Picture a sprawling green estate in central Italy, between Florence and Rome, Umbria to be exact. The dogs are out early this morning, helping their humans to hunt rare and valuable treasure. The treasure? Black truffles. This is the Balestra family farm, the largest truffle farm in Italy and home of Italian skincare brand, SKIN&CO.

While delicious on pasta, the black winter truffle offers benefits beyond the palate. While unassuming in appearance, they are rich in vitamin C, amino acids, B12 and something magical called SOD or superoxide dismutase. SOD is a super-powered antioxidant that helps combat signs of aging in the skin.

At this rate, you can put truffles on my flatbread, truffle oil on my pasta, the Trader Joes truffle marcona almonds in my pantry and put fresh-from-Italy SKIN&CO truffle-powered skincare on my face.

About Truffle Farming

Black truffle season is between November and February. These treasures grow 12” below ground and because they require soil with just the right PH, they only grow in certain places of the world. The Umbrian region of Italy is one such place with SKIN&CO being the largest truffle farm in Italy.

I wish I’d had the chance to talk to my late dad about truffle farming. His degree was in turf management and he was a true green thumb. Two of his books are in the photo above actually. For some reason, when we went to collect his things, The Nature and Properties of Soils and The Plant World spoke to me.

Truffle hunting is serious business as it takes 11-12 Black Winter truffles for just 1 bottle of serum.
Contrary to what most believe, dogs, not pigs, are most commonly used to source the truffle as only they can smell them, not humans or machines. Italy, dogs, truffles, what’s not to love here?!

About SKIN&CO

At the beginning of 2023, after loving SKIN&CO products organically for several years, I began hosting live shows for them. Check out the past livestreams to watch me talk to myself for an hour and tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the black winter truffle and it’s skincare benefits.

Having worked directly with the founder himself, Gabriel Balestra, I can tell you that this brand has been truly wonderful to work with. I’ve learned so much, I’ve been so impressed, and I’ve had the opportunity to try every product and wanted to finally share all my findings with you.

While SKIN&CO products are made with many natural ingredients and “family farm-to-face”, there are also plenty of clinical trials, testing and research in between.

The products are also:

• Cruelty free
• Vegan
• Made with non-GMO, natural ingredients
• Paraben free

If you decide to try any of these products, make sure to use code IVYSAVANAH to save 20%.

Skin&Co Cleansers

Truffle Therapy Cleansing Foam

The lightest-weight cleanser in the line, the cleansing foam is your friend if you’re oily.
Without stripping, the foam absorb oils and provides some mild exfoliation via lactic acid.

As someone with quite dry skin, this isn’t a cleanser I reach for, but I love the pump packaging and fluffy texture so I wish I could! If you’re oily? No brainer!

Truffle Therapy Morning Dew

This non-foaming, nourishing gel/cream hybrid is the when-in-doubt cleanser for all skin types.
Due to it’s gel-like appearance, I initially assumed it wouldn’t work for my dry skin. However, it’s just right.

I use SKIN&CO Morning Dew more than any other cleanser in my arsenal. I have never encountered any dryness or tightness, just antioxidant-rich, truffle-laden, cleansing goodness. It’s safe to say that the has a permanent place in my shower.

Truffle Therapy Whipped Cleansing Cream

True to it’s delicious sounding name, this is a rich, non-foaming cream cleanser. I’d recommend this mostly for dry types due to it’s texture. With it’s calming ingredients, it’s what I use when my skin feels extra thirsty/irritated.

It removes light makeup but you may still want to follow with something like Morning Dew to fully remove it all if you’re a full face honey like me.

For best results, apply to dry skin first, massage in and then rinse or wipe off with a wash cloth. I prefer the warm wash cloth method myself for the most thorough removal.

Truffle Therapy Cleansing Oil

This biphasic product incorporates both water and oil based truffle extract to break down makeup, oils and impurities on the face. Due to the old adage that oil and water do not mix, you’ll definitely want to shake the product well prior to use. I recommend investing in some reusable rounds like THESE if you’re going to use it as a micellar water or toner.

Here’s the coolest part about the Truffle Therapy Cleansing Oil-it’s dual purpose! You can use it as you would a micellar water on a cotton pad to remove makeup, apply to your hands and massage into your face before wiping with a washcloth, or use it as an ultra hydrating toner for dry skin. I definitely used the aforementioned method over the dry winter.

Skin&Co Toners

Truffle Therapy Toner

This is the SKIN&CO product that likely put them on the map. After launching in 2016, it surged in popularity thanks to it’s ability to soothe troubled, reactive, acne-prone/oily skin. Seriously; just read the rave reviews. It of course contains truffle extract, as well as the “Italian astringent trio” of sage, lemon and rosemary.

While it definitely works great for oily or normal skin, it’s something I can only use on my dry skin occasionally and more in warmer weather when some humidity is on my side. After a hot, sweaty day, I do find it really refreshing and as a spot treatment before that time of the month.

Truffle Therapy Radiant Dew

This toner is best described as a moisturizing essence as it feels more like a liquid moisturizer or hydrating serum. It was inspired by this darling Umbrian tradition of making St. John’s water (Acqua di San Giovanni) during summer solstice with local herbs and flowers.

Radiant Dew smells and feels super fresh and invigorating thanks to peppermint, ginger and rosemary. I love to use it to cool down my skin, spraying it on my chest and back of my neck on warm nights. I especially enjoy spraying it on after shaving my face. Ahhh!

This particular SKIN&CO toner is not meant to whisk away oil but instead, add hydration and help your skin to seal in moisture after cleansing. While you can use this as you would a traditional toner, spraying onto a cotton round, I prefer to treat it as I would a serum. You can spray it directly onto your face, or into your hands and then apply to your face. Just make sure to apply before other treatments, serums and moisturizers.

