Thank You!

A big THANK YOU to my dear friend and customer, Susie Bernard, for hosting a really fun Open House in January!  So fun meeting your friends and hooking them up with the best skincare around! 

Lash Boost + Regimen Promotion!

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Regimen (of your choice) + Lash Boost = 20% Off

This is in addition to your 10% Preferred Customer Discount - an amazing deal for such high quality skincare that works! Offer good until 3/9/17 or while supplies last! 

5 Foods for Glowing Skin!

This article first appeared in Clean Food Crush.

Hormonal acne can be so discouraging, especially in your adult years. In order to bring your hormones back into balance, Eating Clean, getting healthy fats and drinking enough water along with daily movement can make a big difference. You CAN heal, and remember that keeping your stress low during this time is so important.

Here are 5 foods to focus on for reducing acne and achieving glowing skin!

1. Egg Yolks

When it comes to hormonal acne, fat is often a major player in healing. In order for your hormones to balance out, you need to get enough of the RIGHT kind of fat in your diet. Egg yolks should be lightly cooked (not hard) and pastured if possible. This means the chickens are eating a natural diet, which results in the yolks being richer in Omega 3 fatty acids that your hormones depend on for clear and glowing skin. 

2. Fermented Foods

Sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir are all options you can look to for healing your gut, balancing your hormones and achieving healthy looking and feeling skin. Why are fermented foods so great? Because they are rich in probiotics, fermented foods help to diminish bad bacteria and replenish the good bacteria in your gut which leads to a healthier immune system, balanced hormone production and by proxy, clear skin! You can start with 1 Tablespoon of sauerkraut or kimchi at each meal, or enjoy a shot of kefir each day.

3. Green Veggies

Your green vegetables and leafy greens like broccoli, kale, collard greens, arugula and watercress are all rich sources of vitamins and minerals like Folic acid, Vitamin C, Iron and Zinc that support your body in becoming optimal and balanced. Ideally, you enjoy these foods every day cooked with grass-fed butter or ghee, or included in stews or soups.

4. Bone Broth

Find knuckle bones and marrow bones at your local butcher and boil them down into bone broth, or purchase pre-made bone broth at a local butcher or health-food store and enjoy the fatty, mineral rich benefits of a healing broth. Bone broth is so rich in gut-healing minerals and can help your body replenish its fat stores if you haven’t been getting enough. Minerals are best absorbed at night, so have one cup a day, ideally in the evening or as a base for your soups or stews at dinner time.

5. Salmon

This fatty fish is very rich in Omega 3’s and B Vitamins, Selenium and of course, protein. Blood sugar spikes can often result in acne breakouts,  so it’s important to eat foods that are rich in fat and protein to stabilize your blood sugar. Salmon is also an excellent source of antioxidants which support your body in natural regeneration and repair.

Amy Margolis - The Healing Power of a Career Change

 Three years ago, Amy Margolis’ life fell apart. Within a span of six months, her grandfather, mother, and father all passed away, before she could catch her breath or begin to process her grief. It made her feel lost, adrift in the world without her solid foundations to depend on. It took time for Amy to get through that grief and come out the other side, but when she did, it was as a more determined and resilient woman.

Learning painful life lessons

Amy had been extremely close to her parents. They were a great source of support throughout her childhood and into her adult life. She would call them a few times a day, whenever she needed to talk, and for advice when she had her own children. When they were gone, she felt like she had no one. “It stripped me of the support system I had always known. I felt alone, scared, and angry.” When someone is physically ill, it’s difficult for them to give their whole attention to another. Amy notes that when we are emotionally ill—heartbroken—it’s very similar. “You can’t be the best version of yourself. If I’m not feeling good about life, it impacts my kids, and I want to be healthy and present in their lives for every possible minute.”

Before her tragedy, Amy had been an assistant principal of a large school. In the wake of her loss, with a new perspective, she saw that such a demanding job left her little time and energy for those who deserved it most: her family. Amy was resolute in not returning to her position at the school—she wanted to spend her time where it counted. “You get one chance—there are no do-overs.” She also knew that she could not remain entrenched in her grief. She needed a purpose, and in order to be the best for her kids, she sought something to lift her up, to give her hope and drive.

