Today, I’m sharing my OSEA skincare review.
I make it a point to try a lot of different skincare products. OSEA Malibu has been my favorite clean skincare find, hands-down. I love finding skincare products that I feel good putting on my face and body every day that also WORK, you know?
I have incorporated several of the brand’s products into my daily rotation this year, and I’m very excited to share my full OSEA skincare review with you all today.
In this post, I’ll share a little overview of OSEA’s history and mission. I’ll also answer some common FAQs about the brand, and go over a list of my personal favorite products.
Use my code BFRUTH for a discount at checkout! (This is a new code for the holiday season so please feel free to use it even if you’ve shopped my links in the past!)
OSEA Skincare Review
About OSEA Malibu
Although the brand was “new to me” this past year, OSEA was founded in 1996. Clean beauty is all the rage right now, but I guess you could consider OSEA the “OG” clean beauty brand.
I first discovered OSEA in the spring of 2021. My older sister had just given birth to her twins. She has this one very juicy friend who dropped off a care package in the form of some OSEA body care products. I tried *one* pump of the body oil one day when I was helping her with the twins. What are little sisters for if not to sneak pumps of beauty products when they are supposed to be helping? I fell in love immediately.
OSEA is based in Malibu. The company was founded by Jenefer Palmer, whose family has been passionate about sustainability and the healing powers of the ocean for decades.
OSEA has been setting the standards for clean and sustainable beauty since a time where most of us were smothering our bodies in Dr. Pepper Chapstick and Warm Vanilla Sugar body lotion. In 2001, they were the first company to sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (1,000 other companies would follow suit). In 2020, they become certified Climate Neutral. And just this past summer, OSEA became officially Ocean Positive, meaning that for every ton of carbon they offset, they also invest in coastal restoration projects that sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Like I said: leading the charge, right?
How do you pronounce OSEA?
(I’ve definitely Googled this at one point). Osea is pronounced “Ooh-sea-yah,” and it stands for Ocean, Sun, Earth, and Atmosphere.
Is OSEA cruelty free?
Yes. They’ve been cruelty free since they launched in 1996.
Is OSEA vegan?
Also, yes. OSEA is certified vegan through PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies and Leaping Bunny Certified.
Is OSEA a clean brand?
Yes. Osea uses naturally-derived ingredients, chosen for efficacy and made with the highest industry standards. Their products are free of artificial color, dyes, and synthetic ingredients.
Is OSEA good for sensitive skin?
Every person is different, obviously, so I can only speak to my own experience here. I do have quite dry, sensitive skin and haven’t had any issues with their products. In fact, many of Osea’s products are specifically designed to calm sensitive, dry skin (for example, the Advanced Protection Cream).
While their ingredients are globally sourced, all of Osea’s products are manufactured in California. Most of their containers are made of glass which I love. They look beautiful in my shower which doesn’t matter but also kind of does?
Their products are thoughtfully made, completely natural, and derived from seaweed which–I’ve learned this year–is rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. They have a really impressive product offering and serve a huge range of skin types. (They even have this cute little quiz to send you in the right direction if you have no idea where to start).
Best OSEA Products
I’ve tried most of the product line, so I wanted to share my favorites as part of my OSEA skincare review.
Ocean Cleanser
This ph-balanced cleanser is gentle and exfoliating. It’s made with seaweed (of course) and lactic acid which cleans out your pores without overdrying your skin. I keep the Ocean Cleanser in my shower to use at night, as the second step of my double cleanse situation. You just need one small pump of product, so my first bottle lasted well over six months.
I am SO excited about this new collagen night cream from OSEA. This night cream is unbelievably hydrating and has a very calming, subtle lavender scent. This product is made with vegan collagen, a bio-retinol (derived from a blue-green micro algae that delivers the same results as a retinol but without the irritation), and King of Bitters (a “super plant” that reduces the effects of fatigue on skin).
Hyaluronic Sea Serum
I LOVE this serum. Hyaluronic acid helps your skin hold onto hydration, keeping it plump and glowy all day long. My skin DRINKS this serum up. I never miss a morning with this–in fact, I ran out of it for a few weeks over the summer, and I noticed a difference right away (in a bad way). As I always say, spend your money on serums because it’s the best way to get those active ingredients absorbed into your skin.
Atmosphere Protection Cream
The Atmosphere Protection Cream is a lightweight daily moisturizer that leaves a silky-smooth finish. I use this every morning after the Hyaluronic Sea Serum. It’s not sticky or oily, and my SPF and makeup lay perfectly on top of this. I love it so much. This cream is made with seaweed, algae, shea butter, and avocado oil. It smells good but isn’t overpowering at all. This is another major staple of my morning routine (more details on that here).
This is by far the most moisturizing eye cream I’ve ever tried. It’s made with seaweed and squalane that brightens and hydrates the eye area while reducing puffiness and the appearance of fine lines. You just need a teeny tiny dab of this.
