We use all kinds of fabulous organic ingredients, but you only need to hear the words ‘rose water’ to know that you’re going to be putting something divine on your skin!

On a practical level, it is a mild astringent, lightly drawing the skin together, minimizing pores, and neutralizing any excess secretions. It does this gently, without needing the harsh alcohol that is common even in natural or organic skin care products.

It soothes the skin, and softly calms reddened skin. It helps keep the complexion clear by maintaining the skin’s pH balance.

It goes without saying that the smell is just to die for. Heavily perfumed products are generally not what your skin needs, but a little subtle fragrance from this queen of flowers is just as heavenly for your spirit as it is for your complexion.

Using this luscious botanical, you will be in the timeless company of the ancients in China, India, Persia, Egypt and Rome. They used it both inside and out, for beauty and for health. The warrior aristocrats of Mycenaean Greece traded it as a treasured commodity. Legend tells of the discovery of the essential oil of rose after a Mughal Emperor filled all of the fountains and canals of his palace with rosewater to welcome his new princess bride.

Any why would he do that? Because roses speak eternally of love, they speak forever of romance. For aromatherapists, roses promote warm self love and self-esteem, as well as hope, and the capacity for deeper relationships. In the yogic tradition they resonate with the Heart Chakra, the bodily home of love and kindness, of giving and receiving, and of romantic relationships.

Truly a skin care ingredient to fall in love with.

Olive Oil: a heart-healthy key to the Mediterranean diet, is packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds; good for the heart, bones, digestion and brain, and protective against cancer – the list of good things to say about olive oil goes on and on.

And as well as being so good to eat, olive oil is wonderful on the skin, too.

LUSH WITH ANTIOXIDANTS

Obviously, it’s moisturizing, with lush emollient properties, helping to give your skin a gorgeous dewy complexion.

But it’s also packed with anti-aging polyphenol antioxidants. These provide natural protection to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamins A and E are in there too, fighting free radicals and the effects of too much sunshine.

COLD PRESSED IS CRUCIAL

Making sure to choose the best quality botanicals for your skin makes a world of difference. Olive oil is no exception. Cold pressed oil (also known as “extra virgin”) is far superior to refined grades.

Cold pressed means that the olives are crushed, and the fresh juice is spun, to extract the pure oil mechanically, using no heat or chemical solvents.

The result is that extra virgin olive oil has five times more polyphenol content than refined olive oil. We use it in our richly nourishing products, including Crème Supérieure and Body Crème Supérieure.

AN ANCIENT GIFT FROM THE GODDESS OF INSPIRATION

People have appreciated the wonders of olive oil for a very long time. It has been in use for six thousand years, and in ancient times symbolised a family’s wealth. Jugs of olive oil were given as lavish prizes in early Athenian athletic contests. The Greeks believed that this ‘liquid gold’ was a gift from Athena, the Goddess of wisdom, courage and inspiration.

Olive oil remains a luxurious ancient treasure, perfect for your precious skin.

Jojoba oil is wonderful! It’s an oil that is not oily. It spreads easily, absorbs easily and moisturizes deeply.

ALL THINGS TO ALL SKIN

It’s good for all skin types skin because it is very similar in composition to your face’s natural oils.

For oily skin, it dissolves excess oils and helps clear blocked pores.

For dry or sensitive skin, it’s a soothing emollient, helping to reduce breakouts and redness.

And for all skin types it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, giving a silky-smoothy, soft finish.

THE SCIENCE

Jojoba oil is technically a liquid wax or ester, rather than an oil. This means it is highly stable and does not oxidize and deteriorate: in fact it is an anti-oxidant.

The closeness of its chemical structure to sebum, your natural facial oils, is what makes it a super-softening ingredient for your skin.

GOOD, AND NOT JUST FOR YOU

Our jojoba oil is grown sustainably in arid climates where there is little other opportunity for agriculture, so when you use it you are supporting farmers in some of the toughest environments in the world.

For us here in Southern California, the origins of this lovely plant are close to home. The jojoba plant is native to Baja and the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Native American wisdom has used it traditionally as a beauty balm for skin and hair, and as a healing medicine.

MORE IS MORE

Jojoba oil is often in short supply. It takes years before plants become productive. This results in high prices, especially for organic jojoba oil, causing some manufacturers to use it in only token quantities.

We use it generously in our  Crème Supérieure Anti-aging Moisturizer . It’s a key ingredient across most of our organic skin care range.

I’m not sure how to say, without sounding a little self-regarding, that often people I meet in person are astonished to hear how old I am. The conversation may have started out with them telling me that their skin can’t look any better, because they’re 60, or because they’re 55, or because they’re 50. Maybe they give a bit of a shrug, and a soft smile, to say, well, that’s just the way it is.

And I want to shout my age from the rooftops! Age is no barrier to beauty.

Once upon a time, photo shoots were a regular feature in my life, but last week’s appointment with a photographer was the first in some years. And where once I was primped and preened, and sometimes made up like a pancake, here our goal was all about sheer, natural, authenticity.

No Photoshop, no foundation, no heavy eye makeup, no soft focus. Just me.

I’m 69 years old and have lived a life, not in a vacuum. I wanted the photos to show, and you to know, that you can look gorgeous at any age. Just by being your own simple, beautiful self. (And, of course, that cultivating really healthy radiant skin is a plus.)

My appointment was with Chris Jensen, a delightful, fun man who knows his craft and is a joy to work with. There were no makeup artists or hairdressers on the set for my visit, which was a first for him, as was “please leave my lines untouched.”

And nor is participating fully in life a barrier to beauty. I’m happy that it doesn’t seem to show too much in the photos, but the night before the shoot my daughter woke me up at two in the morning in terrible pain. We rushed to the emergency ward, and luckily, with treatment, she was fine.

By the time I got to the studio, after just a few hours of sleep, I was so concerned about how I was looking that I told Chris of my angst. He assured me I looked fine – he had never met me before – and I thought he was just being kind.

But in the end, thankfully, there are no tell tale signs of a 69 year old woman wearing no foundation who was sleep deprived! Beauty comes not from the superficial things about you, it comes from looking after yourself really well, and, much more profoundly, from who you are.

I modeled for an airline in the 70s. For a while, I flew all over the world with them.

The way airports and planes are today, doesn’t that sound awful? But actually it was completely wonderful. I was blessed with unlimited tickets, and I saw so many beautiful places.

And I know that if you’re under 50, it may be hard to imagine, but air travel was so glamorous in my youth…

ALL DRESSED UP

Back in the day, everyone dressed nicely to fly. Not like going to the opera, but still, like we were all on display in a place where appearance mattered.

La bella figura , as the Italians would say. Looking elegant. Being seen looking well put together.

And still in France today, French women always look like they’ve just stepped out of a salon, in an outfit that reliably has a certain je ne sais quoi. ‘Chic’ is a French word, after all…

So at 18, on my first trip across the Atlantic, I wore this beautiful, pale orange silk suit with high heels, which I sat and slept in for 12 hours!

FEELING SPECIAL

In the airport and on the plane, the atmosphere was friendly and courteous.

Airline staff were always around to assist you with your needs, and to make you feel special and welcomed.

EATING WELL

The in flight meals were actually good, with each foreign airline taking pride in the food of their country.

I adored flying Air France because they always served a fine French wine along with a gourmet dish.

IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD

Doesn’t it all just sound like a different world?

But in other ways of course we have a lot to be thankful for these days.

Air travel was so expensive back then that it was a real privilege to be able to fly. Nowadays, it’s become routine. Don’t forget to  look after yourself on your way!