Great Beauty Finds From Female-Founded Brands (As Seen On CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”)
This Sunday, August 26th, we’ll be celebrating Women’s Equality Day so, on that note, I stopped by CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” today to chat about some amazing female-founded brands that have really changed the beauty landscape and earned legions of fans in the process. This segment is all about great beauty products and devices, inspiring female innovators and entrepreneurs, women supporting other women, and girl power! Check out the segment above (or click here) and read on for more info on the brands and products showcased
JUICE BEAUTY
Talk about an organic beauty brand with major juice! When it comes to organic eco-chic natural skincare and makeup, sustainable and energy-efficient manufacturing, and green business practices, Juice Beauty is always ahead of the pack, constantly squeezing out new and groundbreaking plant-derived formulas, developing the most eco-friendly packaging possible, and relying on renewable energy sources whenever possible. And who is behind this green beauty giant? A woman, of course!
Karen S. Behnke is the CEO and Founder of Juice Beauty, and the brand’s origin story is one to which most mothers will relate. See, the impetus to create Juice Beauty, came while Behnke was pregnant with her first child at age 40. Like all expectant moms, she began to develop a keener interest in the skincare and personal care products she used. After all, the skin can absorb up to 60% of what is placed on it, so being cognizant of what you apply on your skin, hair, scalp, and nails is of the utmost importance. She started studying product labels, scouring them to make sure their formulas didn’t contain potentially harmful or toxic ingredients. And while she stumbled upon some safe, non-toxic, all-natural beauty products, she was disappointed to discover first-hand that they didn’t quite perform as well as their synthetic counterparts – particularly when it came to anti-aging products. Noticing the void in the marketplace and realizing there were probably plenty of other women (expectant or not) who were on the hot for high-performance clean beauty products, she began conceptualizing what later became Juice Beauty.
After assembling a team of scientists and eco experts, she launched Juice Beauty in 2005, vowing to create products that harnessed the powers of certified organic ingredients and delivered clinically validated results. To say she has succeeded in accomplishing this mission would be a vast understatement — Juice Beauty has completely revolutionized the beauty industry and changed peoples’ perceptions of natural skincare, fueling the green beauty movement.
To tackle fine lines and wrinkles, you can check out Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular collection, which consists of products formulated with a proprietary blend of apple, grape, and lemon stem cells infused with grapeseed, which is rich in resveratrol (a powerful polyphenol that protects the skin from oxidative stress and has proven anti-aging benefits). They also contain Vitamin C, which boosts radiance and also stimulates collagen production and hence helps to minimize fine lines. On the show, I focused on three products from the collection: the Stem Cellular 2-in-1 Cleanser ($34 at Juice Beauty.com), which also contains hydrating aloe, grapefruit extract to refresh and revitalize the sin, and vitamin E to make the complexion more supple; the Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer ($70 at JuiceBeauty.com), which also contains moisturizing shea butter and jojoba oil, as well as skin-softening evening primrose, linseed oil, and borage seed oil. and the Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment ($50 at JuiceBeauty.com), which increases cellular turnover around the eye area with Vitamins C, E and B5 and which reduces puffiness thanks to the fatty acids found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and linseed oil.
I also adore the new Signal Peptides Firming Serum ($110at JuiceBeauty.com), a groundbreaking product inspired by epigenetics and the biomimetic power of plant lipids. The lightweight serum features sunflower-derived plant lipids that keep skin taut and bouncy, rice peptides that facial contours greater definition, plant-derived hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and make it appear plumper and dewier, and wild blueberry extract to increase skin hydration and protect the complexion against environmental aggressors. Featuring a unique micro-emulsion technology, this serum is readily absorbed by skin so that the active ingredients quickly and effectively penetrate the skin. And get this: the dropper is self-loading so you get the perfect dose without having to tinker with any squeezable dropper caps.
And now for the special treat: if you log onto JuiceBeauty.com right now, you can enjoy 20% off your purchase by entering the code AUSTIN20 at checkout.
DERMAFLASH
Over the last few years, we’ve all heard the term “dermaplaning” quite a bit. So what exactly is it? Well, dermaplaning is a procedure whereby a dermatologist or aesthetician uses a surgical scalpel to gently scrape off the top layers of dead skin cells, revealing a smoother and brighter complexion. And, as of 2015, women can enjoy the deep exfoliation associated with dermaplaning without leaving the comfort of home — all thanks to DERMAFLASH.
