Beauty Secrets I Learned in the Garden with my Grandmother

As many of our friends & family know, we are celebrating Grandma Jeanne Laudun's Legacy to Cosmetiques LaudunTM this entire month, in an ongoing tribute to her, as her birthday happens to fall in March. We are pleased to give you this short "Memoire," from our Founder/CEO, Anna Laudun Beauboeuf, about her lovely days spent in the garden learning all about different plants & flowers, with her dearest, "Mama Jeanne."

"My grandmother was a lovely lady, always so elegant and
beautiful, and she loved us, my sister, Mitsy, and I. She sewed many clothes for us, beautiful embroidered dresses, skirts of vibrant colors, she took care of and styled our hair, and taught us how to make little gifts- she was a grandmother of your dreams!

My best memories are of the days I spent with her in her huge garden- filled with flowers, plants, a beautiful vine LOADED with big black and green grapes, giant mangos & avocados. My sister & I loved to climb all the trees ... it was truly a paradise.

Very early on Saturday mornings, I would accompany my Mama Jeanne, my little wicker basket in hand, to "la ceuillette," or picking & gathering of plants that later she would use to create creams for the care of our skin, or shampoos for our hair, and body lotions richly perfumed with herbals. 

 

Throughout our plant-gathering time, she educated me about all of these plants, their medicinal values & qualities, and had me touch, feel, smell and even taste them. My grandmother was, how the French say, a very"coquettish," or elegant & beautiful woman, and taking good care of her skin was a very important part of her daily beauty routine.

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In her room, there was a small, carved table, high enough to keep prying children's hands from reaching the bottles kept inside, with a cabinet door in the front and a glass top. This table contained a precious range or collection of small jars of essential plant oils of all types, scented with herbs, or containing a few pieces of ginger, sandalwood, clove etc. 

After our morning "ceuillette," my Grandmother would have me sit on a straw chair near

her, and would teach me how to make her make her natural

beauty mixtures in a large blue porcelain bowl.

 

-"A few drops of ginger oil for the face cream, a few drops of aloe juice, lemon to hydrate the face," etc. -she showed me how all these plants and more were utilized. At the end of the day, we were allowed a small pot of body cream, freshly made, deliciously perfumed with jasmine flowers & citrus, or rose water- a small jar of creme that lasted just a few hours."

 

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We will feature more in future posts, about the history (or "Herstory") of our delightful Founder/CEO, Anna Laudun Beauboeuf, and her beautiful grandmother, "Mama Jeanne."

 

How Do My Grandmother's Organic Skin Care Recipes Stack Up Against Olay "Regenerist" & Other Popular Brands?

In today's popular skin care products, the market is flooded with lots of brands of "anti-aging creams, eye creams, anti-wrinkle serums," etc. that all make very huge promises, like "Reduce fine lines & wrinkles in just 2 weeks!" Many of us can find a pile of these products discarded in our drawers, because they haven't worked that fast, or at all in many cases, to reduce the signs of aging in our skin that we are concerned about.

My grandmother, "Mama Jeanne," made her own organic beauty "recipes" that she used and gave to our family to use. She composed her creams and scrubs from plants, herbals & flowers that she and I would hand-pick every morning in her garden at the hillside suburban town of Petion Ville. 

I spent many days under her instruction, as she showed me how to create her famous "beauty cream," soaps & body scrub with ingredients that came straight from her garden!  Her recipes were very healing to the skin & effectively address a variety of skin ailments, like acne, eczema, dry skin, dark spots, wrinkles & even psoriasis. Mama Jeanne never used ANY synthetics, dyes or chemicals of any kind in her beauty recipes.

Here are some of the ingredients she loved to use: Aloe & aloe juice, coconut, laurel & other plant & nut oils, plaintain major leaf, cucumber, marigold, jasmine & evening primrose flowers, damask rose water, roses & comfrey, all very simple and very effective, yet not harmful to the environment. 

