True Botanicals: Skincare Haul + Review

True Botanicals is a brand I’ve been eyeing for a while now. Boasting of bioholistic skincare science, True Botanicals is a vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic brand whose products are also free of toxins and fillers. As someone who’s very focused on health and wellness, it’s important to me to use products that will only benefit me, and not cause harm with toxic ingredients. The brand is currently having their Black Friday sale, so I finally decided to pick up some products. Read along to see the haul + my True Botanicals Review.

Chebula Active Serum

I first heard of True Botanicals on TikTok (naturally). I saw a review of their ‘Chebula Active Serum’ and was immediately interested. What is chebula? It’s a ayurvedic fruit containing some of the most powerful antioxidants in nature. The Chebula Active Serum is one of TB’s star products- for good reason. It claims to fight five signs of aging- minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, evening skin tone, smoothing texture, and giving the appearance of firmer and brighter skin.

My first impression was that the packaging is gorgeous (and that there’s more product than I thought there would be). There’s a light scent, too. Normally I do not like fragrance in my skincare, but this one is light, barely, there, and even spa-like. It makes skincare feel more like a special ritual than a routine. The serum itself is light, non-sticky, and half a dropper goes a long way.

It soaks in fast, and while it doesn’t give me an immediate glow, my skin feels hydrated throughout the day. I’ve been using it for about a week now and my skin does look and feel smoother and softer. I’m excited to see what continued use will do! Overall, I’m really enjoying this product so far and would recommend it. It’s the most improvement I’ve seen in my skin from just switching products.

Chebula Extreme Cream

I live in Ohio, and winter in the Midwest is no joke. My skin has been extra dry lately, and I’ve been needing a moisturizer that will provide lasting hydration. That’s why I picked up the Chebula Extreme Cream. Also containing the star ingredient chebula, this anti-oxidant-packed moisturizer claims to boost your skin barrier, deeply moisturize, and also fight the five signs of aging mentioned above. Oh, and did I mention it’s pink?

The light scent is calming and again, spa-like. The cream itself is very thick- which is what I want in a moisturizer, and a little goes a long way. This moisturizer is non-greasy, but you can tell it’s there on your skin just a bit- which I love. I don’t like it at all when a moisturizer sinks right in and it feels as if I’ve just put nothing on. This one feels perfect- hydrating and a slight glow to your skin, but nothing near greasy. Since using this I haven’t had any problems with dry skin, rough patches, or peeling (all of which I had before). My skin looks a little more plump and hydrated, and I think this product will be another win for me.

Free Samples With Purchase

True Botanicals offers subscriptions for all of their products- you’ll get 15% off every time (I purchased mine during the Black Friday sale, making it 25% off), free shipping, and free, deluxe-sized samples. I decided to do a subscription for the chebula serum so that I could try some other products for free. Here’s what I received:

• Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm

I’ve been using cleansing balms for years now- they’re my favorite way to remove makeup and effectively double cleanse. I received a small sample of the ginger turmeric cleansing balm- my first impression was that I love the bright-yellow color and the scent. TB claims that this cleansing balm effectively removes dirt, sunscreen, and makeup, while also nourishing skin and making it pillowy-soft. It also contains ingredients such as lactic and azelaic acids to gently exfoliate your skin. It’s marketed to be perfect for sensitive skin.

Upon using it, I feel like I had to use a lot to remove my mascara and eye makeup- this balm doesn’t glide as easily across your skin as others does. It takes a little bit to remove everything, but once it finally did my skin did feel soft and not stripped of moisture. It also didn’t burn my eyes or run into them, which is a plus. Overall, I enjoy using it, but I’m not sure if I would buy it myself.

• Resurrection Radiance Eye Cream

This eye cream? Thick, creamy, and smells heavenly. It claims to reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles around the eyes. I don’t really struggle with any of these yet, but I will say that that area does look smoother and softer after a week of consistent use.  Normally I just use moisturizer around my eyes, but this eye cream pleasantly surprised me.

• Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30

I will start this paragraph by saying I am a sunscreen snob. I’ve been using it every day for the past 6 years, literally since I was a teenager, so I’ve tried a lot. True Botanicals says that this mineral sunscreen is the first of its kind. Its made with a non-nano zinc and contains chebula, astaxanthin, and vegan pea peptides, to fight sign of aging and free radicals. It’s fragrance free and non-comedogenic, so it’s great for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Upon using it I was worried about it leaving a white cast, but it blended out pretty seamlessly. However, I am very fair-skinned, so I’m not sure how it would look on someone with a darker complexion (although they do offer a tinted version with a decent shade range). I love the look and feel of this sunscreen- it’s smoothing and very glowy without being greasy. If you have oily skin, this may not be the one for you. There’s just two things I don’t like: The price and the fact that its only available in spf 30.

When this product is not on sale (or when you don’t get it as a free sample like I did), it’ll cost you $65 for 1.7 oz of sunscreen. There are way cheaper options out there. You’ll use this one up in no time since it’s important to reapply every few hours. I understand it’s also technically a skincare product, but for $65 I would expect to have the fullest SPF protection out there. SPF 30 is enough, but if I’m investing in a sunscreen, I want the most protection available- at least SPF 50.

Is True Botanicals Worth It?

Like I previously said, I’ve been eyeing True Botanicals for a long time. Over a year now probably. I love everything about their brand- cruelty-free, clean, and sustainable. They use powerful, natural ingredients and the reviews are amazing. So why haven’t I tried them yet? The price. 

This entire brand is expensive- the products listed above range anywhere from $48 to $110 when they’re not on sale. I love skincare and have always thought of it as an investment, but I’m also careful with how I spend my money. I waited until their Black Friday sale to get 25% off  to try these products, and I was pleasantly surprised. My two favorites were the ones I purchased- the chebula active serum and the chebula extreme cream. A little goes a long way with both (so they’ll last me for a little while), and in just a week I have definitely seen improvement in my skin. In fact, I feel like this is the most my skin has ever improved from a product (other than sunscreen and tretinoin).

Good skincare can definitely be expensive these days. You can walk into Sephora and expect to spend the same if not more on many of the skincare lines there (and not all of those offer the same benefits or sustainability as TB). I’ve never really experienced a noticeable improvement with products like that- but I have with True Botanicals. Overall, the only drawback for me is the price. It’s expensive, but they do run a Black Friday sale every year and also offer their subscription model for 15% off all year round.

I love these products and would definitely repurchase- if you’re interested in trying them, you can see the products here! Have you tried True Botanicals before? If so, what are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.