Our 10 Best People, Things and Discoveries of 2011

This year has been pretty incredible for us at La Bella Figura.  Who knew that our love for organic products and everything European would make our little company such a success?  2011 was the year we launched our line and garnered the trust and loyalty of many customers, editors, bloggers, and retailers.  It's been such a rich learning and motivating experience for us.  We are so grateful and so excited for this new year to begin.  Speaking of "New Year" we will be launching our latest baby, Barbary Fig Renewal Serum in January of 2012, as well as our collection of organic perfumes in the new year and some other surprises we have in the works in 2012!


Our Barbary Fig Renewal Serum is especially exciting for us because it works like a dream to renew damaged skin and get it back in shape! The ingredients in the serum are all natural and potent fighters in anti aging, anti cancer and are sure to restore vitality and health back into skin that really seeks repair. We can't wait for lovers of Decouverte and Tesoro to try this little marvel.



As much as this has been the year for us at La Bella Figura, it has also been the year of appreciation and admiration for others we have been lucky to know or work with or simply discover.  We want to share our 10 favorite discoveries of the year 2011.  Happy New Year to you all, may peace be in your life, love, happiness and may you always be flooded in beauty.

xo Victoria and Karen
La Bella Figura

1.  ECOSALON

If you haven't read or heard about this online magazine with a heart, get to it now! We love everything about Ecosalon and you will too.  This is intelligent, fun, and informative writing that makes us happy every day and don't get us started on how we just adore the writers and editors...we'll make them blush, for sure.

2.  THE "Real" BEAUTY WRITERS

There are some that have a flair for writing that just makes you want more.  We were lucky to have had such great reviews from these three lovelies who all adore beauty like no one else. If they didn't do it so well, we'd be up the creek trying to figure out the latest stories and beauty news. Nav Kaur, Jolene Hart, and Susan Linney. Ladies, you are the rockstars of beauty writing.!

3.  REFINERY 29

When you want to know what's up, check out R29 for the latest happenings, beauty and fashion news in your area.  We just wish R29 covered every city, alas we are lucky our town Chicago has it covered.

4.  VITAL JUICE

Just like R29, Vital Juice gives you the low down all that is healthy and good for you.  We are especially thankful that the Chicago editor of Vital Juice, Maya Henderson who decided to try La Bella Figura and became an instant fan.  Her support of LBF in Chicago means a lot to us as we grow in our beloved city.  Drink your juice or in this case, read your juice!

5.  JUICE

Speaking of juice, everyone is suddenly juicing it up for health and wellness.  We have known for a while that drinking, fresh pressed juice is good for you, but did you know it boosts your skin complexion too. The vitamins and minerals in fresh juices are active and you will benefit greatly from fresh juice as opposed to juice that's been in a carton for a while.  Great news is that you can just as easily make it at home! Get to juicing folks and wait for the glow to appear in your skin.  Natural magic!

6.  FEMALE COMMUNITY

I can write an entire post about this and plan to soon, but this year Karen and I were reminded of the power female community can bring to inspire and motivate one another.  We had a major snafu at the end of the year when our sponsor for a holiday eco market we had organized, suddenly pulled out because of scheduling conflicts.  It had nothing to do with us, but it really threw us for a loop. After all the planning, organizing, and collaborating with local brands we were majorly bummed. We felt we had let folks down, yet the other women involved rallied around us in support and compassion.  Even to the point, of inspiring to organize a local Women In Business support group to meet monthly!  If that isn't community, then what is?   (Also, a reminder there is truth in the old saying; a closed door brings new opportunity.)

7.  OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS

We didn't discover them in 2011, but we did discover the power they had in keeping us sane and being our favorite cheerleaders.  Thanks to my sister and best friend, Lissette and Denise for listening to my crazy stories and complaints...as though it is fun, and to Karen's husband, Jason whom we drove practically insane with working for us for free (one day Jay, we'll get you that hand cut Armani suit), to Cori who gave us her smart advice, to John and Christine who show up to our events with smiles and friends, to Carly who wrote about us on her awesome blog, unpatterned, to James our handsome friend and photographer, to my Mom, Gloria who posts and shares our Facebook news, to my niece and nephew who said I was an innovator and mad scientist, to Anne and Josh who believe in us, to Chad for his help and research, to Jenna for being my personal tester, and to the many of you that have encouraged us.  Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, we love you so.