These are the ingredients -kept intact from her original "Beauty Cream" recipe- in our "Mitsy," USDA Certifed Bio-Organic Anti-aging Skin Cream that we continue to make today, (that is truly effective in reducing wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots & firming skin & you will see a big difference in just 2 weeks): 100% Pure, Organic Grape Seed Oil infused with Organic Evening Primrose Flower & Calendula oils & extracts, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Cornstarch (non modified-GMO), Cucumber extract for fragrance. - Paraben-Free, NO Chemicals or Preservatives, Dye-Free. 

Now, so you can do a side-by-side comparison, here are the listed ingredients in Olay's "Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream," - Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Nylon-12, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyethylene, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Dimethiconol, Sodium Peg-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Peucedanum Graveolens (Dill) Extract, Peg-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Disodium Edta, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-7, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Titanium Dioxide, Mica. Vitamin B3, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Amino-Peptide, Green Tea, Aloe Vera.

Just to be fair, here is another popular anti-aging product from Garnier, the ingredients listed in their "Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream," - Aqua/Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Argania Spinosa/Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract (Argan Extract), Butyrospermum Parkii Butter/Shea Butter, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caffeine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Carbomer, Cera Alba/Beeswax, Cera Carnauba/Carnauba Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Citral, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein (Rice Protein), Laureth-7, Octyldodecanol, PEG-20 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Retinyl Linoleate/Retinyl Linoleate (Pro-Retinol), Shorea Robusta Butter/Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract/Ginger Root Extract. 

So, which product would you rather put on your skin, knowing that all ingredients are absorbed directly into the skin & bloodstream?

"My Grandmother, Jeanne Laudun, was a staunch believer in using strictly organic, pure and simple ingredients in her "beauty creams," shave creams, body scrubs & soaps. Thankfully, she taught me to hold the same strict standards. Today, I continue her traditional, vintage organic recipes in our natural & organic line of skin & body care products, Cosmetiques Laudun™. 

Our products continue to be quite beautifully simple, utilizing my Grandmother's vintage family recipes made from plants, herbs & botanicals, that have proven to be effective & healing for nearly a century.  It is my great pleasure to continue to bring her legacy & organically elegant products to you!"

- Anna Laudun Beauboeuf, Founder/CEO

 COSMETIQUES LAUDUN™

Organic Elegance for your Skin

Beauty Secrets of Natural Seaweed for Your Skin

Natural Marine Seaweed Extract is an excellent nutrient & anti-aging ingredient that you'll want in your skin care regimen.   It is naturally pure, unlike many commonly found "natural," skin care components which are treated with large amounts of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides before they're added to the product.   Natural Marine Seaweed does not contain artificial genetic manipulation or chemical fertilizers of any kind because it comes from the sea.

Seaweed is naturally rich in anti-bacterial properties that are highly effective in the treatment of acne.  When applied topically, seaweed extract draws toxins out of the skin and body, and its rich nutrients are easily absorbed by the skin.  Many skin care remedies such as body soaps or facial masks utilizing natural seaweed ingredients are excellent treatments for acne-infected skin, due to organic marine seaweed’s innate purifying and detoxifying properties.   These benefits are multiplied by the extract's ability to increase circulation and promote regrowth of healthy skin cells. 

Natural Seaweed extract is also known for its potent Anti-oxidants and anti-aging effects because of these cell regenerating properties. Its vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and natural enzymes are powerful anti-oxidants that fight free-radical attack and easily heal and rejuvenate skin. Seaweed actually promotes skin issue regeneration (i.e. the creation of new skin cells) that creates elasticity, and so greatly improves not only the visible signs but repairs the causes of aging.  A natural, marine seaweed bath as an external treatment can help to increase blood flow at the surface of the skin to make skin more supple and smooth, and even reduce the appearance of cellulite for a more youthful appearance.

