The 3 Reed + Gwen Products That Are Giving Us Soft Skin & Stress Relief
Products That Melt Into Your Skin
Melt. That’s the first word that comes to mind while applying Reed + Gwen’s line of body products. When I step from the tub—or rather the luxurious soak in the brand’s signature bath blend—my skin feels softer than before, and ready for nourishment.
It’s hard to choose between the body melt and body oil, and so I don’t, instead allowing myself to indulge in both for ultimate hydration. My skin literally drinks the products up, and so I go in for a second application of each. Because why not? With Reed + Gwen, I’ve found less is never more, and indulgence is encouraged.
But allow me to back up to introduce this new nontoxic brand and its small yet highly curated line of natural body essentials.
Reed + Gwen, launched in fall 2021, creates integrative and nutrient-dense formulations for skin, hair, and body. The brand is a new venture from Avocado Green Brands, and offers plant-based beauty products that “are radically sustainable, transparent, and obsessively safe.”
To celebrate the launch, I recently tried formulations from the body collection, including the Snoozy Bath Soak ($38), Grounding Dry Body Oil ($48), and Supercharged Reishi Body Melt ($48). While I’m fairly religious with my skincare routine, the skin not on my face often gets forgotten. Soap and lotion have been my go-to for as long as I can remember, so adding a body oil to my bathroom vanity? A true luxury.
Since using the collection, I’ve discovered each of Reed + Gwen’s products to be rejuvenating in its own way. They can be used solo—though I definitely prefer (and recommend) side-by-side application for a lavish boutique spa experience at home.
To begin, I love drawing a bath and adding two heaping scoops of the bath soak blend (maybe three if it’s been an exceptionally stressful week). The mixture is made with magnesium flakes and Himalayan sea salt to help release tension; the lavender and rosewood oils aid in tranquility.
Organic coconut oil, rose petals, and even geranium and orange peel also help to make up this blend—and yes, it smells divine. I do wish the petals dissolved, though I’m not sure how that would be possible. While they look pretty in the glass jar on my bathroom shelf (the wooden scoop spoon is a delightful accessory), I find the soggy flower remnants look a bit unappetizing floating around on the water’s surface. Even still, it doesn’t deter me from enjoying my soak. I also love the beautiful paper packaging—more on this below, but Reed + Gwen prioritizes sustainability.
The brand is also cruelty-free and its formulations, including the Supercharged Reishi Body Melt, are vegan. I apply this directly after the tub or shower, as the super-soft formula combines adaptogenic Reishi mushrooms, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides for all-day moisture and protection from pollutants. I’m an earth sign, so I’m especially drawn to the grounding scents of lavender, sage, cedar, and citrus that exude from the jar.
Helping customers feel grounded is the name of the game for Reed + Gwen, hence the Grounding Dry Body Oil. It’s light, fast-absorbing, and seeps into my pores within seconds (yes, seconds!). I blame Los Angeles’ desert climate for perpetually parched skin, but I also believe this oil will revive all skin types, especially during the harsher winter months. The ingredient list includes fatty acids, essential vitamins, and powerful antioxidants—it’s essentially a big cup of moisture for your body. And again, these products seemingly melt.
As if that wasn’t enough reason to love this brand, Reed + Gwen overachieves when it comes to ethos and sustainability certifications, too. Not only are the formulas natural and nontoxic (many include organic ingredients), but they are made in the USA and packaged in Green Seal Certified Paper and FSC Certified recycled material. The paper is even made with 100% renewable energy.
But there’s more! Reed + Gwen is also Leaping Bunny certified, Climate Neutral certified, and a Certified B Corp. Oh, and they are part of 1% For The Planet.
With thousands of beauty and body brands launching daily in an already oversaturated market, I’m often leery of trying yet another launch or collection. But in this case, I’m so glad I did. And I encourage anyone else seeking softer and more hydrated skin to do the same. Reed + Gwen is the real deal. Each product comes with a hefty price tag (I’m hoping the brand will eventually offer a discounted box with all the products), but for hydrated skin, a lasting glow, and products that are genuinely good for you and the planet, I’d argue it’s worth the investment. Then again, did I expect anything less from the team at Avocado?
This article is in partnership with our friends at Reed + Gwen.
Kayti Christian (she/her) is a Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside, a newsletter for enneagram 4s and other sensitive-identifying people. Outside of writing, she loves hiking, reading memoir, and the Oxford comma.