8.  THE ECO-MAMA

We know you are the Goddesses that rock the earth.  So many of you embraced us and we felt confident in that embrace.  Yes, we are trying to bring awareness to health and beauty and create products that aren't just pretty in their packaging, but are effective in use and friendly to the planet.  We are especially indebted to our favorite "eco-Mama" Shiva Rose for her enlightening blog, The Local Rose.  Her raw, passionate and emotional writing makes us feel protected and teaches us something new each week.  Shiva isn't afraid to tackle the tough issues, (the harassment of Rawesome in Venice, California, a store I frequent when in town, or the support of Occupy Wall Street) this lovely can one day be on the red carpet in her vintage gown and the next voicing her opinions in The Huffington Post.  We just adore our little rose.


9.  BARBARY FIG SEED OIL

Okay, so we didn't exactly discover it, but we sure did our share of research, which wasn't so easy considering not many besides the Moroccans and Tunisians are cold pressing this wonderful oil.  Sometimes, it's called, prickly pear oil and although the fruit from which it emanates is common and grows all over the world, not many are cold pressing the teeny tiny seeds for its Vitamin E and polyphenol loaded wonder oil.  (The fruit itself has tremendous health and medicial benefits and is in use for these purposes from Sicily to Argentina.) This year we were able to experiement with the oil after finding a producer whose family does the time consuming job of gathering tons (literally tons to produce one liter of oil) of seeds to cold press on their organic co-op.  The price of the oil is no joke, but the results are so spectacular and because we are after all, La Bella Figura we wanted to use the best to make the best product for you.  Don't worry if you haven't heard about this oil before us, we are certain you'll be reading about it and discovering it everywhere soon enough. Remember who used it first though!

* Remember, fair trade and organic is the way to go. Anything else is cut or mixed, poor quality and exploitative of the people who work to press the oil.

10.  OUR RETAILERS

Thank you for having faith in us, sharing our vision, and selling our products to your valuable customers.  We couldn't do this without you!  We hope to continue successful collaboratons and look forward to new retail partnerships with people that care, just like us.


Have a wonderful, healthy and organic New Year from us at La Bella Figura.

Make your own organic refreshing facial wipes

Soothing marshmallow root

Things you will need:

2 cups distilled water

3 tablespoons marshmallow root

1 teaspoon witch hazel

4 drops chamomile essential oil

1 sheet of organic paper towel, cut into 1/4 pieces

Medium saucepan

Tea sieve or a piece of cheesecloth for straining.

Bring 2 cups of water to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of the marshmallow root and allow to steep (about 15 minutes) turning heat off.  When the marshmallow tea is completely cooled, strain through a sieve or piece of cheesecloth and pour into a spritzer bottle.  Add the witch hazel and essential oils and gently shake to combine.  Spritz organic cotton paper towels and dose until nicely saturated with cleansing liquid.  Wipe your face and cleanse and tone, naturally!  Cleanser solution will keep about one week and you can store in the refrigerator for a soothing effect for summertime use.



Meatless Mondays with La Bella Figura

This past summer, I excitedly planted my first container garden. It was pretty much a flop. I stupidly crowded too many tomato plants into each container and added too much perlite to my soil mix, resulting in about 10 yellow cherry tomatoes and one small plum tomato and exactly two purple heirlooms, which the squirrels got to before I did. Oh yeah, and the world's smallest green pepper. I did manage to grow three huge healthy basil plants. We recently brought those in for the winter. They are not doing so well. I had to put them in my office, where my cats can't eat them and where sadly there's not much sun.

So in honor of my basil plants that are on their last legs, I thought why not give them the best send off I can and make something that showcases basil like nothing else can. Pesto! Originating in Genoa, it is traditionally made in a marble mortar and pounded or crushed by a wooden pestle. The word pesto actually comes from the Genoese word pesta, which means to pound; our word pestle comes from this by the way of Latin.

