Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1121563
67 BY CHRISTINA GEYER. PORTRAIT MISAEL RODRIGUEZ. THE ART swipe my lashes with Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara. (I also have an Ilia eyeliner, which I reserve for nights out or more formal occasions.) Lipstick proved the hardest switch — but one of the most important. You ingest your lipstick, gloss, or balm on a daily basis, so it better be safely edible. I like to sport a red lip for evening to- dos, so I opted for the Rebound shade by RMS Beauty. For daytime, I use Kari Gran Lip Whip in Rosie Gold or Follain's everyday lip balm. Perhaps the two products that have been the major game changers for me are shampoo and deodorant. My shampoo and conditioner are by Innersense and combine vitamin E and shea butters with sage and tamanu essential oils. My hair looks and feels lighter and bouncier — and I feel better knowing that the shampoo washing down the drain isn't polluting our oceans. For deodorant, I go back and forth between using PiperWai Activated Charcoal Deodorant Stick, which is natural and aluminum- free, and Milk + Honey Cream Deodorant No. 20 — a simple blend of organic virgin coconut oil, organic shea butter, baking soda, organic arrowroot powder, beeswax, and vanilla oil, which can be purchased through Milk + Honey online or at the new Milk + Honey spa at The Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth. More than a month into my new routine (and yes, I now only use clean laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, and cleaning products — but that's another story for another day), I can attest to the fact that the lifestyle change where skincare and beauty is concerned has been just as profound as the dietary changes I made a year ago. It's as mental as it is physical: The aforementioned products do the job, whether it's moisturizing my skin or giving me the perfect red lip for a night on the town. I also feel emotionally at ease and more mindful in my daily routine, knowing that I'm doing my tiny part in cleaning up the environment, all the while protecting my skin from harmful chemicals. A friendly reminder: The FDA barely regulates skincare and beauty. So chemicals found in most mainstream beauty brands are highly toxic. Also worth noting: The words "clean" and "natural" aren't regulated at all, so should you decide to drink the clean- beauty Kool-Aid, seek products that are vetted by experts. For me, it was the team at Follain. OF PRESERVATION D on't mistake Brittany Ricketts and Rylie Bland as mere influencers. While the House of Preservation Instagram feed appears to be a carefully edited blog — perfectly styled beauty products, drop-dead- gorgeous images of the beautiful young duo — Ricketts and Bland have created a business that leapt off social media and into the real world. The opening of their spa, House of Preservation, is the next step in establishing themselves as experts in skincare. "Rylie and I have been best friends for 10-plus years," Ricketts says. "A few years ago, we found ourselves in a quarter-life crisis, feeling unfulfilled by our corporate jobs. Rylie worked in PR, and I was in commercial real estate. We needed a change — something that would fuel our passion for life and get our creativity flowing. We've always been self- proclaimed skincare addicts, but it wasn't until I went to pen and paper and had an aha moment that I realized this was it." They launched House of Preservation as an online resource to educate about the latest in skincare. Ricketts and Bland left their day jobs and enrolled in the Aveda Institute to obtain esthetician licenses, and they received their laser licenses from the National Laser Institute. Both landed jobs in a med spa to learn the business from the ground up — and this spring, they opened their own. At House of Preservation, services range from injectables (Botox, Dysport, fillers, and PRP) to microneedling and photofacials, LED light therapy, and laser hair removal. The relaxation room serves bone broth (known for high-collagen properties that can transform the skin naturally from the inside out), and a small retail space in the front of the spa offers a range of products — all tested by Ricketts and Bland — from HUM Daily Cleanse vitamins to SkinCeuticals, plus peels and serums by Dr. Dennis Gross. "Our goal is to treat every client like we would our best friend, making sure they're receiving the right treatments and products to address their concerns and needs," Ricketts says. Unlike other spas that offer a lengthy menu of facial offerings, House of Preservation offers a single facial. "There's not a one size fits all," she says, "everyone's skin is so different. Each facial is tailored to fit and includes LED light therapy, lymphatic drainage, and massage." House of Preservation, 3219 N. Fitzhugh Ave., houseofpreservation.com. Brittany Ricketts and Rylie Bland