Your Skin, With Cherries on Top

Ever notice that products with synthetic cherry fragrance or flavor never even come close to the real thing? Same thing with grapes and ‘grape’ flavor. What gives?

Happily, there are natural companies that get it right! I discovered one last week when I sampled Naturopathica’s Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel. What a mask – what a true, natural cherry scent.

It’s sweet and tart and so cherry all at once, with a texture not unlike cherry pie filing (less lumps). Lest you be tempted to buy a can of pie filling and try it out as a mask (admittedly, this would be cheaper than the mask’s $56 price tag), here’s what else this incredible formula has going for it: pomegranate extract, honeysuckle flower extract, grape seed extract, wine extract, witch hazel, salicylic acid and lactic acid. This ingredient combo smoothed, softened and calmed my sensitive skin. And did I mention that it was really, really fun to wear?

While we’re on the subject of masks that smell like pies, Naturopathica hits the mark again with its Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel. While cherry is a natural anti-inflammatory, pumpkin’s special gift to skin is its natural enzymes, which break down dead skin cells like a dream, free of irritation. And with the added fermented pumpkin enzymes in Naturopathica’s mask (don’t worry, this mask smells like pumpkin pie, not like fermented food), it’s a super exfoliating powerhouse. You won’t believe how soft your skin feels after 10 minutes.

I’ve only tried one or two Naturopathica products before, and had mixed feelings, but these two masks really impressed me. I now have the line’s third enzyme mask, Pear Fig Polishing Enzyme Peel, on my list of must-tries. Something tells me I’m going to love it.