To me, the concept of graceful aging is interwoven with the belief that beauty is a constant state of becoming. There is no peak and descent; no rise and fall. There is no blooming fated to wither. There is only the continual growth of the mind, body and soul. Therefore, in my humble opinion, mindset and maintenance are the keys for aging with grace. What makes these two concepts so important? Choice.

The awareness of choice is a gift often opened later in life. In our youth, most of us fall susceptible to the will and expectations of others at one time or another. We painfully attempt to fit ourselves into a misshapen box designed for who we think we should be rather than who we are. But as the author Ursula K Le Guin says,

“There are a whole lot of ways to be perfect, and not one of them is attained through punishment.”

As we mature, we begin to discover our voice, our identity, our truth. We learn to liberate ourselves from the punishing expectations of society, and ourselves. With time we simply embody a beauty that is more than meets the eye. Our choices hold the brush, painting a beauty beyond skin-deep, becoming life-deep.

Awareness of Mind

As simple as it may seem, aging gracefully relies on a healthy mindset. A youthful face is blessed with genetics, but with each passing year you become a reflection of your life. Every line, scar and pigment tells the story of where you’ve been and what you value.

The face you have as you mature and grow into yourself, is one that you have started to shape for yourself. –Gaelle

At one point or another,  your thought patterns will become evident with time. Sketching your autobiography on your skin. 

With the passing of time, we must hold fast to the belief in better things to come. Embracing a warm perspective on the evolution of ourselves makes room for the youthful spirit to endure. Despite life’s many inevitable hardships, we must practice exercising the art of letting go, so that we can live a little more.

When we choose to mindfully release the negative habits and emotions, we make room for wonder, curiosity and inner peace to take root. This creates space for the most lovely feature one could own, serenity of the soul, and it is the one that blooms with time.

Mindful Maintenance

Beauty is a multifaceted thing. Who you are lights you up, from the inside. And cultivating healthy, radiant skin helps your beauty shine through. -Gaelle

The process of aging is as beautiful as anything else that occurs in nature. We so often attempt to curb its effects with potions and promises, but aging gracefully is an art to be practiced. We must bring awareness to our daily actions and assess whether they are nurturing us on every level. If one is lucky, life is a long term game and so must be our commitment to health and beauty.

The goal therefore should not be on quick fixes, but rather on improving and maintaining what we have. Through regular exercise, healthy diet, mental clearing and a high-quality organic skincare routine, you will look and feel your best. This is when your timeless beauty truly shines.

Investing in Yourself

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection -Unknown

Through mindful living, we discover the rare aspects that distinguish us from others. The unique beauty marks of our soul that time only fosters, not degrades. We learn to appreciate our body, this vessel, as our most precious gift. By investing in quality self care, we are consciously choosing to value ourselves as we are and nurturing the many ways in which our beauty improves with time.

Thus, the secrets to aging gracefully are inherently within you. They just require a bit of investment in finding the practices and products that work for you. And when we consciously choose habits that nurture health, happiness and authenticity, grace is evident in all that we do.

Our skin is extremely susceptible to weather changes. When the temperatures drop, so does the hydration in our skin. Fortunately, lack-luster winter skin can be a thing of the past. With premium, high-grade organic care, your skin can transform from stubbornly sensitive to silky smooth.

Cleansing with Oils

Cleansing with the proper ingredients is an essential step to avoid dry, rough skin. Replace harsh, foaming cleansers that strip your skin of its natural oil layer with an oil-based cleanser such as our Balm Supérieure. It will thoroughly cleanse while replenishing much needed hydration. The moisture magic doesn’t stop there. This multi-tasking wonder takes beauty to the next level by nourishing thirsty hair and weakened nails as well.

Moisturizing

The colder the weather, the less moisture is in the air. This causes transepidermal water loss, a major contributor to dryness. That’s why skin needs more moisturizing in winter than at any other time of year. The right moisturizer will help instantly. Oil-based moisturizers are the best choice. By adding an organic oil-based moisturizer such as  Crème Supérieure, you can restore much needed moisture and provide a stronger barrier to the elements. Discover why our best-selling anti-aging moisturizer will become your skin’s long-term love affair.

You can easily tell if your moisturizer is working for you. It should plump up your skin and make fine lines disappear – right away. The most obvious sign is that your skin will feel silky-smooth and look radiant. With time, these immediate results should continue to improve. -Gaelle

Body Care

Nourishing the body with an oil-rich elixir such as Body Crème Supérieure is an excellent way to replenish moisture and prevent dry, irritated skin. After bathing, envelop the entire body in luxurious emollients that lock in moisture from head to toe. The hydrating organic oils and extracts of edelweiss, rosehip and jojoba will soften and revitalize the skin for lasting radiance, and provide shower-to-shower relief from dry skin.

