we did all the hard work for you to find the standouts from yuni's very first collection...
If only you could channel the natural high and inner peace that comes from practicing yoga outside of the studio, during life's... perhaps less-than-zen moments. Even the most dedicated yogis can't stay calm all the time, when the real world is filled with mood-killing realities such as traffic jams, tight deadlines, and too-close subway riders. Enter Emmanuel Rey, a seasoned beauty industry product developer (whose resume boasts marketing positions at the likes L'Oreal and Aveda) and Ashtanga Yoga teacher from the uber-chill city of Hermosa Beach, California.
Rey created Yuni, the world's first beauty brand of sustainable, yoga- inspired products. He wants these products to serve and anchor the senses the same way that shavasana, the most meditative and relaxing part of yoga, does. We met up with Rey, his wife Suzanne, and NYC yoga educator Barbara Wolf at the gorgeous Prince Street Lofts, to learn more about Yuni over hummus and a yoga class. Read on if you want to leave the gym looking as flawless as Taylor Swift always does, or want to learn more about how you can get a killer hair treatment while working out, all for around $12-$22 a product.
No-Rinse Cleansing Body Foam
$19, YuniBeauty.com (Available August 1st)
Even hot yoga is no match for this mousse-y foam, which will instantly refresh and recharge your skin when you can't take a shower. It's made from Neem extract and aloe vera, which helps to protect and soothe your skin along with moisturizing it. This is an all-in-one product--it instantly vanishes into your skin, so there's no messy clean up, which means you won't need a towel or water to get it off. Plus, since aloe vera gives off a soothing effect, this foam will prolong the calming effects of yoga, meaning that you'll be zen for all your post-yoga plans...even a packed DMV at lunch hour won't bring you down! (Yes, Yuni's THAT potent...someone give Emmanuel Rey a Nobel Peace Prize).
Muscle Recovery Gel
$15, yunibeauty.com (available august 1st)
Do post-workout pains make you a chronic exercise skipper? This gel ensures that you'll never have that excuse ever again. A genius blend of Arnica flower extract and peppermint leaf essential oils reduce the perception of pain, so you'll get the good parts of exercise soreness (muscle tightening/strengthening), without any of the negative side effects. The Arnica extract also reduces swelling and bruising, ensuring that your legs stay summer-perfect and ready to show off. Finally, fair-trade green tea extract reduces bacterial activity on your skin, which means no apres-sweat blemishes! This product comes with an easy-glide applicator that will smooth over any overextended muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other post-workout hotspots. You'll feel an amazingly icy, numbing sensation over the areas for about 45 minutes after application, so this is great to use at night, or before any designated at-home relaxation time.
Microveil Hair Treatment
$22, YUNIBEAUTY.COM (AVAILABLE AUGUST 1st)
Cancel your next hair treatment appointment - Yuni's giving you back that extra time with their (slightly genius) heat-activated DIY product. All you have to do is spray it evenly onto hair before working out, and then put your hair up as you normally would (how you style it is up to you, but braids work best for this because they really lock in every strand). You'll find your hair to be shinier and healthier within just days, due to this treatment's non-greasy argan nut and kukui oils, which are often used in massage balm. We tried this treatment for all of our modes of workout, and it's incredibly versatile to use, and not just for yoga class. Now you can get a treatment while running, navigating the very scary world of Trader Joe's during rush hour, and then bringing those groceries back up to your fifth floor walk-up.
Instant Shower Sheets
$12, YUNIBEAUTY.COM (Available august 1st)
We may have just unlocked the secret of how to leave the gym looking as radiant and camera-ready as Taylor Swift always does. This product is refreshment in a single sheet: you'll never again leave class dripping of grease and grime. They're infused with peppermint extract, to give your skin an extra minty jolt of refreshment and they also have mild antiseptic properties to reduce the bacteria that lurks on your post-workout skin. That means say goodbye to bacne and other blemishes that arise when you sweat. If we didn't already have you at the whole "Here's how to look like Taylor Swift for $12" thing, consider this: these sheets are almost creepily durable (it's impossible to rip them, we tried in many creative, infomercial test-worthy ways), but still 100% biodegradable and compostable, unlike the majority of makeup wipes. (Oh, did we tell you these also remove makeup, too? Because they totally do. Well played, Yuni. Well played).
Aromatic Body Mist
$25, YUNIBEAUTY.COM (AVAILABLE AUGUST 1st)
Yoga is a sensorial experience of the mind and body that enlightens, recharges, and empowers. Stressing out over your newest Instagram post's lack of likes isn't. Luckily, this non-drying, misty formula works to anchor you back into a state of bliss through it's mix of essential oils, geranium, bergamot, neroili, and sage. It's designed to prolong the effects of yoga, so spray it on your body when you just can't even, try some deep breathing, and be amazed at the instant calming sensation it induces. Hey, our servers crashed three times during the writing of this post, and this mist kept the author from an in-office nervous breakdown, so thanks Yuni! But seriously, this product is perfect for those of us whose schedules/budgets/lives in general keep us from practicing yoga as much as we'd like to. Spray it on when you wish you were in shavasana, and float away to your happy place.
