071. SEE NEW x Forest Rhapsody, TF Pay It Forward, Teen TV
A skincare subscription box, a Tender Forms favorite, and a recent bout of Teen TV series.
Hi, I’m Maggie, and welcome to Tender Forms Off-Camera: a weekly newsletter on all things slow: beauty, fashion, living. Links in this newsletter may include affiliate links or discount referrals. If you enjoy and would like to support this newsletter, click the button below or shop through my links! No pressure but thank you if you do.
This skincare subscription box was sent for paid content work, but as always, this newsletter is not sponsored!
SEE NEW Skincare Box* ($37–$47 bi-monthly)
SEE NEW is founded and run by Bryn and Austin with the mantra that skincare can be simple and empower. Though they’ve been around for a while, both founders still hand package each box in Denver, CO., and they recently just changed their subscription levels. There are now two options available:
The Skincare Box ($47): This is their original 2-month box filled with several full-size items from a featured brand.
The Essentials ($37): This is a new option where they distill the line into a streamlined, simple routine for you! Minimalists, rejoice!
Their July/August box featured the new-to-me brand: Forest Rhapsody. Founder, CJ Zhan-Shahani, grew up in Singapore and created the brand after experiencing hormonal cystic acne during both of her pregnancies. She worked with an all-female team of chemists to develop this capsule collection of gentle, effective skincare. The box contained a whopping 5 full-sized items from the line! Let’s start with the item shown above.
Green Nectar* ($64, 1.9floz | 56ml)
Described as a “Marine Hydrator,” Green Nectar’s collection of bioactives hydrate, soothe, and plump. It contains high and low molecular weight sodium hyaluronate, marine extracts like chlorella and sea kelp, aloe vera leaf juice, glycerin, and a complex of passion flower, plantain leaf, calendula, and comfrey leaf extracts. Basically a blend of everything skin-loving. The texture reminds me of a thicker essence. The moment it hits your skin, it feels like a fresh drink of water. It remains tacky for a minute or two but then sinks in, leaving a soft, dry touch to the skin. I used this as my only moisturizer in the mornings, but it made my SPF pill. When used in the evenings, I would mix it with a few drops of facial oil, but I seek heavier duty skincare for nighttime. In other words, I couldn’t find the right combo of using it for the face. However, I adore it for the body. Right out of the shower, I’ll use two pipette fulls from neck to toe. It leaves my skin so soft (even Husband commented on it), hydrated, and best of all, smooth and dry to the touch. Scent-wise there’s a slight saltwater hint upon application, but it dissipates quickly.
The packaging leaves a bit to be desired. The one included in the box is a pipette with what I can only relate to as medicine bottle openers. The type where you push down and twist to open. I found this incredibly frustrating to use. The first few times were tough, but the mechanism smooths out with use. On the Forest Rhapsody website and Instagram, it looks like it has a pump instead, which I would have much rather preferred. I’m guessing the pump is the latest packaging, but not 100% sure.
Good Earth* ($52, 1floz | 30ml)
This is my favorite item out of the entire box for one sole reason: it is the best spot treatment I have ever used. Good Earth is a blend of CoQ10, Thanaka bark powder, raw honey, and a complex of 13 super greens and superfoods high in antioxidants. The ingredients make it a mask that purifies, nourishes, and repairs, especially for blemish-prone skin. I first used it as a spot treatment and was simply blown away. It has the color and appearance of mud or chocolate ice cream, and the texture is creamy and thick. This makes it adhere to the skin and stay put while not drying out! In other words, you can leave it on for hours (I did) to work its magic without your skin feeling tight or uncomfortable. Depending on which type of blemish I have, it takes away redness, diminishes swelling, or brings it to a head. And this isn’t just for acne, my cheek had a strange flare up one night where it was super itchy, so I slathered this on. It immediately cooled the skin down, the itch went away, and when I removed it maybe an hour later, my skin was back to normal. Surprisingly, as an all-over face mask, it does make a few areas of my face a little sensitive if kept on for a full 15 minutes. Thus, I happily reserve this for spot treatments.
Dew Drops* ($69, 3.7floz | 109ml)
Let us first take a moment to appreciate the delightfully unique texture of Dew Drops. Is this not the most beautiful abstract lemon wedge you’ve ever seen? Dew Drops is the line’s cult-favorite cleanser. It’s an enzymatic cleansing gel-oil-milk. It’s a gel from the jar, but once massaged into the skin, it becomes an oil, and lastly, with a few drops of water, it turns into a milk.
This is an excellent cleanser when used with a washcloth as it removes both makeup and sunscreen with ease. However, despite emulsifying it with water, you won’t be able to rinse it clean on its own. It needs a washcloth; otherwise, a layer of oil is left. I also find using a generous amount to be the key. When I use too little, as it spreads and thins out, I end up tugging the skin. This is more of a treatment cleanser for me and not a daily one. It’s a bit too active and often leaves my skin sensitive and a little red if used consecutively. Instead, I use this as my first cleanse once or twice a week for a bit of extra exfoliation. I wish this was a bit more gentle so that I could use it daily or less tugging if I use a smaller amount. The scent is a bright lemon with a hint of lemongrass. The lemon scent is quite strong and blended with the rest of the ingredients gives it a sweet quality that veers a tad too sweet for me.
It reminds me a lot of the Jordan Samuel Skin After Show Treatment Cleanser in texture and performance. This one could be for you if you enjoy more active cleansers!
