Reviewed by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move

Never again be a ‘Beauty School Dropout‘.

As an addendum to skin tech scientist, writer and entrepreneur, Mandi Nyambi’s (M.S.) Botanical Skincare Workshop hosted by Flower School Los Angeles (DTLA), I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reviewing her new book, FRESH FACE, and trying out luscious class-made, chemical-free, GMO-free recipes.

I’d already been investigating a host of new-on-the-market and older reformulated natural beauty products. And as I shockingly discovered, not all formulations do what they claim. And many aren’t particularly skin-friendly.

Product testing has led me to a new understanding of the efficacy (and divinity) of high-end, natural and DIY at-home, kitchen-made treatments. It’s also instigated a heightened awareness about what’s actually regulated by the FDA in face, eye, body and baby care.

Have you really looked at your labels lately? It’s kind of frightening. In actuality, even in products that claim dermatological testing or doctor-formulated recommendations are unregulated, potentially harmful chemicals, preservatives and hormone disruptors. (If you’d like to know more about that, get the facts on The Environmental Working Group (EWG) website.)

One workshop night of creating nearly edible, take-home skincare, along with down-to-earth,  guidance in Nyambi’s FRESH FACE book, on the other hand, has been a game changing experience.

After only the first week, my skin’s microbiome from head to toe healed from seasonal dryness, environmental impurities, and hormonal blemishes. I felt and looked brand new. My body felt silky & supple. My face looked youthful and radiant. And these weren’t just temporary fixes. Going ‘au natural’ felt a lot less ‘plastic-y’. So much so, that alternating with supermarket brands to compare the differences felt like I was being embalmed.

FRESH FACE‘s preservative-free, botanical skincare includes a lesson by Nyambi on why not all ingredients are microbiome friendly. All skin is not created equal. And one formula is not for everyone. Nor should all oils or other organics be used on the face. And, nothing lasts forever once mixed. Certainly not like the hand lotion your grandmother saved in her lingerie drawer for 10 years. In her book, Nyambi lists, in order of pore-clogging possibility, which ones are more likely to harm rather than heal.

You will still have to spend some time and a little bit of money building, fortifying, properly cleansing, exfoliating – not micro-tearing – and hydrating your skin. But…and this is the good news…it’s ALL within your control. And it IS safe. Assuming that you give yourself a reality check on your current beauty regime, and are open to lifting yourself out of the foggy hypnotic hype of packaged drugstore or corporate department store products. Which is not to say, they are monstrous. Only advocating that there is another way to go.

There is so much mix-it-up information packed into this little table read. 30 stress-free everyday foundational regimes and routines built on ordinary kitchen stuffs. The recipes are instructive, easy to whip up and beneficial for all skin types. There are even eating tips that support the translation from healthy gut to healthy dermis. And, everything used in the preparations can either be ordered off of Amazon or found right on the shelf at your local Los Angeles (or elsewhere) independent or chain grocers like Lassens, Whole Foods, Erewhon, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts and Ralphs (and local farmer’s markets which goes without saying, really). And they are practically edible.

Confession: Yes, I tasted a few whiles mixing before adding Jojoba and Hempseed, SeaBuckthorn, and Squalane oils. Yummy!

Nyambi’s FRESH FACE is inspirational to the goal of action which is indeed the point. Because, as she writes, “We all deserve a loving relationship with our skin” and “Everyone deserves the tools to make themselves feel healthy and beautiful.”

The book is purse-size for quick perusal while shopping and is highly organized into small, uncomplicated chapter vignettes. You’ll get to the important information quickly and be on your way.

Highly Recommended

Photo credit: Tracey Paleo

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