You know the phrase “Necessity is the mother of invention”? Well, Dara Levy, the brand’s founder, recognized a need and it led to her inventing the groundbreaking DERMAFLASH system. Levy owned a high-end Med Spa in Chicago and sold over 6,000 dermaplaning treatments in five years before realizing that an at-home solution didn’t exist. She went on to develop the DERMAFLASH, a more affordable and convenient alternative for those seeking the benefits of dermaplaning but struggling with the time commitment and cost of in-office treatments.
This year, DERMAFLASH introduced the new-and-improved DERMAFLASH 2.0 Luxe ($189 at Dermaflash.com), which consists of a sleek, ergonomically-designed, wand-like unit with replaceable edges that instantly remove any built-up debris and exfoliate dead skin cells to leave skin glowing. The device has two sonic vibration speeds — one gentle and one more invigorating — and it not only exfoliates the complexion, but it removes vellus hair (otherwise known as peach fuzz), leaving skin completely smooth and creating the perfect canvas for makeup application.
The unit comes with 5 single-use edges (enough for 5 weekly treatments), a charging cradle and USB cord, and a 10ml PREFLASH cleanser and 10ml POSTFLASH moisturizer.
NYAKIO
I love when beauty products tell a story — and every single Nyakio offering has a compelling narrative behind it that’s deeply rooted in cultural experiences. Named after its founder, Nyakio Greico, the prestige natural skincare brand celebrates global beauty secrets — starting with those Nyakio learned from her own family members. A first-generation Kenyan-American who was born in New York and raised in Oklahoma, the beauty entrepreneur says that she learned her first beauty secret — how to exfoliate dry skin using coffee beans – from her paternal grandmother, who was a coffee farmer in Kenya. Similarly, she grew up hearing stories about how her maternal grandfather, who had been a medicine man in Kenya, would extract oils from different plants to heal a number of ailments and create skin-curing elixirs. Creating products inspired by her family beauty secrets, then, was a way for Nyakio to honor her heritage. Over time, she also began to learn about beauty traditions from other countries — both thanks to her friends and to her many travels — and she expanded her range of offerings to include products rooted in these cultural beauty rituals. Currently, the Nyakio product range incorporates ethically and sustainably sourced natural ingredients from 13 countries including Kenya, Peru, and India.
There are tons of must-have products to choose from, but I chose to focus on the the Naykio Maracuja & Yangu Soothing Oil ($42 at ULTA stores and ULTA.com), which calms irritated skin and reduces redness while also strengthening the skin’s natural barrier. Because of its soothing properties, I love using this lightweight oil after dermaplaning sessions or after tweezing or waxing any facial hair. It’s also a great after-sun treat for the skin.
The green-colored oil includes cold-pressed yangu oil from South Africa, which is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, and maracuja oil from Rwanda, which is rich in vitamin C.
THE BETTER SKIN CO.
In 2004, when Uzbekistan-born aesthetician Natalya Rachkova emigrated to Seattle, Washington with her family, she brought along a very prized possession: a recipe for a facial cream she’d developed over a decade earlier. Once settled in Seattle, Rachkova began whipping up small batches of the face cream — a concoction comprised of ingredients like coconut oil, sea buckthorn oil, and shea butter — in her kitchen and selling jars of the magical potion to friends and acquaintances, all of whom raved about its ability to hydrate and soften the skin, minimize fine lines, increase luminosity, and improve overall texture. Rachkova’s home business was booming, but even greater success awaited her.
In 2013, she met Murphy D. Bishop II, a beauty sales and marketing veteran who’d worked with brands like butter LONDON and Stila. Seeing the demand for Rachkova’s do-it-all face cream and spotting a potential business opportunity, Bishop II convinced Rachkova to allow him to take her prized recipe to chemists who could potentially ramp up production. The experiment was successful and, in 2015, Rachkova and Bishop II co-founded The Better Skin Co. and officially introduced the world to the Mirakle Cream, a souped-up version of Rachkova’s homemade cream. Since then, the brand has grown exponentially, and it’s now available at over 1100 ULTA stores in the US.
