What do bears and beautiful skin have in common? 

Bearberry!

Also called mountain cranberry or mountain grape, bearberry is actually the fruit of the uva ursi plant. A favorite food of bears, bearberry is a natural skin lightener with botanical active, arbutin, an impressive glycoside extracted from bearberry leaves.

A distant cousin to hydroquinone, arbutin works by making the enzyme responsible for melanin production (tyrosinase) inactive.

UV exposure, stress, and hormonal changes can contribute to uneven melanin production leaving skin patchy and uneven.

Arbutin helps to correct the appearance of hyperpigmentation like age spots, freckles, melasma, and acne scars. The result is a more uniform illuminated complexion. 

In fact, bearberry extract is the reason for the 'BRIGHTEN' claim on the front of  our Aspen Dew Illuminating Essence box.

Skin Benefits of Bearberry Extract

Anti-aging actives

Rich in powerful flavonoids, bearberry extract contains sun protection filters that can help slow the signs of photo aging and reduce the effects of sun exposure.

Skin brightening

Did you know, that the number one reason new year's resolutions fail is setting goals we can’t realistically commit to, and as a result, we don’t persist in these actions long enough for them to become habits?

According to psychology researchers, it takes on average 2 months before a new action becomes a habit (source).

What can you do to increase your chances of sticking with your goal and making it into a healthy habit?

Let’s use the example of incorporating a daily facial massage into your skincare routine to help smooth fine lines and help boost collagen production. Ideally, you're aiming for 15 minutes a day.

Instead of focusing on the desired time commitment (15 minutes per day), which can become difficult to maintain after a week or two, focus on committing to an easily achievable time goal for each day. 

Could you commit to 5 seconds of facial massage each day?

“But 5 seconds isn’t enough time to get the results I want,” You say.

The point is to make an easily achievable commitment that will allow you to keep up the action until it becomes a habit. If we focus on forming the habit first, the likelihood that you’ll be giving yourself a facial massage for longer than 5 seconds once it’s a habit is high.

The trick to achieving any goal is getting into a habit.

3 keys to make healthy skin a habit

• Keep your skincare products within easy reach and in plain sight, for example, on your nightstand.
• Set your favorite products to auto-replenish every few weeks so you don’t ever have to remember to reorder.

• For long lasting results, focus on developing a simple skin care routine that you can stick with over time. 

• Add it to an existing routine you already have. For example, if you style your hair every morning, apply your skincare right before you pick up your hairbrush.

Elevate your self-care routine by embracing these practices and taking care of your skin in new and rejuvenating ways.

1. Indulge in a luxurious at-home facial

Mix one tbsp of Snow Rose Recovery Mask with one tbsp water and one pump of Alpine Phytonutrient Serum for a restorative facial mask.

2. Soothe your mind with aromatherapy

Essential oils like rose and lavender, found in our Alpine Phytonutrient Serum, can help soothe skin, improve your mood, and enhance your overall well-being. 

3. Treat yourself to a face massage

Make time for a relaxing face massage with a luxurious face oil like our Purist Delicate Skin Serum to help you unwind and relax those tight jaw muscles. 

4. Try dry brushing

Dry brushing can help improve circulation, remove dead skin cells, and give your skin a healthy glow, making it a great self-care ritual. 

5. Practice mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you reduce stress and improve your skin health from the inside out.

6. Make time for reflection

Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a therapeutic practice, and it can have a positive impact on your skin. 

7. Guard your sleep

Make sure you're getting 7-8 hours of restful sleep each night to give your skin the time it needs to regenerate and repair. Turn off any blue light emitting devices at least an hour before bed to avoid sleep disruption.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), fragrance is the #1 allergen in skincare. It is a leading cause of contact dermatitis ranking up there with poison ivy.

Let's dive into this wily little ingredient that continues to pop up in skincare products.

What does fragrance mean?

Fragrance is defined by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as “any natural or synthetic substance or substances used solely to impart an odor to a cosmetic product.” (link)

The FDA exempts the term fragrance (sometimes listed as perfum, perfume) from having to be more specific. This is because of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act passed in 1966. An act intended to protect the trade secrets and proprietary perfumes of companies like Coty & Chanel No.5.

