Tag Archive for: natural

We are so honored to be featuring an intimate interview that we had with Hannah Habes, from Matchaful  –  a female founded, matcha purveyor that offers organic, sustainably sourced, premium grade product.  We are the only retail brand to offer single-estate matcha, which marks a huge step forward in the matcha supply chain – assuring consumers of the authenticity and provenance of their matcha, from farm to whisk. They have café in lower SoHo, NYC, complete with a ceremonial matcha bar and a plant-based seasonal food and beverage menu (a must goto spot in NYC!).

Hannah Habes founded Matchaful in 2015, in Brooklyn, NY, to bring high-quality, sustainably & transparently sourced matcha to more people.

Through their 1% FTP membership, they support organizations that help to strengthen sustainable food systems through sustainable agriculture, education and tackling food waste (just one part of why we love this company so much!).  

THEIR FARM:

Matchaful works directly with organic, sustainable, family farms in Japan – sourced from 7th and 4th generation farms in Uji and Shizouka, Japan.

Their farmer in Shizouka is using organic food waste as fertilizer and growing the matcha trees under solar panels, as a means to provide alternative energy to the local community.

Matcha is one of the most powerful ingredients offering a variety of health benefits including;

  • Is packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg.
  • Boosts metabolism and burns calories.
  • Detoxifies effectively and naturally.
  • Calms the mind and relaxes the body.

What does good food mean to you?

Good food means it’s nourishing and delicious. It’s food that should make you feel great and give you more energy, not weigh you down. Before I started Matchaful, I was eating a ton of processed food that left me feeling really sluggish and always wanting more. To me, it’s important to eat meals that have fiber, protein and greens that leave me feeling satisfied. I also try to eat fresh organic foods with simple ingredients so that I’m feeding my body the best I can, and avoiding unnecessary “fillers” or “stabilizers.”

How do you start your mornings?

With either oatmeal or a smoothie. I mix in plant based protein powder no matter what. Because I’m breastfeeding, I make sure to eat a hearty breakfast and protein-rich meals. I supplement with probiotics and prenatal vitamins.

What’s your go-to am beverage?

That’s easy — a matcha or matcha latte. Normally I’ll mix in a few adaptogens to help elevate my mood and a tsp of maple syrup. Right now, I’m loving moringa as it helps to boost milk production.

What are your must use daily beauty products?

I definitely like to mix it up but I’m a big oil based skincare fan. I’m loving Goldfaden’s Fleuressence oil. I use it first thing in the morning to help give my skin a nice natural glow.

How do you de-stress?

Right now, small moments of self care help me to decompress. Being a mom and working full-time doesn’t afford me a lot of free time, but taking a long shower or evening bath help me destress after a long day. Going to the gym or doing a 20-min floor workout also help me to boost my mood and alleviate stress in the morning.

Favorite mood-boosting meal?

At our cafe, we offer a black rice onigiri with avocado and cashew cream cheese. This meal gives me the perfect pick-up while not overfilling me. It’s an amazing energy booster in the middle of my day.

What’s a dinner recipe you currently have on repeat?

Black bean spaghetti pasta with garlic, lemon, and topped with sauteed kale and parsley.  

What is your daily mantra?

I try to live by the Japanese proverb, “ichi-go ichi-e.” It translates to “savor each moment, for it only lasts once.”


Meet Cecilia Wong. A Manhattan-based lifelong health and wellness enthusiast with a mission of offering natural but effective alternative skincare solutions. Cecilia treats skin concerns from the root cause using Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy and supplementing with her holistic skincare line. Cecilia has a long list of celebrity clients who swear by her non-invasive, holistic approach to deliver long-lasting results. The universe brought Cecilia and Goldfaden MD together in a perfect synergy that has turned into a working and personal friendship. We highly suggest you run don’t walk to get a treatment from this truly talented healer.

We sat down to get a little sneak peek into Cecilia’s wellness world.

 

Where did you grow up?

