La Bella Figura Talks About Favorite Products

The Co-founder of all natural beauty line, La Bella Figura, Victoria talks about her two "must have" products and why they are her favorites.

www.labellafigurabeauty.com

Why Facials Scare Me And Honeybees Don't

I have a huge confession or maybe it's an admission, either way it may come as a shock to some who have relied upon our expert advice on skincare that I do not get professional facials. Nope, I prefer to do them on myself and in the privacy of my home. I had a facial...once. It was such a traumatic experience that I never went back and vowed to learn how to care for my own skin at home so I would never have to face another cold extraction or the promise that my skin would glow. I always thought a glow was a positive thing, not so if your face looks like a piece of raw meat that could be fed to the tigers at the zoo.

Now, I'm not saying that facials don't work for people or that all facialists are horrible scary people with steel metal instruments coming at your face with the same expression the witch in Hansel and Gretel had as she concocted recipes for little children. Not saying that all at. I'm saying, that's how I felt. I was left with broken blood vessels, some scar damage, and extremely raw, red skin that took a couple of weeks to heal. It was too much for me and I can't fathom ever going back, even to the best celebrity facialist that offered to do it for free! (Well, maybe if Marion Cotillard's facialist insisted on giving me a free facial.) 

I kept hearing from friends that I was just unlucky or went to the wrong place, but the fact of the matter is that I have sensitive skin that will easily scar. Such is the case of most Latina skin, which has a tendency to discolor and suffer more minor trauma because of the active melanin in our olive tone skin types. This is also the case for African American, Asian, and Indian skin, all prone to scarring easily and a long turn around in healing. I became an expert with my own skin and paid attention to what caused me irritations, (talc in conventional cosmetics, fragrance) and what calmed my sensitive skin (good eating, Vitamin E, and healthy doses of zinc and omegas). I also realized I didn't need to go to a facialist to care for myself, it was something with a little time and patience I could do myself, at home.

I have begun to treat my skin to flower and herbal facial steams to swell my pores open and help detoxify with healing plant essences. I have also given myself bio active face masks to bring all the bacterial, grit, and grime to the surface. I find that enzyme based exfoliation with a mix of gentle fruit seeds doesn't cause my sensitive skin any damage and helps to remove any blackheads very easily. We at La Bella Figura have created a new formulation for one of the most effective skin treatments I've ever tried. A manuka honey mask with a therapeutic activity rate of 15+ that serves to detoxify and exfoliate all in one treatment. I find it so soothing and calming, especially if I've had a stressful week, which no doubt will show up on my skin instantly. The healing and curing ingredients that are in this face mask are all natural and in combination work like a charm! I look forward to my evenings when I'm working late, answering emails or reading, to apply the mask and leave it on for 20 minutes because I know the manuka honey is working just as hard as the honey bees that made it to exfoliate dead skin cells and repair stressed tissue. When I rinse it off (which rinses quite easily and without any tacky residue) I can automatically see a freshness or brightness of clean and happy skin! We are so excited to bring you a new product with huge healing benefits working to make your skin even more beautiful with the rest of the La Bella Figura line. Our herb and flower facial "teas" will also be here just in time when your skin needs it most and we think you're going to love them. Just like everything we do and create they are little luxuries made from the best nature has to offer us. Coming this Fall!

 

 

 

Amazing Amazonian Buriti Oil

There are secrets in the Amazon that perhaps were never meant to be known to the rest of the world.  We however, are so happy to have discovered Buriti oil a year ago when my best friend brought me some from her visit to Brazil. 

I was very excited about buriti (sometimes called aguaje) oil's bright orange-red color because I knew it meant this oil was rich in beta-carotene and recently it has been found to filter and absorb cancer-causing UV rays from the sun. It also contains very high concentrations of Vitamins A and C, oleic acid, and tocopherols. This oil, which comes from the fruit of Moriche palm tree is used all over the Amazon to treat burns and skin infections as well as it's a stable food source for people and animals. Buriti oil is excellent for treating sunburns and providing skin with antioxidants to fight free radicals and repair damaged skin. We quickly became fans of this South American wonder and are delighted to incorporate its magic into a new formulation and product. Hold on to your horses beauty lovers, the mysteries of the Amazon will make your skincare dreams come true very soon!