Why are fragrances a problem?

Unfortunately for consumers, this regulation allows companies to hide ingredients that might contain synthetics, preservatives, or allergens under the catch-all term of fragrance.

"Synthetic fragrances are especially prone to wreak havoc on the skin."

This can be a big problem for people with sensitive or reactive skin. Synthetic fragrances in particular are especially prone to wreak havoc on the skin.

This can lead to a range of problems from dermatitis to disruption of skin barrier function, and exacerbate conditions such as eczema and rosacea. Yikes!

So what can you do?

Look for products that clearly disclose their ingredients and if there is a scent, plainly state what that is by listing the name of the ingredient as it appears in the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients  (INCI). 

This makes weeding out synthetic fragrances much easier. If you have sensitive skin avoid anything that contains ingredients like perfume, parfum, and fragrance.

You will also want to avoid certain essential oils like lemon which can cause photo sensitivity and irritation in certain people.

Our formulations do not include any synthetic fragrances.

At TellurideGlow we pride ourselves on creating formulas that are free of any synthetics and safe for your skin, it's in our GLOWPromise™. We take it a step further and ban (from our formulas) over 2,000 chemicals that are often found in skincare and cosmetic products.

For those with sensitive skin, our Purist Delicate Skin Serum is specifically formulated to be free from any fragrance allergens. Including naturally occuring scents from essential oils.

And if you love your skincare to have a scent but want to avoid synthetic fragrances, The Alpine Phytonutrient Serum is imbued with skin-fortifying essential oils like alpine lavender, Roman chamomile, and Frankincense.

Love, beauty, purity. The rose is a symbol of them all. This alluring Queen of Flowers has been used in perfumery, skin care, and healing for thousands of years.

Rose oil production is a fascinating process that transforms the delicate petals of the Rosa damascena plant into an exquisitely aromatic, therapeutic oil. Harvesting begins before dawn by hand-picking rose petals and continues with a careful steam-distillation process to extract the essential oil. The oil is further purified, yielding a deeply intoxicating oil.

Just a single drop of Bulgarian rose oil takes more than 60 flowers to produce. Imagine, a massive bouquet of roses distilled into a single drop!

We source our precious rose oil from the "Valley of the Roses" in Bulgaria, a region with a rich history of producing highly prized rose oil dating back all the way to the Ottoman Empire.

You can find Bulgarian rose oil in our Aspen Dew Illuminating Essence and rose petals in our Snow Rose Recovery Mask.

Rose oil contains over 300 active compounds found in rose oil, including fragrant compounds as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and antimicrobial compounds. This makes rose oil one of history's most highly prized beauty oils. It also makes it one of the most powerful therapeutic botanicals on the planet.

Here are just a few ways rose oil nourishes and supports skin health.

Calming

The scent of rose oil is revered for having a calming effect on the mind, easing feelings of stress or sadness, and providing comfort for those suffering from grief or the loss of a loved one.

Moisturizing

Rich in B Vitamins, and especially high in Vitamin B3, rose helps restore skin barrier function and reduce trans epidermal water loss (TEWL). This helps the skin stay hydrated and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Strengthening

Rose oil contains polysaccharides and complex sugars which support skin barrier integrity and function. Polysaccharides work to help to lock in moisture by attracting and retaining moisture in the skin. By forming a protective film on the skin surface, polysaccharides help keep out pollutants, and irritants and protect the skin from environmental aggressors.

Nourishing

Rose oil is rich in lipids and lipid-soluble nutrients, like Vitamin E and Palmitic Acid. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from free radical damage, while Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid that helps to nourish and strengthen the skin barrier. These lipids and lipid-soluble nutrients keep the skin hydrated, plump, and healthy.

Clarifying

With high levels of linoleic acid, a fatty acid that helps to regulate sebum production, rose helps balance and clarify acne-prone skin.

We all know winter is harsh on skin. From icy temperatures to moisture wicking winds, cold weather can leave skin feeling extra dry and irritated.

