Before jumping in, I’d like to take a moment to honor Dr. Somi Javaid, the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of HerMD. I featured a Q&A with her and the incredible women’s health business she’s growing on Le Find in October. She has made the Inc. 250 Female Founders List. Congratulations!!!
Now, for today’s discoveries, I’m sharing a few products that I’ve been using for the past 1 - 2 months and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. So let’s dive in…
The perfect blush doesn’t exis…….
In early March, I was 30 min. too early for an appointment in West Hollywood, so I found myself wandering The Detox Market - one of my favorite clean beauty curators. The team was setting up a SWEED beauty display and those involved were buzzing about the new brand and product launch. SWEED was founded by Gabriella Elio, a makeup artist focused on achieving the glass skin, “no makeup makeup look.”
I was in the market for some new blush and that happens to be one of SWEED’s specialities. I’m quite particular when it comes to daytime blush in that I want it to be matte with just the right amount of natural-looking pigment. The product applies almost as if it’s a cream, but is actually a matte powder - I’ve never seen anything like it. I chose the cheeky color, which provides a natural flush on my skin tone.
The power of a sample
A few months ago, I received Maya Chia’s The Mane Agent from Credo as a sample and started using it periodically, especially as I was growing out my hair after a summer chop. The purpose of the formula is to help reduce hair breakage, which is important to me when I’m heat styling. I love the formula because it’s lightweight and not greasy, while still feeling highly effective. Don’t just take my word for it though, the product has a 4.8 rating and many happy customers.
All of my friends are obsessed with Ceremonia…and now I am too
Babba C. Rivera launched her Ceremonia clean haircare brand back in October 2020. I had heard about it through beauty news and had seen it on shelves in Credo, but at the time was feeling jaded by the fact that it felt like every time I tried a clean haircare product, I was consistently disappointed by the results (or lack thereof, I should say).
So, my interest in Ceremonia has been a slow build - a friend mentioning her love of the hair mask, another developing a deep obsession with the hair oil, one touting the award-winning scalp scrub, then listening to Babba chat with Hillary Kerr on Second Life. I really enjoyed this episode, especially after working in a similar tech environment - it’s always fun to feel a small kinship with someone. And then a month ago another friend was telling me how much she loved Ceremonia’s shampoo. Now I’m hooked, using the Champú de Yucca & Witch Hazel Deep Moisture Shampoo. My friends also love the Guava Shampoo for Damage Repair.
I need to caveat that I strongly believe that the type of shampoo one uses depends on their hair and scalp type, in addition to their water quality. The shampoos I used when I was living in Boston, rated the best, most pH-balanced water in the country to living in LA, some of the hardest water around, are completely different. In LA, I use a Jolie shower head to purify the water (see more here) and prevent build up. Getting the right tool and formulation combination is key.
Cheers to female founders and the effective, clean beauty they create.
x jz
Images | 1 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 2 | SWEED | 3 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 4 | Maya Chia | 5 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 6 | Ceremonia
This post contains some affiliate links. Please note that all recommendations and opinions are my own.
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Can’t wait to try this blush!