Tag Archive for: clean beauty

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CLEAN BEAUTY EXPERT: KIRSTEN KJAER WEIS, FOUNDER OF KJAER WEIS

From growing up on a farm in Denmark to attending the prestigious Christian Chauveau School of Artistic Makeup, Kirsten Kjaer Weis worked around the world for some of the most renowned fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire. As an in-demand makeup artist, Kirsten found that people were sacrificing the health of their skin by using irritating, synthetic makeup. The natural products, however, were not up to par in performance, and the luxury of the beauty experience was lost. Kirsten used her experience growing up in a natural environment and her knowledge of beauty to pursue uncharted territory in the industry, creating Kjaer Weis – a pioneer in organic, luxury beauty.

What lead you to start Kjaer Weis?

I had worked for many years as a make-up artist in Europe and the US and saw firsthand the issues the models I was working on had with their skin from the conventional brands I had in my kit and applied on them daily. Breakouts, dry skin, red eyes. I tried to find natural counterparts to replace the conventional products but they didn’t really exist at that point (early 2000), which became my aha moment, seeing the gap in the market. Combining the performance of conventional with the ingredients profile of all-natural and tie it in with luxury packaging.

If you could explain Kjaer Weis…

Enlightened Beauty. Certified Organic, High Performing. Sustainable Luxury.

Do you strive to inspire others through Kjaer Weis?

I hope to inspire other female entrepreneurs to go for their passion.

What is your favorite part of working in the beauty industry? What is your least favorite?

I love to create, having an idea for a beauty product and seeing it come to life is very satisfying and a lot of fun. I also love assisting women in feeling beautiful and good about themselves without the potential of compromising their health. My least favorite? I don’t really have anything specific, yet I am happy to be part of a new area that steps away from the narrow perception of beauty that has been the norm for so many years. It’s changing and I love seeing it becoming a lot more inclusive.

What is the best piece of advice that anyone has ever given you?

Joseph Campbell is one of my favorite writers. He has a well known and wise quote from one of his books; Follow your bliss. That had an impact on me.

What is your goal through Kjaer Weis?

My goal is to grow KW to a Global Brand, allowing women around the world to have access to high performing, non-toxic make-up. Growing it in size while staying true to the DNA. My goal is also to change the norm of what’s acceptable to put in beauty products, having non-toxic make-up be a natural expectation for the next generations. Similar to how we take it for granted and fully accept that smoking is not allowed inside anymore.

What is your favorite indulgence?

Time. Finding time to have a massage, facial, read, be with my family, spend time in nature.

When it comes to your beauty routine, what is one item you can not live without?

Our Beautiful Oil. I love it, my skin loves it, it truly is beautiful.

Beyond Kjaer Weis, are there any mantras or rituals that help ground you when things get overwhelming?

Yes absolutely. Stay calm. Meditate and find that place where our wisdom sit’s, our authentic power where knee jerk reactions can’t exist. It’s essential to make (big) decisions from that place.

How do you like to wind down and make sure you’re taking care of yourself?

I live between NY and CT in the woods. Spending time in nature and be quiet does that for me.

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Beauty report: What Natural, Clean and Organic Really Means

What constitutes a “natural” beauty product? There’s still no universally accepted standard, even though the market is growing at a rapid rate and the FDA is involved, making changes and will continue to set standards. The skin is the body’s largest organ and research proves it capable of absorbing up to 60% of the ingredients in the products we apply – that is a large number and we’ve become more aware of what ingredients are found in our products for this reason. There is a large majority of bath, body, hair, makeup and skincare products available today which contain commonly used synthetic ingredients such as Parabens, detergents, preservatives and SLS; these synthetic ingredients have been recognized to cause irritation in some people and may have damaging effects longer-term. Ultimately, brands are choosing their own classification and how they represent themselves.

The industry and consumers use the three words, clean, natural and organic loosely and interchangeable, when in reality they are all different.

Wikipedia’s definitions shed some light on the differences between natural and organic:

A natural product is a chemical compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature.[2][3] In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life.[4][5]

An organic product is made from materials produced by organic agriculture. Most appropriately(,)organic beauty products can be explained as any products that is made or cultivated without the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GM), herbicides, synthetic fertilisers and more. In order to warrant if a product is organic, the USA uses USDA certification – NOP National Organic Program to define a cultivated product (or ingredient) as organic.

The term ‘clean’ when used in the beauty and wellness industry loosely refers to being “free of something” i.e. an ingredient, filler or preservative. The word ‘clean’ may also be used to refer to the sustainability of packaging or ingredients. The use of the word ‘clean’ is not mandated and is interpreted, demonstrated and used freely by individuals and brands as they see fit to further describe benefits (so it’s important to read the labels!). Therefore, there are many definitions of what clean means.