Safe and Effective for all Sensitive Skin Types, Natural Marine Seaweed is also very Healing for Eczema or Rosacea-affected skin.  Seaweed extract is well-known for it’s anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties for treating sensitive and allergy-prone skin.  Naturally rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12, it is very effective in reducing inflammation and protecting the skin's surface layer. It is being used as an active ingredient in today's organic and natural skincare products, mostly due to it’s natural ability to reduce excessive irritation and redness, but is also gaining popularity for its high antioxidant levels and ability to break down cellulite!

Natural Beauty Secrets of Organic Lemongrass Oil- Part I

What do you know about Organic Lemongrass (Citronelle), or Melissa, natural, organic skin care? It is an herb easily recognized by its tall fronds of leaves and strong lemon-citrusy aroma. The plant is native to Sri Lanka and India and has been popular throughout history for use in healing skin care preparations.   Applying this healing botanical to the skin can help alleviate common skin disorders, such as bacterial infections and even large pores.  In addition, organic lemongrass is commonly used an excellent mosquito repellent. 

Naturally occurring anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties in organic Lemongrass help to discourage bacterial or microbial growth on the skin.  It reduces the number of skin infections, as well as alleviates skin irritations, like folliculitis and cellulitis, that are caused by bacterial infections.  Lemongrass oil is also fungicidal -it clears fungus infections on the skin. 

This healing essential oil from nature's bounty is loaded with unique antimicrobial, antibacterial /antiseptic, anti-fungal qualities that make it a very effective astringent.   Facial skin toners, cleansers and soaps containing organic lemongrass oil do a great job of firming and tightening the skin.  When used as an astringent/toner, it is very effective in minimizing skin pores.  It is also known to increase the protective barrier of hard tissue under the skin that guards against daily free radical exposure- which is exactly what you want when you're looking for an effective Anti-aging ingredient!

More in-depth info about healing organic Lemongrass essential oil in Part II of this Blog- coming soon! 

Anti-aging & Acne Healing Secrets of Organic Sandalwood Oil- Part II

Amaaazing Sandalwood essential oil! We talked about it's extensive emollient & moisturizing properties as a wonderful anti-aging botanical oil & healing ingredient to use in all-natural and organic skin care, in Part I of this article. Now we will focus on this essential oil's incredible skin-healing and acne healing benefits, when used as a part of a regular skin care regimen.

Organic Sandalwood essential oil is a natural gentle astringent and has inherent antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities. So, it naturally tones and firms skin and is highly effective for use on oily complexions & all skin types. It can also be used to treat acne and acne scars as it refreshes and renews skin.  The oil is known to be an excellent "cicatrisant," - one of the miracle botanical oils that actually regenerates skin cells! It helps to fade the appearance of scars and prevents the skin from forming deep scars. 

Who would have thought that Sandalwood organic essential oil aids in smoothing and treating skin that is affected by acne, as well as heals the scars associated with acne. Adding just a few drops to an unscented, natural facial cream or blending a few drips with Jojoba or Sweet Almond oil and then applying it to your skin daily will aid in the healing of damaged, scarred skin. This treatment can be done on a nightly basis by taking a few drops of the combined essential oils and rubbing them into the affected skin. Noticeable changes in the skin can be visible after just a few weeks of daily use. What a simple & natural way to easily & effectively heal acne, cleanse your skin & lessen the appearance of scarring!

ADDITIONAL KNOWN PHYSICAL BENEFITS of Organic Sandalwood Oil: Antispasmodic, antiviral, carminative, catarrh, chapped skin, constipation, coughs, cystitis, diarrhea, diuretic, drug withdrawal, dry hair, fixative, fragile hair, hangovers, immunity stimulant, insomnia, osteoarthritis.

Let's Create Natural BEAUTY Together!

A New Year always brings plenty of opportunities for growth, renewal - opportunities to reinvent ourselves. Let's seize this moment and use our collective energies and intelligence to create something new, beautiful and wonderful in this New Year, 2016!