Seaglow Overnight Serum AHA Treatment
I like to use this chemical exfoliant 1-2x per week to help “turnover” my skin cells. I love this treatment because it helps resurface and replenish my skin overnight. This serum is effective but gentle, one of those products that provides results right away which is always very satisfying.
Advanced Protection Cream
My mom has been on a lifelong mission to find a less expensive alternative to La Mer (then again, I feel like everyone’s mom has?). She’s tried a *million* night creams, so I was blown away when she told me that this cream is the closest thing she’s tried!! In addition to moisturizing oils and algae extract, this cream contains DPHP, an amino acid that helps plump skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines (yes, please). It’s thick, so a little goes a long way, and it’s best to slowly pat the product in as the last step of your routine.
OSEA recently updated their Advanced Protection Cream, and now it contains a vegan retinol alternative! I’ve been testing the updated version all month, and it is heavenly.
The vegan retinol alternative is an ingredient known as Bidens Pilosa extract. This is an anti-aging, natural retinol-like extract that works to reduce fine lines and wrinkles while promoting a more radiant, even complexion. Bidens Pilosa extract activates the same receptor in your skin as retinol, providing retinol-like benefits without the associated irritation. There is no need to start slowly or avoid specific ingredients (for example: AHAs or BHAs) like you would with other retinol products.
Since OSEA updated this formula, I had a few people reach out to me and ask if the vegan retinol alternative meant that this formula was safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding. My own understanding is that the reason we avoid retinol products during pregnancy is because of the harmful effects of vitamin A. Bidens Pilosa extract works like retinoids/vitamin A products but without the side effects known to be potential dangerous in pregnancy.
I reached out to OSEA for some clarification this, and they explained that their goal is always to create safer-for-you products, but they do recommend always checking with your doctor before starting anything new.
Salt of the Earth Body Scrub
This scrub is HEAVEN–the epitome of self care. It’s made of sea salt, shea butter, and wild gigartina seaweed. The scrub gently exfoliates and moisturizes as you massage it in, so it leaves my skin feeling just ridiculously soft. On “at home spa nights” (a pastime that I consider an art form), I use this in the shower and follow it up with the body oil (linked below). This is definitely a luxury product that would make a lovely gift or stocking stuffer.
Undaria Algae Body Butter
This body butter is intense in a very, very good way. It’s made with ceramides which help bolster your skin’s barrier function, helping your skin feel softer and more supple. I absolutely love this body butter, especially in the dry winter months when my skin takes on the form of a desert reptile. Since it has a thick, rich consistency, the product does take a minute to rub in, but once it absorbs it’s not sticky at all. I’ve noticed that when I use this body butter consistently, my arms feel much softer (a true feat, as I have those kind of classic, un-cute bumpy/dry arms).
OSEA Body Oil Review
I’m rounding out the list with the product that got me hooked on the brand in the first place. This body oil is incredible–it smells like Maui and makes my skin so soft. I’m not sure how, but it took me well into my twenties to realize that my skin just looks and feels SO much better with an oil. I forget where I read this, but Victoria Beckham allegedly swears by this stuff, so just take that data point for what you will. If you only buy one product from OSEA, make it this one.
Is OSEA worth it?
I have been very impressed by nearly everything I’ve tried from OSEA. I enjoy taking good care of my skin, and to do so with products that are clean AND effective is a huge win for me.
Also, I just have to share a quick funny story that I think really speaks to the efficacy of their products: A few months ago, one of my friends showed up to a girls’ night with the glowiest, smoothest skin. I audibly gasped and asked her if she had started Botox without telling me?? She hadn’t, but she DID say that she had been using some OSEA products that I’d been raving about. They had completely transformed her skin. And each time I’ve seen her since then, I still can’t get over how good her skin looks.
(She’s been using the Hyaluronic Sea Serum, the Seaglow Overnight AHA Treatment, and the Blemish Balm, btw).
Where to buy OSEA products
Outside of their own website, you can find OSEA products at Nordstrom, Ulta, Blue Mercury, Revolve, Credo Beauty, and Shop Good.
OSEA Discount Code
If you are shopping OSEA, feel free to use my code RUTH10 for 10% off your purchase!
Gift Ideas
This body oil and body butter duo is my current favorite pick.
Grab this CUTE set of travel sized products for the travel-addicted person in your life–or, perhaps, someone who has a juicy vacation coming up (can you imagine lining these up in a hotel bathroom?).
This body care set would make a beautiful gift for a new or soon-to-be mom (or maybe any mom who deserves to treat themselves?!). This body butter and body oil duo is also an incredible deal.
And this eerily perfect bestseller set includes what I believe to be their best products.
Thank you for checking out my OSEA skincare review! Please report back on what you end up trying!
On that note…
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