Skin&Co Serums

Truffle Therapy Serum

With it’s ultra-light, quick-absorbing texture the Truffle Therapy Serum makes for an amazing antioxidant boost under makeup. When applied to face, neck and décolletage, it increased elasticity by 20% over 28 days. It helps to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while acting as a great makeup primer
Thanks to the inclusion of red algae harvested on the island of Lampedusa, between Sicily and Africa, you’ll also experience a pleasant, tightening/firming sensation when applied.

For all of those reasons, it’s one of my must-try SKIN&CO products and how I prefer to prep my skin for makeup most days.

Truffle Therapy Luminous Dew Eye Serum

I absolutely love this eye serum for makeup prep. It is the absolute perfect texture for hydrating the under eye area, but not causing a bit of slippage or pilling under concealer. It’s lightweight, but thanks to hyaluronic acid, black winter truffle of course, barley, bilberry, hibiscus and olive oil, it hydrates completely.

Skin&Co Moisturizers

Truffle Therapy Cream

The Truffle Therapy Cream has a smooth, lightweight texture but is heavy on peptides, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, black winter truffle of course and shea butter. It has been clinically tested to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increase elasticity. Yes, please!

I really love the level of hydration this cream provides and use it as both my day and night cream most of the time. As a fun bonus, it has 3D soft focus technology. Via micro crystals of salt that reflect light in a flattering way, the Truffle Therapy Cream can soften and diffuse fine lines and wrinkles while it hydrates!

Truffle Therapy Dream Cream 

If you love the Truffle Therapy Cream, but want some gentle exfoliation for dull skin overnight, check out Dream Cream. It contains 10% alpha hydroxy acids, all fruit derived from lemon, orange, and apple. It helps to gently resurface the skin regeneration and even though it has less than 2% retinoid acid, it’s best used at night.

The naturally-derived AHAs can create a slightly gritty sensation, but it’s no cause for concern. If you prefer, you can add a few drops of truffle oil for extra richness and smoothness.

Truffle Therapy Pure Oil

The shimmering version of this is the SKIN&CO product I fell madly in love with. Don’t believe me? Just watch me freak out in THIS VIDEO.

While it’s certainly hydrating, it has a dry finish on the skin. It absorbs quickly and plays very well with other products like moisturizers and makeup. You can even add a drop or two to your foundation.

This is the purest blend and percentage of truffle extract possible. In addition, it also contains squalene, Sicilian almond oil, calendula and vitamin E for a super soothing, super hydrating, addictive/heavenly smelling, beauty elixir.

SKIN&CO Masks & Exfoliators

Truffle Therapy Midnight Dew Mask

This mask is so weird, in the very best way! Despite being made with mineral-rich Umbrian clay, extracted from 40 floors deep underground, it’s hydrating, never drying. How though?!

As someone with very dry skin, I’ve always avoided traditional masks. However, when I apply this with the darling included brush, instead of drying and cracking, it absorbs on dry skin within 5-7 minutes, never dries, and somehow, hydrates?! After I rinse or wipe it off, my skin feels more moisturized than before and I can honestly say, that has never, ever been the case with a clay mask. I’m told that on oily skin, it will actually dry down like a clay mask. Fascinating.

You can use this mask up to 3 times per week and as a spot treatment on breakouts. Make sure to apply a generous layer with the included brush and leave it on for at least 10 minutes to get the best results.

Truffle Therapy Gommage

If you love the Whipped Cream Cleanser, but could use some exfoliation, this is for you. With the same hydrating base as the cleanser but with the addition of ground Sicilian apricot kernels, you’ll be hydrating and exfoliating simultaneously. My mom requested more of it recently, calling it “the sandy cleanser.”

To properly use this gommage, first apply to your dry face using gentle pressure, massage until the cream has absorbed and you’re just left with the fine beads on your skin. Then, you can either rinse or wipe off with a towel.

Skin&Co Body Products

Umbrian Truffle Exfoliating Gel 

This shower gel has a low-foaming base with ground apricot kernel and jojoba beads for exfoliation. While gently buffing away dead skin cells, it also nourishes the skin with jojoba oils, aloe, copaiba, vitamin E, Sicilian orange extract and bergamot oil. Make sure you shake it up well before use to incorporate all of the natural ingredients.

Truffle Therapy Ultra-Rich Body Oil

This body oil tells you right in the name that it’s ultra rich. Unlike the lightweight Truffle Therapy face oil, this is thick and dense, in all the best ways. Somehow, it’s also very quick absorbing with miraculously no lingering stickiness?!

In addition to it’s high concentration of truffle oil, this body oil contains 23 other omega fatty acid rich oils such as:

• Sunflower seed oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Argan oil
• Sweet almond oil
• Squalane
• Brazil nut
• Passion fruit oil
• Rosehip oil
• Sea buckthorn

Now, I don’t know if you’re ready for this, but it also comes in a shimmering version. I’m telling you; a shimmering body oil is an instant confidence boost and my favorite way to moisturize and maximize a spray tan. Oh, and you’ll smell so, so good too!

If you can only try a few things from SKIN&CO, here are my personal top 5.

My Skin&Co Top 5

1. Truffle Therapy Pure Oil
2. Truffle Therapy Serum
3. Truffle Therapy Luminous Dew Eye Serum
4. Truffle Therapy Body Oil
5. Truffle Therapy Morning Dew Cleanser

Let me know if you have any questions or want recommendations. Now, go feed your skin some truffles. Ciao!🍄🇮🇹

use code IVYSAVANAH to save 20% SKIN&CO