(Beauty)

This Mystical New Skincare Trend *Doesn't* Involve Crystals

by Jessica DeFino
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Originally Published: 
@livkirby / @8facesbeauty
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The beauty world may have raised a collective, skeptical eyebrow when crystal-infused skincare first stepped onto the scene, but now, a few short years later, almost everyone I know — including a logic-loving dermatologist — swears by the daily ritual of jade rolling or rose quartz gua sha massage. Keep that in mind when you hear about the latest astrology-themed beauty products on the rise: full moon skincare. Or, to be more specific, skincare potions inspired by, cleansed by, or charged under the glow of the full moon.

Listen, I get that that sounds a little strange — but there’s actually some science behind this new astro-beauty trend. The moon is one of the more powerful celestial objects; at least, in terms of its effect on the earth. Its gravitational pull creates the ocean tides, and is so strong that it’s slowing down the earth's rotation by 2.3 milliseconds per century. That same pull even affects the water found in soil and plants, which scientists call “leaftide,” and serves as the basis for biodynamic farming. Essentially, the moon has an undeniable impact on all earthly things, especially crops and water. Seeing as the human body is roughly 60 percent water, it’s not such a leap to acknowledge that the moon may influence you... and maybe even your natural beauty products.

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Of course, how it influences you and your beauty products is less about fact, and more about feeling. “When the moon is full, she is at her peak potency,” Andye Murphy, a shaman who works with beauty brand Mazz Hanna to incorporate moon rituals into its products, tells The Zoe Report. “We use the energy of the moon to amplify ceremony. The full moon is optimal for release, to let go of that which is no longer serving us in the long run.” The full moon is also considered the most powerful time of the month for “cleansing” and “charging,” especially as it relates to crystals, as well as "intention-setting."

“I love to bless my crystals under a full moon,” Murphy says. “Moon-charged crystals represent the union between earth (the crystals) and cosmos (the moon) — you recognize yourself as part of the universe and consciously co-create with the natural forces at work.” This is one major way that skincare companies are incorporating the presumed power of the moon into their offerings, including crystals-meets-CBD brand Mazz Hanna. “Because I have experienced the benefits of moon-charged crystals firsthand, it was important for us to incorporate that element into all of our products,” Hanna tells TZR. Every item in her CBD range features crystals that have been cleansed and infused with intention under a full moon; intention meaning a positive or high vibrational thought.

@mazzhanna

“Setting intentions and sending positive vibrations can be incredibly powerful,” Hanna continues. “This has been shown in research by Dr. Masaru Emoto.” She’s referring to the book The Hidden Messages in Water, in which Dr. Emoto shares his research on the molecular structure of water. Under a microscope, water that was exposed to positive affirmations was shown to form beautiful crystals, while water that was exposed to negative intentions displayed erratic, less defined crystal formations. “This same idea carries over into infusing products with crystals that are charged with love and light,” Hanna says. Namely, the light of the moon.

It’s a belief that’s echoed by quite a few wellness and skincare brands, including Girl Undiscovered, Sandoval, and Apothecary Company. “By cleansing your stone of choice under a full moon, it can clear a crystal's energy and recharge the positive energies it holds,” Charlotte Devereux, the product director at Girl Undiscovered, which features full-moon-charged crystals in its Under The Waterfall Cleanser, tells The Zoe Report. “We’re so busy in our everyday lives that having a natural element to help slow us down is very important for your state of mind — even the ritual of washing a crystal peacefully under a full moon can have a wonderful, calming effect on you.”

ILLUUM

It isn’t just crystals that can benefit from a night out, though. “Moon water” is something that’s been around for centuries (it has roots in medieval witchcraft) but is slowly starting to catch on in modern culture. “Moon water is water that has been infused with an intention or blessing and placed to charge up under a full or new moon,” Murphy explains. Just like moon-charged crystals, moon water is believed to absorb both the ~glow~ of the moon and any intentions set during a full moon ceremony. Personally, I discovered the concept of moon water about a year ago and immediately began incorporating it into my skincare routine — I make mine myself — and it could (totally, probably) be placebo effect, but I swear my skin is more radiant when I wash with moon water. “I think it’s another way for the individual to act consciously and embrace a more intentional way of looking after themselves,” Kimberly Dewhirst, an astrologer and the founder of StarSignStyle.com, tells TZR. Put simply: It's as powerful as you make it.

That being said, there is one legitimate connection between the skin and the moon. The lunar cycle — aka, the time it takes for the moon to transition from full moon to “new moon,” when it’s invisible to the human eye, and back — is 28 days long. According to dermatologists, adult skin cells also take 28 days to shed, renew, and mature, and shed again… and while that might be a coincidence, the mystical-minded maintain it's not. Cult-favorite skincare brand 111Skin is particularly drawn to this line of thinking: Its Lunar 28 Day Brightening and Anti-Aging System reflects the symbiotic relationship of the moon cycle and the skin cycle, providing enough product for a complete 28-day reset.

@111skin

This 28-day cycle influences biodynamic farming as well, a technique that accounts for the phases of the moon while planting and harvesting. “Many people look at that as woo-woo and spiritual, but it’s scientifically shown to increase microbial activity in the soil,” Elizabeth Candelario, the managing director of Demeter Association, Inc., told Well + Good. Scientific papers have even found that biodynamically farmed ingredients have more nutritional value than their traditionally-grown counterparts. Skincare brand Weleda — that of the celeb-loved Skin Food moisturizer — employs this practice, sowing seeds for some of its star ingredients just ahead of the full moon; as do Dr. Hauschka and Eminence Organics.

If nothing else, growing, harvesting, or charging products in accordance with the cosmos suggests a mindfulness in crafting — you’re not buying something that’s been churned out en masse. “We make and blend everything by hand, consciously and mindfully, so our products are made with a bit more love than if they were produced on an assembly line,” Michael Carbaugh, the founder of Sandoval, tells TZR. “The [full moon] crystals are just one more step of personalizing what we make and adding some positive intention.”

8 Faces Beauty

The concept of full moon skincare may not be one that resonates with everyone… but really, is it any more or less “out there” than reading your daily horoscope, or blaming Mercury retrograde when everything in your life suddenly seems to go wrong? For me, the answer is no. I don’t bathe my face in moon water for the science of it — I do it for the intention behind it. And that makes all the difference.

Ahead, 20 full moon skincare products set to take their rightful place next to your beloved jade roller.

Shop Moon-Inspired Skincare

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