Summer Release from La Bella Figura

What on earth is A Super Serum?

Barbary Fig Renewal Serum, 1oz. $125

Have you tried a Super Serum yet? Have you heard about what concentrated serums can do for your skin? It's a good thing we've done our homework because our Barbary Fig Renewal Serum was made for people in need of something superior to plain old moisturizers.

This serum is intense in its gentle healing power to revitalize damaged skin. It contains active botanicals known for their regenerative effects. First on the list is barbary fig seed oil, an anti-ager with twice the Vitamin E content than argan oil and plenty of polyphenols to make it a worthy houeshold name. (We are the only American brand using barbary fig seed oil in our formulations and ours is EcoCert certified, cold pressed from the seeds) With broccoli seed oil, guava, pineapple and milk thistle, our hand blended formulation will change dull, damaged skin into fresh, glowing and healthy skin. Adding star power to the blend are rose oil to fight free radicals and calm irritated skin, magnolia flower oil to brighten dark areas, frankincense, melissa, and blood orange oil for an antioxidant boost you will love and show positive results for your skin.

The best part of a Super Serum is that it highlights several performance benefiting factors. Our Renewal Serum not only moisturizes, but it fights free radicals, helps with fine lines and wrinkles, targets spots to brighten, improves collagen and elasticity, and feeds your skin with vital minerals and vitamins to keep in youthful. If that doesn't sound incredible, I don't know what does! 

Trust us when we tell you that you will be hearing a lot about Super Serums! Remember where you heard it first though. La Bella Figura always works hard to make the best natural and organic products to make your skin beautiful.

La Bella Figura Turns One And Interviews Themselves!

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The Amalfi Coast

 Who are you?

La Bella Figura, a little natural and organic skincare brand that wants to bring "The Beautiful Life" to beauty lovers everywhere!

Where do you live?

We are based in Chicago, although our hearts are always someplace else. Mostly in Paris, Barcelona, or somewhere on the Amalfi coast.

What is your occupation?

We formulate, create and hand blend natural skincare products from certified organic or wild crafted ingredients. We bring beauty to the world and safe cosmetics to folks that trust us.

What is your astrological sign?


We are a power combo. A Leo and An Aquarian!

What do you do for fun and recreation?

We travel, write, cook, dance, meet our friends and laugh well into the night.

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

There is so much that we still need to see. There is not a place on this earth that we wouldn't see! We travel because it reminds us of Huckleberry Finn, being a seven year old, diving into our imaginations, and it connects us with our humanity.

What do you enjoy most about your life?

We enjoy loving the people closest to us every day. We hold them tight and just love! Right now we are also enjoying some of the success from our hard work and being recognized by retailers, customers, editors, and beauty writers as responsible and truthful. When we receive a phone call or an email from a customer that tells us our products has changed their skin, well it makes us cheer with joy. We love to hear it. We also love being innovative with ingredients and educating people about chemical free beauty. How some women covet the latest Stella McCartney dress or Rag and Bone jeans we covet the latest fruit or vegetable oil making news in the science journals. Don't get us started about organic essential oils because we have been amazed by the variety in the plant world and wish to try them all!

What made you try organic products?

We were tired of the greenwashing, the chemicals, toxins and lies that are constant in the beauty world. Growing up, all we ever heard was that oil for your skin is the worst culprit and leading cause of acne and irritating skin issues. Meanwhile, the beautiful women of Morocco, Italy, France, and Spain have always used a variety of oils in their skincare routine with astonishing results! The old myth that oils are hazardous and are to be avoided is absurd since no cream or moisturizer can be made without oil. It's an emulsion of water and oil! We just didn't want mineral oil to be our moisturizer so we looked towards nature and like the beauty queen she is, we found our answers. There is no going back once you go clean and organic.

