I’ve been thinking about my grandmother a lot. She taught me so much. I’ve never seen a more positive attitude in my life.

Gogo, as I called her – her real name was Josephine – lived to be 96 years old, and to the day she died she was as beautiful as she ever was, with the most gorgeous skin. Gogo was the person who taught me about skincare. Back when we lived in Texas we would make skincare potions in her kitchen. Here are some masks that we used to make:

For DRY SKIN

Avocado Mask: Mash an Avocado and apply to clean skin. The unsaturated fatty acids will soften your skin and stimulate your skin’s natural oil production. Leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

Banana Mask: Mash an overripe Banana and apply to clean skin. Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin A, which are great for dry skin. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

For OILY SKIN

Strawberry Mask: Mix in a blender or stir with a fork: ½ cup of fresh Strawberries, 1 Egg White, and 2 teaspoons of Honey. Strawberries are rich in Salicylic Acid which great for acne. The honey is very hydrating while being antibacterial. Leave on face and neck for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Cucumber Mask: Mix with a blender or fork ½ cup Plain, Organic Yogurt and ½ cup grated Cucumbers. Cucumbers are mildly astringent, calm redness, and reduce puffiness. Yogurt is full of protein, calcium and vitamins, and softens your skin amazingly. Apply to face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse of with cool water.

For NORMAL SKIN:

Oatmeal Mask: Mix all ingredients into a smooth paste: ½ cup cooked Oatmeal, 1 Egg, 1 tablespoon Almond Oil. Oatmeal is rich magnesium, protein, iron, and silicon. It is super softening and very gentle. Eggs are full of protein, and Almond Oil is a very light, penetrating oil, full of antioxidants. Apply to clean skin and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Carrot Mask: Mix ¼ cup grated Carrot with 1½ teaspoons Organic Mayonnaise. Carrots are exfoliating, hydrating and full of pro-vitamin A and beta-carotene, while Mayonnaise has oil (hydrating), eggs (full of protein and lecithin), and Vinegar, which balances your skin’s pH. Apply to clean skin and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Gogo is with me everyday. I remember her smile and her laugh, which reminded me of bells. She met the challenges in her life head-on. When she was 29 she contracted polio, while pregnant, and was hospitalized in an iron lung for a whole year. She learned to walk with only the use of a cane when they told her it was impossible. When she was 40 she was widowed. To make a living, she chaperoned groups of girls on trips to Europe. In the ‘70s she moved down to Mexico from Texas. She loved it there. Back then it was rather primitive compared to the United States. It was a long trip to visit her; a three-hour drive from Mexico City on roads frequented by bandits. She had no problem driving herself around. (I would pity any banditos who tried to mess with her). She was a lovable maverick. I miss her terribly.

I started making natural perfume after reading Mandy Aftel's book Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume, which is one of the best books on Natural Perfumery out there. I was inspired. I fell in love with it. Natural Perfumery is an art; an alchemical and sensory experience like no other. The creation of a natural perfume evolves, it takes you on a journey, so that you never know what the end result will be. It's a meditation, a dream.

There are less ethereal reasons why I got into Natural Perfumery. Commercial perfumes are full of toxic chemicals, like phthalates, which are solvents that extend the staying power of perfume. They have been shown to harm the liver, kidneys, and lungs, along with the reproductive system. They are easily absorbed through the skin. Commercial perfumes also have synthetic fragrance oils rather than pure essential oils; fragrance oils just smell lousy to me, overbearing and chemically. I love pure essential oils and I search far and wide to find the most beautiful rose, jasmine, bergamot, etc.

Now when I smell commercial, mass-market perfumes, I am overpowered and I get headaches. Natural perfume is never overpowering, it lasts as long as it lasts, two hours or so. It develops on the skin from top notes to base notes. If you want it to last longer, you reapply it.

I love every aspect of making natural perfume. It is a transcendent experience that takes me out of myself into a world of sensory discovery.

I absolutely love Valentine's Day now that I'm in my 40s. I could care less if I have a date. In fact, I prefer to be without one, as my experience with men on this "holiday" has never been stellar. Even the most loving guys I've dated have felt that doing anything romantic on Valentine's Day was an onerous duty; they would much rather have escaped into their man-caves until it was over.

Of course, I used to get upset by this attitude, and would use it to feel sorry for myself, or let it affect my self-esteem. When I turned 40, however, I made a conscious choice to turn the day around for myself, and it has made a big difference in how I approach it.

Now I share the love with my parents, my sister, brother, and nieces and nephews. I send silly cards. The night of Valentine's Day is spent with my girlfriends. We laugh and get hilarious, tell stories of love gone bad, and love gone good. We eat chocolate and drink champagne, but mostly we share the sisterhood; we celebrate our ability to be vulnerable with one another without judgement. There are no substitutes for my girlfriends. I can count on them, and they can count on me.

And as far as men are concerned? I love men! But now that I love myself, I believe I will attract the right relationship with someone who will be loving no matter what day it is.

I guess that's what it's really about for me. Being able to show that I care, and that I'm there for the people I love. Giving beats receiving every time.