Basil is a pretty cool little herb. Besides being rather tasty, it contains flavonoids, which help protect cell structure from both radiation and oxidation damage. Basil also has antibacterial properties: studies have shown that it is able to suppress bacteria that have become resistant some antibiotic drugs. Basil is high in beta carotene, which is converted into vitamin A and which helps protect cells from free radical damage. Basil is one powerful little herb!

Pesto Genovese with Pasta

I call it Genovese pesto because it's a more traditional style pesto, but I have a feeling that the residents of Liguria would scoff at that. The Ligurians are very particular about their pesto like the French with their grapes and don't really consider anything that's not made with Ligurian basil grown in Liguria to be real pesto (at least that's what I heard). It's almost the same principal as terroir in wine making; the soil in Linguria gives certain characteristics to the basil, as well as the sea air and the amount of sun. Although I'm actually using Lingurian basil (mixed with some sweet basil) in my recipe, it was not grown in Liguria. Also I am using my food processor, which is probably pretty cringe worthy, but I've tried the pounding method and it's not for me. I hope they will forgive me though!

1 pound pasta (I used farfalle because that's what I had on hand)

2 cups basil loosely packed

1/2 -1 clove garlic (I vary it on my mood whether I want it more or less garlicy)

3 tblsp pine nuts

1/2 - 1 cup olive oil depending on how thin or thick you want it

3/4 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Coarse sea salt - start with a pinch or two and keep adding until satisfied (be careful not to over salt as the Parmigiano is already salty)

Boil water and cook pasta as directed.

Meanwhile, combine the basil with a pinch or two of salt, the garlic, the pine nuts, and about half of the oil in a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides as you are processing, gradually adding the rest of the oil. Stir in the Parmegiano right before serving. Pour pest into a bowl and add pasta gentle stirring to mix.

I had a package of heirloom mini tomatoes laying around so I tore them up and added them to the pesto. Sometimes I like the sweet acidity with my pesto. You can really add anything to it. I think grilled veggies make a lovely addition.

                                                                          Buona Sallute,
                                                                                Karen

La Bella of the week is, Mademoiselle, B!

This week we interview a nine year old organic beauty lover and huge LBF fan, Mademoiselle, B.  We aren't revealing her "real" identity, but it was definitely a real treat to interview this young sassy pants.  She claimed not to know what an astrological sign was and admitted that the questions were boring, which we found refreshing and very amusing.  Gotta get the young ones educated on going clean and green!

Mademoiselle B and friends

La Bella Figura: Who are you?

B:  I'm B and I'm nine.

LBF:  Where do you live?

B:  In the windiest city in America.

LBF:  What is your occupation?

B:  I'm a student and I like to sing and dance.

LBF:  What is your astrological sign?

B: I don't even know what that means. 

LBF:  What do you do for fun and recreation?

B:  I really like to sing and dance to hip hop.

LBF:  If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why?

B:  I would travel to Hollywood to meet other famous people.  I would like to meet Beyonce and Selena Gomez and Justin Beiber.

LBF:  What do you enjoy most about your life?

B:  I enjoy going on adventures.  This summer I went to Indiana Dunes with my Mom, Aunt and brother and we found a trail by the huge sand dunes and followed the trail til the end.  You could see the whole lake from the end of the trail and very far off you could see downtown Chicago. 

LBF:  What made you try organic products? 

B:  What made me try organic products was I had eczema on my knee and my Mom and Aunt said it would work.


LBF:  If we shadowed you for an entire day, what beauty horror would we find out about you?

B:  I'm just a kid, so a whole bunch of things probably and I don't even know what that means.

LBF:  What are your favorite beauty products, something you could not be on a desert island without?

B:  I love my Aunt's beauty products like the argan oil and I like it when my Mom uses the hair stuff on me because it smells good and I have curly hair so it makes it nice.

LBF:  What will you be doing this weekend?

B:  I would like to go to a movie and the American Girl doll store.

LBF:  Sum up a motto that best describes you:


 ( Note: my nephew who was "advising" on this interview suggested, Tyra Banks.  Pretty sure he heard incorrectly...I hope!) 

