After a long flight from Toronto to Dallas, my skin was freaking out. Topical blemish treatments stopped working. Was this stress-induced acne?
I had to try something new. Enter: Ocean, Sun, Earth and Atmosphere. Or OSEA (Oh-SEE-uh) for short. This brand caught my eye due to a) their minimalist pretty packaging and b) their natural, non-toxic ingredient lists. OSEA’s skincare line is quite large! I have to admit, I didn’t know what to start. My skin is combination and it dances between dry and oily, clear and blemish-prone. But after a flurry of breakouts around my jawline, I decided now was the time to finally take the plunge! And I’m so glad I did! I purchased both the OSEA Ocean Cleansing Mudd to prevent any further breakouts and the White Algae Mask to calm the existing ones.
Let’s take a step back before I get into the skin treatment: The very first thing I do when I get a rash of breakouts is try to determine why.
My skin is super fickle. Like a small child throwing a tantrum for no damn reason.“I give you everything! Why are you acting like this!?” *cries into pillow* And to be honest, sometimes it’s really difficult to pinpoint what is causing my adult acne. My diet was good (dairy and wheats are triggers for me.) I was staying hydrated and exercising. I clean my face and pillowcases regularly. There wasn’t a new beauty product in my routine. So what was causing these angry little pimples??
If I was to guess, my skin was rebelling due to a combination of things: flying from a cold climate to a hot and humid one, stress, hormones, more stress and traveling in general. (Does anyone else get pimples after long flights? Is that just me?) Either way, things were not looking good. There were clusters of red spots running from my earlobes to my chin and a little down my neck on both sides of my face. On top of that, I had face-to-face meetings all week. Brutal.
OSEA Ocean Cleansing Mudd
This slippery gel-liquid cleanser is the best in the morning! The first thing you will notice is the cool minty tingle. My skin feels super clean and awake after washing with this! I would say it seems to help new breakouts from forming. I also wash the cleanser away with a Koji sponge. The texture of the sponge add gentle exfoliation to my morning routine. And it helps to clear away any lingering dead skin, which is the last thing you want if you’re acne prone.
Some rockstar ingredients in this cleanser are: rosemary oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, cypress oil and tea tree oil to diminish blemishes. Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract (brown algae rich in vitamins) and jojoba oil add a little bit of nourishment to keep things from being too drying.
Some people may find the Ocean Mudd Cleanser drying, especially if you already have dry skin. Those with normal to oily skin would benefit most from this cleanser. And if you have super dry skin, I would advise using this occasionally but not daily.
A little warning: avoid your eyes with the product. The mint and tea tree oil will definitely sting your eyes for a bit if it comes in contact with them.
OSEA White Algae Mask
It’s best to counteract acne-fighting product’s dryness with some form of hydration. Otherwise, you can develop dry patches which will trigger your skin to overproduce sebum! As you may know already, excess sebum is not a good thing for those vulnerable to breakouts. Make sure you follow your acne treatments with something to nourish your skin!
I purchased the White Algae Mask because it is both clarifying and soothing. It’s gentle enough to use daily; yet it is effective. I like pairing it with the Ocean Cleansing Mudd to ensure that my breakouts are kept in check without sacrificing my skin’s hydration. The White Algae mask contains Japanese apricot, grape resveratrol, and white tea extract to brighten your skin. The algae and jojoba oil keep your skin hydrated without looking greasy.
After using this mask, my skin looks fresh, awake and semi-matte. Any angry breakouts are calmed a bit and dry patches are soothed. And I especially like the pump bottle packaging. You simply press on the top to pump out however much White Algae mask you need. There’s no mess. I typically apply it directly on my face and work around with my finger tips. It’s pretty clever since this minimizes both the product being exposed to air and the risk of contamination! Double win.
You can leave this mask on for however long you like! A minimum of 10 mins is suggested, but I usually leave it on for 45 mins.
The Final Verdict
I enjoy using both of these products from OSEA, and I’m curious to try more from the line. My skin is not 100% yet, and I still have pink acne scars dotting my jawline. If this is is stress-induced acne, then topical products would only be able to soothe and minimize the blemishes. But to totally get rid of the spots, I will probably have to take some serious R&R. And not look at the work emails on my phone *glares at iPhone.*
At the end of the day, I would recommend both of these products because they do what they advertise and have healthy ingredients. However, those looking to treat active acne would most likely need additional products to completely eliminate active blemishes and acne scars. OSEA does have several other products dedicated to combating breakouts that may be worth checking out.
Of the two, the Ocean Cleansing Mudd is my favourite. I use it every morning and I love that it helps wake me up. I will continue to use this for sure! The White Algae Mask is enjoyable and it definitely soothes my skin. I would say it’s on par with other hydrating masks that I own. The fact that it’s so easy to dispense has me reaching for it more frequently than the others though.
Have you tried anything from OSEA? Let me know your favourites in the comment section below!
