I used to think only ‘old’ people referenced in decades, so it’s hard to believe I’ve been body parts modeling for almost 20 years. I’m still consistently asked how I keep my skin camera-ready for macro closeup photography. My motto has remained the same for many years: Moisturizing with the right ingredients.

I’ve never used fancy caviar crème on my hands, or sea urchin oil on my feet, or dabbed my eyes with snake venom and nightingale poop. (Those are actual ingredients found in certain skincare products!). I used one lotion for my face, hands and body.

I was introduced to natural skincare decades (there’s that word again) before it was popular as a hippie kid in California. As a child, I wanted to be like the ‘cool’ kids who had chemicals in their skincare products. Everyone was using commercial brands like Clinique and I was the dork with the homemade lavender toner and European biodynamic products no one could pronounce.

When I wanted to impress my peers with Paloma Picasso perfume, I was handed a small brown bottle of rose oil. During a lecture from my (manic) organic mom, I learned that most trendy toilette waters contain ‘fragrance,’ which when listed as an ingredient can be composed of several chemicals. Many are now known to cause allergic reactions and some have been labelled carcinogenic. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t as glamorous after all to smell like Paloma.

I began to love the scent of essential oils and learned that they have multiple health benefits and are GREAT for maintaining gorgeous skin. The antioxidants in one ounce of clove oil is equivalent to that in 450 pounds of carrots!

When I began parts modeling, I quickly realized that when skin is magnified in high-definition EVERY imperfection shows. Even my nails need to be well nourished, otherwise they become brittle and break.

I began experimenting with lots of products and soon became overwhelmed by the massive selection of moisturizers on the market, many of which were expensive yet made with cheap ingredients. I also needed separate creams for face, eyes, hands, body, feet… It all added up!

Eventually I took matters into my own hands and began experimenting in my kitchen, making lotion with many of the ingredients I grew up with: Essential oils of frankincense and helichrysum, MSM, Coffee Berry, Raspberry Leaf Extract, Shea Butter, Calendula, Coconut and Olive Oil…and more.

If a moisturizer is made with the right ingredients, it doesn’t matter if it goes on your nose or toes. Ultimately I wanted a fine ‘face’ cream I could afford to use on my entire body.

After testing and perfecting with a talented formulator, we created a moisturizer I look forward to using every day/night on my face and all parts.

Hearing the great results from YOU makes me so happy and all the hard work worth it! My main motivation has been to offer a product I’m passionate about that will make a positive noticeable difference for people. Please keep sharing your success stories! I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Here’s to healthy happy skin!