Well away from mainstream cosmetic counters and promises of instant face lifts and wrinkle erasers, are a new breed of authentically beautiful skincare lines and cosmetic houses—just ask Annmarie Gianni.
Pure, effective and above all, honest, boasting natural ingredients that have been blended with care and infused with genuine love and passion.
It’s easy to fall in love with the entrepreneurs behind such beauty brands, thanks to their dedication to bringing better products to the market, with the aim of changing trends, making their customers feel good and fostering better health for all, thanks to blends devoid of hormone-disrupting chemicals and unpronounceable additives.
Annmarie Gianni is one such woman, who has taken her love of holistic health, genuine beauty and appreciation of nature to create her signature line of skincare that I list as one of my all-time favorites. No kidding.
From wild-crafted ingredients to create products such as rose clay mask and citrus mint facial cleanser, they not only feel incredible on the skin, but also deliver on the promises made.
I caught up with Annmarie recently to find out more about Annmarie Beauty and what fuels her endless passion for natural health and beauty.
Why did you decide to create these beauty products?
My background is in health and fitness. As I was working with one-on-one clients teaching them about good nutrition I became more interested in what I was putting on my body as well.
I was reaching for the most nutrient rich foods, so why not reach for the most nutritious skin care products? Your skin is, in fact, your largest organ and can absorb up to 60% of what is put on it.
My line really isn’t another brand. It’s a new category. When I was looking for a line that had no chemical ingredients, that was highly nutritious and that worked for my skin I couldn’t find anything that fit all requirements. Most natural and organic products had chemicals in them and most of the natural products didn’t work as I would have liked.
So I decided to create a new brand that redefined what natural, organic, wild-crafted and effective really meant.
How long did it take to develop them? Where did you start?
It took about two years to develop, but for years before that I was always playing with different lines. I knew what I wanted and I put it out there on a vision board and wrote it down. At first it was not my original goal to have my own line; just something I could stand 100% behind. But as I researched other lines I was not satisfied with them, so I looked into different labs and such to help me formulate what I wanted; that failed quickly.
Until one day I was fortunate to team up with an angel who had a background in organic skin care formulation. She understood my vision and together we created what I was looking for. After that it was easy; the products sell themselves.
Every product in the Annmarie Gianni range is 100% natural and organic. How difficult was this to achieve? Did you hit any roadblocks?
The main road block I hit at one point is that I was told I needed to use a chemical preservative, but was also told that I did not have to put it on the label; they were only going to add a little bit. I did some research on my own and sure enough if you were to use less than a % of an ingredient you do not have to put it on the label. I felt this was lying and that is not who I am about. So we had to go back to the drawing board.
The mud mask is incredible. It feels like the softest of velvet to touch and glides on beautifully. What went into making it?
This one was easy – I already knew that I loved rose clay and the texture of it. So I knew that would be the base, then it was just trial and error from there. Adding in the other ingredients for more of a nutritional punch without taking away the feeling.
What are your favorite products from the range and why?
That is so hard to say – I love them all. How about what is my favorite product in the summer and in the winter? In the summer, I love the Neroli Toning Mist; it is so cooling and refreshing. I don’t just use it on my face; I use it all over as a body spray. The scent is so fresh and it is wonderful in a stressful moment because the aromatherapy of it is grounding and calming.
In the winter, I love the Coconut Honey Mask. Where I am from in the North Eastern part of the US the winters can be harsh. From the heat in the house, to the cold dry weather and the wind it has been drying out my skin. This mask is extremely hydrating and has some amazing healing properties to it as well. Honey is great to help reduce inflammation, it is an anti-microbial, as well has having B and E vitamins.
I knew what I wanted and I put it out there on a vision board and wrote it down. At first it was not my original goal to have my own line; just something I could stand 100% behind.
Everything seems to have been considered with your range. Can you talk me through the packaging?
Concern for the environment is huge for us. That is one of the reasons why we do not use any chemicals or synthetic ingredients. Our ground water is so polluted with skin care run off, so any way I can help reduce that I’m happy. Our labels are bio-degradable; any promotional material is printed on recycled paper.
Also, we package the line in glass bottles. These bottles are not only re-usable; they also act as a way to preserve the products.
We’ve focused on a specific form of violet glass called Miron Violet-Glass. While most traditional colors of glass used in packaging allow visible light to pass through, Miron Glass does not.
Protecting your product from light gives added benefits such as less oxidation from light damage, longer shelf life and more potent blend of ingredients.
Annmarie Gianni skincare
There are a lot of problems in the beauty industry, with many products claiming to be natural and organic, but aren’t. What do you encourage people to look for when deciding on a beauty product to buy?
There are a lot of products on the market that claim to be organic and/or natural on the front label, but may only have 1-2% organic or natural ingredients listed. When it comes to skin care you need to go beyond even reading the labels.
