The way I see it – the heart and soul of a company largely contributes to its success, and I love learning about the brains behind fabulous products. This is why I excitedly wanted to chat with Terry Carter of Travertine Spa – a line of natural botanical body care products and lovely loungewear. With a HUGE celebrity clientele base with products and apparel that is tailored for both and women, Terry wholeheartedly believes in what Travertine Spa stands for. With personal satisfaction using one of his ”moisture therapy” products (as well as owning a comfy Yoga Wear top), I have to share one of my new favorite skincare lines with you.

Check out our exclusive Beauty Chat interview:

Elana: How did you develop the idea for Travertine Spa?

Terry: I was a corporate attorney who really didn’t like the atmosphere that I was working in; it was a hostile environment that I did not enjoy. I got away from my stresses in the workplace by going to spas. I wanted to share with people what I had learned and experienced by just taking time to take care of myself, so I decided to create Travertine Spa in 2005. More »

If you thought you’d seen all there is to see in the organic skin care arena, hold on – this one is as about as natural as it gets. Grateful Body, a Bay Area skin care company that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know recently, takes the cake for its socially-conscious guidelines and raw, food-grade ingredients.

What does food-grade mean? You guessed it: If you can’t eat it, it won’t go into their product. In fact, there are numerous “no’s” on the list of ingredients Grateful Body refuses to use; good “no’s,” like:

• No chemicals, synthetic colors, or stabilizers (their shelf life is maintained with organic plant preservatives only, which keep them stable for up to two years)
• No wheat, gluten, corn, or dairy (perfect for those with allergies)
• No animal testing, and no animal products with the exception of humanely-handled honeybees (so most of them are suitable for vegans)

More »