Thousand Petals* ($52, 1floz | 30ml)
This was another item that surprised me. Out of all the items in the box, this one I was most fearful of. When I read “Flower Acid Resurfacing Mask,” my sensitive skin ran in fear. Any type of acid mask usually means it stings, burns, or irritates my skin more than it helps it. So I decided to start small. A quick peruse of the ingredients list, and I caught Lactic Acid (LA). LA can be great for congested areas, so I went in with a light layer on the sides of my nose. I tend to always have blackheads there, and it’s the most congested area on my face. To my great surprise, there was no burning, but instead a cooling sensation! It felt wonderful. My nose felt like it was getting a breath of fresh air. I didn’t notice that much of a difference when I removed it, but the experience was excellent. The more I do this (once per week), the better the area around my nose is. I have fewer blackheads (though I never had a ton), and I don’t get acne around there as much! Plus, the fresh, floral, and slightly fruity scent is a joy to breathe in when doing this treatment. Similar to Good Earth, when used all over the face, it’s too strong for my skin and stings around my upper cheeks and forehead areas.
Achla of @theskinbeneath had a post where she shared a tip from the brand to mix this with a bit of Green Nectar to use as a second cleanse! This was a wonderful surprise! With just the tiniest amount of Thousand Petals and a pipette full of Green Nectar, you can make your own custom creamy second cleanse with a bit of extra physical exfoliation. Thousand Petals contains finely milled Bamboo powder. The mixture is also a dream to rinse clean on its own and leaves the skin feeling plump and extra soft. I also enjoyed the blend of the two scents as well.
Now I use this for both a second cleanse with gentle physical exfoliation and weekly congested nose maintenance.
Barrier Warrior* ($74, 1floz | 30ml)
I had the highest hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it’s the one I like least. However, it’s mainly for two reasons that aren’t related to the performance of the product! Number one is the packaging again. It has the same push-down and twist opener and pipette. However, the consistency of Barrier Warrior is much thicker than Green Nectar which means that it is frustratingly tough to get any into the pipette. I have to squeeze several times, and it’s always hit or miss. The second reason is the scent. This scent is quite strong and lingers for me. It’s spa-like, strongly of cucumber, and while not synthetic, it comes across that way and just isn’t for me. The product itself is incredibly silky and slippery. It’s a texture I haven’t quite come across in green beauty!
The few times I used this, I had breakouts pop up every time. I would have to use it for at least a month to see if it’s just from my skin acclimating or something in the formula that my skin’s reacting to. Unfortunately, because of the scent, I would rather give it a better home!
The only item from the line not included in the box is their Milk Ferment, a rice and probiotics milk cleanser. I would have loved to try this, as it sounds right up my alley! You know how much I love cleansers, so that’s the first thing it’s got going for it. The second would be the inclusion of colloidal oatmeal, something my skin loves. It sounds like it would be great to use as a flash mask as well.
Overall, the SEE NEW box was of incredible value and a beautiful way to discover Forest Rhapsody. Everything is just a bit too active for my skin apart from Green Nectar. While I like several of the items, I don’t use any for their primary purpose. It’s a lovely brand, but unfortunately is less for my skin type. This line would be great for anyone accustomed to gently active skincare routines, who also looks for a very hydrating and smoothing regimen.
You guessed it! Since I only have one face, I am bringing back the Tender Forms Pay It Forward.
If you’re not familiar, the Tender Forms Pay It Forward is my way of thanking you, dear Newsletter subscriber! It’s a chance to try different skincare, makeup, and perfume. Some I purchased myself, and others were sent as PR. They either didn’t work for my skin type or were not the correct shade for my skin tone. All items are opened and range from lightly to partially used unless otherwise noted. Everything will get a wipe with alcohol before shipping!
In an effort to save a little bit of money since I am sending these out myself, I have upped the total amount of items you can get to six (6)! You can choose up to two (2) skincare items and four (4) makeup items. Multiple shades of the evanhealy Tinted Oil Serum Foundations are listed too!
First come, first served! *And if you feel compelled to donate to my Ko-fi account to keep these Pay It Forwards going, I would appreciate it so much!
I love binging what I call “teen tv” when my brain is fried. You know the type, the ones that look nice but you don’t need to think too hard. Most of the cast is comprised of teens or at least younger than yours truly. You can go in and out of it and still understand what’s going on even if you didn’t really pay attention. And that’s pretty much all I’ve watched in the month of August.
‘Gossip Girl’ S1: I’m sad to say that it did not get better after the series premiere. Nothing got better. In fact, I often found my mind wandering throughout every episode. Like its predecessor, a lot of the storyline is cyclical. Characters make the same decisions leading to the same mistakes or misunderstandings, and they all resolve in the same way. It gets very dull. Would not recommend it.
‘FBoy Island’ S1: This is my first reality dating show, and it was…hilarious. Now I see why everyone loves shows like these. The funniest moments have to be the little skits in between the main drama. But that’s not to diminish the absolute sh*tshow that happens in each one. As suspected, it gets less entertaining when more dudes are voted “off the island,” but there are some good if not obvious twists. Anyway, it’s all good fun and was for everyone because, believe it or not, it’s been renewed for Season 2.
‘Titans’ S2: Husband and I slogged through Season 1 since all the early action scenes were quite promising, but it turned out terrible. Thus, I watched Season 2 by myself. Season 2 is much better, in my opinion. It had a more focused storyline and featured the “older” Titans, all of whom are more interesting characters to me.
And just to recap: are any of these series worth watching? Not really.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you are well and enjoying the long weekend if you have it! Are you a lover of skincare subscription boxes? Have you tried SEE NEW or Forest Rhapsody? I would love to know your thoughts! Remember, you can always leave a comment or reply directly to this email to chat one-on-one.
As always, I hope you have a great start to your week. See you next Sunday!
