August 26, 2020
An Interview With Laurel Shaffer
It's been such an honor to offer the incredible Laurel Skin collection to Neu Skin clients and beyond. I have long been amazed by the healing natural powers and luxurious feel of these skin care products and I'm thrilled to be able to work them into the skin care routines of my clients.
It was wonderful to ask Laurel Shaffer, founder of Laurel Skin, a few questions about how her company came to be and how she loves to use her own powerful products and their healing properties.
How did your product line come to be?
This could be quite a long answer because it is about my entire journey in life so far! But the abbreviated version would be that I have a deep love and passion for spas, wellness, farming and herbal medicine. I became disenchanted with 'organic' beauty products early in life when so many ingredients seemed harmful or unnecessary - and at a minimum not connected to real plant medicine, the Earth, or the farm source from which they came. I set out to study herbal medicine with the intent to create a skin care line for estheticians and spas - one that would be genuinely organic using only plants and foods in their purest form.
Where do you find inspiration for your products?
My inspiration mostly comes from the plants themselves, the farmers I work with, and nature. Plants make it clear when they want to be used for a formula or a specific symptom, and they often even grow abundantly for our partnering farms when they want to be included.
Half my inspiration comes from them, and that often aligns with inspiration from the estheticians that we work with regarding what they might need or what they want to see for their clients.
What are some of your favorite ingredients to use in products and why?
I believe that all plants are medicine - so choosing a favorite is a bit like choosing a favorite child! It really depends on so many factors. I gravitate towards plants that are abundant and thrive for our partnering farms as opposed to 'trendy' or 'exotic' plants.
Abundant and thriving plants tend to be the most potent medicine for our skin, and using them actually gives back to the Earth rather than takes from it. I also focus on ingredients that I can obtain that are as genuinely unrefined as unprocessed as possible.
This actually really determines what I am able to use in our formulas and what is not yet available at that level of quality or purity in our industry yet. This is a reason why you might see us using very different plants than most brands.
Do you have any products you particularly love to use or recommend for the summer heat?
Absolutely! The Sun Serum and the Day Balm are two products that I wear every morning before going out into the sun - they provide significant antioxidant protection to help prevent UV damage. I also love the Support Cleanser for its cooling and soothing properties.
FALL: As we transition to fall, I often make the switch to our Unburden Serum to moisturize my skin. I feel it helps me through that transition to colder weather and drier air. The Brighten Mask also helps to repair any UV damage that I may have acquired over the summer.
How do you usually treat heat-related breakouts?
Our Blemish Treatment is such a cooling and potent anti-inflammatory. Just one drop goes quite a long way and will take down redness and irritation in the skin quickly. After cleansing with the Support Cleanser, hydrating with Hydrating Elixir II, and moisturizing with a few drops of the Balance Serum - I then apply our Blemish Treatment to whatever area necessary that is experiencing breakouts. I also love a soothing cool chamomile tea compress to heat irritated areas as well.
What are your favorite ways to calm the skin after spending time in the sun?
Hydrating Elixir II, Sun Body Oil and the Recovery Balm have all saved my skin from many sunburns on summer vacations! This is something you can actually see completely transform your skin post sunburn, and it will often prevent peeling and further damage - maybe even allow you to go back outside the next day.
After too much time in the sun, I fully drench my red inflamed skin in Hydrating Elixir II. While my skin is still damp, I apply either the Sun Body Oil or the Recovery Balm depending on which one I have. This combination is one of my favorites for post-sun!
FALL/WINTER: In the fall and winter months I often switch to our California Body Oil to help support the overall health of my body and skin. While it might sound a little silly that a body oil can do that, our California Body Oil actually helps to stimulate blood circulation and lymph movement throughout the body. In the colder months, these things can get stagnant, but this body oil helps keep the flow going!
________________
Thank you, Laurel!