*Disclaimer: These products were gifted but all thoughts and photos are my own*
Self-care is so important, especially amidst a pandemic. Watching from our sofas as the world around us begins to heal in the absence of our polluting machines, our eyes and minds have been opened to the devasting impact we as humans have been having on our planet. I don’t know about you, but now more than ever I have been looking to find ways to be more environmentally responsible in various aspects of my life. That’s why I was so excited when these products from Bolt Beauty arrived at my door.
Launched in March 2020, this environmentally conscious, cruelty-free, vegan skin care brand is carbon neutral, biodegradable and zero waste! WOW! The entire range of products – cleanser, moisturiser, retinol serum and skin perfecter – are contained in single-dose, biodegradable capsules made from sustainably farmed carrageenan, an ocean crop derived from seaweed, that also provides a livelihood for the local communities that grow it. After use, the capsules can be disposed of either by putting in your compost bin or dissolving in hot water.
And you can forget about all of the useless plastic packaging that we have come to know and hate. These products were sent to me in a recyclable postage box and wrapped in beautifully branded recyclable tissue paper, both sourced from FSC certified forests. The capsules come in their own stackable jars that should last you for life but are 100% recyclable if you do decide to part with them. The frustration of running out of a product will also be a thing of the past. With Bolt Beauty you can count in advance how many days worth of capsules you have left, ordering more when needed that are sent in fully compostable refill packets! To learn more about Bolt Beauty’s sustainable skincare products and for full ingredient lists, head over to their website.
In my package I also received a stackable, 3 layered travel case that can fit up to 10 capsules per layer. When we can travel again, I am sure these products will be a traveller’s best friend! I can use this to pack the number of capsules needed for my break away without having to worry about taking up a large portion of my weight allowance or space, and avoid feeling guilty for buying travel sized plastic minis. If I was going away for a longer period of time it would be so easy to use one home jar to store the amount of each product needed as, unlike other skincare lotions and potions which can’t be mixed together, each product is secure in its own, easily identifiable, little coloured capsule! They are also the perfect size to take on the plane to ensure my skin is looking and feeling its best during my journey. Equally it’s so easy to just decant some of the products from the home jars into the stackable case for easy portability for day to day use at the gym, for overnight stays and weekends away. I love how much thought has been put into this brand, not only to be more environmentally responsible but also for the ease of consumer usability.
How To Use:
I received so many questions when I first posted about these products on my Instagram, so, to clarify, you DO NOT eat these capsules. To quote Bolt Beauty themselves, “They are for putting on your skin, not in your body”!
Each home jar contains 100 capsules of their respective product. Simply twist the top to open and squeeze out the product. Note that the capsules are trickier to twist open when your hands are wet and long finger nails aren’t particularly helpful when it comes to squeezing out the products either but it’s still manageable.
Ever wondered how much product you should actually be using? Bolt Beauty takes away the guesswork as each seaweed capsule has the perfect amount of product for a single application. After use, the capsules can either be thrown into your compost bin or dissolved in hot water and then used to water and fertilise your plants – talk about zero waste!
It’s safe to say I loved the luxurious feel of these gorgeous, environmentally conscious skincare gems. Who wouldn’t love skincare that not only gives you gorgeous skin but doesn’t negatively impact the environment?! So, let’s take a closer look at the products…
Starting with my absolute favourite ...
Filthy Clean
I LOVED this non-fragranced, clear cleansing gel! Unlike so many other cleansers I have tried over the years this was so gentle on my skin, never once making me feel like my face had been completely stripped dry afterwards. This cleanser left my skin feeling so smooth, fresh and clean and did a great job of removing any remaining makeup that my remover had missed. I loved using this product to ensure that I started and ended the day with soft, clean skin.
Cleansers are also usually really clunky and heavy to carry around, these capsules are going to be a very welcome change, great not only for light-weight holiday packing but also on-the-go daily use at the gym after a sweaty workout.
A Home Jar of 100 biodegradable Filthy Clean Capsules will cost you just £35! I will definitely be repurchasing this product when I run out!
Mad About Moisture
Due to having combination skin, I have tried so many moisturisers over the years in my mission to find the perfect one and I tend not to sway from it. However, any initial reluctance I had to switching up my routine quickly vanished and I was really pleasantly surprised by this moisturiser. These gorgeous midnight blue capsules contain a really lightweight moisturiser that didn’t make my skin feel sticky or greasy. Instead, it’s two molecular weights of hyaluronic acid left my skin feeling really soft and hydrated.
The capsule, despite my initial hesitance due to its size, actually contained more than enough product for my face (this was a reoccurring find with all four products)! I found the fragrance free, milky looking lotion to be super hydrating and it left my skin feeling silky smooth! I cannot wait to take this on flights with me to keep my skin hydrated during long journeys!
At £35 per jar, it’s an absolute steal.
Vitamin A Game
As I’m pretty new to using retinol products, I followed BOLT Beauty’s guidance and started by only using these capsules every other day. Each capsule has a 0.15% retinol concentration and I haven’t suffered from any dryness or red patches, only the occasional tingling feeling, despite my fairly sensitive skin. The fragrance-free serum made my skin feel smooth and refreshed.
Glow Don’t Shine
These skin perfecting capsules had a surprising but pleasant fresh minty smell. I loved adding these to my morning skincare routine as they are so refreshing and kept my skin shine free. They also worked really well as a primer; I found my makeup sat better on skin when I had used these.
Following the loss of a much-loved family member, I began to notice the emotional upset and stress was having an effect on my skin. Both the Glow Don’t Shine and Vitamin A Game serums have really helped control and eliminate any blemishes that had surfaced whilst brightening my tired complexion. As a whole my skin is less shiny than usual and now has more of a natural, healthy looking glow.
Both of the serums are £50 per home jar (100 capsules).
How To Put These Into A Routine:
The recommended routine given by Bolt Beauty is as follows …
Morning: Filthy Clean, Glow Don’t Shine and Mad About Moisture
Night: Filthy Clean, Vitamin A Game, Mad About Moisture.
I did sometimes switch out my morning Mad About Moisture capsule for my normal day moisturiser which contains an SPF as I like to keep a lightweight SPF on my skin during the day without getting out the greasy sun cream. I then used those beautiful blue capsules at night to indulge my skin with hydrating goodness alongside the other recommended evening capsules. As mentioned above I also eased my skin into using the Vitamin A Game capsules by using them every other day to start off with.
Everyone’s skin is different but it’s so easy to work out what would be right for you – either check out the Bolt Beauty website and follow the advice given or drop them a message via their Instagram with any questions, they are super friendly!
Concluding thoughts:
In a world where we all need to actively be more environmentally conscious and responsible, I love that this brand has made sustainable beauty so easy. This brand is perfect for those who love skincare but hate compromise - the products are so easy to use and easily portable in the stackable travel case due to being so lightweight.
After using these products for a couple of weeks I definitely noticed my skin appeared brighter and felt smoother than before. These products are a welcome change to my skincare routine and are a visually beautiful addition to my dresser. Each little pearlescent bubble was a pleasure to use and I will definitely be buying again when I run out of these gorgeous gems! There is such a luxurious feel to each product, the capsules are perfectly sized and left my skin feeling so silky smooth.
I love how this brand has created such high-quality skincare products with travel in mind and sustainability at its heart!
Comments