A Clean & Natural Cosmetic Chemist On What She Uses In Her Own Skin Care Routine

When you think of folks to turn to for beauty product recommendations, a few types of people may come to mind. I'd like to think "beauty editors" would make its way onto the list—as well as other beauty professionals like dermatologists, stylists, estheticians, nail techs, trichologists, and so on. Of course social media influencers, trusted peers, and even review forums can help inform our search for products to try out.

But for a thoughtful, critical analysis of a formula—and its potential efficacy—there's no one better to turn to than a cosmetic chemist, like Krupa Koestline.

Cosmetic chemists are the folks actually doing the very arduous task of creating the products we so dearly love. Cosmetic chemists know what ingredients play nicely together, what sort of preservative system is needed for different types of formulas, and how to build a robust product that addresses the sought-after effect. Really good ones stay up to date on innovations and trends in the market while also utilizing the classic ingredients we know to be beneficial.

"In the last five years, I stopped using soap on my face. I've always had combination skin—not excessively oily except for my teenage days. But then when I was pregnant, my skin became extremely dry, so I didn't want anything harsh on my face. So I stopped using washes.

"I really thought about it and realized that no matter what kind of surfactant or foaming agent you use, it's really not meant for your face. As soon as you put on a surfactant in the area, you're stripping away and completely changing the biome on your skin: You're taking off all of the good oils that you would normally have on your skin that are protecting you from all the bad bacteria. I don't know why we started using soaps on our face, but I don't agree that they should be used there.

"Coconut oil and rose water are some of my favorite ingredients. Coconut oil works for everything—and I use it for everything. My son has pretty bad eczema, and coconut oil is the only thing that calms it down. I tend to get dry patches in the winter, so I like to use it for that. I put it on my elbows or just anywhere that feels a bit dry. Or when I'm wearing dresses or shorts, I put a tiny amount on my legs so they look nice and glossy.

"Masking is something my mom taught me. She would save stuff. For example, if we were in orange season, she'd save orange peels. Or if she got a really good batch of yogurt, she'd save a bit. If we got apricots, she'd set some aside. All the stuff from the kitchen that you'd normally just throw away, she'd save for masking.

"I do a face mask every weekend. I always had a set of like three to four face masks, and whatever is going on with my skin, I'll use one of those masks to help. The mask I pick is totally dependent on how my skin looks and what is going on in my life in general.

"When my skin is acting up—like I'm closer to my period or I'm breaking out—I'll do Aveda's Tourmaline mask. When my skin feels congested, I'll leave it on, and after it dries a bit, then I'll massage it in. It has physical exfoliants that are not too harsh. Then I'll rinse it off.

"The Tata Harper floral is hydrating, so I'll use that when my skin is feeling too dry. Maybe I've had a really good weekend with lots of drinks, and now my skin is a little dehydrated. That's why I'll do a hydrating mask.