If you get regular facials from a Botnia holistic esthetician, you’ve experienced the magic of our organic botanical facials! We’ve trained Botnia spa partners across the nation how to create custom mask mixes that smell like green smoothies and plants are the star of these gentle yet powerful facial treatments. Well, we have news for you…. We’re super excited for the launch of a new professional back bar product: Essential Digest! 

What this means is you can now experience a Botnia facial with a complete line of organic botanical skincare! (Which also happens to be vegan!) We’re sharing all the juicy deets about our new product, and why you need to book an appointment with your esthetician right. this. second. 

No mistakes, just happy accidents

Like most incredible how-did-we-function-without-them inventions, (the microwave or post-it note,) the Essential Digest was created from a happy accident. During the great supply chain shortage last year, we accidentally ordered a liquid pomegranate enzyme instead of the powered version (used in our Weekly Digest Mask), which was nonrefundable. UGH! While the Botnia team was away on last year’s winter holiday, Justine got to thinking about this particular ingredient: if she made a liquid enzyme-based product, how could it fit into our current professional lineup?

For the past six months, Justine and a handful of Botnia estheticians across the nation have been using the Essential Digest in their treatment rooms. Testing on real clients, giving their feedback, and perfecting the formula, which we are proud to debut to the world. From this accident, we’ve found the missing link of our back bar system, the one that we didn’t know was missing.

Benefits of the ingredients

We formulated Essential Digest to mimic the chemical constituents of goat milk yogurt. Our estheticians will be using this product mainly as a base for face masks that helps to break down our powdered plant compounds. What this does is expose vital minerals and nutrients, which makes them more bioavailable to the skin and helps to heal and nourish the skin. This multipurpose product also doubles as a gentle exfoliating cleanser. Let’s dig into the ingredients that make this a powerhouse product for facials!

We’re using liquid pomegranate enzymes (instead of the powdered ones you see in our Weekly Digest Mask) that have a small molecular structure and can penetrate more deeply into the skin. They work by digesting extracellular structural proteins and help to loosen and remove dead skin cells. The result is a brightened complexion great for aging skin, acne, and skin pigmentation.

Shea butter helps to soften skin and fatty acids strengthen the barrier of your skin. Shea butter is also shown to be anti-inflammatory and has healing properties that help heal dry skin.

We also use a probiotic ingredient, lactobacillus, that when applied to the skin has been shown to have a potent soothing effect that helps to strengthen the skin’s ability to defend itself from the outside environment. There’s research that also shows that this ferment may play a role in helping the skin’s microbiome maintain a healthy mix of flora, which can reduce the risk of several common and often uncomfortable skin conditions. 

Other ingredients include our rose hydrosol which helps to soothe and cool the skin and also has mild astringent properties. 

Lastly, lactic acid (an AHA) helps to break down the epidermal cells of the plant compounds used in the treatment room (like kale or rosehips), exposing the vital minerals and vitamins which again, make them easier to absorb into the skin. We only use 1% in this formula to keep it gentle on the skin, which is why it can be used as both a cleanser or in a mask mixture. If your esthetician determines you need a higher lactic acid treatment, they’ll be able to add it in separately. 

Together, these ingredients make up our 23rd back bar professional product, the Essential Digest. “Essential,” referring to the centerpiece of our Botnia treatment protocol, because you need it to mix with our powdered compounds to make them effective. And “Digest,” for the action the compound has on the plant and the skin. 

We’re all about active listening

One of the things we think makes us so different from other skincare companies is that we don’t formulate products seasonally just to make and promote a new product. Every product you see from us has been thoughtfully curated and formulated with a specific use that addresses different skin conditions.  

Your voice matters and we love it when you speak up. We take into consideration both our retail customers and wholesale customers and look at our formulations frequently to assess that we’re getting the results we want from our products. It helps us continue to create results-driven skincare that works!

The Essential Digest has quickly become Justine’s can’t-live-without back bar item and it mixes with all of our compounds and boosters effortlessly. It keeps the skin moist so the compounds don’t dry on the skin and helps to ensure our clients’ skin barrier is kept intact when using our hearty botanicals and exfoliators. It’s with all our joy and excitement that the Botnia back bar is now a completely closed system! All we’ve ever wanted is to create a solution that’s truly effective for the skin. We’re so grateful for our spa partners who trust us with their practice and their clients. It’s an honor to make skincare for you!

Xo,
Justine and the Botnia Team

P.S. Want to experience our new Essential Digest? Find a Botnia Spa Partner near you!
P.P.S. Are you an esthetician interested in carrying our line in your back bar? Check out our qualifications and apply here.