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

Yikes! We are both guilty of being so busy running La Bella Figura that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. We're getting better though because we both made a recent committment to make exercise a part of our work routine daily. It's so easy to wake up and have emails, phone calls, and meetings to attend and skip a workout, but in the end we've realized we are happier when we can squeeze in some yoga or a cardio outdoors.

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

We are huge fans of two of our own products. Karen would go nuts if she didn't have her Decouverte Under Eye Repair Serum! Right now if I lost my bottle of Barbary Fig Renewal Serum I wouldn't be a happy camper either. It's getting my skin gorgeous for Spring.


Other than that I love my John Masters Organics Bare shampoo and I'm loving Raw Elements USA natural sunscreen made with some great ingredients that make my skin feel soft and not tacky.

What will you be doing this weekend?

It's St. Patrick's Day in Chicago this weekend and it'll be in the 70's! We'll be out and about for sure. We have a tradition here in Chicago where we turn the river green and have a parade and celebrate in a big way. Pretty sure green beer will be on the menu too. Don't ask what the city uses to turn the river green!

Sum up a motto that best describes you:

We do what we do not because it's always easy, but because we think it's right.

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Karen

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Victoria

PARIS, the next tribute in our organic perfume collection

Oh, Paris! In the Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, Paris is the capital in chicness of all the European cities. You will fall in love there or want to and even if you don't speak a word of French, there is something about Paris that will have you saying, "oui" in no time.

La Bella Figura has created a delicate, floral and universally appealing scent that will remind you of the abundance of love your heart swells up for while in Paris. Gentle notes of floral fields, chamomile, and sweet vanilla will have you sitting outdoors in that little French Cafe you can't stop thinking about. Our tribute bespoke scent is due to make its debut this SPRING-2012.

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.

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.









Meatless Mondays with La Bella Figura

It's been so busy over here in the LBF studio lately! I'm definitely not complaining, but I've barely had time to menu plan or grocery shop, let alone cook dinner. Thank goodness for some of the frozen dinners at Trader Joe's. I'm not a big fan of frozen meals, but they have some decent choices, and sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's got to do.


Not being able to justify another frozen meal for dinner, I was trying to think of something quick, easy, and tasty. Then my husband remembered a pasta recipe I tried a few months back that he really liked. I found the recipe from a blog called Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It's really satisfying and quite delicious with the flavors of roasted asparagus and balsamic reduction. Of course, I had to put my own little spin on it by adding toasted pine nuts; I think that nutty flavor makes it something a little more special, and as an added bonus, pine nuts are high in B vitamins and vitamin E.

Asparagus has to be one of my favorite vegetables. It's great for your body, especially your skin. It's loaded with antioxidants, vitamin B6, thiamin, vitamin C, folic acid, sodium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, sulfur, vitamin A, vitamin K, manganese,  and potassium. It also contains silica, which promotoes healthy hair, nails and a glowing complexion.
  
Because the recipe calls for cheese and butter, it is not veganr. I suppose you can use a vegan butter substitute, such as Earth Balance, and a vegan Parmesan substitute. If anyone tries it, please let me know how it works out.

Penne with Balsamic Butter and Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh asparagus spears cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt and more salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup balsamic vinegar (I added another 1/8 cup)
1and 1/4 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
1 pound penne pasta, mostaccioli, or zitit
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (I use unsalted so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe)
 2-3 tablespoon pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and 1/4 tsp of the salt and black pepper. Roast until tender and just starting to brown in spots about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the asparagus roasts, put the the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat and toast the pinenuts until golden, tossing frequently. Start your pasta water.

Put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the vinegar is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and some freshly ground black pepper.