I came to the US from Hong Kong when I was 9 years old. Growing up, I moved a lot.. from Long Island to Queens and finally settling in NJ.

How did you get interested in skincare and all things wellness?

It started at a young age. Growing up, I battled with acne and pigmentation. My mom always told me to eat more fruit and vegetables and she made meals that incorporated a lot of Chinese herbs in it.  I was in the kitchen prepping a dish of fruit, I started playing around with papaya and blueberries, mashed them together and used it as a face mask. That immediate feeling of coolness on my skin and the redness, inflammation was much calmer. I did that for a week and my skin slowly healed. That was my aha moment, I knew then I wanted to help other people with their skin problems.

What are the most important steps for healthy skin? 

The important steps to healthy skin are really a combination of taking care of ourselves both internally and on the outside. It’s nourishing our organs with the right nutrients and vitamins that our body needs and using those same nutrients on our skin.

Tell us about your most popular treatment:

My most popular treatment is lymphatic drainage facial. It’s a combination of diamond tip microdermabrasion, manual lymphatic drainage massage, gua sha techniques, meridian point acupressure, micro-current and a blast of hyperbaric oxygen. This is great for all skin types with immediate results. This treatment helps with lifting and toning of the facial muscles and the skin, eliminating excess water (puffiness) and toxins, and contours the face.

Why is microcurrent so important for skin health? 

Think of this as a workout for the face. We exercise our bodies but we often neglect the face. Micro-current facials lift and tone the facial muscles, droopy eyes work as lymphatic drainage by eliminating excess water and toxins. It also contours jawline, and cheekbones. In addition, micro-current also helps with eliminating sinuses.

Which ingredients are vital to overall skin health? 

There are several vital ingredients that are great for skin health. Vitamin A, B, and C are just a few of our skin needs. Regular use of these vitamins will help to fight free radicals, sun damage that causes fine lines, wrinkles, and premature aging.

Which products do all your clients walk out of treatment with?

Our star product is the Black Currant Serum. Every client has this and is obsessed with it. Other products that I’ve introduced to my clients are Goldfaden MD’s Doctor’s scrub and the Energetic Eye Cream. They can’t live without it.

What is the secret to having healthy youthful skin as we age? 

I think the secret is Simplicity.  Using what your skin needs at that moment and not overusing skincare products.

What is your personal take on wellness in your everyday life? 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to happiness. When you eat well, take care of your skin and body; you’ll look and feel good. In turn, that makes you a happier person.  Happiness makes a person more youthful.

How do you start your day and finish your day? 

I wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face with a Vitamin C cleanser, then I apply a toner, eye cream, and massage my face a few minutes with a serum. I also dry brush my face for a few minutes. Then, I take a shot of chlorophyll and a glass of lemon water. For breakfast, I make oatmeal with chia seeds adding collagen powder and wheat germ as a topping. Then I have a cup of ginger tea with black sugar. After that, I either head to hot yoga or do a home workout with Figure 8. This is a great dance fitness exercise that really wakes up my body. Take a shower and head to work. For lunch, I usually have quinoa with veggies or homemade Chinese food (mostly veggies, melons and chicken) with brown rice. For a snack, I usually eat an apple and sometimes, I’ll sneak in a few pieces of cookies. When I get home, I head to a barre class. When I arrive home, I take care of my dogs first. Then, I wash my face with Vitamin C cleanser, exfoliate with Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub, apply the Detox Facial Mask, toner, eye cream, serum, and moisturizer. For dinner, since I don’t like to eat the same things all the time, it’s always the different style of cuisine but, I always have a dish of veggies, meat (usually fish or chicken) and three times of out of the week, I’ll make an herbal soup.  An hour later, I take another shot of chlorophyll and make myself a cup of maca golden milk. And I’m in bed by 9:30 pm.  Throughout the day, I’ll drink either water or different types of teas (dandelion, milk thistle, or green tea).

