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5 Questions with Samantha Addonizio from Know Your Ingredients (+ a Giveaway!)

Know Your Ingredients - KYI for short - is a wonderful skincare line offering minimally processed and whole food skincare made from nutrient-rich ingredients like argan oil and shea butter.  I was first introduced to the line in 2013 (see my reviews here and here) and it's a brand that continues to impress me.  KYI's founder, Samantha Addonizio, is passionate about creating simple skincare that really works -- something that truly comes through in each of the company's three multi-functional products.  

I asked Sam to answer a few questions and give us a peek behind the brand today.  Plus, make sure you stay tuned till the end and enter our giveaway for a chance to try KYI for yourself!
1) Can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to create Know Your Ingredients?
 I'm a working mom with two active, sports loving boys.  I take good care of myself and my family.  I go out of my way to make sure we eat healthy, whole food but delicious meals.  I make sure we all regularly get outdoors to enjoy nature, fresh air and exercise together.  In all aspects of our life, I make sure we make thoughtful decisions and informed choices.  As a woman who loves skin products, one day my husband asked, “Do you even know what’s in that stuff you slather on your skin all the time?”  I stopped in my tracks because it never occurred to me before to look!  And when I read the ingredient label I was surprised to find that I did not even know what more than half of the ingredients were.  I started to do research (the Environmental Working Group’s database is a great place to start).

I learned that many products labeled “natural” had emulsifiers to combine water-soluble ingredients with oil-soluble ingredients and also added a preservative to prevent bacteria growth.  And, I learned that all oil-soluble products do not need emulsifiers and preservatives.  So I developed my products from natural oils and butters.  I discovered along the way that my skin reacted much better to the oils and butters: it started looking and feeling healthier, softer and more elastic….old scars started to fade.  I shared my products with family and friends who experienced the same results. I wanted to share my revelation with others: that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it.  That is why I founded KYI.  
2) What sets KYI apart from other natural brands?
 Simplicity. Take a look at the ingredients on other products called “natural” and then look at KYI’s ingredient labels.  KYI’s ingredients are just oils and butters with or without added essential oils for their luscious scents!  We also happen to be vegan!
  
3) What has been the most challenging thing since starting KYI?  And the most rewarding?
 The most challenging thing has been getting KYI’s message out.  Even though it’s IN the name!  People do not seem to pay attention to the ingredients in the products that they use on their skin.  The most rewarding aspect is getting feedback from customers once they have used our products for a few months.  It is gratifying to have people agree that their skin has never looked or felt healthier!
4) Do you have any tips or tricks to offer someone just starting to transition to natural products?
 Yes, always test out a new product on a tiny patch of skin.  Even natural products can cause allergies.   KYI”s products are nut oils and butters and while emollient, nutritious and protective on the skin, they would not be for anyone with a tree nut allergy.  Also, sometimes certain essential oils can cause sensitivity in certain people.  ALWAYS test patch new products.
5) Outside KYI, do you have any favorite natural/nontoxic skincare or beauty essentials?
I only use KYI’s products for skin care.  I do wear mineral makeup and favor make-up companies that have the same philosophy as KYI, such as Au Natural Cosmetics.

Thanks Sam for taking the time to answer my questions!  

 We've also teamed up to give three readers a chance to try KYI.  Each winner will win a KYI product in their choice of scent!  Open to US and Canada.  To enter, just leave a comment with the KYI product you'd most like to try + fill in the Rafflecopter widget (below) to record your entry.  As always, you can snag extra entries for following me or KYI on social media.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway
All photos courtesy of KYI






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Behind the Brand: Graydon Clinical Luxury by Nature

A little over a month ago, I had the chance to meet Graydon Moffat, the lovely creator behind Graydon Clinical Luxury by Nature.  We had a great time chatting over green juice and I left thinking how wonderful it would be to share everything I'd learned with all of you.  Rather than me just writing about it, I asked Graydon if she'd be willing to answer some questions and lucky for us, she was happy to oblige.  Let's jump right into it!