These three simple adjustments will help to remedy winter’s drying effect and reveal a healthy, hydrated glow. Completely winterize your beauty ritual with our highly anticipated Winter Radiance Bundle– a revitalizing trio of Gaelle Organic Petites hand-picked by Gaelle. These complimentary travel-friendly products are her winter favorites to visibly hydrate, smooth and restore luminosity.

“To make quality products, you really need to understand your materials.” -Susan M. Parker

This philosophy is part of what drives the resurgence and innovation of natural practices occurring in the realm of green beauty. When we understand what our products are made of and how their ingredients either benefit or harm our bodies, we can make educated decisions on how to best care for ourselves.

And with this valuable information, herbalist, skincare expert and author, Susan M. Parker is empowering every curious mind to do just that. Through classes, podcasts, blog posts and her book titled, Power of the Seed, Susan is providing an invaluable education on the often overlooked materials of the health and beauty world- lipid oils.

Carrier Oils vs. Essential Oils

When discussing oils and their use in beauty, we seldom hear in-depth conversations surrounding lipid oils. Understandably, essential oils tend to be at the forefront, but Susan opens up a world of potential for the many uses and benefits of their more stable counterparts. Through various formats she explains the distinction between lipid and essential oils lies in their chemical makeup.

Commonly known as carrier oils, lipid oils are long fatty acid chains of carbon that are heavy, reducing volatility and therefore decreasing scent. On the other hand, essential oils consist of volatile compounds that enable the aromas we know so well. Susan’s book explains how understanding these patterns in the oil structure give us clues as to what their unique properties are and how to get the most out of their use.

Oils in Skin Care

Common in so many products, it’s clear that using oils in skin care can benefit all skin types. It’s through understanding the differences between oil makeups that allow us to choose the best one for our skin type and concerns. Susan explains how different oils interact with our skin by acting as either emollient, humectant or occlusive depending on their composition.

Emollient oils replenish and return moisture to the skin, humectants attract moisture and occlusive products protect by laying on top of the skin to prevent moisture loss. A thorough understanding of how each oil will affect the skin enables one to choose the right oil for your beauty practice. With such a wealth of knowledge, it’s clear that Susan has been studying oils for a very long time.

The Path to Power of the Seed

“The minute we started to make things from the garden, it awakened a whole different part within me.”

Susan began her journey into herbalism and oils 25 years ago when she entered an herbal apprenticeship with Pam Montgomery in New York. She developed an herbal business which evolved into creating topical products. Her ardent curiosity led her to research the many benefits of oils, and what started out as a collection of personal reference material eventually turned into her first publication in the spring of 2015.

The ultimate fixed oil reference guide, Power of the Seed: Your Guide to Oils for Health and Beauty, conveniently organizes oils by their fatty acid profile. These explain the scientific composition of each oil, allowing the reader to understand how they interact with our body’s chemistry for both health and beauty.

Her graciously free Carrier Oil Guide, serves as a condensed version which lists oils by their dominant fatty acid to find the ideal oil for your needs. Both are excellent resources for anyone looking to optimize their practice, improve their diet or dabble in making their own products.

One on One

Down to Earth with a straight forward approach, Susan had some inspiring insight and sage advice when we sat down together to talk about her philosophy on clean beauty.

Q: What or who inspires you most?

Susan: Nature, the materials themselves. When you work with them over time they teach you all about themselves and how they work with the body and other ingredients.

Q: What lessons have you learned the hard way?

Susan: Haha, lots of experimentation and lots of failures! These are the pathways to success and discovery.

For starting any career, find an area that you love and are passionate about and then dig deep into it. Become a specialist in one area so that people come to you for answers and that way you can grow and develop over time.

Q: What does beauty mean to you?

Susan: Health, a healthy body is beautiful.

Q: How do you feel about the direction the beauty industry is going regarding clean and green products?

Susan: This is great. This is what I wanted to see 20+ years ago when I started.

Q: If you had to choose one all purpose oil, what would it be?

Susan: That’s hard, like choosing among my children! But I will say that in a recent move and international travel it was Argan that went with me until I settled with my larger inventory of oils in my new place.

Q: Do you have any advice for someone starting up their own business?

Susan: For starting any career, find an area that you love and are passionate about and then dig deep into it. Become a specialist in one area so that people come to you for answers and that way you can grow and develop over time.

What’s Next?

After a long and successful career owning and operating her skincare business, Susan is currently stepping away from creating her own products to focus on her classes and research. She remains inspired by those who are just as curious as she is, prompting her to seek new information and continue the search for the ultimate oil guide.

When asked about what’s next for her, she says she’s interested in learning more about the process of oil pressing and may be considering a second book on butters. If this is the case, we can’t wait to get our hands on it. We want to thank Susan for all of her hard work throughout her career and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

You can sign up for her offerings at susanmparker.com where she has more information and sign up for her classes, The Carrier Oil Course and Lipids Decoded, as well as the monthly membership, the Lipid Hub. By clicking this link you can learn more about carrier oils in a hands on format. You can also visit her website to To purchase her book, Power of the Seed, or download her free Carrier Oil Guide. 

We are often asked if toners are really necessary, especially as we say that beautiful skin is simple and does not need many products. Here’s the thing – the trick is to use just a few high-quality products – but ones that do multiple jobs in the best way, and that can be used safely, day-in and day-out.

Facial toners are a case in point. Good facial toners deliver a multitude of benefits. They are the perfect complement to any skincare regimen, but since they are used every day, it is important to use one that is free of harsh chemicals.

These are the benefits you can expect from a good facial toner. They apply to all skin types, but the benefits are amplified where large pores and recurrent breakouts are involved.

1. A smoother, more flawless look

Most toners contain astringents, which are chemical compounds that cause skin to contract and tighten. When skin tightens, the pores shrink; large pores are minimized, giving a smoother, more flawless look to the skin. We use witch hazel in Toner Superiéure for its strong astringent effect and its anti-aging and cleansing benefits, and rose water for its aromatic, calming properties, and milder astringency.

Some astringents contain alcohol, which is drying and irritates the skin. Repeated use of drying chemicals on oily skin can actually result in even greater output of oil, leaving you worse off than when you started. And if you have dry skin, alcohol is not a good option at all. So it is better to use alcohol-free toners.”  Our Guide to Best Toner Ingredients

2. A clearer complexion with fewer breakouts

Smaller pores don’t just look better. They also provide less room for oil, makeup and microbes to lodge. Combined with the deep cleansing and antiseptic properties of many toners, this can result in skin that better resists breakouts, giving a clearer complexion, with fewer flare-ups.

3. Restored pH protection

Skin should be slightly acidic, providing an ‘acid mantle’ that is its first line of defense against invading microbes. However, cleansers tend to be highly alkaline. When cleansers wash off the oils we produce naturally, they can compromise the acid mantle, leaving skin more vulnerable to infections. A pH-balanced toner will restore the skin’s pH so its natural defenses are not reduced, resulting in fewer flare-ups.

4. Anti-aging benefits

Facial toners are ideal vehicles for botanical ingredients that are rich in antioxidants. They can protect skin from the appearance of premature aging due to sun damage and other environmental challenges.

    5. Calming

The best toners draw upon time-tested herbal wisdom to include botanical hydrosols that calm and comfort troubled skin, such as rose, cucumber and calendula extracts. Rose water is especially effective in calming reddened skin and clearing the complexion of impurities.

6. Refreshing

Heavenly scents, such as floral waters like elderflower and rose water, combined with the invigorating feel of astringent hydrosols, can make facial toning something to look forward to every day.

To recap, a good facial toner will

• Tighten pores
• Create the proper pH balance
• Help keep the elements at bay
• Discourage bacterial and fungal infections
• Reduce breakouts
• Give skin a more flawless look

That is why a facial toner is an ideal part of the “beautiful skin is simple” daily regimen that we recommend for all skin types.

How to Use a Facial Toner

Use your facial toner every morning after cleansing, and again in the evening. It takes a few seconds to dab on. Then let it dry on its own, without toweling off. Your skin will feel instantly refreshed, soothed, and smoothed. You can increase the pore-minimizing effect by keeping your toner in the refrigerator.

There is often a light tingling for a few minutes after using a toner; it is normal, but any longer than that, or if the tingling is strong, then the toner is not right for your skin.  In the vast majority of cases, hydrosol toners deliver marvelous benefits, and very quickly.

It’s a good time to talk about alcohol. Take a look at almost any skincare product and you’ll notice various forms of alcohol in the ingredients. It’s often included to preserve shelf life, fight breakouts or give products a lighter feel. And although alcohol in skincare can have its benefits, it often causes more harm than good.

