Why I Love Annmarie Gianni Skin Care: A Giveaway

There are so many reasons to love Annmarie Gianni Skin Care.
I’ve always been lucky enough to have good skin. I didn’t suffer with acne or any other problems as a child. However, living with a hypothyroidism diagnosis for the last two decades has meant my skin errs on the side of dryness, and is often pale and lacklustre.

I care deeply about the products I use and have spent a long time in search of the holy grail of glowing, dewy, healthy looking skin. I have lost count of the number of companies I've turned to throughout the years, only to back away once I wised up on the ingredients in their expensive little pots. Whilst it's wonderful to know there is an ever increasing market of "clean" skin care brands, it seems that natural doesn't necessarily mean holistic; lead is a natural ingredient after all!

All that changed when I was introduced to Annmarie Skin Care. With endorsements from the likes of Dr Mark Hyman, Chris Kresser, Kris Carr, Donna Gates, Sara Gottfried, JJ Virgin, Dr Tom O'Bryan and the late Louise Hay, I had a feeling this might be the company I'd been searching for all this time. Boy, was I right!

Why should we care about our skin products?
Autoimmune disease is a betrayal of the immune system, which is running on overdrive. So why would we confuse it still further by putting chemicals on our face?  I make a point never to put those things into my mouth so you can be sure I won't be spreading them onto my largest organ, where they may be absorbed directly into my bloodstream.

Skin care products are not well regulated and the average woman is exposed to over 160 chemicals every single morning. Some of these chemicals are known endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the production, transport, breakdown, binding and elimination of hormones. Our liver performs over 500 functions, including detoxification. However, when our bodies are already dealing with a system in overdrive, detoxification is severely impaired. This means that these chemicals are reabsorbed. Constant exposure ultimately causes imbalance within the body which may then lead to a wide variety of health problems.

Why I love Annmarie Gianni Skin Care

1.  The ingredients
Annmarie Skin Care is completely free of synthetic chemicals, toxins and endocrine disruptors. Each product has been lovingly made in the USA with natural, organic and wild-crafted ingredients that is bringing vitality back to my skin. Ingredients such as lauric acid-rich coconut oil and pure Colorado mountain wildflower honey. Aloe vera and soothing calendula. Neroli oil to calm, balance and de-stress the mind. One of my favourite scents - sweet orange-blossom. And many, many more. Here you will find no fillers, only real ingredients that are instantly recognisable - no googling necessary.

2. The promise

• no synthetic fragrances - scented only with essential oils and herbs
• organically grown and wildcrafted from mountains
• all products are gluten free
• entirely GMO-free
• cruelty free and all but three products (which contain beeswax) are vegan
• real, pure and unadulterated - if you can't eat it you shouldn't put it on your skin
• full transparency with disclosure of ingredients
• supporting community development by giving back to causes they feel strongly aligned to

3.  The confidence
Because Annmarie Skin Care are so sure you're going to love their products as much as I do, they offer a sample kit for $10 (free worldwide shipping). Inside your package you'll find a $10 coupon redeemable on your next purchase which means if you buy, you'll have got your kit for free. The kit is enough for around a week's use, by which time I'm willing to bet you've fallen in love. I fell in love immediately btw! They will also send you a digital copy of their Toxic Free Home Guide, in which you'll find heaps of information on replacing toxins in the home with clean products and DIY recipes.

4.  The experience
Using Annmarie Skin Care has made me slow down and become more aware of my wind-down routine before bed, therefore de-stressing after a long day. Now I really take the time to inhale the delicious natural fragrance and savour the luxurious feel of my lotions and potions. It's easy to visualise them hydrate, nourish and smooth my face whilst I sleep. With the aroma of orange-blossom, lavender, rosemary, vanilla, jasmine, rose and countless other flowers and healing herbs, I slip into my bed and drift into a perfect night's slumber. When I wake next morning, my face feels increasingly soft and looks clear and refreshed. In fact within a day or so of trying my sampler kit, my skin was noticeably softer, smoother, and had a lovely dewy glow. Within a very short time, my skin was seeing, feeling and reeping the benefit of this incredible line of skin care. Simply put, AnnMarie Skin Care is my holy grail!

My favourite products
The Aloe Herb Cleanser contains lemon and lavender essential oils, amongst other wildcrafted herbs. Though light and gentle, it removes my make-up effortlessly. What's more it transports me to an unforgettable holiday in Sorrento we had shortly before leaving for Vancouver. Neroli Toning Mist smells decadent as it soothes my mind and hydrates my skin ready for what I think is probably my favourite product, the antioxidant-rich Anti-Aging Facial Oil. I can't get enough of its heavenly aroma, not to mention the luxurious feel as it glides over my skin leaving it supple and dewy. Another favourite is the Coconut Honey Mask. I have rarely treated myself to a relaxing quarter hour of mask time but this product has changed all that. Now I prop myself up on my bed and take the time to breathe mindfully, knowing this incredible enzyme-rich product is nourishing and plumping my skin. Actually I believe it would nourish my stomach too - with its pure, organic ingredients I'm almost tempted to dip in and steal a quick nibble!

