As an LA native, Tower 28 Beauty immediately resonated with me. The company is named after a lifeguard tower in Santa Monica, which sits at the crossroads of the Santa Monica pier and the iconic Venice Beach. As I’m from the westside of Los Angeles, this tower in many ways reminds me of my childhood and evokes a feeling of home. Known to be a meeting place for locals, Tower 28 symbolizes everything the beauty company believes in: community, healthy fun, and clean living. “At Tower 28 Beauty,” founder Amy Liu explains, “We like our beauty products the way we like our beaches: clean, full of sunshine, and for everyone.”
I’ve always had sensitive skin. When I was a child going through puberty, I remember trying to cover my pimply face with cover up, only worsening my skin and not understanding why. Throughout my lifelong skin journey, I’ve tested so many different products, really trying to clock which ones work for me and which don’t. And although I’ve succeeded in identifying those that do, the ‘hit or miss’ process has left me hesitant to try out anything new from a brand I’m unfamiliar with.
Knowing this painful and frustrating process all too well, founder Amy created a skincare brand made for all types of sensitive skin, avoidant of all known irritants and allergens. Her goal was to be the brand that no one was hesitant to try out, eliminating the fear of diving into the new. In her personal skincare story, eczema was the thing she suffered from most: “After 15+ years working as a beauty executive, I was frustrated that my sensitive, problem skin meant I was limited to serious brands that felt clinical. At Tower 28, we know that what goes on your skin also goes in your bloodstream. We also know that beauty doesn't have to be so serious, which is why our products are non-toxic, free of sensitizing irritants, full of calming, nourishing ingredients, plus a healthy dose of FUN.”
We simply never know how our skin is going to react. But as Tower 28 is built on the principle of providing safe and affordable beauty options for all skin sensitivities, taking in account everything from severe eczema and the many skin tones that exist in our world, to potential allergy-provoking ingredients and being vegan and cruelty-free, I was open to giving the brand a shot. To my surprise, my skin loved the ingredients in the products Tower 28 so generously gifted me. From the SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($28) and the SOS Intensive Rescue Serum ($34), to the SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen ($30) and the SuperDew Highlighter Balm ($18), I’ve finally found a trustworthy skincare and beauty brand that provides clean makeup and products suitable for all skin sensitivities and types.
RESCUE ME GENTLY
The SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($28) does wonders to my skin when I use it as a toner during my skincare routine or throughout the day as a refresher. Its hero ingredient, hypochlorous acid (HOCl), naturally helps fight and defend the body from harmful bacteria and inflammation, which is why it’s great to use first thing in the morning. Hypochlorous acid has been long used by doctors and clinicians in wound healing, but started to make an appearance in skincare in recent years when viral social media dermatologists covered the incredible skincare benefits of the ingredient.
I particularly like this facial spray because it's safe to use on other parts of your body as well. It’s a good thing to have around when I’m exercising as I spray it on certain areas like my upper back and chest both before and after I work out to protect my skin from sweat breakouts. The SOS product is one of the first the brand created and it’s also a bestseller – that doesn’t surprise as it literally does save my skin. It doesn’t have a scent to it either, which makes it that much more trustworthy in my book; my skin tends to get triggered by fragrances.
The SOS Intensive Rescue Serum ($34) is a lightweight, pH-balancing, water-based formula designed to help reduce redness and irritation for softer, clearer-looking and happier skin. It’s meant to be used right after the facial spray, which is exactly what I’ve been doing. I let the facial spray dry and then apply 2-3 pumps of the serum onto my skin. I like to use it both in the morning and in the evening, as it calms my skin down nicely to start my day and before I go to sleep.
It feels like I’m applying a protective layer to my skin, while it also acts as a neutralizing base so that the moisturizer I apply afterwards absorbs into my skin even more. Usually I would be worried about applying a double dose of hypochlorous acid, as I’m scared it would strip my skin of all its moisture, but it seems to be reacting really well. It helps hydrate, soothe, purify, and renew my sensitive skin, especially when I’m dealing with some acne. Every time I use this serum my face feels fresh and clean, yet my skin still feels so gently cared for.
SUNNY DAYS FOREVER
The SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen ($30) is a mineral sunscreen and foundation designed for sensitive skin. It contains protective and supportive ingredients like prickly pear extract, aloe vera and white sage sourced from the California deserts. This is the product I was most excited to try.
Tower 28 offers a ‘match me’ questionnaire online to see what your perfect shade is. I felt like I was in between 2 shades so Tower 28 was kind enough to share both with me. I mixed the two together to get the perfect brown, and it worked wonders! I now not only get my daily dose of sun protection, but I also get a beauty boost that evens my skintone out and leaves my face glowing!
Staying true to its mission, this sunscreen is the first ever complexion makeup product that has received the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance™. SunnyDays delivers non-irritating mineral protection, soothes UV stressed skin, and provides a non-greasy, never-cakey natural finish without a white cast. The sunscreen feels really light on my skin. SunnyDays provides light-to-medium coverage and comes in 14 shades — each one named after LA’s most beloved places.
And last but not least, I got to try out the translucent, complexion-boosting SuperDew Highlighter Balm ($18). Infused with skin-loving ingredients like soothing chamomile and calming green tea extract, this product lit up my skin like no other. I applied it to my cheek bones, nose, even used it as an eyeshadow and it left my skin beaming! This is the perfect balm to carry around in your purse for any unexpected moments where you run into your crush.
Tower 28 is really the clean beauty brand designed for all. Born & bred in Santa Monica, California, it provides a true taste of home and keeps the sun shining even on LA’s gloomiest days.
