Tag Archive for: clean beauty

Olivia Muniak is a Brand Marketer.

She has an incredible eye and an innate sensibility for the luxury market. She works with businesses to tell cohesive stories through developing a visual vocabulary and creative materials. Olivia is instrumental in implementing marketing initiatives and real-time events that drive brand awareness.

Olivia began her career styling in San Francisco working with Benefit Cosmetics. Moving back to New York City in 2012 to pursue a career in fashion, she went on to manage North American sales in luxury fashion for Aquazzura and Fratelli Rossetti.

Her expansive background and expertise has made Olivia a true standout and we had a chance to sit down with this star to find out about how she balances wellness sustainability in her everyday hectic life.

How do you practice sustainability? 

I strive to practice sustainability in all facets of my life. I want to be able to share the beautiful world I grew up in with my future children and grandchildren. When I grocery shop I use reuseable mesh bags for produce – whether I’m at the farmers market or grocery store. On the go, I use metal straws, travel coffee cups + water bottles, and at glass containers and reusable silicon bags for food storage. But I think that’s only a small imprint, I’m also very conscious of the product packaging from everything to beauty and bathroom products (so many brands are creating refillable products or 100% compostable packaging). I don’t allow myself to buy new, comparable skincare, makeup or hair products until I’ve completely used what I have at home. It’s easy to consume these products and amass a collection of half used products. In the kitchen I don’t use paper towels daily, I have a set of cleaning rags my favorite are these unpaper clothes (I save the paper for big messes )  

Most importantly I also consider what is in the product – if it’s toxic for my body, it’s toxic for this earth. I try and use clean products for the home so that everything that washes down my drain is natural and not harmful to the ocean. 

What are your favorite Eco-Friendly Products? 

Branch Basics and Thieves. It’s also super easy to make an at home everyday spray with a bit of distilled vinegar and essential oils and water, I find this to the best for glass and countertops!

What does wellness mean to you?

Gosh, I think wellness is such a broad term and a widely used buzzword these days. For me, wellness is about the way I live my life. It encompasses my emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Being “well” is about balance, joy, and feeling sated in my current life. My work, my friendships, my family, my body etc…this doesn’t mean they are all wonderful at once, they rarely are! I appreciate the realness, being present through the challenging times, the optimistic and the everyday. The attention and care I put into creating routines (allowing myself to fall out) keeps me “well”. 


Any advice for people wanting to make the switch towards a more mindful existence (increased wellness) but who are not sure where to start?

Create a routine, add one small element in a realistic way ( i.e. something you can keep up with ) wellness is about trial and error and discovering what you need that makes you feel well. Pick one to three things, set a numerical goal to it and try it for 14 days. I’d suggest choosing one small practice; whether that’s journaling for 4 minutes in the morning x 4 a week, switching your morning croissant for a clean smoothie, walking for 30 minutes a few times a week, swapping clean products into your home etc. Keeping the goal small, with a numerical goal helps us feel successful, positive and…”well” when we meet it. Adding too many or an aggressive number of practices often backfires and makes us feel unsuccessful. I’m fully aware of over-commitment practice! By the end of the 14 days, it always felt a part of my routine, and then I could add in something else. Wellness for me is just about finding out what makes me feel good, listen to that small voice inside. Mine got louder, the more I listened and now I feel like I’ve strengthened my intuition and I know what’s in alignment for me at any given time. Just trust yourself!

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What are your go-to daily beauty products and why?

The skincare I can’t live without: 

  1. Goldfaden Doctors Scrub: makes my skin super soft, clear, and fresh looking. 
  2. True Botanicals Nutrient Mist: I used this multiple times a day to freshen my skin with essential antioxidants, also the scent is ahmazing!! 
  3. True Botancials Clear Face Oil: hydrates my skin, gives me that dewey appearance that I love. 
  4. Goldfaden Brightening Serum, this has helped clear my complexion, sun damage and heal breakouts. 
  5. True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster + Clear Serum I swap between these and Goldfaden Serum and keeps my skin clear and bright. 
  6. Goldfaden Wake Up Call: this year my skin became super dry, this moisturizer helped soothe and hydrate and I wake up in the morning with baby soft skin. 
  7. Goldfaden Bright Eyes paired with Odacite Eye Serum: this helps de-puff, hydrate and erase fine lines 
  8. EIR Surf Mud: This is my daily sunblock, make-up primer (if I wear, also great on it’s own) and obviously great for a day out surfing. So clean you can actually eat it, its got chocolate in it! 

The makeup I can’t live without: 

  1. RMS Uncover up: light, natural coverage
  2. RMS Luminous Highlighter: adds the dewey touch, when I’m not so dewey 
  3. Ilia Cream Blush Stick: adds that touch of color that makes me look fresh
  4. Kjaer Weiss Cream Bronzer: adds that sun kissed glow
  5. LiliLolo Mascara: hands down the best natural mascara
  6. Chantecaille Tinted Brow Gel: holds my unruly eyebrows all day

Why is clean beauty important for you?

Honestly, because I’m a little vain and I have found clean beauty to keep me looking young and fresh. And of course, I care about the planet too. Beauty industry is one of the worlds major polluters, just think about how easy it is to amass a collection of products that we rarely use. 

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How do you de-stress?


Bathtime! I’m a huge proponent of baths at any time. I don’t soak for long period but it helps calm my nervous system. I also cook to de-stress, if I have a terrible or overstimulated day, coming home and cooking centers me and makes me bubbly with joy. 