 1. I love learning how people first became interested in a more natural, holistic lifestyle. What did that journey look like for you? 
Growing up as a teenager in the 80’s my diet involved a lot of diet soda, sugarless gum and white bread. I did a lot of high intensity aerobic classes and enjoyed using tanning beds. In university I supplemented my tuition working as a pastry chef in fine dining restaurants. No surprise I was experiencing a lot of digestive issues. It wasn’t until I moved to California to do my MFA that I was exposed to a radically healthy lifestyle which consisted of a lot of yoga, fresh juice and a macrobiotic diet.

Besides making art, I transitioned my ‘moon lighting’ as a pastry chef to starting a macrobiotic home delivery service called ‘Divine Dishes’. Aligning myself in a health oriented spiritual path made for a huge shift for both my physical and emotional well being. Suddenly I felt good ‘in my body’ and my natural tendency towards anxiety also diminished greatly.

 2. What inspired you to start Graydon Clinical Luxury?
After moving back from California to Toronto I became part of the Downward Dog Yoga Studio first ever teacher training program in 1999.  As a yoga teacher I enjoyed making holistic products to use on my clients. My first product was a yoga mat spray (which is now my Germs Away Mist). Then I made a luxurious aromatic oil to use in a neck and temple massage (now my lavender chamomile sandalwood inspired All Over Body Oil). My customers loved my products and with their encouragement and support I just started making more stuff using the principles of holistic and ayurvedic health I had learned through my yoga teacher training.

Photo Credit
3. What sets Graydon apart from other natural skincare brands?
We carefully curate our ingredients – and look for items that come from nutrition rich plant based sources. For example, the seeds from broccoli and berries grown in the Fraser Valley are amongst our favourites. We work with a small cold press manufacturer to produce the oils from these seeds which we use in our formulations.

We work a with lab to small batch our products which is a much better choice than making them on our own. This means we can offer our customers a clean, safe, consistent product that would be much harder to produce if we still manufactured in our home office (which is where we started).

4. What does your skincare routine look like?
Besides using all my products on a regular basis, I love to mash up and slather super foods all over my face and body. Rolling up my sleeves and getting creative in the kitchen reminds me of my art making and chef days. Given that I often work from home, I have been known to answer the door with avocado cacao paste smeared on my cheeks which has startled delivery people and customers picking up their orders.

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5. If you had to pick just one, what's your all-time favorite product or the product that you're proudest of from the line?
I love all my products but I can’t live without my Cleanser. I use it all over my face and body. Its rich creamy (but not oily) texture leaves my skin feeling super clean, soft and moisturized. I also shave my legs with it.

In terms of being proud, The Serum is hands down the most nutrient dense power packed product. Roughly 50 pounds of Canadian grown berries are packaged into our 1oz glass bottle. The oomph that these berry seed oils gives your skin is incredibly potent. I blend in a few drops to every product I use just to make sure my skin gets the nutrition it needs every day.

6. What tips would you offer to someone looking to make the switch from conventional skincare products?
Make it easy for yourself by just replacing one item at a time. Don’t feel like you have to throw all your conventional products out at once. Get used to reading labels and making good (plant powered) choices for your skin just as you would with food products you choose to eat. 

And start thinking about your skin as an organ similar to your stomach -- as a vehicle to bring nourishment into your body. It becomes simple after a while, to choose between whole foods vs junk/highly process foods… skincare products that ‘feed’ your body vs ones that are made with synthetic, often toxic (junk) ingredients.

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7. What can we expect in the future from Graydon Clinical Luxury? Any hints on upcoming products?
I get asked about a deodorant, scrub and bug spray all the time. It takes time to find the perfect ingredients, packaging and above all to do the proper lab development and efficacy testing – but within the next year we hope to have some new products out, so stay tuned!


Thanks Graydon!  I, for one, can't wait to see what's coming next!
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