and externally. They’re packed full of nutrient-rich plant material which possesses therapeutic qualities and is great for those that are sensitive to essential oils. They are close to our skin’s natural PH and so help to maintain our acid mantle, a protective acidic film that covers the surface of our skin. This helps to keep our skin hydrated and protect it from bacteria and infections such as acne.
The Verdict
The Bodhi and Birch Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic was an uplifting breath of lemon-scented fresh air that left my skin soft, supple, and dewy. The scent is gorgeous, the ingredients I can pronounce and don’t have to research anything about which is always a relief. It’s a versatile product that you can use all year round and is great for all skin types. I have an oily t-zone and did find a reduction in oil production in this area which was amazing. As for the hyaluronic acid effects – I didn’t find it as plumping as the BYBI Mega Mist but it definitely locked in the moisture well. As I’m 36 this year I need all the help I can get in this department because if I’m only the tiniest bit dehydrated any fine lines and deeper set wrinkles show up instantly.
It’s great that the bottle is made from glass as it’s easy to recycle, although I now keep the bottle and fill it with rose water and witch hazel as a bit of a DIY toner so it’s pretty useful too keep. The black glass also helps to protect the ingredients inside and prevent the botanicals from degrading over time. I found that using the tonic in different ways was great and even find it great to dampen my beauty blender with in order to keep moisture in whilst blending my foundation out.
If you live in an urban, highly polluted area or tend to lean toward acne-prone skin then I’d definitely recommend this over the BYBI Mega Mist due to it’s antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. It keeps your skin fresh, clean and protected all day whilst uplifting your mood too. Personally, I found that sadly the product is out of my price range but it did last me a few months and if you’ve got the money to spend on high-end beauty products then you need to add this to your bathroom shelf because it is a beauty. I’d love to see a smaller 50ml bottle released so that I can purchase again with a lower upfront cost and because it would be more travel-friendly too. Overall though I was blown away by this product and if money weren’t an issue I’d definitely purchase this again.
If you’d like to buy the Bodhi and Birch Lemon Water Hydrosol Tonic you can grab it directly from their website for £50.00. Have you tried Bodhi and Birch’s products yet? Drop me a comment using the comments box below. For more clean beauty posts click here, oh and don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter!
No Comments