In addition to protecting your skin barrier with a restorative serum like our Alpine Phytonutrient Serum or Purist Delicate Skin Serum, switching to an oil based cleanser is an easy winter skincare tip with big benefits.

Oil cleansing both hydrates and balances the skin’s pH by replenishing the fatty acids essential to skin health without stripping or drying.

Traditional cleansers are often too harsh, especially in cold weather when skin is more susceptible to dryness, cracking and chapping.

Read on for a simple cleansing oil formula, our gift to you!

Although you can definitely oil cleanse with just one oil type, a balanced mix of oils can really bring wonders to your skin.

Every oil has a unique fatty acid profile, which donates exclusive properties to the oil. While some oils might have similar properties, other oils might lack something you can complement with another oil.

Choosing ingredients

Choose high-quality, cold-pressed oils that have not been bleached, deodorized or obtained by chemical extraction methods.

Select unrefined and organic oils that are meant to be used on the skin, rather than food-grade oils.

The basics

There are three parts to this formula: a cleansing oil, a carrier oil, a luxury oil, and an optional essential oil.

If you prefer to buy a cleanser, look for 100% plant oils, no mineral oil, no fillers, and no castor oil (which can be drying).

Recommendations

We recommend hazelnut oil for the cleansing base as it contains tannins, which are powerful antioxidants. The tannins in hazelnut oil make it astringent which can help balance oily skin, cleanse and shrink pores, and remove bacteria. The only downside to hazelnut oil is a possible nut allergy.

Essential oils are optional but add a spa-like experience to the cleansing ritual. If you have sensitive skin you may want to skip them.

Simple formula for an oil cleanser:

Buy an 8-ounce, dark glass pump container. This makes application a breeze and keeps contaminants out. (All found on Amazon. Feel free to use brands of your choice).

Ingredients:

3 ounces Cleansing oil: Hazelnut (12-ounce bottle)

3 ounces Carrier oil: Sweet almond oil (12-ounce bottle)

2 ounces Luxury oil: Baobab oil (2-ounce bottle)

(Optional) 20 drops or ⅓ teaspoon essential oil. Lavender, geranium, neroli, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sweet orange, and rose are some of our favorites.

Method

Whisk oils together until well blended. Using a funnel, pour into your pump container.

The 12-ounce bottles above will give you four, 8 oz batches.

Application

Massage 1/2 teaspoon liberally into the skin. Wring out a warm wet cloth and lay it over your face, then wipe off with the same cloth until all makeup and dirt are gone.

Essential oils are especially nice here because the aroma is released with the heat. (Don’t worry, the oil easily comes out of the cloth in the wash!)

Follow with Aspen Dew Illuminating Essence and either The Purist Delicate Skin or The Alpine Phytonutrient Serum.

We hope you enjoy this simple oil cleansing formula.

Autumn is harvest season for one of our favorite ingredients, rosehips. After the first light frost, these majestic fruits are hand-picked from the rose canes.

The ruby red fruits are then cold-pressed to yield a rich reddish-colored seed oil that has incredible nourishing properties. 

Sometimes called "the queen of all facial oils," rosehip seed oil has been prized since ancient times for its beauty benefits. Greek poet Sappho called rosehips "queen of flowers" in 600 B.C.

Its unique Omega profile makes it easily absorbed and helps facilitate deeper penetration of other beneficial phytonutrients. These essential Omegas support skin barrier function. A healthy skin barrier means a calm, hydrated complexion. 

This luxurious seed oil contains beta carotene (pro-vitamin A), vitamin C, and E and small amounts of trans-retinoic acid. Acting as powerful antioxidants and free-radical scavengers, these phytonutrients help to  brighten skin and aid in collagen synthesis. 

You can find organic cold-pressed rosehip seed oil, in our Purist Delicate Skin Serum and Alpine Phytonutrient Serum.

Beauty Benefits of Rosehip Seed Oil

Hydration & Plumping

Rosehip oil contains a wealth of essential fatty acids, including linoleic and linolenic acid. Fatty acids help to preserve your acid mantle and prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). 