This photo was taken just a couple of weeks before Amy started her Rodan + Fields journey. Her hands were full, but her heart was broken. This journey has brought her emotional freedom, a chance to heal by helping others, hope, and the opportunity to dream again.

Mending a broken heart

While Amy was going through her darkest moments, her old college friend Katie Wood reached out often to check in on her and attempt to lift her spirits. On one of these calls, Katie suggested that Amy try something new, something that she believed could change Amy’s life for the better. What Katie proposed was that Amy set up her own Rodan + Fields^Ⓡ skincare business. Amy was intrigued. “Katie was presenting me with an opportunity to change my focus and do something positive for my family.” Her husband was also very encouraging. Being an investment professional himself, he knew the earning potential and could also see that his wife would benefit from a new adventure.

Less than a year after her father passed away and while she was still juggling a newborn baby, Amy started her R+F business. Within two months, she had hit the Fast Start Program and within a year she had reached Level V. The change she felt and saw in herself was miraculous. “I went from a point where I could barely get out of bed to take a shower, to being the boss of my own successful business.”

Members of Amy’s personal Team Renew (Krista Damann, Mary Brown, Kirsten Meyers, Tracy Robb) with her sponsor Katie Wood and her sister Erin Connor during their Lexus Celebration in Boston.

Taking back control

Now, less than two years after starting her Rodan + Fields journey, Amy leads a team of over 30 women around the country. “It feels good to wake up every day and have some control over where my life is going,” she says. Working from home about fifteen hours a week, she is able to put her family first, which is particularly helpful in her situation. “Without a family support network, I need every ounce of flexibility possible.”

Her experience has taught her that things can change in a heartbeat, and that we need to cherish every moment. “I want my kids to have as much of me as possible for as long as possible.” With her R+F business, she is able to be present as her children grow up. She revels in the convenience of her new career and the freedom it brings, and says she’ll “never go back to the old way.”

Amy’s world, her everything.

Sharing the secret to a happier life

The whole Rodan + Fields journey has been a cathartic process for Amy, “I do believe R+F has given me an outlet for my healing,” she says with relief. She has learned important lessons about the value of family, and while Amy dearly misses those that have passed on, she has emerged from her grief a stronger person. She has come a long way in the past three years, and looking into the future, Amy is keen to spread the opportunity R+F offers. “I want to share this with as many people as possible, to show them that they too can improve their lives as I have.”

Having the power to help others while also helping support her family is rewarding and exciting, and Amy thrives on that excitement. She is happy to say that the new life she has begun is a perfect fit. “People say life-changing, but this truly is the real deal. The only thing I regret is not having started sooner!”

Did You Know?

Eye Cream is Not Just for Women!

More and more of my customers husbands are using our best-selling Multi-Function Eye Cream - because it works! It's super easy to put on before bed each night after brushing teeth. John, below, looks 10+ years younger and more awake!  

The One Thing Alicia Keys Cut Out to Clear Up Her Skin

It’s understandable why Alicia Keys has sworn off makeup. Besides the fact that it’s super empowering and allows her to flaunt her natural beauty—regardless of what standards society has imposed on celebs—her skin is just so enviably glowy.

But it hasn’t always been that way. In a recent interview with Elle UK, the musician admits that—just like us mortals—she, too, has fought blemishes for most of her life.

“It took me forever to get this skin,” says Keys. “I mean, I know how it feels to have a face full of bumps and pimples.” We feel you, Alicia.

So, just like the rest of us who are constantly on the quest for clear skin, Keys has gone through what she dubs a “crusade” in order to get rid of the pest that is acne.

As it turns out, Keys found that eliminating one specific thing from her diet did the trick: dairy.

“When I first got pregnant [six years ago with her son, Egypt], I started to eliminate dairy from my diet and drank a lot more water, which made a huge difference to my skin,” she says.

Studies have shown that dairy is linked to acne—and it’s one of the foods that women’s hormone expert Alisa Vitti suggests you skip to keep hormonal breakouts from happening. Plus it’s hard to argue with Keys’ radiant, inflammation-free gorgeousness. Hot mug of golden milk, anyone?