Cook the penne according to directions on the package. Put a  ladle or two of the pasta water in a bowl. Drain the pasta water and immediately return it to the pot, do not drain it for to long. Stir in the butter and vinegar mixture. Toss until pasta is coated, adding  a bit of the pasta water to help coat. Add in the asparagus, Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and the salt to taste.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy recipe. I'm so glad I found this on Mel's blog! Stay tuned for next week's Meatless Monday recipe.

 

                                                                                                        En Bonne Sante,

                                                                                                                     Karen

                                                            

Beauty, wine and chocolate!

Last night Chicagoans were able to experience a real luxurious collaboration between us and Vosges Haut Chocolat. Vosges is a Chicago based exotic chocolate company that has paved the way for gourmet chocolate in America and has done one hell of a job at that! Both Karen and I are huge Vosges girls. My favorite is the Barcelona bar and Barcelona almonds, as a matter of fact I can easily polish off a box of the almonds in one sitting.

La Bella Figura offered samples of our best sellers to people that came in to the boutique to experience this unique beauty event and came across many curious folks who wanted to learn about the benefits of going natural in their beauty routine. It was very exciting for Karen and I to talk about our handcrafted brand, based in the same city where a pioneer like Vosges is from. I have followed Vosges and their CEO/creator Katrina Markoff, who is an exemplary business person and a mentor to small businesses. Katrina had vision for her creations and was not quiet when she pounded on the big doors of Neiman Marcus. Eventually, someone else with vision tried her magnificent chocolate delights and took her seriously. Since then she has made many decisions to keep her company from having that mass produced, over exposed type of vibe and continues to build her company with compassion and fire. We love that about Vosges and want to express our gratitude in allowing us to make our own roar at her Lincoln Park boutique. She has a great staff and we want to give them a shout out also for keeping a smile on their faces and the chocolate coming last night as the crowd lingered.

It was a beautiful October evening with a huge Hunter's moon bursting in through the glass windows and all I could think of was another piece of chocolate.

Victoria

Natural beauty expert Siobhan O'Connor reveiws Découverte on No More Dirty Looks.

Product Review: La Bella Figura Decouverte Eye Repair Serum [UPDATED WITH A LINK]

Posted by Siobhan on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 · 7 Comments

Every so often, we get an email about a natural beauty line that sends our special authenticity detector off the charts.

You know when you can just tell that someone a) is the real deal, and b) would be really fun to have dinner with? Well, when Karen King from Chicago emailed us about her new organic skincare line La Bella Figura, that’s what happened. We wrote her back and asked what she thought her stand-out product was, which is when she told us about her Decouverte Eye Repair Serum.
Plagued with hereditary dark undereye circles—not to mention the occasional not-enough-sleep and too-many-cocktails nights—Karen says she was on a mission to find natural ingredients that would be great for her eyes. “In our research we discovered barbary fig seed oil. I was very interested in the composition of this oil with its very high linoleic acid content and because it contains Vitamin K, which helps stop leaky capillaries, one of the main reason for dark circles. However, I was very skeptical because it is very hard to get, time consuming to produce, and therefore very costly.”

Well, after experimenting on her own mug, she found barbary fig seed oil to be so great that she made an eye serum for the rest of us.

Now, to be honest, I’ve never had much of an undereye-circle issue but I totally have smile lines around my eyes (doesn’t bother me) and in the last few months I have thought the skin under my eyes might feel thinner and as a result, a little darker (bothers me a bit). Also, there are the puffy-eye days. We all have them thanks to things like salty food, booze and tears, and they suck.
I’m happy to report that La Bella Figura eye serum noticeably reduces inflammation on puffy-eye days, hydrates the lines around my eyes, and, yes, the skin under my eyes feels somehow thicker and looks less dark. It’s true! Even if I feel bad recommending a product that costs $115.
Now, am I sleeping better than I did last month? I don’t know, I think so? But the point is, it’s hard to know what’s what—but that’s always the case with beauty products.

There are no silver bullets, lifestyle accounts for a lot, so do our genes, and so does diet, but products certainly can and do work, in their way. I’m going to say this is one of those products.