Check out out Valentine's Day Skin Care Collections! We'll be adding new ones daily. We have one for every price range, and we even have one for men.

People have been asking me, "In which order do I use my Clairvoyant Beauty products?" The regimen is fairly simple, and ALL PRODUCTS WORK FOR ALL SKIN TYPES and CAN BE USED IN ANY COMBINATION:

See individual product descriptions by following the links

1. CLEANSE - AM & PM DAILY. Begin by Cleansing your skin with our DETOXIFYING CLAY CLEANSER with DMAE to pull toxins from the skin while giving it a toned and firm appearance, OR our FABULOUS FACIAL CLEANSING OIL which removes makeup from the deepest layers of your skin while giving your skin maximum hydration.

2. RESTORE=SCRUB - ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. Our EXFOLIATING AHA SCRUB removes the dead surface cells with multiple fruit acids, or Alpha Hydroxy Acids, revealing the fresh, new layer of skin you already have underneath. The result is younger, more radiant skin. Use with our SKIN REJUVENATING AHA CREAM to turbo-charge the benefits.

3. TONE - AM & PM DAILY Toning is an important step in your daily skin care regimen because your skin’s natural pH Balance is an equal level of alkaline and acid. Cleansers are high in alkaline to remove dirt and oil, but this disrupts your skin’s Acid Mantle - its natural form of protection from the elements and bacteria - so you need a Toner's highly acidic formula to replace this acid loss. Our Toners include the REFRESHING CUCUMBER FACIAL TONER to calm, the SIMPLY ROSEWATER TONER to hydrate, and our LAVENDER & SEA MINERALS TONER for healing. All Toners are gently astringent restoring your skin to its natural state, removing traces of cleansers and stimulating pores to tighten - leaving your skin feeling smooth, refreshed and glowing. This creates a clean slate for maximum absorption of our nourishing serums.

4. NOURISH=SERUM AM & PM DAILY Our fast-absorbing & nourishing Serums are synergistic blends of vitamins, nutrient-imbued oils, antioxidants and healthy minerals designed to infuse your skin with a power-boosting shot of youthful radiance. All of our Serums are packed with DMAE & MSM - two ultimate ingredients in fighting the signs of aging. Try our NOURISHING MEADOWFOAM FACIAL SERUM for maximum hydration, BALANCING ROSEHIP OIL & HIBISCUS FACIAL SERUM to regulate your skin's oil production with superior hydration, and our SKIN-FIRMING DMAE & MSM SERUM for a firmer,toned appearance.

5. HYDRATE=CREAM - AM & PM DAILY Our feather light Creams work quickly to lock in our nutritious Serums and surface moisture for the maximum benefits of hydration. Try our LIGHT & REFRESHING CUCUMBER CREAM which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties to soothe and protect your skin. Our SIMPLY ROSES CREAM soothes and heals even the most dehydrated skin without leaving a greasy residue. The SKIN FIRMING DMAE & MSM CREAM gives your skin an extra lift with a concentrated dose of active anti-aging ingredients, and our SKIN REJUVENATING AHA CREAM has a proactive combination of Alpha-Hydroxy, Glycolic and Fruit Acids which work together to keep your skin glowing and fresh.

6. DEFINE=EYES AM & PM DAILY Our feather light Eye Creams treat puffiness, dark circles, fine lines and overall heaviness around the eye area. While facial moisturizers are designed to deliver moisture and retain it, our eyes require the opposite with ingredients that gently reduce fluid build up. Our specially formulated Eye Creams nourish and hydrate the delicate tissues without feeling heavy or causing creasing with the use of foundation. Our DEPUFFING CUCUMBER & CRANBERRY EYE GEL has an effective combination of Cucumber and Cranberry Seed Oil which soothes and calms irritated eyes while reducing water retention. Cucumber heals and refreshes tired eyes while reducing fluid build-up, and Cranberry Seed Oil is full of anti-oxidants to fight the signs of aging. The GENTLE & HEALING ROSEWATER EYE CREAM softens expression lines and creases around the eye. It's the perfect remedy for skin affected by harsh climates, with healing protection against drying and chapping without feeling heavy. The beneficial oils of Rose keep the delicate area around your eye soft and smooth.

Follow these steps and you will thank yourself when you look in the mirror!

One of my favorite things about Summer is the abundance of fresh produce available from the Farmers' Market. I like to take advantage by making this yummy Chopped Greek Salad. Serve it with a hot and crusty Rosemary-Olive Bread and a chilled Sauvignon-Blanc and you have a wonderful lunch on the patio...


Lexie's Summer Chopped Greek Salad:

3 Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups Celery, chopped
1 pint Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Orange Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup Sweet Onion, chopped
1 cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
7oz Feta Cheese, crumbled (Use regular Greek Feta instead of reduced-fat, please!)
1 large handful fresh Mint leaves, chopped

Whisk the following Dressing ingredients together:

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp. Sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper to taste

Toss the Salad in the Dressing and serve immediately.

Serves 2 - 4