For those of you who don’t know Ali Lizzi (aka LadyLentils), you need to now. Ali Lizzi is a New York City based freelance fitness, health and beauty writer and an active member of the fitness community. She is worldly, inspirational, funny, and speaks our language with wellness at the top of her world.

We had the pleasure of partnering with Ali on documenting her skin before Goldfaden MD and then after using a customized regimen after 4 weeks – see below for photos! Dive in deeper to get a full-rounded idea of her experience with using the products below.

Tell us about your current regimen before transitioning to the Goldfaden MD collection?

I always have cared about my skin. I always wanted to find products that are cruelty -free and work for my skin to give it it’s the healthiest glow, however, I never found an entire line that works for me. So it often led to me trying many new products all the time, trying to find the right match for me and I was just not seeing the results that I was promised.

What have you experienced in your time with using Goldfaden MD – how has your skin improved?

Since using Goldfaden MD, my skin has never been clearer, I have had maybe one or two spots the entire month of transitioning to only using these products, when usually I am breaking out multiple times in a week! My skin is also beginning to look more even. I have a few dark spots from past breakouts that limit me from going out make-up free. But since using Goldfaden MD, I have been going out in the world without makeup and feeling confident!

How do you practice sustainability?

Sustainability is very important to me in my life, I always use products that are cruelty- free and care about sustainable packaging. I make sure that when I buy products, I vote for sustainability with my dollar. I have cruelty-free transitioned all my produce to be purchased locally by making a weekly trip to the farmers market and have set up water filters throughout my house so that I can limit the amount of water bottles I use.

What are your favorite Eco-Friendly Products?

Goldfaden MD, of course! However I also love using swell bottles for my everyday water consumption since water is the number one key to a healthy life in my opinion. I also have fallen in love with sustainable clothing brands such as reformation and naadam.

What does wellness mean to you?

Wellness to me means balance. I find that if I make small changes to help the earth and myself, I feel my best. However, when I push myself to look at every part of my life and want to make a switch to a healthier, more sustainable life it can cause me stress. So, instead of being 100% healthy and eco-focused, I instead make small decisions that I know I can maintain. It’s all about balance.

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

Start small and do your research. Figure out what area of wellness you are most passionate about and what you would be excited about sharing with others. When I first took on a plant-based diet, it was due to doing a TON of research and seeing how animals are being treated in factory farming and my heart could not align with participating in that, so for me it was easy for me to stick to that. From there, I learned more and more about what the earth needs for us to be healthy and made small changes over time. Just start with what you feel passionate about and the rest will come.

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

Sunscreen is my number one! Even if I spend the day inside doing work, I use a sunscreen that blocks from blue light. I also use Goldfaden MD Moisturizer about three times a day since I live in Miami and spend a lot of time in the sun and need a little extra moisture in my life. I also love using face oils, and hair oils. I like to keep things as natural as possible. But hydration and protection is the way to go for me.

Why is clean beauty important for you?

Clean beauty is just as important to me as eating clean, what goes on my body matters just as much as what goes in my body. Keeping it clean helps not only you, but the earth itself. I am always so thankful for what this world has brought me and want to do my part in giving back and taking care of it just like it takes care of me.

How do you de-stress?

If I’m having one of those days that everything has gone wrong, I put on a Ella Fitzgerald album and my stress just slips away. But, some CBD never hurts either 😉

Favorite mood-boosting meal?

I’m going to be honest, it’s not a veggie smoothie or a super healthy option, it’s a bowl of pasta. For me pasta reminds me of my family dinners that I had when I was younger, it reminds me that I don’t have to be focused on my health 24/7, it gives me the freedom to just enjoy and feel full of love. I always think whatever food reminds you of the people you love, or a memory you have surrounding food is always going to light up your heart.

What is your daily mantra?

“Love yourself, and spread that love to everyone you see today.” Be the light that the world needs, and that light always comes right back to you, karma is real folks.

Goldfaden MD Regimen: Before & After Shots:

Before

After