Q&A with Abby Jean of Annmarie Skin Care
Abby is a licensed Esthetician, as well as Wholesale Account Manager for Annmarie Skin Care and lady to thank for satisfying my burning curiosity.

What sets AnnMarie Skin Care apart from other "clean" skin care brands?
First and foremost, we are thrilled to see other existing and emerging brands in the skin care and wellness industry that have the same standards and transparency as we do. Collaboration is a part of our business model and we love joining forces with other companies to empower consumers to make conscious decisions when selecting their personal care products. That being said, what makes us unique is that we are much more than just a skin care brand; we are a lifestyle brand. Our active blog emanates this, where you’ll find topics beyond skin including herbal therapeutics, essential oils, ingredient knowledge, synthetic chemicals in the industry (and how to avoid them), food, supplements, yoga, fitness and a variety of holistic health topics. We were also the first MADE SAFE certified skin care line!

As a company, we have a desire to educate our customers on the importance of using clean skin care. We have future plans to host in-house events, soirees and workshops at our headquarters in Berkeley, CA to offer this extended education and bring our Annmarie community together to celebrate beauty and health!

How did AnnMarie come up with the specific blend of ingredients for each product?
While Annmarie is not the actual formulator of the skin care line, she had a vision to bring clean and truly natural products to the skin care market. Our formulator Bunnie, an herbalist and cosmetic chemist, has been making skin care products for over 30 years. She produces handmade micro-batches at our lab located in the Colorado Mountains. Our method is an infusion method, where organic and wildcrafted herbs are infused into aloe vera juice or cold-pressed carrier oils for up to 30 days, never heated above 95 degrees, to carefully extract all of the plant properties without compromising the nutrient value. Each formula is alive with active nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes, ensuring effective skin care with beautiful results. 

Which of the so-called "natural" ingredients do you advise people never to use on their skin?
It’s difficult to scrutinize every ingredient in a formula to determine whether or not it is safe for your health and skin. However, there are many conventional brands out there that claim their formulas are “natural”. Greenwashing in the beauty industry is occurring more and more to pull consumers in the wrong direction, when they very well feel like it’s the right one. This is the complete opposite of transparency, but rather deception and without regulation. Fortunately, there are amazing resources that exist to help guide a consumer on how to read labels and to help them make better choices when purchasing self care products. The EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is comprised of over 70,000 products where you can look up by brand or ingredient and are given safety ratings on each (more or less an ingredient hazard score). There is a lot of useful information in this database and while I can’t 100% guarantee that every product on there has an accurate score (there is so much data, I believe they are working on their precision), it’s still very helpful to the consumer! Another resource is the Think Dirty App which allows you to scan a product barcode and receive easy-to-digest information about the product safety within seconds.

What are your top skin care tips for transitioning from summer to winter?
Depending on where you live, sometimes entering winter means more exposure to dryness and/or harsher weather conditions. If you are already consistent with your skin care regimen, there is no need to drastically change any part of your routine. The only thing I would recommend in addition to cleansing, exfoliating (2-3x a week), toning, applying serum (hydrating), moisturizing and sun protection would be to add in a nourishing face mask 1-2x a week. This will not only replenish lost moisture in the skin, but will keep it deeply hydrated, moisturized and protected from the winter elements.

Why do you think health advocates such as Dr Mark Hyman, Kris Carr, Sara Gottfried and Dr Tom O'Bryan are rushing to endorse your products?
In addition to loving the feel and nature of our products, along with the results they provide, they share and embody our mission to be honest, wild and beautiful. It is uncommon in the skin care industry to find truly natural skin care products that health advocates or even doctors feel comfortable recommending to their clients and companions. Beyond distributing to spas and natural boutiques, we have been partnering with functional medicine clinics and wellness centers to represent our line so that they can offer safe and effective beauty products in addition to supplements, herbs and nutrition products.

The Giveaway
Annmarie Skin Care have kindly offered the same skin care set that they sent to me, as a prize for one of my readers. Like me, you can choose between the Restore Travel Kit for dry/mature skin, and the Balance Travel Kit for normal/combination skin. Please note the top two photos are not the products in the giveaway, they are the full size products I bought myself after falling in love with my gift.

All you need do is enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below. Please note that this giveaway is valid for residents of the US and Canada only. You can have several chances by completing the Rafflecopter tasks and it ends on Wednesday, September 27th, at midnight PST. A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter and notified by email. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours it will be offered to a new winner. Meanwhile, if you'd like to get your own sample kit for $10 (free worldwide shipping) click here.  Good luck! GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Please know that Annmarie Skin Care sent me a skin care trial set with no obligation. I have not been paid to write this post and it was my choice to do so. Because I love their products so much, I asked them if I could run this giveaway as I know are going to love them too. All words in this post are my own.