As a brand we identify as a clean, naturally inspired brand which utilizes a combination of natural and organic ingredients.  We do not formulate with silicones, mineral oil, parabens, alcohol, SLS, and artificial/synthetic dyes and fragrances – all of which can lead to skin irritation. We adhere to and are compliant with the EU’s banned list of ingredients.  Many retailers are deferring to the EU’s list of roughly 1400 banned ingredients, which are known to or suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm, as a standard of defining clean and natural. Join us in the clean beauty movement

Interested in what you can do to add to your clean movement? Check out our lean life swap tips:

  • Store your water in a stylish, yet totally functional (hello cold water all day) SWELL water bottle and feel good about eliminating plastic water bottles and going BPA free FOREVER.
  • The average reusable bag has a lifespan equal to that of more than 700 disposable plastic bags. One person using reusable bags over their lifetime would remove more than 22,000 plastic bags from the environment. Nuf said.
  • Join us in a global movement to eliminate plastic drinking straws from our landfills, our streams, our oceans, and our beaches. Swap for paper, stainless or even bamboo straws.
  • Give a hoot – don’t pollute and pick up! The ocean is not a garbage can and neither is the street or the side of the road.

 

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Skin Deep: How Ingestibles Promote Skin Health

Beauty, as they say, is only skin deep. With that said, it’s wise to work from the inside out not only to achieve radiant skin, but also to ensure you ​feel​ as good as you look. Here’s some key intel on building a digestible skincare routine to simultaneously reach your beauty and wellness goals.

Fast Facts on Ingestibles

Ingestible skincare products come in a myriad of forms. They include the likes of pills, capsules, tablets, liquids, powders, and gummies. In whichever form you choose, it helps to know if the beauty supplement is water- or fat-soluble. Your body will naturally excrete any unnecessary excesses of water-soluble forms, and fat-soluble forms absorb more readily when taken with food to which it can bind.

How to Start an Ingestible Skincare Routine

Similar to topical treatments, it’s important to do your homework before shopping for ingestible beauty products. Investigate important details—such as quality, potency, and clinical studies—to back up your selects and ensure their efficacy. Once you’re armed with proper research, it’s time to get to building an ingestible skincare routine. Begin by outlining your biggest beauty goals and wellness concerns.

If you suffer from breakouts, understand what kind they are and from where they stem. Does your stomach feel out of whack? Then your breakouts could be symptomatic of a compromised gut microbiome. A probiotic supplement that packs strains proven to optimize skin health, such as ​Skin Heroes by HUM Nutrition​, can simultaneously balance your gut and complexion. Otherwise, if your breakouts often cluster around your mouth and chin, the culprit could be hormonal. A ​2007 study​ shows that women who drank spearmint tea twice daily over five days experienced lowered androgen (male hormone) levels, which in turn can reduce excess sebum production resulting in hormonal breakouts. While further research is needed for a *clear* link to its positive effects for skin, I’ve noticed a world of improvement since I’ve started taking spearmint capsules by Swanson​.

If anti-aging is your top beauty goal, you can’t go wrong with ingesting more vitamin C and collagen. Supercharging collagen production can be as simple as ​eating more orange produce or sipping on bone broth, such as the ​powdered varieties by LonoLife​. This collagen-rich form of protein offers benefits not only your skin, hair, and nails, but also supports joint health.

Otherwise, is your primary concern is perpetually finding your best light? Then go for the glow with glutathione, such as ​Lypo-Spheric liquid sachets by Liv-On Labs​. This potent antioxidant dually combats hyperpigmentation and promotes overall brightness, all the while staving off oxidative stress and liver dysfunction.

A comprehensive list of beauty concerns is only outnumbered by the ingestible solutions on the market to address them. The more that people are privy to what they put ​inside​ their bodies matters as much as—if not more than—what they apply ​onto​ their skin, the greater the impact combining the two approaches will have. And of course, ​the cleaner they both are, the better!

Considerations and Concerns

Most beauty supplements—especially those from transparent, reputable companies—don’t pose major risks or adverse effects. But of course, you never want to compromise your health. As always, it’s advised to consult your physician when introducing new vitamins and supplements into your diet, especially if you take prescription medicine. Even further, such specialists can recommend specific blood tests to discover any deficiencies and/or excesses to tailor a unique regimen to optimize your overall well-being.

The Last Word

To truly maximize the benefits of your ingestible beauty routine, the greatest tip to remember is that consistency is key. Since your skin cells turnover about once a month, it’ll take that amount of time at the very least to notice positive results with daily use. However, to truly see if there’s real impact, try to stick with your chosen ingestibles for three to six months.

Being consistent isn’t always easy, so select your ingestible form of choice wisely. From there, make it a natural component of your daily routine. Whether you keep your skin probiotics next to your alarm clock, enhance your water during your mid-afternoon break, or get your collagen fix at each home-cooked dinner, let your ingestibles become part and parcel of the everyday.

Author Bio:
Michele Ross is a beauty and lifestyle writer based in Los Angeles. She’s passionate about clean skincare and hiking in the California sunshine (with adequate SPF, of course).

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