Annmarie Gianni’s Skincare Products Review (3 of 3)
At last, the 3rd and final review of Annmarie Gianni’s Skin Care line! If you missed the others, read the 1st review here and the 2nd review here. In all honesty, this line is by far 1 of my very favorite lines in existence and I will continue to use Annmarie’s products!
Herbal Facial Oil
Herbs are extremely powerful forces of Nature that offer us a wide-spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants, whether taken internally or applied externally. What I adore about the Herbal Facial Oil is that it is INFUSED with dozens of gentle, yet potent herbs that provide deep healing, nourishment, and regeneration to my skin. Its effectiveness is visually apparent; what I personally notice is that my face LOOKS SOFTER.
I reviewed the Anti-Aging Facial Oil in my 2nd review of Annmarie’s line and I have to say that it’s really difficult to choose a favorite between the two. They complement each other so well, so I have been rotating them every other day. The thing is, the Herbal Facial Oil IS anti-aging, and the Anti-Aging Facial Oil IS infused with herbs – so I suggest trying them both and seeing what feels best on your own skin.
You cannot go wrong with either of these facial oils that never seems to irritate sensitive skin! Annmarie offers 2 Herbal Facial Oils: one for normal and combination skin, and another for oily and acne prone skin. I tested the one for normal/combination skin but based upon the ingredient list for the acne prone skin oil, those blemishes don’t stand a chance!
The BENEFITS of the Herbal Facial Oil Include:
• Balancing out combination skin
• Soothing sensitive skin
• Restoring your youthful glow
Anti-Aging Serum
I’ve always wondered whether or not serums are actually a necessary part of a skin care regimen, in addition to facial oils. I’m so happy I had the chance to experience this one so I could test and experience it myself! Serums are very targeted in their mission toward healing the skin and reversing poor signs of aging by increasing skin moisture. The Anti-Aging Serum is filled to the brim with super natural, organic, and wildcrafted herbal extracts and oils that offer a synergistic youthening blend.
It’s high in the essential fatty acids your skin needs to look soft, supple, and glowing. This Serum contains Life Everlasting which promotes longevity and regeneration of our skin cells. I love that you don’t have to use very much, therefore allowing the bottle to last a long time! You can use it like a spot-treatment, or spread it all over your beautiful face just prior to any of the facial oils.
The Anti-Aging Serum is ideal for mature and dry skin (who isn’t going to say they don’t have that?)
Purifying Mud Mask
Don’t let the short list of ingredients in this one fool you! The variety of clays are so extraordinary individually, that together, they are magic for the skin! Throw in some blue green algae and you have an all-time winning combo.
Powdered masks are amazing because all you need to do is mix them with an equal amount of water, swirl into a paste, and apply. They are easy and ideal to travel with and serve many purposes (cleansing, detoxifying, removing heavy metals, decreasing pore size, etc). Clays are known to draw out toxins, accumulated poisons, dirt, excess oil, and congestion from the pores of your skin. They suck the bad stuff out and leave you with a clean slate – often not an easy thing to accomplish on a deep level even with a good cleanser.
I keep a small ceramic shell in my shower and shake some of the clay mask in it, add water, stir with my finger, apply, and leave on for the duration of my shower. Works wonders! Apply the Purifying Mud Mask to your face AND neck (no old women chicken necks around here!) once per week if you have normal skin, and more often with oily, and less often with real dry skin.
♥ Order Your Organic, Natural, and Wildcrafted Skin and Body Care HERE!
Annmarie Gianni’s Skincare Products Review (2 of 3)
In the 1st review, I shared my TOP 3 picks – my personal favorites that blew me away. If you missed my 1st review for Annmarie Gianni’s skincare line, read it here! Below I share the ones I adore for using together as part of a daily regimen. Use the gentle facial scrub first, then spritz with the toning mist, and apply the anti-aging oil just after for a flawless finish.