You have to find a company that you trust. Many companies add certain ingredients to their products as preservatives and are not required to add them to the labels at all. This is downright deceptive and we do not participate in this type of greenwashing.
The regulations are so lax. You can refer to the EWG web site www.cosmeticdatabase.com to learn more about the products you are using now.
What does the Annmarie Gianni beauty regime look like?
Let me list that for you. This is not in any particular order.
1. Sleep, I get about 7-8 hours a night.
2. Hydration, I drink about 50 oz of water a day. Plus I have either a green juice or a green smoothie a day.
3. Exercise, at least 3 times a week.
4. Positive Thinking, I am always thinking happy thoughts.
5. Nutrition Internally, I eat a very nutritional rich diet. That is high in raw fruits and veggies.
6. Nutrition Externally, I wash my face and body with pH balanced products. I moisturize my face and body with highly nutritious products (my own, of course).
7. Passion, I do what I am passionate about and what I love.
8. Laughter… a lot of it.
Who are the most beautiful people in the world in your opinion? What makes them so?
Mothers, teachers and healers… because they give so much to help others be the best that they can be!
You and your husband Kevin lead a busy life! How do you maintain your vibrancy with a schedule like yours?
That’s a great question. I get that all the time. And, Shannon, what we do is make it a priority. I actually put things in my calendar. I schedule the time that I’m going to exercise or take a bath. I schedule the time that I’m going to go to bed just as I would schedule the time I have a meeting. I have to make it a priority and that’s how we get it done. Plus it just feels good to be active and to give back to yourself. I know when I am not on a good schedule I feel it in my mood and see it in my skin.
Many companies add certain ingredients to their products as preservatives and are not required to add them to the labels at all. This is downright deceptive and we do not participate in this type of greenwashing.
In your opinion, how important is diet when it comes to achieving and maintaining great skin?
We could do a whole course on this! Teaching nutrition is a big part of my background and it is extremely important to maintaining great skin! How about I give you and your readers some tips…
Tip #1 – Hydration:
In today’s society many people are chronically dehydrated. And when your body is dehydrated it will affect the skin in many ways. The first thing dry skin can lead to is wrinkles; second, it can help loose you skin elasticity; and third is the permeability of our cells. The cell’s role is to absorb the good and release the bad. When a cell is less permeable it is harder for it to do its job.
How do you stay hydrated?
Drink plenty of clean water. The amount you need is varies because of weather, your body’s mineral levels and more. A quick guide line is to take your body weight and divide that number in half. That number is the amount of ounces of water you need to drink daily.
For example if you weigh 100 lbs, then you would need to drink 50 oz of water a day. Eat a high raw diet, which consists of lots of fresh fruit and veggies, smoothies and freshly made juices. These watery rich foods will help keep your cells from drying up.
Also getting your essential fatty acids (EFAs) – your good fats – are very important. Oils like olive and coconut oil are great, as are foods like avocados and various nuts and seeds. Having a good balance of EFA will also help keep your skin hydrated and help keep the elasticity of your collagen fibers. Without its elasticity, your skin – over time – can start to sag.
Tip #2 – Help Support Your Digestion:
What is happening on your skin can be directly related to what is happening inside your digestive tract.
How do you help your digestion?
• Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.
• Take a digestive enzyme and or HCL supplement (please consult your health care practitioner on amounts).
• Incorporate fermented foods to help re-populate your gut flora.
•See a colon-hydrotherapist – a colonic or series of them can be very beneficial.
Tip #3 What to Do to Help Control Your Acne:
Most people reach for an external product to fix their acne. Unfortunately, acne is more a reflection of what’s going on internally. Acne is generally associated with allergies, digestion or hormones.
For allergies:
Are you eating any of these?
1. Cow’s dairy
2. Wheat / Gluten
3. Nuts
4. Seeds / Sesame
Just the elimination of these foods for two weeks (completely) from your diet can literally cause health miracles. It doesn’t mean that these foods are necessarily or patently bad… it just means your body doesn’t work well with them at this moment. (Unless you have a serious nut allergy, then you need to be incredibly cautious.)
But, your acne could easily go away with just the removal of one or all of these foods.
For digestion (see above)
For regulating your hormones:
Try a two week elimination diet, taking these items out of your daily menu.
1. Flax seed / oil
2. Soy
3. Non-organic cow dairy
4. Non-organic animal products
5. Plastic bottles / BPA
What’s next for you? What are your plans for Annmarie Gianni Beauty?
Well, Shannon, we have a few new products in the pipeline right now. In particular, a scrub that acts more like a natural microdermabrasion. And I know more will come as well… maybe even a men’s line.
Purchase Annmarie Gianni’s incredible skincare line below:
