Suzanne Somers is an actress, and is using her platform to educate the public on how everyday chemicals are causing havoc on the body, eventually killing us. The same holds true for your beauty products. Toxic chemicals go into the blood stream, and our organs through our lotions, creams, shampoos, and cleansers. “If you look at our skin under a microscope what we know as pores actually look like large holes,” she said. “Now imagine putting toxic chemical lotions on that skin. Where does that end up? It seeps eventually into the bloodstream and then goes on its merry way wreaking havoc in your gastrointestinal tract and/or your precious organs and glands.” This is why she developed SUZANNE Organics. I have tried this line and I am impressed, not because I admire this woman for her convictions, but it works.
Beliefnet: Why did you decide to create organic beauty products, and why does it remain hard to have access to quality beauty products?
Suzanne Somers: Most companies cannot figure out how to make a good organic product. We found the major secret; our preservatives that are made from Japanese flowers. No harsh chemicals, nothing that is bad for the human body. We are under the greatest environmental assault in the history of humanity. It just makes sense to eliminate as many chemicals as possible in order to thrive and survive. As I explained in my book TOX-SICK, people do not understand the pathway to their new conditions such as auto immune disease, fibromyalgia, lupus, MS, or brain diseases such as ADD, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, even bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. And then there's the big one; cancer. According to the Columbia University School of Public Health, 95 percent of all cancer is caused by diet and the environment. So it's not a mystery where it is all coming from. To me, skin care is a great place to start; my skin care is clean and toxic free. Every ingredient comes from nature; it is skin care that is good for you. When it eventually makes its way into the bloodstream, it enhances health rather than detracts from health. That's why it feels so good and so right. It's like eating a healthy meal; your body responds because it's getting what it needs. And in terms of efficacy, even though it's my product line, I have never used any other products that are as good as SUZANNE Organics. My skin looks better than it ever has and that's saying a lot at age 68.
Suzanne Somers: I believe in America and in today's economy anything we can do to provide employment for our people interests me. Secondly, making it in the United States allows me to have oversight ensuring its purity and efficacy. It's quite a beautiful story; a small town in the middle of this country, employing a good deal of this town's population. They are so involved and proud in the making of this product that every once in a while the post office (when short-handed) will call the sheriff and ask if they could do them a favor and drop off a package of supplies for the organics lab. I love that.
Beliefnet: What distinguishes SUZANNE Organics from other competitors in the organic beauty market?
Suzanne Somers: SUZANNE Organics has no chemical preservatives. We use sea algae that comes from tested waters, we only use products that are clean and uncontaminated. In order to obtain the "toxic free" insignia, you must follow very strict guidelines; it must be grown organically, extracted organically, and nothing upwind or downwind of the product can be toxic to contaminate it. This is a tall assignment that we are able to fulfill with every one of our products. Using SUZANNE Organics gives you peace of mind. If I had a small baby, I would use these products, as there are no chemicals and no toxins. The most popular baby products and lotions have as one of their main ingredients sodium laureth sulfate, a chemical. Imagine taking a little baby and rubbing good smelling chemicals on it. It doesn't make sense.
Beliefnet: What has frustrated you the most about the cosmetic industry?
Suzanne Somers: Name-brand cosmetics romance the consumer with promises. They can't and wouldn't mention the high percentage of chemicals in their products because then the consumer would give it a second thought as to whether or not they would want to use this or that cream. Here's some basic chemistry; in order to make cream, you've got to mix oil and water. We know from our chemistry classes these two substances don't mix, so in order to create a cream, they have to denature the water (a chemical process which dries it out). When you use creams that have been made from denatured chemical water, the drying process keeps on keeping on. That is why creams need to be applied and reapplied. Good for business but bad for our health. Because SUZANNE Organics does not use this chemical process of denatured water, putting one of our lotions on once a day is sufficient; there's no drying process, just a constant moisturizing of “good for you” ingredients.
