The desert is one of my happy places, even in the summer when temperatures eclipse 115 degrees. Dry heat just hits different and provides such a contrast to the humid summers that defined east coast living when I was growing up.
One of the downsides of the California desert is that the combination of sun, arid climate, and hard well water is quite tough on your skin. When I pack for a trip, one of the first products that hits my toiletry bag is a hydrating face mask.
The product I’ve come to love is Pai’s Resurrection Girl Hydrating Mask (you can also purchase it at The Detox Market and Credo). One of the key ingredients is resurrection plant, a desert-based flora that has the ability to survive prolonged, extreme dehydration for months and even years. Blue tansy oil, a common ingredient in many other hydration masks on the market helps to sooth and repair, and hyaluronic acid provides an additional moisturizing boost.
There are some nights where I will leave this on my face for an hour before washing it off. It has a slightly cooling nature and once it’s washed from your face, your skin feels soft and plump.
I have used two other masks on my current and prior desert trips - neither compare to Pai.
About the Founder
Pai was founded in the UK more than 15 years ago by Sarah Brown, before the concept of clean beauty was part of our mainstream vocabulary. Her objective was to create organic products that were safe for extremely sensitive skin conditions. She had developed urticaria, skin rashes that appear based on reactions to irritants, and was on a mission to create products that were safe and nourishing.
She entered the beauty industry with no prior experience, leaving her career in PR, and instantly became a pioneer in organic beauty. As I’ve learned more about Sarah, I have tremendous respect for her mission-driven approach to building an organic, clean, and sustainable, but also fully vertically-integrated beauty brand. She has refused to cut corners, even when so many other brands have taken a greenwashing path in order to increase sales, margins, and speed to market.
More about Pai
Pai’s organic positioning was a core objective from the brand’s infancy. The company went out of its way to seek independent certification because, at the time, there was no such thing as organic certification for the beauty category. Technically brands could use that label without any regulation. Fortunately, this has since changed. Pai is also certified by COSMOS (Soil Association), Cruelty Free International and The Vegan Society.
In August 2022, Pai became a Certified B Corp, which means it is achieving “high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.” The B Corp certification process is known to be rigorous and only 40% of companies that qualify to apply get accepted; once accepted, there is a review process every 3 years. Only a small fraction of companies across the globe have B Corp status.
One final element I love about Pai is that fact that they have their own in-house chemists and manufacturing, so they have complete oversight of the product development and go-to-market processes. During the pandemic, they created Pai Labs as a way to more deeply connect their chemists with consumer needs and inspire greater innovation. The concept was born out of their ability to create hand sanitizer from start to finish in 2 weeks when there was a massive shortage. Recently, Pai Labs introduced a concentrate line sold exclusively through their website that offers more potent boosters that can be added directly into your existing skincare products.
You can hear more about Sarah Brown and Pai on the Glossy podcast.
Another Hydrating Masks to Consider
Josh Rosebrook Vital Balm Cream - I have used this for 10+ hour plane rides and during the long winter months. The consistency is thick and a bit greasy due to the natural oils and shea butter - it starts to melt as you rub it into your face, so it’s best for the evening. This can be used as both a mask and a cream.
For those with more sensitive skin, Josh Rosebrook also offers the same product in an unscented essential oil-free blend.
Stay cool and hydrated.
x jz
Images | 1 | @b.g.mckay, styling by me | 2 | Pai | 3 | Credo | 4 | Josh Rosebrook | 5 | @b.g.mckay
Note: I do not get paid for nor make money off of this post. All opinions are my own.