Alcohol in Skincare

So you may be asking yourself, why is it so prevalent in skincare? The unfortunate truth is that it is one of the only effective preservatives allowed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s organic standard. And to successfully preserve a product with alcohol, there often needs to be 14% of it present by volume. Now, there are some processed alcohols that are benign, but to be considered ‘organic,’ alcohol is usually grain alcohol derived from organic farming. This is a form of alcohol you do not want to be putting on your skin. It can be drying, cause excess oiliness and reduce the skin’s ability to fight free radicals.

That’s why we decided to have Gaelle Organic’s products be certified by Ecocert, Europe’s leading organic certifier. Ecocert’s organic cosmetics standard supports the formulation and manufacture of organic skincare without the use of alcohol. By opting out of alcohol in skincare, our products retain their bio-dynamic potency, and we avoid its harmful drying effects.

Alcohol-free Organic

Leaving out the alcohol makes room for more of the good stuff so you can have better results with less. Every product is formulated with intention and is proven effective through third party testing. It’s the perfect blend of respect for the Earth and scientific innovation. Through using sustainably-sourced ingredients scientifically-proven to benefit the skin, alcohol-free organic skincare is  key to achieving a healthy, glowing complexion.

Is Alcohol Good for Anything?

We’ve covered the trouble with alcohol in skincare, but a recent study has found that moderate alcohol consumption can actually have its benefits. The British Medical Journal tracked over 9,000 people aged 35-55 over a 23-year period and found that those who consumed alcohol semi-regularly had a decreased risk of developing dementia. The findings showed that middle-aged adults who abstained from drinking alcohol were actually 45% more likely to develop the disease. That said, there was also evidence of higher odds for dementia with excessive drinking. Essentially, the study found that 1-7 drinks per week is the healthiest way to consume alcohol.

So on that note, we invite you to join us in (responsibly) celebrating beauty inside and out this holiday season. Let’s pop the champagne and give a toast to the years of health and beautiful skin ahead.

After decades of working in the beauty industry, both in front of and behind the scenes, I’ve seen it all. What I found was that, even though there’s so much effort put into developing and marketing products, nothing was delivering what I was looking for. I wanted a high-quality organic moisturizer that would nurture a woman’s natural beauty, no matter her age.

Sourced from Nature

As a model I hid my skin imperfections with makeup. This helped mask the issue but I was seeking a long-term solution. Through my travels, I fell in love with the various sites and cultures that drew their self-care from the land. From swimming in the salty waters of the Dead Sea to detoxing in mud baths of Jamaica, I was inspired to continue this art of sourcing from nature.

Timeless Beauty

Through years of traveling and working with others, I feel as though I’ve discovered the secret to timeless beauty. In my opinion, true beauty is a feeling, an allure that radiates from within. There’s no amount of makeup that can create the same effect as a beautiful soul. Connecting to one’s inner spark through quality self care practices is the secret to eternal radiance. Regardless of age, gender or skin type, you can always invest in quality skincare that nurtures the timeless beauty within.

Crème Supérieure

I started my skincare business when my daughter, whom I encouraged to embrace organic care, challenged me to start my own line, based on the creams I made for myself. So I decided to test it on twenty of my fussiest friends who were using the most expensive beauty brands. This was no easy task, as they truly believed in all the hype. They thought that the more expensive the product, the better it must work.

My goal was to see if my creams were as good as their expensive, but chemical-laden ones, or better. If 80% of these lovely, intelligent, brainwashed women thought my products were as good as what they had been using, I would begin an organic skincare business. To my delight, 100% of them came back saying “this is the best moisturizer I’ve ever used.” It was then that I felt confident I had a business. The results spoke for themselves, and just by word of mouth, my business grew quickly, for which I am most grateful.

Ethical Practices

In designing my line of skincare, I knew it had to reflect my values and beliefs. I highly regard living a balanced lifestyle full of movement, enjoyment and exploration. As an advocate for organic living, I knew I wanted to align my business with the best of the best. This is why I became certified organic by EcoCert, Europe’s leading organic certifier. This holds us to the highest standard for ethical practices which we are happy to abide by. In a world full of exploitation, we strive to honor transparency and wellness for all.

As my passion to help others see immediate results and long-term improvement in their skin grew, my mission to create the best organic products became clearer. Through connecting with organic farming sources from around the globe and staying true to my intentions, I’m delighted to share my organic skincare with you.