Since I’m all about radiant skin, I’ve been dutifully using the Better Skin Co. Epik C Serum ($42 at TheBetterSkinCo.com and ULTA.com) which, as its name suggests, is an epic masterpiece. This lemon-scented serum contains Vitamin C to brighten the skin and stimulate collagen production, plus it contains moisturizing borage oil, as well as green tea and edelweiss extracts, which are rich in antioxidants that protect the skin against UV rays and other environmental aggressors.
And, if you have dry skin that’s prone to irritation, you should pick up the new Amaze Balm ($36 at TheBetterSkinCo.com and ULTA.com), an ultra-concentrated cream with avocado oil, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, evening primrose oil, sea buckthorn oil, and cocoa and shea butter, among other nourishing, moisturizing, soothing, and softening ingredients. Like so many Better Skin Co. products, the Amaze Balm is multi-purpose so that you can use it as a facial moisturizer or as a sleeping mask, massage it onto sunburned skin, dab it onto cuticles and elbows when they’re feeling a bit dry and rough, and more.
SARA HAPP
Sara Happ is known as the Lip Expert because she specializes in all types of products that keep pouts pillow-y, plump and pretty. Her namesake brand got its start in 2005 when, after searching for an exfoliating lip scrub and finding no viable alternatives, she decided to whip up her own product. Using toothbrush bristles to exfoliate lips just wasn’t going to cut it, so Happ pulled out her mixing bowls and tried out different ingredient combinations until she perfected her lip scrub. And, lucky for us, she decided to share it with the world!
Now, the Sara Happ range of Lip Scrubs includes a half dozen flavors — among them Vanilla Bean, Sparkling Peach, Brown Sugar, Caramel Latte, Pink Grapefruit and the brand new Coconut Lip Scrub shown above. A new limited-edition flavor released for Summer 2018, the Sara Happ Coconut Lip Scrub ($22 at SaraHapp.com) smells like a tropical beach and it gently removes dead skin cells while nourishing lips with grapeseed and jojoba oils, leaving you with flake-free, smooth-like-butter lips. Ideally, you should use this lip scrub daily, massaging it onto lips using gentle circular motions and then wiping off any residue with a tissue or washcloth.
To complete your lip care regimen, you’ll need the Sara Happ Lip Slip (at SaraHapp.com), a cashmere-soft balm formulated with jojoba oil, macadamia oil, and sweet almond oil. It’s been the brand’s bestseller since its launch in 2008 and with good reason — this indulgent-feeling balm features a proprietary polymer blend that quenches your lips’ thirst fully so that you don’t have to keep reapplying hour after hour. I literally keep one of these on my nightstand — and that’s saying a lot because only the best products earn a spot there!
EVER SKINCARE
Jessica Herrin is the CEO and Founder of cutting-edge clean beauty brand EVER, part of the Stella & Dot family of brands, which has earned a lot of praise due to its social-selling business model which empowers women to launch their own businesses by becoming independent EVER specialists. By becoming part of the EVER family, then, women can pursue their passion for beauty and earn a 20-35% commission off every sale made — all while setting their own schedules and enjoying the flexibility necessary to juggle other responsibilities (such as those that come with motherhood!). And thanks to the power of digital marketing and social media, EVER specialists can document their own experiences using EVER products, post photographs that show their own skin transformations, and create compelling content that speaks to like-minded consumers.
All of EVER’s skincare offerings are powered by LSR10, a bioactive anti-aging complex featuring three components: magnolia bark, which contains honokiol, an antioxidant that’s 1000 times more powerful than vitamin E; ectoin, a natural compound that accelerates the formation of proteins that protect the skin during times of stress, preventing premature aging; and ergothioneine, an amino acid that boosts skin cells’ natural antioxidant defense system, preventing photoaging. The LSR10 complex is designed to tackle all 10 visible aging signs: fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dullness, dehydration, thin skin, uneven skin tone, rough texture, redness, dark spots, and loss of radiance.