Here are the ingredients:
100% Pure Organic Argan (Argania Spinosa) Kernel Oil, Organic Opuntia Ficus Indica (Barbary Fig) Seed Oil, Organic Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Wild-crafted Lycopersicion Esculentum (Tomato) Seed Oil, Wild-crafted Coffea Arabica (Coffee Bean) Oil, Wild-crafted Rosa Damascena (Rose Otto) Flower Oil, Organic Tanacetum Annuum (Blue Tansy) Flower Oil, Organic Helichrysum Italicum Oil, Organic Cymbopogon Martinii Motia (Palmarosa) Oil, Organic Lavandulia Augustifolia (Lavender) Oil.
Also, check out her charming, candid blog here.

Your Summer Travel Cosmetic Bag

Most of us make summer travel plans and then get excited as we imagine the outfits we are going to wear as we walk the streets of Naples or on the island of Vieques or even a simple camping trip in Michigan.  Britney Spears cutoffs, anyone?

What we often don't think about is how to pack a proper cosmetic bag.  I once went on a weekend trip to Vegas with my sister and laughed as she pulled out three cosmetic bags, one for makeup,  she explained, one for skin and haircare products and lastly her contacts and vitamins/medicine bag!  I'll kindly leave out the fact that she brought a full sized suitcase we had to check in and wait an hour for at the airport.  (Oops...couldn't leave that alone!)

I have become an excellent travel packer.  The reason being: it saves time and I have never been known to wait patiently in lines.  Last year I went to Buenos Aires for 10 days in December with a carryon and a large bag that I called a purse.  (United made no qualms about it, so there!)  Most women I know (ahem, a certain best friend that lives in LA and travels to Brazil with two huge suitcases like she's about to be lost on a desert island) can't imagine how I've been able to pull this off, but I have.   I have also expertly been able to compact or shrink size my cosmetic bag and those of you that know me also know how I love my beauty products.  I would like to pass on my wisdom on this issue and hope you consider these tips as you pack your bags.

THINGS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED:

Makeup-Bring an eyeshadow pallete that contains several colors for choice options.  This will keep you from bringing 6 or ten eyeshadows jamming up your bag. The same for blush.  Pour foundation in a small container, maybe one you've recycled from a product sample.  You only need one mascara ladies!

Emergency Kit-Mini tweezers, mini nail kit, mini sewing kit.   Necessary medicines in a contact lense container is brilliant, one side for advil and the other for vitamins.  Or, if you're my sister bring two contact lense containers,  you'll still be better off than bringing bottles of advil and vitamins.

Hair and Skin Care Products-Save your samples for this!  Samples of your favorite organic beauty products are your friend on vacation.  They are luxurious and take your vacation to an adventurous level.  If you don't it is a MUST to pour your favorite styling aids in those small 1 oz. containers you stole from the hotel from your last vacation and are hoarding in your bathroom drawer.  This saves so much space in your bag.  I also bring a multi-purpose moisturizer (Tesoro-Mediterranean Blend) that I can use on my face, hair and nails in a pinch.

Tesoro Mediterranean Blend

Save Room-Purchase a new olive oil hand cream in Italy, exfoliator in France or Decouverte under eye repair serum in Chicago.  Discovering new beauty products from around the world is my favorite thing ever.  First stop in Spain, the local Farmacia! 

These tips should help you get through security and that TSA agent.  You know the one just waiting to open up your cosmetic bag and rummage through, pulling out "suspicious" bottles of body wash in  horrific 4 oz. containers.

Happy Travels and happy shopping at the Spanish Farmacia.

Victoria in Barcelona

                                                           
                                                        
www.labellafigurabeauty.com  

Review of La Bella Figura by Activist and Actress Shiva Rose on The Local Rose

Allure

La Bella Figura 

June 27, 2011

        

One of most favorite things about this site is that I get to discover natural products that really work. This new line of skin care is truly amazing. The two ladies behind it Victoria and Karen named their company after an Italian expression of finding beauty in everyday life.