Favorite mood-boosting meal?

It’s not a meal, but I make my own almond milk weekly and it’s a religious experience for me, it tastes so rich and creamy and I use it for few things but mostly for my morning flat white. Some of my go-to’s meals are grilled salmon with charmoula and a simple green salad. I love making my own homemade pasta with fresh pesto, it’s very nostalgic for me – reminds me of summer in the Hamptons as a child. For a lazy weekend morning, I make a stack of almond flour pancakes with melted coconut butter, maple syrup and flakey sea salt. 

What is your daily mantra?


Does it make me feel good? Yes…follow that. If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no. Why expend the energy obsessing when things don’t align, something better is on its way. Be yourself, you’re awesome. Life is short, speak up, go for it. Don’t take it all so seriously, laugh! Allow myself the freedom to experience it. 

 

 Why is Vitamin D crucial in skincare?

In addition to being a key factor in skin cell growth and replacement, vitamin D also plays a major role in skin repair and protection. When microorganisms attack the skin, they secrete certain extracts that stimulate your skin to produce vitamin D. This vitamin D signals your skin’s innate immune system to start manufacturing a substance called cathelicidin, a very powerful germicide. Cathelicidin disrupts the integrity of bacterial cell membranes, resulting in the death of the microbes. Cathelicidin also helps promote the development of blood vessels and encourages new cell growth, both of which are essential for proper wound healing.

Your skin is also extremely susceptible to free radical damage because of its high rate of metabolism and fatty acid content. Free-radicals deteriorate your skin’s structural support and decrease its elasticity, resilience, and suppleness. In order to protect itself from this constant oxidative stress, your skin has a natural supply of antioxidants. One of the most powerful of these is vitamin D. In fact, Vitamin D has been shown to be more effective than vitamin E in reducing lipid peroxidation.

Technically speaking, vitamin D isn’t a true vitamin. A vitamin is defined as a substance that’s essential to daily life, which can’t be manufactured by the body. Since your skin can produce approximately 10,000 IU of vitamin D after just 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure, it doesn’t really fit the profile. Vitamin D more closely resembles a hormone than a vitamin. The active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol, is the most powerful hormone produced by the human body. It has the ability to activate over 2000 genes, many of which are involved in critical aspects of skin cell metabolism, growth, repair, and protection.

What is better for absorbing Vitamin’s D’s benefits for the skin? Topical application, oral supplement or the Sun? 

 Applying topical products, which contain Vitamin D, or getting Vitamin D from the sun is very different than taking a vitamin D oral supplement. Oral supplements have to be broken down in the stomach and then distributed throughout the body. The last place supplements will reach (if they even do) is the skin. This is why we recommend using topical products, which contain Vitamin D for, skin health.  However, oral supplementation of Vitamin D is crucial for internal health. You need to do all.

International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, age, economic or political. It’s a celebration where we unite as a global community to celebrate women, their endless drive, passion, impact and tireless effort in making a difference.

This week in celebration of International Women’s Day and our #GoldfadenMDForHercampaign, a movement to celebrate and support some incredible women doing great things and trailblazing leadership in the industry they are passionate about, we are so excited to be highlighting Sasha Plavsic, founder of one of our favorite all-natural makeup brands, Ilia Beauty.  We have long admired Sasha for what she has developed at Ilia and stand behind everything they stand for – Performance Driven. Effective. Safe. This is the heart of Clean Beauty. Because we love beautiful product that is created with care on the inside and out, and believe you shouldn’t have to compromise on performance, or luxury. Being mindful that not every natural ingredient is good for the skin, nor is every synthetic bad. It’s about finding a balance and falling in love with beauty all over again, so you can feel empowered by a sense of choice.

She has developed some of the most insanely gorgeous products and we are so honored to be able to sit down with her to find out more about her incredibly inspiring journey.

What is your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part about my job is to create products that I hope people will fall in love with and push the boundaries in what is possible for creativity in clean beauty. 

Which women inspire you the most and why?

Cher, because she achieved success in so many areas and truly is authentic in every way. Coco Chanel for her dedication to her craft and creating one of the most iconic brands in fashion. And most recently Emma Gonzalez, from the Parkland shooting and standing up for what she believes in.

What’s your advice to women trying to make an impact in their career?

Trust your gut, don’t give up, and believe in yourself. 

First thing you do when you wake up, is?

Nurse my 6 week old baby! And if I am lucky find my way to the shower with usually both kids. 

Last thing you do before you go to sleep, is?

Make a wish to get at least a 4 hour stretch of sleep (other moms will understand this answer). 

What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?

Ensuring that history doesn’t keep presenting itself. I think it is a very interesting time to be a woman. Some things have come so far over the last half a century while others are starting to regress. I think it’s important to fight for what is fair and right without loosing what has already been won.

What are the best decisions that you have made in your career thus far?

To take a risk and believe I could create something from nothing. From there truly believing that there is a solution to every problem, because in a business there are many, and they constantly need to be solved.

What are the worst?

Listening to too many other people’s opinions and doubting myself. It’s important to work collaboratively, yet if you don’t listen to instinct it will come back with a vengeance.

What is your self-care routine?

A shower everyday, followed by a quick skincare and makeup routine. With a newborn that is a major feat. 

*Please include any social handles if you’d like us to tag.

@iliabeauty