When evaluating your life experiences, do you ever stop to think
about how you came to the very moment you exist in? What led to that moment?
What lessons have you learned along the way? This interview got my wheels
turning. For me personally, I believe that every single thing happens for a
reason (cliche' I know) and we may not understand the "whys" at that
moment but when you see your purpose unfold, it all makes complete sense.
These are not
questions that La Ishá founder, Sharon Gnatt Epel has to answer daily. She
knows exactly what led her to the success she has today and her story is truly
amazing. I am thrilled she took the time to share the La Ishá story and a few
personal beauty tips along the way.
Amelia: What inspired you to
create your skincare line?
Sharon: I relocated to Denver from northern California in 2002, and quickly discovered
that from my complexion's perspective I had moved to skin hell! Life in the
beautiful state of Colorado is a perpetually good hair day for those of us
prone to the frizzies, but the combination of low humidity, high altitude, and
exposure to direct sunlight (over 300 days a year) aged my skin so rapidly that
I hardly recognized myself a mere 6 months after the move. I looked around me
and saw that pretty much everyone here was suffering from similar issues: dehydrated
skin, uneven pigment, significant lines, skin creases and wrinkles, and age/sun
spots on people who seemed way too young to have them.
I struck up
conversations with women I met in the supermarket, the post office, the
hairdresser, etc. in an attempt to figure out what remedies people were using
to help their skin, and came up empty handed! No one seemed to have a good
solution. I also got a strong sense of the apprehension many women were feeling
about looking older, not just on an emotional level, but a practical one as
they were convinced that their appearance was sabotaging their ability to
compete with their younger counterparts for jobs. Some took out loans for
facelifts and eyelid procedures that they hoped would improve their chances for
employment and make them feel better about themselves, but not everyone has the
financial means, emotional support system or desire to undergo invasive
surgical techniques to accomplish this.
Another
"inspirational" factor in creating my skin care line was the
emergence of research suggesting that women have unknowingly been poisoning
themselves in order to look good. The phthalates in many beauty preparations
were linked to breast cancer and birth defects, and synthetic
chemical preservatives have been identified as the second most common cause of skin
irritations. It seemed ridiculous to me that women should be endangering their
health and paying such a high price to look good, yet I was definitely among
those beauty junkies who had been doing so, blissfully unaware of the
consequences.
It was only after my
son sustained 2nd degree chemical burns during a rafting expedition (be sure to
read The La Ishá Story on http://la-isha.com/la-isha-story) that I was
introduced to clinical essential oil therapy. I witnessed my son's miraculous
recovery and wondered what effect these natural substances would have on
relatively minor skin problems like mine, and how they could be incorporated
into a realistic daily skin care routine to produce continuous, long term benefits.
I signed up for
classes, studied online, consulted with experts in the field, and eventually
wound up experimenting on myself. When my friends noticed the drastic
improvement in my skin and asked me to give them whatever it was that I was using, I knew I had something
significant to offer the public.
Amelia: If I were to peek in
your makeup bag, what would I find?
Sharon: Concealer, eyebrow pencil, lipstick, Zambeezi organic lip balm and a travel
size of La Ishá Nutrient Rich Face Crème.
Amelia: Other than basic
skincare, what three treatment products do you recommend?
Sharon: While the La Ishá Timeless Beauty Face Collection provides the basics for
everyday skin care, we offer several unusual treatments that are exclusive to
La Ishá. The first is Breast SOS: this groundbreaking, patent-pending formula
is designed to support the beauty and health of the breast and décolleté. This
is an area that so many of us forget to address, and living proof of the
precautions we have or have not taken to prevent sun damage. Breast SOS helps
tone, firm and rejuvenate the chest and breast area, fade age spots,
hyperpigmentation, and minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and
skin-creases (the kind you get from sleeping on your side). It can also restore a tighter, springy resilience to the skin
that many women may not have seen in years. The ingredients in Breast SOS have
been documented by international research to support good breast health and
fight free radical damage. Because it is so healing and emollient, many women
have used it to speed up the recovery process after breast surgery, and
prepare the skin for breast reconstruction.
Our Natural Age Spot Eraser is another staple in our anti-aging skin care arsenal. It is used to gradually fade age
and sunspots without the use of hydroquinone or other harsh synthetic
chemicals. Because it is so gentle to the skin, it is ideal for women of color
who cannot use chemical bleaches that damage the underlying pigment. Most women
find that their age and sunspots have either disappeared or are greatly
diminished within 30 to 60 days of regular use.