B:  Live, have fun and laugh a lot. 


Besides the fact that she's a LBF niece and we adore her to death, we think B is going to make some pretty good beauty choices in her future.  We hope she gets to meet Justin, Selena, and Beyonce and maybe she'll teach them a thing or two with her excellent dance moves! 

To quote one spicy little girl, "Live, have fun and laugh a lot!" You, go, girl!

Meatless Mondays with La Bella Figura

I've been pretty sick this last week, and I've got a cough that I am having a hard time shaking. I made an everything-but-the kitchen-sink soup last week to help my irritated throat and lungs, but in my sick haste to get it down my throat, I forgot to take pictures, oh well.

Instead, I bring you one of my favorite salad recipes that always puts a bit of a smile on my face even it it's between coughs.

Fattoush

Who doesn't love a bread salad? Fattoush would be the more exotic cousin of the Italian panzanella, but instead of bits of stale crusty bread to soak up the dressing, fattoush uses the pita. People argue what's the most important ingredient in the fattoush: the pita, the tomaotes, the herbs, or the dressing. To me, it's all about balance. It's the way the flavors come together and just explode in your mouth. Here, I've made it as a side dish, but to make it a main dish, I may add some chickpeas and feta, which is not exactly what I'd call traditional, but a veggie has got to squeeze in protein where she can.

3-4 pita pocket breads, cut into 3/4 inch strips

2-4 cloves of garlic (for an added immune boost I go for the full four)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon jouice (about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup olive oil plus more for brushing the pita strips
1 tsp powdered Sumac, plus a bit more for sprinkling just before serving
2 heads of Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
3 green onions thinly sliced
2-3 ripe tomatoes diced
1/2- 1 full seedless Persian cucumber diced (if you can't find a regular english cucumber will do just fine)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped (this is not traditional but I like the crunch it adds)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the oven heats mash the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. Put garlic pasteinto a bowl and add lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk together and set aside.

Brush the cut pita strips with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until pita strips are crispy and just beginning to brown (8-11 mins). Watch carefully because they can go from golden to burnt rather quickly. When they have become crisp and just golden, remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cruble into chunks.

Remove outer leaves and cut ends from Romaine lettuce. Cut Romaine into fourths lengthwise and chop into pieces. Put the Romaine into a large bowl.

Add tomatoes, green onions, green pepper, cucumbers, parsley and mint to the lettuce. Add the dressing. If serving immediately add the toasted pitas and let sit for a few minutes to soak up some of the dressing. Since it's just my husband and I, I like to dole out the salad servings first and add the pitas to the individual serving. I store the leftover salad and pitas separately, so when I eat it later, the pitas haven't become all soggy.

I purchased the felafel and the hummus at my local grocery store. We are fortunate they make both in house fresh daily. It makes for the perfect eastern Mediterranean feast!

Victoria's last minute cookie contest.

Okay folks, I need your help!  I've been so busy that I haven't had the time to do what I usually enjoy doing, like bake.  I love baking with my niece around this time of the year and spreading our joy with cookies to her school crossing guard, my doorman Orlando, (who I'm sure is wondering where his cookies are by now) and of course my nephew who doesn't enjoy baking, but loves the goods that come out of it.  I have a huge Holiday party to attend on Saturday and no clue what to bring this year.  I like bringing something different every year, however this year I've had no time to browse recipes, magazines or cookbooks.  So, I reach out to you, my beloved friends, customers and LBF readers.  Do you have a great cookie recipe you'd like to share with me?  My only requirement is that it contains natural ingredients.  I don't want to make cookies with processed peanut butter cups or peppermint candies, etc.  Oh, and I need the recipe by this Thursday, December 8th, 2011.  I will select my favorite recipe myself and contact the winner by email.  The winner will win a 1 oz. bottle of Tesoro AND a sample of our new Barbary Fig Renewal Serum.  You are welcome to share the contest with friends on Facebook, but they must join our Facebook page in order to join.

Please send recipes to Victoria, info@labellafigurabeauty.com

Contest ends on December 8th, 2011 at midnight.