Nancy Jeffries, Correspondent10.16.09
Pure organic ingredients, indigenous practices, and a collective consciousness of wellness and beauty were the predominant themes at ABC Carpet and Home on September 22, 2009. Long term supporters of the ABC Home & Planet Foundation committed to sustainable educational, health and wellness initiatives around the world, the retail venue welcomed a store within a store apothecary to its New York City location. The new apothecary, featuring brands created and founded by visionaries in organic and natural beauty and skin care, offered holistic beauty products for skin, hair and body care, with a sustainable and fair-trade focused message.
The five lines that debuted included Hamadi Organics, a paraben-free, vegan friendly, and organic hair care line; Arcona Skin Care, combining natural actives and extracts; Intelligent Nutrients, founded by Horst Rechelbacher, and featuring “good enough to eat” hair care, skin and body care, and multifunctional aromatics; Juara Skincare, with active botanicals for skin; Kahina—Giving Beauty, based on the healing properties of argan oil from the forests of Morocco; and Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare, with therapeutic grade essential oils and pure natural food supplements.
Hamadi Organics Provided Haircuts and Styling Tips at ABC Home. |
Tasting and Sampling Services
For each brand, there was an opportunity to taste and sample a wide array of products and services. There were mini-facials and hand treatments by Arcona; Candlenut hand treatments by Juara; argan oil hand massages by Kahina; an aromatherapy bar with custom juices, by Tammy Fender; skin salvation hand facials and Intellimune refreshments, by Intelligent Nutrients; and hair cuts and consultations by Jamal Hammadi, founder of Hamadi Organics.
For Jamal Hammadi, president and founder of Hamadi Organics, organic essential oils, all natural ingredients, and luxury are not mutually exclusive. Mr. Hammadi, who trained in Paris with hair guru, Odile Gilbert, and has styled the hair of numerous celebrity clients and runway models, has created a line of moisture-based formulations containing 100% organic essential oils and plant extracts, no artificial ingredients, and no perfumes or colors, that is completely biodegradable, as well as luxurious. Paraben-free and cruelty-free, the range of products includes Ginger Soymilk Hairwash, with essential oils of ginger, sweet orange and rosewood; Honey Soymilk Hairwash; Lemon Mint Hairwash; Shea Rice Milk Conditioner; Shea Hair Cream; Shea Leave In; Shea Lip Balm; Healing Serum for Hair with sunflower, avocado, and olive oil, plus ylang ylang and moroccan vanilla; and Shea Pomade.Additional information on the company philosophy and product lines may be found at www.hamadibeauty.com.
Katherine L’Heureux, founder of Kahina - Giving Beauty with Moroccan Argan Oil. |
Arcona is a skin care line and facial treatment studio based in Los Angeles, founded by a woman named Arcona, a chemist and holistic pioneer in the area of skin care. The live, active ingredients in the line include cosmeceutical grade enzymes, antioxidants and amino acids that are cold processed at low temperatures in small batches to keep their efficacy. Chanel Jenae, co-owner of Arcona, is a licensed esthetician and the developer of new products. She has trained in cosmetic chemistry, herbology, acupressure and alternative medicine modalities, and became Arcona Devon’s protégée in 2000, when she learned the proprietary treatments for which the Arcona studio was known.
The Basic Five Daily Foundation Program, which features the Arcona line, is a skin-restorative regimen utilizing the products, which contains no petro chemicals, no binders or fillers, no chemical stabilizers, parabens or sodium lauryl sulfates. The AM Steps include Exfoliation with Golden Grain Gommage, for normal skin, or Cranberry Gommage, for dry or sensitive skin. Hydration features Magic White Ice, for all skin types, or Peptide Hydrating Complex, for dry skin; followed by Protection, utilizing desert mist. The PM Steps are Cleansing, with Toner Tea Bar, for normal skin, and Kiwi Cream Bar, for dry skin, Berry Fruit Bar, for sensitive skin, and Raspberry Acne Bar, for acne prone skin types. The final step is the Treatment phase, utilizing Gentle Solution, for dry skin, and The Solution, for normal skin types. According to Arcona, these five steps work to restore the skin to homeostasis, the skin’s natural balance state. The product line features plant lipids, sea vegetables, plant extracts, vitamins, minerals and essential oils. Additional information may be found at www.arcona.com.
Juara, inspired by Indonesian botanicals, is an innovative line founded and developed by Loisaida Labs, LLC, under the guidance of founder and owner, Yoshiko Roth, and Metta Murdaya. The line combines the ancient beauty rituals and active botanicals of Indonesia, fusing tradition and modern science to create results-oriented skin care and body care products with elegant textures and scents. Metta, an Indonesian native, said that the founding team wanted to create original formulations that combined the best of both worlds, the East and the West. The modern formulations from the West and the traditional elements of Indonesia capture the philosophy of Juara, which means “champion” in the Indonesian language.
The line includes Rice Facial Cleanser, Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner, Candlenut Hand and Body Balm, nourishing and paraben-free, as well as Rice Facial Scrub, Turmeric Antioxidant Mask, and Sweet Tea & Ginger Mattefying Moisturizer, to prevent signs of aging and increase the skin’s radiance. The moisturizer combines cinnamon, to heal and fight bacteria, ginger, to purify and refine the skin, and fermented Sweet Black Tea, to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, while its antioxidant properties neutralize the effects of free radicals. Additional information is available at www.juaraskincare.com.
An Intelligent Nutrients Display |
Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care is based on balancing physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Founded by esthetician, Tammy Fender, in Palm Beach, Florida, the products range from Intensive Repair Balm with Chamomile and Helichrysum, to Bulgarian Lavender Body Oil, and a range of custom blended formulations. The concept is realized in products designed to purify, balance, nourish, restore and replenish the skin. Capillary Strengthening Blend, with the healing properties of chamomile, neroli, rose, and carrot seed strengthens capillaries, increases circulation and stimulates the regeneration of healthy new skin cells. This blend is designed for dry and sunburned skin, and is beneficial for rosacea. Additional information about this product, featuring phytonutrients and bioflavanoids, as well as the range of Fender products, may be found at www.TammyFender.com.
ABC Home has created an apothecary, which includes the new lines featured above, as well as a range of other natural and organic beauty products whose ingredients are safe for the environment and traded and sourced in an ethical manner. Additional information on company initiatives may be found at www.abchome.com.