Ayurvedic Facial Scrub
The wonderful thing about a facial scrub is that if you find one gentle enough, you can use it daily to cleanse and exfoliate with amazing results. What I really like about this scrub is that it’s unique; many facial scrubs in the raw beauty industry are nothing more than crushed almonds and oats, but Annmarie has used fenugreek seeds, lavender flowers, and the leaves of various herbs to create a texture that actually FEELS like you’re getting a good scrub without even coming close to being irritating. Love this one!
You likely already know the multitude of benefits for exfoliating your skin, but I will share with you my top 3 reasons to use a facial scrub regularly:
1) Nourish and re-mineralize your face at the same time
2) Slough off dead skin cells to reveal a brighter appearance
3) You can indulge in what feels like a mini spa experience without leaving your home
Neroli Toning Mist
I think this product may not have gotten the love and attention it deserved when I first received it. Why? Well, I made the silly assumption that it was just a light spritzer and wouldn’t really do much for my skin or mood. Oh how I was wrong! I love being wrong about these things.
What changed? I moved earlier this month and during the long packing process I found myself stashing the Neroli Toning Mist in an easily accessible area so I could refresh and have a moment of replenishment among the chaos of moving. What I noticed after every time of using it was that my mood was instantly lifted – my stress started to vanish – and the “chaos” felt more like pure excitement! How could this be?! Neroli is THE aroma for lifting moods, bringing a frowning face to a smiling face, and raising the vibe wherever it’s sprayed. I sprayed it all over the place, even in my hair!
So, I went through the ENTIRE bottle in 1 week. I used it after I applied the Aloe Herb Cleanser and before the Facial Oils as well as throughout the day at home and in the car (brought it with me in my tote bag). The Neroli Toning Mist soothes the skin, cools you off during the warmer days of summer, and brings your skin back to perfect balance. Yes, please! I’ll take some of that.
Anti-aging Facial Oil
A girl’s gatta have an “anti-aging” / youth-enhancing facial oil – if she’s serious about taking really good care of her skin. In comparing this facial oil with the other one Annmarie offers (the herbal one, to be reviewed in the 3rd review), I did my due diligence to find what makes this one deserve the term anti-aging. Firstly, it delivers everything it offers and that’s super important when seeking out a product that can help turn back time in your favor. Here’s why:
The Anti-Aging Facial Oil is LOADED WITH SUPER HIGH ANTIOXIDANT COMMON and EXOTIC FRUIT OILS. It’s absurdly high in antioxidants – the list goes on forever! – and has the highest antioxidant value of any topical facial skincare product available. What this means for you:
1) The health of your skin will begin to look and feel dramatically better, healthier, and youthful.
2) The more antioxidants you put ON your skin, the less likely you are to burn from the Sun
3) It IS possible to stay looking young and to reverse poor signs of aging due to those nasty free radicals in your body
I love, love, love this facial oil! I like using it undiluted, straight on my face, as well as added to extra virgin coconut oil to really spread it far and wide. Just mix several drops of the facial oil in 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil and spread over your face, neck, chest, breasts, etc if you choose to do it this way – there’s no “right” way – just experiment and have fun lookin’ younger!
♥ Order Your Organic, Natural, and Wildcrafted Skin and Body Care HERE!
Annmarie Gianni’s Skincare Products Review (1 of 3)
I’m totally in love with beauty products. Super natural ones, extremely pure ones, and brilliantly formulated ones. For a girl like me, Annmarie Gianni’s truly natural skincare is a dream come true! For all the Goddesses out there who are mindful of what they put into and onto their body, I can guarantee you 1 thing: you will ADORE Annmarie’s products.
Over the past couple months I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to put most of her products to the test on my own sensitive skin. I’ve picked out 3 in particular that I’m head over heels for (listed below) and the rest – all of which are outstanding as well – in the following 2 blog posts that will all post before the end of June.
Are you as excited to read this review as I am to write it?!
Before I jump into the products I’m crazy for, it’s worth mentioning that I’m an extremely tough critic when it comes to skin and body care down to the very finest details. I have extraordinarily high standards and expectations, and refuse to put anything on my skin that I cannot also spoon into my mouth. As some of you already know, I am a formulator, having my own handcrafted edible herbal and superfood-infused products – and there are very few other lines, other than my own, that meet my ridiculous standards – Annmarie’s being 1.
Drumroll, please – for my Top 3 Picks!
ALOE HERB CLEANSER
I have waited my entire life for this cleanser. And, I know that some of you reading this have been anxiously awaiting the answer to the question every girl asks: What’s the best natural cleanser out there? Believe me, this is a BIG deal to find one that actually meets all the criteria and works for all skin types. No doubt about it, I have found it.
This cleanser is sooo soothing and light, and leaves your skin feeling soft and like it’s been gently cleansed (it has!). It doesn’t leave your skin squeeky clean like we wanted decades ago (misinformation anyway) and it doesn’t leave any residue or feel heavy. With all other natural cleansers I’ve ever tried (yes, ever), there was something not appealing or satisfying about the texture and/or application. With the Aloe Herb Cleanser, it’s easy to spread on your beautiful face and neck, and doesn’t foam (meaning it’s without unnatural foaming agents).
The base is organic aloe vera juice that’s been infused with deeply nourishing organic herbs, which compounds the beneficial effects of cleansing with the juice. It almost feels like an aloe vera juice based light lotion that you’re putting on. My favorite Aloe Amor contains herbs that are antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antimicrobial – meaning it will help to clear up your skin, rid your face of acne, and will most definitely lessen the appearance of bigger pores.
I went a LONG time without a regular cleanser. I’ve been using facial masks and scrubs for so long because I couldn’t find, or make one myself, that was perfect. No natural beauty product lover should be without this one. I could rave about this one for much longer, but it’s time to move on!
HONEY COCONUT MASK
Dear Honey Coconut Mask, how I love thee! This is the Mask to use if your skin is feeling and looking drab, or showing its age more than you’d like – the Honey Coconut Mask will re-hydrate your skin back to its natural youthful radiance. I love this Mask because even though powdered masks that you mix with a liquid are amazing, this one is ready to use (reminiscent of the non-natural ones), composed of a short list of pure ingredients that are packed full of enzymes, and that smells like you should be applying it on your tropical island getaway. So luscious!
This age-defying Mask spreads so smoothly and evenly over your face and neck, so apply it once per week if you have normal skin and 2 times or more if you have dry skin. The Honey Coconut Mask is perfect for days when you’ve been exposed to high heat and the Sun (maybe even more than you’d like) and you want to stop any negative effects from happening. Why? Because you will instantly soothe, replenish lost moisture, and infuse the layers of your skin with loads of vitamins and amino acids – and in turn, you’ll look refreshed, youthful, and restored. Expect SUPER SILKY and SUPER SMOOTH skin!
And, don’t deprive your hands (which are 1 of the 1st areas to show poor signs of aging) and feet – use the Mask to soften them, too!
COCONUT BODY OIL

Coconut Body Oil
Every woman needs to have a lotion or body oil that she can count on, whether she keeps it in her bathroom, bedroom, or in her bag, it has to be one that will definitely do the job of keeping her skin radiant and healthy. Enter: Annmarie’s Coconut Body Oil – my new favorite body oil that absorbs in so well you’d never know it was an oil. That’s important right? No one wants to look like they’ve layered on some oily skin potion that claims to do wonders, but leaves your body drenched and heavy!
It’s light, aromatic, and infused with herbs that are excellent for circulation (bye, bye varicose veins and weird ugly lines!). Among all my friends who have tried Annmarie’s line, this is always the 1st product they bring up and go “ga-ga” for. There is not 1 nasty or unhealthy ingredient (in her whole line actually), and is so versatile that you can even apply it to your face – daily – while you’re at it.
