So, there are a million “farm-to-face” skincare lines out there these days, which is great, but for me to get excited, I need a little more than that.  Bottega Organica is just what the doctor ordered, literally. Dr. Andrea Alimonti (Harvard and Sloan-Kettering) at Bottega Organica has fused together Western medicine with pure, organic, plant-based ingredients to create a gentle, anti-aging skincare line.

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A little background on the good doctor: While world-renowned geneticist Dr. Alimonti was studying a novel cure for cancer he developed a screening method to detect the effect of plant extracts on aging and skin senescence. After screening thousands of different combinations, he was able to identify a handful of Natural Inhibitors of Senescence (NIS) – natural substances with the potential of slowing the aging of human cells; Bottega Organica was born soon after.  Dr. Alimonti has since won the Dr. Josef Steiner Cancer Research Award (2015), which is second only to the Nobel Prize for Cancer Research.  Can you spell L-E-G-I-T?

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Most products are made in small batches on the founder’s farm in Liguria, Italy, (which has been in the family for over 500 years, and pesticides have never been used there) and all the organic and wildcrafted herbs are harvested on site and then alchemized with cold-pressed olive oil.  And, this isn’t just any olive oil –   it’s made from perfectly ripened olives that are cold-pressed on the same day that they’re harvested.   This allows the oil to retain its powerful anti-aging properties.  These products are definitely not the equivalent of rubbing some store-bought olive oil on your skin.  (All of Bottega’s creams are made in batches of 20 units (!) on the founder’s alternate dreamy oasis, a farm in upstate New York.)

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I could go on, but if you click here,  you’ll get a video tour of Bottega Organica’s pristine olive orchard and farm in Liguria, Italy with the brand’s chief scientist, Dr. Andrea Alimonti.  It is so, so beautiful; it’s going to motivate you to start planning that trip you always talk about…

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Here are some of my favorites from the line:

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Extra-Nourishing Face Formula: I’m not sure you will find something better for dry skin.  This formula is unique to anything else I’ve tried; it truly seals in moisture.  The Ligurian olive oil is blended with anti-aging golden and prawn sage, anti-inflammatory chamomile, high mallow extracts and rejuvenating carrot.  Put it on before bed, and you will wake up with a soft, supple, glow-y complexion.

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I’m very, very picky about body oils; if they are gooey and thick, I just can’t deal.  Bottega Organica’s Nourishing Body Oil is perfection.  No greasy, sticky gooeyness here.  My skin feels supple, well-hydrated and clean.  And, this oil imparts just a hint of a healthy-looking glow.  I love the subtle orange fragrance – which is totally unisex – and it fades soon after application, so it doesn’t interfere with fragrance.

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The Eye Illuminate Cream is borderline life-changing and I kind of want to eat it – it’s like olive butter.  I usually prefer eye serums to creams, but this one has no weird emulsifiers in it and it sinks right in while doing some heavy-duty moisturizing.  It also contains a host of other anti-inflammatory, antiaging ingredients that really make a difference in the appearance of the skin around my eyes: specifically, arnica, cucumber, horse chestnut, rosemary, coneflower, prawn sage and wild carrots.  This is one of the best, most luxurious eye creams I’ve ever tried.  Also, I have very sensitive eyes, and I find it incredibly gentle.

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The Detox and Purify Herbal Tea is a pleasantly smooth-tasting tea, unlike most detox teas, which I find a little too pungent.  It also has a nice calming effect, so I like to drink it when I’m stressed or in the evening before bed.  This tea combines relaxing chamomile, rejuvenating lemon verbena and sage, and purifying senna and French lilac to purify the skin from the inside out.

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I know you’ve been wondering, and yes, Bottega Organica also sells their Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and it is AMAZING.  It is definitely some of the best olive oil I’ve ever tasted;  it would make a great gift for a foodie.  But, prepare to be spoiled for life….

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So, now I want to go to Italy and I’m really hungry and I have to go grocery shopping.  I’m sure that Richard will be thrilled at what I come home with and how much it costs….

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