Personally, I have committed to learning more about ways that we can harness our individual gifts or talents, come together and utilize them for the betterment of our collective communities, and in so doing, better the world. One of these ideas is known as "Contributionism," and it involves just that. This is about people working together, sharing their unique talents, to find new ways of living more in harmony with the earth, to bring the natural law of abundance back to our lives and communities. Think how freeing this can be- if everyone decided to work together for the betterment of their own community, simply by sharing themselves. The African societal way of being known as "Ubuntu," uses these ideas, to bring communities together, to remind everyone that we are all truly related in our humanity. We are sisters and brothers on this lovely planet, and it is time we started thinking and acting that way more, in a unity of love and service to others.

I have also made a personal choice to forgive everyone- including myself, and yes, this can be the most challenging part of forgiveness, but it is crucial to forgive ourselves before we can forgive anyone else. Forgiveness brings freedom! It does not mean we have to agree with what is being forgiven, it just simply means we are finding a place of "neutrality" about it, with no heavy emotional strings attached to it anymore. When we resent people or situations, we tie up our emotion, a lot of our personal energy, or power, that can be utilized so many more things! Choosing to forgive, let go, frees up that energy, and frees us to be the creative beings we are. So I am practicing forgiveness.

I am greatly blessed to be a part of this company, because at COSMETIQUES LAUDUN TM, we are always seeking new information, new ways to bring you the best, most natural ways to take care of your skin. We earnestly believe in helping people to love and take care of themselves. In this stressful world, it has become very difficult for most of us to take care of ourselves. We are dedicated to bringing you products that are deliberately, lovingly crafted from the purest, most natural ingredients available today, so that you can effortlessly take care of your skin- the largest organ in the body. What is real "Beauty?" How can we be truly "naturally beautiful?" 

Using skin care made of pure, plant ingredients- oils and extracts- sourced from organic growers, is a great way to start and simply the best way to care for your skin. We have been taught over time that using skin and body care products that contain chemicals, that promise a "fast fix," is the way to go - not true. It's like putting motor oil, pesticide or other toxic chemicals, all over your body and letting it absorb into the bloodstream. Why do we do this to our bodies? It is time for all of us to make use of the abundance of plants on Mother Earth, that were intended for us to consume for our self care. To that end, we at Laudun are so happy and excited to be bringing you new products this year, as well as the latest information and education about how plants, flowers, nuts, seeds and all the oils and extracts that come from them, can best care for you and your skin. Happy 2016!

Sweet, Healing, Organic Almond Oil- Real Anti-Aging Results! -Part II

As we discussed in our earlier Post, organic Sweet Almond Oil is just one of the best organic, healing ingredients found today in all-natural skin care.  This sometimes-overlooked essential oil can even slow down the skin's aging process and reverse previous damage caused by harmful UV rays. It nourishes the skin and promotes a natural and healthy glow. The oil is also used to reduce dark circles under the eyes - it's truly a warrior against the signs of aging.

Sweet Almond Oil is an excellent skin emollient and moisturizer. It prevents peeling and cracking, which results from over-dry skin and aging.  It also works to relieve minor skin irritations, inflammation and itchiness.  Another of its natural qualities is that it is not absorbed too quickly, and so provides prolonged soothing of the skin. 

This healing oil from Nature's bounty effectively moisturizes the skin, increases skin's elasticity and can prevent the appearance of scars and wrinkles. Almond oil's natural Vitamin E content works to ‘plump’ out the skin in areas likely to develop premature or smaller wrinkles.  It can reduce the ugly appearance of acne and acne scars by balancing the moisture in the skin, softening the scars and evening out skin tone, which noticeably reduces the redness and appearance of the scars.

Do any of these incredible benefits sound appealing? It's easy to get the healing benefits of Organic Sweet Almond Oil -just add the essential oil, or skin care products containing it, to your daily skin care routine today. Then watch your skin change- to younger-looking, more vital & firmer, with better tone, in just 2 weeks!