It all started when Brittney took a life changing trip around the world that opened her eyes to the different beauty regimes used in various countries. Originally planning on becoming a nurse or a doctor, her mind was changed while in Bali. While at a spa there, she had a realization, “I just thought to myself, I can’t go to medical school, I need to somehow create this and give this back to people.” When returning to San Francisco, she pursued studies in botany and herbalism. She then took her newfound knowledge into skin care formulation. “The universe just kind of kept taking left turns and I was following what was happening.” Thus, Roots and Blooms was born.
Once you see it, her Champagne Hangover is hard to ignore. The name alone steals your attention. It’s relatable, we’ve all been there and our skin suffers the consequences. She thought to herself, “how can I make something that’s going to fix what I did last night?” Although it’s in the name, the mask can, of course, be used for times besides just a hangover- it’s a pick me up for tired eyes, no matter the cause. And coming in at under $20, it’s reasonably accessible.
The making of her best-selling mask began with a cucumber. Let’s be real, no one has the time or patience to lay down with cucumbers on their eyes- so, she thought of a more realistic solution. Brittney studied the fruit, took the peel off and mashed it up. She explains that the paper typically used in eye masks are wasteful and all that’s doing is holding the product underneath in place, “we’re smart intelligent women, we can use our fingers to put it on and wipe it off.” After going through multiple formulations and tests, the Champagne Hangover eye mask was created.
Containing hyaluronic acid, lychee extract and cucumber hydrosol, the mask is a unique formulation of a thick gel that you can leave on your under-eye area up to ten minutes. It feels like a cool drink of water for your tired eyes, with a texture similar to Jell-O, instantly waking you up. The reason it’s made to be washed off shortly after applying is because the hyaluronic acid and glycerine are sugar molecules that would leave sticky residue behind on your skin if kept on all day. But besides that, she expressed, “you’ve got places to be!”
“I just want beauty to not be this extremely unattainable thing. I want everyone to experience a little bit of the earth that helps our skin, without all of the drama,” Brittney explains. Shop Roots and Blooms online and keep an eye out for a new collection launch next month.
// Rootsblooms.com, photography by Kathryn Zerbe.
