Last week we introduced you to a company making beard oils that help you manage your mane and care for your hair. This week, we’re focusing on a product line that tends to your skin. Ursa Major believes anything is possible in life when you look and feel your best. They’re helping guys feel better by providing a healthy and effective skincare solution made with natural ingredients – an alternative to the bland or chemical-heavy products you find in most stores.
Ursa Major gets an A+ for presentation
The Vermont based brand was launched in 2010 by Oliver Sweatman and Emily Doyle with their shave cream and has expanded to 4 products that each serve a unique purpose. Last week, we had an opportunity to test out Ursa Major’s skincare set. What’s the verdict? Read on to find out what we thought about The Great Bear’s product line.
The first thing you’ll notice about Ursa Major’s products is the smell – clean and woodsy – fragrant without being overpowering. It’s a smell you won’t mind having on you all day. The Fantastic Face Wash ($26.00, 8.oz bottle / $4.50, travel size) uses cedar, lime, and spearmint to create its scent, which, mixed together smell great.
If you need something to help you wake up in the morning, try this stuff; after 20-30 seconds on your face, you can feel it working. The great thing is that it exfoliates without making your skin too dry, which has always been a problem for me with products like these. My skin felt softer and smelled great after the first use.
The face wash includes natural ingredients such as aloe vera, white tea, lemon extract, and rosemary, among other certified organic ingredients.
As I sport a majestic goatee, I don’t have to shave much of my face regularly, but I did find Ursa Major’s Stellar Shave Cream ($24.00, 5.3 oz bottle / $5.75, travel size) got the job done.
It’s not greasy or super light like some creams on the market, and it feels great on the skin. The smell isn’t as strong as some of their other products, but I didn’t mind it. The natural aroma is made up of ingredients like ginger, grapefruit and bergamot, and for some reason, it smelled a lot like Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy – a pretty fragrant beer. Not a bad thing at all.
After the shave, I found my skin to be soft and smooth, like it should be it you’re doing it right. If you’re looking for a solid, creamy (and natural) shaving cream, this one is worth a try.
Of everything in Ursa Major’s line, my hands-down favorite is is the 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic ($24.00, 80z bottle / $4.25, travel size). This stuff is a go-to if you need an aftershave that doesn’t overpower, or a simple pick-me-up throughout your day.
The tonic removes oil and grime while clearing blocked pores. Used daily, it purports to give you clearer, brighter skin. A splash of this in my hands (use a cotton swab if you prefer) and a quick swipe on my face gave me softer, cleaner feeling skin almost immediately.
The aroma on this one is a bit more medicinal, but in a good way (think old school barber shop aftershave). Made with orange, fir, and lavender, it really did feel refreshing when I tested it in the middle of the workday. This is one I’ll be investing in for my own collection.
The Ursa Major Fortifying Face Balm ($36.00, 2.5 oz) absorbs quickly while keeping your face moisturized and oil free. It’s good for all skin types, which is great for someone like me, who has combination skin (dry in some places, oily in others).
Like all of their products, the balm smells great and keeps your face soft and clean without any kind of annoying shine. This 100% natural, 82% organic lotion is perfect for use on dry skin after shaving, or using any of Ursa Major’s other products.
The aroma from this one is lavender, lime, spearmint, and rosemary, which combine to create a pleasant smell that’ll stay with you all day. It’s natural and safe enough to be used on the eye area, which, if you’ve ever gotten any of those chemical-laced lotions in your eyes, is a definite plus. Ursa Major also tells us that you can use it to condition or style your hair in a pinch. You’ve got to love skincare products with multiple uses.
If you’re looking for an all-natural skincare line that gets the job done and smells great, take a look at Ursa Major. From the full skincare set to a travel size set that you can test, they’ve got something to fit just about everyone’s needs. We’ll be keeping an eye on them as new products are bound to be added in the future.
Visit Ursa Major at ursamajormen.com or like them at Facebook.
