Hey there, Bare Beauties!  Kirsten King, the founder of Oille Natural, (pronounced Oy-elle Nat-ur-elle) is one of the coolest Green Beauty Nerds in the biz, and I’ve been dying to pick her brain – and share all my newfound knowledge with you, of course!  I haven’t tried a product of hers that I don’t l-o-v-e.  I’ve mentioned her magical Organic Growth Hair Serum (it works) and her Organic Protect Face Serum (it helped my skin heal after a laser treatment) here before, and my mom’s favorite face serum of all time is Oille Natural Face Serum with Anti-aging Intelligence for 40’s-50’s.  King’s two newest face serums, Perfect and Platinum are equally incredible.  So, I thought it was time to let her set the record straight when it comes to all the rumors surrounding essential oils, and keep scrolling down for a coupon code and GIVEAWAY!

BB: How does your background as a clinical aromatherapist make you the ideal creator of a skincare line?  Isn’t aromatherapy about the sense of smell?

KK: As a Clinical Aromatherapist, I’ve been professionally certified in the clinical use and application of essential oils approved by industry leading associations such as Association for Holisitc Aromatherapy (NAHA), Alliance of Aromatherapists (AIA), and International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA).  My studies include anatomy and physiology, clinical trials, research papers and exams.  All of this deep knowledge allows me to confidently formulate skincare products safely and effectively.

Aromatherapy is much more than just the sense of smell. It incorporates the body and mind holistically. When you apply our skincare, not only is it working on a topical level but it’s also working on an internal level as well. That’s why it’s so important to meticulously know every ingredient in your skincare as it effects every part of your body.

I see many non-professional skincare lines formulated with essentials oils that are not skin friendly, named incorrectly or even worse – not all listed and called proprietary blend. An ingredient list is not a recipe and should have full disclosure if any adverse reactions occur. Essential oils are natural but that doesn’t make them completely safe or appropriate for skin use. If I’m looking for plant-based skincare, I would make sure they are professionally formuated by a plant-based practitioner to get the safe results you want.

BB: What the heck does GC/MS Lab tested skincare mean?  What difference does it make in the product?

KK: Essential oils are potent, expensive ingredients.  When you put two of the same oils side by side, for the most part, they look, smell, and feel the same. Which is why many companies easily sell fraudulent oils and why others like myself will go to great lengths to educate buyers. I’m sure you’re heard the words “highest quality” or “therapeutic-grade” thousands of times before. Although these are great marketing terms to descibe essential oils they are sadly meaningless. Even if it’s “third-party verified”. It’s all marketing jargon. These words hold no scientific value.

As a Clinical Aromatherapist, I know how damaging poor quality essential oils can be to the body and mind. That is why we only use GC/MS lab tested essential oils in our formulas. The GC/MS report performed by chemists scientifically proves ingredient has not be adulterated and discloses a plant’s DNA in forms of their chemical constituents. This information is valuable in knowing if a plant was harvested too early or experienced poor climate conditions which will in turn effect it’s ability to perform. It makes an enormous difference in seeing results.

BB: What made you want to quit your job as a successful photography producer to start your own skincare line?

KK: That’s a great question! Photography and skincare are certainly my two passions. Perhaps, I’m attracted to them because they both have a chemistry background. I’m probably dating myself here by saying that but back in the day when I studied photography I would spend hours and hours in the darkroom. I loved experimenting. I’ve just always liked knowing how things worked.

After I received a BFA in photography, I moved to NYC 12 years ago. I became a fashion and beauty photo shoot producer for Fortune 500 companies where I would hire and lead large creative teams of photographers, models, hair and makeup artists for advertising, print, and eCommerce environments. I loved my job. But, when I became pregnant with my first daughter, I became very cognizant of everything I put on my skin. After discovering hidden toxic ingredients in skincare, something clicked and I refused to subject my growing being to harmful ingredients. I needed to be her voice, her health advocate. That maternal protective instinct was a real game changer for me. I then became a Clinical Aromatherapist to have a better understanding of how and why essential oils worked.

BB: What if I’m sensitive to essential oils?  Should I steer clear of them in all products?  Should I steer clear of your products?

KK: When trying any skincare, I would suggest doing a patch test on your forearm first to see if you have adverse reactions. Place a small amount on the inside of your forearm and wait about 15 minutes. If your skin feels burning, itchy, or displays a rash stop using the product immediately. If the product you used is oil-based, try adding olive oil to the skin to help alleviate discomfort since oil attracts oil. Water can sometimes make the reaction worse. Often times, people are sensitive to hidden synthetics inside the essential oils or the oil has become oxidized. There’s no way of knowing what exactly caused the reaction if the oil was never properly GC/MS tested.

BB:  “Plant Intelligence” is a term you use a lot at Oille Natural.  What is “plant intelligence”?

KK: Ah, my favorite term! Plant intelligence refers to the plant’s natural born ability to perform. Just like humans, plants have the intelligence to heal themselves. When a plant is attacked with disease, it produces antibodies in form of essential oils. Some plant practitioners call essential oils the blood and life force of plants. We humans then extract these oils and use it to boost our own immune system. It’s beautiful how nature just knows.

BB: Can you explain the difference between fragrance and essential oils?

KK: Fragrance oil is made up of thousands of trade-secreted chemical compounds that do a significant amount of damage to your body and mind. They are found everywhere and even in some organic skincare products. They mimic scents found in nature and trick your brain into thinking it’s a recognizable scent. Beyond common side effects such as headaches or attention deficit disorders, fragrance hosts hormone disrupting phthalates linked to cancer related diseases and infertility. It’s often dubbed the new second hand smoke. I once saw the words natural spray on a fragrance bottle. How confusing. When I asked the sales person they said it referred to the spray and not the natural ingredients. How deceiving. “Natural fragrance” does not exist in nature. The word fragrance usually refers to chemicals.

Essential oils are on the other hand are real, natural oils found in nature. They are the essence of plants and extracted from plant parts such as roots, bark, leaves, and flowers. Because scent is connected to your limbic system where your emotions and memory are stored, many people will have a visceral reaction to inhaling essential oils. Not because they are harmful, minus a handful, but because their mind is unlocking unpleasant memories or their body is absorbing healing chemical constituents. Some days I react very strongly to geranium or roman chamomile and then other days am in love.

BB: Can you explain which skin type(s) are best suited for each of your products?  Which is your personal favorite?

KK: Any skin type can use our products. Each formula is blended with balancing, drying base oils so they won’t leave your skin feeling greasy or overly hydrated like olive oil would. Many customers trust our formulas because they are safe for skin application and hold a high vibrational energy since the GC/MS tested essential oils we use are full-strength. Our best seller is the Face Serum with Anti-Aging Intelligence for 40-50’s. Next would be a Face Serum with Renewing Intelligence called Protect with german chamomile, blue tansy, and balsam copaiba. Blue tansy’s ability to balance energy makes it a major contender when soothing sun burned skin. But, my personal favorite blend is another Face Serum with Renewing Intelligence called Perfect. It has beautiful, herbal essential oils like rock rose, yarrow, and helichrysum. The Perfect Face Serum blend smells amazing, does wonders on renewing scar tissue and just makes my heart sing.

1. Follow @barebeauty and @oillenatural (By the way, Kirsten has THE most chic Instagram gallery)
2. Like my Oille Natural post tonight at 9pm EST.
3. Tag a Green Beauty loving friend
4. Done!  Easy!  I’ll announce the winner in the comments of the same post on 4/7/16.

Good luck!

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