In the world of skincare, the term “active ingredient” is thrown around often. It’s usually reserved for lab-isolated compounds — things like retinol, niacinamide, or synthetic peptides — and it implies effectiveness, potency, and clinical results. But every time I see that phrase, I find myself pausing. Because in my world — one rooted in soil, in slow formulations, in healing plants and old-world methods — active means something entirely different.
It means alive. It means whole. It means a flower that still carries the memory of the sun it bloomed under. It means oils pressed gently from seeds harvested by hand. It means medicine, not in the pharmaceutical sense, but in the way our grandmothers and their grandmothers understood it — intimate, potent, and deeply connected to the land.
When I create our Calming Facial Oil and Herbal Facial Oil, I’m not choosing ingredients based on trends, I’m working with whole plant extracts that I’ve spent years forming relationships with — visiting the farms, speaking with the growers, and often, harvesting with them in the fields. I’m choosing botanicals that are not just beneficial, but vibrantly bioactive — living compounds that know how to speak the skin’s language.
Let me take you into the heart of some of these plants.
________________________________________
Calendula
I still remember the first time I ran my fingers through a basket of freshly dried calendula petals. It was here in Central Oregon, at a small organic farm where the air is crisp, the soil is alive, and the rhythm of the land moves slower. The petals felt like silk and smelled faintly of sunshine — soft, earthy, slightly bitter. Calendula isn’t flashy. But it is one of the most profoundly healing plants I’ve worked with and we incorporate it into many of our formulas.
It’s rich in flavonoids, resins, and triterpenes — naturally occurring compounds that calm inflammation, support tissue repair, and restore balance to irritated skin. When infused slowly into oil, calendula releases its medicine in a way the skin readily receives. It’s gentle, yes. But make no mistake — it is deeply active. We infuse calendula flowers the traditional way, into olive oil for six to eight weeks, because time makes all the difference and we aren't into rushing something this good.
________________________________________
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is one of my favorite plants to grow and to visit. My heart fills with the site of violet blooms bursting under the Oregon summer sun, brushing my hands across the flowers and coming away covered in that unmistakable scent: soft, herbal, floral, grounding. Our lavender essential oil comes from a local women-run organic farm and distillery, Tumalo Lavender Farm, where the flowers are steam-distilled just minutes after harvest.
This oil isn’t just aromatic. It contains linalool and linalyl acetate — compounds that soothe inflammation, reduce redness, and ease breakouts. When I blend it into our Calming Facial Oil, I think not just of its clinical benefits, but of how it makes you feel — relaxed, comforted, safe in your own skin.
________________________________________
Sandalwood Essential Oil
Sandalwood is sacred. Its scent is meditative — warm, woody, slightly sweet. We use a sustainably harvested sandalwood essential oil, distilled from trees grown in western Australia, where replanting and conservation are central to the work. It’s a tree that asks for patience — it matures slowly, and its essential oil is stored deep in the heartwood, requiring time and care to reveal.
What makes sandalwood so effective — and so revered — are its high levels of alpha-santalol and beta-santalol, the primary constituents responsible for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and calming effects. These compounds don’t just soothe the skin; they also help protect it from environmental stress, support moisture retention, and bring balance to both irritated and acne-prone complexions.
Sandalwood supports skin integrity while grounding the senses. It’s a balm for the skin and the spirit — a slow beauty ingredient that brings quiet strength to a formula and invites you to move through the world more softly, more intentionally.
________________________________________
Evening Primrose Oil
This oil feels like nourishment the moment it touches your skin. Pressed from the seeds of the evening primrose flower — which blooms at dusk — the oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid, a rare omega-6 fatty acid that supports the skin’s natural barrier and reduces inflammation.
For me, evening primrose is a remedy for stressed, tired skin. It’s one of the reasons our facial oils work so well for those experiencing hormonal imbalances, dryness, or environmental fatigue. It restores what the skin has lost — gently, but powerfully.
________________________________________
Helichrysum (Immortelle)
The first time I smelled helichrysum oil — also called immortelle — I was in Corsica, where the golden blossoms grow wild along rocky hillsides. The scent is unlike anything else: sweet, spicy, medicinal, eternal. It’s no wonder this plant is associated with longevity and healing.
Helichrysum is rich in diketones, which help regenerate skin cells and reduce the appearance of scars and redness. It’s an expensive oil, yes — but there is no substitute for its magic. I use it sparingly, reverently, because even a small amount brings so much power to a blend.
________________________________________
Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli, distilled from orange blossoms, is a whisper of joy. I source ours from a grove in North Africa, where blossoms are picked and then gently steam distilled while still fresh. The scent is ethereal — citrusy, floral, and deeply calming. There’s something in neroli that speaks to both skin and spirit, and I’ve never worked with another oil quite like it.
Beyond its beautiful aroma, neroli essential oil is rich in linalool, limonene, nerolidol, and alpha-terpineol — compounds known for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and skin-regenerating properties. These constituents work in harmony to soothe irritation, support cellular repair, and encourage elasticity. It’s a gentle yet powerful ally for skin that’s prone to redness, dehydration, or environmental stress.
It’s an oil that supports the nervous system as much as the skin. When applied, it calms the mind, softens fine lines, and brings an inner glow to the surface. It’s the kind of ingredient that reminds me why I do this — because beauty, true beauty, is a feeling.
________________________________________
Carrot Seed Oil
Carrot seed oil is often overlooked, but it’s one of my personal favorites. Pressed from the seeds of wild carrots, it carries a rich, earthy aroma and a powerful dose of antioxidants — especially beta-carotene and vitamin E.
It helps protect the skin from oxidative stress and supports renewal, making it ideal for tired, sun-exposed, or mature skin. To me, it’s like giving your skin a breath of fresh air — grounding, brightening, and gently detoxifying.
________________________________________
Why Whole Plants Matter
At aos Skincare, we don’t believe in stripping plants down to isolated parts. Instead, we honor the whole — because nature never works in isolation. She weaves together thousands of compounds, each supporting and enhancing the others, creating a balance and potency that can only come from synergy. That’s why, in our Herbal Facial Oil and Calming Facial Oil, we use only whole plant extracts. We trust that what your skin truly craves is this natural complexity — the full, vibrant expression of the plant.
These ingredients are more than just components on a label. They are relationships — with the landscapes that nurture them, the growers who tend them, and the quiet morning harvests that preserve their vitality. They are the heart of our formulations because they work — gently, deeply, completely.
In a world rushing toward quick fixes and shortcuts, we invite you to slow down with us. To trust the intelligence of whole plants, and to experience skincare that is active not only in its effects but alive with intention, reverence, and connection.
Honoring Both Nature and Science
At the same time, we wholeheartedly acknowledge the remarkable benefits of modern, standardized actives like peptides, vegan hyaluronic acid, and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (a stable form of vitamin C). These scientifically validated ingredients offer targeted support for skin health — enhancing collagen production, hydration, and brightening with consistent precision.
While our Herbal Facial Oil and Calming Facial Oil lean fully into the wisdom of whole botanicals and their complex symphony of constituents, we also thoughtfully incorporate these advanced actives in other formulations. This approach allows us to meet your skin’s unique needs in a balanced way, blending the soulful richness of nature with the innovation of science.
For us, it’s never a matter of one versus the other. It’s about integrity, harmony, and honoring the many ways that plants and science together can nurture your skin’s natural radiance — gently, effectively, and beautifully.
Discover Your Perfect Match
I invite you to explore our Herbal Facial Oil and Calming Facial Oil—formulations born from deep respect for the plants and the land, crafted to nurture your skin with whole, living botanicals. These oils are more than skincare; they are a ritual, a way to slow down, connect, and honor your skin’s natural wisdom. If you’re unsure which oil is the perfect match for your unique skin, I encourage you to take our Skin Quiz—it’s a simple way to discover what your skin truly needs. Let yourself experience the gentle power of nature’s complexity and give your skin the care it truly deserves.
Share and get 15% off!
Simply share this product on one of the following social networks and you will unlock 15% off!