La Ishá Pomegranate Moisture Booster is another must have product. An adaptogen and incredible skin
rejuvenator, it can be added to any face cream or moisturizer that you are
already using to supercharge its' moisture content, help reduce the appearance
of fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone, improve skin texture, and
provide protection from free radicals. It is customizable moisture that can be
adjusted as needed. It is exceptionally effective in combating the dryness
caused by cold winters, low humidity, the use of forced-air heaters, air
conditioners and the gradual reduction of our skin's natural oils as we mature.
Each bottle of La
Ishá Pomegranate Moisture Booster contains approximately 300 drops...because
you use only 1 or 2 drops at a time, it is also extremely cost effective. It
has become a staple for me and I use it religiously.
Amelia: You devote your life
to improving the lives of others through your skincare line. At the end of the
week, what do you do to pamper yourself?
Sharon: Because I usually work long hours, I
don't always have an opportunity to pamper myself, even over the weekend. In
lieu of this I try my best to meditate at least twice a day, carve out an hour
to work out every morning, and get a deep tissue massage once a month. I also
love to dance, and took up West Coast Swing. It makes me happy and I
believe that this has a direct effect on my outlook as well as my appearance.
Amelia: Who is your beauty
icon?
Sharon: When I think of beauty icons I think of Catherine Deneuve, the actress
who was the spokes-model for Chanel No. 5. To me she was as much the embodiment
of timeless beauty, elegance, femininity and grace at 65 that she was at 35.
Amelia: What is your beauty
product must have?
Sharon: That's easy: my Pomegranate Moisture Booster because it
serves multiple purposes. When combined with crème or moisturizer it adds
emollience...yet when applied (neat) directly to adult blemishes, it dries them
up in record time.
Amelia: What is your personal
definition of Beauty?
Sharon: Physical beauty is so subjective...just like fashion trends,
it is usually defined by the culture a person lives in...but for me true beauty
has taken on a different universal meaning: I see beauty in people whose
charisma and appeal seems to emanate directly from the soul; the kind of person
who radiates a happiness and positive outlook that infects everyone lucky
enough to be in his or her path. To me true beauty looks kind, warm, humble,
compassionate and respectful of others. All you have to do is think back to the
last time you met someone whose actions and behavior altered your initial
impression of their appearance, and you will know exactly what I mean.
Amelia: Any last words?
Sharon: For
most of us there seems to be a connection between the way we look and the way
we feel about ourselves. This is a lesson I learned from my late mother, a very
beautiful woman who did not age well in the traditional sense of the word. She
once told me that as she got older, her diminishing good looks affected her
perception of herself, and this in turn robbed her of her self-confidence.
I founded La Ishá as
a tribute to women everywhere, as a vehicle to help nurture and cultivate the
timeless beauty that I believe resides within us all. Feeling as beautiful
on the outside as we are on the inside seems to make it a little easier for women to venture out into the world; it bolsters our self-confidence and puts a
spring in our step. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, La Ishá always donates one bottle of Breast SOS for each bottle purchased in September
and October to a local or national breast cancer organization.
I hope you will join me in supporting our girlfriends, mothers, sisters and daughters
who are in need of our help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amelia: Sharon also shared with me "I think that my training as a concert pianist gave me the best
preparation for the demands of being an entrepreneur. Pianists are by necessity
self-disciplined; we put in many hours of solitary practice, learn how to put our
egos aside in order to benefit from our mentors' critiques, and ultimately,
unlike other instrumentalists, have only ourselves to rely upon when we perform. We
have to provide our own motivation, be ready to make significant sacrifices in
order to hone our craft, and keep our eye fixed on the objective in the face of
naysayers, competition and our own nagging doubts."
Amelia: All I can say is WOW.
As you all know, I adore products but even more-so, I love products with a
story and a fabulous mission behind them. Sharon definitely has a story to
tell. The creation of La Ishá is one of the most inspirational stories I have
ever heard.
No wonder she is
getting attention from a variety of media outlets such as Fox News, CBS News, San Diego Examiner, Denver
Magazine, Redbook and was featured in the "Eat, Pray, Love"
Segment on ABC News featuring La Ishá Orange-Coconut Skin Polish (which by the
way...I LOVE).
I hope you all check
back soon for my review on La Ishá . It's a fabulous line that I adore and
completely give the Pretty in the Queen City stamp of approval!
Amelia Keith is an avid beauty product
researcher and writer, sharing her reviews and experiences on her personal
blog
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