La Bella Figura use wonderfully rich oils in their products but the two main ingredients that make their serums stand out, are their use of argan and barbary fig oils. These oils are acquired through fair trade agreements and are truly beneficial to the skin.  I have been using the Moroccan Face Gold and the Tesoro for a few weeks now, and my skin feels noticeably more supple and soft. They also have a great eye repair serum with a good dose of omega 3 to combat dark circles and wrinkles.  

labellafigurabeauty.com

 

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An interview with La Bella Figura co-founder, Victoria Fantauzzi

Victoria Fantauzzi, CEO and co-Founder of La Bella Figura, LLC

LBF: What is your first beauty ritual of the day

Victoria:  The first thing I do is wash my face.  I use an organic coconut and olive oil liquid soap for sensitive skin that I've enhanced with grapefruit essential oil as a natural antibacterial.  Then I moisturize immediately.  You want to moisturize while skin is...dewy.  Weird word, but true. 

LBF:  What do you use as a moisturizer?

Victoria:  You know what I use!  Tesoro is my favorite. It smells so good and it keeps my skin clear.

LBF:  Okay,  what is something you would like people to know about natural beauty products?

Victoria:  Good question!  I want people to know that using natural ingredients doesn't mean it will be ineffective in what it can do for your skin.  I think there is a myth out there that natural means it can't stand up to tough issues, but in actuality going natural is exactly what you should be doing if you have sensitive skin or eczema or acne.  Some of the chemically laden products out there can make those skin types worse! 

LBF:  I agree with you on that.  I've had allergies all my life and had tried just about everything and nothing really worked until I gave up the junk.  What do you think about all the folks that are scared to death about using a face oil?

Victoria:  I think they need to read their ingredient list because most likely they are already using oil on their face, just the really bad kind.  I know it sounds crazy to some people, but using a great quality antioxidant rich oil with no other ingredients is about as pure as you can get.  Mineral based or animal fat oils are pretty gross stuff.  Pure plant oils are best.

LBF:  Well I know we have tons of work to do so this is my last question.  What La Bella Figura product are you eager to share?

Victoria:  Aha, I think it'll have to be Decouverte our new under eye repair serum because it contains an exciting new ingredient, barbary fig seed oil!  Barbary fig seed oil has such a unique chemistry in France they call it "nature's botox."  I'm really proud of our eye serum because it contains such high performing ingredients like green coffee bean oil, tomato seed oil, which is full of lycopene and beta carotene, rosehip seed oil and of course our favorite..argan oil.  We also use rose otto, palmarosa, helichrysum, lavender and the wild blue tansy!  Blue tansy is so fantastic because it's naturally blue and features azulene, but like chamomille it's a calming essential oil for sensitive skin.  Decouverte is our little rockstar for sure and I can't wait to introduce it to everyone. 

LBF:  It's so exciting to introduce barbary fig seed oil to Americans!  Thanks, Victoria.  Let's get back to work! 

We're talking about face oils...yes, oil on your face!

Let's talk about oils and your face!  Does the thought of applying oil onto your skin instantly make you break out?  I am going to change your mind and convert you.  Oh, how I hope!

Many of us, perhaps even most of us have been told to stay away from oily creams and moisturizers in order to keep our skin blemish, smooth and wrinkle free.  We have been taught that oil is our enemy and anything that contains an oil base should be avoided like a birthday party for four year olds!  What many of us fail to realize is your cream or lotion with the "oil free" caption sitting in your bathroom cabinet is actually loaded with oil.  It's probably a petrochemical, a mineral oil, animal oil (fat) or even a good oil that has been chemically extracted and therefore has lost its potent antioxidant benefits.  How else does one create a cream, if not for emulsifying an oil and liquid formula?  We all know that oil and water don't mix.  Don't feel silly, it's not your fault that you never knew the liquid by-product to produce gasoline from crude oil was in your oil-free face lotion.  Cosmetic companies are not in a hurry to let you in on that fact.   Not many are adding glossaries with their long list of ingredients to help you to decipher the language either.  Now you know,  you have been using oil all along and you can just imagine if petroleum can fire up your car every morning it can't be good for the health of your skin.  Now that you know better you can do better. 

