It has been years since I experienced a hangover. But, stress? That’s daily…(earlier this week I almost walked out of school, after a confrontation with strong willed teens, and headed straight to Wal-Mart with a greeter's position on my radar screen). I get it when told stress combined with a busy life, not to mention a few years, will take its toll on our skin.
D’Andra Simmons, CEO of Hard Night/Good Morning Skin Care Line, created her products with stress factors in mind. She has added argan oil, red marine algae, tamanu oil, and triphalia for nourishment and healing (of course, also to prevent signs of aging.) She launched her products in 2008, and I really believe she is on to something. This line is affordable and effective!
I have been using the Facial Cocktail Serum and Eye Cream for three weeks and I really like both. The serum is refreshing and tingly, perhaps from the niacin in its makeup.
As a great CEO would, D'Andra recently agreed to a Q&A session with me. Here is what I discovered:
Pam: What are the biggest mistakes women 40+ make with their skincare?
D'Andra: Not taking it seriously … meaning not sticking to a routine. It should be as much a part of your day and night as is brushing your teeth or taking a shower … let’s hope women are showering every day, Ha! Ha!
Also, I am a big proponent of juicing, trying to eat right and facial exercises, as well as taking vitamins (antioxidants) targeted to the skin. The more we age, the more nutrients we need to put into our bodies. We stop making important nutrients like CoQ10 for example as we age, and we have to supplement with them on our own.
Pam: How do your products differ from everything else on the market?
D'Andra: They are aloe vera based, which makes for a more efficient delivery system. I formulate the Hard Night Good Morning line, so the actives are chosen by me, and the ingredients and the way they are put together are unique to my own formulations. The products work and they are effective. I am 44 years old, and obviously concerned about aging, because I am right in the middle of the peak time for skin to start changing due to hormones, pre-menopause etc.
Pam:What is the number one biggest lesson you have learned since entering this industry?
D'Andra: Competition is fierce, and unfortunately it is not necessarily the BEST products that are flying off the shelves. It is the products with the most marketing dollars behind them. For a small company like mine this is a huge challenge, because we cannot afford to buy an ad in Vogue magazine or run a television commercial, so our net of influence to get people to try the line is limited. There is only so much money to go around, and most of it goes to product development and components. We just revamped our website in November and it was WAY overdue. As a small business owner, there are difficult choices I have to make and most of them are based on priorities. My number one priority is always having inventory to sell. We have to rely on bloggers and word of mouth and the new and ever changing realm of social media to garner new customers and get the word out about the Hard Night Good Morning line.
Pam: If you have never had a good skin care regimen, and you are over 50, is it too late to start? Is the damage done?
D'Andra: It is never too late to start a good skin care regimen, and necessity is the mother of all invention, we all know that. So, lots of women start addressing their skin aging after 50, because one day they look in the mirror and they notice that they don’t look so great anymore. Their skin is sagging, they have crow’s feet around their eyes and they have age spots. Damage is done for the time being, but luckily today we have a lot of dermatological advances and there are lasers and other options to renew the skin. From then on, it is up to the individual to take over and take charge of taking care of her skin by using products that maintain good and healthy skin.
Pam: I recently met a couple of busy, business women who said they often went to bed with make up on. What will that do your skin eventually?
D'Andra: This is my most frequently asked question. It seems everyone wants to skip this essential part of their day. If you do it regularly, the most obvious thing that will happen is your pores will become clogged which leads to acne, redness and irritation. Not washing your face allows for bacteria to build up and also leads to dehydration. Washing your face increases hydration and right after you cleanse, when skin is damp or after toner is applied, is the best time to apply moisturizer. It locks the moisturizer into the skin when the skin is damp. Your skin will be dewy and supple. Plus, who wants dirty pillows anyway!!
Find these natural skin care products online, or Whole Foods, or Central Market…then put your feet up and give your face a Cocktail!
Hope you have fun plans for the weekend!! Have a wonderful Friday all!!
Product was provided to me for purposes of this review
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