I think there may be a gross underestimation of the importance regarding the secret of using oils that have been infused with herbs for the face and body. Truly a secret, and anyone who knows it – swears by it. You’re not just getting coconut oil – which is fabulous just on its own – you’re getting an additional plethora of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids, and herbal compounds that absorb right through your skin and work to turn back the clock. Herbs are magical, whether you consume them by mouth or through your skin – you will profoundly benefit!
I personally find myself applying the Coconut Body Oil several times per day – at least somewhere – nearly every time I walk by it strategically placed on my bathroom counter. I suggest you do the same
♥ Order Your Organic, Natural, and Wildcrafted Skin and Body Care HERE!
Coconut Blueberry Edible Body Butter (w/ Recipe)
Each day seems to be bringing more sun and warmer days and I am loving every minute of it! I’m spending more time in the Sun outside on my deck each day and using this simple homemade body butter as a natural tanner, sun protector, and moisture replenisher. If you’re like me and enjoy time outside, consider protecting your skin before and after exposure.
Want to look young, tan, radiant, and glowing? Get the Glow “a la natural”. This butter is especially excellent for mature, dry and sun-exposed skin and allows you to maintain your youthful look easily. If you want to look and feel super smooth, silky and glowing on your face and body, you’ll adore this easy to whip up edible love butter. ♥
Ideal for:
- your gorgeous face
- your hot curvy body
- underneath your eyes
- your achy feet and hands
- dry, peeling & sun-kissed skin
- nails and cuticles
Coconut Blueberry Edible Body Butter
* 7-8 tablespoons softened organic extra virgin coconut oil
* 4-5 tablespoons melted organic raw cacao butter (start with 4 unless it’s HOT out)
* few drops each of blueberry and dark chocolate medicinal flower extracts
You do not have to use these exact measurements to handcraft a perfect body butter. Use a ratio of approx 4:2 (coconut oil: cacao butter), depending upon how thick you’d like it to be and how warm your home is inside.
Blend on the LOWEST setting in the Vita-Mix for just a few seconds, until you’ve reached a whipped consistency. Use a silicon spatula to pour the oil into a dark amber glass jar and allow to “set” (room temperature overnight or in the fridge if you cannot wait to use it). Slather your body with your creation… love every moment… feel sexy… and give yourself the love you deserve. ♥
Store at room temperature and remember, it may soften during high heat and that’s the beauty of raw body care made without emulsifying agents and thickeners. Give the recipe a test-run and adjust amounts to your liking.
The company, Medicine Flower, offers tons of flower extracts (that can be used for culinary & external purposes). I just happen to love blueberry and dark chocolate together for the butter I made today.
I also love using fig, orange, lemon, hazelnut, almond, vanilla, coconut, and coffee extracts. Mmmm, they are dee-lish in elixirs, smoothies, chocolates, and body butters. The extracts are super concentrated, so you’ll use need just a few drops max to create a perfectly sensual and aromatic self-love gift.
Skincare Product Review – “Best Skin Ever” by Living Libations
The name “Best Skin Ever” really nails it – it IS the ultimate product for beauty and giving a girl (and cool men, too) what she really wants – beautiful skin! It’s the product you’d choose if you want 1 bottle that is filled to the brim with a magic beauty potion resulting in instantly gorgeous skin that sparkles. It’s for all the Goddesses out there and delivers a sexy, smooth glimmer to every face I’ve seen it on.
This product delivers like NOTHING ELSE I have ever used, and this says a lot especially considering my background. To briefly explain, I used to formulate and sell my own skincare line: a raw, Superfood-loaded, herbal-infused handcrafted edible skincare line (previously known as “Organic Healing”) and exhibited at many events (incl Raw Spirit, Green Festival, etc) from 2007-2009 (now I just sell to private clients and via request). Ever since, there’s been an array of product lines securing their spot in the pure beauty industry.
Living Libations has been around for a long time and Nadine Artemis, is a genius formulator. In person (and on video), she glows. She embraces youth. She beams with radiance. You can just tell by her essence that she is living a pure life, infusing love and magic into her skincare potions, and offering the very best she can. She must get downloads from angels ♥ And – she makes her own stuff – which is not common in the skincare industry (most people private label)…
Best Skin Ever is top dog. It’s #1 in my book of everything I’ve ever tried. It’s so effective at leaving your skin flawless – and I mean FLAWLESS – that I was jaw-dropped stunned when I first began using it. And – I am extremely particular, nit-picky, and critical when it comes to products.
If you have rosacea, dry skin, poor signs of aging (wrinkles, lines……) or just look somewhat drab and need a natural face lift – just a FEW DROPS of Best Skin Ever will begin to turn it all around. This is certainly one of those products where a *little* goes a long way. I personally use 2 light pumps and that’s plenty to apply to my face and neck when using it as a moisturizer.
You can use Best Skin Ever as a face wash, a moisture replenisher, or even as an exfoliant.
Best Skin Ever gives you INSTANT SHINE and IMMEDIATE GLOW – and that is no exaggeration! I am willing to stand by that promise whether you choose from any of the flavors she gifts us with: Lavish Abundance, Chocolate, Seabuckthorn, and Vanilla.
I have to be honest; after seeing the simple line-up of ingredients for Best Skin Ever I thought I may be able to duplicate it, but to my dismay – I haven’t be able to. I LOVE that! I’m convinced that Nadine sprinkles her extraordinarily unique magical fairy dust and super special potions of brilliance into her product line. Whatever it is, it’s untouchable and un-able to be created by anyone other than her. Yet, of all her yummy products, Best Skin Ever stands out above the rest.
Honestly, the most difficult thing about ordering Best Skin Ever is choosing which one you want to start with – at least for me that’s been the case. Once I tried it, I was hooked right from the start. Best Skin Ever is my first choice – the one I cannot find ANY reason to go without, the one that I trust will take away any stress I’m wearing on my face. And, it comes in the cutest, loveliest bottle, ever.
♥ ♥ If you’d like to order any of the Living Libations magnificant skin and body care, including Best Skin Ever, you can order through Living Earth Beauty or direct at Living Libations. ♥ ♥
You will not be disappointed. And, do your best to not run out. I’ve run out before and my skin readily shows it. No matter what I create on my own, I can imagine using Best Skin Ever, always – it’s just too good to stop (and that speaks volumes).
Watch Nadine share TIPS for The Best Skin Ever here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlBUNM04sOw
Product Review: Angelina’s Magical Superfood Soaps + Special Discount!
Fortunately, many months ago I was turned on to a line of Superfood Soaps that absolutely surprised my senses! Superfood soaps? YES! It’s absolutely the best ever!
Angelina’s Magical Superfood Soaps are without question the most nutrient-dense bars of soap you’ll ever experience! They are luxurious, sensual, and deeply pleasing to the senses.
If you are looking for the most nutritious soaps to lather up on your HOT body, then you’ve got to get your hands on Angelina’s Magical Soaps.
Amazing bathing has arrived. Mmmmm.
Why are they so MAGICAL? Ahhh, let me count the ways…
~ the flavors offered are extraordinarily UNIQUE
~ because what you put onto your skin MATTERS
~ they make you feel… like a *NATURAL WOMAN*
~ they directly, truly NOURISH your bodies largest organ
~ you’ll smell so YUMMY your partner’s senses will trigger happy thoughts
~ because they make you feel SEXY and you have the potential to feel sexy all the time
These aren’t just bars of regular ole’ soap… your showers will never be the same. I can guarantee that!
FLAVORS available: Extreme Beauty Bar, Lemon Patchouli, Double Fudge Sundae, Cinnamon Candy, Tiramisu Heaven, Apple Candy Swirl, and Vanilla Cranberry Parfait! I’ve joyfully tried them all.
I love that when you order the beautiful goodies, you get 1 visually-appealing soap bar instead of 1 big ugly traditional bar. You know, the ones you used growing up as a child? With Angelina’s, you get a bar that is the purrfect size to hold in your hands and use to suds up in the shower or bath.
Angelina’s handcrafted Superfood soaps are most definitely unlike any other soaps in the world! She uses the purest and finest organic ingredients that leave your skin super sexy, soft, glowing, and healthy!
How does she make them? She uses the old fashioned cold process and then adds all the raw goodies in for a seriously decadent experience for your body.
Take care of yourself and give yourself permission to treat your body to the best!
I wholeheartedly recommend you give Angelina’s Magical Soaps a try! Your body will thank you. You can order these sensual magic bars at 10% OFF using the coupon code RAWSOAP at www.RawGoddessBeauty.com. You’ll want to eat them, yet they’re really just meant for your skin
I’ve done my share of traveling already this fall, and I have to say that coming home to a shower with these soaps has been a delightful experience. It’s hard to feel as GOOD as you usually do when on the road, so I make sure to spend some extra self-love time when I arrive back to my home sweet home.
Please leave a comment and let me know which soaps you got, and how much you enjoyed them!
P.S. While you’re doing your girlie soap shopping, you can pick up a copy of my Superfood Beauty Elixirs eBook on the same site – ON SALE until Oct 30th!
Raw Goddess Beauty, 10% Discount on Skincare
I interviewed the beautiful and compassionate Jill Bickford (my dear friend and co-owner of Living Earth Beauty) recently and she generously offered a discount for her amazing website that brings raw, vegan, super pure, organic, wildcrafted, and handcrafted skincare products to the world. It’s the place I personally shop and trust for all my skin, body, and hair care needs. My own personal products will be sold on the site in early 2011, and I will keep you posted on which ones are mine!
The code RAWGODDESS will give you a $15 discount on a purchase of $150 or more (10% off) on all products found at www.RawGoddessBeauty.com – THE hub for all things beauty. This coupon can be use via this URL only, does not expire, and cannot be used with any other coupons.
Look for a series of product reviews in the coming weeks and months from me. I’ll be reviewing several products from Living Libations, iSun, and Angelina’s Magical Soaps!
YOUR Questions Answered to Why You Should Use Edible Skincare
In response to the comments and questions of my previous article on why you should use edible skin and body care, I felt it would be helpful to answer these questions on the blog so everyone can benefit from the answers. 3 of the most common questions that came up were:
Question 1: If I only use tiny amounts of products (less than 2 teaspoons a day) and they don’t contain parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate (evil stuff), shouldn’t I be more concerned about the pound of less than ideal food (or whatever it is) in my daily intake more than my skin? Both are important I know, but it’s hard to make skincare my top priority when there are still so many dietary challenges to address (not vegan yet, not eating all organic yet). Read more
Living Earth Beauty ~ THE Place to Shop for Raw, Vegan, Organic Skincare
I was blessed enough to manifest two phenomenal friends into my life at the Raw Spirit Festival in June of 2009. Jed and Jill Bickford came with their bright beauty to my vendor booth for my raw Superfood edible skincare line. They were glowing, which was relatively surprising because we were on a windy, dirty campground and everyone looked a little rugged. The 3 of us made an instant connection and expressed our un-compromised values for face, skin and body care. They showed such great appreciation of my work which was absolutely heart-warming as not everyone has expressed the deepest understanding for the purest, most nutrient-dense skincare ever. Oooh, the revolution is coming =)
Jed and Jill (how cute, right?) were in the works of creating a gorgeous website and business where they planned to sell only the most pure, best quality, exceptional skincare lines the held to superior standards. Not many of us are out there doing this so it was exciting to see them doing their diligent research and sorting through the haystack.
I was fortunate to receive a sample gift basket several months later with a plethora of products I had been anxiously wanting to try! When the package was delivered, I was (in perfect timing) on my way out the door with my man to his mom’s place on the coast and we were making a stop to load up with spring water first. In the 15 minutes spent driving down Mt Tamalpais from our place to the spring, I had ripped open that beauty package that contained youthening goodies and felt the vibrancy and love that overflowed as I unwrapped each product (quickly, like on Christmas)! I layered on all the potions, oils, serums and lip balms from Living Libations and the car smelled divine. Slipped into an ISUN serum sedation. I slathered myself with body butters from Simply Divine Botanicals and almost slipped out the door at our stop at the spring I was so silky.
Although I handcraft quite similar products myself (multiplied in intensity and nutrient-density), it was quite indulgent and exhilarating to get a perfectly wrapped, sweet-smelling, goodie box – special, just for me! I adore most everything I’ve used, especially the goodies created by Nadine Artemis, creator of Living Libations, and you can guess that my expectations were positively blown away! And so, I realized yet again for LEB, that their labor of love was flying beyond their wildest dreams (now that is exhilarating!) and their business was launched and had come to where it was today. Living Earth Beauty brings raw, vegan, organic products, cosmetics, and more to your door to make YOU feel like the (Edible) Goddess you are. This is THE place to shop for skincare products so good for you, your body joyously drinks up every morsel of nutrition you’re feeding it.
I highly recommend that you treat yourself to an experience like I had – not only do you deserve it, but you will love the offerings so much! My link to their site is: Raw Goddess Beauty – because, that’s exactly what they bring, and thank the Goddesses they do! Once some logistics are in place, you will see my extraordinary skincare line being sold on their site as well. Til then, you can order direct via email (ediblegoddess@gmail.com). I will review each and every product I have purchased and received from Living Earth Beauty in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for abundant beauty my friends =)
Guest Blog Post on Natural Beauty by Angelina Elliott
Today’s guest post is written exclusively for the Edible Goddess blog by Angelina Elliott, a best selling author, Master Herbalist, and Raw Vegan Chef (among much else!). To read more about Angelina, check out her sensational blog!
I was raised on beauty. My mother was a model and always emphasized the importance of taking care of your skin. I would watch her do her beauty routine and emulate her in every way. I grew up traveling and living overseas. I was completely hooked on French beauty magazines. I loved how French women always looked so fresh and beautiful. My mom used to tell me that French women had the most beautiful breasts in the world so I always thought to myself, when I grow up I will have the most beautiful everything in the world. I was a kid, but that didn’t stop me from manifesting beauty in my life. I would sit and dream up all kinds of things to put on my face and that led to a life long passion of making masks and other beauty treatments. I was obsessed with coming up with the very best formulas.
My love of beauty also led me to a life of clean living. I quickly learned that the better you ate, the prettier you woke up. Fruits and veggies give glowing skin whereas Oreo cookies and soda give you pimples and dull lack luster skin! Who wants that? I was an avid lover of fruits. I ate berries all the time and I was a complete orangearian! I loved, loved, loved oranges! We had an orange grove behind our house where I would play for hours on end and eat oranges until the cows came home. I am convinced that oranges are essential for woman’s health. For one thing, they look like mammary glands and another, they are full of vitamin C. What a combo! I used to love to rub the excess orange juice on my skin and wear it. Actually, this is where my idea for Wearing Your Food came from and the start of my book co-authored with Shannon Leone, Get Naked And Wear Your Food. I loved the way my skin looked after a day of oranges. Considering I was just a kid, it is amazing to think back on these times and realize I was so in tune with beauty and nature and the direct link between beauty and nature.