The EVER Pure Results Regimen ($255 at EVERskin.com) is designed to deliver results within 30 days, with a money-back guarantee. It consists of four steps: Cleanse, Exfoliate, Treat, and Moisturize & Protect. You can cleanse your face morning and night with the Luminous Nutrient-Rich Cleansing Balm ($45 at EVERskin.com) if you have dry to normal skin or with the Rebalance Gentle Purifying Cleanser ($40 at EVERskin.com) if you have oily or combination skin. Next, you can exfoliate with the REVEAL Biomimetic Peel Pads with LSR10 ($70 at EVERskin.com), which slough away dull and dead surface skin cells, clears up blemishes, and reveals a brighter and smoother complexion thanks to ingredients like caviar lime, azelaic acid, and willow bark. The third step in the regimen is your anti-aging treatment: the Youthful Quattro Peptide Face & Eye Serum with LSR 10 ($88 at EVERskin.com) which features a 20% concentration of a peptide complex that boosts firmness and gives facial contours a lift, as well as red algae extract to support microcirculation and mitigate any redness. The fourth step involves moisturizing and protecting skin, which you can do in the morning via the Daylight Radiance Tinted Moisturizer ($45 at EVERskin.com), available in Clear or 6 sheer shades, and at night via the Hydralift Moisture Injection Cream with LSR 10 ($70 at EVERskin.com).
EMMA HARDIE
British facialist Emma Hardie, who is known for her holistic approach to skincare, launched her namesake skincare brand in 2009 with the hopes of introducing women to luxurious skincare products formulated using potent botanical ingredients while also teaching them about massage and application techniques that boost the skin’s resilience over time. By using these products and employing Hardie’s application methods, then, women could ostensibly give themselves mini-facials every single day. Her amazing skin care collection is beloved by tons of celebrities including Kate Hudson, model Jourdan Dunn, and Poppy Delevigne.
During these hot steamy months (and when traveling!), there’s nothing like the Plump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist ($55 at EmmaHardie.com) because you can apply it throughout the day whenever your skin needs a burst of moisture. I love spritzing it onto my skin in the afternoon (particularly around 3 and 4 pm, when my skin starts to look a bit ragged) to give my complexion a a pick-me-up. Containing moisturizing hyaluronic acid, softening aloe vera and velvet flower, and toning wild water mint, this refreshing mist can also be used to set and revive makeup, to balance oil production, and to protect the skin against pollution (this last part thanks to a glycofilm that creates a second-skin shield over the skin, blocking out environmental hazards). Moreover, it contains invisible color correctors that diminish any redness.
In the morning, meanwhile, you’ll want to start your day by applying the Emma Hardie Protect & Prime SPF 30 ($75 at EmmaHardie.com), a multi-tasker than hydrates skin with mongongo oil and barley extract, offers UV protection, and preps the skin for makeup. And, if you want to go out bare-faced, you’ll love this: the product features light-diffusing particles that blur any imperfections and give the complexion a soft-focus finish, so you can feel confident without a lick of makeup on!
Both products (and all Emma Hardie products, for that matter) are vegan and cruelty-free, and they contain no parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, SLS, dimethicone, and synthetic dyes or fragrances.
JUARA
The Indonesian word “juara” means “champion” or “winner.” The four female friends behind Juara Skincare decided upon this name as they felt it encapsulated how they wanted their beauty products to make other women feel: like they were champions, bold and strong women who could take on the world. The vegetarian and cruelty-free skincare brand was inspired by Jamu, an Indonesian herbal medicine, and so its formulas often include ingredients like candlenut oil, tamarind extract, turmeric root extract, and other natural botanicals used in ancient healing practices. These tried-and-true ingredients are then married with modern botanical science to create dermatologist-approved, pH-balanced, clean beauty products that are both safe and effective.
Since we’re right in the middle of swimsuit season, there’s no time like the present to work on making those legs, thighs, and that booty look firm and lifted — hence why you should start massaging the Juara Ginger Coffee Firming Treatment ($53at JuaraSkincare.com) onto these areas. The lightweight gel-cream features a powerhouse combination of natural ingredients: red algae to minimize the appearance of cellulite, ginger to boost cellular renewal and help yield a more even skin tone; coffee leaf extract and peppermint to boost skin cells’ metabolism, leading to firmer and more supple skin; rice bran oil to improve elasticity; shea butter, avocado seed oil, and bentonite clay to calm, condition, and soothe the skin; and candlenut oil to moisturize the skin without any heaviness or stickiness.