As we learn more and more about health and nutrition, we have discovered that oils are in fact, amazing for your skin!  That is if you believe that antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids fight free radicals, help with cell renewal and slows the signs of aging.  I was never the type to run away from oil since my fabulous Grandmother cured my every childhood ailment with olive oil.  From cradle cap to a chest cold, my Abuelita (Spanish for Grandmother) always had a spoonful of pure, cold pressed olive oil for me to ingest.  She even taught me that applying a little olive oil to your eyelashes keeps them thick and healthy and a few drops to your hair produces a gorgeous shine enviable by the rich woman who just spent a fortune at the salon.  In case you didn't know, my Abuelita was a genius! 

When I discovered argan oil I knew that I had hit the jackpot in an oil so full of nutritive benefits it would make my skin look like I had rested for 10 hours a night and just been on the best vacation of my life.  Argan oil is an oil from Morocco and produced when the kernels are cracked and cold pressed for a rich oil that, ironically is light and absorbs into your skin immediately.  It is loaded in essential fatty acids, has twice the amount of Vitamin E than olive oil and is high in antioxidant power.  It, like my Abuelita is another genius.  I began to use argan oil in lieu of my expensive moisturizers at first for its hydrating power.  After all the years of creams and lotions I will admit it was disconcerting, but I quickly adapted and after just one week of use I saw the amazing benefits and was ecstatic to say the least.  My skin looked radiant, felt soft and I could not believe a couple of unwanted blemishes were gone!  I wanted to convert everyone to try this amazing oil, however some folks were just not buying it.  When people started to notice and comment on how lovely my skin looked and asked about what I was using I would tell them my secret, much to gasps of horror.  It seems an oil on a person's face was the craziest thing anyone had ever heard of!  Until some became curious and of course, the results for them were also quick and amazing.   I suddenly had a few converts.  I also knew that I was on to something pretty special for the health of my skin without all of the parabens and petrochemicals that I had unwittingly used for years.  It was like discovering chocolate for the first time, I was hooked and I wanted to share my excitement. 

I am sure I have captured some interest in many of you and that's good.  Some of you may be just a little more suspicious and will be slow to try the power of a face oil or just have to wait to experience it for yourselves. That's okay too.  There was a time when folks were distrustful of the blueberry or made jokes about the heart healthy benefits of olive oil.  They most likely had never encountered my Abuelita.  I'm just hoping that soon enough the thought of applying topical antioxidants, vitamins, omegas and plant derived polyphenols sound like a good thing for beautiful skin.  Unless, you are committed to continue using crude oil on your face. 

Face oils are here to stay because they nourish the skin with pure plant derived benefits.  We at La Bella Figura have done some amazing things with plant derived oils and would love for you to try our products so that you too can become a fan of chemical, toxin and paraben free face oils.  It will change the way you take care of your skin and make you wonder why you haven't used a face oil long before.  We have some incredible things in the works and newly discovered oils for the best looking skin you never thought possible.   Just wait until you hear about organic barbary fig seed oil,  rosehip seed oil, coffeebean oil..I could go on with the amazing ingredients we work with at La Bella Figura.  My Abuelita has been gone for some time now and I find myself emulating her as I chase my niece with a bottle of argan oil to heal her dry skin or add shine to hair and even to apply to her lashes for healthy, long lashes.  She thinks I'm a little bonkers now, she'll be thanking me in a few years I'm certain of that!

Find us at www.labellafigurabeauty.com and learn more about La Bella Figura.

Best in skin health,

Victoria
La Bella Figura, LLC