Beliefnet: What lies should women know about the mainstream cosmetic market?
Suzanne Somers: Mainstream products are designed for eye appeal with expensive packaging and high prices. The thinking of most women (at one time myself included) is that the higher the price, the better the product. I went a different way with SUZANNE Organics; we spend little on packaging in order to keep the price down. My interest is in making a product that people can afford to use for the rest of their lives and not be priced out.
Beliefnet: You also have a makeup line, what excites you the most about your foundations, blushes, and lipsticks? Suzanne: Once again, the concept of a makeup line that is good for you, that if you were to do the unthinkable and went to bed with your makeup on, it would actually be feeding your skin important nutrients and emollients. Now I don't recommend it, there is nothing healthier than to go to bed with clean skin with a touch of SUZANNE Organics Liquid Oxygen, Ageless Serum (made from sea algae and African birch, which was used in Africa for centuries as medicine) and then a film of Advanced Night Cream or Targeted Night Cream, all organic and toxic free. Another exciting product is our Sheer Flawless Foundation makeup that fills and smooths the pores with a light touch yet complete coverage, never looking thick or heavy, just light and beautiful. I not only wear it by day, but I also wear it onstage in Las Vegas, and on television. It's perfect for every medium. Our finishing powder is made from bamboo powder and tapioca powder. Again, nature knows best. Also we have beautiful colors of lead-free lipstick. Imagine all the lead women have taken into their bodies over a lifetime through their lipstick. Lead eventually ends up in your bones and in your brain, wreaking havoc once again with your health. SUZANNE Organics lead-free lipstick eliminates that worry. We give you the most beautiful colors made from raspberries, cranberries, oranges, pomegranate; beautiful colors of creamy peach, creamy pinks, Garnet, Caramelized Peach, Coral Crush, Berry Pop, absolutely beautiful. I like to mix and match a lot of different colors to create my own special look. We have matching lip liners and beautiful eyeliners and mascara with no glue. Imagine that I even have to say that. You know when it's difficult to get your mascara off even with eye makeup remover? That's because many mascaras contain glue. We're talking about our eyes; we put lining on our eyes and on our eyelashes and lids. Does it make sense to line your eyes with chemicals and put toxic glue on your eyelashes? We know the answer. That's why I created this SUZANNE Organics makeup line.
Beliefnet: You are a woman, who is a fighter and goes against conventional methods, thank you for that. What challenges did you face when launching new products?
Suzanne Somers: You can't think about challenges or ridicule or criticism In creating products or delivering a message. It all comes from a firm belief. I am a passionate believer that we can live long and thrive on this damaged planet if we make a few significant changes; use toxic-free organic skin care, eat organic food, and clean your house with toxic-free household cleaners. On the latter, I make a superb toxic-free household cleaning line and spot remover. It is so safe you could actually drink it, although I don't recommend it, as it is not designed to be tasty. In other words, I walk my talk. I live it. And my superb health, energy and vitality are a walking, breathing, living brand and billboard.
Beliefnet: What are your favorite go-to beauty items from SUZANNE Organics?
Suzanne Somers: In essence, my answer would be all of my products. If I could only afford a couple of things I would invest in SUZANNE Organics Liquid Oxygen Therapy Facial Serum, it's like giving your skin a drink, and the Ageless Serum because of the beauty benefits of sea algae relative to wrinkles. It's nothing short of miraculous. On hair care, I cannot live without Activating Serum. It's akin to the Brazilian hair-straightening treatments but of course without the formaldehyde. Imagine women are putting formaldehyde on their scalps in the exact location of their brain. My Activating Serum makes straight hair straighter, shinier, and luxurious. For those with curly hair, it relaxes the curls into softness or if they use a flattening iron, they too can achieve long silky, shiny straight locks. It's a must have. On lead-free lipstick I would choose Caramelized Peach. It's as it sounds; yummy and peachy and beautiful.