Clarifying

Rich in vitamin C, rosehip seed oil supports skin renewal and clarifies skin to boost overall radiance.

Exfoliates & Brightens

Natural exfoliation with rosehip oil can help reduce dullness and leave you with glowing, vibrant skin. High in Vitamin A, a retinoid, rosehip oil encourages skin rejuvenation. 

Smoothes skin

Rich in essential fatty acids and powerful antioxidants, rosehip seed oil supports regeneration and reduces the appearance of fine line and wrinkles.

Have you ever wondered why your skin can look great one day, then have issues the next day? That's because inflammation is at the root of many skin disorders.

A significant percentage of diseases start with inflammation. Like any other part of your body, your skin can be involved in immune responses, typically as a response to infections, internal disease or condition, or allergic reactions (even from skincare).

Luckily there are skincare ingredients that fight inflammation, and Telluride Glow uses them in abundance so your skin stays balanced daily.

Skin problems like acne, eczema or psoriasis have inflammation at the core. Even less severe issues like redness, puffiness or dryness are exacerbated by inflammation.

We've got you covered

The majority of our 50 whole plant ingredients are naturally anti-inflammatory to keep your skin beautiful every day, with no surprises. When our products are combined, the benefits are magical.

Our Snow Rose Recovery Mask contains nine skin calming whole plants actives:

• Mullein
• Marshmallow Root
• Willow bark
• Aspen bark
• Shavegrass
• Tremella
• Vanilla
• Rose
• Chamomile

MORE THAN FRAGRANCE

The health benefits of vanilla can be attributed to its properties as an antioxidant, aphrodisiac, anti-carcinogenic, antidepressant, sedative, tranquilizing and relaxing substance.

When we think of vanilla, eating cupcakes may come to mind, but vanilla is also stellar as a skincare ingredient.

Note: the extract we use in skincare is not the same as the traditional vanilla at your market. 

LITTLE KNOWN SKIN BENEFITS

Promotes Healthy Skin:

Vanilla is a good source of  B-vitamins  like niacin, thiamin, Vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid which play an important role in the maintenance of healthy skin. The antioxidant properties of vanilla protect your skin from damage caused by environmental pollutants and toxins.

Anti-aging Benefits:

Vanilla is rich in antioxidants which prevent and reverse skin damage caused by free radicals. It helps to slow down signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles and age spots.

Treatment of Acne:

The antibacterial properties of vanilla make it beneficial for the treatment of acne. Vanillin, through its antibacterial effects, helps cleanse your skin, reducing the occurrence of  breakouts.

Soothes Burns:

Vanilla has been used as a traditional remedy to heal burns, wounds and cuts, so it's a common sense ingredient in recovery skincare.

YOU CAN FIND VANILLA IN THESE TELLURIDE GLOW PRODUCTS

The Purist Delicate Skin Serum

“The Purist has been wonderful to me. It’s very soothing. I like it so much better than what the dermatologist gave me. Thx so much for developing such a great product.” - Cindy M.

Aspen Dew Illuminating Essence

“I have been a user of Telluride Glow since the beginning! I cannot imagine my skin without it. I use Aspen Dew and The Purist daily and my skin is truly at it’s best because of these incredible products!" - Kimberly M.

Snow Rose Recovery Mask

"Snow Rose “Mask Days” make the whole day better! Love these products!” - Kathy R.

Everyone's heard of the freezing single digit temperatures in Texas this week and the horrific loss of power and water. For some reason we escaped the worst of it at our Dallas home and were able to open our doors for 3 days to some of our adult children and their friends. Hotel Heape was in full swing with breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10, plus two infants and one awfully cute french bulldog.

But both babies had dry, bright red cheeks, and it was a little concerning. Our world is filled with sensitizers, not only in skincare but in household products, indoor heat, food, and the air.

So (with permission) I tried the calming Purist Delicate Skin Serum, knowing there was absolutely NOTHING in that could irritate their delicate skin. And it worked. Miraculously so.

Not a drug or cure, this serum provides unsurpassed hydration, vitalization, and balance without causing irritation.