I love nature, I always have. There’s something truly magical about being deep in nature, with only the sounds of the wind, trees, birds, and small creatures. Plants have always inspired, fascinated, and delighted me. When I think beauty, I don’t think of beauty counters in malls or even the finest skin care available in spas. Instead, I turn to nature to look for the gift of beauty. For example, seaweed is legendary among Japanese women for beauty. Pearls are legendary among Chinese women. In Africa, Shea Butter is legendary among women. If you take notice all over the world from ancient times to now, you will find that the greatest beauty secrets point to nature. Cleopatra for example taught me to never take a bath without some sort of beautifying ingredient like honey and milk (for me, it was always soy milk because soy milk believe it or not is one of the most beautifying agents out there. It increases collagen and elastin in the skin). Cleopatra was all about using beautifying agents from nature. My Italian heritage taught me to eat lots of olives for beauty on the inside and to use olive oil on the outside. My Irish heritage taught me to look to the Fairy Folk for inspiration.
All of this has led me to where I am now. Although, I have worked in the finest spas & had access to professional skin care lines that as an Aesthetician that would make your head spin, I still look nature for all of my beauty needs. After all, if you really look at the latest research on anti-aging creams, potions, lotions, serums etc, you will always find something from nature in the line up. The only difference between using that and say using your own concoctions is this: you are getting it first hand, fresh, alive, and the way nature intended it, not adulterated with unpronounceable names, preservatives, cancer causing chemicals, etc.. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that feeding my skin.
Oh yes, there’s the factor right there, FEEDING YOUR SKIN. Perhaps, I should back up just a bit here and mention that whatever we put on the skin, we are eating and drinking that substance, because the skin is the largest organ in the body and it absorbs anything and everything. If you load it with chemicals, it will start to age and die off. People think that aging is natural, yet aging is a result of what you have ingested in your life that is out of balance. Aging truly is a disease. All diseases can be summed up easily by realizing that disease starts with bad food and beverage choices, chemicals in the body, chemicals in your living environment, and toxic thinking. When we clean up these areas of our lives, including our thinking, we start to get younger, It’s really as simple as that! We as human beings though have to make everything harder than it is. It is in our nature to do this, to analyze and dissect everything.
When I was three years old, I made up my mind to never grow old and never die. People throughout my life have made fun of me for this concept and yet what I notice is this: my thinking pattern has kept me young, vibrant, and full of playful enthusiastic and bubbly energy. People younger than me now look older than me and I am simply staying ageless. It is an inside job all the way around & I am convinced of this. It is important to realize that it takes discipline not to buy into what everyone else is saying and doing, but the rewards are great! I will leave you with my fabulous beauty routine to inspire you, although you don’t have to do all that I do, as I realize this can be intimidating to those first starting out. Just stick with whatever you choose to do and you will be miles ahead of where you were before. You have to start somewhere or you will be nowhere!
My semi-typical beauty routine, sometimes it fluctuates as I am always experimenting and perfecting ~
In the AM, I cleanse my face with oatmeal, honey, and grapefruit: 1/2 cup oats mixed with equal parts of honey (I only use locally harvested, cruelty free honey from farmers I know) and slowly mix in 1/2 a grapefruit
I use gentle circular motions on my face and then rinse with warm water. I quickly splash my face with cold water.
I love a blend of jojoba, cacao butter, coconut oil, shea butter, grapeseed, olive, almond and avocado oil as my morning massage oil. I massage my skin gently and then tissue off the excess oil. I use aloe vera mixed with comfrey as my lifting serum, let that sit and then use a home-made organic moisturizer. I spray my face with home-made rose water and I am ready for the day!
In the PM, I do a pretty extensive routine on my face that includes a mask and a bath in honey and soy milk or honey and cacao butter. I cleanse my face with lemon at night – just lemon and warm water. It is important to note, that the warmer the better for opening up the pores prior to the honey treatment. I place gently warmed honey on my skin and let it sit on my skin for about an hour. I rinse the honey off with warm water and then run an ice cube all over my face. After this, I mash up bananas and place that all over my skin for 30 -40 minutes and rinse this off with warm water. Then, I warm up some coconut oil and cacao butter and massage the warm oil into your skin and leave on overnight.
During the week I also make and use various masks for my skin, alternate my flower waters that I make, and I do regular scrubs for my skin.


























